Eight-part South African crime-drama The Girl from St. Agnes just dropped its first trailer. It’s dark, mysterious and darn proud of that South African English accent.
Some people feel about South African series how parents feel about Justin Bieber. But local streaming service Showmax wants to change the way people think about proudly South African content.
Following in the footsteps of Netflix, the Naspers-owned streaming service has started creating its own original shows. The Girl from St. Agnes is the second original, following Tali’s Wedding Diary — a mockumentary featuring Suzelle DIY creator Julia Anastasopoulos.
The Girl from St. Agnes is a murder mystery show headed up by South Africa’s award-winning Quizzical Pictures and produced by Harriet Gavshon.
“The series is a first for South Africa,” says Robert Hobbs (District 9 and Chappie). “When I read the scripts, I absolutely loved them. They go to the heart of the story. The fact that it’s on Showmax allows it to really go there. There’s no limitations in terms of broadcasting this, no old-school rules and regulations about what you can show live. You don’t have to imply stuff; we can experience it. That is its strength. That’s what makes it unique.”
If the trailer raises more questions than it answers, check out everything we know about the show so far. It will debut on Showmax on 31 January 2019.