The SABC has been bringing us great dramas for years. Remember when you actually couldn’t wait to see the following dramas air and discuss what would be happened and how stunned and excited you were after the episodes cliffhangers? Here’s a compilation of classic TV Shows that we grew up on.
“Thoko Ubambo Lwami”, this was the famous line from UBambo Lwami. I loved this show. It had a great recipe for success, the crazy criminal brother and the love triangle. Don Mlangeni (I don’t know which name he goes by today) aka Zeb Matabane in Isidingo has been around for a long time. He must be a great person to work with for him to have survived this cut throat industry for all these decades. Menzi Ngubane is another working actor who has been in the game for a long time. This show was great no doubt most of my stand out moments where scenes with Mazwi and that red Gusheshe. Menzi was the real Papa Action – shem. Do you remember the chick who played Rose? What is her name she was also a good one.
“Ikhekhe lika Sis’ May”, Sgudi Snaysi was my personal favourite who doesn’t like Joe Mafela aka Sdumo. He was funny as hell, still is. The late Daphne Hlomuka another great actress killed her role as Sis May, her wardrobe used to be the business. Don’t you think in some way this show had a Golden Girls feel? Louisa made me crack up without even saying a word and at that time Thoko, played by Thembi Mtshali used to be IT girl. Then there was Don Mlangeni again playing Laqasha, I couldn’t deal with those scenes with that baseball bat. Good thing is I grew up scared of owing anyone anything, Laqasha scarred me for life. You know you liked this show when imbungulu, ikhekhe, mfundisi & laqasha are words that resonate with you.
Emzini Wezinsizwa was another great one. You hardly see an all male cast led TV show but this one faired well. In all in its comedy Emzini Wezinsizwa did touch on serious topic with a funny twist of cause like migrant workers etc. Jerry Phele killed his role. Another who always got be into stitches.
“Wena Mhlongo Hlala KwaBafileyo“, I loved this one, it was one of those crazy show with twist and turns that left you on some “hayike ngoku” tip. From the abandoned twin drama, waking up from the dead, the nosey neighbour to the affairs and taxi business. Starring Ruth Cele, Daphne Hlomuka and Don Mlangeni amongst others it was bound to be a success. Mamgobhozi killed me with her “Kangaroo” walk as she went about fishing for gossip. We all had that neighbour. My favourite line has to be by Daphne Hlomuka in that scene where they ask her character to mourn, afake inzilo for uMhlongo and she goes “Ngeke mina ngaqashingaqashi man’ ” . Definitely one of my favourites.
UVelaphi was one of those funny ones – at least to me, that made me laugh all day. I remember tuning just to see what he was up to. What happened to genuinely funny story lines and actors? I liked that it was a humour that we all could identify with.
Lol, then there was Kwakhala Nyonini. What a total mess of a family. Mfaniseni had two wives, MaNxumalo and Nomsebenzi and at the same time he was asked to step in and take care of his late brother’s wife Nobuhle. So that means he had 3 women in his life. Then came Beauty, the diva, the queen…..DRAMA!!!! He ended up marrying her and she was umfazi wephepha and used it to her advantage every chance she got. Obviously the other wives ganged up on her…she was young, smart, intelligent and beautiful. This drama was funny.
Deliwe was also a good one. Umama ka Thandaza has also been in the game for a while. I loved that Deliwe was a little like Cynthia Shange’s story. The pretty girl who comes from KZN to the city of gold and becomes this glamourous beauty queen then gets into that horrible accident. I definitely enjoyed this one for it’s fashions and retro glamour.
How can we forget Molo Fish with Eric Miyeni as Daryl Malgas? This drama showed us the other side of Apartheid. If I am not mistaken, Trevor Noah was part of the cast spotting cornrows looking oh so cute and also Brenda Ngxoli and Zane Meas. What happened to the guy that used to play young Daryl? That boy was talented but ke…….
One of my fav comedies of all time…..Suburban Bliss which had Motshabi Tyelele, Ruth Cele, Martin Le Maitre, Desmond Dube, Seputla Sebogodi and Patrick Mynhardt. Whoever came up with this Sitcom deserves a lifetime achievement stru. Do you remember the unending beef between Ma Moloi and that old man from next door? They’d argue until they hang on the fence. Actually there was just drama between the black and the white family as neighbours…..It was the Dwyers vs the Molois. Damn guys I still remember the theme song even…..’Just do things…..mmmhhhhh, it’s all it really takes…ohhhh Suburban Bliss…..Suburban Bliss‘ Sigh!
This Ke Nako drama that used to play on SABC 2 showed me the other side of Moshidi Motshegwa. I was so used to her on SOS just being funny but Ke Nako changed that. It also introduced me to Lebo Palesane who somehow looks likes my young brother. The round head, the ‘pink’ complexion….we used to rub it in him. Lebo has also acted on Muvhango as Dr Lefu if I’m not mistaken.
This was the only image I could find for this drama.
Another one of my personal favourites was Ithemba Lokugcina. Remember Uhlanzekile wase Hlanzeni – the cop? I felt sorry for her half the time. This show was hectic though at times and that man, same guy from Zone 14 ubab’ uMloyi was a mean man in a wheel chair. He scared the daylights out of me. I liked how it also explored infertility even if it wasn’t as sensitive at times. My favourites line from the show definitely was this Ruth Cele line, “Ulaxaz’ umntanami phansi ubuhle benyongo yenyathi wazihambela nalo farm girl wakho uHlanzekile”. Classic.
We will be continuing this journey down memory lane with early 2000′s dramas again.
What was your favourite retro gold drama? If you think of any that we have missed let us know.
By @audacioustoni and @KikiMarli