Coming up on Rhythm City in January, 2008:
Tuesday 1 January 2008
Episode 127
It’s New Year’s Day, and for Rachel, it’s probably the worst day of her life so far. Miles has been snooping around for background info on Pastor Ngidi, who calls off the engagement.
Everybody else seems to be nursing a hangover and reminiscing over last night’s crazy party - Gail and Bernard having nearly made a romantic connection, and Tshidi upset that she never gets to have any fun...
Wednesday 2 January 2008
Episode 128
Rachel and the good Pastor Ngidi decide to get married as soon as possible: they settle on the weekend for their wedding. She persuades him to allow her to invite close friends. He opts not to ask any of his relatives. Fats realises he’s let the secret of his virginity out of the bag. Pregnant Puleng comes to visit Tshidi, and reminds her of their old camaraderie in primary school. Gail spots an advert in the paper for a New Artists Development Manager job at Redemption.
Thursday 3 January 2008
Episode 129
After some encouragement from David, Rachel starts to press Ngidi about expanding the wedding to fit more of what she had in mind. Sunay would like to be bridesmaid, while Thembi tries to get Rachel to invite her mother to the service. Tshidi works up the nerve to ask Puleng about the father of her child. Some of Puleng’s other friends rock up and a fight breaks out. Gail is bent on trying to prove to Bernard she’s worthy of the NADM (New Artists Development Manager) position at Redemption. He agrees to help formulate a strategy to get her noticed by Miles.
Friday 4 January 2008
Episode 130
David seeds the idea of a lucrative magazine wedding exclusive to Rachel. She runs it by Ngidi who reluctantly agrees. Sunay proclaims herself bridesmaid and takes over as head wedding planner. To Ngidi’s disappointment, Bernard has been briefed to manage the finances of the wedding. S’bu doubts Fats’ insistence that he’s not a virgin. Suffocate and S’bu sit him down again, but this time, Fats has a probable story. Bernard suggests Gail dress less provocatively so she goes out and buys a more conservative wardrobe. Gail learns she hasn’t been invited to Rachel’s wedding, but is expected to help out.
Monday 7 January 2008
Episode 131
It's Rachel’s wedding day, and all is abuzz. Rachel fusses and gets in the way, Gail tries to score an invitation to the wedding she’s been working so hard to organise, and Thembi is troubled with preoccupations of her own. Miles and Lucilla fret about Ngidi’s growing interest in Rachel’s financial records, and when Lerato pays a visit to Fats, a stunned Stone realises that Fats really is a virgin after all. There are many obstacles to a happy wedding, including a battle over the wedding dress, David’s schemes with the photographer, a near fistfight, and the shock of an uninvited guest.
Tuesday 8 January 2008
Episode 132
Rachel and Ngidi come back from their honeymoon, only to find Ma Phakati still there. Tshidi takes on the futile challenge of trying to inspire Puleng. Mamokete, however, takes steps to make sure Tshidi doesn’t end up like Puleng. Fats finally decides to come clean about whether he’s a virgin or not. Gail’s campaign to get Miles to offer her the new position at Redemption seems to have stalled.
Wednesday 9 January 2008
Episode 133
Old tensions are re-ignited when Rachel finds her mother cleaning up her house. Thembi, on the other hand, bonds with her grandmother. Rachel tells Ngidi she would do anything to help him realise his dream of building a temple for his church. Ngidi questions Miles about certain aspects of Rachel’s finances. Gail and Bernard develop a strategy to get Miles to consider her for the new job. Miles is oblivious to her efforts. Fats enlists Stone’s help to find him a perfect woman. Puleng is extremely upset when Mamokete intervenes in Puleng and Tshidi’s friendship.
Thursday 10 January 2008
Episode 134
The good pastor, Abel Ngidi, corners Miles with a threat to reveal to Rachel that he and Lucilla have been using Rachel’s savings to help cash flow at Redemption Records. He demands that all her assets be transferred into her name - including the house she lives in, which is still in Miles Vilakazi’s name. Transfer duties alone will cost Miles over R350 000. Fats faints - and when he recovers, gazes into the face of the girl he’s always dreamed of. Gail at last confronts Miles about being considered for the New Artists Development Manager job.
Friday 11 January 2008
Episode 135
Pastor Ngidi gets Miles to agree to hand over all financial control of Rachel’s accounts and assets to him. Gail confesses to Bernard that Miles laughed off her suggestion she could be the NADM. Bernard is furious and takes the matter up with Miles. Gail starts to fancy Bernard.
Suffocate and S’bu come up with the idea of the Miss Kilowatt beauty pageant. Fats is convinced that Charlotte is his one true love and enlists Stone’s help in wooing her.
Monday 14 January 2008
Episode 136
Ma Phakati, in an attempt to catch out Ngidi, asks him about his clan heritage. The paperwork is signed to transfer the accounts into Rachel and Ngidi’s names. Thembi presses Ma Phakati on the reasons for why she lived with her as a child. Tshidi puts her foot down with Mamokete. Preparations get underway for Miss Kilowatt. Fats continues to struggle with winning Charlotte’s attentions. Gail embarks on a go-slow as a sign of protest for not being considered for the position of New Artists Development Manager at Redemption.
Tuesday 15 January 2008
Episode 137
Pastor Ngidi continues to lay down the law, cancelling Rachel’s appearances when the clients refuse to endorse the Church of the Thirteenth Apostle. Thembi finds Ma Phakati sympathetic and discovers she is not the monster Rachel always told her she was. Sunay and David agree on a fee for stealing Rachel’s wedding photos and Sunay visits Rachel with that purpose in mind. Gail continues her “work to rule” at the office and it slowly begins to dawn on Lucilla and Miles that she always did far more than was specified in her job description.
Wednesday 16 January 2008
Episode 138
A conversation with Kop gives Thembi the idea to approach Puleng as a possible case study for her article. Ma Phakati tells Thembi the truth about her childhood and Rachel. Thembi confronts Rachel about what she’s discovered. S’bu, Suffo, and Fats interview some of the hopeful candidates for Miss Kilowatt. Gail doesn’t show up for work. Bernard can’t face the prospect of her possibly leaving Redemption.
Thursday 17 January 2008
Episode 139
Rachel brings matters to a head with Ma Phakati, with unfortunate consequences, when their
argument is overheard by Thembi. Gail has decided she can no longer continue at Redemption. Tshidi and her friends are trying to get their heads around the dreaded swimsuit segment for Miss Kilowatt, while all Fats can think of is his frustrated and undeclared love for Charlotte. S’bu and Suffocate’s scheme is to persuade Rachel to judge the competition. Trouble is brewing on the Khuse home front.
Friday 18 January 2008
Episode 140
Rachel spends her day anxiously trying to find Thembi, putting all the blame for the fall-out on her mother. Ma Phakati is packed and ready to leave, but shares a tender moment with her granddaughter before she goes. Redemption discovers the Sunday papers’ plan to print Rachel’s wedding photos. Gail says goodbye to Redemption. Mamokete catches Tshidi skipping netball practice to take part in the Miss Kilowatt rehearsals. S’bu decides to illustrate to Fats how to pick up a beautiful girl - he manages to get Petunia’s number.
Monday 21 January 2008
Episode 141
Nokuthula arrives at Redemption Records, determined to find Pastor Ngidi, and no one is exactly sure as to what to do with her. Rachel is still trying to find out who stole her wedding photos. Fats is still trying to pluck up courage to make progress with Charlotte, and Stone is beginning to slightly despair of ever making headway. S’bu tries to secure a celebrity to judge Miss Kilowatt, but comes away with only Sunay, who - it is clear - may be more trouble than she’s worth. Thembi is puzzling over the good pastor, armed with the insight from Ma Phakati.
Tuesday 22 January 2008
Episode 142
Ngidi is determined to find out who stole the photos, and ends up accusing everyone in his path. When Nokuthula doesn’t find Ngidi at the church she convinces Kop to take her to Rachel’s house, claiming she is Ngidi’s sister. Puleng feels Thembi’s article is disturbingly pro-abortion, but David is blown away by it. S’bu and Suffocate make a complete hash of rehearsals for Miss Kilowatt. Tshidi saves the day by stepping in to help. There are major sparks between S’bu and the sultry Petunia, and with Stone’s help, Fats starts an SMS relationship with Charlotte.
Wednesday 23 January 2008
Episode 143
Pastor Ngidi’s past catches up with him. His traditional wife, Nokuthula, arrives at Rachel’s doorstep, unannounced, sending him into a flat spin. He spends the whole day trying to keep her at bay, and Rachel unaware. Thembi, on the other hand, finds herself even more drawn to Puleng and goes to the township to deliver a few baby gifts to her. Puleng figures out that Thembi is also pregnant. Mamokete surprisingly agrees to let Tshidi take part in the Miss Kilowatt pageant, and at the rehearsal, S’bu is bust kissing Petunia in the bathroom.
Thursday, 24 January 2008
Episode 144
Gail finally comes clean about her new job, but instead, Bernard takes this inopportune moment to mention Thembi and how he’s still into her. In Gail’s absence, Lucilla and Miles struggle with the running of the office. Bernard mentions to Miles that Gail might be interested in returning to Redemption. The Miss Kilowatt pageant is finally hosted at the club. Tshidi dons her MC hat with ease. When the time comes to crown the queen, drama erupts. Ngidi finds himself having to deal with both his wives - living under one roof.
Friday 25 January 2008
Episode 145
The good Pastor Ngidi tries to calm the fires of jealousy raging in Nokuthula’s breast. It is the day after the Miss Kilowatt beauty pageant, and Fats is delighted with his progress in wooing Charlotte. When, later, he praises the beautiful winner of the competition to Mamokete, he doesn’t realise that the girls are in the kitchen eavesdropping on him. Bernard articulates certain demands to Miles when the latter sounds him out on the possibility of persuading Gail to return to Redemption: a hike in salary, additional perks, and a promotion.
Monday 28 January 2008
Episode 146
Nokuthula is growing increasingly jealous of Rachel and her behaviour is arousing suspicion, threatening to blow Ngidi’s cover story. Thembi has a breakdown. Charlotte surprises Fats with her desire to make use of her free gym membership won in the Miss Kilowatt competition. A nervous Fats enlists Stone’s help in dealing with her. Miles eventually caves in to Gail’s demands (as drawn up by Bernard), despite feeling blackmailed into rehiring her. When Bernard breaks the news to Gail, she’s so overjoyed she gets carried away and kisses him. A line has been crossed.
Tuesday 29 January 2008
Episode 147
Thembi’s life is in turmoil. Not only has she got to deal with Nokuthula - the good pastor Ngidi’s, “sister”, whose bona fides she distrusts - but she also continues to hesitate about having an abortion. To make things more complicated, David offers her a plum job. Charlotte loves Fats’ SMSs (not knowing it is Stone who is composing them), but finds Fats himself difficult and uncommunicative. Bernard finally finds the courage to ask Thembi for a date. She accepts, but only, she tells a confused Gail, in order to put Bernard straight: she is not available.
Wednesday 30 January 2008
Episode 148
It is Thembi’s first day on the job and she gets thrust into a live radio interview with DJ Ngwazi. Nokuthula has been listening to the broadcast and is highly disapproving. After having no luck with Ngidi about reprimanding Thembi for her views, she decides to change her tune, and “support” her man with his “mission”. Fats reckons he doesn’t know what makes women tick. On his first date with Thembi, Bernard has no luck either.
Thursday 31 January 2008
Episode 149
Rachel is still reeling over the news of Thembi’s pregnancy and confides in Ngidi. David hands Thembi her contract and tells her that the nature of the job means she will have no private life for the next two years. Is Thembi, irrespective of the job offer, ready to be a mother? The household gangs up against Thembi and Pastor Ngidi kicks her out of the house. Stone and Fats reassess the situation with Charlotte. Gail and Bernard post-mortem his date with Thembi and, after several glasses of wine and a frank discussion, appear to be finding more and more common ground.
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