Brazil’s Globo Bows Multi-Platform Novelas and Time Twists in Experiments With Format
CANNES, France — Globo, Latin America’s biggest TV broadcaster, is bringing onto the Mipcom market two telenovelas – ‘Total Dreamer’ and ‘Time After Time’ – which have punched huge ratings in Brazil.
The shows underscore the range of Globo programming as the TV giant, in spite – or because – of its free-to-air market share in Brazil, adds some narrative novelty to its most traditional formats and uses its muscle in the digital space to promote its banner IPs.
Described by Globo as a “modern-day fairy tale,” with a “light, romantic and funny plot,” ‘Total Dreamer’ centers on a girl of humble origins who becomes a successful model and finds true love. That could be seen as a stock storyline of wish fulfillment, and the show continues Globo’s practice of re-employing popular actors from previous Globo telenovelas.
But in what Globo calls an unprecedented innovation, “Total Dreamer” also had an Episode 0, released exclusively online before the TV premiere. A 10-episode spinoff was also made available exclusively for the web after the telenovela ended, featuring some characters’ background stories. The spinoff attracted over 3 million views.
“Time After Time” joins a number of international series involving time travel – ABC’s H.G. Wells/Jack the Ripper skein of the same title; “Frequency,” also produced by Warner Bros.; “The Department of Time,” from Spain’s Rtve; Sony’s “Timeless”; and Fox’s “Making History,” which takes place in both present-day and Colonial-era Massachusetts.
“Time After Time” centers on Livia (Alinne Moraes, “The Illusionist”) and Felipe (Rafael Cardoso, “Empire”),whose love is thwarted in the 19th century. Some 150 years later, the couple meet again in a completely different context, but with a feeling just as intense as before. The characters then strive to fix misunderstandings and mistakes made in their past lives, and finally have a chance for romance. The show features love, betrayals, villainy and a happy ending.
“Time After Time” reached more than 173 million viewers in Brazil. Notching up 182 million eyeballs in Brazil, “Total Dreamer’”aired in Portugal on Globo’s pay channel, registering 54,000 viewers, making it one of the top five most-watched pay TV programs in the country.
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