Produced by Tims&B Productions, the drama has been delivering exceptional viewership across both daytime and prime-time slots on Access Time and Canale 5 respectively.
The mesmerizing drama series Bitter Lands (Bir Zamanlar Çukurova) from Türkiye’s powerhouse prodco, Tims&B Productions, produced by Timur Savcı and Burak Sağyaşar, continues its triumphant journey as Terra Amara in Italy, delivering exceptional viewership across both daytime and prime-time slots on Access Time and Canale 5 respectively. The show has become a household favorite, captivating Italian audiences with its compelling storyline and stellar performances.
During the second night of the renowned Sanremo Music Festival on February 7th in Italy, Bitter Lands achieved remarkable viewership, drawing in 2.289.000 viewers, securing an impressive 10.13% share. This outstanding performance against one of the country’s most important events also led to a noticeable shift in viewership dynamics. While Sanremo boasted a 62.3% viewership share during its second-day broadcast the previous year, this figure decreased to 60.1% on the same night this year, highlighting the significant impact of Bitter Lands’ performance in the face of one of the most watched programs on Italian television.
January marked yet another milestone for Bitter Lands as it has emerged an undeniable victor in the hearts and screens of Italian viewers. On Saturday, January 13, the lead actors of Bitter Lands; Melike İpek Yalova, Murat Ünalmış, and Uğur Güneş; appeared on Maria De Filippi’s show, C’è Posta (You’ve Got Mail), one of the country’s most popular television programs and the show on Canale 5 reached a breaking record of 4.7 million viewers with a share of 31.1%. During Bitter Lands’ broadcast in primetime on Sunday, January 14, the series not only got more ratings than Pope Francis’ exclusive interview to TV talk-show host Fabio Fazio on his show Che Tempo Che Fa (CTCF), but also surpassed the series Inspector Montalbano; capturing a staggering 2.8 million viewers with a share of 15%. In addition, on Sunday, January 28, Bitter Lands maintained its dominance in prime time with 3.1 million viewers and a 17.14% audience share, once again outperforming the rerun of Montalbano.
Amidst its impressive ratings achievements, Bitter Lands has become more than just a hit TV show; it has become a nationwide sensation with millions of devoted fans. This was evident during the series’ actors’ visit to Italy, where they were greeted by enthusiastic cheers and affectionate embraces from fans lining the streets. The overwhelming outpouring of love and applause underscored the profound emotional connection viewers hold with the show and its characters. This bond is also palpable when fans express deep sadness and mourn for days when their favorite characters meet tragic ends in the series, like the grief of losing a beloved family member.
Distributed by Inter Medya, Bitter Lands has now reached over 70 countries worldwide. Besides being a phenomenon not only in Turkiye but also in many countries like Italy, its Greek version as “Erotas Fugas” gathered record ratings and significantly increased the channel’s average as well. The title continues on its journey to conquer the world, adding new territories periodically.
Bitter Lands tells the story of a legendary love that begins in Istanbul during the 1970s and continues in the fertile lands of Çukurova in southern Turkey through the trials of evil, ambition and tyranny.Yilmaz, who commits murder in order to protect Zuleyha from the cruelty of her own family, and Zuleyha, who would rather die than give up on Yilmaz who became a murderer for her sake, embark on a grueling escape journey. Fate brings these passionate lovers to Adana, in the south where they will end up on the vast and fruitful lands of the modern and powerful landowner Demir and his domineering mother Hunkar. A simple lie the runaway lovers say in order not to be separated from each other, will turn their lives upside down and destroy any hopes of salvation they had, leaving them in the midst of utter turmoil as Demir falls in love with Zuleyha. Bitter Lands asks all the essential questions about love and possession.
