by Thinus Ferreira
M-Net is apologising to DStv subscribers for a big programming mess with
the BBC series, The Capture, that got viewers hot under the collar since its
debut and that the pay-TV channel has still not been able to fix properly.
While errors with programming, content acceptance and checking of
international series, and scheduling are very rare on pay-TV services like
M-Net (DStv 101) and much more prone to happen on free-to-air channels like the
SABC for example, M-Net keeps angering very confused pay-TV subscribers who
can't figure out what went wrong with the channel's The Capture that has turned
into a viewing exercise of frustration.
The British mystery crime-drama that received positive reviews from
critics and viewers in late-2019, when it was broadcast in the United Kingdom, is
getting anything but that in South Africa after M-Net failed to properly check
and watch the episodes received.
M-Net continues to severely botch the broadcast playout of episodes
scheduled on Thursday nights at 22:30, as well as how the series is loaded and
made available on MultiChoice's DStv Catch Up service.
M-Net told TVwithThinus on Monday that it fixed the problem in the past
week after a flurry of complaints, but it apparently didn't and viewers
continue to be upset about the showing of the series that makes no sense on
either the linear broadcast playout or on the digital video-on-demand (VOD)
catch up.
What happened with The Capture, starring Holliday Grainger as Detective
Inspector Rachel Carey, is that there are actually two versions of the series –
a "domestic" one that was shown on BBC One in September 2019, as well
as an internationally distributed version, edited differently. The two versions
also have a different number of episodes.
What happened, according to insiders, is that M-Net accidentally got a
"third" version – a wrong batch that mixed together episodes from
both the domestic version of The Capture, as well as the international version.
Episodes from the one and of the other were both jumbled as one package of
episodes in this third version which M-Net then slotted for broadcast and that
was put on DStv Catch Up.
The past week, after a lot of complaints, M-Net and MultiChoice
scrambled to try and fix the problem, although M-Net broadcast a wrong episode of The Capture yet again on Thursday when episode 4 was oddly a repeat of an episode already
shown, while MultiChoice removed all of the episodes from Catch Up and reloaded
a new batch but again with mistakes.
Since the debut of The Capture, DStv subscribers have been complaining
that characters are missing across episodes and would suddenly pop-up without
any introduction or backstory, that crucial scenes and story development are
missing, that episodes are even shown out of chronological order, that episodes
are abruptly cut short, and that DStv would list episode 3 and 4 on Catch Up,
and M-Net would broadcast episode 3 and 4, although 4 is just repeating the
same episode.
In response to a media enquiry made last week, M-Net publicist Nomntu
Mnengi on Monday told TVwithThinus that "there are two versions of The
Capture – the original version and the international version".
"M-Net licensed the international version in line with broadcast
geographical regulations. The original version which aired on the BBC has 6
episodes, the international version has 8 episodes, hence the difference in
episode duration".
"The confusion occurred when the channel received the footage and
metadata. The international version's footage was delivered with the original
version's metadata instead. This error has since been rectified and the
episodes will be available on Catch Up."
"All the episodes have been reprocessed by the programming
acceptance (PGA) team. Viewers can now access the correct version
(international) of episode 3 and onwards. We do apologise for the inconvenience
caused".
M-Net viewers, however, continue to experience problems with trying to
watch and follow The Capture.
On Saturday a viewer, James asked "DStv, why is episode 4 of The
Capture a repeat of episode 3 both on Catch Up and recording?"
Another
viewer said, "In The Capture series an episode was not available for a
whole week and now the sequence for episode 3 and 4 are mixed up. Please do
better".
"Which idiot put episodes 3 and 4 of The Capture on M-Net in the
wrong order then flighted episode 4 again on Thursday? Throws the whole
storyline out of sync," said Martin Godfrey.
"Is there an issue with the order of episodes for The Capture on
DStv Catch Up? I saw episode 3 last week called Truffle Hog and I see the same
episode is loaded as episode 4. The description for episode 4 seems right but
the video is wrong," remarked another subscriber.
Viewer Andrew Field said "DStv, the programme The Capture has been
badly edited and is missing parts and doesn't make sense".
"MultiChoice why do you guys cut the shows you bring? Case in point
The Capture. Episode 2 is missing 2 storylines. Why is an international series
modified by you lot from the original? Not censored because of SNVL but
deliberately chopped to 43 minutes," asked another angry viewer.
Amanda said "DStv we have been watching The Capture on channel 101.
There is a whole chunk of the show missing between episodes 2 and 3. If you
read the synopsis of the episodes first shown in the United Kingdom, we missed
the interrogation in the safe house. It didn't make any sense."
