You couldn’t miss the hype around "Trackers".
The fact that DStv opened the premiere channel to all subscribers last Sunday was a big deal, too.
What’s the verdict? It’s a stellar TV series.
Firstly, I love the music for the title sequence and the paradoxical artwork, especially the suburb versus the township shots. The casting is largely on point.
Shot in Cape Town’s Bo-Kaap, Woodstock and Thibault Square, the story also expands to Loxton in the Karoo, Swartwater in Limpopo, as well as Beitbridge Border Post, Zimbabwe.
There are many story arcs in play, while the main one centres on averting a terrorist attack by an Islamic group that the Presidential Bureau of Intelligence (PBI) agency has been investigating. Headed by Janina Mentz (Sandi Schultz), the search is aided by intelligence agent Quinn Makebe (Thapelo Mokoena).
Meanwhile, Lemmer (James Gracie), a disgraced PBI agent who’s been keeping a low profile in Loxton, finds himself entangled in a diamond smuggling operation, where he’s duped by Flea (Trix Vivier), a seemingly innocent vet.
Then there’s iNkunzi (Sisanda Henna), a ruthless mercenary smuggler in cahoots with the terrorist organisation PBI is looking into. He’s all about the flashy lifestyle, and he isn’t too fazed about collateral damage along the way.
There are plenty of tense moments in "Trackers", especially with an unsuspecting Milla Strachan (Rolanda Marais) looking for a new start after leaving her abusive husband.
While Schultz is supposed to be the leader with the poker face, I’m yet to see her own the role. It feels like she’s enacting the words but not the emotions. Maybe as the series unfolds, we will get to see gravitas coming through.
Mokoena is the business in this role. He left viewers biting their nails in episode one. Can’t wait to see what he’s bringing in the next episode. In the meantime, the risk-taking agent is doing the most in the series, which is adroitly directly and has a taut narrative.
"Trackers" airs on M-Net (DStv 103) on Sunday at 8pm.