According to the 2019 edition of the “Scripted Series Report” published by Glance and analysing the consumption of series on over 100 channels in 12 countries, the success of the genre is confirmed worldwide, always reinventing itself in terms of creation, genres and topics covered.
“The series is a format that remains strategic in programming as this year almost 60% of the channels studied have seen their audiences boosted by a primetime series. Although national crime dramas remain unbeatable in the hearts of viewers, we observe more co-productions among the top 15 series of countries and the recurring appearance of new themes such as feminist historical series,” said Candice Alessandra, International Research Manager at Glance.
THE CHALLENGE OF IMPORTED SERIES AND CO-PRODUCTIONS
Locally produced series still top the preferences of channels and viewers in 2019. All countries combined, over 2/3 of the primetime series broadcast on the main channels are national creations. They are especially popular with the public and account for 3/4 of the consumption of fiction series. This is especially true for the United States, Turkey, Israel and Russia, which give 90% priority to national content in their broadcasts, while Sweden, Denmark and Italy mainly import series.
Although the supremacy of local creations remains indisputable, the trend is stabilising. Indeed, their leadership at the top of the national ratings for the best primetime series is now being challenged by the greater presence of imported programmes (21 compared to 17 last season) and co-productions (18 compared to 12 previously).
DRAMA, AN ESSENTIAL GENRE FOR SERIES
By totalling almost 75% of the series scheduled and viewed during primetime, drama has again imposed itself as the undisputed leader of the fictional genres in most of the countries studied. Only Israel prefers comedies.
Taking a closer look at this category, two genres are clearly distinguishable: crime series alone account for 41% of the primetime series offer (up three points vs. 2017-18) and human drama series (including medical series) come second with 19% of programming.
One sign of the times is that new period dramas favouring a feminist approach to the past have appeared this year in the national charts of 8 of the 12 countries studied.