Catch Me A Killer, Showmax Original Series, Launches On Canal+'s Polar+ In France Starting January 5th

“Catch Me A Killer is the true story of the first serial killer profiler in South Africa,” says lead actress Charlotte Hope, who played Myranda in Game of Thrones and headlined Starz’s The Spanish Princess as Catherine of Aragon. “She is called Micki Pistorius and, frankly, she’s amazing.” 

South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA) winner Rene van Rooyen (Oscar entry Toorbos, Alles Malan, Summertide) agrees. “Living in South Africa amid a wave of violence, we have all been asking for a superhero, and here we have the true story of a superhero in the 1990s,” says Rene, who alternates directing duties with SAFTA winner Brett Michael-Innes (Fiela Se Kind) and Tracey Larcombe (Silent Witness). 

Adapted from Pistorius’ memoir of the same name, the 10-part series follows Pistorius, a newly qualified forensic psychologist, as she tracks down South Africa’s most feared killers. Each episode looks at another of her cases, from the Cleveland Killer to Stewart ‘Boetie Boer’ Wilken, taking viewers across the country. 

“Catch Me A Killer is about Micki’s experience of trying to understand the psychology of serial killers, but it’s also more than that,” says Charlotte. “On one hand it’s a true crime: every week we have a different episode, a different serial killer and a different case to solve. But it’s also a character study. This is a woman who goes through a huge emotional journey; in understanding the psychology of the killers, she's also aware of what’s happening psychologically to herself.”

As her character says in the series, “Whoever fights monsters should see that in the process he does not become a monster too.”  

A co-production between Showmax and Germany’s Night Train Media, Catch Me A Killer is also a classic underdog story: Micki is the only female profiler in a predominantly male police force, many of whom are deeply suspicious of the whole concept of psychology and think trying to understand the killers is a waste of time and resources. 

The series is also a time-capsule for 1990s South Africa: when the optimism of the country’s new democracy was undermined by a string of serial killers. 

SAFTA winner Amy Jephta (Oscar entry Barakat, Devil’s Peak, Showmax Original Skemerdans) is the lead writer, alongside the likes of Sarah Hooper (Shameless), Jessica Ruston (Harlots) and Oliver Frampton (Sister Boniface Mysteries). Among other episodes, Amy scripts the two-part pilot, which tells the story of the Station Strangler. 

“The series opens in the place that I come from, Mitchell’s Plain,” says Amy. “I was in grade 1 at the time of the Station Stranger killer and my mother was a police officer at the same station that Micki was assigned to in 1994. I was in and out of that police station. So I remember the fear in that community and what it felt like to be a kid at a time where there were these boys being abducted. So I could draw a lot on my first-hand feeling.” 

“It’s not a whodunnit; it’s a whydunnit,” adds Amy. “You’re inside the perspective of these killers and the victim’s families as much as you are inside Micki’s perspective. Can she get to the heart of understanding the mind of the killer she’s tracking? Why did these people commit these acts? It’s a fascinating cat and mouse story.”

Apart from Steven Ward (One Piece) and newcomer Donna Cormack-Thomson as series regulars, the supporting cast changes each episode. Look out for the likes of Lemogang Tsipa (Shaka iLembe), Waldemar Schultz (Die Byl), Ivan Zimmermann (Alles Malan), Frank Rautenbach (Lioness, Summertide), Silwerskerm winner Carel Nel (Gaia), and SAFTA winner Louw Venter (Swartwater), not to mention SAFTA nominees Albert Pretorius (Spinners) and Sean Cameron Michael (Fried Barry) as Stewart ‘Boetie Boer’ Wilken and FBI profiler Robert Ressler respectively. 

Has Cartoonito Become Irrelevant To DStv?

Cartoonito is a preschool channel operated by Warner Bros. Discovery offering fun, engaging and comedic content. It is home to shows like Tom And Jerry and Batwheels alongside third party shows from Grizzy And The Lemmings and Cocomelon.

It was to meant to serve as some successor to Boomerang and since it's inception there's been a lot of mixed feelings about the brand. 

Boomerang was basically the Comedy Central of children's television with various content from Looney Tunes, Tom And Jerry and Scooby-Doo. All this was kind of trimmed down with Cartoonito in favour of more age appropriate shows.

The thing is preschool was never really the problem or at least not entirely. For DStv consumers there was plenty of this on JimJam, Cbeebies and Nick Jr. there was no need for another preschool channel.

Boomerang was preschool inclusive and the existing offering on the channel gave this content some elevation. But too much of it led to Cartoonito's rapid decline in popularity as older audiences felt alienated by the increased age appropriate shows.

In recent months, Warner Bros. Discovery had moved several shows from the brand to Cartoon Network including Looney Tunes Cartoons and Scooby-Doo And Guess Who?. By doing that, consumers would just further distance themselves from the brand.

MultiChoice Vs. Warner Bros.. Discovery: Who Is The Real Winner Here?

MultiChoice and Warner Bros. Discovery are at opposite ends of the rope when it comes to the fate of BBQ Brawls on Food Network and Mr. Bean on Cartoonito. One company following a buyout is trying to remove all its splinters while the other reaches uncertain times.

Consumers in summary feel a mixture of emotions some express fear regarding TLC's exit on the platform. If you're South African consumer, there really is no other means to catch Dr. Pimple Popper, Death By Fame or Bad Skin Clinic.

Others anger over the potential loss of Investigation Discovery and Discovery Family, Paramount will be closing CBS Reality and 3 other channels soon. These were suppose to be the few other means to watch detective shows and other factual content.

MultiChoice had already put up a notice to DStv consumers about the affected channels potentially closing on 31 December 2025. It should be noted that negotiations remain ongoing and as long as a comprise hadn't been reached its farewell to Cake Boss reruns.

All anyone can hope now is that an agreement can be reached as there's 19 more days into the year. I believe a comprise can be reached perhaps for select channels I mean MultiChoice can do without Discovery Family and Travel Channel.

But it should be noted that a comprise is in the interest for both companies.

For MultiChoice, the failure to renew this transaction would result in fast paced decline in DStv subscriptions. They can do without the extra weight (e.g. Travel Channel) but if you want to show consumers you care replace the affected channels.

For Warner Bros. Discovery, this is your biggest client in the African space and the loss of My Lottery Dream Home would affect your earnings. This comes at a time of an uncertainty as a portion of your brand might be folded under the letter "N".

MultiChoice had been seen as the biggest loser as consumers switch to online viewing but the part that deals with Food Network and CNN has been viewed by analysts as a failing business amidst cord cuts.

Paramount+ Greenlights Mo Willems’ ‘The Elephant & Piggie Show’ and ‘The Pigeon Show!’

Paramount+ is getting into the Mo Willems’ animated animal business in a big way. The streamer announced today that it has greenlit two animated series, The Elephant & Piggie Show! and The Pigeon Show! Starring the Pigeon, based on the best-selling children’s author and illustrator’s books. This is the first time Paramount+ is collaborating with the author’s Hidden Pigeon production company.

“Mo Willems has delighted kids and ‘former kids’ around the world with these beloved characters,” said Jane Wiseman, Head of Originals for Paramount+. “Whether it’s Elephant and Piggie navigating the hard work of ‘best-friending’ or The Pigeon confusing wants and needs (a hot dog! a cookie! to drive the bus!), these characters remind us that the best stories are the ones that make us laugh and feel something real. We’re thrilled to bring them to life on Paramount+.”

“We are so excited to be partnering with Paramount+ to further expand the world of Mo Willems through these two new series,” said Karen K. Miller, CEO of Hidden Pigeon Company. “We can’t wait to present more of the characters and stories that kids everywhere already know and love in ways that will surprise and delight them at every turn.”

The Elephant & Piggie Show! is described as a warm, comedic pre-K series about the hilarious and sometimes challenging work of “best-friending.” The series takes place in the small, walkable neighborhood of Willemsburg, which is full of new locations audiences will love. Elephant Gerald is careful; his best friend Piggie is not. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to and together, along with young audiences, they will celebrate the messy and joyful art of friendship.

The Pigeon Show! Starring the Pigeon animates the day-to-day struggles of a pigeon who just wants to be listened to. He will be your best friend if you have a bus and you let him drive it. The series features familiar characters from Willems’ books, such as the adorable Duckling who always seems to get what she wants, plus new characters, like The Pigeon’s 150-million-year-old pterodactyl grandmother, Nana-Dactyl, and his best wing-pals, Ima Pigeon and Doug Pigeon.

Willems is a #1 New York Times best-selling author and illustrator who has received the Caldecott Honor on three occasions (for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity). His popular Elephant & Piggie early reader series has been awarded two Theodor Seuss Geisel Medals (for There Is a Bird on Your Head! and Are You Ready to Play Outside?) and five Geisel Honors (for We Are in a Book!, I Broke My Trunk!, Let’s Go for a Drive!, A Big Guy Took My Ball!, and Waiting Is Not Easy!). Mo began his career as a writer on Sesame Street, where he received six Emmy Awards.,

GUMBALL IS SPEAKING ISIZULU — RIGHT NOW! As Cartoon Network Africa Makes Gumball’s World Sound Like Home

Elmore, the quirky, animated town of Gumball, has always been wonderfully weird, and now it’s proudly local too! Starting this month, The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball is available in isiZulu on Cartoon Network, giving kids the joy of hearing Gumball, Darwin, and the gang in South Africa’s most widely spoken language.

 

Gumball’s jokes, Darwin’s heart, Anais’s smarts, and Richard’s silliness, all now voiced in isiZulu, transform the chaos into something wonderfully familiar. With Elmore’s everyday madness sounding magically new - from schoolyard shenanigans to family meltdowns - the laughs now echo with a whole new rhythm.

And because toggling languages should be as fun as the show itself, Cartoon Network has dropped a cute tutorial video showing kids how to switch to isiZulu. Think of it as a mini adventure: click, toggle, boom, suddenly Gumball is speaking your language.

MultiChoice is currently embroiled in a carriage dispute with Warner Bros. Discovery affecting Cartoon Network and 11 other channels. As noted, they're at risk of possible termination on both DStv and GOtv platforms across Africa.

 

The Librarians: The Next Chapter Marks A Thrilling Return To Magic And Adventure, Premiering 4 January 2026 On Universal TV Across Africa

Universal TV (DStv 117) today announced that The Librarians: The Next Chapter will premiere on 4 January 2026 at 18:20 (CAT), with new episodes airing every Sunday in a double bill each week.

A spinoff of the hit series The Librarians, the new action-adventure drama delivers a fresh twist on the world of magical artifacts, daring missions, and secret knowledge. The story centres on a Librarian from the past who time-travels to the present - only to find himself stuck in a world he no longer recognises. When he visits his ancient castle, now transformed into a public museum, he inadvertently unleashes powerful magic across the continent. To make things right, he’s assigned a new team, setting the stage for a thrilling journey to recover rogue artifacts and restore balance to a world suddenly steeped in sorcery.

Starring Callum McGowan (Jamestown, Raven’s Hollow), Olivia Morris (Hotel Portofino, Rise Roar Revolt), Bluey Robinson (Cats, Britannia), Jessica Green (Roman Empire, The Outpost), and Caroline Loncq (No Offence, Nightflyers), The Librarians: The Next Chapter combines humour, heart, and high-stakes fantasy in a gripping 12-episode arc.

The series is executive produced by Dean Devlin, Marc Roskin, and Rachel Olschan-Wilson, the creative forces behind the original The Librarians and numerous fan-favourite genre hits.

Don't miss the magic when The Librarians: The Next Chapter premieres on 4 January at 18:20 on Universal TV, with back-to-back episodes every Sunday until 8 February 2026.