Unseen returns for an explosive second season.
Generally, I am apprehensive of adaptations of foreign stories for local audiences — as if we don’t have pertinent stories of our own to tell. The crime thriller series Unseen on Netflix, however, is an exception due to its universal and contemporary themes.
Adapted from the Turkish Netflix series Fatma, created by Özgür Önurme, Unseen returns for an explosive second season.
This South African version follows domestic worker Zenzi as she continues her pursuit for justice and healing. Brilliantly portrayed by Gail Nkoane Mabalane, Zenzi is timid yet courageous, quiet but her trail of murders rings loudly in the underground world and in corporate corridors.
In the first season, released in 2023 on the global streamer, we saw Zenzi losing loved ones due to being entangled in an intricate corruption scheme involving gangs in the Cape Town area, private bankers and the government.
In this second season we not only see how deep corruption can go when private and public representatives collude, the story also goes deeper to explore Zenzi’s relations with her estranged sister, Naledi (Dineo Langa) and their shared grief.
As in the first season, dead bodies, blood and tears flow throughout the six episodes, with Zenzi at the centre in her trademark outfit of a coat and hoodie.
Repurposed but relatable
What is it about this story that has got local and global audiences excited and binging in their homes?
For award-winning production company Gambit Films, it is about telling such stories in a thrilling, but relatable, way. Having produced successful shows like Blood and Water, Nommer 37 and Suidooster, this Cape Town-based company has learned how to capture viewers with electrifying drama.
Travis Taute, who produced and directed both seasons of Unseen, says it was an exciting experience for them to work on a story that most South Africans would be able to identify with.
“The lead character is just a domestic lady, and I think that repurposing that, and telling that story through a South African perspective, just made all the sense in the world.”
Taute adds that their aim at Gambit Films is to tell the most authentic story possible. “That is always our focus — story first and whatever comes after that, hopefully, if we’ve done our job right, the audience will respond accordingly.”
What makes Unseen particularly enchanting is the universality of the themes. As a global society, we are all struggling with similar issues such as grief, survival, justice, strained relationships and corporate corruption.
Taute adds: “I think just the entry point into the story, the perspective of the story being told from a domestic lady, was so interesting and refreshing. That’s the kind of thing that we feel like people really resonate and identify with.
“So, hopefully, that’s the case with this season, too.”
Creative producer Darren Joshua shares Taute’s sentiments on the growing popularity of the show with audiences. “To see the thousands of people posting about the show on social media, and talking about Zenzi like she’s someone that’s a friend of theirs who’s going through something, was brilliant.”
Survival and black women standing up to power
What further resonates with South African audiences is the theme of a black woman standing up for herself and her loved ones in a hostile, patriarchal society. In a country layered with toxic masculinity, from households to corporate skyscrapers, Zenzi’s pursuits make her a national hero to the unseen and voiceless.
Many black women are in survival mode, due to an antagonistic environment that treats them like second-class citizens. Those in lower economic positions, like domestic workers, often black women, are seen as insignificant figures — “nobodies” in society.
Joshua adds that the show’s title is on the nose for those reasons. “Zenzi is unseen and overlooked. And then she pulls into a world that you just haven’t seen before. I think that is the most attractive thing about this local show.
“We wanted something that was just, suspenseful and propulsive.”
However, viewers are challenged about whether Zenzi’s actions are justified as self-defence; accidental or intentional.
In one scene, a character tells Zenzi: “Harden up lady, this place will eat you!” — a reminder of how ruthless the world can be for women.
When a person is attacked without provocation, or in a dangerous situation, survival is a natural response, no matter what one’s standing in society. These kinds of situations thus lead to the, “We stay together. We fight. We survive,” mantras many women must use to get by in their daily lives.
Stories about ordinary people seeking justice and healing will never get old in a violent country where many are silenced and rejected, particularly women and children. Though perhaps morally questionable, Zenzi does what some might have been driven to think of doing in the dark corners of their minds. Without healthy and safe spaces to offload anger, resentment and desperation can darken many hearts.
The character of Zenzi speaks on behalf of those unfairly treated; she validates their ever-flowing tears and deep scars inflicted at the hands of the broken men in our society, be they in tailored suits or not.
But Unseen does remind us that principled men do exist, such as Lufuno Ngezi (Mothusi Magano) and Detective Morkel (Waldemar Schultz), and even gangster Raymond Hendricks (Brendon Daniels) who eventually becomes Zenzi’s unlikely ally.
Simon Beasely, the show’s executive producer, says starting out on any production one never knows where the story could end up.
“The idea is you always try to make local for local and sort of any additional eyeballs are always a bonus.
“It’s incredibly exciting and it’s hard to actually even predict where we’re going next. You think you have seen it all and then, all of a sudden, a new concept comes about and it blows everyone away.”
Unseen season two is a seamless continuation from the first, with a stellar cast, great cinematography and haunting themes relevant to our times, particularly in South Africa. It is the story of an ordinary woman standing up to power and patriarchy with the extraordinary resolve and grit which has resonated with many viewers, locally and globally.