Netflix recently announced that they will be creating a new unscripted series following the famous TikTok influencers who live in the mansion dubbed the Hype House.
The advancement of influencer culture is a very interesting phenomenon — the way Generation Z uses social media is so vastly different from what previous generations are used to, most comparatively, Millennials. The popularity of the Hype House is a perfect depiction of that.
The Hype House is known as a “collaborative content house” that came to be in 2019 when a group of TikTokers all decided to buy a mansion together in Los Angeles, California.
Popular members of the house and the influencers featured in Netflix’s upcoming series are Kouvr Annon, Nikita Dragun, Sienna Mae Gomez, Chase Hudson, Larri Merritt, Thomas Petrou, Alex Warren, and Jack Wright.
What did Netflix say?
Earlier this week, Netflix announced their upcoming Hype House series across their social media — seemingly to the dismay of many subscribers. It appears that the platform did not get the response they were hoping for as a majority of the trending commentary has been very critical of their decision. There is even a strong wave of subscribers threatening to cancel their membership if this series continues into production.
Announcing the series, Netflix wrote, “Kouvr Annon, Nikita Dragun, Sienna Mae Gomez, Chase Hudson, Larri Merritt, Thomas Petrou, Alex Warren, and Jack Wright — a.k.a Hype House — will star in a new unscripted series that will reveal a side of themselves (and their relationships) that we rarely see!”
Netflix subscribers seem to have two major concerns about this choice: Netflix is notorious for canceling budding series after only two seasons and waiting an exceptionally long amount of time before announcing the future of these newer programs.
Examples of such are the musical series Julie and the Phantoms and the drama Firefly Lane. Both of which had successful debuts and have massive fanbases, but these fans have been left in the dark when it comes to renewal information. Many are upset Netflix chose to create a new series around Hype House rather than commit to renewing past popular shows.
Another big issue subscribers seem to have is that the Hype House has a somewhat troubled history. Not only did the house host a controversial party during a very dangerous time of the COVID-19 pandemic, but members have also faced allegations of manipulation and abuse.
What have Netflix subscribers said?
Many Netflix subscribers have been very vocal about their disappointment in this new project, laying out the problematic nature of this new series.
Breaking the situation down, Insider reporter Kat Tenbarge tweeted, “It’s not surprising to me that Netflix would pivot to influencer programming. A non-critical reality series is not the angle I would have hoped for, especially considering that two of the most prominent Hype House members have been accused of sexting minors and statutory rape.”
The fashion and entertainment reporter Gianluca Russo also weighed in, tweeting, “Hey Netflix! Quick question. Will the series uncover how the Hype House created a smokescreen for people like the Lopez brothers to take advantage of young women? Will the series hold Nikita Dragun accountable for being incredibly problematic? Let me know!”
Another Netflix viewer called out the platform for their history of cancelling popular television series. He wrote, “Netflix cancelled The Society, Sense 8, I Am Not Okay With This, Everything Sucks, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina just to give the Hype House a show?”
In all, the announcement of the upcoming Hype House series appears to be a swing-and-a-miss for Netflix — at least for now. While it’s clear that the streaming platform is trying to appeal to younger generations and produce content that will document this period in time, judging by the reaction of Netflix subscribers, they may not have got off to the greatest of starts.
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The upcoming Hype House series is expected to premiere on Netflix in the future, but no premiere date has yet been released.