4 May 2017
TV’s golden age
We live in a golden age of television, with an abundance of excellent shows that reveal and explore human nature as once novels used to.
When I studied English literature at university, the novel was the mainstream media that influenced thinking, dictated morality and offered good old entertainment. It would evolve in the 20th century through newspapers, magazines and radio into today’s golden age of television. With new streaming services emerging as alternatives to the traditional broadcasters and an “unpresidented” splurge on making original content, television viewers have never had it this good.
I once had an argument with my late father over why I was dropping psychology as a subject. “Everything you need to know about human nature, you can find in literature,” I told him. “And besides, it’s much better reading that psycho textbooks.”
I still believe that, and rue the way television and technology have taken me away from more reading. But, as we evolve, so do the mainstream media that we consume. I see so many of the lofty linguistic goals in the TV series we watch, just as Charles Dickens wrote his novels originally as serialised stories. I was trained to think about literature with an academic analysis, probing themes and storylines, watching the author create characters that illustrate some key part of the narrative, or the moral lesson.
Television is the novel of today. In it, we see ourselves as much as we see who we hope to become. Who doesn’t want to be The Flash or joke around on the couch of The Big Bang Theory? Or watch the moral anguish of Jack Bauer and the complete lack thereof in Frank Underwood?
Television is as much an escape as it is a new form of literature – whose jobs is to reveal and explore human nature – and which at its very core is about storytelling. Novels told a story in the format of the day. Television is the mainstream media of today, even if YouTube, SnapChat and Facebook has forever altered how we spend our time consuming what is called “content”.
Television no longer needs the airwaves or a satellite dish. The internet has become the delivery platform of this new media.
Africa hasn’t seen the second wave of streaming services’ evolution yet – while Netflix is spending $6bn on original content this year alone, Amazon Prime Video scored the coup of the decade by rehiring the Top Gear guys (with mixed results). Meanwhile, there is already an abundance of TV shows, past and present.
Why should TV be spared the same deep-thinking analytical treatment that literature has been subjected to for centuries?
We are now all binge-watching TV junkies – this is a good thing, don’t listen to the naysayers – and we’re consuming it in novel and new ways, via laptops, tablets, smartphones.
I loved it when work was redefined as “something you do, not somewhere you go”. We need to think like that about television. There are those who have an elitist and high-minded disdain for television and its role as king of entertainment. That kind of cultural snobbery misses the point that entertainment can also be education (what was a novel principally for, if not to entertain?).
Television is the new novel.
Original African stories by local talent
Untying Kantai
Untying Kantai follows King Kantai, a man who has spent 30 years of his life working hard to provide for his family, only to be conned out of his life savings. Stream from 9 May, with new episodes weekly.
Big Girl Small World
Stream the new Kenyan romcom series Big Girl Small World from 8 May, with new episodes every week.
Empini S1
Stream the Showmax Original drama series Empini from 23 May 2024.
Original Sin: My Son The Killer
Original Sin: My Son The Killer follows the murder of Andrea Venter by Gerhard Jansen van Vuuren, who then went on the run from South Africa to Brazil.
Tracking Thabo Bester
From the makers of Devilsdorp and the director of Convict Conman comes the true-crime documentary South Africa has been waiting for. All the episodes are streaming on Showmax.
The Illuminated
The Showmax Original docuseries The Illuminated explores different religious movements in South Africa. All episodes now streaming.
Koek S1
The crime comedy Koek, starring Cindy Swanepoel. All the episodes are streaming on Showmax.
Ekhaya Backpackers S1
Stream the Showmax Original comedy series Ekhaya Backpackers. All the episodes are now streaming.
The Real Housewives Of Lagos S2 Reunion, now streaming
ENO S2: New daughter, more chaos
The best of West Africa
Meet the writers behind Showmax’s AMVCA-nominated series, Wura
Meet the exceptional writers behind the gripping Showmax series Wura, which has secured two nominations at the upcoming 10th AMVCA for Best Writing Series and Best Scripted Series.
Flawsome S2: A look back at the season as final episode is now streaming
Flawsome S2 delivered a rollercoaster of emotions. The season concludes following a captivating 13-episode run, and all the episodes are available to binge-watch on Showmax.
What to watch on Showmax in Africa in May 2024
Stream Barbie and Oppenheimer, only on Showmax. Plus a ton more great stuff coming in May.
BAFTA winner Gbemisola Ikumelo talks about Black Ops now streaming on Showmax
BAFTA winning actress and writer Gbemisola Ikumelo talks about the 6-part comedy crime-thriller Black Ops, now streaming on Showmax.