9 reasons that 2024 was the best year yet for local TV

There’s no doubt about it: 2024 was the best year yet for local content. Here’s the proof.

1. South Africans directed the iEmmy-winning animation – for the second year in a row

South Africans Jac Hamman and Sarah Scrimgeour directed the Julia Donaldson-Axel Scheffler adaptation Tabby McTat, which won the International Emmy for Kids: Animation. This is the second iEmmy win in a row for South African directors in the category: another Donaldson-Scheffler adaptation, The Smeds and The Smoos, directed by SA’s Daniel Snaddon and Samantha Cutler, won last year. 

2. Die Brug was nominated for an iEmmy – the third nomination in three years for MultiChoice

kykNET’s Die Brug was nominated Best Non-Scripted Entertainment at the International Emmys. This was the third nomination in three years for MultiChoice content on Showmax, following rugby doccie Two Sides in 2023 and crime drama Reyka in 2022. 

3. Spinners beat Succession in Shanghai

The Showmax Original Spinners beat the Emmy-winning final season of Succession to be named Best Foreign Series at the 29^th Shanghai TV Festival’s Magnolia Awards, one of the biggest accolades in Asia. Spinners also charted at #6 on CANAL+ during its primetime run in France.

4. Shaka iLembe became the most awarded drama ever at the SAFTAs

The epic historical drama Shaka iLembe won 12 SAFTAs, including Best Drama, setting a new record as the most-awarded drama series in the event’s history.

5. Catch Me A Killer: the first SA series at Series Mania

Inspired by pioneering profiler Micki Pistorius, true crime drama Catch Me A Killer became the first South African series to screen at Series Mania in France, one of the world’s top TV festivals. It also earned Warren Gray the Best Production Design award at the British Film Designers Guild Awards.

6. Wyfie was up against EastEnders, Troll and Wong Kar-Wai at international awards

Wyfie was nominated for Best International Series at The Seoul International Drama Awards; Best Soap or Telenovela at the Rose d’Or Awards in London; and Outstanding Use of Locations at the Global Production Awards in Cannes, France, presented by Screen International. The Showmax Original’s competition at these prestigious awards included legendary auteur Wong Kar-Wai; seven-time BAFTA winner EastEnders; and Troll, Netflix’s most popular non-English film of all time. 

7. Showmax doccies nominated at Venice TV Awards and Broadcast Sports Awards

True-crime doccie Original Sin: My Son The Killer was a finalist in the Documentary category at the Venice TV Awards, while Kenyan running community true-crime Death in the Heartlands, from Dark Side of Glory, was shortlisted as Sports Documentary of the Year – Over 60 Minutes at the Broadcast Sports Awards in London.

Watch the trailer for Original Sin: My Son The Killer

8. Tracking Thabo Bester set a new documentary record on Showmax

The true-crime phenomenon Tracking Thabo Bester set a new record for the most first-day views of any documentary on Showmax ever.

9. The most Showmax Originals ever

In February 2024, Showmax released 18 Showmax Originals – a new monthly record. In 2024 in all, Showmax released 85 Originals – another record – across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania, plus another five reunions. 

For your consideration: more contenders for local TV show of the year

• Teen drama Youngins, named Best South African Streaming Series at the 2024 Behind The Scenes Awards – and the show with the most first day views on Showmax this year
• Neo-Western Outlaws, named Best Telenovela at the 2024 SAFTAs
• Afrikaans crime caper Koek, the most awarded series at Silwerskerm
• The multi-award-winning World Cup rugby documentary Chasing the Sun 2
• M-Net’s crime drama White Lies, which sold to the likes of Sundance Now in North America, Channel 4 in the UK, and STAN in Australia, where it charted at #3.
• Popular Showmax Originals Law, Love and Betrayal, One Weeks, Red Ink and Soft Life

With the exception of White Lies, which starts streaming on 23 December 2024, all the titles above are available to binge on Showmax, which is the best place to stream South African series, whether you look at this year’s winners lists from the South African Film and Television Awards, Silwerskerm, the National Film and TV Awards South Africa, or The Behind The Scenes Awards.