The only people who are honest about relationships are the politicians at the podium, but at least we can vote them out of office and scroll past this show's bullshit. It doesn't deserve any more attention on this page.
Good TV takes you places; bad TV doesn't. Ugly TV is more repulsive than ill-fitting pants. Some shows are too tight, too overproduced, and never fit right. Others just never zip up, no matter how hard you try.
Ultimatum South Africa Netflix's “The Best of the World” is one such show, which somehow caused a social media frenzy this week when contestant Khanya Nqolase went on a tirade and rant against her co-stars. The media even reported on the antics of the show's mostly forgettable cast. All of this happened on this Tuesday night, when there was nothing else to watch across the five streaming services and DStv bouquet.
original Ultimatum The show is far more slickly constructed than reality, with contrived plot twists like unlikely couples and stale bread that pale in comparison to almost everything else on TV.
Ultimatum: Wooden characters performing for the camera
There are even worse examples, which we'll get to later. Ultimatum South Africa Featuring an expressionless character performing in front of the camera, she dreams of becoming an Instagram influencer by the end of the season, but it still isn't enough.
The only people who are honest about relationships are the politicians at the podium, but at least we can vote them out of office and scroll past this show's bullshit. It doesn't deserve any more attention on this page.
There's always something more entertaining to watch on YouTube, like a 10-hour long stream of a painted wall. Watching paint dryCompared to the visual feast Ultimatum South Africa And shows like this: The Real Housewives of Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria and LagoAny “s” will do.
Black humor is likely unintentional
The Real Housewives series enjoys a dark, perhaps unintentional, humor: Cast members dress up as Christmas trees and act as decorative props. The Real Housewives of Durban Season 4 is currently airing on Showmax, and there's one great scene in the series.
It's a little altercation between one housewife and another and the destruction of the fancy tent in the cabin where a staged dinner was being prepared, and that's about it for the memorable moments. Watching this show was about as fun as being waterboarded at a CIA covert operations site.
So much for the ugly stuff. For now.
Read now: The final season of The Blacklist was awesome
Netflix documentaries are highly addictive
Thankfully, even with all the bad programming, there's still good TV. Contrary to expectations, Netflix's documentaries are The Secret of the Neanderthals Highly engaging and addictive. The show is so well-made and the storytelling is so strong that viewers can easily binge-watch and learn something. The information shared is brilliantly packaged in a simple, easy-to-understand way, and frankly, fascinating. And it's no wonder it was produced by the kings of entertainment documentaries, the BBC. This is a 5-star show.
Amazon Prime also offers some great documentary series.
10 out of 5 series
“Complete ManCurrently streaming on Netflix, American Dreams is based on a novel by Tom Wolfe and is a masterful mix of modern American issues of ambition, race, and above all, power. Jeff Daniels plays real estate mogul Charlie Croker, who is struggling with financial ruin after his career as a college football star has been ruined. As Croker tries to find his way out of various difficulties, the show unravels the American Dream.
The story is intricately interwoven — Croker's legal adviser Conrad Hensley, played brilliantly by Jackson Harper, inevitably becomes embroiled in an ever-expanding web of conspiracy — and the film is generous in its thematic exploration, particularly of race relations in modern America.
Daniels is portrayed, perhaps accidentally or not, as a Trump-like figure who exudes Southern masculinity. He lives and dies by stereotyping in many ways. Every character on the show is expertly drawn. You never feel like you're missing out on a deeper aspect about any one person or hearing too many irrelevant details about another.
Complete Man This series is 10 out of 5. It's that good. It's a thought-provoking, fascinating drama that resonates with many of the issues we experience at home. Discover them, and ponder them. A must-watch, textured show in every respect. And most importantly, it's meaningful.
NOW READ: “I have a strong personality” – Kanya Nkolase, star of criticised 'The Ultimatum: South Africa'
