SkyShowtime’s first original commission, Śleboda, becomes its best performing series in Poland since launch

Almost half of all Polish subscribers began watching the gripping crime drama within the first two weeks, with near 90% of viewers continuing to watch after the first episode

All six episodes will launch across remaining SkyShowtime European markets on 20 February

Śleboda, SkyShowtime’s first locally commissioned original programme in Poland, has shot to the top of the charts in just over two weeks, quickly becoming its best-performing series in the market to-date. Already watched by almost half of all subscribers following its launch on 12 December in Poland, audiences continue to demonstrate exceptionally strong loyalty, with a near 90% of viewers returning for subsequent episodes.

Following its overwhelmingly positive reception, SkyShowtime today announced that the crime drama will be available across all markets including Northern Europe, Iberia and the rest of Central & Eastern Europe from 20 February. The finale lands in its home country today (9 January), giving local Polish audiences the first opportunity to watch the entire six-part series.

SkyShowtime Chief Content Officer Kai Finke said: “We’ve been delighted by the extremely strong engagement with Śleboda shown by audiences across Poland since its December launch, with a near 90% of viewers continuing to watch after the first episode, demonstrating not only the popularity of dark and fast-paced crime thrillers, but also an obvious appetite for authentic local productions. This success underlines SkyShowtime’s ongoing commitment to producing compelling authentic local originals for our audiences and we’re excited to launch this series, with its A-list Polish cast and creative team, across all our markets from February.”

Featuring outstanding performances by Maria Dębska, Maciej Musiał and Piotr Pacek in the lead roles, the crime drama revolves around Anka (Dębska), a young anthropologist on a journey of self-discovery, who travels to the beautiful landscape of the Podhale region at the foot of the Tatra mountains only to stumble upon a dead body. She quickly becomes entangled in a murder mystery, crossing paths with Sebastian (Musiał), a shameless journalist on the hunt for a scoop, and Jędrek (Pacek), a local police officer with whom she shared a teenage romance.

An adaptation of the first instalment of the critically acclaimed series of crime novels by Małgorzata Fugiel-Kuźmińska and Michał Kuźmiński, the wider cast includes Joanna Balasz, Andrzej Chyra, Kuba Dyniewicz, Helena Englert, Jan Englert, Tomasz Karolak, Artur Krajewski, Mateusz Janicki, Mateusz Kmiecik, Magdalena Lamparska, Leszek Lichota, Anna Nehrebecka, Józef Pawłowski and Andrzej Zielinski.

Śleboda is directed by Michał Gazda and Bartosz Blaschke, with Tomasz Augustynek as Director of Cinematography and Magdalena Szwedkowicz as Producer. The series is written by Karolina Frankowska and Katarzyna Golenia. The series was filmed in the Republic of Poland with support provided through the Act on Financial Support for Audio-visual Production by the Polish Film Institute and funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

SkyShowtime is available direct-to-consumer via the SkyShowtime app across Apple iOS, tvOS, Android devices, Android TV, Google Chromecast, LG connected TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, select distribution partners across its markets, and through its website www.skyshowtime.com.  

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Notes to Editors:

Śleboda
TX date: 20 February 2025 (excluding Poland)

Anka Serafin, a cultural anthropology doctor from Cracow, flees to the mountains seeking self-discovery. While hiking, she stumbles upon a dead body and quickly becomes entangled in solving a murder mystery. Anka finds herself crossing paths with Sebastian Strzygoń, a shameless journalist on the hunt for a scoop, and Jędrek Chowaniec, a local police officer, who she shared a teenage romance with. The Tatra Mountains, with their beauty and darkness, reveal themselves to Anka. In her quest to uncover the truth about the crime, Anka learns a lot about herself. What she discovers will change her forever.

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