School is back in session with Prime Video's "Classified"

August 27, 2024

Courtesy: Prime Video

Classified is the fresh coming-of-age drama that debuted on Prime Video on August 22 and is currently streaming on Prime Video. The first season, with eight episodes, stars Imani Pullum as Ella, a rebellious teenager who is uprooted from her home in Oakland, California, and forced to move in with her estranged father in South Africa. As she navigates her new life in Johannesburg, she finds herself in a world of wealth, intrigue, and international espionage.

The series, with its vibrant blend of cultures and landscapes, is predominantly set in Johannesburg, South Africa. It originally launched on Netflix South Africa and made its US debut exclusively on Prime Video and Amazon Freevee.

The series features a diverse ensemble cast, including Christine Horn, Sule Rimi, Mila Rayne, Omhle Tshabalala, Nicola Nothnagel, Motshabi Chakane, Victor Makgati, Richard Lukunku, Kelly Damon, Luyanda Zwane, Shuwa, Paballo Koza, and Neels Clasen.

Courtesy: Prime Video

Classified is a promising series that sets it apart from its predecessors primarily because of the location. Very few series are set in South Africa where we see the country's rich cultural landscape and Classified more than delivers. It's a breath of fresh air where South Africa is often depicted in poverty; here, Johannesburg is allowed to thrive as Ella is thrust into a world filled with abundance - sprawling mansions, elite private schools, and rich kids whose parents are celebrities and politicians. In Ella's case, her stepmother is actually a CIA operative.

After being arrested at a protest and facing serious jail time, Ella avoids going to jail thanks to her stepmother, Dianne. Ella thinks she's simply visiting her father and step-family for a short stay, but when she realizes she was tricked, the spitfire teenager does everything possible to return to California to be with her ailing mom and friends but is thwarted at every turn. In a more serious series, it would have resulted in her demise, but thankfully, Classified does not take itself too seriously. At her elite school, she encounters colorful peers who have become her friends, allies, and frenemies, including the boy she's crushing on. Things get interesting when Dianne enlists her help to become an amateur spy to spy on one of her classmates. By the end of the first season, the situations she found herself in have forced her to see the world through a different lens, and her stay in Johannesburg may not be the worst thing after all.

Courtesy: Prime Video

With a healthy dose of teenage drama, including love triangles and school cliques, Classified offers a unique blend of lighthearted entertainment and suspenseful plot twists. The series does not shy away from international intrigue, keeping the anticipation firmly in place for a second season.

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Classified was created by Kagiso Lediga and produced by Skybound Galactic, a joint venture between Skybound Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television in partnership with Diprente. It is directed by Kagiso Lediga and is executive-produced by Lediga, Tamsin Andersson, Robert Kirkman, David Alpert, Rick Jacobs, Sean Furst, and Bryan Furst.

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Classified is currently streaming on Prime Video.