The Queen (South African TV series) explained

Genre:Telenovela
Creator:Ferguson Films
Director:
  • Andries van der Merwe
  • Xolani Mabaso
  • Zolani Phakade
  • Wandile Magadla
Theme Music Composer:Joel Assaizky
Opentheme:The Queen Title Sequence
Endtheme:The Queen Ending Sequence
Country:South Africa
Language:
  • English
  • Setswana
  • Sepedi
  • Afrikaans
  • isiZulu
  • isiXhosa
Num Seasons:7
Num Episodes:1 633 episodes
Executive Producer:
Producer:
  • Lauren Neil
  • Amanda Quwe
  • Eva Khumalo Banda
Cinematography:Leon Kriel
Camera:Multi-camera
Runtime:22 - 24 minutes
Company:Ferguson Films
Budget:R9 million
Network:Mzansi Magic

The Queen is a South African telenovela that premiered on Mzansi Magic on 1 August 2016[1] and on Canal Plus in April 2020. It is produced by Ferguson Films, owned by acting veterans Connie Ferguson and her late husband Shona Ferguson. The Queen ran at a 260 episode per season and aired every Monday to Friday at 21h00 on Mzansi Magic.

The Queen concluded season 4 with a one-hour finale on Friday 24 July 2020, season 5 premiered on Monday 27 July 2020. The Queen had a crossover episode with The River, featuring Sindi Dlathu as Lindiwe Dlamini -Dikana who is Harriet's friend.[2]

On 8 October 2019, it is known that Vatiswa Ndara wrote a 6 page long letter to Nathi Mthethwa, the arts and culture minister, which was posted on Twitter. In the letter, she alleged that Connie Ferguson and Shona Ferguson's company, Ferguson Films, mistreated actors in the entertainment industry. The letter went viral and sparked debates on the internet. As a result of this letter Dineo Moeketsi and Rami Chuene agreed on this on social media. The two actresses were cut from the Soapie in its fourth season with Chuene's character being killed and Moeketsi's character being killed in the series's fifth season. The Fergusons denied that the two were fired however Moeketsi claims she was fired. In its fifth season Jessica Nkosi and Rapulana Seiphemo were cast starring opposite Connie Ferguson the two were the series's main antagonists up until the sixth season finale.

Longtime series star Loyiso MacDonald (who had been part of the cast since the show's inception) exited the show in June 2021.[3] Zandile Msutwana suffered an injury on set[4] and she was temporarily replaced by Thembisa Mdoda-Nxumalo[5] while she recovered at home. At the end of the shows sixth season several cast members who were written out of the series including Jessica Nkosi who played lead villain Thando Sebata, Rapulana Seiphemo who played Hector Sebata, Zandile Msutwana who played Vuyiswa Jola since the shows inception, Thembsie Matu who played Patronella Zulu, Sibusiswe Jili who played Georgina Zulu, Brenda Ngxoli who played NomaPrincess. Three cast were demoted to be a recurring characters including Thembsie Matu who played Patronella Zulu, Vuyo Ngcukana who played Lumko "Shumacher" Toto, Sipho Manzini who played Jabulani "Mjekejeke" Zulu .Jessica Nkosi however was set to stay on the soapie until the series finale in January 2023 however she pulled out for personal reasons and her character as well as future storylines had to be canned and she been written off immediately her Antagonistic role was replaced by Standile Nkosi who played villain Londiwe Jama for the last season.

The channel cancelled the show in March 2022[6] when The Queen was renewed for a shortened seventh and final season, with only 125 episodes instead of the usual 260-episode season order. Season 7 premiered in July 2022 and ran until a series finale on 13 January 2023 following seven successful seasons. The telenovela is going to be replaced by a Xhosa's first and exclusive telenovela titled Gqeberha : The Empire which is produced by Tshedza Pictures.

The Queen series finale aired on 13 January 2023.

Plot

The show revolves around the Khoza family, drug lords who hide their dealings behind their logistics company, and their conflicts with their competitors and the Tembisa Police Service. Harriet Khoza known as "The Queen" takes over the reins of the Khoza dynasty after her husband passes and does everything to protect herself as well as her family from Jerry Maake a police captain who believes Harriet killed his son and is determined to bring her and her criminal organisation down. As the series progresses Harriet Khoza then takes on Gracious Mabuza and her daughter Goodness Mabuza in their war against each other.The Khoza's world is turned upside down by the arrival of a new lethal and ambitious enemy Thando Sebata (Jessica Nkosi) a powerful drug lord heiress, trained assassin and sniper who runs her families drug empire with an iron fist and takes the throne right from under Harriet and becomes the new drug queen-pin of Midrand(Connie Ferguson) and (Themba Ndaba) are the only actors who appeared in the premiere and are scheduled to appear in the series finale.

Main characters

Cast and characters

ActorCharacterSeasons
1234567
Connie FergusonHarriet Mathapelo - Khoza colspan="7"
Themba NdabaBrutus Khozacolspan="7"
Sithandile NkosiLondiwe JamaColspan="1"
Lorraine MoropaOlerato Mathapelocolspan="2"
Khumbuza MeytwaBhambatha KhozaColspan="2"
Siphesihle VaziMlungisi KhozaColspan="2"
Ntobeko MathebulaCeboelihle KhozaColspan="2"
Craig NobelaNkosiyabo KhozaColspan="2"
Mbulelo KatiseDuma JamaColspan="1"
Loyiso MacDonaldKagiso Khozacolspan="1"
Sthembiso KhozaShaka Khozacolspan="1"
Zandile MsutwanaVuyiswa " Sis'Vee"Jola - Maakecolspan="1"
Rapulana SeiphemoColonel Hector Sebatacolspan="1"
Vuyolwethu NgcukanaLumko "Schumacher" Totocolspan="1"
Sipho ManziniJabulani "Mjekejeke" Zulucolspan="1"
Thembsie MatuPatronella "Sis Pat" Zulucolspan="1"
Zenande MfenyanaGoodness Mabuza
Brenda NgxoliNomaPrincess"Noma"Matshikizacolsan="1"
Cindy MahlanguSiyanda Dlamini colspan="1"
Tsholo DitshetjaneAntoinette

Cast shown on opening scene

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Cast members

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Former cast

--Always list the actors in alphabetical order!-->ActorRoleSeasons
Shona FergusonJerry Maake1-4
Rapulana SeiphemoHector Sebata4-6
Zandile MsutwanaVuyiswa Jola - Maake 1-6
Jessica NkosiThando Sebata5-6
Nomsa BhutheleziMaJali Khoza6
Dineo LangaKea Khoza1-4
Loyiso MacDonaldKagiso Khoza1-7
Rami ChueneGracious Mabuza2-4
Paballo KozaKhaya Khoza 1 - 6
Thembisa MdodaVuyiswa Jola - Maake5
Zenande MfenyaneGoodness Mabuza1-7
Sthembiso KhozaShaka Khoza1-7
Sibusisiwe JiliDetective Georgina Zulu4-6
Nay MapsDingane Khoza4
Motsoaledi SetumoMmabatho Khoza2-4
Zolisa XaluvaDiamond Mabuza2-3
Mlamli MangcalaSthembiso Radebe1-4
Sello MaakeKgosi Mathapelo 1; 5
Marah LouwBoi Maake1-2
Natasha ThahaneAmo Maake1-4
Thato MolamoBaking Nkwe2
Xolani MayekisoThato Maake2-5
Ntando DumaMpho Sebata5
Brenda NgxoliNomaPrincess Matshikiza5-6
Kabelo MoalusiRoy Maake1-2
Thabang MolabaGift Mabuza2
Thandy MatlailaCleo1-3
Zenzo NgcobeMohapi Maake1
Joe KazadiThabiso Ngcobo3
Cindy MahlanguSiyanda Dlamini3-6
Khanya MkhangisaAkhona Jola3-6
Lunathi MampofuBerni3
Khayakazi KulaMartha Ndlovu1-3
Unathi MatuSipho5
Pabee MoganediMamiki2
Jesse SunteleOfficer Bar1
Kay SibiyaKwanele2
Magic HlatshwayoAlfios2
Moshe NdikiPrince2-4
Angela SitholeOnica1-4
Robert MpisiBhekumuzi Khoza2-3
Unathi GumaBabalwa2
Thalitha NdimaPrudence3
Sana MchunuTryphina4
Tisetso ThokaAyihlome7
Vusi ThandaMziwoxolo Mabuza1-5

Awards and nominations

|-| 2017| "Sello Maake Ka-Ncube"| Favourite Actor| |-|2017|"Themba Ndaba"|Favourite Actor ||-|-| 2018| "Thembsie Matu"| rowspan="2"|Favourite Actress| |-|-| 2018| "Rami Chuene"| |-

|-| 2018| Joe Assaizky| Best Achievement In Original Music/Score-TV Soap/Telenovela| |-|2018| "Leon kriel"| Best Achievement in Cinematography-TV Soap/Telenovel| |-|2018| "Odette Earle"| Best Achievement in Art/ Production Design - TV Soap/Telenovela| |-| 2018| "Ferguson Films"| Most Popular TV Soap/Telenovela| |-| 2020|"Loyiso MacDonald"| Best Supporting Actor - Telenovela|

|-| 2020| The Queen| Outstanding Lighting| |-| 2020| The Queen| Outstanding Wardrobe| |-| 2020| Sthembiso "Sk" Khoza| Outstanding Supporting Actor| |-| 2021| The Queen| Outstanding Daily TV Drama| |-| 2021| Themba Ndaba| Outstanding Lead Actor| |-| 2021| Jessica Nkosi| Outstanding Female Villain| |-| 2021| The Directing Team| Outstanding Direction Team| |-| 2021| The Queen| Outstanding Cinematography| |-| 2021| The Queen| Outstanding Editing Team| |-| 2021| The Queen| Outstanding Wardrobe|

Notes and References

  1. News: Connie Ferguson wears the crown IOL Entertainment. 2018-03-24. en.
  2. News: Mzansi Magic's first crossover – The Queen Mzansi Magic. 2022-02-09. en.
  3. News: Loyiso MacDonald is leaving The Queen News 24. 2022-02-09. en.
  4. News: What happened to The Queen's Vuyiswa? We have the answer for confused viewers News 24. 2022-02-09. en.
  5. News: Thembisa Mdoda-Nxumalo steps into role of The Queen actress Zandile Msutwana Sowetan Live. 2022-02-09. en.
  6. Web site: Cancelled! The Queen and Lingashoni to end in 2023 DStv TVSA . 2022-03-04 . www.tvsa.co.za.