M-Net recently held a three-day upfront event at Sun City to introduce the channel's 2020 line-up.
The majority of news was about early 2020 shows but there was also fodder on local reality shows later in the year and a flash overview of international series to lookout for.
Tuck in...
The Bachelor SA 2
Premiere date: Thursday 13 February 2020 at 19h00
Another crop of girls believe they can find love with a guy who spends more time looking in the mirror than they do.
This season's bachelor is a model, actor and fitness coach Marc Buckner, who also leases out his Cape Town homes on Air BnB.
On the acting front, he's appeared in commercials and music videos and had a recurring role as Bollywood star Sunny Leone's husband Daniel in the ZEE5 original series Karenjit Kaur: The Untold Story of Sunny Leone.
The season's 22 bachelorettes include a sapiosexual (Tamryn Muller), a Miss SA 2019 Top 16 finalist (Xia Narain) and a vegan activist (Silke Geugis).
TRAILER
Prodigal Son
Premiere date: Wednesday 19 February at 21h00
Malcolm with his serial killer pops Dr Martin Whitly
This series stars Tom Payne (Jesus on The Walking Dead) and Michael Sheen (Masters of Sex) as a son and father who are divided and united by murder.
Malcolm Bright (played by Tom) has a gift. He knows how killers think and how their minds work. Why?
Back in the 1990s, his father Dr Martin Whitly (Micheal) was one of the worst.
He was a notorious serial killer called “The Surgeon” and now Malcolm is a renowned criminal psychologist as a result. Murder is the family business.
He uses his twisted genius to help the NYPD to solve crimes and stop killers, all while dealing with a manipulative mother, annoyingly normal sister and a homicidal father still looking to bond with his prodigal son, and his own constantly evolving neuroses.
Also in the cast: Lou Diamond Phillips, who plays Malcolm's long-time mentor Gil Arroyo.
TRAILER
Jett
Premiere date: Wednesday 19 February at 22h00
World-class thief Daisy "Jett" Kowalski is just out of prison and already being forced back into what got her there, by a group of eccentric and dangerous criminals.
These bandits include Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito, who plays Jett's former lover Charlie Baudelaire.
The role of Jett is played by Carla Gugino, who is also an executive producer of the series. Her husband Sebastian Gutierrez created the show for Cinemax (Banshee).
TRAILER
Chicago triple bill
Premiere date: Tuesday 25 February 2020
The annual three-hour bill airs at the following times:
Chicago Fire 8 at 19h00
Chicago Med 5 at 20h00
Chicago PD at 21h00
Still Breathing
Premiere date: Thursday 27 February at 20h00
Love, friendship, complicated relationships, betrayal and long-kept secrets form the emotional crux of this South African story about a circle of former friends who have drifted apart with the passage of time but are drawn together again when tragedy strikes.
The series is directed by actress and writer Tiffany Barbuzano and directed by her husband Johnny. Both are producers on the show and Tiffany also stars in it, along with their real life children Jamie and Jesse.
Also in the series are:
Kate Liquorish (Catching Feelings, Eye in the Sky, Madiba)
Lorcia Kumalo (Cooper) (Lockdown, Zulu Wedding, The Queen)
Shannon Esra (The Throne, The River, The Queen)
Fulu Mugovhani (Happiness is a Four Letter Word, Ring of Lies, The Mechanic)
Ty Keogh (24 Hours to Live, The Girl from St. Agnes, Dominion)
Brendan Pollecutt (Keliod, Hey Boy, Quickies)
Brandon Auret (Rogue, District 9, Chappie)
Siv Ngesi (Knuckle City, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, 24)
Susan Danford (Poppie Nongena, Fynbos, Invictus)
Sean Taylor (Saturday at the Palace, City of Blood, The Stick)
Michele Maxwell (Madam and Eve, Jerusalema, The Sisters)
Jane de Wet (The Girl from St. Agnes, Trackers, Griekwastad)
Nanid Nyembe (Isithembiso, Isithunzi, Isibaya)
Dorothy Ann Gould (The Red Sea Diving Resort)
Theatre actor and voice over artist Michael Richards
The show is produced by BBZ Films.
TRAILER:
Divorce 3
Premiere date: Friday 28 February at 22h00
Frances (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her ex-husband Robert (Thomas Haden Church) return for a third season as they encounter new surprises that spin their post-divorce lives into unexpected directions.
One of these surprises is TV divorce star James Lesure (of Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce) who joins the cast as Henry, Frances' love interest.
TRAILER:
The Detour 4
Premiere date: Friday 28 February at 22h35
Season 4 finds the wildly dysfunctional Parker family on an epic world-wide search for their runaway teen daughter, Delilah.
From Tibet to Paraguay and everywhere in between, The Parkers will stop at nothing to get their baby girl back - and piss off everyone in the process.
TRAILER:
Survivor SA Season 8
Premiere date: Thursday, 27 August 2020 at 19h00
Nico Panagio returns as host for another 39 days.
Castings for the season closed on Monday, 20 January 2020.
Single Wives SA
Premiere date: Thursday, 4 June 2020 at 19h00
Mapaseka Mokwele | Justin Cohen
A dating reality show based on the Australian format that follows single gals who've been divorced or widowed as they seek a new chapter in their lives, with a new "someone".
The series is executively produced by Relebogile Mabotja under the auspices of Black Swan Media and features six women who live together with the aim of reinventing their love lives.
They're guided by two expert coaches: Mapaseka Mokwele and Justin Cohen.
Flash overview of international series coming up in the year
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