New Series in South Africa Has Heart but Lacks Build-up

Review Of The Brave Ones: New South African Series Has Heart But Lacks Build-up

South African mythology has not been explored much, so Akin Omotoso’s new supernatural Netflix show, The Brave Ones, is a great way to learn more about it. The first episode of the six-episode series aired on September 16, 2022. It stars Sthandile Nkosi, Tony Kgoroge, Nomalanga Nkosi, Bonko Khoza, and others in a mix of genres.

The Brave Ones shows us the lives of Ntsiki, a struggling young woman, and Ayanda, a mother who has lost hope. The two women live in different conditions and situations. Even though their lives are different, they have a lot in common, and it all has to do with the supernatural lives of the ancient gods known as the Wise Ones and the beings of the title.

The show’s official Netflix synopsis says:

This captivating supernatural fiction series is based on African mythology. It has mystery, romance, corruption, and magic.

The Brave Ones review gives nothing away.

When a project has well-developed characters from other worlds, the writer has to build the story around them, which often makes the story better. But if the story is more powerful than the characters in it, sometimes it will overpower them, no matter how strong they are.

The Brave Ones is a good example of this type of plot. The idea behind the show as a whole is very ambitious. It was a great step in the right direction to start talking about South African mythology when Greek and Norse mythology had already established themselves as big ideas. But Omotoso’s latest work fails to provide the fearsome heroes in question.

The show could easily go darker, which would be more interesting, but it’s moving very slowly in that direction. And before we know it, the six-episode miniseries is over.

But that doesn’t mean it has nothing good to offer. Although the series is mostly about supernatural things, it is based on real world social class. We see a lot of corruption in the project that Luthando (Tony Kgoroge) is working on, which ties into some of the side stories.

In a way, the supernatural theme is used as a metaphor for the real destruction of a community and their land. The “tree of life” is a supernatural being, and the idea of ​​their land being destroyed and them having to move is related to this. Also, since distressed modernity is used as a way to revisit old myths and legends, no one knows what to expect, just like the people who live in the land of Ilanga do not know what to expect.

Mistreated people need a new-age hero who knows where they came from. So, Ntsiki’s Brave One came into the world. Some people might compare her to the character Eleven from Stranger Things, but she’s more of a goddess than an experiment. But his regal avatar doesn’t really come out, so his character arc isn’t as strong and interesting.

The show is more about family drama than anything else. Sometimes, the smallest and simplest action is enough to make waves, and Ayanda’s family problem adds to the emotional quotient of the story in a small way, rather than the big picture of a goddess in it. So, humanitarian factors are a big part of why the show goes on.

Should You Watch “The Brave Ones”?

When you’re watching the show, it may seem like a lot happens in the six-episode season, but once you’re done, you’ll find you don’t remember many of the characters. Some episodes have very odd pacing, and the fact that the story doesn’t go in a straight line doesn’t help. A lot of mythology needs to be explained for us to understand where each character comes from.

That won’t happen until the end, though. As you watch the episodes, you can’t help but be interested in what might happen. The idea is great, but it won’t reach its full potential until the characters are well developed. Regardless of the type of family moments in the series, they all help build the story. But it doesn’t do a very good job of developing the characters.

Those who dare

The moments people have been waiting for, like Ntsiki finally accepting himself as the Brave, didn’t work. These kinds of turning points don’t always make you appreciate the character. In any show or movie, the main character should be someone who wants to win. Even though we understand that his tragic past is what drives him to accept who he really is, we can’t help but feel how sad and longing it is.

Ntsiki lacks a character who should be a goddess resurrected. On the other hand, the costumes for the native people are perfect, but the other parts of the film, such as the action scenes, the introduction of traditional knowledge, and the showing of how powerful the power of The Brave Ones, could have done better. . When it comes to these kinds of shows, the audience wants moments that will push them over the edge and make them shiver. If the show gets picked up for a second season, we can see just how big the body of work really is and how relevant it is to the subject matter.

You can now watch The Brave Ones on Netflix.