If binge-watching Netflix shows while avoiding all of my responsibilities could be considered a personality trait, then I would wholeheartedly claim it as one (side note). Over the past year, Netflix Africa has released a wide variety of content ranging from movies, to TV, and reality TV shows that have taken the world by storm. The streaming platform has put an emphasis on showcasing African talent, in addition to highlighting positive African stories and experiences by affirming the importance of their representation within the media on a global scale. Recently, I’ve been indulging their newly released content and wanted to share some of my favorites that I’ve taken a liking to!
1.Young, Famous, & African
Young, Famous, & African is a newly released reality TV show that centers around the most notable names in the African entertainment and creative industry. The show follows the casts’ glamorous lifestyles and the struggles they face with being part of modern high society in Johannesburg, South Africa. The cast hails from different countries across the continent, including Nigeria, Uganda, and Tanzania.
My thoughts
First off, I truly did not know this was the show that I needed in my life up until I realized that I binged watched this show in 48 hours (or less possibly?). I was vicariously living through the extravagance of their lifestyles, the extra-ness, and how could I forget, the drama that was the icing on the cake! I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this show thought it was refreshing and exciting to witness the positive representation of African culture on screen.
2. How To Ruin Christmas (The Wedding)
How to Ruin Christmas (The Wedding) is a South-African comedy sitcom that revolves around the main character Tumi and her dysfunctional family as they celebrate their first Christmas together in years. Tumi’s younger sister, Beauty, is set to be married on Christmas day; however, Tumi somehow messes up her sister’s wedding before the big day, creating a rift between both her family and in-laws. The show captures her disastrous, hilarious, and frantic attempts to get the wedding day back on track.
My Thoughts
I have a soft spot for South-African TV shows, and this one definitely did not disappoint— If anything, it exceeded my expectations! This show was a rollercoaster of emotions; I laughed, I cried, and (might of) yelled at my screen a couple of times. The cast did a spectacular job at embodying and embracing their roles. I loved the fact that the show integrated aspects of South African culture. At certain points in the show, all of the characters spoke in English as well as in their native South African dialects Xhosa and Zulu.
It’s uplifting to witness African culture being represented on mainstream television in a positive manner. The media often tends to depict Africa and African people as either poor or have utilized xenophobic and racist stereotypes. As a young Black woman of the African diaspora, seeing these positive representations has made me extremely proud of my African heritage. In the future, I hope we continue to see these positive depictions of Africans in the media in order to ultimately shift the narrative.