Maria Dębska and Maciej Musiał return as Anka and Sebastian in ‘Pionek,’ SkyShowtime’s first-ever Polish series recommission following the massive success of ‘Śleboda’ (‘Deadly Ties’).
SkyShowtime has officially ordered Pionek, the follow-up to its popular Polish crime drama Śleboda (Deadly Ties) — the streamer’s first locally commissioned original series and a breakout hit.
Actors Maria Dębska and Maciej Musiał will reprise their roles as Anka Serafin and Sebastian Strzygoń in the new season, which will be based on the second novel by Małgorzata Fugiel-Kuźmińska and Michał Kuźmiński. Production is set to begin later this year, marking SkyShowtime’s first-ever Polish recommission.
The first season followed Anka, a young anthropologist who travels to the scenic Podhale region at the base of the Tatra Mountains, where she becomes tangled in a murder mystery involving a journalist and a local police officer from her past. The series became SkyShowtime’s best-performing title in Poland and was later made available across the platform’s more than 20 markets.
When Śleboda premiered on December 12, 2024, it made history as SkyShowtime’s first locally commissioned Polish original series. Within just two weeks of release, nearly half of all Polish subscribers had started watching it, and about 90% of those viewers returned after the first episode.
This incredible response made Śleboda the most successful title on the platform in Poland and helped boost the streamer’s popularity in Central and Eastern Europe.
Pionek will be written by Karolina Frankowska and Katarzyna Golenia, directed by Michał Gazda and Bartosz Blaschke, and shot by cinematographer Maciej Lisiecki. Producer Magdalena Szwedkowicz and her company MAG Entertainment will return to lead production.
The new series expands SkyShowtime’s growing slate of Polish originals, joining titles like The Cop. A New Chapter and the upcoming documentary Krychowiak: One Step From the Top.
SkyShowtime’s Chief Content Officer Kai Finke praised the project, saying Pionek continues the success of Śleboda and highlights the platform’s dedication to creating authentic, locally produced storytelling with top Polish talent.
