During NATPE Budapest 2025, the panel “CEE Breakout Hits”, led by Georgi R. Chakarov, President of CEETV, offered a revealing overview of the most successful titles of the last TV season in Central and Eastern Europe. The presentation highlighted not only the programmes that dominated the ratings, but also the key narrative, cultural and production drivers that are redefining programming and acquisition strategies in the region.
Among the highlights was The Promise, a highly successful daily series that won over Slovak audiences with more than 40% share, driven by a powerful nostalgia for the communist era. Chakarov noted that, despite its political charge, audiences responded overwhelmingly. ‘If you want to follow the money, follow the audience,’ he said.
Another case was The Floor, a Talpa Studios bet that found an echo in different countries, including Ukraine, demonstrating the adaptability of the format. In that country, I Have Children, a crime comedy that broke ratings on TV and platforms such as Netflix, in the midst of the war, also stood out.
The panel included series such as Rise of the Raven (Hungary), The King of Sumava (Czech Republic) and The Gang (Romania), all marked by a combination of nostalgia, action and a cinematic ambition that evidences the maturity of the regional industry.
Chakarov also underlined the evolution in Greece with a light sitcom that displaced the traditional spring dramas, and highlighted the case of Estonia with Von Fock, the most expensive production in the country’s history, achieving European standard quality.
Turkey closed the panel with The Fall of the King, a drama that became a hit despite starting on a struggling channel, marking a narrative of resilience in the face of a tense political environment and a controversial casting system.
The session was a call to look within the region to identify the “next big hit”. Chakarov concluded: ‘CEE has everything to offer: quality, risk, and competitive prices. You don’t have to go west to find the best’.
