🔗 Share this article Which Shows Global Audiences Are Tuning Into, From Soap Operas from Brazil to Superheroes Created from Red Bean Paste Recently, our coverage examined the trend of global post-apocalyptic dramas making their way to viewers across the globe. These shows delivered tales of environmental disaster, violent autocracy, and extraterrestrial attacks from diverse locations such as South America, Nigeria, and Asia. Aside from revealing global anxieties about institutional collapse, it also underscored how linked the TV landscape has become in 2025. Streaming platforms, satellite channels, YouTube, and unofficial streams can quickly provide regional shows from every continent—except Antarctica, though it's interesting to consider if any penguin-themed dramas exist there. However, despite the extent of global intermingling in TV today, numerous shows remain mostly unseen beyond domestic borders despite huge success at home. This week, we set out to highlight these series by inquiring journalists covering various countries about the shows audiences are viewing in their areas. Continue for stories of morning shows in Jamaica, soap operas from Brazil, and Japanese red bean paste-based superheroes. In Brazil | Anything Goes Even if Brazil's longstanding love affair for telenovelas has been slightly influenced by online platforms and rivalry from Korean series and Turkish equivalents, the most talked-about and highest-rated TV show in Latin America's largest country is, unsurprisingly, a telenovela. Anything Goes is a reboot of a series regarded as one of the most important in its category and a huge hit in the late 80s, when Brazil was still recovering from a brutal two-decade military dictatorship. The original version revolved around the theme: "Does it pay to be ethical in Brazil?" The updated series—launched during a time of deep political division—has moved away from the original's political focus, but has drawn high viewership and ignited intense discussions on the internet. Although many viewers enjoy the reboot, with scenes spreading widely on online platforms, there has also been backlash over changes to the original plot and the portrayal of cliches commonly linked to African-descendant women in relation to one of the protagonists. Nigeria | Big Brother Naija One could conduct an in-depth study on Nigeria's interest with neighborly boundaries and the country's ongoing curiosity in watching over twenty unknown individuals locked in a shared home. The latest season of Big Brother Naija is on now, and it continues to drive more conversation, especially on social media, than any other entertainment happening aside from Premier League football. BBNaija enjoys a level of cultural breakthrough that makes the show hard to ignore whether or not you don't watch it. Contestants can still expect their time on the show into a life of fame and brand deals, however temporary. This is likely to continue for as long as the producers maintain their incredible ability to select the perfect mix of contestants who all seem born for the 24-hour stage. In Japan | Bean Paste Hero According to the most recent data released, Japan's highest rated regularly scheduled show is the series Anpan. It's the latest in a extensive lineup of 15-minute dramas, called asadora, broadcast in the early hours on weekdays by national network the Japanese broadcasting corporation. The show is inspired by the life of Nobu Komatsu, whose husband, Takashi Yanase, created the Anpanman (meaning Red Bean Bun Man) picture books and cartoon show that have amused and enthralled multiple age groups of Japanese kids. Anpan tells the rags-to-riches story of a young woman who lives through the horrors of the World War II and, with her husband, creates a kind-hearted book collection in the seventies. Its hero the hero Anpanman—a sweet bun with bean paste with a cape—generously aids those in peril and need, offering pieces of his soft, sweet head to feed the hungry. Similar to other asadora, Anpan is soothing viewing, with a touching, uplifting story that calms the anxious atmosphere of today's times. Jamaica | Smile Jamaica Typically, most people in Jamaica access their media content from the United States, but despite this the domestic station Television Jamaica's Smile Jamaica morning show continues to be a essential part of the national daily life. Broadcast from early morning, with a Saturday edition on Saturdays, it features an diverse range of light entertainment and sections on heavy topical issues. Viewers can enjoy popular dance and pilates tutorials, interesting conversations with a local performer 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 passing of a former Miss Universe Jamaica contestant at just 26. The show is a great example of Jamaica's heavy investment in its entertainment sector, with several local film festivals and the government recently announcing millions in local currency for domestic movie projects. In Poland | International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition It may not fit the usual definition of a mass-audience show, able to draw huge audiences. Still, much of Poland will be tuned in for the coming weeks following the twists and turns of the latest edition of a renowned piano competition celebrating Poland's musical genius the composer Chopin. The 19th edition of the Chopin Piano Competition began recently. It will feature eighty-four musicians from twenty nations—narrowed down from more than 640 submissions—contending for the first place, widely considered a key opportunity to perform in the world's greatest concert halls. The event, resembling the Olympic Games for keyboard artists, takes place quinquennially and attracts many of music enthusiasts to the Polish capital, with admissions being reserved a long beforehand. This time, the host nation has 13 participants, but pianists from the United States, North America, and Asia are seen as some of the favourites. The event is televised by Poland's national TV and available via live stream, with the champion's performances beginning in late October.