Sex scenes in television is nothing new but it seems South African television has only just caught onto the wave.
The past year has seen an influx of new and daring TV shows ranging from drama to comedy that everyone can enjoy.
Sex is an age-old theme in many films and TV series across the world - think the quintessential early 2000s coming-of-age series Sex and the City, Skins and more recent raunchy shows like Power, Euphoria and Ray Donovan.
But, it seems as if Mzansi’s production houses have not only jumped onto the wave in recent times but it’s clear they’ve been open to exploring the raunchy complexities of sexual intimacy onscreen.
New TV shows that have hit our screens like The Wife, Fatal Seduction and Outlaws have all dabbled in the art of sex and nudity to further the story or, in some cases, just add that extra bit of spice that could make even the most liberal of watchers clutch their pearls.
READ MORE | The rise of sexually explicit TV and intimacy coaching in SA – ‘They’re exactly like a fight scene’
Fatal Seduction castmates Lunathi Mampofu and Nat Ramabulana shared in a previous interview with TRUELOVE how they got to that level of comfort with one another to perform their sex scenes.
With the help of intimacy coordinators, Nat explains, “We had the first red scene, as they call them, in the show. Not the first one you see but the first one that was actually shot and we could speak about anything. I could say, ‘Lu, I’m nervous, you know, I feel a bit this way, I feel a bit that’.
“But the funny thing is that underlying all of that is this desire to tell it and do it as realistically and as properly as possible but be absolutely safe with each other.”
Since 2021, new protocols have been put in place – co-created by intimacy coach Kate Lush – to ensure safety and security of all involved, from the cast to the crew.
Let’s explore some of 2023’s raunchiest TV offerings:
Adulting
If you haven’t figured it out by the name yet, there’s no doubt that the ongoing drama series Adulting, centred around the lives of four best friends, has some steamy scenes for viewers to sink into – whether they like it or not.
Currently on its second season, the beginning of the series didn’t hold back as TV fanatics were bombarded by erotic scenes of Vuyo’s (played by Luthando ‘BU’ Mthembu) Ben 10 tendencies with powerful sugar mama Beth (played by Winnie Ntshaba).
Not to mention the intimacy of Bonga’s (played by Thembinkosi Mthembu) first serious relationship or Mpho’s (played by Thabiso Rammusi) cheating scandals with all sorts of women. While the reception of these scenes has been mixed, it has undoubtedly put some of Mzansi’s favourite actors in a steamier light.
Yoh! Christmas
On a lighter note, this comedy series starring Katlego Lebogang, Siv Ngesi, Ntobeko Sishi, Hlomla Dandala and more all stars gives a fun spin on the classic holiday-themed shows that come out this time of the year.
Single at 30 years old and under pressure from her family, Thando (played by Katlego Lebogang) lies to her family and pretends to have a boyfriend. Who can relate, right?
With 30 days to find her suitor, viewers get treated to an intimate scene between her and former Gomora star Ntobeko Sishi’s character that puts closeness and intimacy at the forefront of the steamy sex.
READ MORE | Actor Katlego Lebogang on her role on Netflix's Yoh! Christmas - ‘It was love at first read'
Fatal Seduction
In a series based on a Latin telenovela, it’s almost a given that a show titled Fatal Seduction would leave viewers with the sultriness that only fan-favourite actors Kgomotso Christopher and Thapelo Mokoena as well as stellar supporting castmates Lunathi Mampofu, Prince Grootboom and Nat Ramabulana.
From near-explicit scenes of Kgomotso and Prince’s toned bodies becoming one to Lunathi’s sex appeal coming to life in even steamier scenes, there’s nothing short of missing from this thriller series meant for mature audiences.
The Black Door
Described as raunchy, emotional and risqué, The Black Door is an adult drama telenovela that follows Khaya (played by Zamani Mbatha), a long-distance truck driver who dreams of owning his own fleet of buses with his brother Chuma (played by Thobani Nzuza), who works as a church deacon during the day and a sex worker by night.
As a series that tells the complex tales of sex workers and their daily lives, The Black Door is a dramatic and emotional adults-only story that certainly showcases the intricacies of intimacy.
Outlaws
This modern Western story with a South African spin on it follows two rival clans, the Zulu Biyela family and the Ts’elo family from Lesotho as they battle it out for what both sides presume is their rightful cattle herd.
In the series, Mnqobi Kunene plays Kwanele Dlamini whose love for Sihle Biyela (played by Nirvana Nokwe-Mseleku) goes back to when they were kids.
Westernised dramas aren’t exempt from the passionate scenes of lovemaking, as Kwanele and Sihle’s love is explored beyond emotional limitation.
