What the World Are Tuning Into, From Soap Operas from Brazil to Superheroes Made of Red Bean Paste
A short time ago, this publication looked into the surge of global post-apocalyptic dramas making their way to viewers worldwide. These shows brought tales of climate catastrophe, harsh dictatorships, and alien invasions from various countries such as Argentina, Nigeria, and Asia. Aside from revealing global anxieties about institutional collapse, it also emphasized how interconnected the TV landscape has become in 2025. Online services, broadcast networks, YouTube, and unofficial streams can instantly deliver regional shows from across the worldâexcluding Antarctica, though it's interesting to consider if any penguin-themed dramas exist there.
Still, even with the extent of global intermingling in television today, numerous shows stay mostly unseen beyond domestic borders despite massive popularity at home. Recently, we aimed to spotlight these programs by inquiring correspondents covering different nations about the shows audiences are viewing in their areas. Read on for stories of Jamaican breakfast television, Brazilian telenovelas, and Japanese red bean paste-based superheroes.
Brazil | Anything Goes
Although Brazil's traditional passion for telenovelas has been slightly influenced by streaming services and rivalry from Korean series and shows from Turkey, the most discussed and most watched television program in Latin America's largest country is, expectedly, a telenovela. Anything Goes is a reboot of a production considered as one of the key of the genre and a massive success in 1988 and 1989, when Brazil was still recovering from a harsh 20-year authoritarian rule. The first version revolved around the theme: "Does it pay to be honest in Brazil?"
The updated seriesâreleased during a time of deep political divisionâhas moved away from the political themes of the first, but has drawn high viewership and ignited heated online debates. Although many viewers enjoy the reboot, with clips spreading widely on online platforms, there has also been backlash over changes to the original plot and the reproduction of stereotypes often associated with Black women in relation to one of the protagonists.
In Nigeria | Big Brother Naija
You could write a compelling dissertation on Nigeria's interest with neighborly boundaries and the country's continued interest in observing over twenty strangers locked in a shared home. The latest season of Big Brother Naija is on now, and it still manages to generate more discussion, especially on social media, than virtually every pop culture event aside from soccer matches.
Big Brother Naija experiences a degree of mainstream penetration that makes the drama hard to ignore even if you don't watch it. Participants can still expect their time on the show into a career of fame and endorsements, even if short-lived. This will endure for as long as the producers keep up their skill to select the ideal combination of participants who all seem destined for the constant spotlight.
Japan | Bean Paste Hero
Based on the latest figures available, Japan's top-rated consistently aired programme is the series Anpan. It's the latest in a extensive lineup of short daily series, called asadora, aired in the morning on weekdays by national network NHK. The show is inspired by the story of a woman named Nobu Komatsu, whose husband, the creator Takashi Yanase, created the Anpanman (literally Bean Paste Man) picture books and animated series that have amused and enthralled generations of children in Japan.
Anpan recounts the rags-to-riches narrative of a female protagonist who experiences the atrocities of the second world war and, with her husband, establishes a gentle-spirited book collection in the seventies. Its main character the hero Anpanmanâa red-bean-filled pastry with a capeâselflessly helps those in peril and distress, offering parts of his own head to nourish the hungry. Like most asadora, the show is visual comfort food, with a touching, inspiring story that calms the unsettled mood of today's times.
In Jamaica | Smile Jamaica
Usually, most people in Jamaica get their television shows from the US, but even so the domestic station TVJ's the show Smile Jamaica breakfast program remains a critical part of the country's routine.
Broadcast from early morning, with a Saturday edition on Saturdays, it features an eclectic mix of light entertainment and segments on heavy topical issues. Viewers can see popular dance and exercise guides, interesting conversations with a Jamaican Michael Jackson impersonator and the producers of a recent food product, but also discussions on Jamaica's firearms laws and the difficult topic of mental health awareness after the nation was shaken by the death of a beauty pageant alumna at just twenty-six. The show is a great example of significant funding in its entertainment sector, with multiple local film festivals and the government just pledging millions in local currency for domestic movie projects.
In Poland | International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition
It's perhaps not the standard idea of a TV blockbuster, able to draw huge audiences. Still, a large part of the country will be tuned in for the coming weeks due to the excitement of the latest edition of a renowned piano competition celebrating Poland's musical genius Fryderyk Chopin.
The nineteenth iteration of the Chopin Piano Competition began recently. It will include eighty-four musicians from 20 countriesânarrowed down from over six hundred applicantsâcontending for the top prize, often seen as a key opportunity to play in the top international venues.
The event, resembling the Olympic Games for pianists, takes place every five years and draws thousands of classical music lovers to the city of Warsaw, with tickets selling out a year in advance. This edition, the host nation has 13 participants, but pianists from the US, North America, and Asia are regarded as leading contenders.
The competition is televised by Poland's national TV and streamed online, with the champion's performances starting in the latter part of the month.
