Rugby: Springbok World Cup Team Announcement on Monday 26 August on SuperSport 1 (201) at 15:00
Three words similar to a referee’s scrum calls should echo around South Africa shortly before the announcement of the country’s Rugby World Cup team: Look, listen, unite!
The event, to be broadcast live between 15:00 and 16:30 on Monday, will release a flood of emotions and comments. Few will agree with every selection, but the moment the last name is called, the #StrongerTogether campaign turns into a call to arms. Springbok supporters all over the world have been implored to unite in supporting the team throughout the tournament in Japan next month. The time to “bind”, as referees say before scrums, has arrived.
Arendsvlei fans have been raving about how excited they are that the series will return for a brand-new season, which will see the current matriculants graduate and head off to university. Meanwhile, the first season is drawing to a dramatic close that simply can’t be missed.
With a new set of presenters, the latest season of Top Gear is sure to get motoring hearts racing. Joining regular Chris Harris are cricketing legend Freddie Flintoff and comedian Paddy McGuinness, who are sure to breathe some fresh life into the well-loved format.
All eyes are going to be on the Golden Gloves showdown between Rowan Campbell and Patrick Makula. At stake is the IBO Africa super middleweight title, so boxing fans are in for a massive treat this weekend, as Campbell will be going all-out to defend his title.
LOCAL
Arendsvlei S1 on Monday 26 August on kykNET&kie (145) at 20:00
Tension builds as more truths are revealed about the origin of the gun used to shoot David Abrahams. Will Claudia be rescued in time? While her family panics about her whereabouts, Captain Karelse puts pressure on Wendy regarding her relationships with Emile and David, and Chantel opens up about her anxiety after the attack. Don’t miss this popular Mother City drama whose strong cast includes Jody Abrahams and Melanie du Bois. The good news is the series has also been extended for another season! Find out more here.
Grassroots S1 on Friday 23 August on 1Magic (103) at 19:30
This rugby drama series is richly woven with Xhosa tradition and delves into themes of manhood, culture and belonging. Two young men must make the transition from the dusty rural streets to competing at a highbrow private school in Johannesburg. Featuring Zikhona Sodlaka and veteran star Connie Chiume.
Being Bonang S3 on Friday 23 August on 1Magic (103) at 19:00
Much happier and more carefree, Bonang lets her hair down to enjoy her 30s, as well as the new friendships she has cultivated in this amazing moment of her life. She travels to New York and, with her family at the centre of her heart, Bonang hosts a stunning 54th birthday celebration for her mother.
Getroud met Rugby S4 from Mondays to Fridays on kykNET (144) at 18:00
This drama revolves around four rugby stars and their wives who become entangled in scandalous affairs. Renate and Simon receive Madelyn’s pregnancy results and Schalk is dreading his date with a die-hard rugby fan. Julia and Blitz announce their engagement. Kristen is not coping with Jacques Kotze’s death and the detectives sense that it was no accident.
Binnelanders S9 on Monday 26 August on kykNET (144) at 19:30
Tannie Breggie Engelbrecht is experiencing severe pain and is rushed to the upmarket private hospital, Binneland Clinic. Luckily, Tertius Jonker is the doctor on call at the emergency unit. Renate interrogates Trudie about Boeta.
Lui maar op, Belinda S1 on Monday 26 August kykNET (144) at 20:00
Everyone is complaining about their difficult jobs and Ian implements a strategy from his new book, “Beter Baas, Beter Klaas”. Brümilda van Rensburg stars as Belinda, a former actress who’s now fallen on hard times, while Annelisa Weiland plays Annetjie.
Elders: Japan S2 on Friday 23 August on kykNET (144) at 17:30
It’s called the Land of the Rising Sun, and Erns Grundling will see just how gorgeous that sunrise is when he visits the highest skyscraper in Japan. He meets two South African missionaries in Kobe and feeds deer in Nara. He also chats to a South African who plays rugby for Japan’s national team and shares in the Halloween fun in Osaka.
Let’s Eat with Siphokazi S4 on Friday 23 August on Mzansi Magic (161) at 20:00
She used to be a domestic worker. Now, Siphokazi Mdlankomo’s show is a hit among culinary fans. She prepares fresh and tantalising dishes for her celeb guests, which have included The Queen’s Thembsie Matu and presenter Thembisa Mdoda.
Living the Dream with Somizi S4 on Thursday 29 August on Mzansi Magic (161) at 20:00
TT has a bone to pick with his best friend – could it be the groomsman issue? Somizi opens up about a personal struggle he’s been experiencing lately. This season of the reality show also features Somizi’s ex and mother of his daughter, actress Palesa Madisakwane.
The Queen S4 from Mondays to Fridays on Mzansi Magic (161) at 21:00
The Khoza clan considers reconciling, but will Kagiso be able to forgive his brother and uncle after they nearly killed him? Zodwa and her daughter-in-law have their very own kum ba ya moment, and Jerry is caught between his daughter and his wife.
SPORT
Rugby: Currie Cup, Premier Division ‒ 24 August on SuperSport 1 (201)
Scalp-collecting Griquas, standing at the top of the log, have a chance of adding another victory over a big-name team when they play the Golden Lions in Kimberley on Saturday (14:45). Western Province, however, may need their best performance of the season to beat the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein (17:00). In the late game (19:15), the Blue Bulls face the Sharks. Live coverage of the “friendly” World Cup warm-up between England and Ireland should also provide excellent entertainment on SuperSport 8 (15:50).
Football: English Premier League from Friday 23-25 August on SuperSport 3 (203), SuperSport 5 (205) and SuperSport 7 (207)
All the big guns are primed, but Arsenal will try their best to produce the brightest fireworks when they play Liverpool on Saturday (18:20). The scramble for positions at the top of the table is already hectic. Manchester United (Saturday 15:20 against Crystal Palace) and Manchester City (Sunday 14:50 against Bournemouth) will aim to continue their recent scoring feats, but Chelsea have a long way to climb. They face Norwich City on Saturday (13:20), just before Spurs meet Newcastle at 17:20.
Football: Super Diski: Absa Premiership from Friday 23-24 August and from Tuesday 27-28 August on SuperSport 4 (204)
SuperSport United, having thrashed Orlando Pirates, have the other Soweto favourites in their sights when they play Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday (17:50). Only three days later (19:20 on 27 August) Chiefs face another tough challenge, playing Cape Town City away. Pirates have many repairs to do against Golden Arrows (19:20 on 28 August) who first play Chippa United at 14:00 on Saturday. Black Leopards will stalk Highlands Park at 14:40 (SuperSport 11) on the same day and Baroka challenge Bloemfontein Celtic at 14:00 on Sunday.
Boxing: Golden Gloves tournament on Friday August 23 on SuperSport 9 (209) at 19:30
Boxing fans who know to expect the unexpected at all times won’t let themselves be distracted when undefeated Rowan Campbell defends his IBO All-Africa super-middleweight belt at Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, on Friday night. Campbell has won six of his 10 professional bouts inside the distance but his DRC-born opponent, Patrick Mukula, has stopped ten of his opponents in 13 fights. Another potentially explosive bout on the card is a junior-middleweight scrap between Rourke Knapp and Kazahkstan’s Alexandr Zhuravskiy.
KIDS
The Grinch on Saturday 24 August M-Net (101) at 15:30
Pharrell Williams narrates, and Benedict Cumberbatch voices the grumpy Grinch in this latest animated comedy adaptation of the Dr Seuss children’s classic. The people of Whoville love everything about Christmas, but The Grinch cannot stand it. When he realises they want to make Christmas three times bigger than ever before, he devises a plan to steal it from them. The only person standing in his way is that outrageously happy girl, Cindy-Lou…
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Saturday 24 August on NickToons (308) at 17:10
Cowabunga, dude! The stylish reboot of the popular franchise is still going strong, and in this week’s brand-new episodes, our Ninja-fighting, pizza-loving foursome must save New York City from a swarm of mutant oozesquitos. Listen out for the voice of John Cena as Baron Draxum.
The Powerpuff Girls on Saturday 24 August on Cartoon Network (301) at 18:10
The Professor is ecstatic about his new time-controlling invention, but sternly forbids the girls from taking it out of the safety of the house. When Buttercup defies him and ends up losing it while trying to show off, she finds out that the sneaky Gangreen Gang are behind its disappearance.
Dora and Friends: Puppy Princess Rescue on Sunday 25 August on Nick Jr (307) at 07:05
Dora and friends to the rescue! In this special double-length episode, Dora, her friends and their adorable puppies try to make peace between the pooches and the cranky cats when the Puppy Princess of Doggie Land mysteriously vanishes.
MOVIES
The Meg premieres Sunday 25 August on M-Net (101) at 20:00
From director Jon Turtletaub (National Treasure), The Meg is a first class creature-feature B-movie adventure starring action stalwart Jason Statham. Rated by Rotten Tomatoes as one of the top 10 most enjoyable Rotten Movies of 2018, this entertaining mash-up of action and humour (and plenty of gratuitous shirtless Statham scenes) about a group of deep-sea scientists at odds with a 23 metre-long mega shark, is aquatic carnage at its best.
Read the SAMDB review of The Meg.
Singularity premieres Saturday on Saturday 24 August on M-Net (101) at 21:00
Transformers meets The Terminator in this futuristic sci-fi drama. John Cusack stars as a tech mogul whose supercomputer Kronos turns on humankind, having all AI attack us instead of saving a world at war. Years later, two teenagers become unlikely heroes as they go in search of a world where humans live without fear of robots.
Mary Shelley premieres Monday 26 August on M-Net Movies Premiere (104) at 20:00
As Mary Shelley, Elle Fanning’s “impeccable blend of apparent fragility and iron-cored defiance dominates the film”, according to Empire magazine. This elegant biopic about the author of arguably the first-ever science fiction novel, “Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus”, will delight fans of literary film adaptations.
Young Men premieres Sunday 25 August on SundanceTV (108) at 19:45
Commissioned by the BBC in commemoration of the WWI centenary, this moving and poignant dance feature film is based on the highly successful stage production in which a group of young soldiers are united by the terror and the toll war takes on the minds and bodies of those it consumes. Starring Andrea Carrucciu and Simone Donati.
INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Ballers S5 starts on Monday 26 August on 1Magic (103) at 21:30
When football calls, Spencer Stasmore’s got to answer. That’s right, Ballers is back for a brand new season! The sports drama series will air almost concurrently with the US broadcast, and will be up simultaneously on Showmax. Season 5 comes in on the stand-off between Spencer (Dwayne Johnson) and college football’s governing body, the NCAA, with Spencer vowing to be a representative for “every guy who couldn’t beat the system.”
Modern Family S10 starts on Wednesday 28 August on M-Net (101) at 19:00
The Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan set off more than a few fireworks when they get together for the Fourth of July parade in the tenth (and penultimate) season premiere of this award-winning comedy. Meanwhile, Arvin is heading for Switzerland and Haley’s goodbye plans get derailed.
Man with a Plan S3 starts on Saturday 24 August on M-Net (101) at 18:30
Missing your Matt LeBlanc fix over on Top Gear? Never fear! The Golden Globe winner is back with a brand new season of comedy series Man with a Plan! In the season premiere, Adam tries to make the office feel more welcoming now that Andi is joining him at work every day, and it emerges that Lowell has been hiding something huge.
Harrow S2 starts on Tuesday 27 August on M-Net City (115) at 20:50
Forensic pathologist Daniel Harrow has issues with authority in this Australian drama series coming first to M-Net City. Harrow is back on the job following a shooting that nearly killed him, and he’s determined to find out who pulled the trigger. In the meantime, he must investigate the tragic puzzle of a young mother’s psychotic episode. Ioan Gruffudd (UnReal) stars as the magnetic and unorthodox, selfish but brilliant Dr Harrow.
FACTUAL
Dating App Horrors: The Untold Story on Wednesday 28 August on Crime + Investigation (170) at 20:00
These dating app horror stories will leave you grateful to be happily married – or single! A playground of fake profiles, sexual predators and murderers, the unregulated billion-dollar dating app industry comes under scrutiny as award-winning journalist Elizabeth Vargas interviews victims, lawyers and industry experts in this riveting episode. Find out how to protect yourself online, if you’re still brave enough after seeing the evidence!
Big Animal Surgery on Monday 26 August on BBC Earth (184) at 19:00
Open wide! In the first episode of this fascinating brand-new series, Liz Bonnin attends an operation performed inside the gaping jaws of Ricci, a nine-year-old lion rescued from life as a Romanian pet, the improper early diet having stunted his teeth’s proper development. The brave surgeon is none other than internationally renowned dental vet Dr Gerhard Steenkamp, from South Africa.
Wild Nordic S1 on Sunday 25 August on Nat Geo Wild (182) at 18:00
Norway’s Viking Coastline is the focus of the first episode of this sweeping documentary series on the Nordic wilderness in all its splendour. From immense towering cliffsides to massive frozen fjords, viewers are given an astonishing aerial view of the rugged land of the Vikings.
Ice on Fire Showmax
From producer and narrator Leonardo DiCaprio, Ice on Fire is a conservation documentary that just might leave you feeling there’s hope for our planet yet. In the face of the ever-worsening effects of global warming, scientists and environmentalists are fighting to change our planet’s future, for the better. “My partners and I made Ice on Fire to give a voice to the scientists and researchers who work tirelessly every day on the front lines of climate change,” DiCaprio declares in the film’s production notes. The methods they are developing will stun viewers, and leave you feeling pleasantly optimistic – for a change.
REALITY
Top Gear S27 starts on Thursday 29 August on BBC Brit (120) at 20:00
New season, new hosts! Freddie Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness join Chris Harris to bring their humour, expertise, daring, enthusiasm for all things wheeled and shiny, and a good helping of crazy to the 27th season of this iconic motoring show. The first episode of the season sees the newbies head into the searing heat of Ethiopia in their first cars, while Chris puts the Ferrari 488 Pista and McLaren 600LT through their paces back at the track.
My Lottery Dream Home S2 starts on Monday 26 August on HGTV (177) at 19:50
A brand-new season of this over-the-top house-hunt show hosted by David Bromstad kicks off with former couch-surfer Craig, who was living from paycheque to paycheque when he was given the second chance of a lifetime: a million dollar Lottery prize! Now, he’s looking to spend a chunk of that not-so-hard-earned cash on his dream home.
Savage Builds S1 starts on Thursday 29 August on Discovery Channel (121) at 21:00
Hot off the furnace and fresh from the brilliant brain of MythBusters star, designer-fabricator, pro model maker and alpha-geek Adam Savage, this newly-forged show kicks off with a project cool enough to make Tony Starke proud: a life-sized titanium Iron Man armour suit! As per the usual Savage standards, it can’t just be ornamental. It needs to actually be wearable, oh … and bulletproof, bomb-resistant and flight-worthy.
Donna Hay – Basic to Brilliance Kids S1 on Tuesday 27 August on The Home Channel (176) at 18:00
This is a great show to pop on for the whole family while dinner is being prepared and shared. It’s packed with delicious inspirations (and calming motivation for mess-a-phobic grown-ups) to get the kids into the kitchen and tackling their own cooking projects. Today, best-selling Australian cookbook author Donna Hay is joined by her young helpers, Jimmy and Sarah. She’ll help them “master the basics, and turn them into brilliance” as they make gooey caramel (without the processed sugar!) and a chewy, crunchy choc peanut slice.
BOXOFFICE
Ander Mens
Daniel Niemand is one unlucky fellow. Throughout his mediocre existence, he encounters a series of unfortunate events, and after his wife leaves him for their marriage counsellor, his boring life suddenly gets a shakeup when old Daniel finds himself entangled in a crime syndicate. Only he can get himself out of this sticky situation and true to his nature, he needs help, which leads him to witness protection. Directed by Quentin Krog, this funny local comedy stars Bennie Fourie, Marlee van der Merwe and Frank Opperman.
Avengers: Endgame
With the universe in perpetual ruin, the remaining allies of the Avengers, Thor, Black Widow, Captain America and Bruce Banner assemble in one final attempt to save humanity and restore balance. This sequel to Avengers: Infinity War is the first film to reach over a billion dollars during its opening weekend in theatres. Stars Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth and Don Cheadle.
Read the SAMDB review of Avengers: Endgame.
Lego DC Super Heroes: Batman Family Matters
The DC superheroes have all received ominous invitations to a mysterious event, and being the naturally suspicious family that they are, Batman, Batgirl and Robin Hood think that there’s more to this event than meets the eye. Indeed, they are right, because the villainous Red Hood has just hatched a plan to destroy the Bat-family and Gotham City.
The Last Witness
It’s a couple of years after the horrific WWII and one eager young journalist is out to uncover the hidden truth of tens of thousands of dead Polish officers. At first deemed to be the invading Germans who committed this heinous human rights violation, it soon emerges that there’s more to the story than just collateral damage in the war. This historic thriller is proof that the dead are not really dead for their voices can be heard from the grave. Starring Alex Pettyfer, Robert Wieckiewicz and Talulah Riley.
