Blood and Water Season 3: Netflix release date, trailer, cast with Ama Qamata - will there be a Season 4?

Blood and Water, a popular South African teen drama, has recently returned to Netflix for its third season.

The series, which stars Ama Qamata and Khosi Ngema, follows a teenager trying to find her long-lost sister, set against a backdrop of elite private school swimming competitions.

Here’s everything you need to know about Blood and Water.

What’s it about?

Blood and Water follows Puleng Khumalo, a teenager whose sister was abducted at birth. When she crosses paths with Fikile Behle, a private-school swimming star at a party, she starts to suspect that Fiks might be her sister – so Puleng transfers to her elite private school to try and uncover lifelong secrets.

Netflix’s official synopsis for Blood and Water Season 3 – at which point the question of whether Puleng and Fikile are related has been solved, though we won’t spoil that here – reveals that things have become even more complicated for the Cape Town teens.

“As another year begins at Parkhurst, Puleng and Fiks search for a lost loved one — but their perseverance could be putting them in grave danger,” explains the synopsis. At the same time, the pair are about to turn 18, and the local authorities are starting to investigate the events of Series 2…

Who stars in Blood and Water?

Ama Qamata plays Puleng Khumalo, the Cape Town teenager whose sister was abducted. As well as appearing in Blood and Water, Qamata has previously starred in crime drama Gomorra, musical Rhythm City, and the sitcom My Perfect Family.

Khosi Ngema plays Fikile Bhele, the elite private school swimming star. Blood and Water is Ngema’s first screen role.

Gail Mabalane as Thandeka Khumalo, Puleng’s mother. You’ll likely recognise her from other high-profile South African dramas and soaps like The Wilds, Rockville, and The Road; she was also a finalist in the talent show Idols in 2010.

They’re joined by Thabang Molaba, Dillon Windvogel, Natasha Thahane, Arno Greeff, Greteli Fincham, and Mekaila Mathys amongst others.

Who writes and directs?

The series is directed by Nosipho Dumisa-Ngoasheng (Nommer 37), Thati Pele (Savage Beauty), and Mmabatho Montsho (Happiness Is a Four-letter Word), each of whom have also written episodes of the series. Nosipho Dumisa-Ngoasheng created Blood and Water.

They’re joined by writers Chinaka Iwunze (Looking for Love) and Daryne Joshua (Noem My Skollie). Joshua co-founded Gambit Films, the production company that makes Blood and Water.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, there is! You can watch it right here.

When and how can I watch Blood and Water?

You can watch Blood and Water on Netflix. All six episodes of Season 3 were made available as a boxset on Friday 25 November. Both Season 1 and Season 2 are also still available on the streaming platform, so you can rewatch it – or check it out for the first time – to your heart’s content.

How many episodes are there?

There are six episodes in Blood and Water Season 3, each of which are around 50 minutes long.

The first season was six episodes, and the second was seven, meaning that there are a total of 19 episodes of Blood and Water altogether.

Will there be a fourth season?

There’s been no official word from Netflix about Blood and Water Season 4 either way just yet, but when that information becomes available we’ll update this piece with all the relevant news.

Where is Blood and Water filmed?

Blood and Water is filmed in Cape Town, which is one of South Africa’s three capital cities. The University of Cape Town, in particular the Smuts Hall and Sarah Baartman Hall buildings, are the real-life location of the fictional Parkhurst College. Swimming pool scenes are Generations School in Somerset West.

The series also films in Cape Town City Hall, the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, Sea Point promenade, the Atlantic Seaboard, Durbanville, and Llandudno. Blood and Water is Netflix’s second South African production, arriving shortly after crime drama Queen Sono.

Why should I watch Blood and Water?

It’s one to check out if you enjoy this kind of high-intensity teen drama – as ever, Elite is the benchmark, so if you’re a fan of that you’ll probably quite like this.