 | This articlecontainspromotional content. Please helpimprove it by removingpromotional language and inappropriateexternal links, and by adding encyclopedic text written from aneutral point of view.(January 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Queen Sono | |
|---|---|
 Promotional release poster | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Kagiso Lediga |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Theme music composer |
|
| Opening theme | Disco Matanga |
| Composer | Zethu Mashika |
| Country of origin | South Africa |
| Original languages |
|
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Cinematography | Motheo Moeng |
| Editors |
|
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 32–47 min |
| Production company | Diprente Films |
| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | 28 February 2020 (2020-02-28) |
Queen Sono is a South Africancrime drama television series created byKagiso Lediga that premiered onNetflix on February 28, 2020.[1][2][3] The series starsPearl 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 and features Mario Diederiks.[2] It isNetflix's first African original series.[4][a]
Upon release, it received positive reviews by critics, who praised the direction,cinematography, action sequences and performances. On April 28, 2020, Netflix renewed the series for a second season.[5] However, on November 26, 2020, it was reported that Netflix had cancelled the series because of the production challenges brought on by theCOVID-19 pandemic.[6]
Queen Sono follows the story of a secretSouth African clandestine agent who tackles criminal operations while dealing with crises in her personal life.[7]
Queen Sono (Pearl Thusi)
A seasonedfield operative of the Special Operations Group (SOG) and daughter of Safiya Sono (Lady Skollie), a deceased South Africananti-apartheid revolutionary leader andfreedom fighter. As a young orphan, Queen struggled to comprehend the mystery surrounding her mother's assassination case. Years later, she is recruited by the SOG, a South African intelligence agency. Determined to find the answers she seeks, she continues to investigate her family's past and uncover the identity of the true culprit responsible for her mother's death.
Shandu Johnson Magwaza (Vuyo Dabula)
An ex-SOG spy and thesecond-in-command for the Gromova crime family, led by Ekaterina Gromova. Shandu had a past relationship with Queen during their field days and before he left the agency.
Dr. Sidwell Isaacs (Sechaba Morojele)
As Chief Director of the SOG, Dr. Sidwell Isaacs heads the agency, with its mission statement being to protect the security and welfare of all African citizens across the continent, by thwarting any future threats that could undermine their country's independence and growth. Currently, his work relationship with Queen is quite fraught owing to a lack of trust, evident by his withholding of pertinent intel that would shed the light on the real truth surrounding Safiya's murder case.
Miri Dube (Chi Mhende)
As Director General of the SOG, Miri is a target-oriented, no-nonsense, and ambitious senior officer tasked with overseeing Queen's performance on the field during debriefings. Although she sympathizes with Queen's difficult past, she is often at odds with the agent due to their differing approaches to handling covert missions.
Frederique Kazadi (Loyiso Madinga)
A formerhacker and current lead fieldtechnician for the SOG. Fred assists Queen with her missions by monitoring her location and providing tech support on fieldthe .
Viljoen (Rob van Vuuren)
A former SOG field agent who later became ananalyst after suffering a permanent impairment injury from a pastcovert operation. He is on friendly terms with Queen.
Ekaterina Gromova (Kate Liquorish)
A high-level security contractor and primary owner of theprivate military company Superior Solutions, as well as aRussianheiress to the Gromovacrime family. During her formative years, Ekaterine was never treated with respect by her family members. Often derided by her father, she was consistently pushed aside in favor of her brother Vitaly Gromova, who was later poised to take control of the Gromova empire. After her father's death, she plans to take charge of the family oligarch and exploit various opportunities to position Super Solutions as a leading military contractor within the African continent.
William Chakela (Khathu Ramabulana)
As the Queen's most trusted confidant, William also acts as her on-calltherapist. As a longtimechildhood friend, he is one of the few people, she tries to protect and will listen to.
Nova (Enhle Maphumulo)
William's girlfriend, who works as aconsultant at theWorld Bank.
Mazet (Abigail Kubeka)
She is Queen's paternal grandmother.
Nana (Connie Chiume)
Miri's mother, who is a prominent South African keypolitical advisor.
President Malunga (James Ngcobo)
A South African politician, who was investigated for corruption in his earlier days asDeputy President of South Africa.
Bula Bule (Otto Nobela)
A representative of the rebel group Watu Wema and one of Ekaterina's mercenaries.
Hendrikus's Cousin With Beard (Mario Diederiks)
A cousin of the murderer (Hendrikus) who assassinated Queen's mother - Safiya Sono
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date [8] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "I Am Queen Sono" | Kagiso Lediga | Kagiso Lediga | February 28, 2020 (2020-2-28) | |
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 Lediga | Camilo Saloojee | February 28, 2020 (2020-2-28) | |
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 Gromova, his father, gets murdered by his own daughter by being smothered to death in his hospital bed. | |||||
| 3 | "The Devil's Toys" | Tebogo Malope | Muzi Dlamini & Karabo Lediga | February 28, 2020 (2020-2-28) | |
| 4 | "Rookie" | Tebogo Malope | Karabo Lediga | February 28, 2020 (2020-2-28) | |
| 5 | "Sugar Water" | Tebogo Malope | Christopher Steenkamp | February 28, 2020 (2020-2-28) | |
| 6 | "State of Emergency" | Kagiso Lediga | Kagiso Lediga | February 28, 2020 (2020-2-28) | |
On December 10, 2018, it was announced thatNetflix had given the production a series order for a six-episode first season.[2][9]The series is created byKagiso Lediga who is credited as anexecutive producer alongside Tamsin Andersson.[9][10][11][12][13] Lediga and Tebogo Malope directed the entirety of the first season.[2] Diprente Films was involved in the production of the series.[9] The first season was released on February 28, 2020.[1][14] On April 28, 2020, the series was renewed by Netflix for a second season.[5] It was reported on November 26, 2020 that the show had been cancelled, the complications of the pandemic having led to cost increases and difficulty scheduling production.[6][15]
Alongside the series order announcement, it was confirmed thatPearl Thusi would star in the lead role.[4][16][17][18] On June 11, 2019, it was announcedVuyo 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]
Principal photography for the first season was originally scheduled to commence in April 2019.[19] Filming for the first season took placeon location inJohannesburg,South Africa,Lagos,Nigeria;Kenya andZanzibar,Tanzania from June 2019 to August 2019.[2][20][21]
On December 10, 2019, an announcementteaser trailer for the series was released by Netflix.[1] On January 30, 2020, Netflix released the officialtrailer for the series.[22][23]
The first season received positive reviews upon its release. Thereview aggregator websiteRotten 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."[24]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.[25]
