What are you binge watching these days?
These days, our options for binge watching are so vast and so different that we probably spend half our time scrolling through the millions of options available on our Netflix, Prime, Hulu, or Disney+ pages more than watching the actual show. The number of shows that are available these days are thankfully varied in structure, plot, and country of origin that representation is constantly evolving. However, with the advent of streaming services, the content and structure of shows that are being produced by these streaming giants have either been following trends or are too ‘mainstream,’ for a lack of a better term–sometimes even borderline unrealistic; I mean, does everyone really have ironed-out shirts everyday in high school?
Back in 2015, Norwegian teen TV drama Skam (translation: ‘shame‘) found its footing in the hearts of its local viewers, breaking viewership records left and right. It was one of those shows that set in motion a demand for internationally-made (i.e. outside of the US) TV shows. The shows creator knew what Skam was up against–American TV shows. She knew that she had to create a show that would capture a Norwegian teen’s attention, and so she created a series that was a combination of “social realism, soap opera, and comedy.” Even the promotion for the show was unique–it had none. The creators wanted real teenagers to find the show and to spread news about it through word-of-mouth or through social media amongst peers.Â
Skam was often compared to UK-based, and later US-adapted, series Skins, where the show’s cast was constantly changing. What was also different about the show was that the cast was shielded away from the public and the press, which helped to refocus everyone’s attention to the show. Skam utilized social media by uploading real-time clips, conversations, or social media posts while the show was airing live. The show was cultivated in authenticity, and its viewers absolutely loved it. So even though Skam wasn’t widely popular in the US, it did grow quite a following that lead to adaptations by the US, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, and soon enough, Croatia. What set Skam apart from its US counterparts at the time was its cast. In one of the seasons, the leads were gay, and representation was evident; the writers and the actors were thoughtful in their representation of their roles.Â
Thankfully, streaming giants have realized the potential of shows outside the US like Élite, Heartstopper, Sex Education, Smiley, Young Royals, It’s a Sin, and so much more. Élite was so popular when it first came out, that it was constantly renewed before ending with the eight season.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CwWbSglNJhe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
With Élite, the producers set out to create a show that would resonate globally, while still including elements distinctly Spanish—establishing both its originality and unique identity. By creating a show that was innately Spanish, it would be hard to recreate the show elsewhere. The show even brought us now-popular actors like Manu Rios, Omar Ayuso, Arón Piper, Jaime Lorente, and André Lamoglia.Â
Do you have any favorite international shows? Let us know and comment down below.
Sources: Michigan Daily, IMDB
Try “MerlÔ which Netflix advertises but does not carry (frustrating).
Meet the renegade philosophy teacher who’s not afraid to speak his mind and break the rules to revolutionize his students’ lives, including the son he barely knows and a student with a severe social phobia.
Bruno and Pol.