Towards the end of 2022, streaming reality dating shows were all the rage, with scripted romantic dramas on the decline. But thanks to the surge in romance novel adaptations, that position has changed — and by a very big margin.
A new study by Ampere Analysis found that so far this year, scripted dramas accounted for 83% of first-run romance TV commissions. Since early 2025, 40% of those series orders have been literary adaptations, and over the past three years, debut adaptations of romance novels have jumped 73%.
Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video are leading the way. In fact, so far this year, the two are carrying the torch alone (alone?) and each account for 50 percent of these series orders. Here’s something else you’ll love: The jobs stay in the US as 75 percent of the production needed is in the US
Romance is a reliable genre as young love is always in the air. Since coronavirus, 18-24 year olds have maintained the same levels of attractiveness year after year; Nearly half (49 percent — let’s call them “girls”) of respondents to its surveys consumed romantic TV series in the first quarter of 2026. That’s 7 percentage points better than the global average across all ages, a gap only seen in horror films and anime. (Since 2020, comedies and action/adventure films are down 9 percentage points among young adults, and crime/thrillers are down 5 percentage points.)
This genre also plays well on social media, where, you guessed it, 18-24 year olds hang out. 31% of survey respondents said social media influences their viewing choices, which is 9 percentage points higher than the average across all ages. The power of BookTok is real.
“Scripted romances currently occupy a central place in the cultural zeitgeist, never more so than literary adaptations, incl Hot competition (2025), Off campus (2026), and Bridgerton (2020 – present). “The continued success of these titles has encouraged global broadcasters to rethink their approach to commissioning new romance content, moving away from reality TV and toward higher-budget scripted shows with established fan bases,” Mariana Enriquez Denton Bustenza, senior analyst at Ampere Analysis, said in a statement. “Romance and its book adaptations are targeting a younger demographic that is becoming increasingly visible on social media. By leveraging these online communities, streamers improve their shows’ chances of success and ensure longevity through ongoing fan interactions and feedback.
Ampere Analysis is a UK-based research company focused on the entertainment industry.
