Most publicans usually do have an Afrikaans edition and an English edition.

7de Laan!!! I love 7de Laan, definitely my favourite of the South African soaps.

About where are the Isidingo episodes that are showing in the US at? How far behind are you guys?

Edited March 1, 201312 yr by AdelaideCate007

I think the episodes of Isidingo, last time I checked the rerun cycle, stopped several months after Lee's death, with Rajesh still in prison for crimes Barker had set him up for. They were also getting close to Lettie's death.

Edited March 1, 201312 yr by CarlD2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfGioqQBeYE

http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/3fbcf08042a0f62fb0e4fa56d5ffbd92/Isidingo-star-dies

This is so heartbreaking. Her attitude was inspiring when she announced her HIV status.

Sorry to hear this. I enjoyed her work on Isidingo.

Thank you to @vote4llama for telling me of this and @Toups for reopening the thread.

The first 51 episodes of Isidingo are now on Youtube!

 

50 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

Thank you to @vote4llama for telling me of this and @Toups for reopening the thread.

The first 51 episodes of Isidingo are now on Youtube!

 

@DRW50

You're welcome!  I won't spoil anything but you'll love it.  I hope to hear your thoughts.  I'm not even halfway through watching them but it's incredible.  I need to write my opinions at some point.  It's 26 years old...but maybe I'll use spoiler tags?

 

I've been hoping for something like this since the Africa Channel days.

2 minutes ago, vote4llama said:

 

You're welcome!  I won't spoil anything but you'll love it.  I hope to hear your thoughts.  I'm not even halfway through watching them but it's incredible.  I need to write my opinions at some point.  It's 26 years old...but maybe I'll use spoiler tags?

I've been hoping for something like this since the Africa Channel days.

Feel free. I would enjoy reading them. I have never seen this far back. My viewing mostly just went to the Africa Channel days. 

I just saw that Michelle Botes passed a few months ago. I wish the early episodes were still on Youtube as they display how much she dominated Isidingo from the getgo and how much she helped make the show a success.

https://www.nationalworld.com/culture/celebrity/iconic-actress-dies-aged-63-rare-form-blood-cancer-tributes-paid-star-beautiful-spirit-4919757

 

@DRW50 I whole heartedly recommend you watch. The first 184 episodes are available. I have so many thoughts yet don't know where to start or what to write! Apartheid ended in 1994 and Isidingo started four years later in 1998. It's a fascinating time capsule. The dynamics in Horizon Deep are very complicated, with generally white people having more money and better jobs, while the black people work in the mine and live in the hostel. But there are exceptions on both fronts. The writing is very good. We're introduced to some iconic characters like Cherel, Bra George, Letti, and many more. The first couple weeks worth of episodes, I think are very good and interesting but the stakes aren't very high and then BOOM, something shocking happens and the show runs on all cylinders. It is the closest soap IMO to One Life To Live, with the racial tension, class differences, and balancing complex characters with good storylines. These episodes contain the first interracial kiss on South African TV!

I periodically searched for old Isidingo full episodes for years and there was absolutely nothing. Isidingo has a special place in my heart. I watched some of the Africa Channel repeats when I was in high school and it's very nostalgic. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the early episodes were uploaded almost 2 years ago.

@DRW50 I recommend you go in blind but I'll write some thoughts with spoilers below. It's streaming free on https://sabc-plus.com/ . You don't need a VPN, however you need a South African phone number to register. I bought one for only a couple dollars online. Or if you'd rather, you can message me. I would love to hear all of your opinions!!

I didn't see your post about Michelle Botes. It's so sad. Cherel is probably my favorite character. Darlington Michaels who played Bra George also died in 2024. Mlangeni Nawa who played Zeb died earlier this year. James Bartlett, who played Mike died in 2022.

The first conflict is when a racist bigot, Mike, hits a mine worker, Gotlieb while they're underground. Cherel is cheating on her husband, who owns the mine, with Gideon. But she breaks it off. The show changes track with a triple homicide! The murder mystery is captivating but then they switch gears and show an uprising in the mine. Cherel and her maid, Lorraine, have a fun relationship. Zeb, the mine manager, is the boyfriend of Lorraine, even though he has a family with Ma Agnes who is living in the country. I think the show does a good job of making Zeb a complicated character. For some reason I like him. Bra George is the resident trouble maker. He owns the shabeen (the bar that caters more towards mine workers) and runs a crime enterprise. He's a very long running character. New characters are introduced periodically. Funny enough, I usually unsure of them at first, but then I end up really caring about them. Pippa, the mine owner's daughter, arrives and of course they hate each other. Pippa is going to university in the UK, and she is very critical of the white power and money, even though she directly benefits from it. She is a sanctimonious know it all yet she's likeable! Derek, a young educated black man arrives and his goal is to take over the mine. He tries hard to fit in with the miners. Him and Pippa fall in love. They have the first interracial kiss on South African TV, as I mention above. I presume they're the first interracial couple on SA TV. Ma Agnes and the kids were living in the country but they return to Horizon Deep to move in with Zeb. This introduces Letti, a long running character. Not to mention it's awkward because him and Lorraine have been playing house. The most boring storyline to me is the love triangle with Trish, Elyse, and Clint. It's awkward and kind of sad. Elyse is self righteous and one of the only characters I dislike. Clint is dull and kind of an ass.

There's so much more I could say. We all know when soaps start they can be awkward. But I think it hits the ground running. I hope they upload more. And I would love to see Generations from the beginning.

18 minutes ago, vote4llama said:

@DRW50 I whole heartedly recommend you watch. The first 184 episodes are available. I have so many thoughts yet don't know where to start or what to write! Apartheid ended in 1994 and Isidingo started four years later in 1998. It's a fascinating time capsule. The dynamics in Horizon Deep are very complicated, with generally white people having more money and better jobs, while the black people work in the mine and live in the hostel. But there are exceptions on both fronts. The writing is very good. We're introduced to some iconic characters like Cherel, Bra George, Letti, and many more. The first couple weeks worth of episodes, I think are very good and interesting but the stakes aren't very high and then BOOM, something shocking happens and the show runs on all cylinders. It is the closest soap IMO to One Life To Live, with the racial tension, class differences, and balancing complex characters with good storylines. These episodes contain the first interracial kiss on South African TV!

I periodically searched for old Isidingo full episodes for years and there was absolutely nothing. Isidingo has a special place in my heart. I watched some of the Africa Channel repeats when I was in high school and it's very nostalgic. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the early episodes were uploaded almost 2 years ago.

@DRW50 I recommend you go in blind but I'll write some thoughts with spoilers below. It's streaming free on https://sabc-plus.com/ . You don't need a VPN, however you need a South African phone number to register. I bought one for only a couple dollars online. Or if you'd rather, you can message me. I would love to hear all of your opinions!!

I didn't see your post about Michelle Botes. It's so sad. Cherel is probably my favorite character. Darlington Michaels who played Bra George also died in 2024. Mlangeni Nawa who played Zeb died earlier this year. James Bartlett, who played Mike died in 2022.

The first conflict is when a racist bigot, Mike, hits a mine worker, Gotlieb while they're underground. Cherel is cheating on her husband, who owns the mine, with Gideon. But she breaks it off. The show changes track with a triple homicide! The murder mystery is captivating but then they switch gears and show an uprising in the mine. Cherel and her maid, Lorraine, have a fun relationship. Zeb, the mine manager, is the boyfriend of Lorraine, even though he has a family with Ma Agnes who is living in the country. I think the show does a good job of making Zeb a complicated character. For some reason I like him. Bra George is the resident trouble maker. He owns the shabeen (the bar that caters more towards mine workers) and runs a crime enterprise. He's a very long running character. New characters are introduced periodically. Funny enough, I usually unsure of them at first, but then I end up really caring about them. Pippa, the mine owner's daughter, arrives and of course they hate each other. Pippa is going to university in the UK, and she is very critical of the white power and money, even though she directly benefits from it. She is a sanctimonious know it all yet she's likeable! Derek, a young educated black man arrives and his goal is to take over the mine. He tries hard to fit in with the miners. Him and Pippa fall in love. They have the first interracial kiss on South African TV, as I mention above. I presume they're the first interracial couple on SA TV. Ma Agnes and the kids were living in the country but they return to Horizon Deep to move in with Zeb. This introduces Letti, a long running character. Not to mention it's awkward because him and Lorraine have been playing house. The most boring storyline to me is the love triangle with Trish, Elyse, and Clint. It's awkward and kind of sad. Elyse is self righteous and one of the only characters I dislike. Clint is dull and kind of an ass.

There's so much more I could say. We all know when soaps start they can be awkward. But I think it hits the ground running. I hope they upload more. And I would love to see Generations from the beginning.

Thanks for remembering me and sharing all these details. I think I saved the first 100 (some were taken down or missing by then) but didn't know there were more. If I ever get the chance I will try to see the others. This is such a fascinating show, and the early days are a world away from what I watched (that was around 2008 and by then there was a JR Ewing type figure and many more corporate plots). The early episodes having the father with his mousy daughter and her dumb but sweet fiance. By the time I had to take a break I think there was a very dark secret with that family.

I am especially hoping that some of the Steve story pops up sometime as I'm curious as to how they handled his being gay (and didn't they briefly almost pair him with Dusty before changing course).

4 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

Thanks for remembering me and sharing all these details. I think I saved the first 100 (some were taken down or missing by then) but didn't know there were more. If I ever get the chance I will try to see the others. This is such a fascinating show, and the early days are a world away from what I watched (that was around 2008 and by then there was a JR Ewing type figure and many more corporate plots). The early episodes having the father with his mousy daughter and her dumb but sweet fiance. By the time I had to take a break I think there was a very dark secret with that family.

I am especially hoping that some of the Steve story pops up sometime as I'm curious as to how they handled his being gay (and didn't they briefly almost pair him with Dusty before changing course).

I think you're talking about Ashley and Rhino (or is it Rino?). Yes, the reveal of the dark family secret is very close to the big thing that happens! Then the show gets way better. Even though I enjoyed the repeats from 2008, I don't remember much. I kick myself for not recording them. It seems like the writing was good until at least 2008, maybe later. And yes by that time Lee, Barker, and Rajesh were driving the major stories. Sorry it took me so long to post!

13 minutes ago, vote4llama said:

I think you're talking about Ashley and Rhino (or is it Rino?). Yes, the reveal of the dark family secret is very close to the big thing that happens! Then the show gets way better. Even though I enjoyed the repeats from 2008, I don't remember much. I kick myself for not recording them. It seems like the writing was good until at least 2008, maybe later. And yes by that time Lee, Barker, and Rajesh were driving the major stories. Sorry it took me so long to post!

No problem.

I saved some on VHS from when they ran on the Africa Channel although they are probably just rotting away as I'm not likely to get them put anywhere else. They ran maybe a year or a year and half and would then loop back.

One story after that period which sounds like something I might want to see (just because it sounds strange and random) was Len dressing as "Lenita" and thinking of becoming trans. Len was such an interesting character - maybe the first guy I saw on a soap who was a sarcastic and unapologetic bisexual. A shame he didn't seem to have much of an ending.

8 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

No problem.

I saved some on VHS from when they ran on the Africa Channel although they are probably just rotting away as I'm not likely to get them put anywhere else. They ran maybe a year or a year and half and would then loop back.

One story after that period which sounds like something I might want to see (just because it sounds strange and random) was Len dressing as "Lenita" and thinking of becoming trans. Len was such an interesting character - maybe the first guy I saw on a soap who was a sarcastic and unapologetic bisexual. A shame he didn't seem to have much of an ending.

Interesting! I've never heard about Lenita! It seems like a lot of South African soaps have gay storylines and they are better than the ones from American soaps. I'll be in your debt if you convert the VHS and upload them! 😂