TURNING a bestselling novel into a TV series is no easy task.
But Barkers Media believes it has done just that with Critical But Stable, the new Mzansi Magic drama based on Angela Makholwa’s popular novel.
The 13-part series, which premiered on Sunday, 26 July, promises viewers a gripping story of friendship, betrayal, marriage and the difficult choices people make when life pushes them into a corner.
It stars Fortune Thobejane, Lawrence Maleka, and Batsile Ramasodi.
Speaking to Daily Sun, Barkers Media co-founders Reneilwe Sema and Mpho Lengane said adapting the novel meant reimagining the story while staying true to what made readers fall in love with it.
Reneilwe said viewers can expect an emotional rollercoaster.
“The viewers can expect a thrilling and emotional ride as they follow four different men who made a decision to commit a crime out of desperation.
The story focuses on long-term marriages, family and love as that one decision creates a fallout that our characters have to deal with while maintaining their lives and the façade of being in control.
— she said.
She said the series blends different genres, including thriller, humour, romance and action.
“We also wanted to ask an important question: what really sustains a long-term marriage? Is it money or honesty, accountability and commitment? Those are conversations we believe will resonate with South Africans.”
Although Angela’s novel is told mainly from the women’s perspective, the TV adaptation shifts the spotlight to the men.
Reneilwe said the change happened during the development process.
“We debated where the true heart of the story lay: with the women, the men or the jazz club that brought them together. The strongest creative conversations emerged when we began exploring the emotional lives of the men.
“We wanted to examine how honestly men speak to one another about marriage, fear, failure and vulnerability. That gave us a fresher and more layered way into the story,” she said.
The adaptation also introduces an insurance scam that was not part of the original novel.
Reneilwe said this was done to make the series stand out.
“There was another series that was incredibly similar to the book, so we needed to pivot. We added thriller elements such as the insurance scam to keep our adaptation fresh and distinct while keeping the soul of the book,” she said.
Angela remained closely involved throughout the production, from development and writing to casting and post-production.
“We worked with Angela through every step of the adaptation process. Her understanding of the characters, the story and the themes contained in the book were pivotal,” Reneilwe said.
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“Her greatest contribution was ensuring that, even as we expanded the story for television, the characters remained emotionally truthful, and the spirit of the novel was never lost.”
For Mpho, the goal was never to recreate the novel page by page.
Our responsibility wasn’t to recreate the book scene by scene. It was to honour what readers loved while creating a television experience that feels emotionally richer, visually compelling and capable of sustaining audiences over 13 episodes.
— he said.
He said Critical But Stable continues Barkers Media’s mission of telling authentic South African stories.
“Whether we’re producing scripted drama, narrative reality or feature films, our goal is always to create stories that spark conversation while reflecting the richness and complexity of African lives,” Mpho said.
The producers hope the series will also get viewers talking about masculinity, relationships and emotional vulnerability.
“We hope viewers will question whether men feel safe enough to be vulnerable with their friends and their wives, and whether financial stability can truly resolve emotional problems in a marriage.
“The series asks whether marriage creates space for people to evolve or whether a successful marriage is built on honesty, grace and the willingness to grow together,” Mpho added.
