Free-to-air channel e.tv has announced the successor to their youth soapie
Backstage, which is coming to an end in July.
The new soapie is Rhythm City, which is set against the backdrop of the music industry.
According to the channel the new soapie's "topical storyline" will revolve around "the contemporary music industry and the trials and tribulations of those who are brave enough to enter and often exit this cutthroat business."
This time there's hope - Rhythm City is being produced by top drama production house Curious Pictures, who are responsible for such quality productions as
Hard Copy,
The Lab,
Tsha Tsha and Soul City.
Harriet Gavshon and David Jammy of Curious will co-executive produce the series, with e.tv's Monde Twala as executive producer.
Rhythm City will replace Backstage in the Monday-Friday 18h30 timeslot, putting it in direct competition to two other South African soapies: SABC2's
7de Laan and SABC3's
Isidingo, both of which have established, strong viewerships.
Says Bronwyn Keene-Young, channel director of e.tv: "We are confident that this is the right show for an important timeslot, specifically with the vibrant music industry as a backdrop for a soap opera which will appeal to both the youth and adults."
According to Monde Twala, Rhythm City will be targeting the same demographic that Backstage did, only this time it will keep more up to date with what the youth actually want.
"The show aims to entertain, but also to explore deeply the lives of young people, their needs, wants and motivations," he said.
"Research has proved that young people want entertaining and informative programming and the youth drama is an opportunity to mirror the fast changing trends and challenges faced by South African youth."
As yet no casting announcements have been made, but according to David Jammy of Curious Pictures they're busy with that right now.
"We are currently casting and sourcing some of South Africa's top talent to star in this new weekday soapie which will contribute to the much-needed growth of the local television industry," he said.
If we're not much mistaken this marks the first foray for Curious into the world of soapie production - if they can avoid the atrocities committed by the producers of the indelibly bad drama series Honeytown in the early nineties, which was set in a highly stylized music industry, they'll be well on their way to making something far better than Backstage.
Rhythm City premieres on e.tv on Monday 9 July 2007, at 18h30.