Trackers (TV series)

Trackers is a South African crime thriller series produced by Scene 24, Three River Studios, Helle Media and Scribe Studios.[1] It is an adaptation of Deon Meyer's 2011 novel of the same name,[2] and it was adapted for television by Robert Thorogood, leading a team of South African writers.[3] It is the first co-production between South Africa pay-TV channel M-Net, HBO's sister network Cinemax and German public broadcaster ZDF.[4]

Trackers
GenreThriller
Crime
Drama
Based onTrackers
by Deon Meyer
Written byRobert Thorogood
Deon Meyer
Kelsey Egan
Amy Jephta
Jozua Malherbe
Rene van Rooyen
Directed byJyri Kähönen
Country of originSouth Africa
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes5 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)Jonathan Drake
Jan du Plessis
Wolfgang Feindt
Nkateko Mabaso
Steve Maher
Benjamin McGrath
Yolisa Pahle
Doris Schrenner
Allan Sperling
Tim Theron
Robert Thorogood
Cobus van den Berg
Anneke Villet
Kaye Ann Williams
Producer(s)Rebecca Fuller-Campbell
CinematographyIvan Strasburg
Editor(s)Markus van Schalkwyk
Melanie Jankes Golden
Tanja Hagen
Richard Starkey
Running time60 minutes (except for the first episode, which was 2 hours)
Production company(s)Scene24
Three River Studios
Helle Media, Scribe Studios
DistributorMultichoice
Naspers
DStvHBO
Release
Original networkM-Net
Showmax
Original release27 October 2019

Before the last episode aired, M-Net announced that Trackers was already their best-performing show of 2019.[5]

On April 17, 2020, it was announced that the series will premiere in the U.S. on June 5, 2020 on Cinemax.[6]

Cast

Main

Milla Strachan (Rolanda Marais)

A 40-year-old woman who finds the courage to leave her abusive husband, her resentful son and a life of luxury. She struggles to find work in a job market that has moved on. Her journalism degree secures her a research job as an analyst in a government agency.

Lemmer (James Gracie)

A former Special Forces member and ministerial bodyguard. Lemmer resides in Loxton (a small town in the Karoo) after a failed intelligence operation led to the termination of his employment. He focuses his time on fixing up an old house and resolving his anger issues.

Janina Mentz (Sandi Schultz)

The PBI (Presidential Bureau of Intelligence) director who diligently protects South African citizens. She was active in the country's liberation struggle and is against corruption and anyone who undermines the country's independence. An operational mistake in her past now threatens the future of her bureau.

Quinn Makebe (Thapelo Mokoena)

As COO of the PBI, Quinn is vying for Janina's position while working closely as her second-in-command. Even though he's considered clever, educated and ambitious, Janina questions his intentions.[7][8]

Flea van Jaarsveld (Trix Vivier)

An expert wildlife tracker with a checkered past.[9][10]

Additional

Diederick Brand (Deon Lotz)

A local businessman with criminal connections.

Barkatulla 'Baboo' Rayan (Kaseran Pillay)

A local man hosting the meeting in the Bo-Kaap between the terrorist cell and Al-Qaeda.

Suleiman Daoud (Emmanuel Castis)

The Allajna (The Committee)[11] representative and a known Islamic terrorist wanted by the PBI.

Shaheed Osman (Brendon Daniels)

The local terrorist cell leader planning the attack along with Hassan and Abdullah. He meets with Daoud as part of the plan to secure what is needed for their next target.

Hassan Hamadei (Stefan Erasmus)

A member of the terrorist cell along with Shaheed.

Abdullah Garba (Fabian Edeoye Lojede)

A member of the terrorist cell along with Shaheed.

Inkunzi Shabangu (Sisanda Henna)

A local criminal hired by Shaheed to hijack the truck.

Lucas Becker (Ed Stoppard)

Becker is a CIA operative on a covert mission.

Ismail Daniels (Adrian Alper)

A PBI confidential informant, who first notifies Quinn Makebe of the terrorist plot.

Episodes
No.TitleOriginal air date
1"Episode 1"27 October 2019 (2019-10-27)
Ismail, a police informant, reveals information to his handler about a radical Islamist plot which results in his public execution by the terrorists. Quinn Makebe and his task force begin surveillance on the main suspect, 'Baboo' Rayan. Quinn's director, Janina Mentz, receives news that the PBI is likely to be shut down following an incident involving the President of South Africa. Milla Strachan, a trained journalist, is hired by the PBI to help research and deliver reports on activities likely to harm the Republic. Meanwhile, Lemmer undertakes a new mission near the border where he meets the enigmatic Flea. Lemmer finally discovers his mission is to safely transport two illegally imported Black Rhinos to Diederick Brand, but Flea is hiding a bigger secret. Milla reports a link between Baboo Rayan and Inkunzi Shabangu which takes the investigation in a new direction.
2"Episode 2"3 November 2019 (2019-11-03)
Director Mentz learns the President felt embarrassed at a summit of other world leaders, during a security incident of which she was in charge. She hopes the new intel on the Islamic terrorists might yet save the PBI. Milla tries to reach out to her son, whom she misses. She arranges to meet him but her husband also turns up to ridicule her on her decision to leave him. The truck carrying the black rhinos is hijacked by Inkunzi demanding the diamonds on the truck. During the ambush, the driver is killed but Lemmer and Flea manage to escape. The diamonds are payment from the local terrorist cell to Allajna for an attack targeting a friendly soccer match between the United States and South Africa. Lemmer confronts Diederick who denies knowledge about the diamonds. Discovering Flea has left, Lemmer goes after her as she took his pistol with which the gang killed the truck driver. She also took the diamonds from fake horns on the black rhinos. Milla's expertise uncovers another link in the chain that leads the PBI straight to Diederick and one step closer to Shabangu. Newly arrived CIA operative, Lucas Becker, is the victim of a carjacking.
3"Episode 3"10 November 2019 (2019-11-10)
TBA
4"Episode 4"17 November 2019 (2019-11-17)
TBA
5"Episode 5"24 November 2019 (2019-11-24)
TBA

References
  1. Clarke, Stewart; Clarke, Stewart (2018-12-04). "TV Adaptation of Deon Meyer's 'Trackers' Set as Africa-Germany Co-Production". Variety. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  2. "Deon Meyer's Trackers". www.deonmeyer.com. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  3. Clarke, Stewart; Clarke, Stewart (Dec 4, 2018). "TV Adaptation of Deon Meyer's 'Trackers' Set as Africa-Germany Co-Production". Retrieved Jan 26, 2020.
  4. "HBO's sister network Cinemax picks up M-Net's new local drama series". FilmContact.com. 2019-06-17. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  5. Reporter, T. M. O. (Nov 20, 2019). "Trailblazing Trackers is M-Net's top-performing show for 2019". Retrieved Jan 26, 2020.
  6. "Drama Series "Trackers" Debuts June 5, Exclusively on Cinemax". The Futon Critic. April 17, 2020.
  7. Morkel, Graye (2019-10-25). "Deon Meyer's 'Trackers' hits M-Net this weekend and here's everything he told us about what to expect!". Channel. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  8. SAPeople (2019-10-18). "Who's Who in Deon Meyer's New Series TRACKERS". SAPeople - Your Worldwide South African Community. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  9. Morkel, Graye (2019-10-25). "Deon Meyer's 'Trackers' hits M-Net this weekend and here's everything he told us about what to expect!". Channel. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  10. SAPeople (2019-10-18). "Who's Who in Deon Meyer's New Series TRACKERS". SAPeople - Your Worldwide South African Community. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  11. https://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/the-meaning-of/arabic-word-45977a0069ac63c74a99bc2e35ab2c016b44e175.html
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