The Gifted is a brand-new drama series from Marvel on FOX in America and is supposed to be an Express from the US title on FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131) in Africa, but unfortunately Africa's pay-TV viewers are being left behind after a hollow promise from FOX international.
The Gifted that got positive reviews from TV critics and that started on 2 October in America, takes place in an alternate timeline where the X-Men have disappeared.
The show, produced by 20th Century FOX Television in association with Marvel Television, has a first season of 10 episodes.
At the beginning of the year at its upfront, FOX Networks Group Africa told TV critics and journalists covering television that The Gifted 's first season of 10 episodes will be on FOX in Africa and will be an Express from the US title. Members of the press were also shown a teaser trailer.
Marvel's other new TV show, Inhumans, produced by ABC Studios and Marvel Studios, has started on M-Net (DStv 101) as promised, and is also an Express from the US show for its season of 8 episodes.
The Gifted revolves around ordinary parents, played by Stephen Moyer and Amy Acker, who go on the run with their kids after they discover their children's mutant abilities.
At the beginning of October, FOX Networks Group announced that The Gifted will be getting a global roll-out in 183 countries across its FOX branded channels on virtually the same or next day date as episodes are broadcast in America.
It didn't say that South Africa and Africa would be excluded but that is what's happening.
FOX Networks Group said the global roll-out demonstrates its confidence in The Gifted but South African and African viewers are left wondering what the fuzz is all about.
The simultaneous global launch of shows are also supposed to helps combat the piracy of high-profile TV shows like The Gifted if they premiere in the United States months before they're screened elsewhere in the world.
"The global scale and reach of the Fox brand gives us a unique capacity to make event series such as The Gifted available to viewers everywhere day and date," said Peter Rice, 21st Century Fox president in a statement.
That unique capacity is however failing FOX as far as Africa is concerned where African viewers are not part of "viewers everywhere".
"This fantastic series, which expands on our longstanding collaboration with Marvel, Matt Nix, Bryan Singer, Simon Kinberg, Lauren Shuler Donner and the X-Men universe, will resonate widely, and we couldn't be more excited for its worldwide launch," said Peter Rice.
Of course there's no excitement for FOX Africa viewers since Africa pay-TV viewers across the continent are excluded from the promised worldwide launch. But why?
There's been no official comment from FOX Africa in response to a media enquiry as to why The Gifted isn't being shown as an Express from the US title and currently there's no date for The Gifted to start on FOX.
