Full Circle Fame
Netflix’s newest binge-worthy reality series, ‘Building the Band’, is making waves- and not just for its format. A spiritual successor to the boy band boom of the early 2010s, the show tries to recreate the accidental lightning-in-a-bottle that gave us One Direction, but with a twist: it’s curated by the contestants themselves, not producers or celebrity judges.
It’s a modern take on an old formula, an intentional attempt to recreate the kind of moment when Simon Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger saw potential in five solo auditioners and formed a global phenomenon.
The presence of the late Liam Payne as a mentor adds emotional weight and legacy to the series. Shot before his tragic accident, his return alongside Scherzinger feels like a farewell, a tribute, and a baton-passing all at once. The series even opens with a quiet dedication to the One Direction star- making ‘Building the Band’ not just a competition show, but a cultural bookend.
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Blind Ambition
At first glance, ‘Building the Band’ might seem like just another entry in the long line of singing competitions- think ‘The Voice’ meets ‘Love Is Blind’, with just a sprinkle of ‘Making the Band’. But Netflix isn’t just recycling tropes. The show tweaks the formula in a few key ways, breathing life into a genre many thought had run out of steam.
Fifty singers begin the competition isolated in neon-lit booths, performing live for one another- unseen. If five listeners press their button in approval, the booth glows pink and the vocalist advances. It’s part vocal roulette, part sonic chemistry test.
But the real innovation begins after the singing stops. Instead of relying on celebrity judges or backstage producers to build groups, the contestants are handed the reins. They call one another- sometimes confidently, sometimes awkwardly- and must convince others to join their dream band.
Netflix has been quietly carving out a niche for sight-unseen reality formats- see: ‘The Circle’, ‘Love Is Blind’. But ‘Building the Band’ takes it a step further. It doesn’t just withhold appearances; it redistributes control. That shift- from gatekeepers to participants- creates something rare in reality TV: a competition shaped as much by instinct as strategy, and as much by connection as performance.
In theory, the format levels the playing field.
Take Katie Roeder, one of the competitors who shared that, as a plus-sized woman, she often fears being overlooked in casting setups. On this show, however, she was chosen purely on vocal ability and was one of the first to form a band with fan-favorites Donzell Taggart, Aaliyah Rose, and Cameron Goode.
Yet not every contestant came in without a blueprint. Landon Boyce, for example, was adamant from the start that he wanted to form an all-boy band. He succeeded- raising quiet questions about how internalized preferences, not just external discrimination, shape group dynamics.
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Battle of the Bands
So far, four episodes of ‘Building the Band’ have dropped, and six groups have taken shape. But the competition is just warming up.
The teaser at the end of Episode 4 signals that romance is about to complicate the competition, igniting breakups, upheavals, and drama that go beyond the music.
Episodes 5 through 7 have dropped, getting us ever-closer to the showdown where the newly formed bands will compete for a $500,000 grand prize. The final episodes, 8 through 10, will be available on July 23.
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A Group Affair
‘Building the Band’ is best experienced in a group- not just because of its sprawling cast, but because it practically begs for running commentary. Reality TV lives and dies by its reactions, and this show delivers plenty of moments worth talking (or laughing) about.
My friends and I became our own peanut gallery while binging all four episodes. From predicting who would flake on a bandmate mid-call to collectively gasping at an unexpected vocal riff, the show morphed into a shared game of instincts and guesses.
Want to spice it up? (Responsibly, of course). Turn it into a drinking game. Take a shot every time someone cries. Or when a phone call turns painfully awkward.
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Early Predictions
With seven episodes now released, all six bands are locked in. Several are already standing out, both vocally and in terms of storyline. Here are the current lineups:
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Band #1: Donzell, Aaliyah, Cameron, Katie
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Band #2: Landon, Shade, Malik, Bradley
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Band #3: Nori, Wennely, Brianna
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Band #4: Zach, Mason, Conor, Shane
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Band #5: Jenna, Autumn, Noriella, Erica
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Band #6: Alison, Haley, Elise
Band #4, with their strong harmonies and tight dynamic, has emerged as an early frontrunner. But now that Alison’s girl group has officially formed- with the powerhouse combo of Haley and Elise- they may be a dark horse to watch. The teaser for the upcoming episodes hints at a surprise shakeup that could threaten one group’s stability.
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Liam’s Curtain Call
While ‘Building the Band’ certainly doesn’t reinvent the reality competition wheel, it offers something no other show can: Liam Payne.
The late One Direction star filmed his role as judge and mentor before his tragic accident last year. The series opens with a heartfelt dedication to Payne, underscoring the emotional weight he brings to the show even posthumously.
Because the concept of ‘Building the Band’ is rooted in the very moment Nicole Scherzinger helped form One Direction, the reunion of Payne and Scherzinger on screen is a touching, full-circle moment- one that resonates deeply with fans and adds a layer of poignancy to the series.
By Joseph Tralongo
Click here to read The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Cinema, TV and Media. An excerpt from the love letter: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, “We have the space and time for all your stories, no matter who/what/where you are. Media/Cinema/TV have a responsibility to better the world and The Hollywood Insider will continue to do so. Talent, diversity and authenticity matter in Cinema/TV, media and storytelling. In fact, I reckon that we should announce “talent-diversity-authenticity-storytelling-Cinema-Oscars-Academy-Awards” as synonyms of each other. We show respect to talent and stories regardless of their skin color, race, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, etc., thus allowing authenticity into this system just by something as simple as accepting and showing respect to the human species’ factual diversity. We become greater just by respecting and appreciating talent in all its shapes, sizes, and forms. Award winners, which includes nominees, must be chosen on the greatness of their talent ALONE.
I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Cinema lovers all over the world when I speak of the following sentiments that this medium of art has blessed me with. Cinema taught me about our world, at times in English and at times through the beautiful one-inch bar of subtitles. I learned from the stories in the global movies that we are all alike across all borders. Remember that one of the best symbols of many great civilizations and their prosperity has been the art they have left behind. This art can be in the form of paintings, sculptures, architecture, writings, inventions, etc. For our modern society, Cinema happens to be one of them. Cinema is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an integral part of society. I love the world uniting, be it for Cinema, TV, media, art, fashion, sport, etc.
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Joseph Tralongo is a playwright and screenwriter who approaches storytelling with a deep respect for film’s ability to distill human behavior into meaningful moments. His personal work- i.e. his plays, screenplays, and films- leans into semantic tension, moral ambiguity, and the quiet unraveling of social dynamics- not to preach, but to parse. For him, writing is a slow excavation of truth through craft. With a background in theatre and independent film, he brings a structural precision and dramatic instinct to every film he reviews. Hollywood Insider’s mission to champion substance over spectacle aligns with Joseph’s belief that storytelling should investigate, not dictate.
Joseph Tralongo is a playwright and screenwriter who approaches storytelling with a deep respect for film’s ability to distill human behavior into meaningful moments. His personal work- i.e. his plays, screenplays, and films- leans into semantic tension, moral ambiguity, and the quiet unraveling of social dynamics- not to preach, but to parse. For him, writing is a slow excavation of truth through craft. With a background in theatre and independent film, he brings a structural precision and dramatic instinct to every film he reviews. Hollywood Insider’s mission to champion substance over spectacle aligns with Joseph’s belief that storytelling should investigate, not dictate.
