Last Thursday, the much-hyped Fifty television series made its debut on EbonyLife TV, complete with
trending chatter on Twitter and live online interaction with the stars of the show.
So, was it worth all the noise?
Coming on the back of a blockbuster movie – the highest-grossing Nollywood drama of all time and the
top film of 2015 – expectations were high for this series sequel. I’m happy to say that it did not
disappoint. Right from the opening scenes, I was intrigued to know the identity of Lizzie’s new (and very
young) husband. The other characters, Tola (Dakore Akande, Maria (Omoni Oboli) and Kate (Keira
Hewatch), all played a role in the buildup to this unusual matchup.
Before the wedding reception was over, we had witnessed scenes of drunkenness, flirting, derogatory
comments and marital quarrels, until the whole affair descended into chaos. Lizzie (Ireti Doyle) was
reacting to Tola’s pessimism about the longevity of her marriage, while trying to separate Tola and
Maria, who were fighting over the same man. A physical struggle erupted as Tola placed a curse on the
unborn child of Maria and Tola’s estranged husband, Kunle (Wale Ojo). Talk about an action-packed
opening!
The rest of the episode focused on building a storyline around Lizzie’s daughter, Sade (Uzor Osimkpa),
who is still smarting from her mother’s affair with her boyfriend. Finally, we’re left guessing who was the
victim of the dramatic car accident at the very end.
This first episode of Fifty was highly entertaining and left me wondering how the producers can possibly
keep this pace up. Your guess is as good as mine. One thing is certain – this is first-class television drama,
with high production values, a racy storyline and some of Nollywood’s best talent.
Fifty the series airs on Thursdays at 9.30pm WAT (10.30 CAT) on EbonyLife TV, DStv 165.
