So anyone that knows anything about Twitter will tell you of the joy it is to experience a television show on the social media platform, while watching it on tv. Whether the show is good or bad, there's ample supply of commentary-about the shots, the storyline, the characters even the location its shot on. See television since the advent of social media has become more intimate- creatives now have the chance to hear exactly from the viewers what they think.
I must add-these viewers can be extremely harsh critics.
Enter Nkululeko.
The drama series will (at least from what we've gathered from the first episode) follow a young teenage maths genius in his journey to navigate life as a talented, Black young man, who also has the odds against him; peer pressure, the sometimes wretched life that you find in the townships, and trying to get out of it.
It already did a couple of important things in its first episode, it is set in Khayelitsha, a township in the Western Cape that is home about 400 000 people (according to Stats SA) and it features a lot of 'new' faces- the likes of Zimkhitha Nyoka, Aphiwe Mkefe, Abongile Salli and Tiisetso Thoka to our television screens, and the protagonist, is a maths nerd who someday wants to be an astronaut. It's a coming of age drama, and its presented as such.
Did I mention that there is a healthy supply of established actors in the form of Tina Jaxa , Chris Gxalaba and Jet Novuka to name a few?
The drama series needless to say was met by mixed reactions from twitterverse:
#Nkululeko S/O to @Mzansimagic for opening the industry. We ❤ and appreciate new faces and new talent..
— Vanessa Mdanyana (@MdanyanaVanessa) January 7, 2018
We gave #theimposter13 episodes and even after that last episode it was underwhelming - so let's atleast give #Nkululeko2,3 episodes before trashing it to the nearest bin
Atleaat get to know the characters,storylines and how this new talent holds its own
— UNsigned|RayHarvest® (@Ray_Harvest) January 7, 2018
Finally showing some love to other province... are we in Cape Town? #Nkululeko pic.twitter.com/oK9heud7EV
— Ndivhu_M_pictures 🇿🇦 (@Ndivhu_M_) January 7, 2018
I’m already losing interest because this show is about maths 🤦🏽♀️ #Nkululeko
— Karabo Mokgoko 🦄 (@Karabo_Mokgoko) January 7, 2018
If I am being completely honest, I appreciated the genuineness that I saw the story being told through. I am already invested in the characters, even if I fail to remember their names (easy now, it's only been an episode). And I want to to see, like one tweep mentioned life in "the Cape Town they don't want you to see". I am waiting not-so-patiently for next week's episode, and based on what I felt and saw, I can only hope that it gets better.
Nkululeko airs every Sunday evening at 8pm on Mzansi Magic channel 161.
With all that's been said , what were your thoughts on #Nkululeko? Share them with us on Twitter!