How To Ruin Christmas

How To Ruin Christmas is a spirited yet comical drama series that made its debut on Netflix in 2020. The series hails from South Africa, adding a unique cultural richness to the global landscape of Netflix originals. As the title suggests, the show combines the fervor of the Christmas season with light-hearted humor and intense familial drama, providing an engaging mixture of delightful festive cheer, comedy, and riveting human stories.

The storyline revolves around the character Tumi Sello, an unconventional protagonist, infamous within her family for her uncanny ability to spoil things. She is the quintessential black sheep, a rebel and adept troublemaker. Tumi's reputation takes on an entirely new dimension when she finds herself inadvertently wrecking her sister's Christmas wedding.

As the events unfold, Tumi's homecoming after a long absence doesn't exactly go as planned. Rather than making up for lost time and mending ties with her family, she ends up deepening the rifts, irresolutely navigating missteps and dealing with catastrophic and comedic misadventures. Over three captivating episodes, viewers are led through a narrative intertwined with mishap, familial tensions, and emotional moments.

The drama unfolds within the vibrant backdrop of the holiday season, creating a contemporary African Christmas story that is both endearing and entertaining. While Tumi is at the heart of the plot, the show also delves into the dynamics of the Sello family, unveiling secrets, multiple layers of relationships and the nuances of a family with its fair share of issues.

Filled with warmth, wit, and a touch of chaos, How To Ruin Christmas plays out over the course of the holiday season. With every episode, viewers get to know varied characters, all with their distinct charterers, quirks, and flaws. From the pleasingly chaotic festive preparations and authentic African holiday traditions to the laugh-out-loud moments and tender sequences of emotional depth, the series captures the essence of family gatherings during the holiday season in all its glory and complexity.

The traditional Christmas elements – time spent with family, love, generosity, forgiveness, and hope – are intelligently woven into the fabric of the show. This is a Christmas like none other, equipped with laughs, tears, drama, and the added buzz of a wedding. At the core of the series though is a story about family, identity and belonging.

Created by the dynamic South African team of Rethabile and Katleho Ramaphakela, How to Ruin Christmas offers viewers a vibrant celebration of South African culture infused with universal emotions and situations that any family, regardless of culture, can identify with.

From an artistic standpoint, the show is of exceptional quality. The cinematography is beautiful with a vivacious color palette that complements the effervescent spirit of Christmas and the vibrant South African culture. The on-screen performances by the mainly South African cast are praiseworthy, breathing life into the characters and contributing to the overall authentic feel of the show. Particularly noteworthy is the performance of Busi Lurayi, who portrays Tumi with remarkable charm and relatability, winning hearts despite her character's frequent missteps.

In addition to its comical tenor, the show touches upon a range of serious themes such as societal expectations, the pressures of success, and the oftentimes complicated relationships between parents and their children. These themes not only deepen the plot but also allow the viewers to draw parallels with their lives, making the show relatable.

To conclude, How To Ruin Christmas is a delightful South African addition to the holiday genre on Netflix. With its potent mix of family drama, holiday cheer, comedy, and a dash of romance, the series appeals to a wide audience. Whether you're someone who enjoys humorous plots, or a potential viewer who relishes intricate family dynamics amidst the joy and wonder of Christmas, this three-part mini-series is sure to be an engaging watch.