Season 1
Beter as Gister is a South African, Afrikaans-language television drama series which revolves around four families and especially the role of the men in them, inspired by the question: Why are fathers held to a different standard than mothers?
Marco Fouché (Neels van Jaarsveld) is a devoted stay-at-home dad who has been running the household for 10 years while his wife, Cecile (Rolanda Marais), pursued her ambition and ultimately became mayor of Cape Town.
They have three children: 15-year-old Jessica (Nina Strydom), eight-year-old Coenie (Gerhard Conradie) and six-year-old Luca (Sebastian La Cock).
But when Marco decides to return to work, the lives of the Fouchés begin to unravel.
Bernard Kruger (Frank Rautenbach) is a ruthless businessman who will do anything to achieve success.
He is married to Karen (Hanna Grobler), a kind-hearted schoolteacher, and they have two children.
Reynard (Sebastian van Niekerk) is a 17-year-old troublemaker who has a very poor relationship with his father.
The youngest of the Krugers is six-year-old Benji (Eben Kotze).
A traumatic incident changes their lives in an instant and in the aftermath, Bernard in particular has to redefine what it means to him to be a man and a father.
Eben Strauss (Edwin van der Walt) is a loving single father and writer.
His little daughter, Lilly (Luna Coetzer), is on the autism spectrum, and Eben does everything in his power to provide for her needs.
Eben and Lilly's lives are turned upside down when Lilly's mother, Sally (Greteli de Swardt), reappears after years of absence.
Tariq Cupido (Elton Landrew) is a grumpy, 62-year-old former police officer and widower.
Years ago, he drove his only daughter out of the house and, when he unexpectedly discovers that she has passed away and that he is the grandfather of six-year-old Katinka (Alexis Newman), he has to make a decision that will change both their lives.
Also in the cast are June van Merch, Mila Guy, Daneel van der Walt, Charlene Brouwer, André Weideman, Melanie du Bois and Danny Ross.
Beter as Gister is produced by Red Letter Day Pictures and is created, written and directed by Corné and René van Rooyen. Tascha van der Westhuizen is the producer.
The head writers are Tina Kruger and René van Rooyen, with a writing team including Corné van Rooyen and Retief Scholtz.
Music is by Emma van Heyn.