Reyka

Uneven story, that tries to hard and fails. Many aspects of the story do not make sense, which makes the series unbelievable. It could have been much better if the writing where better.

Refreshing to see something from South Africa. For myself that knows next to nothing of the Peoples and Customs it was an informative change from the usual UK fare. The story is a look at what might happen when a young girl is abducted by an extremely twisted couple who want a "Family" with benefits. The trauma that affects the characters involved is very real if not often misunderstood. Added to this is a number of other stories including the hunt for a gruesome serial killer, murders and chaos, Tribal politics and land reformation. Pay close attention to the characters who are very complex and can confuse you at times.

Be prepared to pay attention and stay focused. Then buckle up and keep up!

Extensive use of flashbacks and multiple scenes with no dialogue contribute to the ongoing development of the primary characters.

The Cane Field Killings: South African crime drama. Reyka who was herself abducted as a child in 1994 and held for 4 years is now (in 2021) a profiler who tracks down serial killers. Her latest case is complicated by a land deal between a white farmer and a local Zulu chief. Her boss wants a quick resolution blaming hitmen but Reyka is unconvinced. All seven victims are young women, they have been dismembered. Witchcraft, traditional power systems, corruption, all feed in to this narrative as does Reyka's troubled personal and her confrontations with her abductor who is seeking parole. Switches between the present and Reyka's time in captivity, Great performance by Kim Engelbert as Reyka and Iain Glen as Speelman, her abductor, Dark, violent, gruesome, very effective and engaging thriller series. Created by Rohan Dickson 8/10.

I'm not sure why this series got so many poor reviews. It was suspenseful, unique, disturbing and overwhelming throughout. I felt like the only thing I felt was missing was her connect to her kidnapper that would make her a good detective or ask him about cases. I guess I missed that or they didn't tell it otherwise I enjoyed it. I loved seeing many of the African actors from other shows, I believe the acting was very good. The blending of tribal language and ways were easy to follow and place at the times if felt genuine. I'm not sure if they plan a series 2 but a show from this writer is one I would watch again.