MultiChoice's subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) streaming service, Showmax, has released its first concrete viewership number and says Tali's Wedding Diary just topped 1 million views hinting at a second season for the South African mockumentary series.
Showmax has previously made several viewership claims without citing numbers and without willing to provide ratings information and viewership numbers when asked after making those claims.
This leaves the South African and wider TV industry, as with rival Netflix South Africa who Showmax is copying in not providing viewing statistics, unable to gauge what is popular under South African viewers, what they're watching, and how many.
At Saturday's 13th South African Film and Television Awards of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) at Sun City Tali's Wedding Diary, produced by Sketchbook Studios won 5 Golden Horn trophies, the first for Showmax and the first for any streaming service at the Saftas.
Tali’s Wedding Diary won Best comedy, Best actress (Julia Anastasopoulos as Tali Shapiro), Best directing (Ari Kruger), Best cinematography (James Adey) and for Best editing (Richard Starkey) and got the most awards in the 13th Saftas' comedy category.
The mockumentary follows Tali, a self-obsessed Johannesburg princess who's moved to Cape Town and is planning her wedding to property-agent fiance Darren (Anton Taylor). The series was inspired by Julia's own wedding to Ari, her SuzelleDIY and Tali's Wedding Diary co-creator.
Showmax says that the week before the 13th Saftas Talis’ Wedding Diary reached the milestone of passing 1 million views on Showmax.
Showmax released Tali's Wedding Diary in December 2017, which means it took a year and two months for the show to reach 1 million views.
It's not yet clear whether or if Tali's Wedding Diary has or will be renewed for a second season (Tali's Baby Diary?) but Ari Kruger, after the 13th Saftas win, said: "Let's hope this recognition allows us to make the next chapter."
