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Swedes go wild for Jarowskij’s Vår tid är nu, Solsidan latest seasons

The Restaurant, Vår Tid Är Nu / PHOTO: Johan Paulin Svt
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NEWS

Swedes go wild for Jarowskij’s Vår tid är nu, Solsidan latest seasons

The Restaurant, Vår Tid Är Nu / PHOTO: Johan Paulin Svt

Banijay-owned Jarowskij headed by Iréne Lindblad is behind both smash Swedish hits that reunite some of the country’s finest storytellers and talents.

The third season of the period drama Vår tid är nu (The Restaurant) co-produced by SVT, Viaplay and Film i Väst, premiered on the Swedish pubcaster on Monday October 28. After Season 1 set between 1945-1950, Season 2 between 1955-1962, the Löwander family saga closing season is set between 1968-1971.

Ulf Kvensler, Malin Nevander and Johan Rosenlind are again the masterminds/creators, with Harald Hamrell, Andrea Östlund and Anna Zackrisson behind the camera. SVT’s executive producer Göran Danasten told nordicfilmandtvnews.com that several new characters of the ‘new generation’ were introduced in this last season, “hence the slightly younger approach this time.”

Danasten said Season 3 opened “on par with the previous seasons”. Episode one had 1,520,000 viewers for a healthy 47,3% share, and almost half a million viewers online so far. Episode 2 had 1,368,000 viewers for a 42% share, a slight fall due to “the classic second episode dip”, as well as “stiff competition that particular evening,” explains Danasten. 

Looking at the series’ performance across all seasons, SVT’s exec producer says “Vår tid är nu has been remarkably steady.” “We have averaged slightly over 1.5 million viewers in broadcast, combined with an online-rating of approximately 600,000-700,000, which brings the combined viewing to 2-2,5 million and a share between 40-50%. So far, Season 3 seems to do the same,” he noted. 

Asked to describe to core demographics, Danasten said: “When you have a broad success like this, it is harder than usual to point out key demos. “Everyone” is watching. However, we tend to skew a bit more towards women than men.”
For Danasten, Vår tid är nu is “without doubt, one of the most successful SVT series in recent years”, especially in today’s peak TV. 

2020 Christmas special 
Due to popular demand, SVT and Jarowskij have ordered a 2020 Christmas Special of Vår tid är nu, which takes place between the first and second season. According to Danasten, the 4x45' Special tells the story (SPOILER ALERT) of how the main characters Nina (Hedda Stiernstedt) and Calle (Charlie Gustafsson) got back together between Season 1 and 2. It takes place during the summer of 1951, when the Löwander family operates a restaurant in the Swedish archipelago.  The mini-series is written by creator Ulf Kvensler and directed by Måns Herngren 

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Swedes go wild for Jarowskij’s Vår tid är nu, Solsidan latest seasons

The Restaurant Vårtidärnus 3 / PHOTO: Johan Paulin Svt

Solsidan comeback
Meanwhile the cult series Solsidan made its comeback on competing Swedish broadcaster TV4-C More on October 20. Four years after the closing of Season 5, Swedish fans were again a few million to follow the familiar characters Anna (Mia Skäringer), Alex (Felix Herngren), Fredde (Johan Rheborg), Mickan (Josephine Bornebusch), Ove (Henrik Dorsin) and Annette (Malin Cederbladh). 

Re-commissioned by C More/TV4 with another two seasons, Solsidan 6 was produced by Jarowskij and FLX, with Clara Herngren as exec producer for C More/TV4 and Felix Herngren as main creator. The series was co-written by Moa Herngren, Tove Eriksen Hillborn, Niclas Carlsson and Jacob Seth Fransson. 

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Swedes go wild for Jarowskij’s Vår tid är nu, Solsidan latest seasons

Solsidan, Henrik Dorsin, Felix Herngren / PHOTO: Tv4

Season 6 kick-started with a consolidated audience of 1.79 million, plus 481,000 online viewers on TV4 Play and C More. In total, almost 2.3 million viewers have watched the new ‘adventures’ of the Solsidan family.  

Fredrik Arefalk, channel manager at TV4- C More Film & series stressed that half a million online viewers for the first episode on TV4 Play and  C More is “an unbelievable strong number that sets a new record.”

Commenting on the healthy ratings for both Vår tid är nu Season 3 and Solsidan Season 6, Jarowskij’s CEO Iréne Lindblad said she is “ super excited" of the success. “It shows that good content and great local stories still have the possibility to capture a great audience both in Sweden and in the rest of the Nordics. Given the competition, with more content on more platforms than ever, it is extraordinary that we can reach these fantastic numbers on both linear TV and VOD services,” she said, before concluding: "all this has been possible thanks to the best creators and people both on and off screen.”

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NEWS

Swedes go wild for Jarowskij’s Vår tid är nu, Solsidan latest seasons

Solsidan / PHOTO: Tv4

Both Vår tid är nu (The Restaurant) and Solsidan are distributed worldwide by Banijay Rights. 

RELATED POST TO : AUDIENCE / DRAMA SERIES / SWEDEN