South African Soap 'Summertide' to Debut on Acorn TV

It is a truth I hope to live long enough to see Netflix acknowledge, that weekly release series are far superior to binge drops. For one thing, it allows viewers to savor each episode as it arrives, rather than rushing to get to the finale at 1.5x speed or something similar. It also enables critics to discuss each episode in turn, giving the show vital marketing momentum to build impact across the entertainment landscape and giving audiences time to discover the show through word of mouth.

That's why, despite the current trend of short seasons and long waits in between, one of Acorn TV's most successful offerings is the Canadian Murdoch Mysteries, which runs weekly with 20+ episodes a season, arriving like clockwork every fall on the CBC. (The series also airs on Ovation, but only for cable subscribers, a shrinking viewership.)

As we've noted before, Acorn TV is one of AMC Networks' two successful niche streaming services (the other being horror-focused Shudder), and has been seeking another hit show that fits the Murdoch mold. To that end, it is bringing over the new South African soap opera Summertide, a family drama that debuted in 2024 and currently has 50 episodes as of this writing. (The series' first season ends in a couple of weeks, and will stand at 52 installments all told.) Acorn TV has scooped up the entirety of Season 1 and will debut the soap at the end of July 2025, just as the second season gets underway in its home country.