Back before I started my job here at ZAlebs, and in the early days of the Mzansi Magic drama, The Queen, I hastily referred to the show’s titular character as “a more gangster version of Karabo Moroka” and for that, I would like to apologize.
Now that the show has officially entered into it’s second season, scoring a viewership of 1.13 million (as per the July ABC figures) and has settled into a comfortable five-nights-a-week slot, I can clearly see that Harriet Khoza is a departure from Connie Ferguson’s Generations character, Karabo.
Yes, Harriet and Karabo are both beautiful (desired by the show’s most powerful men), they share a strong but understated elegance and they have a way of commanding most situations but where they differ is the emotion they invoke in their respective fan bases.
I don’t know about the rest of you but even though Harriet is technically the bad guy on the show (she killed Mzi, Mogapi and Jerry), I just never want to see her get into trouble! Although I was fond of Karabo’s character growing up, I never *stanned for her.
*stan (informal)
noun
1. an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity.
"he has millions of stans who are obsessed with him and call him a rap god"
verb
2. be an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity.
"y'all know I stan for Katy Perry, so I was excited to see the artwork for her upcoming album"
That uh-oh moment they had towards the end of the first season when they made it seem as though she committed suicide by jumping over her balcony gave me serious heart palpitations. But the fan in me chose to have hope that Harriet would survive yet again.
As season 2 provides an entirely new set of challenges for the Queen, I continue to hold on to the hope that she will somehow come out on top - but how long can that last…?
As much as she is “The Queen,” the laundry list of sins that she has committed are bound to catch up with her somehow.
Which is why the introduction of Gracious Mabuza (played by the incomparable Rami Chuene) is so worrying. The self-proclaimed “new Queen in town” is a credible threat to Harriet’s position as number one.
While Goodness was annoying thorn in Harriet’s side, her mother seems to be more of a formidable foe for The Queen.
We’re not worried that Kagi has defected. That boy was never loyal, nor does he have a good head on his shoulders. What worries us is the fact that Skhumbuzo has also defected to Gracious’ side. Now that, that has happened, who could be next?
I guess we’ll just have to remain glued to our screens in order to find out if Harriet gets out of this one as well as how she does it.
Well played Ferguson Films… Well. Played.
You might like to read: Actors whom we address by their character names
Main image credit: instagram.com/ferguson_films