By now, The Girl From St Agnes has the country talking. The murder mystery series is a collaboration between SA's award-winning Quizzical Pictures and Showmax.
After getting to preview the first episode ahead of its release, I was absolutely buzzing to dig into Showmax's first original drama. The 8-episode season drops us straight into the story as we're faced with a school where everyone has something to hide.
The Girl From St Agnes Plot Image supplied. The story follows drama teacher Kate Ballard as she struggles to come to terms with the death of one of her students, Lexi Summerveld. Kate soon finds that the upmarket school is not what it seems.
Police declare Lexi's death a tragic accident, but Kate believes something far more sinister is playing out behind the scenes. The more she investigates, the more Kate realises that she didn't really know Lexi - or the other students and teachers - at all.
Image supplied She sets out on a journey to uncover the truth and exposes far more than she hoped to find. During the course of the investigation, the secrets of the students and the staff emerge slowly.
Lexi plays a central part in the dramas of the school, and her death becomes a catalyst for exposing the many individual misdeeds among staff and students. St Agnes isn't just a place where an unfortunate event happened, it's a place where tragedies play out continually.
Dark themes intertwined with social concerns Image supplied The Girl From St Agnes centres around themes such as misogyny, teenage sexuality, identity, rape culture, sexual assault and bullying. It shares a glimpse into the life of a South African teenager, albeit a privileged one who attends an exclusive boarding school.
One of the producers, Harriet Gavshon, said it's a universal story set in an environment that's recognisable to an international audience, even though some things are very peculiar to South Africa.
Growing up in the age of social media Image supplied The show flings us headlong into the lived experience of modern teenagers as they deal with the timeless pressures to perform academically, on the sports field, and navigate the complex social hierarchy at St Agnes.
Social media features heavily during the show. For anyone who didn't go to school during the social media age, it's a timely reminder of how much more is at stake for children today when every misstep can be instantly broadcast to the world and remain there indefinitely.
Multifaceted characters Image supplied Head writer, Gillian Breslin, describes the cast as magic and lightning in a bottle. She feels that everything that was in her head is on that screen and then more, thanks to the extraordinary cast. The characters are layered, and we're often caught feeling empathy for characters who in other contexts we may despise.
Breslin promised that she'd done everything to make us understand how difficult these girls have it and to do her best to make their actions as honest as possible. She doesn't disappoint, and the scenes in the school and around the sportsfield certainly ring true.
At the helm is Nina Milner in the role of Kate Ballard, and Jane De Wet as Lexi Summerveld. Milner drives the story forward, her character naively searching for the truth. Her expressive portrayal of Ballard as she deals with her own personal problems and doggedly searches for an answer is critical to the binge-worthiness of the show.
Image supplied Milner makes us care about the story, and all the while carries the suspense as we realise along with her that St Agnes is not a simple story of good and evil.
Jane De Wet makes the most of her screen time as Lexi, though if I was going to have any complaints, I'd say that perhaps her motives could have been more deeply explored.
That said, the show's storyline focuses on the events following her death. Shamillah Miller and Paige Bonnin perform admirably as they show some of the more toxic elements of modern school life.
Image supplied Overwhelming reaction from viewers Even before its release, the trailer was viewed more than two million times on various platforms. After its release, the show broke a vital record.
In the first 24 hours, the number of unique viewers exceeds that of the previous record holder: Showmax Original Tali's Wedding Diary.
It certainly delivers and packs a punch Overall, the show is beautifully shot with the highland fog adding a dreamy foreboding element to a lot of the scenes. A Gothic atmosphere, if you will.
Image supplied The Girl From St Agnes is being compared to Netflix's Elite and 13 Reasons Why. While there are similarities, I feel that's a lazy comparison to make.
If we are going to draw comparisons, then The Girl From St Agnes resembles European series such as the masterful Tabula Rasa and spine-chilling Dark more than its American counterparts - visually and in tone.
The strong production values and a beautifully curated soundtrack make for an incredibly immersive experience that will definitely leave you watching just one more episode to see how the show reveal the many secrets of St Agnes.
Watch: The Girl From St Agnes Trailer Additional information
Season: One.
Run time: 52 min/episode.
Genre: Drama, Mystery.
Tagline: At St Agnes, the only saint is in the name.
Language: English (South African)
Production Co: Quizzical Pictures
Head writer: Gillian Breslin
Directed by: Catherin Cooke, Cindy Lee
Cast
Nina Milner as Kate Ballard, drama teacher
Graham Hopkins as Chris Whittaker, school Principal
Robert Hobbs as Gary Clayton, father and businessman
Jane De Wet as Lexi Summerveld, the murdered student
Paige Bonnin as Meghan Clayton, a student at St Agnes
Shamilla Miller as Jenna Galloway, a student at St. Agnes
Tristan de Beer as Jason Clayton, a stud
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
28/01/2026
Top L-R: The Liars, Jazz Infernal, Living with a Visionary
Second Row L-R: Paper Trail, The Baddest Speechwriter of All, Crisis Actor
Third Row: The Boys and ...
28/01/2026
Music discovery should feel intuitive and personal. That's why we're continuing to give you more control, so you can ask for what you want, shape what y...
28/01/2026
Today, Charlie Hellman, Spotify's Head of Music, shared the following note on the Spotify for Artists blog that the company paid out more than $11 billion t...
28/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in partnership with the Oudtshoorn Municipality, invites aspiring and emerging filmmakers to apply for the Sediba...
28/01/2026
As demand for more complex live sports coverage grows, Balkan broadcast specialist MVP has upgraded its flagship HD1 progressive OB truck with the installation ...
28/01/2026
Airlines, cruise and tour operators double down on ad spend as Australians' prioritise travel
Sydney January 28, 2026 - New Nielsen Ad Intel data shows a...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
Marshall Electronics launches the CV420-27X, its next-generation ultra-high-definition (UHD) IP camera, at ISE 2026 (Stand 4N900). Engineered for modern IP-base...
28/01/2026
Grass Valley has announced that Television Mobiles Ltd. (TVM), one of Europe's leading independent outside broadcast providers, has carried out a major refu...
28/01/2026
AI, graphics and virtual software power new production capabilities
FOR-A is bringing remarkable new technologies to FOMEX, the Future of Media Exhibition (ex...
28/01/2026
Continuing a longstanding collaboration, Riedel Communications and Nordic media technology company Media Tailor have once again joined forces to deliver a state...
28/01/2026
Pebble has appointed Paul Nagle-Smith as vice president for customer fulfilment, strengthening its senior leadership focus on customer delivery and operational ...
28/01/2026
Cloud playout solutions provider, Veset has announced that leading Mexican broadcaster, TV Azteca is using Veset Nimbus on AWS as a disaster recovery (DR) playo...
28/01/2026
Ensuring it can keep pace with a rapidly evolving live sports market, Balkan broadcast facility provider MVP Most Valuable Production has upgraded its flags...
28/01/2026
Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), the cloud solutions provider that powers and protects life online, and Yospace, the leader in dynamic ad insertion tec...
28/01/2026
The renowned Reykjavik City Theatre (RCT) recently underwent a major intercom system upgrade using Clear-Com solutions. This milestone project utilizes Clear-C...
28/01/2026
Luxembourg, January 26, 2026 - SES S.A. ( SES or the Company ), a leading space solutions company, acknowledges the credit rating action announced by Fitch to...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
28 01 2026 - Media release Screen Australia refreshes Market & Audience approach...
28/01/2026
Boston Conservatory Orchestra Premieres a New Piano Concerto by Peter and Leonar...
28/01/2026
28 Jan 2026
VEON Notes Kyivstar Group Publication of Selected Full Year 2025 Fi...
28/01/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to host 2026 edition of its online event Demystifying EMC Rohde & Schwarz invites the global EMC community to join a crucial discussion on pre...
28/01/2026
Back to All News
The Wait Is Over: Teaser Trailer Drops for Jo Nesbo's Dete...
28/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Announces a Fictional Miniseries Inspired by the Marta del Castillo Case
Entertainment
28 January 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to ...
28/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Announces Santiago Mitres New Film Starring Ver nica L...
28/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the Teaser Trailer for Berlin and the Lady wit...
28/01/2026
Stadtwerke Wolfhagen Modernize Customer Management with AEP.energysuite from Arv...
27/01/2026
Click for Japanese version
Tokyo, Japan - January 27, 2026 - Akamai Technolo...
27/01/2026
L-R: Jonathan Cuchacovich, Sonia Kennebeck, Alan Fischer, Daeil Kim, Andrew Sta...
27/01/2026
Today, Spotify is proud to support our partner Backline, an industry-leading men...
27/01/2026
With nearly 29 million monthly listeners and clear momentum on Spotify, Net n Ve...
27/01/2026
January 14, 2026
We are proud to share that 25 Ontario, First Gulf's commercial project located just two minutes from our head office, has been recognized ...
27/01/2026
January 22, 2026
First Gulf is excited to share that a full-building lease has been secured at 625 Bronte Rd in Oakville, part of Bronte Station Business Park,...
27/01/2026
January 23, 2026
First Gulf continues to demonstrate its commitment to high-performance, sustainable real estate with 351 King Street East achieving BOMA BEST ...
27/01/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
27/01/2026
Nielsen will continue to drive growth and provide local audience measurement
in...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Amagi Media Labs Limited, the only cloud-native SaaS provider offering end-to-end solutions across live production, content preparation, distribution, and monet...
27/01/2026
Miri Technologies Inc. today unveiled its V410 live 4K video encoder/decoder for streaming, IP-based production workflows and AV-over-IP distribution. Designed ...
27/01/2026
The Paul E. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Massachusetts has chosen Ikegami cameras for incorporation into its broadcast-quality television production facili...
By now, The Girl From St Agnes has the country talking. The murder mystery series is a collaboration between SA's award-winning Quizzical Pictures and Showmax. 
