Following in the footsteps of Apple TV’s star-studded non-Severance critically acclaimed shows that no one has ever heard of because they never advertise them, like Disclaimer, Presumed Innocent, and For All Mankind, Rememory has been described by Apple’s Tim Cook as “our greatest achievement yet.” With the second season likely to pick up a whole host of Emmys to add to the streamer’s growing collection, here’s everything you need to know about television’s newest era-defining show.
Rememory is set in the early 2010s, centering on a seemingly normal group of suburban Americans who wake up one day to find themselves haunted by memories of lives that don’t seem to be theirs. With their every waking moment occupied by fragments of someone or something not from their consciousness, the so-called “re-rememberers” try to ground themselves in their strange new reality.
Carried by incredible performances from Brian Tyree Henry, Steven Yeun, Hunter Schafer, Mark Ruffalo, Ayo Edebiri, and Tom Hanks, the show oozes stardom. Most importantly, in a boundary-pushing decision taken by Apple TV’s marketing team, the series can be viewed only if you are a current resident of Golden Acres Senior Living Community, an elder-care complex located in scenic Rocky River, Ohio.
Apple TV spared no expense in bringing the complex emotions and multi-layered timelines of Rememory to the small screen, with season 2 rumored to have a budget of $150 million. Much of that was spent on creating an immersive reality never before seen on a television show, with every part of Rememory’s suburban setting being recreated on a soundstage in LA.
In addition to John’s (Yeun) condo, in which he grieves the life whose sad re-remembrances he now experiences, and Marie’s (Schafer) workplace, a nondescript and soul-crushing call center, the production team custom-built a fully functional replica of a Target that appears for only twenty seconds in the second episode of season 2. As a result, the Apple TV marketing team was left with a fifty-dollar budget, which they spent on ensuring that the residents of Golden Acres could pool together for one Apple TV login that allowed them to watch the show. While no one else in America has seen Rememory, the Golden Acres residents were entranced by the show, especially once they realized they couldn’t figure out how to turn the TV back to the Browns game they were trying to watch.
With a previously unheard-of level of detail and budget flowing into the show, Apple TV decided not to advertise for the program. Relying on word of mouth, the streaming service pursued a viral marketing strategy consisting of a QR code that Golden Acres residents did not know how to access or share. As a result, the show had an average viewership of fourteen people per episode, one more than the number of Emmy nominations season 2 received.
Despite that, Apple TV is determined to make sure its new hit is put in front of as many eyes as possible. Starting this upcoming season, people interested in watching the show can check themselves into Golden Acres for luxurious end-of-life care and the chance to see Nicole Kidman’s cameo in episode 5.