Every season of Jacob's Cross ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best seasons of Jacob's Cross!

This epic South African story takes the form of a riveting drama series about one man’s quest to build the next great African empire. A gripping exploration of African identity, legacy and belonging – the story centres around Jacob Makhubu, the son of a South African mother and Nigerian father. Jacob is a high powered executive in a Nigerian-owned oil company based in Johannesburg, who longs for New York’s more worldly pleasures. Unexpectedly, Jacob inherits the family business empire and an African dream when his boss and benefactor reveals himself to be his father.

Episode 1

Folake discovers her brother in Chief Abayomi’s room and suspects the worst. Jacob avoids all contact with his South African family and breaks up with Lerato, while Prospero tries his best to bring Jacob’s mind back to their issues at  work. Thembi tells Jacob the truth about her time in Nigeria. Jacob and Thembi fetch Andile from prison and take him back home to his wife. Lerato insists on speaking to Jacob, but Jacob won’t talk to her. Folake shares her concerns about Bola with Jacob.

Episode 2

Lerato tells Jacob that she wants to keep the baby. Jacob feels pressure from all sides as Thembi asks him to attend a memorial unveiling for his father (Luyanda). Chief Abayomi questions Jacob’s loyalty to Prospero and Prospero finds himself on the receiving end of another energy bid offer. Jacob decides to give Lerato a chance. Jacob makes an announcement that hurts his mother. Thembi pays a visit to Chief Abayomi. Prospero offers Andile a job on one of his plants.

Episode 3

Lerato and Andile struggle to share Jacob’s flat and attention. Prospero challenges Jacob’s family loyalty to his two fathers. Bola pays an unexpected visit to Johannesburg, forcing Folake and Jacob to protect their father again. Jacob becomes more dependant on Andile than he ever expected. Thembi tries to build a relationship with her new daughter-in-law, while Lerato stamps her authority in Jacob’s life. Jacob finds himself spending time with his old love, Zanele. Busi and Andile work hard to recover their family life and Jacob and Lerato go house-hunting. Chief Abayomi offers Jacob yet another position of great stature and power. Bola is determined to find his elusive father.

Episode 4

Folake arrives at the Chief’s safe house to discover it in a shambles. Bola has managed to track down and exact revenge on his father.Folake and Jacob both know Bola had a hand in their father’s murder, but now they must convince the police of their suspicions. Thembi blames herself for Jacob’s loss and Lerato is more and more frustrated about Jacob’s distance from her and their baby. Meanwhile, Folake and Prospero find themselves drawn closer to each other. Folake and Jacob fly to Lagos and the power struggle between Jacob and Bola begins.

Episode 5

As Bola cements his control in Lagos, Folake and Jacob realise they must pick their moment to fight for the Aboyami power that is rightly theirs. Folake convinces Jacob to return to Joburg, while she remains in Nigeria. The question of their father’s burial hangs over each of the siblings’ heads.  Back in Joburg, Mokoena is still trying to solve the mystery of Chief Aboyami’s body disappearing from the police mortuary and Jacob finds himself once again bumping into Zanele. Lerato, meanwhile, feels neglected and makes up for it by taking control of Jacob’s flat. Prospero is in negotiations to better his business and oil prospects, while his relationship with Folake grows. Folake and Jacob begin their battle to contest Bola’s refusal of their father’s will

Episode 6

Folake struggles to come to terms with Prospero’s betrayal, which causes a rift within the normally unshakeable friendship of Prospero and Jacob. Bola strengthens his proposal with Prospero. Jacob’s preoccupation takes its toll further on his relationship with Lerato as he finds himself pushing away everyone close to him. Thembi warns him to make amends with Andile. Despite his tense relationships with his family, Jacob and Zanele are drawn closer and closer together. Folake calls for her father’s body to be exhumed as she is not happy with his undignified burial. Jacob and his half-sister realise they are going to have to start playing by Bola’s rules if they are going to save the Aboyami empire.

Episode 7

Feeling the pressure of his Nigerian and South African interests, Jacob has the added burden of his pregnant wife, who has been rushed to hospital. Folake informs Jacob that she must fight the battle on her own in Lagos, despite his concerns for her safety. Zanele tells Jacob that they must put their history behind them and move on. Despite all these other concerns, Jacob is also focused on getting a good deal for his mother’s record album. Andile is still torn between his loyalty to Jacob and his new job with Prospero – Jacob’s best friend and betrayer. Jacob’s tension at work and his renewed relationship with Zanele drives a greater wedge between him and his wife. Lerato begins to get suspicious of his late nights. Back in Lagos, Folake finally makes a break through in her battle against Bola, but her brother will not give up easily.

Episode 8

Lerato meets Thembi in the hospital waiting room and tells her that Jacob was shot in their driveway. Jacob is operated on successfully and, while in recovery, tells Andile to guard Lerato and Joe. Lerato questions Andile about Jacob’s attack, he claims it’s a hijacking but they are both sceptical. Folake flies in early from Lagos to check on Jacob and tells him the good news -  NNPC approved the Abayomi bid for the new offshore concession. Andile convinces Jacob to let him station men outside his house to guard Joe and Lerato. Bigelow meets with Bola in a Lagos hotel where Bola is now living – Bola wants African oil acreage. Zanele visits Jacob in hospital.. Thembi questions him of her suspicions that he is having an affair, Jacob admits to it but says that it’s over. Lerato’s friend tells her Jacob has been seen out with Zanele – Lerato is furious. She confronts Jacob about Zanele; she threatens to leave, he promises it is  over. Jacob sleeps with Zanele again.

Episode 9

Jacob confesses to Lerato about Zanele again. Andile approaches Jacob about being an investor in his security firm, Jacob agrees. At the hearing Jacob is questioned about the lack of SA investment in his venture, Jacob has insufficient answers. Jacob asks Zanele to intervene with Ambrose; she is appalled by his lack of ethics and refuses. Folake tells Jacob about a kidnapping and murder at their oil site in Nigeria. This has completely shut down production, Folake suspects Bola is responsible. Lerato asks Jacob to put in a good word for her on job interview at Mnet – as a presenter. Moses question UK expert, there was one small incident for concern with plant in Iran but he will keep it quiet. Jacob reconciles with Lerato after he helps her at the SABC with her talk show. Glenda overhears Folake complaining to Jacob about her, she sells them out to Prospero – Jacob’s UK expert is discredited at the hearing thanks to Glenda’s info. Glenda has now defected to Prospero’s organization.

Episode 10

Jacob confronts Glenda bout her betrayal; he tells her Prospero is unstable.  Prospero preemptively celebrates with his team, but they are skeptical about Jacob’s defeat. Lerato wants to protect herself should Jacob betray her again, she talks to Jacob about the division of assets if they should divorce. Folake flies to Lagos immediately to mediate the oil site debacle, they will have to replace all the crew that has quit. Andile visits Prospero’s offices and surreptitiously steals his laptop. Folake finds one of the kidnappers and questions him; he admits that Bigelow hired him. Ambrose is worried about records on Prospero’s stolen laptop – that there have been private dealing between him and Prospero. Jacob discovers these on the laptop and gives the evidence to his contact on the hearing board.  Prospero accuses Andile of stealing the laptop and threatens Jacob’s family and Andile reacts violently. Folake confronts Bola.

Episode 11

Prospero tell Glenda her position has been negated by the loss of the gas consortium and fires her. Ambrose’s relationship with Prospero is exposed in the media. Lerato goes away on a two-night shoot for her show. Ambrose accuses Jacob of exposing him; Jacob denies it and refuses to speak to the media. Glenda asks Jacob for her job back but he declines. Bola is under official scrutiny. Jacob realizes that his affair with Zanele was symptomatic of not being committed to Lerato. He is in love with Zanele, who does not want to be responsible for his marriage falling apart,  he leaves Lerato anyway.  Bola comes to Johannesburg under a false passport, he wants Jacob. The NPA seize Prospero’s files and assets – he is under heavy investigation for trying to bribe a minister. Jacob gets a new apartment and Andile’s business is taking off. Jacob reconnects with Zanele. Prospero, high on coke and very angry over the investigation, attacks Jacob with a golf club but Jacob escapes unharmed.

Episode 12

During the divorce proceedings Lerato gets the house but won't give Jacob joint custody rights over Joe. Prospero and Ambrose have fabricated a legal document that might exonerate them, it completely bends the law.

Episode 13

Lerato and Jacob are distraught about the kidnapping of baby Joe. Bola has gone into hiding with baby Joe.  Jacob turns to Prospero who leads them to Bola's hotel, but they don't find him. Bola gets Bigelow to hide him, and Bigelow "sells" Bola to Jacob however, Bola leaves the hideout before Jacob gets there. Bola takes Jacob's family hostage, but Andile has the antidote.

Jacob and Bola have a showdown. Bola hands over the baby and runs from the police. Thembi confronts Jacob on Andile's safety. Bigelow takes Bola to Prospero. Jacob tries to reconcile with Lerato. Lerato is offered her own TV show. Bola wakes up to find Jacob at by his bedside.

Jacob tries to broker peace via Olufemi, she rejects him. Lerato does her first TV show. Jacob meets with the family to seek support but is rejected. Lerato finally breaks down about baby Joe's Kidnapping. Jacob dons the robes of chief and shocks the family with a decision.

Olufemi is suspicious of Jacob's offer and the Abayomi uncles are furious. Jacob explains his actions to Folake, Prospero and Andile. The offer is accepted. Lerato's show is a hit. Folake criticizes Jacob's deal. Jacob asks Andile to stay in Lagos. Bola calls Bigelow to Lagos, vengeance will be his. Jacob returns home to try and save his marriage.

Jacob faces a difficult decision. He must choose between his best friend and his ideals. Finally, Jacob and Lerato have a heart to heart; is what they learn about each other going to strengthen their relationship or tear them apart?

In the face of Bola's gross exploitation of the Abayomi Oil Fields Jacob's plans to outmaneuver his half-brother. Bola uses violent methods to uncover Jacob's weaknesses. Prospero suffers punishment and pleasure at the hands of the beautiful French investor, Marie.

A fire rages at one of the Abayomi Hotels. A dark discovery is made about the Abayomi business. Bola launches a propaganda campaign to blacken Jacob's name. Busi worries about the safety of her husband and is determined to visit him in Lagos whilst he and Jacob play Bola at his own game.

Andile has been kidnapped in the Delta; who has captured Andile and why? A suspicious Thembi confronts Zanele about her pregnancy. Busi refuses to leave Nigeria without her husband. Bola arranges a rescue mission for Andile's release however, Andile chooses to accept the assistance of the IFF instead. Jacob strikes a deal that will lead him back into his rightful place on the Abayomi throne.

Bola is furious about Jacob's connection to the IFF. Prospero is in love. Zanele confronts Jacob who is reeling from discovering Ambrose's connection to the power deal. Lerato is planning a honeymoon with the entire family. Tragedy strikes.

Prospero mourns Marie's death. Jacob asks Andile to investigate but Andile creates a dead end. Lerato accompanies Jacob to Nigeria where he receives a welcome support from an influential quarter. Bola, infuriated by this support is determined to hurt Jacob. Prospero warns Jacob of the dangers of being associated with terrorists. Zanele and Ambrose send out wedding invitations.

The Media slams Jacob's links with terrorists and speculates on his nuclear connection. Ambrose rejects Thembi's plea for help, instead he calls for Jacob's dismissal from the power station. Lerato offers Jacob support with her TV show while Bola gloats at Jacob's imminent downfall. Andile and Dafe attempt to rescue the remaining hostages.

Bola cannot meet the monthly oil payment to the family trust. Ambrose is exposed by the media. Kau fires Ambrose and turns to Thembi for forgiveness but she rejects him. Lerato is devastated by harsh words from Zanele. Prospero receives damning information that could lead to Bola's demise but could also take down Abayomi's oil. Jacob discovers Andile's hidden secret about Mari's death.

Bola has called an emergency meeting of the family, claiming to expose Jacob. Zanele is in hospital fighting for her life. The Abayomi family make Jacob a formidable offer, but Jacob has a trump card. When the family has to vote there is a huge surprise for everyone. Will Jacob be ousted from Abayomi? This is the final episode of the season.

A recap into the Abayomi's family, Jacob trying by all means to keep the family business afloat whilst also protecting his family and friends from power hungry enemies. Meanwhile Bola's need for power is still causing havoc amongst his family.

Femi emerges from the chaos and smoke with a badly wounded child in his arms. Lerato is devastated by the violence and is once again forced to weigh the safety of her family against Jacob's dream. Chichi and Femi continue to see each other romantically despite her father's disapproval.

The series revolves around South African born businessman Jacob Makhubu Abayomi, a son of an ANC stalwart who finds that his biological father is actually a Nigerian tribal chief. Jacob's subsequent desire to build an African oil and gas business empire in the shadow of both of his fathers is set against the backdrop of family feuds and betrayals.

The Best Seasons of Jacob's Cross

The Best Seasons of Jacob's Cross

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8