e.tv's taking on the legacy of Generations with the channel's new daily telenovela Ashes to Ashes and it's doing so in A Big Way. The series premieres on Monday, 2 March - in the same timeslot as SABC1's long-suffering soapie - and stars a cast crammed with the Generations 16.
Patrick Shai, Nambitha Mpumlwana, Zenande Mfenyana and Mandla Gaduka are headlining the show, along with Maggie Benedict who saved herself from a pounding headache (didn't have use her Panados!) by leaving Generations before the firing fiasco exploded.
The bonus for everyone: they have Fridays off. The series will air Mondays to Thursdays for 104 episodes and tells the story of a family owned funeral business in Tembisa.
This from the synopsis:
Namane Funerals is a highly prosperous funeral home owned by a husband and wife, who inherited the business. These two have created a funeral empire that the father runs with his two sons.
Almost as if encrypted in family structures; there are personalities that tend to derail from the legacy penned for the family. The head of the family has incredibly challenging addictions that may ruin the future that they have collectively worked hard for.
To add to this demise, the family still faces the threat of an estranged family member and a dark secret.
Here's a close-up on the starring cast and their characters:
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Selogilwe “Selo” Namane (50)
Played Patrick Shai
The Patriarch of the family, he is charismatic, charming, street smart and a family man. Coming from very poor beginnings, he is a township guy with a signature look, but his vice in life is his addictions. |
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Mandlakazi Namane (48)
Played Nambitha Mpumlwana
The matriarch of the family, a perfectionist who is connected to her faith and culture. She puts family above everything and would do almost anything to protect them.
Mandlakazi has done some very dark deeds in the name of family, but is not immune to guilt - she carries her sins with her. |
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Tsietsi Namane (28)
Played by Nyaniso DzeDze
The eldest son of the Namane’s and happens to be their favourite son.
He holds a clumsily obtained B.com degree. He's good-looking, charming and pegged as the heir and head of the family (and the family business) when his parents pass. However, he hides a potentially disturbing side to himself.
(Nyaniso makes his small screen debut in the role.) |
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Monwabisi Namane (26)
Played by Chumani Pan
Plays second fiddle to his brother Tsietsi and is also the romantic lead with a Masters in Psychology turned grief counsellor for the funeral home.
He has largely rejected his cultural heritage in favour of Western psychological and philosophical beliefs. This makes him slightly condescending and patronising towards the devout clientele. |
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Reba (28)
Played by Zenande Mfenyana
The main female protagonist. A pretty woman with incredible inner strength and an independent spirit. She is intuitive and often says what she is thinking before thinking. |
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Violet (25)
Played by Maggie Benedict
The striking funeral planner for the Namane Funeral home holds a BA in marketing. She is a perfectionist, an over-achiever and a lover with overzealous plans. |
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Mickey (50)
Played by Craig Urbani
Mickey is not the sort of a man you’d like to meet in a dark alley. He is an ex-cop and gun for hire with good connections and the ability to manipulate. He works as the head of security for Namane funerals; and other things. |
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Damian (22)
Played by Mandla Gaduka
He mans the front desk and ensures the daily running of the office. He flirts with the women and boosts the men's egos, all for self-gain. He is also an aspiring actor who never gets a call back. |
So, so, so - does it have the chops to take on Gen'? Will you be watching? Sound off below.