Season 5
Puppet Nation ZA (formerly known as ZA News) is a South African satirical puppet web and television series created by Thierry Cassuto and Zapiro and produced by Both Worlds which uses puppets to parody the formulaic style of media broadcasting in order to remind people that it is possible to engage humorously with societal issues that can often be a source of tension and frustration.
The series began as a web exclusive in 2009 after a television pilot was vetoed by the SABC and was picked up as a TV series by TopTV's Top One channel for the start of the fourth season, in 2011. It premiered on Top One on Sunday 11 September 2011, at 21h00, beginning with Season 4; and after two seasons was renamed Puppet Nation ZA, when Top One became StarSat.
Season 5 premiered on Top One on Sunday Sunday 12 August 2012, at 21h00. New episodes broadcast weekly. There are 26 episodes in the fifth season.
Repeats
Tuesdays: 20h30, 23h30
Season 5
ZA News' fifth season kicks off on Top One, bringing you the most fun you can have with politics and current affairs, entertainment, sport and business news.
The weekly show is bigger and bolder than ever before with several new characters joining the already famous and infamous gathering of newsworthy characters.
Tim Modise, the sanguine news anchor, is joined by a new co-host, seconded from e.tv: Debora Patta, she of the clipped vowels, orange tan and mean flick of the fringe. Also joining is our very own local presidential contender, he of few words, stern demeanour and nicely trimmed chin rug.
Then there's the president's wobbly relative, the man with the gigantic appetite for mines, fast cars, fast women and fast food. And from the US we have the Mormon with the big bucks who is taking on Obama.
This season also sees the return of our popular voice artists, comedian Nik Rabinowitz and incomparable voice catchers, Aggrey Lonake, Nikki Jackman and Adam Behr.
New members of the team include award-winning journalist, columnist and stand-up comedian, Marianne Thamm who was appointed head writer and who worked with Ben Trovato and veteran writer Andrew Donaldson on scripts.
Rod Macleod also joined as the new web and visual editor and Chumile Goqwana deserted the world of advertising and joined as an all-round copywriter.
Apart from the ZA News weekly show, Season 5 coincided with the launch of the ZA News Network website, a one-stop portal for satire in South Africa.
Some of the country's funniest writers and columnists - or agents provocateurs - including Ndumiso Ncgobo, Ben Trovato, Chester Missing (the famous political analyst from the popular LNN Live hosted by comedian Loyiso Gola) and Rebecca Davis are showcased on the website.
It also features cartoons from Zapiro as well as other local and African cartoonists such as Brandan and Gaddo.
ZA News Network also aims to encourage user-generated content to widen the context and reference points and to nationalize the great, untapped reservoir of humour that exists in South Africa.
This new season of ZA News is only going to be the best, funniest and boldest yet. No one is safe - especially those in high office or in the public eye – but everyone is welcome on ZA News.
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Seasons
Note: the series began airing on Top One from Season 4 - the first three seasons aired exclusively online. After two seasons on Top One the channel was discontinued and rebranded as Star One, with the name of the show changing to Puppet Nation ZA from Season 6.
Season 4 (26 episodes)
Channel: Top One | Premiere: 11 Sep 2011 | Finale: 4 Mar 2012 | Sun, 21h00
Season 5 (26 episodes)
Channel: Top One | Premiere: 12 Aug 2012 | Finale: 3 Feb 2013 | Sun, 21h00
Season 6 (26 episodes)
Channel: Star One | Premiere: 9 Nov 2013 | Finale: 3 May 2014 | Sat, 21h00
Season 7 (26 episodes)
Channel: Star One | Premiere: 10 May 2014 | Finale: 1 Nov 2014 | Sat, 21h00