Riverdale is over, and Euphoria season three has been postponed. But in the place of these high school television drama juggernauts, an unexpected show has emerged.
On Thursday, user @welovemarkers took TikTok by storm with the first installment of an untitled high school melodrama told entirely through slideshow pictures of Sharpie markers propped up with wads of sticky tack.
The first episode of the soap opera, which appears to be filmed in a high school science classroom, has garnered 25.8 million views. By Thursday, three episodes had hit timelines.
The story’s cast consists of two couples—Pink and Blue, Mint and Purple—who are the
“hottest” and “second hottest” couples in school. They are joined by a new student, Lavender, who is described as a “homewrecker and slut.”
Upon befriending the popular kids, she convinces Blue and Mint to have an affair with her behind Pink and Purple’s backs. Pink and Purple grow suspicious of the infidelity after Blue and Mint don’t return their texts. And that’s just the first TikTok.
In the series’ next installment, Lavender approaches her teacher about failing her class and proposes sleeping with him—even though he is married.
Meanwhile, Lavender is still hooking up with Blue and Mint but is also being set up with Orange, a fluorescent highlighter. After another rendezvous with Blue and Mint, Lavender accidentally switches caps with Mint, something Lavender’s teacher notices when they hook up. Their affair is interrupted by the principal of the fictional school, who then joins Lavender and her teacher.
Inexplicably, Purple and Pink heard that Lavender hooked up with their teacher. Mint and Lavender meet up, and Mint tells her that he and Purple broke up.
The episode, like the others, ends in a cliffhanger.
TikTok users are enthralled with the drama.
“The way my jaw dropped when they removed their caps, absolutely scandalous,” one user commented.
“BAE WAKE UP PART 3 OF MARKER DRAMA IS OUT,” another wrote.
“Can’t believe I’m waiting to see what happens to some pens,” one comment said.
Other TikTokers have offered their own theories and commentary on the story.
@sarahadamsdesign When the caps came off I was shook ???? #lavendersharpie #lavendersharpiedrama #sharpiedrama #capsoff ♬ Ick - Lay Bankz
In one video response, TikTok user @sarahadamsdesign pulls out a small trash can and throws away a lavender water bottle, notebook, and eraser. The video, uploaded Monday, has over 3.5 million views.
“Ive been a lavender stan for a long time but I cant support this move,” the text overlay on the TikTok reads.
User @appletiktoks posted an anti-Lavender sentiment in a TikTok posted Sunday that by Tuesday had over 5.4 million views.
“I [wouldn’t] wish that upon my worst enemy unless of course you were talking about my enemy Lavender,” the text overlay displays.
@appletiktoks #fyp #foryou #markerstories #welovemarkers #sharpi ♬ I HATE U MISS PALTROW - slay
The Lavender hate continued in the comments.
“Lavender started all this chaos AND FOR WHAT..” one comment read.
“Lavender is my mortal enemy,” another said.
The overwhelming interest in viral stories such as this one could be in part because of the recent WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which halted the production and promotion of film and television shows. While the writer’s strike is over, the SAG-AFTRA strike is ongoing, meaning scripted shows like Stranger Things and Abbott Elementary will likely have production and release delays.
In place of scripted media, reality TV and other unscripted shows are booming.
TikTok, YouTube, and other social media could also take the place of watching new scripted shows during this time. Actor, comedian, and “Sitting” creator Brian Jordan Alvarez said the strikes gave him newfound free time to create viral videos and characters.
The Daily Dot reached out to @welovemarkers, @sarahadamsdesign, and @appletiktoks via TikTok comments and direct messages.
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