Queen Sono

Queen Sono is a South African crime drama web television series created by Kagiso Lediga that premiered on Netflix on February 28, 2020.[1][1][2][3] The series stars Pearl Thusi, Vuyo Dabula, Sechaba Morojele, Chi Mhende, Loyiso Madinga, Rob Van Vuuren, Kate Liquorish, Khathu Ramabulana, Enhle Maphumulo, Abigail Kubeka, Connie Chiume, Otto Nobela and James Ngcobo.[2] It is Netflix's first African original series.[4][lower-alpha 1]

Queen Sono
Promotional release poster
Genre
Created byKagiso Lediga
Written by
  • Kagiso Lediga
  • Karabo Lediga
  • Camilo Saloojee
  • Christopher Steenkamp
  • Muzi Dlamini
Directed by
  • Kagiso Lediga
  • Tebogo Malope
Starring
  • Pearl Thusi
  • Vuyo Dabula
  • Sechaba Morojele
  • Chi Mhende
  • Loyiso Madinga
  • Rob Van Vuuren
  • Kate Liquorish
  • Khathu Ramabulana
  • Enhle Maphumulo
  • Abigail Kubeka
  • Connie Chiume
  • Otto Nobela
  • James Ngcobo
Theme music composer
Opening themeDisco Matanga
Composer(s)Zethu Mashika
Country of originSouth Africa, Congo, Nigeria, Zimbabwe
Original language(s)
  • English
  • French
  • Russian
  • Swahili
  • Afrikaans
  • Xhosa
  • Zulu
  • Pretoria Sotho
  • Shona
  • Yoruba
  • Xitsonga
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes6 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
  • Kagiso Lediga
  • Tamsin Andersson
CinematographyMotheo Moeng
Editor(s)
  • Melissa Parry S.A.G.E.
  • Gugu Sibandze S.A.G.E.
  • Khulekani Zondi
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time32–47 min
Production company(s)Diprente Films
Release
Original networkNetflix
Picture format4K (16:9 UHDTV)
Audio formatDolby Digital
Original releaseFebruary 28, 2020 (2020-02-28) –
present (present)
External links
Website

Upon release, it received positive reviews by critics, who praised the direction, cinematography, action sequences and the performances, especially Thusi, Dabula and Kubeka, and referred to it as a "smashing good time." On April 28, 2020, Netflix renewed the series for a second season.[5]

Synopsis

Queen Sono follows the story of a secret South African clandestine agent who tackles criminal operations while dealing with crises in her personal life.[6]

Cast and characters

Main
  • Pearl Thusi as Queen Sono, a field operative of the Special Operations Group (SOG) and daughter of Safiya Sono, a deceased anti-apartheid revolutionary leader and freedom fighter
  • Vuyo Dabula as Shandu Johnson Magwaza, an ex-SOG agent and Ekaterina's second-in-command
  • Sechaba Morojele as Dr. Sidwell Isaacs, Chief Director of the SOG
  • Chi Mhende as Miri Dube, Director General of the SOG
  • Loyiso Madinga as Frederique Kazadi, a former hacker and current lead field technician of the SOG
  • Rob Van Vuuren as Viljoen, a former SOG field agent, who later became an analyst after suffering a permanent impairment injury from a past covert operation
  • Kate Liquorish as Ekaterina Gromova, a high level security contractor and primary owner of the private military company Superior Solutions, as well as a Russian heiress to the Gromova crime family
  • Khathu Ramabulana as William Chakela, Queen's childhood friend and therapist
  • Enhle Maphumulo as Nova, William's girlfriend and a consultant at the World Bank
  • Abigail Kubeka as Mazet, Queen's paternal grandmother
  • Connie Chiume as Nana, Miri's mother and a key political advisor
  • Otto Nobela as Bula Bule, one of Ekaterina's mercenaries
  • James Ngcobo as President Malunga, a prominent South African political figurehead

Episodes

Season 1
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date [7]
1"I Am Queen Sono"Kagiso LedigaKagiso LedigaFebruary 28, 2020 (2020-02-28)
In Zanzibar, Queen Sono (an undercover secret agent) is tasked with obtaining data about a private arms company called Superior Solutions from one of its senior operatives. When the initial plan to hack the data fails due to signal blocking technology, Queen resorts to stealing the required intel manually and engages in a fight with law enforcement operatives after being compromised. She manages to escape using a decoy and, together with her partner Fred, travels back to South Africa to report to their seniors at the Special Operations Group (SOG). There, she learns about a new terrorist group calling themselves the Watu Wema who plan to liberate Africa. Queen later has her friend and therapist William write her a complementary psychological evaluation at the request of her boss Sid. On the anniversary of her mother Safia's assassination, Queen meets with her grandmother Mazet and the two of them visit Safia's grave where a desolate Queen refuses to talk with her mother. In Congo, the Watu Wema appear at a slave mine and kill the guards and superiors, granting freedom to the enslaved miners. Shandu, Queen's ex and a former SOG agent is revealed as the leader of the terrorist group. Queen later receives information that her mother's killer is going to be released on parole due to age and frailty. She later visits him in prison and forces him to tell her what happened on the day of Safia's assassination. His story about shooting Safia as she sat on a park bench is revealed to be a lie when Queen recalls the shooter being in a moving car when she was five years old; revealing that Queen was there when her mother was shot.
2"Dying Is Sore"Kagiso LedigaCamilo SaloojeeFebruary 28, 2020 (2020-02-28)
Queen Sono and Fred are assigned to a reconnaissance mission at Harare, Zimbabwe to investigate and collect information on Elton Davenport, who is later revealed to be Vitaly Gromov, a Russian heir to the Gromova crime family. Victor gets murdered by his own daughter by being smothered to death with a pillow
3"The Devil's Toys"Tebogo MalopeMuzi Dlamini & Karabo LedigaFebruary 28, 2020 (2020-02-28)
4"Rookie"Tebogo MalopeKarabo LedigaFebruary 28, 2020 (2020-02-28)
5"Sugar Water"Tebogo MalopeChristopher SteenkampFebruary 28, 2020 (2020-02-28)
6"State of Emergency"Kagiso LedigaKagiso LedigaFebruary 28, 2020 (2020-02-28)

Production

Development

On December 10, 2018, it was announced that Netflix had given the production a series order for a six-episode first season.[2][8] The series is created by Kagiso Lediga who is credited as an executive producer alongside Tamsin Andersson.[8][9][10][11][12] Lediga and Tebogo Malope will both direct the entirety of the first season.[2] Diprente Films will be involved in the production of the series.[8] The first season was released on February 28, 2020.[1][13] On April 28, 2020, the series was renewed by Netflix for a second season.[5]

Casting

Alongside the series order announcement, it was confirmed that Pearl Thusi would star in the lead role.[4][14][15][16] On June 11, 2019, it was announced Vuyo Dabula, Sechaba Morojele, Chi Mhende, Loyiso Madinga, Rob Van Vuuren, Kate Liquorish, Khathu Ramabulana, Enhle Maphumulo, Abigail Kubeka, Connie Chiume, Otto Nobelaand James Ngcobo had joined the cast.[2]

Filming

Principal photography for the first season was originally scheduled to commence in April 2019.[17] Filming for the first season took place on location in Johannesburg, South Africa, Lagos, Nigeria, Kenya and Zanzibar, Tanzania from June 2019 to August 2019.[2][18][19]

Release

On December 10, 2019, an announcement teaser trailer for the series was released by Netflix.[1] On January 30, 2020, Netflix released the official trailer for the series.[20][21]

Reception

The first season received positive reviews upon its release. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 91% approval rating with an average rating of 7/10 based on 11 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Queen Sono's twisty, taut thrills are matched with epic action sequences and soapy delights, making Netflix's first South African series a smashing good time."[22] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the first season a score of 70 out of 100 based on 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[23]

Notes
  1. Queen Sono was the first South African series commissioned by Netflix, but Shadow was streamed first on the service since Queen Sono later premiered on February 28, 2020.
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References
  1. Kriel, Zaid (December 10, 2019). "Queen Sono: First Teaser and Release Date Announced". IGN Africa. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  2. Isama, Antoinette (June 11, 2019). "Production for 'Queen Sono,' Netflix's First African Original Series, Is Underway". OkayAfrica. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  3. Kriel, Zaid (December 2, 2019). "Queen Sono: Netflix Takes the Hero Shot". IGN Africa. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  4. "First Netflix Original Series in Africa to star South African actress Pearl Thusi". Netflix Media Center. December 12, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  5. Kanter, Jake (April 28, 2020). "'Queen Sono': Netflix Renews Its First African Original Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  6. Vourlias, Christopher (December 10, 2018). "Netflix Orders 'Queen Sono,' Its First African Original Series". Variety. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  7. "Queen Sono – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  8. White, Peter (December 10, 2018). "'Quantico' Star Pearl Thusi To Lead 'Queen Sono', Netflix's First African Original Series". Deadline. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  9. Montgomery, Sarah Jasmine (December 11, 2018). "Netflix's 'Queen Sono' Will Be Its First Original South African Series". Complex. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  10. Buso, Oyama (February 10, 2019). "Kagiso Lediga speaks about Queen Sono – Africa's First Netflix Original Series". MSN Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  11. Turner, Bryan (November 19, 2019). "Behind the scenes of Netflix SA's Queen Sono". Gadget. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  12. Goldstuck, Arthur (December 18, 2019). "Netflix goes into overdrive in SA". Gadget. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  13. Winifred, Chisom (December 10, 2019). "Queen is coming: Queen Sono premieres February 28th, 2020". Glam Africa. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  14. Richford, Rhonda (December 12, 2018). "Netflix Orders First African Original Series 'Queen Sono'". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  15. Smith, Tymon (December 15, 2019). "I hope people enjoy watching a 'female badass' in action, says Pearl Thusi of 'Queen Sono'". TimesLive. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  16. Yohannes, Alamin (February 26, 2020). "Why you should watch Queen Sono, Netflix's first African original series". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  17. van Zyl, Gareth (February 12, 2019). "Hitting highs with movie hit Matwetwe: Meet director Kagiso Lediga". BizNews. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  18. Thusi, Pearl (August 6, 2019). "And just like that, season 1 is in the can. It done. It's over". Instagram. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  19. Engelbrecht, Leandra (November 18, 2019). "First look at Pearl Thusi and cast in Netflix African original 'Queen Sono'". Channel 24. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  20. "Full Trailer for Netflix's Queen Sono". IGN Africa. January 30, 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  21. Obenson, Tambay (January 30, 2020). "'Queen Sono' Trailer: Netflix's First African Original Series Stars a Jason Bourne-Like Heroine". IndieWire. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  22. "Queen Sono: Season 1 (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  23. "Queen Sono: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
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