by Thinus Ferreira
MultiChoice and M-Net have sent out a "review", done by itself for its own TV show - and apparently written by artificial intelligence (AI) using effusive, flowery language - saying its second season of Shaka iLembe on Mzansi Magic "draws us into a world of simmering tension".
M-Net didn't respond to media queries about its "review" it sent out through its Playmakers PR agency for the second season of Shaka iLembe on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) produced by Bomb Productions.
M-Net and Playmakers were asked who wrote the "review" but none of the publicists bothered to respond after sending out the "Shaka iLembe season 2, episode 1 review".
Reviews of TV shows are done by TV and media critics, externally, independent of the producer or broadcaster. Nissan doesn't send out a self-written review of one of its own cars. Southern Sun doesn't send out a self-written review of one of its own hotels.
M-Net and MultiChoice were also asked why a decision was made to send out a review of a TV show, why MultiChoice, Mzansi Magic and Playmakers issued a review about their own work, and whether AI was used in creating the review.
No answers were forthcoming.
Here is the "review", published in full, as received by Playmakers, for M-Net's Mzansi Magic channel.
Note how it looks like it was created by ChatGPT using tired review-language tropes that say and mean nothing:
"Shaka Senzangakhona returns to KwaNobamba in the Season 2 premiere, carrying the fate of a kingdom. Power fills his hands, yet so does doubt.
Episode 1 opens with an extended shot continuing directly from Season 1's finale: Sigidi (King Shaka) and his mother, Queen Nandi, return home.
Their arrival sparks a mix of excitement, confusion, and resentment. Despite the high stakes, Shaka meets this moment with composed strength, no bravado, just a steady, commanding presence.
Nomzamo Mbatha embodies Queen Nandi with fierce elegance, delivering perhaps her most commanding performance yet. Thembinkosi Mthembu layers Dingiswayo with quiet wisdom, while Dawn Thandeka King returns as the ever-watchful, sharp Mkabayi kaJama, with her useful "iBhobhodlane" (young lover) lingering nearby.
The entire cast moves with assurance, each character aware of the stakes without overplaying them.
The scenic views are stunning. The KwaNobamba landscape is lush and expansive, offering a backdrop that is both grand and intimate.
Interiors glow with warm light, framing characters in spaces that feel lived-in and meaningful. The beauty serves the emotional core rather than distracting from it.
The first episode draws us into a world of simmering tension. Shaka is a reluctant warlord, caught between obligation and caution, surrounded by veiled threats and fractured loyalties.
His vision seems anchored less in conquest and more in building and unifying—a drive to forge something lasting. Behind him are loyal warriors.
Beside him are matriarchs like Nandi and Mkabayi, who are never mere observers. In front of him is a kingdom uncertain of its allegiance, watching and waiting.
Old enemies reappear, carrying the weight of past betrayals. Familiar allies return, some holding firm, others hiding intentions behind polite silences. There may be a love interest, or there may not be.
Glances, teasing touches, disrespect, and perhaps flirtation occur, but Shaka remains composed. Relationships are complex; nothing is offered simply. Everyone appears to be playing a longer game.
What makes the episode effective is its restraint. The script resists the urge to rush. There are no long speeches or dramatic outbursts. Power is felt in glances, pauses, and subtle shifts in tone. This quiet confidence gives the story depth and lets tension build without fanfare.
Season 2 sets the stage with precision.
It establishes conflict, introduces new tensions, and reminds us of the burden Shaka carries, not just as a warrior or king, but as a man. There is promise here, and danger.
The episode does not shout. It watches, listens, and draws us into a world where power constantly shifts and even the strongest must tread carefully. It remains to be seen whether Shaka will go to war in the second episode, as other parts of the story turn to the Xhosa, the Swati, and the kingdoms of Dingiswayo and Zwide.
Stay tuned. It is certainly Shaka iLembe Season 2. Sibuye ngegiya eliphezulu nina bakaPhunga noMageba (We are back with a bang). Storytelling doesn’t get better than this!"
