As a South Africa , I eagerly anticipated viewing this television series following the alluring trailers on YouTube. From the onset, it appeared to be an exciting and refreshing addition to the local television scene. However, it was only after commencing the series that I discovered it was a remake of a Turkish program.
Disappointingly, I was unable to relate to any aspect of the show, despite previously residing in Cape Town. The storyline was vastly dissimilar to the local lifestyle, rendering it implausible. Regrettably, my greatest letdown was the fact that this production was a remake of a foreign series. South Africa boasts of a diverse and rich history that has yet to be fully explored and shared with the world. Utilizing remakes is a lazy approach taken by Hollywood writers, which I never envisioned us embarking on.
Despite Gail Mabalane's exceptional acting abilities, amply demonstrated in productions such as Blood and Water, her portrayal of the main protagonist, Zenzile, was somewhat lacklustre and irksome. Similarly, the underutilization of talented actors such as Vuyo Dabula and Rapulana Seiphemo was disheartening. One can only hope that their careers are not curtailed by such a subpar performance on this production.
Overall, I cannot in good faith recommend this show as it was an instance of disappointment that took several days to reconcile internally. Netflix aims to showcase the incredible talent from our country, but bringing mediocre productions to light does no favors in the international arena. It is high time our local productions pull up their socks and elevate their craft to produce content that competes globally.
