Blast from the past: South Africa’s favourite TV shows

With international directors and producers opting for South African shores for production of TV-series like Black Sails, Crusoe, Charlie Jade and The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, it makes us reminisce about all those fantastic television series, sitcoms and shows we used to watch back in the day.

You know? Not those awkwardly dubbed television series like Spioen Spioen, Baretta or Heidi – no, we’re talking about genuine, locally produced, proudly South African stuff. Those series that had us hooked on the tele.

Since we’re reminiscing, we thought we’d remind you of those shows in South Africa’s past which we still remember fondly. Of course, there are a multitude of locally produced shows nowadays, so our list can hardly be complete. What are the shows you remember? Which series had you sitting on the edge of your seat?

Feel free to share this article with your friends and ask what their fondest memories of South African TV are.

List of South African TV-series and shows

• 50/50
• 99 Caroline Street
• Agter Elke Man
• Amalia
• Arende
• Attie en Joos
• Backstage
• Ballade vir ‘Enkeling
• Balke toe
• Bangalory Time
• Beertjie Boot
• Ben Brandt
• Biltong and Potroast
• Big Brother South Africa
• Big City Heat
• Bitten: Sarah Graham Cooks Cape Town
• Blitspatrollie
• Die Boere Orkes Kompetisie
• Die Bosveldhotel
• Die Bosveldwinkel
• Die Brandkluis
• Call Me Kelly
• Car Torque
• Carte Blanche
• Die Casper Rasper show
• Charlie Jade (joint Canadian-South African production)
• Cheesecake
• The Coconuts
• Collage
• The Dingleys
• Dis My Geheim
• Dokter-Dokter
• Drama, Drama
• Egoli: Place of Gold
• Erfsondes
• Everywhere Express
• Familiedae
• Fear Factor South Africa
• Fishy Feshuns
• Flinkdink
• Four Jacks and a Jill on the Move
• The Game
• Gauteng-aleng-aleng
• Generations
• Glaskasteel
• Going Nowhere Slowly
• Good Morning South Africa
• Haas Das se Nuuskas
• Hectic Nine-9
• Het van Verlangekraal
• Homeland
• Idols South Africa
• Interster
• Inspector Carr Investigates
• Isidingo
• Isibaya
• Jacob’s Cross
• Jam Sandwich
• Jantjie
• Journey to the Core
• Jozi-H
• Jungle Beat
• Kamera 1
• Kamera 2
• Katch it with Khanyi
• The Knicky Knacky Knoo Show
• Koffiehuis
• Koöperasie Stories
• Die Kraaines
• Konings
• K-T.V.
• Late Nite News wit Loyiso Gola
• Lesilo
• Liewe Heksie
• Manakwalanners
• Manemarak
• Die Mannheim-sage
• The Mantis Project
• Miena Moo
• Mmampodi
• Money or the Box Show
• Musiek Roulette
• Muvhango
• Net ‘n bietje liefde
• Nie vanwee die Duisternis
• Nommer Asseblief
• Ntunzini Spa
• Nuustak
• Oh George!
• Onder draai die duiwel rond
• Oom Kaspaas en Nefie
• Oos-Wes
• Opdrag
• Orkney Snork Nie
• Ouma Kom Help
• Oskar in Asblikfontein
• Pasella
• Phoenix en Kie
• Pieriewierie park
• Pop Shop
• Proesstraat
• Pumpkin Patch
• Ridders van die Grootpad
• Rhythm City
• ‘Sgudi ‘Snyasi
• Scandal
• Scout’s Safari
• Seepsteenbatelkon
• Sewende Laan
• Shaka Zulu
• Sien Jy Nou
• Skattejag
• Skooldae
• Skoppensboer
• Die Slampampersirkus
• SNITCH
• Special Assignment
• Song vir Katryn
• Sonkring
• SOS
• Spies en Plessie
• Sport Billy
• Sportfokus
• Sportsview
• Stolen Lives
• Straatvalk
• Suburban Bliss
• Survivor South Africa
• Die Swart Kat
• Takalani Sesame
• Techno Challenge
• Tekkies
• Tell Me Something
• Telly Fun Quiz
• Temptation
• Thabang Thabong
• Those Crowded Years
• TJ7
• Top Billing
• Trans-karoo
• Triptiek
• Trompie en die Boksombende
• Tropika Island of Treasure
• The Big Time
• Torings
• Uit en Tuis
• Usenzekile
• Verse n Kapitel
• Vetkoekpaleis
• Villa Rosa
• The Villagers
• Vyfster
• Walala Wasala
• The Weakest Link South Africa
• Which Way
• What’s your Flava?
• Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
• Wielie Walie
• Willem
• Yizo Yizo
• Yizo Yizo 2
• Zap Mag
• Zet
• Zama Zama
• ZANEWS

That’s our roundup of the best Safa shows! Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to keep track of all stuff South African.

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