Who did big things on the small screen?
In a quick retrospective of 2015, Debashine Thangevelo looks at who and what hijacked our attention on the telly…
NEWSMAKERS
Oscar Pistorius: SA’s blade runner enjoyed a longer run than some TV shows with The Oscar Pistorius Trial: A Carte Blanche Channel. Viewers couldn’t get enough of the courtroom drama. Heck, it even outshone all the rib-tickling shenanigans in parliament. Talk about an opportune time for a reality show, but with a reluctant protagonist. I’m still stumped about all that hype, though. It felt like I was binge-watching Noeleen Maholwana-Sangqu. The only difference being one ended up in the can and the other was canned.
Trevor Noah: It was evident that this former taxi driver was going places when he hit the comedy scene. And his highflying stand-up career saw him hit the big time when he took over as host of The Daily Show from Jon Stewart. While some haters may think he is a joke, he is still laughing all the way to the bank.
Caitlyn Jenner: Just when you thought no one could steal the thunder of The Kardashians, Caitlyn (Bruce) Jenner not only kept up, she hijacked the spotlight with her transgender change. And these days she not only hangs out with her girls – she’s finally “one of them”. Don’t you love happy endings?
Lady Gaga: Fans have been going gaga over her deliciously dark character in American Horror Story: Hotel. Aside from baring her bloodsucking villainess claws in an enviable haute couture wardrobe, she proves to be a natural in front of the camera. And that’s the naked truth.
Charlie Sheen: As one of the highest paid actors on TV, he cashed in on all the benefits that came with it. However, his debauched lifestyle of sex, drugs and prostitutes has, sadly, caught up with him. He recently confirmed his HIVstatus in an exclusive TV interview. Now there are more storm clouds on the horizon as former lovers threaten lawsuits. At this rate, the words “Anger Management” are no laughing matter.
TOP FIVE SHOWS
How to Get Away with Murder: Topnotch drama and casting. This series lived up to the hype and then some. And Viola Davis’ tour-de-force performance was acknowledged when she became the first African-American woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Transparent: When Caitlyn Jenner came out, the world saluted the woman once known as Bruce for being so brave. But after the initial curiosity about her transition, and the jokes about her being prettier than her ex, the transgender story was quickly reduced to a publicity stunt. Thankfully, Jeffrey Tambor saved the day with his award-winning performance as Maura Pfefferman. This fictional tale was a far more honest exploration of the emotional and psychological pangs of a transgender person. Strange that art is so much more believable than real life!
The Affair: This story about a torrid affair between two married people charts new territory in TV. Told via the perspectives of each “cheater”, the writers make it very hard for viewers to take the moral high-ground with their exploration of how circumstance plays a strong hand in their actions.
Empire: This show wouldn’t be much without Cookie and her ghetto-fied ways. Hailed as one of the hottest shows of the year, it boasts a formidable cast with Taraji P Henson and Terrence Howard as the leads. It’s a story about a family navigating the pitfalls of power, rivalry, loyalty and business. Together they are trying to find their own rhythm in life…without being beat by the competition.
Quantico: The narrative of this political thriller is diluted by inferior direction and a rather convoluted premise. So why did it make this list? Two words: Priyanka Chopra. Despite her questionable acting abilities, this Bollywood model-actress and former MissWorld has been attracting many fans, especially those of the masculine kind. I guess good looks can save the day, not just in the story.
ON MZANSI’S PLAYGROUND
The Voice SA: After suffering the tired formula that is Idols SA, M-Net has finally adapted a more successful and popular series. With Lungile Radu and Stacey Norman steering the conversation while Lira, Karen Zoid, Bobby van Jaarsveld and Parlotones front man Kahn Morbee make those tough calls as the judges, the only blues on the show will be the music.
E! News Special: Instead of bombarding South Africans with Hollywood success stories, the channel homed in on the newsmakers in our very own backyard. Scandalous behaviour of some aside, the likes of Bonang Matheba, AKA, Da Les and Sashi Naidoo shared their journeys into stardom along with Terry Pheto, Danny K, Prime Circle, Tarina Patel, Maps Maponyane, Amanda Du Pont and Mafikizolo. Not sure how well it performed though, as there has been no talk of a second season.
Girl Eats World: This is the perfect example of what happens when local goes international, literally. Kamini Pather, best known as the winner of the second season of M-Net’s MasterChef SA, found herself country-hopping and cuisinetasting when Food Network gave her her own show. Talk about a world of flavours in one series.
Four Weddings SA: Talk about bridezillas gone wild. This series, adapted from the UK format, has four brides rate each others wedding to win that ultimate dream honeymoon. To say the claws came out would be as much of an understatement as claiming that Jacob Zuma is fairly okay with mathematics. These brides went for the jugular!
Great South African Bake Off: It might have been touted as the show that’s too fresh to flop but…Well, lets just say it didn’t get off to the best start with the premier episode failing to air. As far as home-grown offerings go, this one was missing the cherry on the top. Maybe they will rise to the occasion in the second outing, if there is one!