13 November 2024

South African sitcom showdown: Hotel vs Taktiek

In the early stages of reality television, a man by the name of Ricky Gervais decided to launch a mockumentary sitcom called The Office. This documentary style series received high praise from The Simpsons creator, Matt Groening, and went on to spawn an even more popular US version of The Office starring the one-and-only Steve Carell. Since then, the ripple effect has continued to reach new shores with an Afrikaans version of The Office scheduled to get underway in South Africa in 2025.

This decision could be the direct result of shows like Hotel and Taktiek, two The Office-type Afrikaans sitcoms that have become increasingly popular with local audiences. The documentary style shooting keeps these shows nimble and when paired with an up-and-coming local cast, it’s difficult not to be drawn into their strange worlds. Both created by Bennie Fourie, the actor turned producer and showrunner is becoming synonymous with these mockumentary shows… but how do they measure up against one another?

Based on a winning formula

Hotel takes place at… wait for it, a hotel. Instead of a paper merchant in Slough, the star-studded comedy series relays the day-to-day shenanigans of a mismanaged and bored hotel staff in Mpumalanga. Led by their die-hard hotel manager Ferdie, it’s easy to see snippets of Fawlty Towers in the way the band of oddballs try to keep up appearances, not lose their minds or their jobs at the Fransen.

Taktiek takes a page from The Office in terms of its setup but also steeps itself in Brooklyn Nine-Nine glory too. Against the backdrop of the peaceful town of Schusterton, a ragtag security company tries their best not to disturb the peace after their boss heads to prison due to some irregularities. There’s a dash of campy Reno 911 hot sauce in the mix too, giving the Taktiek team the opportunity to wear shorts and go a little nutty.

Star-studded casts

Hotel’s five seasons ensured the award-winning sitcom found a regular table at the SAFTAs with a steady stream of nominations. While the UK version of The Office was a star-maker, Hotel brings together a number of established local actors, featuring: James Borthwick, Simoné Pretorius, Mila Guy, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Beer Adriaanse, Martelize Kolver and De Klerk Oelofse. From lead film actresses such as Pretorius and Guy to household names like Bezuidenhout, the sitcom has some serious star power.

Taktiek is essentially a Hotel 2.0 if you consider that Bennie Fourie is taking everything he learned from Hotel into this Brooklyn Nine-Nine meets Reno 911 vehicle. Led by Bennie Fourie and Keeno Lee Hector who share a Scrubs “guy love” bromance, the supporting cast includes: Marion Holm, Mandri Sutherland, Deon Lotz and Leché Joubert. Mixing it up with a security company, there are also some familiar faces in the team – specifically James Borthwick and Schalk Bezuidenhout. Two icons from the world of Hotel, their presence is most welcome – quickly shedding their Fransen characters for even more heightened absurdity.

Relatable characters

Hotel wouldn’t be half as fun or heartwarming if it wasn’t for its lovable characters. Brandishing a distinctly South African sense of humour, the show essentially centres on an assortment of oddballs who could very well call themselves family. Office romances, ongoing attempts to save the hotel from closing and wayward team-building exercises ensure the clan keep themselves occupied – even if they can’t do the same for the hotel. It’s through their failures and triumphs that we grow with the characters and find ourselves rooting for them to keep the Fransen open.

Taktiek may have a Boston Legal vibration in the way that eccentricity is a default but that only endears us to the characters more. Each looking for acceptance and love, the never-ending pursuit echoes the family dynamic from Hotel – even if not quite as heartwarming. Keeping Schusterton safe means being ready for action and whether it’s staged burglaries or broken novelty letterboxes, the team take their jobs very seriously… maybe too seriously?

Sharp-witted writing

Hotel is a smart, witty and often thoughtful sitcom. Tackling an array of comedy styles, there’s an experimental edge to the playful series that’s not afraid to try things. Devoid of a laugh track, it aligns with inside joke series like Arrested Development where the funny isn’t coerced but hard-earned. Crafting some absurd and hilarious moments for its wild bunch, the writing keeps things fresh as the characters weave in and out of trouble and try not to throw each other under the bus.

Taktiek is also willing to play on the wild side when it comes to comedy – delving into the mall cop realm of hiring just about anyone willing to serve-and-protect. Going to some everyday extremes, the security team plays pranks, makes poor decisions and teases one another with glee. Setting up some extraordinary situations from bestie days to vengeful toktokkie games, Taktiek is bold with an unflinching sense of humour.