A man cycles past a billboard in Soweto featuring Sophie Ndaba, known as Queen Moroka in Generations. The soap first aired in 1994, but now the future of the TV staple " followed by millions " is uncertain A man cycles past a billboard in Soweto featuring Sophie Ndaba, known as Queen Moroka in Generations. The soap first aired in 1994, but now the future of the TV staple " followed by millions " is uncertain
Generations has been to South Africa what The Bold and the Beautiful is to the US – a celebrated soap that has stood the test of time. And while critics are speculating on the survival of our first home-grown soap, given the controversial storm that has engulfed Mfundi Vundla’s “baby” of late, it can’t take away the fact that this is and has been our country’s staple entertainment diet for 20 years.
Although B&B wallowed in the shenanigans of the high-flying fashion world in Los Angeles, Generations tapped into our cultural roots, our ambitions in a country recovering from apartheid and, at the same time, encompassing the traditional soapie trimmings of romance, deception and violence interspersed with comedy.
The plot that was initially centred on the all-powerful Morokas in the advertising world, where family strife and sibling rivalry were but a part of the unfolding drama.
Viewers gravitated to characters like Archie Moroka, his unlucky in relationships sister Karabo, the endearing couple Deven Maistry and Shaan Naidu and the lovable bartender-cum-therapist Sonny Jacobs.
While the international soaps were often trapped in a sort of time warp with its drawn-out plots – and continue to remain so, Generations, along with the plethora of new additions to the soap bandwagon, are more fast-paced and mirror the reality around us.
In this way, the soap has been entertaining fans with plots and story arcs that resonate strongly.
Over the years, Generations has weathered its ups and downs and whenever the storylines started haemorrhaging from tediousness – the writers freshened things up with new characters and created additional worlds.
Twenty years on, it retains its number one spot as South Africa’s leading soap, which isn’t necessarily reflected at awards ceremonies. And this is because it has successfully tapped into a cross-section of viewers with its youthful and rebellious to the more mature and power-hungry characters.
Family dynamics and friction continues to have monopoly on the storyline as do the relationships – even the homosexual one that caused such an uproar back in 2009 when Jason and Senzo kissed.
As much as casual viewers and fans slate the show, either for the storyline or the off-screen dramas, come 8pm every weekday, they are still tuned in to Generations.
That no other channel has introduced a soap in the same slot when there has been ample opportunity to do so, is indicative of the sway/threat this soap poses.
And that is why it will likely carry on for generations (pun intended) to come. After all, controversy is nothing but an inducement to push on in the world of TV … especially as SABC1’s flagship offering.