The First Time (2024 | 2025 | 2026)

THE FIRST TIME

A funny, heartfelt comedy series about life’s biggest firsts — and why every child remembers them.

THE FIRST TIME is a comedy series about growing up, told through the eyes of children experiencing life’s biggest milestones for the very first time. From a first crush and first kiss to the first day at secondary school, every episode explores universal moments with humour, warmth and authenticity.

Produced by Haegens Media in collaboration with KRO-NCRV and NPO Zapp, THE FIRST TIME has grown into one of the Netherlands’ leading youth entertainment brands, successfully combining premium television storytelling with a proven digital-first strategy.

At a Glance

• 3 Seasons (Season 3 in production)
• 100M+ Online Views Across Seasons
• #1 Kids’ Series on NPO Zapp
• 1M Average YouTube Views per Episode (Season 1)
• 76.3% Peak Market Share
• International launch on ZDF Germany

Proven Across Television and Digital

Young audiences no longer consume content on a single platform—and neither does THE FIRST TIME.

The series has generated more than 100 million online views across its first two seasons, with Season 1 surpassing 40 million views and Season 2 exceeding 60 million. On television, the series has become the most-watched kids’ series on NPO Zapp, delivering outstanding ratings and a peak market share of 76.3% in its core audience. Together, these results demonstrate the strength of a format that succeeds across both broadcast and digital platforms.

Alongside the television episodes, dedicated vertical content is created for platforms such as YouTube Shorts, helping new audiences discover the series and driving viewers towards the full episodes.

International Appeal

The universal themes of friendship, family, school, first love and growing up make THE FIRST TIME relatable across cultures.

This has already been confirmed internationally. Following its launch in Germany, ZDF reported exceptionally strong streaming performance, with viewing levels comparable to successful scripted youth series. The broadcaster also highlighted the series’ strong performance among boys, confirming its ability to reach one of the hardest audiences to capture.

Editorial adjustments can be made where required, allowing broadcasters to tailor the series to local audience needs and platform strategies.

Built by Digital Experts

THE FIRST TIME was created by Haegens Media, founded by Dylan Haegens and Marit Haegens-Brugman, pioneers in digital entertainment and audience engagement.

Their expertise in television, YouTube and social media is embedded throughout the production, creating a youth brand that successfully reaches audiences wherever they choose to watch.

A Modern Youth Brand

With three seasons, 100 million+ online views, market-leading television performance, successful international validation and a proven multi-platform strategy, THE FIRST TIME is more than a successful Dutch television series.

It is a contemporary youth entertainment brand with proven cross-border appeal, ready for broadcasters and streaming platforms looking to engage today’s generation of viewers.