There was a time when being asked what kind of television you liked came with a straightforward answer: drama, comedy, reality, crime or sport. But South African viewers are increasingly refusing to fit into just one box.
One night, you might be trying to solve a murder mystery before the detective does. The next, you could be shouting answers at the television during a quiz show, judging an entrepreneur’s business pitch or arguing with friends about who is hiding behind a mask.
New data suggests that this increasingly flexible approach to television is becoming a defining part of how South Africans consume entertainment.
GWI data covering the third quarter of 2025 to the second quarter of 2026 shows that 47.8% of South African internet users say they prefer comedy, while 45% prefer action, 36% thriller and 35.7% drama.
Because audiences can choose multiple genres, the figures point to significant overlap rather than separate groups of comedy, drama or thriller viewers. The same person can enjoy all four.
We are becoming mood viewers
The data suggests that audiences are moving between genres depending on their mood, the occasion and how much they want to engage with what is happening on screen.
That makes the traditional idea of having a single “type” of television viewer increasingly difficult to maintain. James Forrest, BBC Studios’ Head of Programming for South Africa, says audiences are moving more freely between genres.
“We’re seeing audiences move much more fluidly between genres than they did previously,” he says.
Forrest says the common factor is not necessarily what audiences are watching, but how they are engaging with it.
“Viewers increasingly want programmes that invite them to participate, react and share opinions,” he says.
That distinction is important because watching television is no longer necessarily a passive experience. Viewers want something to solve, debate, judge or share.
The shift is also happening across formats. The GWI data shows that 55% of South African internet users watch short-form video such as Reels or TikTok every day or most days, while 50% watched comedy, meme or viral content during the previous week.
It paints a picture of an audience moving constantly between different types of entertainment.
We don’t just watch the mystery, we try to solve it
Crime and mystery programmes are a good example of this participatory viewing experience.
A good murder mystery can turn viewers into amateur detectives. Suddenly, every suspicious glance matters, every overlooked detail becomes evidence and everyone has a theory about who is responsible.
BBC BRIT’s dedicated Monday and Tuesday crime and mystery nights demonstrate the continued appeal of appointment viewing within the genre.
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Programmes such as The Art Detectives, Death Valley and A Taste for Murder offer different settings and storytelling styles while maintaining the familiar appeal of trying to solve the puzzle before the detective does.
The enjoyment is partly in being involved in the investigation, even when your carefully constructed theory turns out to be completely wrong.
The same instinct appears in entertainment and competition formats.
Quiz shows allow viewers to test themselves against contestants, while programmes such as The Chase can turn the couch into a makeshift game-show podium. Viewers can answer along, keep their own imaginary score and take pride in knowing an answer that a contestant misses.
Would I Lie To You? creates another kind of challenge, with audiences deciding who is telling the truth and who is bluffing.
Dragon’s Den similarly turns viewers into armchair investors, allowing them to form opinions about an entrepreneur’s pitch, business model and valuation before the Dragons reveal their own views.
And then there’s the WhatsApp group
The television experience increasingly extends beyond the screen.
In South Africa, programmes can generate reactions in WhatsApp groups, social media feeds and workplace conversations long after an episode ends.
The television becomes the starting point for a much bigger conversation.
Few shows demonstrate this social side of viewing better than The Masked Singer, which asks audiences to decode clues, recognise voices and develop theories about the identities behind the costumes.
It is the kind of programme that can prompt the inevitable message to the group chat: “Guys, I actually know who it is this time.”
The theory may seem completely convincing at 8.15pm and be abandoned by 8.40pm. But that speculation is part of the fun.
The same social dynamic can be seen in competitions such as Strictly Come Dancing, where audiences develop favourites, debate judges’ scores and become invested in contestants’ journeys.
Television has always given people something to talk about. What has changed is how quickly that conversation can move beyond the programme itself.
The audience keeps moving and television is following
The growing overlap between genres does not mean viewers have stopped having preferences. Instead, it suggests that those preferences are more fluid.
The same person can want a mystery that keeps them guessing one night, something funny enough to send to a friend the next, and a competition that leaves them unexpectedly invested in another person’s journey.
Broadcasters are responding by offering a wider mix of genres while retaining familiar viewing occasions that audiences recognise and return to. BBC BRIT’s line-up reflects this approach, moving between crime and mystery, quizzes, games and major entertainment formats.
Ultimately, the data points to a viewer who wants more than something to simply watch. They want something to do. Sometimes that means solving a mystery. Sometimes it means testing your knowledge from the sofa. Sometimes it means judging a business pitch, choosing a favourite contestant or arguing with your friends about who is behind the mask. The genre may change depending on the mood.
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- GWI data from Q3 2025 to Q2 2026 shows 47.8% of South African internet users prefer comedy, 45% action, 36% thriller, and 35.7% drama, with significant overlap in genre preferences.
- South African audiences are increasingly "mood viewers," moving fluidly between genres depending on mood, occasion, and engagement level.
- Viewers want participatory and interactive experiences, engaging in programs that invite them to solve, debate, judge, or share opinions.
- Crime and mystery shows like BBC BRIT's Monday and Tuesday line-up attract viewers who enjoy solving puzzles before detectives do.
- TV programs such as The Masked Singer and Strictly Come Dancing stimulate social interactions on platforms like WhatsApp and social media, extending the viewing experience beyond the screen.
