Picture: Sourced
Mzansi’s popular soapie Generations: The Legacy has marked its 32nd year on air. After more than three decades, the show still remains one of the country’s most influential television productions.
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As reported by EWN, the show has displayed cultural impact, star-making power and enduring audience appeal despite shifting TV trends.
The set, actors and storylines have all worked together to create an offering which many South Africans continue to appreciate.
The iconic soapie premiered on 4 February 1994, at a pivotal moment in the country’s history. For many South Africans growing up in the 1990s, the 8 pm timeslot quickly became appointment viewing.
Set around the fictional advertising agency ‘New Horizons’, the show offered audiences something rarely seen on Mzansi’s screens at the time: black professionals thriving in corporate spaces.
Film critic Thinus Ferreira says, “I think a part of what even inspired me to become a journalist was watching Queen and watching Karabo and that whole world, how aspirational and uplifting it was.”
To him and many viewers, the show presented a South Africa filled with opportunity, diversity and ambition.
Taking to social media, the show celebrated the huge milestone.
“32 years later, it’s still standing and elevating the next Generations creating a lasting legacy that will last forever,” they penned.
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Over the years, Generations launched some of the country’s biggest names including Connie Ferguson, Sophie Ndaba, Menzi Ngubane and Sello Maake kaNcube, all of whom became household names after appearing on the show.
It has had an impact on the broader entertainment industry and has influenced newly-made shows, while continuing to maintain a loyal audience.
Also see: Thami Mngqolo opens up about playing a gay character on Generations