S2 28 January Binges

S2 28 January Binges

Author: Gino Shelile January 13, 2025 Duration: 18:06

It’s already the middle of January and we are all broke. Whatever salary we got in December was finished in December. The only thing that remains is shrivelled up carrots and half an onion in the fridge plus a packet of noodles that you and the kids will have to fight over. 
A lot of us are back at work, depressingly so. 
Our lack of cash, however, does mean that we have a lot of time on our hands to watch things. In today’s episode, Gino lays down his Top Ten of what's hot on the box.

  1. The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga - A small-town feud, an internet conspiracy, an Elvis impersonator, black market organs, and a presidential assassination attempt intertwine in Mississippi's jaw-dropping scandal.
  2. Curry and Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case - The real-life case of Jolly Joseph, a lady suspected of planning the cyanide poisoning of six family members over more than ten years, including a two-year-old kid.
  3. Missing You - Detective Kat Donovan's world unravels when she finds her estranged fiancé on a dating app. Leading her to reopen her father's unsolved murder.
  4. A Quiet Place: Day One - A young woman named Sam finds herself trapped in New York City during the early stages of an invasion by alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing.
  5. Cunk on Life - Philomena Cunk delves into life's profound questions, examining subjects from the big bang to AI, meeting academics and creatives, all with her trademark misguided observations.
  6. Umjolo: My Beginning, My End - Caught between her family and her free spirit, Mayi begins to question her upcoming nuptials when she meets a charming and passionate saxophonist.
  7. Mr Easy Loo - Based on Sam Matona's story, a self-made millionaire who built a business from the ground up. Set in the 1980s, Mr Easy Loo is a story about resilience, love and realising your dreams - even when the odds are stacked against you.
  8. Senna - Fictional miniseries based on the life of Ayrton Senna da Silva, the Brazilian racing legend who won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship three times.
  9. Youngins - A hard-hitting teen telenovela set at a boarding school in Johannesburg.
  10. Ma - A lonely woman befriends a group of teenagers and decides to let them party at her house. Just when the kids think their luck couldn't get any better, things start happening that make them question the intention of their host.

Enjoy this lot and payday will be here sooner than you think. Happy binging!

Yes? No? Send us a text

Let us know what you think, what movie or series you would like to see featured, or just to tell us how brilliant it all is:
instagram.com/africancouchpotato
twitter.com/africancouchpot
gino.arlechino@gmail.com

WhatsApp Channel: Mzansi Film News, Views and Reviews 

YouTube; African Couch Potato - YouTube 

https://www.patreon.com/c/AfricanCouchPotato 

Gino Shelile’s profile • Letterboxd
Member of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)

Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting
ted@aten.co.za

Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay

© SANTE MEDIA 2026


Gino Shelile’s African Couch Potato offers a distinctly South African lens on the world of screens, big and small. As an award-winning TV producer himself, Gino brings a seasoned insider’s view that goes beyond simple reviews. Each episode feels like a relaxed, insightful conversation, blending a deep-dive review of a current film or series with curated recommendations for what’s worth your time in the coming week. The podcast truly shines in its interviews, where Gino chats with a variety of industry professionals right from the studio, uncovering the stories behind the stories we watch. There’s also a fond look back at older movies that deserve a fresh viewing, all discussed with a local flavour you won’t find elsewhere. It’s a comprehensive, engaging listen for anyone who loves to think and talk about television and film, delivered with the warmth and knowledge of a friend who really knows his stuff. Tune into this podcast for a regular, thoughtful fix of screen culture that feels both personal and professional.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 144

African Couch Potato
Podcast Episodes
13 Masterclass with Sanele Zulu: Directing A TV Soapie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:04
In this episode Gino is in conversation with award-winning director Sanele Zulu, talking about work behind the camera and just what it means to be a director. Sanele started his directing career on hit SA soap lsidingo "…
12 A Sitdown with Shalate Sekhabi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:12
Kgabang Sekhabi, popularly known as Shalate Sekhabi, is a South African actress and singer. She is best known for the roles in the television soap operas, The River, and House of Zwide.Shalate has had a passion for music…
11 Masterclass with Shonisani Masutha pt 2 - Theatre [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:02
In today's episode of African Couch Potato - The Mash-up, Gino continues chatting to Shonisani Masutha focussing on her 26 years in theatre, among all her other commitments. Shonisani first hit the boards aged only 6 yea…
10 Masterclass with Shonisani Masutha - Auditions & Studying [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:31
Today's episode of African Couch Potato - The Mash-up is the first of two parts with Gino chatting to Shonisani Masutha. Shonisani is the first African actress to star in a Bollywood series, where she played Norah in Meh…
07 Absolutely Everything Film and TV with Amo Helang pt 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:20
Today’s show continues the conversation between Gino and Podcast Producer + Host of Art As Culture Podcast, Creative Entrepreneur, Facilitator, Thought Leader and Content Creator, Amo Helang. Throwing the format out of t…
06 Absolutely Everything Film and TV with Amo Helang pt 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:30
Today’s guest is Podcast Producer + Host of Art As Culture Podcast. Creative Entrepreneur, Facilitator, Thought Leader and Content Creator, Amo Helang. Top 5Amo's Top 5, in no particular order.Succession: The Roy family…
05 Masterclass with Sparky Xulu - Theatre vs Television [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:36
Our guest, Sparky Xulu, is an award-winning screen actor who attributes much of his success to his background in theatre.Having won a Royalty Soapie Award for the character of "Siya Phakathwayo" in The Estate (SABC Plus)…
04 SABC Plus Top 5, Nope, A United Kingdom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:18
The weirdest movie you have ever seen. And, what in the streaming services is SABC Plus? Top 5 Our Top 5 for this episode is from SABC Plus, South Africa’s newest video and audio streaming service, and they are. . . Yizo…