After 9 Pulls The Lowest Ratings For An SABC1 Local Primetime Drama

I wrote a review of After 9 Season 2's first episode but decided not to publish it. It just felt like I would be beating a dead horse. You just do not kick a man when he is down, that's my philosophy. To be honest, the second season of After 9 should never have been made. Now the numbers are in and it is coming as no surprise that the show is tanking the ratings for the channel. 

Season 2 of Intersexions did not do as well as its predecessor but the show still pulled in 5 million viewers every Tuesday evening on the 20h30 timeslot. 

Skeem Saam on the same slot on Thursday pulls in between 5 and 6 million. 

Repeat shows like Streets Of Mangaung and Soul City are also pulling in decent numbers given that they are reruns on the slot on Monday and Friday respectively. 

It is therefore disconcerting that a show with a new season (new episodes) could only pull 3,8 million. On a primetime slot, right after Generations, that is bad. This means as soon as Generations ends with its 7 million viewers, almost half of them change the channel on Tuesday. 

While some of the viewer loss may be attributed to homophobia, there is no denying that this season of After 9 has failed to deliver. Even gay people find it lacking artistically.

The characters aren't well enough developed for the viewer to truly care about them let alone give a damn about they do after nine. 

With every episode getting more ridiculous and sending viewers on a social media tirade about lackluster acting, weak plot and mediocre production, there is no hope in sight. If it were in the states the show would be pulled but this is Mzansi so it will waddle on for 10 more weeks if it is a full 13 episode season. 

It is really a shame because with this platform to tell gay men stories in a South African perspective, the writers and producers of the show could have done something special.  

I will say it again, GAY MEN HAVE LIVES OUT OF THE CLOSET. Perhaps the day these writers wake up and see that, they will be inclined to write better scripts with interesting plots.

PS: Maybe it's just me but even China has lost that sex appeal he had on season 1. He just looks like dull and uninteresting on this season.