Blood and Water is a popular South African teen drama series that premiered on Netflix in May 2020. The show centers around Puleng Khumalo, a 16-year-old who transfers to an elite private school in search of her sister who was abducted at birth. Over the course of two seasons, Blood and Water has garnered a passionate fanbase who are eager to know if the show will be renewed for a third season.
In this comprehensive article, we’ll analyze Blood and Water’s viewership and popularity, examine what the cast and creators have said about season 3, look at Netflix’s history with renewing shows, and outline what fans can expect from a potential third season of Blood and Water.
Overview of Blood and Water
Before speculating about a third season, let’s provide some background on the show for those unfamiliar with Blood and Water.
As mentioned, the show revolves around Puleng Khumalo, a intelligent teen who transfers to the prestigious Parkhurst College in search of her abducted sister Thandeka. Early in life, Puleng learns that she had a sister who was abducted at birth by the hospital nurse Grace. Obsessed with finding her biological sister, Puleng maneuvers her way into Parkhurst college, which Thandeka attends.
At Parkhurst, Puleng pretends to be someone she’s not in order to infiltrate the popular crowd and get closer to star swimmer Fikile Bhele, who she suspects may be her sister. Puleng also develops crushes, friendships, and rivalries with her diverse new classmates.
Season 1 focuses on Puleng’s first year at Parkhurst as she hunts for answers about Thandeka. By the finale, Puleng finally comes face-to-face with her suspected sister. Season 2 picks up with Puleng having proven Fikile is not actually Thandeka. But the mystery continues as Puleng keeps investigating who her real sister might be.
Across both seasons, Blood and Water has earned praise for its acting, diverse cast, addictive mystery, and compelling teen drama. Now fans are eager to continue Puleng’s journey in a potential third season.
Popularity and Viewership of Blood and Water
An important factor in Netflix’s renewal decisions is a show’s popularity and viewership. So how has Blood and Water performed in these areas?
Netflix is notoriously secretive about its viewing data, rarely releasing concrete numbers. However, we can still assess the show’s popularity through social media engagement and reviews.
On Instagram, the main Blood and Water account has over 230,000 followers, indicating a strong degree of fan interest. And hashtag tracking shows over 270 million views for #BloodAndWater on TikTok – a massive amount.
Critically, both seasons have scored a 100% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences have ranked the show at 89% for season 1 and 95% for season 2 – extremely high ratings.
In online discussions, fans regularly praise the show’s binge-worthy drama, complex characters, and resonant themes about identity and sisterhood.
Based on these engagement metrics and reviews, it’s clear Blood and Water has built up a sizeable, passionately invested fanbase who crave more seasons.
Netflix Top 10 Rankings
Perhaps the clearest sign of Blood and Water’s popularity is its performance on Netflix’s own daily Top 10 rankings.
When Season 1 debuted in May 2020, it ranked at #1 on Netflix’s lists for South Africa and Nigeria for several days. It remained in the Top 10 across Africa for over 3 weeks.
Season 2 followed similar patterns after premiering in September 2021. It immediately hit #1 in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya, and lasted on the Top 10 in Africa for its first 14 days.
This data shows Blood and Water has been a runaway hit in Africa, dominating viewing upon each season’s launch.
Internationally, both seasonshave secured Top 10 spots in territories like France, the UK, the US, Brazil, and the Caribbean as well.
Netflix cares deeply about these rankings, as they directly measure a show’s popularity amongst subscribers. Blood and Water’s strong Top 10 performance bodes well for its renewal odds.
What the Cast and Creators Have Said
Have the cast or creators of Blood and Water hinted at plans for Season 3? Let’s explore what they’ve said in recent interviews.
Nosipho Dumisa (Creator)
In an interview with IOL in September 2021, creator Nosipho Dumisa said “We always imagined it as a three-season show.” This indicates she has a three-season arc mapped out for the characters.
Dumisa also mentioned planning to focus more on Puleng’s inner psychology in future seasons. This suggests Neliseka herself may have additional insight into Puleng’s season 3 journey.
Ama Qamata (Puleng)
Series lead Ama Qamata has enthusiastically expressed her hopes for a third season across interviews.
Speaking to Teen Vogue in September 2021, Qamata said “I’m crossing my fingers and toes that we get a third season…I’m not even halfway done with Puleng’s story.”
She reiterated these sentiments to The Voice Online, saying Puleng still has a long way to go in her development. Qamata is clearly invested in continuing to portray this complex character.
Khosi Ngema (Fikile)
In an interview with IOL, Khosi Ngema stated: “I would love to explore Fikile more in season 3.” She feels Fikile has more to give, and wants to expand on her family background and swimming career.
Overall, the cast seems enthusiastic about and committed to producing another season. They feel their characters have unfinished arcs and room to grow.
Will Netflix Renew Blood and Water for Season 3?
Netflix has yet to officially renew Blood and Water past season 2. However, analyzing Netflix’s tendencies with other shows can provide insight into the likelihood of a Season 3 pickup.
Factors Netflix Considers for Renewal
Some of the key factors Netflix weighs when deciding whether to renew a show include:
- Viewership – How many people actively streamed the latest season?
- Completion rates – What percentage of viewers completed the entire season?
- Critical reception – Was the season well-reviewed?
- Cultural impact – Did the show have online buzz or influence popular culture?
- Production costs – Is the show expensive to make compared to viewership?
- Awards/nominations – Did the show get recognized by major awards?
As we’ve covered, Blood and Water scores highly on viewership, completion, and critical reception. It has also made strong inroads culturally in Africa. On the negative side, the show hasn’t yet earned major award nominations.
Netflix Cancellation Patterns
If a Netflix original series makes it to a third season, it has a very high chance of continuing further. The streamer rarely cancels shows after Season 3 once they’re established hits.
However, securing that initial Season 3 renewal is the biggest hurdle. Netflix often cancels shows after just one or two seasons if they fail to garner large enough audiences quickly.
Since Blood and Water has already reached 2 seasons, it has passed that initial vulnerability period when many shows get cut. Its odds for Season 3 are better than a brand new series.
Prediction
Given Blood and Water’s strong Africa-centric viewership, predominantly positive reviews, and cultural buzz, I predict Netflix will renew it for a third season.
The creators clearly have plans for continuing the story. And Netflix knows the show has a fervent fanbase who will be ecstatic about a renewal. After two well-received seasons, Blood and Water seems poised to get at least one more chapter.
What to Expect from Blood and Water Season 3
If greenlit, what storylines and themes can fans expect from a third season of Blood and Water?
The Search for Thandeka Continues
Blood and Water revolves around Puleng’s quest to find her abducted biological sister, Thandeka. That central mystery still hasn’t been resolved after two seasons.
Creator Nosipho Dumisa has said the show is planned for three seasons. So season 3 would likely be the culmination of Puleng’s investigation into Thandeka’s whereabouts.
With Fikile ruled out as her sister, Puleng will have to expand the search elsewhere. Perhaps she’ll finally uncover definitive answers about Thandeka. The resolved or unresolved fate of Thandeka seems set to drive much of season 3.
New Friends and Relationships
Over two seasons, Puleng has developed complex relationships with her Parkhurst classmates like Wade, Fikile, Reece, and Julius. Season 3 would continue evolving these bonds.
Romantically, Puleng may finally have to choose between Wade and Julius. Their tense love triangle was left unresolved in season 2. Puleng could also form surprising new connections at school.
Friendship-wise, Puleng may get closer to Fikile after learning they aren’t sisters. But her rivalries with Reece and later Tahira would likely continue boiling over.
Family Dynamics
Family relationships are the heart of Blood and Water. Season 3 could further explore Puleng’s parents, birth mother, and potentially even meet Thandeka’s adoptive family.
Puleng’s bond with her father Leeroy fractured in season 2 due to his gambling addiction. Mending that strain could be a central storyline.
We may also learn who Puleng’s birth father is. Her birth mother refused to reveal him when they finally met in season 2. Uncovering Puleng’s full biological background alongside Thandeka’s would round out the show’s themes of identity.
After Graduation
The youngest Parkhurst students will be reaching graduation age in season 3. So the show would deal with their looming college choices and how growing up changes their relationships.
Season 3 may incorporate a time jump to show the characters navigating young adulthood after high school. Flash forwards could reveal who stays close, drifts apart, dates who, and ends up where.
The mystery of Thandeka will likely still be the core story. But the character’s coming-of-age journeys could similarly reach a culmination or transition point.
Conclusion
In summary, a third season of Blood and Water seems probable based on the show’s popularity, positive reviews, and creator plans. Fans can likely expect Puleng’s sister mystery to inch towards a resolution while she navigates shifting Parkhurst relationships and family issues. Graduation and growing up will loom large for the teen characters. While not yet confirmed, Season 3 seems a likely and enticing possibility to expand this nuanced South African drama.
