The Guardian's global correspondents have surveyed television hits around the world, from Chinese microdramas to an Arctic comedy. In China, microdramas—one- to two-minute episodes of high-octane, soapy entertainment—have captivated over 660 million viewers, with the industry valued at more than 50bn yuan (£5.5bn). The model, which blends traditional drama with vertical scrolling videos, is now expanding overseas, with millions of Americans downloading Chinese microdrama apps.
In Canada, the comedy series North of North offers a humorous glimpse into life in the Arctic. Created by Inuit film-makers Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, the show follows a young Inuk mother navigating romance and community. It has been renewed for a second season and received 20 Canadian Screen Award nominations, the most of any show in a single year.
Argentina's hit series Envidiosa, a romcom about a 40-year-old woman spiralling after a breakup, has sparked debate about feminism and traditional expectations. The show, which premiered its fourth and final season on Netflix in April, resonates with a 'sandwich generation' caught between feminist ideals and enduring social pressures, according to feminist journalist María Florencia Alcaraz.
