Research specialists The Wit picked 3 inspiring shows from their Fresh Database that reflect the various ways a scripted series can become an international hit. Successful series come from anywhere!

 Here’s the proof with 3 big international trends:

  • “Micro-drama” with a format that originated in the US and was adapted in Brazil delivering million views on multiple broadcasters
  • “Turkish drama” with the latest primetime hit that premiered this fall in Turkey and which is programmed to quickly travel around the world
  • “Scripted formats” with a successful French format adapted in more than 10 territories

De Volta ao Jogo (Back in the game), Brazil, Reelshort

Pitch: Micro-telenovela shot in vertical format, a local adaptation of the scripted format “Breaking the Ice” launched by ReelShort in the USA, which follows Luis, a young footballer on the rise who discovers, years after the end of a relationship, that he has a six-year-old daughter with Mariana, his former love. This reunion forces them both to confront the ghosts of the past and the impact of the decisions they made.

Social media buzz: The Reelshort application counted more than 60 million views for the Brazilian version of the series (and more than 336 million views for the original US series). The series is available from launch in its entirety on ReelShort, with the first 5 episodes free of charge, with short extracts published daily on TikTok and Instagram.

Premiere: Saturday, July 26, 2025

Distributor:   Reelshort

69 2-minute episodes

TRAILER : https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IRHCeC1Ol9s

Halef: Köklerin Çağrısı (Halef), Turkey, NOW

Pitch: Turkish relationship drama series telling the story of Serhat, a man who, despite his family’s expectations, thrives as a surgeon in Istanbul. After secretly marrying Melek, the woman he loves, Serhat is forced to return to his hometown of Urfa, where an old blood feud between two powerful families forces him to marry Yıldız, a woman from one of the rival families. This situation jeopardizes not only his love for Melek, but also his social and personal rise.

Social media buzz: The Turkish drama series have delivered excellent ratings on Disney-owned channel Now, leading the slot. The first episode of the series reached 12 million views on official YouTube channel in two weeks of streaming. On social media, the show has gathered more than 238,000 Instagram followers since its premiere.

Premiere: Thursday, September 18, 2025

Distributor: Inter Medya

150-minute weekly episodes

TRAILER : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8An13l7RXU

Call My Agent Berlin, Germany, Disney+

Pitch: German dramedy series, local adaptation of the format “Call My Agent” which follows the daily goings-on at a talent agency which reps famous actors. The fictional Stern agency is on the verge of bankruptcy and has to attract new talent and retain and place existing stars in a very short space of time. While famous actors and actresses roam the halls and real stars appear in every episode, the agents are battling it out behind the scenes.

Social media buzz: The German adaptation of the hit scripted format has gathered a positive following on IMDb with a good 7.0/10 rating. The format has also been adapted in Spain on linear channel Telecinco with a good debut: the first episode averaged a 10.9% audience share in the 4+ and 909,000 viewers (Source: Mediaset España / Kantar Media).

Premiere: Friday, September 12, 2025 (for the German version)

Distributor:   France tv distribution

6 52-minute weekly episodes

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01jsD3B0b8w

These three recent drama series are good examples of how diverse the international market is:

  • A low production costs series gathering million views
  • A locally produced drama series that will travel around the world
  • A successful scripted format adapted in many countries on linear channels and streamers alike

About Author

The Wit’s FreshTV is the trendspotter and trendsetter of international tv and digital content. We provide producers, broadcasters, distributors, advertisers worldwide with the best information about the best tv and digital content, projects, developments and programs. We do this via daily newsletters, reports, videos and 24/7 databases. We help our subscribers decrypt and anticipate the market, innovate, get inspired and acquire the most exciting IPs

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