2024 brings a takeover of M-Net's Sunday night 18h00 timeslot with the channel's new local series Summertide.
It premieres on 28 January and it's a bold appointment viewing set-up for a drama because it has 52 episodes, airing weekly for a year.
It's not a first though. Other series that have done this include Season 2 of SABC1's Montana and e.tv's eKasi: Our Stories, which was slightly different in that it was an anthology series with a new yarn each week.
Summertide's broadcast schedule and title creates the feeling of ritual - an escape for an hour to prepare for the week with an early evening TV story, ideally with something tasty to eat.
Which is why we packed this picnic basket for you to enjoy as you explore what to expect.
Open it up, see what's inside:
Unwrapping the story
It follows marine biologist and father of two children, Martin Field, who moves to the False Bay area to get away from a big secret - the death of his wife. There he starts a marine conservation trust for False Bay - but life isn’t as simple as it seems.
The series explores the lives of the Field family and the interesting characters who cross their paths - each one with their own secrets and desires.
We meet Martin’s mom Wilma and dad Jack Field - a retired naval commander who runs his household like a military operation.
Martin’s children Tristan and Lucy must cope with the loss of a parent and moving to a new town on top of the usual stresses of high school.
Martin’s youngest brother Gavin Field is a retired pro surfer who’s running a small custom surfboard business and lives a carefree and promiscuous life.
And then there’s Rebecca Solomons, who worked as a famous Michelin star chef in New York. She was Martin’s first love and now... she's dating Gavin.
Croissant fillings - the themes:
The profound depths of grief.
The transformative power of love.
Community coming together to heal. “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much”.
The sea of change - a profound transformation.
Taking care of the people around you before you take care of yourself.
Family and the everyday drama that comes with it.
Family Tree Salad
Tap this pic to enlarge for a close-up (opens in a new window):
Platter of who's who:
Martin Field (43)
Played by Frank Rautenbach
Martin has lived and breathed underwater since his early 20s. He grew up in the False Bay area, so the ocean has always been part of his life.
Underwater was where he felt most comfortable, in his skin, alive, free, confident, the centre of the universe.
It was on land that he felt tethered, tied down, a true fish out of water. On land, he feels a little out of control, and in response to that he became perfectionistic and task-focused - he likes everything to run like clockwork.
But underwater, it’s the complete opposite; he is wild and free.
Julia Field (Deceased)
Played by Amalia Uys
Julia was the sunshine in Martin’s life. She laughed easily, had a great sense of humour, and an easy take on life: have as much fun as you can.
Her lust for life shone through her eyes, and when she and Martin met, there was an instant recognition: this person has what I need, to make me a better person.
Their strongest bond was the trust they had in each other, which they needed, given the life they led, they were the epitome of the buddy system needed underwater.
The only difference between them was that Julia was as comfortable out of the water, as in it. Which only made Martin love her more.
She somehow had the capacity to love both him and their two children with an easy intensity, her capacity to care just tripled. She is deeply missed by all three of them.
Gavin Field (39)
Played by Ty Keogh
Gavin is a retired pro surfer who runs a small custom surfboard business and lives a carefree life.
He excelled as a surfer, he rode clean lines and attacked the lip at every opportunity. People used to talk about him in the same way they spoke about Kelly Slater, he was that good.
But Gavin didn’t have Kelly’s utter dedication to the sport. He loved it, but for more spiritual reasons, he never really enjoyed the competitions. And that’s the truth about Gavin - he has no real desire to be a big achiever.
So he looks like a bit of a loser, but he’s not, not to himself - his worldview is just different. He lives out of the back of his parent's house, he shapes his Gavin Field surfboards, and he enjoys his life - what’s not too like?
He’s not completely down and out - he’s kind, not cutthroat. He’s not wildly competitive. He just wants to be happy.
Rebecca Solomons (41)
Played by Monique Rockman
Rebecca returned to the False Bay area just over a year ago. She left behind a successful career as a Michelin star chef in New York to take care of her sick father and to manage the family's fishing vessels - her father can no longer run the boats as he suffers from debilitating arthritis.
Each month she sends a sum of money to her uncle and aunt in Johannesburg, and her father is very particular about that happening in full, on time, every month.
However, the family business is struggling. When we first meet her, she is seen arguing fiercely with a buyer for a better price for her catch, but the increasing number of commercial trawlers and rumours of illegal foreign fishing trawlers docking out at sea, has led to a decline in available fish in the bay, and a decline in demand for fish from the False Bay area private fishermen.
Tristan Field (16)
Played by Jan Combrink
Tristan is a complicated guy. But he’s also a teenager so some of that complication comes from his utter self-obsession - this is not unique, he’s just like most teens.
Admittedly he has reason to be complex, he’s been moved around a lot by his parents, to different schools’ different countries, a dad who is overly devoted to his work, and now to top it all, his mother goes and dies, while diving with his dad.
He has only heard his dad’s version of what happened underwater, and although his dad said his mum was a hero, he can’t escape the niggling feeling that there could be lies being told.
So, he watches, and listens, and tries to formulate his own opinions. If it wasn’t for his girlfriend, he’d really have no one to talk to.
Lucy Field (10)
Played by Evangelina Hallock
Lucy sees herself as an old soul, and she tries to fill the shoes of her mom, dishing motherly wisdom to Tristan and even Martin.
She has the same problem Tristan has when she is yanked out of her current reality and dropped in the False Bay area.
But she reacts by hanging on to her memories of her mother at all costs and creating something of a fantasy world around herself.
Her incongruously world-weary narrative voice coming out of her ten-year-old heart is very charming. She is in fact very insightful of the real motivations behind the other characters’ actions, but nobody takes her that seriously because she’s just a child.
Wilma Field (66)
Played by Terry Norton
Wilma is a hardworking homemaker who cannot sit still. She was raised in an Afrikaans farming household and has acquired all the skills and passion to do everything herself, including baking bread, making jams, knitting, and sewing her own clothes.
Unfortunately, her upbringing in a patriarchal family, with a domineering father who lacked respect for women, has influenced her mindset to believe that men should wear the crown.
Her father idolised her yet wanted Wilma to have the life he had always imagined for her, and when she showed signs of infertility as a teenager, he subjected her to painful and excruciatingly embarrassing tests and trails to make her fertile.
Having children was the ideal her father had for her and because of him, how she came to see success.
She was encouraged to marry Jack at a young age, a match her father immediately approved of, and had her two sons soon after.
Today, Wilma is an active member of many societies, including a book club, and "Women for Change Feeding Scheme." She is passionate about being involved, doing her bit, and meddling in other people's business.
Jack Field (71)
Played by André Jacobs
Jack is a conservative patriarchal baby boomer who leads the Field household at the age of 71. He is the fittest person in town over 60.
He recently retired from a lifetime of service as a Naval commander in the False Bay area, where he was highly respected.
As part of his responsibilities, Jack oversaw the False Bay fleet, and developed strategies to ensure the coastline's safety.
Despite the government interference, and the constant budgetary battle to keep the fleet afloat, he was passionate about intercepting illegal trafficking, fishing, and counter-piracy, dedicating his life to safeguarding the coast.
Jack maintains a good physique and remains highly disciplined and active. He enjoys kayaking and spends most of his time out on the open ocean. Although some consider him "yesterday's hero," the next generation politely listens to his advice.
Cutlery production credits
The series is produced by husband and wife team René and Corné van Rooyen of Red Letter Day Pictures.
Movies produced by their company include Afrikaans films Vaselinetjie, Hollywood in my Huis, Hans Steek die Rubicon Oor, and Toorbos, which was South Africa's official entry to the 93rd Academy Awards and the Golden Globes.
They also produced the kykNET family drama Alles Malan.
Summertide will also be available on Catch Up. We'll publish teasers for it so keep a lookout for those.
And don't forget to bring your own drinks!