The world is in awe; Meryl Streep just made her debut on the much-anticipated second season of the Emmy-winning mystery
Big Little Lies, now streaming on
Showmax, and we can't help but bow to this legend who stars as the grief-stricken mother Mary Louise Wright, searching for answers about her son's death.
Elsewhere, African content is thriving; the TV industry continues to set the pace for content in the continent with various themes that push the boundaries of traditional storytelling. As such, we are witnessing a revolution of soap operas that tell our own stories of romance, greed and power, rather than settle for the Mexican or Filipino telenovelas that have dominated our screens for years.
If you're looking for some recommendations, these African telenovelas are ruling the screens and have captivated hearts in the continent.
- The River
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8fq3dswi5k
A 2019 SAFTA winner,
The River follows two families - the wealthy Dlaminis and the poor Mokoenas - whose worlds collide in an intense and dangerous battle for wealth and power. Thato Mokoena is a dedicated family man who discovers a huge diamond by the river, not knowing that greed and evil are about to ruin his life and that of his family just to get a hold of this diamond. Evil comes in the name of Lindiwe Dlamini (played by the beloved Sindi Dlathu), a diamond mogul and a stone-cold villain with a stare that would send you straight to hell. Running an empire built by blood and sweat of her enemies, Lindiwe will do anything to keep this power.
- IsiBaya
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq_L2AazgB0
Isibaya, one of South Africa's longest running soapies, follows a century old bitter rivalry between two families, the Zungus and Ndlovus, who fight for domination in the taxi business. Caught in this crossfire are two young lovers from the conflicting families who first meet during a violent shoot-out in a feud they do not wish to be part of. Can this love survive the enmity that surrounds them? Only one way to find out.
- Selina
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=281VSi-Sg74
Putting a local spin on the Cinderella story, Swahili telenovela Selina follows star-crossed lovers Selina (Celestine Gachuhi) and Nelson (Pascal Tokodi) as they fight to defend their love against challenges that the world throws at them. Directed by Reuben Odanga, who also directed other Swahili favourites like
Saida and Nuru,
Selina also features remarkable performance from actors like Abel Amunga, Lenana Kariba (who replaced Kone Nouhoum) and Peter Kamau playing the role of the conniving Biko, Nelson's rival in winning Selina's heart.
- Pete
Produced by AMVCAs winner Daudi Anguka,
Pete follows the bitter rivalry between two brothers, the older Mbura and the younger Jasiri, as they fight over the coveted leadership ring that will make the wearer become the chief of Funzi Island following the death of their father. Joining this rivalry are the mermaids of the island who also set their eyes on this leadership ring that could destroy their existence.
- Tinsel
Set in the glamorous and cut-throat world of filmmaking in Nigeria, Tinsel follows the rivalry between two families who dominate the industry.
Tinsel has been on air since 2008, making it the most successful soapie in Nigeria and has featured some of the best actors from Nigeria and Ghana, including Kenya's very own Lizz Njagah (How to Find a Husband, Jane and Abel) who played Tare Duke in earlier seasons of the show.
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