Development Alert: eVOD Originals uMbali And Splintered Pieces Resurface On Openview

eMedia Investments had added the first seasons of uMbali and Splintered Pieces to eSeries on weeknights at 22:15 and 22:45 respectively. The latter was produced for eVOD and eMedia Investments had limited it's reach to Openview.

Following eVOD's rollout in the market, eMedia Investments had been giving some of its content an open window on their other platforms. But for shows like uMbali and Splintered Pieces, e.tv had been struggling to accommodate these shows.

They attempted to have it take up the timeslot of the Sunday movie block on e.tv and with minimal success for its movie offering. eMedia Investments decided to yank it to weeknights at 22:00 and that too had a limited run.

Now they've limited it's reach to Openview instead of allocating it on eExtra since it's also available on DStv or try to accommodate these shows on e.tv a lot better. One of the two would have helped these shows get more ad revenue compared to eSeries.

Synopsis for uMbali

Mbali is a "beguiling beauty queen" who uses her looks and street smarts to climb the social and economic ladder. After her boyfriend is arrested and her family loses their primary financial support, she vows to do whatever it takes to escape her circumstances.

Her pursuit of "the good life" leads her to steal husbands and boyfriends, creating a trail of enemies. She eventually finds what she believes is true love with her sister's fiancé, Peter, but her past and relentless ambition constantly threaten her safety and the lives of those around her.

Synopsis for Splintered Pieces 

The series explores the lives of two friends caught in a web of secrets and blurred boundaries. It focuses on Linda, a successful therapist who is bored in her relationship with her boyfriend, Paul.

On her birthday, Paul throws a surprise party where Linda meets and sleeps with a photographer named Jade. The situation becomes more complicated when Linda also sleeps with Tebello, the husband of her best friend Tshepi.

Tshepi is struggling with infertility, and when Linda falls pregnant, the paternity of the baby is unclear. A DNA test eventually confirms Tebello is the father, leading to a heartbreaking arrangement where Linda gives the baby to Tshepi and Tebello to raise as their own.