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Edgy drama too hot for e.tv

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ACTING UP Director Jahmil Qubeka and actress Brenda Ngxoli go through the contested script during a City Press set visit earlier this year.  Picture: Leon Sadiki
ACTING UP Director Jahmil Qubeka and actress Brenda Ngxoli go through the contested script during a City Press set visit earlier this year. Picture: Leon Sadiki

An envelope-pushing new South African TV drama was yanked from e.tv on Openview HD halfway through its run, reports Charl Blignaut, but the broadcaster has denied it had canned the show or that it is censoring scenes that include lesbian sex and drug taking

In February, The Hustle, a sizzling new 26-part drama loosely based on the life of Brenda Fassie and exploring the lives of three women in the South African music industry, began airing on e.tv’s channel on Openview HD, with a plan to start screening it on e.tv last month.

But then, on May 12, after just 12 episodes had been screened, it was suddenly canned.

City Press has reliably learnt that this followed a decision by new e.tv managing director Marlon Davids, who watched episode 13 with his core team and raised red flags, pulling the series for review.

City Press spoke to six members of the production team who do not wish to be named for fear of jeopardising future work opportunities. They were outraged that the show had been canned, accusing e.tv of censorship.

City Press visited the set earlier this year and interviewed the stars of the show – Brenda Ngxoli, Dineo Ranaka (in her acting debut) and Masello Motana – and found a happy, hardworking cast and crew.

“I can only think they objected to scenes that showed lesbian sex and drug taking. But those are realities,” said one source.

“We were told the channel was looking for an edgy series that would get people talking,” said another.

A third source raised the fact that e.tv had a commissioning editor on set at all times, who should have raised concerns during shooting.

Someone who was happy to go on the record last week was the award-winning director of The Hustle, Jahmil Qubeka.

“I’m deeply disappointed with e.tv’s lack of communication. For the six months we were in production, they were seemingly excited about the project and loved what we were doing. We broke our backs to meet their deadlines. Then, quite suddenly, it was pulled without any clarity or transparency. For the sake of the team both in front of and behind the camera, who bled for this groundbreaking and immensely entertaining show, the least e.tv could have done was explain its reasons for this rash decision. I find it disingenuous to the creative partnership to be left in the dark.”

But last week e.tv shed some light on the matter, denying that the series had been permanently shelved.

Group head of corporate affairs, Vasili Vass, responded to questions with the following statement:

“The Hustle has not been ‘canned’ from broadcast on e.tv. Before it was meant to be broadcast on e.tv, the channel’s compliance department viewed the series and raised certain concerns with some scenes in the series. These scenes were deemed to be noncompliant with the broadcasting code of conduct to which e.tv and all broadcasters in the country are signatories. It is our duty and obligation to adhere to the code.

“The compliance department believed we needed to consider certain sex scenes which were deemed to be shockingly suggestive or made rape appear normal.

“Claims that have been put to us that scenes of lesbian sex were deemed to be offensive, are false. Minor edits have been made and an appropriate broadcast time is under consideration.

“When aired, The Hustle will still carry an 18SVL [sex, violence, language] rating and will be scheduled outside of the watershed period, after 9pm,” she said.

Sources City Press spoke to last week reacted differently to the news that The Hustle would in fact go ahead. They were all pleased, but some were still annoyed.

“It would’ve been nice to hear the news from the channel and not from the media,” said one. Another raised the fact that e.tv’s commissioning editor had approved all the scenes that were filmed.

Bridget Pickering, whose company Fireworx Media pitched and produced the series, said her company was “proud to have been involved in the creation, development and production of the series”.

“The show is a work of incredible power, bringing together an extraordinary array of talent that we believe reflects an authenticity that has rarely been seen on South African television,” she told City Press.

“All cast, crew and creatives invested enormously to create a show that we feel truly reflects our country in all its multilayered complexity. We are confident that it will be a breakthrough series for South African television, and we trust that it will soon be seen and enjoyed by independent-thinking South Africans.”

She added: “While we know that there were some concerns around strong language, as far as we are aware, e.tv is committed to broadcasting the show.”

Viewers can expect to watch it near the end of the year.

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