BIG STREAMERS, BIG SHOWS
How major global streaming services have become the new mainstream TV
There has been a general ‘realignment’ in the media landscape. Until recently, large global SVoDs were the big news, in comparison to the mainstream represented by traditional linear broadcasters. Now, however, the (relative) novelty lies with AVoD, with YouTube leading the way, and the major SVoD services are positioning themselves at the ‘centre’, becoming the new generalist TV.
In this context, we are seeing diversification in their offerings, including events, sports, and above all, unscripted programmes. The main genres within this macro-group remain DATING and TALENT SHOWS, which are fresh and ‘modern’, suitable for young adults, who are their focus target. We will now look at two examples of this type of programme: one from Spain and one from the US.
SPANISH DATING (BUT PERHAPS NOT)
The first one is Esto No Es Un Dating (This is not a date), produced by Buendía Estudios, which will premiere on Prime Video Spain on Friday 20 February. Led by Galder Varas, a famous Spanish comedian with over 850,000 Instagram followers and one million TikTok followers, the TV format is an extension of his improvisational theatre show.
Over the course of six episodes, Varas will attempt to match the most unusual singles found in the theatre where the show is being held. However, he will not be alone in this task, as two celebrities will accompany him in each episode to share their best flirting tips and help him successfully match participants from the audience. With live music, Esto No Es un Dating will be recorded at the Gran Teatro Caixabank Príncipe Pío, where the audience will play an active and essential role in the show.
One hundred single people of different ages, backgrounds, profiles and sexual orientations will sit in front of Galder in the stalls of a theatre. Each of their seats is equipped with a powerful lighting system that they will use to answer the hilarious questions that the comedian will ask them throughout the programme. The most disastrous of them all, ‘La Joyita’ (The Gem), will be chosen to go on stage and receive advice on finding their soulmate. The remaining 99 singles will then decide whether to give love a chance by becoming her suitors.
It should be noted that the concept of turning a dating show into a live theatre event has already been tried out by Date on Stage in the Netherlands (NPO Start and NPO3) and the recent UpDating (see FE, 16 January 2026). It’s a nice idea, but perhaps it’s time to try something new…
THE TALENT OF DISNEY+
Regarding the second flagship genre, talent show, we have American Idol, which is produced by Fremantle and 19 Entertainment, part of Sony Pictures Television, and which, beginning March 30, will stream live on Disney+, alongside its traditional broadcast on ABC, thus expanding the reach of the franchise and connecting with new audiences. The series will continue to be available to stream on Hulu the day after broadcast.
Additionally, the streamer is launching a new companion podcast, the American Idol Official Podcast, which will also stream on Hulu, coinciding with the start of each episode of the talent competition. Each week, the podcast will take a closer look at the series, discussing the performances that have been talked about the most and featuring exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes insights, and expert analysis of the judges’ critiques.
The format perfectly captures the target market of young adults, who are the core audience of these major global streamers. In terms of multiplatform viewing, the show’s performance was up by 20% among total viewers versus the previous season premiere (8.27 million vs. 6.88 million), and up by 7% among young adults aged 18–49 (1.04 rating vs. 0.97 rating), with the show’s best premiere performance among Total Viewers in four years — since 2/27/22.
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TWICE TALPA
Another characteristic of the new global media landscape is its hyper-fragmentation. Therefore, to stand out, good content is no longer enough; you also need to ‘raise your voice’ and make yourself noticed in various ways.
Talpa Studios is doing very well in this respect, forming targeted partnerships and creating products that capture the attention of buyers. It is therefore no coincidence that two news items concerning the Dutch content powerhouse have been released within a few days of each other. Read on for our coverage of the first item, and find the second in the ‘News in a Nutshell’ section below.
The Golden Elevators is a brand-new format developed by the creative team at Talpa Studios. It is a psychological game: knowledge gets you into the game, but psychology decides who survives. Ten contestants start together in the lobby of a spectacular skyscraper, all with the same goal: to reach the top floor and claim a rolling jackpot that starts at $100,000 and grows as the game progresses. Each round begins with a trivia question offering two possible answers, each of which is linked to a different iconic elevator. Once the contestants have made their choice, one elevator ascends towards the summit and the cash prize, while the other plunges downwards, eliminating everyone inside.
But, putting the concept to one side, perhaps the most interesting thing is that, as part of its international launch, Talpa Studios is set to co-produce with Studio Lambert — the creative force behind the American and British versions of the hugely successful The Traitors — in two key markets: the United States and the UK.
It is no longer enough to just have an idea; you need to launch it forcefully onto the market, already confident – as far as possible – of its success.
NEWS IN A NUTSHELL
In the Netherlands, SBS6 has commissioned a second season of The Winner Takes It All, while the first season of the high-energy music competition is still on air. On the show, fifty singers battle it out on a big LED floor, challenging each other in head-to-head singing duels until one contestant conquers the entire floor and wins €100,000.
Five Senses, commissioned by TV3 in Lithuania, premiered on 6 January under the local title Sensodromas. Originally created by Monday Film in Denmark and distributed by Rabbit Films, Five Senses is a fun, studio-based game show in which two teams of celebrities compete against each other in a series of games based on the five senses.
Spanish public broadcaster RTVE has given the green light to a local adaptation of the history and comedy game show And the Rest Is History, distributed by Belgian company Primitives. Produced by Mediacrest, the Spanish version will be titled Aprobado en Historia (‘Passed in History’). In each episode, four celebrity contestants compete across six rounds, uncovering the real stories behind archive photographs, historical objects and notable events.
Prime Video has announced the latest instalment of its Jury Duty reality-hoax franchise, Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat, set to premiere on the streamer on March 27. The documentary-style comedy follows a corporate retreat at a family-owned hot sauce company, from the perspective of the one person present who doesn’t know it is staged: Anthony, a recently hired temporary worker. The series follows him as a clash develops for the fate of the company when the owner prepares to step down.
German network ZDF Neo has commissioned a local adaptation of Paramount-owned comedy panel gameshow After Midnight. The new Constantin Entertainment-produced version, titled Neo Social Club, premiered on ZDF Neo on February 5. The eight-episode first season is hosted by German podcaster and content creator Laura Larsson, who will challenge German media personalities as they unpack pop culture trends of the day.
The new series Dropout Resort premiered on the Dutch public BVoD NPO Start on 29 January. The programme follows a group of outspoken young adults (aged 18–24) who did not finish high school and have no jobs, qualifications or plans for the future. They are given a unique opportunity to prove themselves by taking part in an intensive four-week work challenge on a tropical island resort in Curaçao, in the Dutch Caribbean.
Starting in March, Chilean broadcaster Chilevisión will revive two of its most renowned comedy programmes, El Club de la Comedia and Teatro en Chilevisión, with revamped formats and new casts. Originally broadcast between 2007 and 2014, El Club de la Comedia was one of the most-watched comedy programmes on Chilean television, and a key platform for emerging talent in the genre. Meanwhile, Teatro en Chilevisión, which aired for more than a decade from 2003, will maintain its comedy format with a live audience and address everyday issues from a theatrical perspective.
The exclusive report 10+1 GLOBAL FORMAT TRENDS, is available FREE of charge to all Friday’s Espresso subscribers.
Request your copy by writing in the comments or sending an email to axel@formatespresso.com
