Love and catastrophe loom large in Mooiweer en Warm

Flea and craft markets are all the rage these days. Whether you're selling home-baked goods, preloved books or an extra special brand of hot-as-hell sauce, the community spirit of supporting local businesses and glorified side hustles shines brighter than ever. Take a stroll around one of these bustling markets and you'll come into contact with a range of curious characters from all walks of life. If you've ever wondered about their secret lives when they're not peddling their wares, Mooiweer en Warm (Pleasant Weather) is a comedy drama you don't want to miss!

If the allure of small-town gossip doesn’t grab you, maybe being set against the backdrop of a church undergoing transformation and the near-apocalyptic threat of a dam wall’s imminent collapse will. 

The series follows the interconnected lives of this peculiar Afrikaans community, where craft market sellers, church folk, geologists and miscreants mingle. Appearances can be deceiving and what at first seems like a fairly typical small town scenario gradually reveals what lies beneath. From matters of the heart to seismic catastrophe, Mooiweer en Warm wrestles with relationships from crushing sparks to doomed romances. This world may not be as twisted as Twin Peaks, as animated as The Simpsons or as political as Don't Look Up but sports an array of equally colourful characters, quirky scenarios and a looming natural disaster.  

Channeling offbeat charm and a restless spirit, Mooiweer en Warm is directed by Zandré Coetzer, a seasoned producer behind such series as Sterlopers, Hotel and Donkerbos. Taking on this comedy drama series written by Binnelanders and Straat's Paul C Venter, there's a delightful mix of character intrigue, situational angst and slow-burning suspense. Taken from their vantage point, Mooiweer en Warm is bolstered even further by its stellar local cast ranging from up-and-coming talents to screen legends. Led by Carla Smith, Marisa Drummond, Beer Adriaanse, Geon Nel, Andre Samuels and Paul du Toit, it's anchored by Brümilda van Rensburg, Ira Blanckenberg, Royston Stoffels, Susan Danford and Deon Lotz. 

A female-led comedy drama, it's Carla Smith and Marisa Drummond at the forefront as Cezanne, a deeply concerned geologist surveying the environs, and Issie, an incoming pastor at the local church. Known for Troukoors en Stiekyt, Smith is a rising star who channels a controlled and aptly rock-solid leading performance in Mooiweer en Warm opposite birdwatching naturalist and romantic interest Meyer, played by Beer Adriaanse. An odd couple, it's fun to see how the two kindle the opposites-attract relationship after an awkward start. 

If Carla Smith represents women in science, Spoorloos and Suidooster’s Marisa Drummond creates a wonderful contrast as a woman of the cloth. Both facing professional pressures relating to their good work and community service, they must contend with the distraction of unexpected romance and the frustration of being harbingers of change and disaster. Still a contentious issue in staunch Christian circles, there's an edge to journeying with Issie’s new role as she tries to set a good example and regulate the tone for her new church community. 

As if it wasn't enough having young guns of Smith and Drummond’s calibre at the helm, the series finds a way to lasso the star power of Brümilda van Rensburg, Ira Blanckenberg and Susan Danford. Always a welcome presence, van Rensburg and Blanckenberg add some love-in-later-life comedy spice to proceedings as Sonica and Nerine, while Danford commands authority and grace as Hannah, a boss and would-be mentor to Cezanne.  

A strong female ensemble, Mooiweer en Warm also benefits from the likes of Geon Nel, Paul du Toit and Andre Samuels with screen legends Deon Lotz and Royston Stoffels in the wings. Finding the right balance of comedy and drama, these actors resonate with their quirky supporting characters as they bend with the fun and fiasco of each little-big scenario.   

This is an entertaining homegrown series that pivots between the heaving importance of science and religion. While not nearly as wacky, Mooiweer en Warm tries to harness a similar edge to Matt Groening’s The Simpsons with a palatable and playful undercurrent of irreverence and sincerity. A real-life scenario with comical possibilities, it ventures into some hot topic areas but treats its contentious themes with kid-gloves so as not to alienate or offend. Having the minutiae of everyday small town affairs and squabbles happening beneath a sky that could fall on their heads at any moment, there’s a healthy dose of the absurd with an equal measure of dramatic tension. 

A character-driven series of 13 episodes, there’s enough time to connect with the burgeoning cast of oddballs and their stories as things go from bad to worse… and then to hell. Featuring a sparkling cast, sharp performances, compelling small town yarns, amusing situational dynamics and witty dialogue, Mooiweer en Warm is a promising community drama that sets the scene for another series in true cliffhanger style.