Talk:List of South African television series

Project U.F.O
I'm reasonably sure that the late-70s series Project U.F.O. was dubbed into Afrikaans titled as the translation of Project Blue Book (Projek Blou Boek or similar)

Brakanjan
Hiya,

I just checked and Brakanjan (or Brakkenjan) was dubbed from a BBC series called Dogtanian and the three Muskehouds Roz1013 15:16, 5 January 2007 (UTC)

Awful Page
Of all the hundreds of Wikipedia pages I've seen, this has to be the worst in terms of encyclopedic value. What kind of encyclopedia says something like "not known if local or imported?" If you don't know, do some damn research, don't put that lazy trash in a reference book! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Briantw (talk • contribs) 19:50, 10 May 2007 (UTC).


 * You are stupid 46.50.116.10 (talk) 22:22, 3 April 2023 (UTC)

fixed the list
This list is ideal becuase you get the basic list in the index part and then a redirect from there to a specified section and not a continual list. I'll be removing the lists tag. —Preceding unsigned comment added by RYNORT (talk • contribs) 18:46, 27 November 2007 (UTC)

Bad list
I'm not sure that all the shows were "made and shown" in South Africa. For example, the A-Team was made in the USA and not South Africa. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 41.177.50.205 (talk) 08:17, 15 March 2009 (UTC)

If The A-Team had been made in South Africa under apartheid, rest assured that Mr T. would not have been in it.

Not a bad list
Please read the following carefully: This is a list of TV series that were made or shown in South Africa. It does include foreign-made imports. MADE or SHOWN in South Africa —Preceding unsigned comment added by Troquemada (talk • contribs) 12:25, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

I agree
I agree :) has been super nice reading and remembering even if not 100%:) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Pegisis (talk • contribs) 02:10, 4 October 2009 (UTC)

Too Much Info
If we add ALL the shows that have aired on SA TV the list will be absurdly long and of no real value. What about we only list the shows that aired from 1976 (start) to 1996 (big restructuring) there can be a separate page for all the shows post-1996

or maybe even a page dedicated exclusively to locally produced stuff and dubbed imports. —Preceding unsigned comment added by LuckyStriker (talk • contribs) 12:36, 1 December 2009 (UTC)

Any one remember TV Series in English about a Greek Cypriot Immigrant to South Africa?
I remember watching it in the 90's. A Greek Cypriot immigrant who starts a business in South Africa and has a lot of get-rich-quick schemes (insurance fraud, bioscope shows etc.) Also, the theme song had "I'm gonna make it big time" in it HussaynKhariq (talk) 06:55, 19 May 2010 (UTC)

I think it was called 'The Big Time'. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 196.30.245.149 (talk) 10:02, 10 July 2010 (UTC)

Frank Opperman starred in THE BIG TIME 156.8.254.130 (talk) 22:58, 30 July 2010 (UTC)

Missing shows
There are some more shows missing. I can think of a translated show called Alexander II (A series where a German man discovers he has a twin brother that is a spy for the then East Germany). Also Kammaland, a children series with Violetta Mouse as main character. ( I would suggest that the page requires more research and that the purpose is stated clearly (e.g. South African TV programs - the first 20 years). I do not agree with the comments that this does not have value. I have used this page for various references. It is very good to trace the original untranslated program titles as well as for the correct title of the program. It also gives some overall picture of the Television culture under Apartheid. (Pieter Loftus) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Supertokkies (talk • contribs) 21:04, 20 February 2011 (UTC)

Pinocchio is also not on the list (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM0SibtOTUA) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Supertokkies (talk • contribs) 21:09, 20 February 2011 (UTC)

And a pretty weird culture it was too. I still remember the V graffiti in Durban. Le Granges is a lizard! Totorotroll (talk) 14:13, 8 April 2011 (UTC)

Alexander Twee starred Jean Claude Bouillon Mnw1963 (talk) 20:31, 11 March 2014 (UTC) google

I recall a show in the early 1990s about an international engineering firm, I don't recall title but thought it was M&G Engineering. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.196.181.222 (talk) 20:38, 19 September 2016 (UTC)

Hi people, also there was a Show called She. I found this relevant information about this show https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She:_A_History_of_Adventure — Preceding unsigned comment added by 169.0.110.208 (talk) 13:49, 20 February 2017 (UTC)

La Dame de Monsoreau
I think La Dame de Monsoreau (7 episodes) aired on the SABC in 1977. In French here — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.143.217.66 (talk) 04:13, 8 August 2011

animated (think stop motion) childrens programme with psychedelic music shown on SABC in 80's
animated (think stop motion I think) childrens programme with psychedelic music shown on SABC in 80's. recall swirling colours, clouds, aeroplanes, strange figures.41.185.86.87 (talk) 12:08, 8 June 2012 (UTC)

animated (think stop motion) childrens programme with psychedelic music shown on SABC in 80's
animated (think stop motion I think) childrens programme with psychedelic music shown on SABC in 80's. recall swirling colours, clouds, aeroplanes, strange figures.41.185.86.87 (talk) 12:09, 8 June 2012 (UTC)

WHAT WAS IT CALLED? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 41.185.86.87 (talk) 12:11, 8 June 2012 (UTC)

Us Adibals and Fings? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 105.236.16.96 (talk) 13:50, 12 November 2013 (UTC)

what about Max Mendley, Sebastiaan, Sol &Gobbele...
? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 41.118.163.138 (talk) 18:37, 13 June 2012 (UTC)

DUBBED PROGRAMMES
Can anyone remember the dubbed Afrikaans series SPESIALE AFDELING K1? What was the original series name and where can I find the soundtrack used?

196.38.8.90 (talk) 09:49, 4 September 2012 (UTC)Ashley

Die Ierse Roos
Can anyone remember a series called "Die Ierse Roos", no details could be found on this topic — Preceding unsigned comment added by 196.212.159.66 (talk) 13:17, 7 August 2013 (UTC) I remember it vaguely but sadly enough I cannot find a trace of this series — Preceding unsigned comment added by 41.164.6.244 (talk) 06:45, 6 June 2016 (UTC) ek het die laaste episode gemis en sal dit nooit weer sien. Gaan DSTV vra om dit op te spoor.


 * I remember the name but which year was it broadcast. Think it was round about early 1980's. 41.13.254.243 (talk) 17:50, 9 September 2023 (UTC)

SA Reality Show from around '86 or '87?
I remember a reality show (similar to survivor) from the late 80's where a group of people had to build homes and survive as early settlers may have had to do. For the life of me I can't remember what it was called, but I keep thinking Castaways or Outcasts??

Anyone?? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 105.236.16.96 (talk) 14:00, 12 November 2013

Show was called The Settlers. Shot near Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape.Volunteer group trying to live as the 1820 settlers would have. I remember some emnity between the older and younger members.105.237.15.239 (talk) 21:41, 26 August 2014 (UTC)

I think the show you refer to was actually called THE VOLUNTEERS. There was a show called The Settlers but that was a different one. Grocotts Mail ran an article on THE VOLUNTEERS in 2013. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 102.250.5.155 (talk) 03:33, 11 July 2020 (UTC)

Add to the list the series about Mozart
Missing from this list is a series about Wolfgang Mozart the composer. It is a 6-part French production from 1982 dubbed into Afrikaans and screened on SABC1. It was an historical drama recreating his life. The details I have from my VHS tape copy : Réalisation : Marcel Bluwal Leopold MOZART : Michel Bouquet Wolfgang MOZART (12 ans) : Jean-François Dichamp Madame MOZART : Louise Martini Nannerl MOZART : Anne-Marie Kuster Empereur Joseph II : Daniel Ceccaldi Téléfilm en six épisodes diffusé sur TF1 et plusieurs chaînes de télévision européennes en 1982 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.159.173.84 (talk) 02:39, 25 November 2013 (UTC)

Francois Kavalier de Recci
I remember Afrikaans Series dubbed from French. I recall "Francois Kavalier de Recci". Originally (Le Chevalier Tempête) and shown on the BBC as The Flashing Blade. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flashing_Blade 197.79.4.89 (talk) 18:11, 7 May 2014 (UTC) Francois Coetzee

Why doesn't some one remove all the foreign made shows?
''This is a list of TV series that were made and or shown in South Africa since TV’s inception during 1975. It does include foreign-made imports and imports that were dubbed into Afrikaans.'' Why are 90% of the entries foreign made shows?Foofbun (talk) 02:13, 29 January 2015 (UTC)

"Come to my house" or "Come over to my house" Anyone remember this drama series in English?
My guess late 80's early 90's about a white family who had two daughters. The eldest had a slight mental problem. Red head actress ... one possible Sueann Braun. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 196.46.30.43 (talk) 18:37, 5 May 2015 (UTC)

Fantastic German (?) detective series - Spesiale Afdeling K1?????
Surely there must be 'somebody who knows somebody' who knows the English name for this fantastic series from 1976!!?? The mood and the music and the backdrop of the areas in Germany where it was filmed was brilliant!! I mean there may be someone out there who knows ANYBODY who worked for the SABC back then - they can't all be 'dead'!!??

Does any body maybe have access to old Radio/Tv guides/archive material - I saw one that said: - "The men from Special Section k1" - but I have never seen ANY German detective series from that era EVEN translated as that!!

Come on - SOMEBODY must care - it's great history!!

Regards to all who bother to read this.......

Mike Rep. of Ireland — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mikemirage (talk • contribs) 14:07, 26 September 2015 (UTC)

Mike, try Sonderdezernat K1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Ys2p22ry4&list=PL6kTaBhJg8UnT2O7nr2Ucz8ckLP_Ih4xt&index=1 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.39.68.160 (talk) 16:53, 12 July 2016 (UTC)

How I believe the page should be structured (please give your opinion)
It's clear to me that South African TV has two very prominent dividing lines in it. The first is Apartheid-era TV versus post-Apartheid-era TV, and the other is locally produced shows versus foreign shows broadcast in SA. So to my mind it makes a lot of sense to split the page into these four sections:


 * 1) Apartheid-era shows produced in South Africa
 * 2) Foreign shows broadcast in South Africa during the Apartheid-era
 * 3) Post-Apartheid shows produced in South Africa
 * 4) Foreign shows broadcast in South Africa after the Apartheid-era

I think it's important to mention that most of the TV shows shown in SA during the Apartheid years were very specifically chosen. The executive policy at the SABC during the Apartheid years was closely aligned with that of the ruling National Party, with all of television and radio acting as propaganda organs for the State. This policy directive is clearly borne out by a strong focus on crime dramas where criminals were caught and punished (Derrick, Misdaad, etc.) with apolitical light entertainment and comedy shows balancing out the schedule. When comedy shows began leaning to the Left and criticising South Africa's Apartheid policy (eg. End Apartheid posters in Theo Huxtable's bedroom in The Cosby Show) the offending episodes were often cut or just not broadcast.

The broadcast landscape of foreign-made post-Apartheid TV in SA has been so similar to the rest of the Western world it's barely worth mentioning, in my opinion. --FrankEBailey (talk) 14:13, 5 May 2019 (UTC)
 * Reasonable suggestion, not sure how difficult it might be to implement. &middot; &middot; &middot; Peter Southwood (talk): 04:24, 6 December 2020 (UTC)

Serious update needed
I find this list quite cluttered. I feel like it should have a new format. One which seperatly shows shows produced in South Africa, dubbed in South Africa, etc.

Also, some shows haven't been added in the list. Am I the only one who notices that some shows from Mzansi Magic, e.tv, M-Net and other channels aren't added here? This list just seems incomplete. ThatXhosaFromSA (talk) 16:50, 28 August 2021 (UTC)
 * Lists will never be complete. That's why you take the initiative and add missing shows to the list.  They are not South African series if they are only dubbed.  These lists are for series produced in that country.  That would be like adding Seinfeld to the list of English-language Canadian television series just because it aired in Canada.  It would be redundant to that.   Mr. C.C. Hey yo!I didn't do it! 22:36, 7 November 2021 (UTC)

The Settlers
This was a pioneering show in every way. I’m not sure how many reality shows like this existed worldwide at the time. It was made in 1980 (I think) and was the precursor to concepts like BBC’s CASTAWAY 2000, made two decades later. It was flawed, controversial and probably fairly rudimentary in film craft but would be a great subject for a documentary. 105.225.233.90 (talk) 23:47, 18 November 2021 (UTC)