Whether it's part of your academics or you're just exploring a different culture for fun, watching entertainment shows is one of the best ways to do it!

For this reason, today we'll dive deep into the diverse TV series that a few of the world's richest cultures have to offer: Bangladesh, India, Italy, Korea, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States.

Make sure to have popcorn next to you!

Bangladesh

Watching television is a popular pastime among Bangladeshi people of all ages.

People watch different tv shows at different times in a day; the most popular are: drama, comedy, romance, horror, fantasy, historical… with multiple plot twists too.

There are TV serieses which often involve the use of dialects of different regions of Bangladesh.

Reality shows are not very well-known in Bangladesh; instead, Indian reality TV shows such as “Bigg Boss” are quite famous. International TV shows are very watched; for instance women are very interested in Hindi and Bengali TV shows.

These shows have an addicting hook and shocking plot twists that leave the audience wanting for more. Also Turkish dramas have been a hit amongst Bangladeshis to the point that haven been dubbed in Bengali.

Among the younger generation, American, British and European shows are popular, especially K-dramas and Japanese anime which are gaining more audience due to streaming services such as Netflix and CrunchyRoll.

Magazine television programmes such as “Ityadi” are very admired; it is the longest running show of Bangladesh and it has several segments including Nani-Naati, Mama-Bhagne. It also includes a small segment of a foreign film dubbed in Bengali and the history of Bangladesh. The show offers live music, dance performances and games too such as a quiz for the audience.

India

In India, television shows have played a pivotal role in shaping the country's cultural landscape and entertainment industry. Over the decades, they have evolved from a few state-run channels to a diverse array of content spanning multiple languages and genres. Indian television has catered to a wide spectrum of viewers, reflecting the country's rich diversity and varied tastes.

One of the defining features of Indian television shows is the influence of family-oriented dramas, which often revolve around social issues and family dynamics. Iconic series like "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi" and "Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii" set the stage for this trend and gained immense popularity.

Light-hearted family comedy shows like “Tarrak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah” and “The Kapil Sharma Show” have been widely viewed by people for about a decade. Additionally, reality shows like "Kaun Banega Crorepati" and "Bigg Boss" have become household names, engaging viewers with a mix of entertainment and competition.

Furthermore, India's regional television channels have also flourished, producing content in numerous languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, and more. These regional shows capture the essence of local cultures, traditions, and storytelling styles, contributing significantly to the overall richness of Indian television.

In recent years, with the advent of streaming platforms, there has been a shift towards more diverse and content-driven programming, giving rise to acclaimed series like "Sacred Games", “Mirzapur” and "Delhi Crime."

As India continues to embrace digital innovations, television remains an integral part of the nation's entertainment landscape, serving as a mirror reflecting its diverse culture and ever-evolving preferences.

Italy

The history of Italian cinema/TV series started on January 3rd 1954, when Rai (Italian Radio Television) began its regular television broadcasting service. This event was not only the start of the TV era, but was the greatest instrument to unifying the Italian language within the peninsula and to acculturate the masses.

At the very start, without the influence of advertisement, TV played a pedagogical-educational role throughout plays from Ancient Roman-Greek tradition which quickly became the “sceneggiato” a miniserie of 6 episodes.

In the 1980s, private television took the lead of entertainment by the phenomenon of “Importazione” or better to say taking Hollywood's works of art on the italian screen.

However, in order to preserve Italian culture in 1989 a law that obliged TV networks to invest in domestic production favoured a resurgence of Italian-produced TV dramas.

Since then, the italian brand was created and two main types of TV series were starting to be produced:

- long-running serial dramas, the most successful of which is the soap opera “Un posto al sole” (1996) “Un medico in famiglia” (four seasons, since 1998)

- miniseries over several seasons, usually with one-and-a-half hour episodes/episodes such as “Il maresciallo Rocca”, “Scomparsa”, “Don Matteo”.

Curious to watch an Italian TV series? I suggest you start with “Il paradiso delle Signore”, a series about the stories, loves, hopes and disappointments of a Milan department store in the 1950s and 1960s. Enjoy!

Korea

Television shows in South Korea, often referred to as K-dramas, have garnered immense international acclaim and a dedicated global fan base. Renowned for their high production quality, compelling storytelling, and charismatic actors, K-dramas have become a cultural phenomenon that transcends borders. These shows typically encompass a wide range of genres, from romance and historical dramas to thrillers and fantasy series, catering to a diverse audience.

One of the defining characteristics of K-dramas is their ability to delve deep into intricate character development and emotional storytelling. They often explore complex relationships, personal growth, and societal issues, resonating with viewers on a profound level. Iconic K-dramas like "Boys Over Flowers", “Squid Games”, "Descendants of the Sun," and "Goblin" have achieved global recognition and popularity.

K-dramas have also played a major role in promoting South Korean culture and tourism. It's amazing that fans can now visit locations where their favourite shows were filmed. South Korean actors and idols have gained immense popularity among young people. Moreover, the Hallyu Wave, or the Korean Wave, has swept across the world, introducing global audiences to K-pop music, fashion, and beauty trends, all closely tied to the success of K-dramas.

As South Korea continues to innovate and diversify its television content, K-dramas remain at the forefront of the country's entertainment industry, captivating audiences not only in Korea but around the world, showcasing the power of storytelling in transcending cultural boundaries.

Thailand

In Thailand, television broadcasting started on June 24, 1955. Some popular media around that time were “Die hai jiao long” (1967), “Golden Eagle” (1970), and “Gunman” (1983) performed by Sorapong Chatree, Mitr Chaibancha, and Petchara Chaowarat.

The government and military have historically controlled nearly all the national terrestrial television networks and radio. The Thai media has the freedom to criticise government policies and human rights but not the Royal Family.

“The Girl from Nowhere” is a supernatural television series starring Chicha Amatayaku as Nanno. We follow Nanno whileshe enrols in different schools and exposes the dark secrets and hypocrisy of the students and teachers in the school. It was one of the first Thai dramas I saw and I was looking for a new show with something different from what I usually watch and this sparked a new love forThai dramas. I started watching “Stranded” and I can recommend you “I told Sunset About You”, “F4 Thailand” and “Until We Meet Again”.

If you don’t know what Thai drama you should watch, go and follow some fantastic actors and actresses, such as Atthaphan Phunsawat, Metawin Opas-iamkajorn, and Urassaya Sperbund.

Turkey

Are you looking for an extremely long TV series in which you can immerse yourself and dream of romantic meetings and great deeds? Then, Turkish TV series are just perfect for you.

Each episode is known to be around 120–160 minutes long, indeed they are published in two parts. Splitting an episode may create a scene of incompleteness and confusion; this led consequently to one of the main features of Turkish drama: suspense. Suspense, twists and unexpected findings are very common within the series and they are even more remarked by soundtracks and long pauses from actors.

Generally, the stories are set in Istanbul and they are used to give a huge overview of urban and natural spaces.

Regarding the themes, love is the most preferred by the Turkish public, which is why “Daydreamer” (Erkenci Kus, 2018) is the most famous Turkish drama show.

Nonetheless history plays a big role too. Not only Turkish series are set in ancient times but also tells about them; for instance “The Magnificent century” (Muhteşem Yüzyıl, 2011), is about the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, the most famous Ottoman Empire ruler in history.

If you’re interested in both history and love, then you should definitely watch “Kurt Seyit ve Şura” (The girl and the officer) which is about the adventures of two people in love who are forced to leave their lives and family behind and escape to Istanbul during the Russian Revolution.

United Kingdom

Shows from the UK are very well-known worldwide, gaining the heart of the entire global audience. Some genres include historical, fantasy, thriller, romance, drama, others are spin-offs of the American TV shows such as “The Office UK”.

Some popular TV shows include “Mr.Bean”, “Doctor Who”, “Downton Abbey” and many more.

TV shows involving the British Royal Family have taken the world by storm: “The Crown”, on Netflix, is very popular in home and abroad. Also historical shows such as “Bridgerton” and “Queen Charlotte” are well-liked by many in the UK. “The Windsors” have a comedic twist too.

History and comedy is a common combo used in many british shows, for instance “Black Adder” and “Upstart Crow”.

A genre which is very famous amongst the British audience is crime fiction. Popular shows include “Killing Eve”, “Black Mirror”, “Broadchurch”, “Peaky Blinders” and “Line of Duty” etc.

Interested in literature but not in reading books? Well many famous books written by Aurther Conan Doyel, Jane Austen and Leo Tolstoy, have been successfully adapted in tv series

Cooking shows are popular and have a large audience. Chefs like Nigella Lawson, Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver and many more promote home-cooking’s shows. Some of these cooking shows are held in a competitive style such as “The Great British Bake Off”.

Shows targeting teenagers are popular amongst the market as they depict the struggles of growing up and puberty. Some examples include “Sex Education”, “Derry Girls” and “Skins”.

United States

In the United States, TV was regarded as "radio with pictures", at first criticised. However, early television allowed Americans to view events in their homes, sitting on their comfy couches. It was amazing the impact TV had on Sports events that might attract crowds of ten thousand; with the development of the TV, the number of people watching sports events skyrocketed into the millions.

And this was just the start. After the first decade, Americans considered TV to significantly impact American culture more than parents, education, religion, and government systems.

Indeed the 1950s was a significant decade of achievement for television. Some iconic tv shows back in the fifties were “Leave It to Beaver”, “I Love Lucy” and “Adventures of Superman”; some of the stars of the 1950s were Sid Caesar, Jackie Gleason, Milton Berle, and Lucille Ball.

This was known as the Golden Age of Media, from 1948 to 1959. Tv would impact the 1960s in the Kennedy-Nixon debates and escapism too.

Stories about war and civil rights were prevalent before, but a lot happened in the late 1960s to early 70s for television. The Cuban Missile Crisis, coverage of the tension of the Soviet Union, coverage of John F Kennedy's assassination, and coverage of moorlands and wars filled television screens during the late 60s to the early 70s.

In the 1980s, cable television grew.

In the 90s, we were introduced to different cable channels such as Food Network, Cartoon Network, Nick at Nite, and Comedy Central.

Now we are in the present, where we switch from cable tv to streaming services, and we are able to access a larger category of media using streaming services such as Netflix, HBO, Disney+, and Paramount which are increasingly ending up with their original networks.

We will talk about one of those shows today, Netflix's Original “Stranger Things”. “Stranger Things” is a worldwide popular show. It is a supernatural drama set in the 1980s, where kids uncover dark secrets involving a different dimension with terrifying creatures such as the Demogorgon and Vecna. It stars Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink, Gaten Matarazzom, Joe Keery, David Harbour, Natalia Dyer, and Winona Ryder.