A new season, a new studio, a big investment, a well-known name. Then you realize that the combination of these is no coincidence and that what you are seeing is not the next season, but the beginning of something else.
The third season of "Ferma VIP", which starts today on Vizion Plus, is not a reality show that returns to the screen for the third season, but something else - with more money, with more control and, above all, with more ambition. Because for the first time, Arbana Osmani appears on a television logo that is not Top Channel. But reading between the lines, this is not a move in Arbana's career. It is much more.
An investment that is not made to try your luck
When director Eduart Grishaj spoke about this season's technology, he spoke of another standard: cameras of the same category as those used in events like the Super Bowl or the UEFA Champions League finals (also used on major television stations in the country), a production built for total control of the program, for "7 cameras per farmer", etc.
Marco Lucarelli, a professional with experience in RAI, Mediaset and the Sanremo Festival, who has previously collaborated with TV Klan, presented a redesigned studio with LED walls and a different aesthetic from that of previous years.
In practice, this translates into a costly infrastructure. A likely rented outside production (OB Van that Grishaj described as a submarine) that operates 24/7 can easily range from 100 thousand to over 300 thousand euros per season. From reliable data provided by Anabel, the studio cameras alone, with an average of about 1000 euros per day and a setup of several weeks of production, reach figures approaching 200 thousand euros per season. If you add the large number of internal cameras, professional lighting, quality audio this season, servers and 24/7 streaming, the cost increases significantly.
At the same time, the investment is also reflected in the space itself. The house is four times larger than the previous one and the concept moves away from the idea of ??a traditional Albanian farm, approaching a modern model, closer to Texas or Los Angeles, than to the local rural reality. Inside the farm is also the "Villa", a luxurious area within the complex.
So, the entire package actually amounts to an investment that fluctuates between 1 and 1.5 million euros.
Here we have a very clear signal: This format is not built for one season, because no one invests that much for an experiment that lasts 3 months.
Arbana as moderator? No.
To truly understand this move, we need to go back in time. Arbana did not leave “Big Brother” at a bad moment in the program. She left (whether she wanted to or not) at its peak, in a season that was dominated by the figure of Louise Eyll and that became a cultural phenomenon.
This fact is important, because when you leave at the peak, you are not consumed. It is difficult for the public to dethrone you, despite the fact that at this point Ledion Liço has consolidated as a figure. However, the name of Arbana, strongly associated with the most successful seasons of "Big Brother VIP", continues to carry a special weight and a sense of nostalgia for a large part of the audience.
In the years that followed, Arbana did not give up the name of “Big Brother”. On the contrary, she kept it as part of her identity, as an author and as a figure directly linked to the most successful seasons. At the same time, she tested her power as a separate brand through the show “Mirembrëma Yje” on Youtube, showing the market that the audience is not only connected to the format, but also to the figure.
That's why her entry into “VIP Farm” is not a return to the screen, but a proof: that Arbana can succeed without “Big Brother”, that she can build a format from scratch and - perhaps most importantly - that the audience can do without “Big Brother”. The latter is her biggest struggle.
A deal that is not made for one season
The fact that "Ferma VIP" will also be broadcast on its YouTube channel is not a technical detail or innovation of this year, but is an element of negotiation that is rarely seen in the Albanian market.
Simply put, we have a new formula: television invests in infrastructure and format, while the figure invests in audience and content. This is why this agreement makes no sense if thought of as short-term. Because no one builds such a program for one season. This is the beginning of a format that aims to last and have profit, but also impact.
The perfect time to challenge a giant
In any industry, it's not enough to be good. You have to be good at the right time. So it's no coincidence that this movement is happening this year.
"Big Brother" on Top Channel remains one of the strongest formats Albanian television has seen, but for the first time there are clear signs of fatigue: repetitive storylines, a less responsive audience on social media and, according to our sources, a decrease in advertising prices. This is the moment when an alternative format could be a real threat.
The history of reality shows in Albania makes this "battle" even more interesting. TV Klan failed to maintain a format like "Love Island" for a long time, despite the investment. Luana Vjollca tried to reformat it, bringing it closer to the logic of "Big Brother", but the result was not sustainable. Alketa Vejsiu has also shown that she has been in communication with famous productions around the world, without turning it into a concrete long-term project.
In this context, the fact that "VIP Farm" reaches its third season is no small feat. But this time, "VIP Farm" is not only continuing, but is increasing its investment and ambition in the season, which shows that this time the objective is not simply continuity.
The objective is to dominate the market.
But is it simple?
Television has one rule that doesn't change: content.
"Big Brother VIP" did not become a phenomenon only because of the format or moderation, but because it had characters that the audience followed emotionally. The case of Luiz Ajll is the most obvious example of this formula.
Even "VIP Farm" has had its viral moments, with characters and dynamics that have circulated on the network (Dijonis Biba and the relationship with Marjana Kondi, the Alba-Limi relationship). But the difference between a few viral moments and a memorable season is huge. And this is where "VIP Farm 3" will really be tested.
A war that is not spoken aloud
On the surface, this is a competition between two formats. At its core, it is an attempt to shift the center of gravity in the reality show industry in Albania.
Because if "VIP Farm" manages to become a real factor, then for the first time in many years, "Big Brother" is no longer the only standard. For the first time, another format can take on the role that for years has been almost a monopoly.
But the history of Albanian television has shown that victories are often temporary. “Portokalli” was successfully challenged by “Apartamenti 2XL” and yet ended one day, while “Portokalli” continues and is still followed. Given that Vizion Plus has not always had consistency, it remains to be seen whether this will be a long-term rise or a strong, but fleeting moment.
And maybe the question should be asked differently.
Because while everyone is wondering if "VIP Farm" will beat "Big Brother," perhaps the most important question is: is there still an audience for these formats?
Generation Z seems increasingly distant from traditional television, while attention has been spread to other, faster and more fragmented platforms. In this sense, it is not just a competition between two programs, but an attempt to keep an entire model alive.
In the end, the answer to the question "Is Arbana ending Big Brother?" remains open.
To end something, it's not enough to defeat it. You have to make the audience no longer need it. Until then, one thing is certain: the game has become interesting.
Thank you for reading us to the end and enjoying all this drama. Also thank Anabel for reading the game before it is played. :)
