Cape Town Duo Gets New Cartoon Network Local Comedy Series

Meet Cartoon Network’s New Uproarious Family!

Cartoon Network Africa is ramping up their local original productions with ‘CN to the Rescue’

Life’s challenging and unusual times demand a little bit of laughter, well, maybe some ROFL! That’s what Cartoon Network Africa’s new original production, CN to the Rescue, is here for. Available from the 14th of November on Cartoon Network Africa’s YouTube channel, the show is set to keep audiences laughing uncontrollably with pure African humour and fresh, imaginative content relating to everyday situations in the African household with a multitude of characters representative of the true African family.

What would the world be without inja ye game, our hero and cool brother, Tapiwe Lembwa, who is fun-loving and creative – and did we mention, Cartoon Network’s greatest fan in all of Africa? With the help of his cartoon chommies, and visits to his ‘Imagination Room’ filled with archives of his favourite Cartoon Network episodes, he solves daily household mshikashika in a surprising and imaginative way. However, with a no-nonsense slay queen of a mother, intensely focused bra, Garcia, who always gets drawn into Taps’s schemes, and a quiet, but wakker Gogo, no day – or episode – is without its twists and hilarious fun!!

Wacky ‘slap-chic’ African comedian,André Lembwa, brings CN to the Rescue to life. Born in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), before moving to South Africa, Lembwa’s primarily known for his impersonations of diverse nationalities, from Congolese, Nigerian, to South African and beyond. In 2019, André met Capetonian filmmaker, Howard James Fyvie, and next thing they knew – CN to the Rescue was born!

“I am ecstatic to be part of CN to the Rescue on Cartoon Network Africa’s YouTube channel,” says Lembwa. “This collaboration is an all-new format that combines the power of Cartoon Network with the clever use of local comedy and humour. I know that young audiences and families across Africa rate Cartoon Network, and I know they will enjoy the crossover of their favourite channel with their soon to be favourite family – The Lembwas!”

And no, you are not seeing double! Lembwa plays the central character, Tapiwe (aka Taps), and all three family members, the nerdy younger brother, Garcia, their glam mom, Lyzette, and of course the happy-go-lucky Gogo. With remarkably distinct characteristics for each new character, it can be easy to forget just how many roles Lembwa takes on in the series.

This quintessentially African show, primarily targeting 8-14-year-olds, further demonstrates Cartoon Network’s commitment to scaling up and sustaining the quality of local kids’ fun and imaginative entertainment. The series will consist of seven episodes of seven to nine minutes long, launching weekly from Saturday, 14 November through to Saturday, 19 December outside of the traditional linear ecosystem, exclusively on YouTube!

Join the Lembwas and get entangled with this colourful bunch from the 14th of November on Cartoon Network Africa’s website and YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLssF2emc8E

EPISODES AND RELEASE DATES

EPISODE 1: Training Day

Release date : 14 November

Motivated by prospects of wealth and fame, Taps takes on the challenge to transform his nerdy brother into the first African Table Tennis champion. Cartoon Network comes to the rescue for a reel of side-splitting training day montage madness, ending in an epic Table Tennis match with an ultimate camera fail at the last minute.

EPISODE 2: Breaking news

Release date : 14 November

When the ‘greatest Cartoon Network fan’, Taps, cannot resist getting his hands on his Mom’s new big screen TV, the worst happens … the brothers break the TV, by accident. Inspired by Gumball’s ‘fixing the television’, We Bare Bears ‘repairing robots’, and The Powerpuff Girls ‘professor unveiling secret invention, it’s Cartoon Network to the rescue! Taps employs his nerdy brother Garcia’s science savvy in an attempt to save the day before their mom returns from the hairdresser. Garcia invents a TV, but, as it turns out – it’s actually an invisibility ray!

EPISODE 3: What’s cooking?

Release date: 21 November

Mom’s demand for an African dinner to be cooked by her children turns into a death-defying competition when Taps and Garcia decide on contrasting menus. Inspired by Mao Mao’s cook-off, it’s Cartoon Network to the rescue to win over Gogo and Mom’s approval. Bacon Pancakes comes onto the menu as a last-minute win!

EPISODE 4: Clean this house up

Release date: 28 November

Faced with the fury of Mom’s agitation at the messy state of the home, Taps and his nerdy brother, Garcia get ‘creative’ with an alternative to cleaning. It’s Cartoon Network to the rescue as Taps gets empowered by his friends in his Imagination Room – in particular Rigby and Mordecai from Regular Show’s ‘Wall buddy’ (Season 2, episode 2) to save the day by hiding all their dirt in various appliances in the kitchen. Mom comes home and discovers the mess, grounding them all instantly!

EPISODE 5: Genius Hair

Release date: 5 December

When Garcia is convinced a new hairstyle will help his chances of approval for the African University of Science in Africa for Africans, Taps’ fears for his brother’s life and reputation by having a nerdy hairstyle. Inspired by Craig of the Creek Season 2, Episode 2 where Craig has a self-cut hair disaster, and Robin’s ‘spike hair gel’ from Teen Titans Go!, Cartoon Network comes to the rescue once again! Taps teams up with his groom-wise Mom to give his brother a new look.

EPISODE 6: Load shedding P1

Release date: 12 December

When a day-long power cut hits the Lembwa household, Taps is faced with the disastrous impossibility of watching Cartoon Network. Cheered up by the Imagination Room visits featuring a slumber party in Teen Titans Go!, Grizz and his bro hanging in We Bare Bears, the “bromise” in Gumball and bros singing to each other, reaching out from behind a glass cage of emotion in Teen Titans Go!, as well as their tickling game and Apple and Onion’s ‘the floor is lava’ game, he plays with the colourful entertainment to make his afternoon fun. As a result, a breakthrough in making his brother laugh occurs!

EPISODE 7: Load shedding P2

Release date: 19 December

Faced with a scary walk in the dark to buy candles at the spaza shop, Taps must convince his brother to join him. Encouraged by Mao Mao’s ‘Don’t be afraid of the dark’, Cartoon Network comes to the rescue as they learn the power of their bond. Finally, Garcia opens his mind to the imagination of Cartoon Network, and it ends with the two brothers uniting together into the Imagination Room!

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb