If you enjoyed shows like Emily in Paris, And Just Like That, Gossip Girl, The Bold Type or Insecure, you will enjoy Single-ish.
The 13-part Kenyan drama is inspired by Mzansi’s Unmarried, with three women from Nairobi at the heart of the narrative.
The directing credits are shared between Robby Bresso and Insignia Productions’ Philippe Bresson and Grace Kahaki.
The show centres on three women who find themselves thrust into a world of unpredictability when it comes to relationships, whether they are in a committed one or exploring the dating world.
When situations snowball into utter chaos, they do what most BFF’s do – they rally together and have each other’s back.
Bresson said: “I think for the first time we are able to depict real life in an unfiltered way. To me this is real filmmaking when you are able to tell the story as it should be, so even as the viewer watches it, they will be surprised, shocked and will fall in love with how we tell the story.
“I don’t think there’s been any other show that has pushed the boundary in terms of women’s issues as we have.”
The drama also stars Brian Abajah, Michael Munyoki, Lucarelli Onyango, Mburu Kimani, Lenana Kariba, Dora Nyaboke and Jacky Kaboi.
Meet the protagonists below:
Sintamei (Gathoni Mutua)
At face value, Sintamei has a perfect life. Happily married to the man of her dreams for a decade, she is a distinguished lawyer.
Not only that, she is on the cusp of becoming a partner at her prestigious law firm. Everything seems to be on track for the over-achiever. But sometimes looks can be deceiving …
Mutua said: “Other than the fact that it’s a show about women, Single-ish has this chic yet nostalgic old-school girlfriends vibe that takes the drama a notch higher without feeling like the friendship will fall apart.”
Mariah (Minne Kariuki)
She’s a head-turner with expensive tastes. When you think of life goals, she delivers and then some. And she has no qualms about using her feminine wiles to get what she wants.
Of course, it isn’t as easy as she portrays and those struggles are explored with dramatic effect.
Kariuki said: “She is a modern-day slay queen who pretends to afford a lavish lifestyle and flaunts it all on social media because she wants to keep up with the trends.”
Rebecca (Faith Kibathi)
Her journey is different from her friends. Rebecca is a housewife and mother of two. She has been with her high school sweetheart for nine years.
And while they are in this domestic bubble of family life, they are not officially married.
As is par for the course in adulting, unspoken issues eventually become a bone of contention when they are not addressed.
That appears to be Rebecca’s dilemma.
Kibathi shared: “It’s an honour to get to play Rebecca as she explores motherhood and failures of her relationship.
“‘Single-ish is different because it's very relatable and has a touch of the actual dating experiences in Nairobi. It also shows the beauty of reliable female friendship especially when things get bad.”
‘Single-ish’ will stream on Showmax from January 20.