Channel 4’s new social media drama has 90-second episodes – and it’s as enjoyable as watching adverts
Vertical dramas are a global phenomenon made in bite-sized addictive chunks to watch on phones. But Channel 4 has made a slow-release syrupy tale in five parts – without tension or actual drama Vertical dramas – that is, short-form content made specifically for phones – are big business in 2026. They are particularly popular in countries such as China and India, and the global market is expected to be worth $26bn by…
Key points
- Channel 4 has released its first UK vertical drama, The Guest List, with episodes of about 90 seconds to two minutes.
- The series is made with skincare brand Sol de Janeiro and follows a group of young women.
- Unlike typical vertical dramas released all at once, Channel 4 is airing one episode per week, with five episodes in total.
Channel 4 has released its first vertical drama in the UK, The Guest List, a short-form series made for phones in partnership with skincare brand Sol de Janeiro. Episodes run around 90 seconds to two minutes and explore the friendship, ambition and lives of a diverse group of intelligent young women, according to the broadcaster.
The global vertical drama market is expected to be worth $26bn by 2030, with the format particularly popular in countries such as China and India. Channel 4 is airing just one episode per week, and there are only five episodes in total.
What happens in the episodes
Episode one follows Amaka (Jadesola Odunjo), described in publicity material as a bold PR guru. She invites friends to an exclusive boat party on the Thames, but her phone is snatched by a thief, prompting her to command a passing rickshaw driver to follow the bike.
The next episode features finance intern Bella (Felicity Ali), who is patronised by her boss on a work call and then fashions a dress from a blazer and uses her tie as a belt. An episode due for release on 4 November shows Mika (Mia Ito Smith) racing to collect a parcel and hiding in a shop aisle so her neighbour does not see her in sweatpants.
soap operas on cocaine
— a producer
Release schedule questioned
The review notes that many bite-size dramas release all episodes at once, allowing viewers to watch many instalments in a day. Channel 4's weekly release of 90-second episodes is described as the antithesis of what vertical dramas are about, and the series is called more like a gen Z Boots ad than the future of British television.
