BET Africa’s gripping daily drama, Redemption comes to a blockbuster ending on 09 May 2023, following what can only be viewed as a resounding success for African story telling. With well over 4,2 million viewers and an average of 74 000 audiences daily, the show, which has captivated viewers since its premiere, has been hailed as a triumph for its gripping storytelling, talented cast, and powerful performances.
The show is the most significant locally produced project for BET, made possible by the partnership between Seriti Films, Burnt Onion Productions and BET. As per TAMS 2023, South African audiences tend to watch homegrown soap operas, dramas, and telenovelas the most, which make up around 55% of total television viewing in the country. In 2023, the show still reigns supreme on BET’s ratings.
Up until now, Redemption has solidified its position as the top-rated television program on BET Africa. Despite frequent power outages in South Africa, which have had an unfavourable impact on ratings across the board, the show managed to boost its slot performance considerably. Specifically, there was a 900% increase in viewers aged between 20 to 39 and a 1000% rise among viewers aged 15 and above.
The plot of the dramatic story centered around the Zikode family, who are highly respected and tightly-knit members of a mega-church. When the celebrated pastor Simon Zikode, played by the critically acclaimed Themba Ndaba, mysteriously disappears, his daughter Faith, who is about to embark on an international music career, puts her plans on hold to help her family. As Faith (played by Kwanele Mthethwa) becomes more involved in the church and her family’s affairs, she discovers shocking secrets about those closest to her, including her own hidden past. The Zikode family is forced to make difficult decisions as they try to salvage their legacy, and they are faced with many perplexing challenges as dark truths are brought to light.
The show featured a line-up of renowned and beloved South African stars, including Tina Jaxa, an Africa Movie Academy Award winner, who portrays the role of Evelyn Zikode, the pastor’s devout wife and a classic matriarch who is fiercely protective of her family. The pace of the drama could never have been complete without the presence of antagonists, and the show had that covered with the inclusion of critically acclaimed SAFTA winner Seputla Sebogodi, Yonda Thomas, Pearl Modiadie, and Sparky Xulu. Additionally, the show also provided a platform for newcomers Nkone Mamejta and Toka Mtabane to launch their careers as part of BET Africa’s efforts to expand the industry and promote local talent.
The season ran for a duration of 130 episodes and was ultimately sown together in the themes of duality – Honesty vs Deceit and Good vs Evil – The series ultimately looked at morality and what defines what is right and wrong especially as it pertains to a person’s decisions, intentions and actions. Every single character, whether they believe themselves to be good or not, had their morality tested or brought into question at some point in the storyline.
The final episode is set to treat viewers with one more major big reveal, and it promises to be an intense and emotional rollercoaster of suspense and emotions as the characters face their greatest challenges yet!
With secrets and lies threatening to tear them apart, the cast will be delivering their best performances, which promise to keep viewers on the edge of their seats for one last epic ride!
“We’re thrilled with the way this season of Redemption has resonated with audiences,” said Monde Twala, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Paramount Africa and Lead, BET International. “The daily drama is a showcase of the talented cast and crew who have worked tirelessly to create a compelling and engaging series that has captured the hearts and minds of viewers across the continent.”
“We hope that through massive productions of this nature, we are able to showcase our commitment to how seriously we take investing in local industry, putting African stories on the map and developing new talent for a global audience,” concludes Twala.
