African streamer Showmax has revealed its 10 most streamed titles of 2024, based on unique viewers. 9 out of 10 of these are local, with HBO’s epic fantasy House of the Dragon the exception that proves the rule.
Half are dramas, alongside three reality shows, a roast, and a record-breaking true-crime documentary series. All nine local titles are Showmax Originals.
Here are the 10 most streamed titles of 2024 on Showmax (in alphabetical order)
1. Adulting Season 1 & 2
Adulting follows four male friends in Johannesburg, whose strong bond has held them together after varsity even as their journeys in life have taken them in very different directions.
From hitmakers Tshedza Pictures (Outlaws, The River), the 18LSDVN Showmax Original earned Thembinkosi Mthembu, Nhlanhla Kunene and Nandi Nyembe SAFTA nominations as Bonga, Eric (aka Tsiki Tsiki) and MaGetty respectively.
The third and final season starts on 25 January 2025, with new episodes every Saturday.
Check the trailer for Season 2 below:
2. Empini Season 1
At The National Film and TV Awards South Africa, Nambitha Ben-Mazwi won Best Actress for her roles in Savage Beauty and the Showmax Original Empini, where she plays a private security bodyguard investigating her father’s death.
Check out the trailer below:
3. House Of The Dragon Season 1 & 2
Based on George RR Martin’s Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and tells the story of House Targaryen. Following King Aegon Il’s coronation, at the start of Season 2, Alicent and Rhaenyra cling to fading memories of their old friendship as their opposing factions gear up for civil war.
The epic HBO fantasy series was IMDb’s fifth most popular series of 2024 overall, with Emma d’Arcy nominated for the Golden Globe as Rhaenyra.
Check out the trailer for season 2 below:
4. Laugh Africa Presents: The Showmax Roast of Minnie Dlamini
Roastmasters Tumi Morake and Jason Goliath led a star-studded line-up unleashing their wrath on media personality Minnie Dlamini, who gave as good as she got.
Panelists included Celeste Ntuli, Da L.E.S, Lasizwe, Penny Lebyane, Shahan Ramkissoon, Siv Ngesi, Robert Marawa and Trevor Gumbi.
Check out the trailer below:
5. Red Ink
Adapted from Angela Makholwa’s bestseller, Red Ink follows journalist turned publicist Lucy Khambule (Nqobile Nunu Khumalo), who is approached by an imprisoned serial killer to tell his story.
At The National Film and TV Awards South Africa, Bonko Khoza won Best Actor as Napoleon Dingiswayo, aka The Butcher, with Lorcia Cooper taking home Best Supporting Actress as Detective Morapedi.
Check out the teaser trailer below:
6. The Mommy Club Season 1 & 2
Reality TV phenomenon The Mommy Club follows glamorous Jozi momfluencers navigating the challenges of parenting – and the cutthroat world of “it” moms.
The record-breaking Showmax Original won Best Non-Scripted TV Series at The National Film and TV Awards South Africa and also launched its first spinoff last year: The Mommy Club: Sugar & Spice, set in Durban’s Indian community.
Check out the trailer for Season 2 below:
7. The Real Housewives of Durban Season 1 to 4
The longest-running version of the franchise in Africa, The Real Housewives of Durban follows the glamorous but drama-filled lives of affluent women in Durban. Season 4 kept everyone talking all the way to the reunion, where OG Sorisha Naidoo walked out in tears.
Check out the trailer for Season 4 below:
8. The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip – South Africa
At The National Film and TV Awards South Africa, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip – South Africa took home Best Reality Series, as well as Best Female TV Personality for Lethabo LeJoy. The spinoff South Africa had been waiting for, Ultimate Girls Trip took eight of the most iconic Housewives to Jamaica.
Check out the trailer below:
9. Tracking Thabo Bester
Tracking Thabo Bester is the true-crime documentary South Africa had been asking for ever since GroundUp first broke the news that the convicted murderer and rapist did not die in Cell 35 after all and was instead shopping at Woolworths in Sandton City.
Alongside lawsuits and rave reviews, the true-crime series racked up the most first-day views of any documentary on Showmax ever. It’s produced by true-crime pioneers IdeaCandy (Devilsdorp, Rosemary’s Hitlist).
Check out the series trailer below:
10. Youngins Season 1 & 2
Teen drama Youngins was named Best South African Streaming Series at the 2024 Behind The Scenes Awards – and had the most first day views of any title on Showmax last year.
When a teen flees from a family tragedy in rural KZN to a boarding school in Jozi, she gets entangled in a scandal of epic proportions. Produced by Tshedza Pictures (Adulting), new episodes of S2 come out every Friday.
Check out the show’s trailer below:
Well, there you have it, the 10 most streamed titles on Showmax for 2024.
If you don’t have a Showmax account yet, sign up HERE.
Watch this space for updates in the Entertainment category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
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