by Thinus Ferreira
On Tuesday night e.tv's Scandal! marked the 4 000th episode of the local primetime weekday soap produced by Ochre Moving Pictures.
After almost two decades on the air, Scandal! that had 4.7 million viewers in December on e.tv and that is filmed at Sasani Studios in Highlands North in Johannesburg, has grown to become the eMedia TV channel's highest-rated show since it broadcast its first episode on 10 January 2005.
After the failure of Backstage, e.tv kept trying with the debut of Rhythm City in 2007 that lasted for 15 seasons, and the debut of Scandal! - with the success of both that eventually proved the red letter broadcaster was capable of crafting and showing mass-market daily soaps that could compete and break the stranglehold that the SABC had on wide-appeal, big audience local primetime soaps.
e.tv says that Scandal!'s 4 000 episode-milestone is "a combination of dedicated writers, producers, directors, cast and crew who have committed their efforts to creating and delivering thought-provoking stories that have made Scandal! a household show".
Grace Mahlaba, Scandal! head writer, says "Ochre is super proud of the team of brilliant professionals who have sweated blood and tears to bring 4 000 top quality episodes to South African audiences, discovering extraordinary new talents along the way".
Sanele Zulu, e.tv's Scandal! producer, says "Families have risen and fallen: the mighty Nyathis, the brilliant Langas, the ruthless Mambas and the beloved Ngemas".
"We recently refreshed our set and introduced the Kubekas to keep the storyline relevant and provide our audiences with intriguing content. We are delighted about the reaction from our viewers."
