Rating: 0/10 | Genre: Drama, Soap | Seasons: 1 | Episodes: 1 | Status: Returning Series
Starring: Gugu Gumede, S'Dumo Mtshali, Kwanele Mthethwa
So I just watched “The Polygamist” and I’m sitting here genuinely confused about what I’m supposed to think. The show has one episode on TMDB with a 0/10 rating, which should’ve been my first red flag. But the premise seemed juicy enough that I figured I’d give it a shot anyway. Spoiler alert: it’s a mess, but not always in the way you’d expect.
The core idea is actually pretty solid. Joyce is this social media influencer who’s built her whole brand around being the perfect wife. Her husband is cheating on her, and when it all blows up, she loses it. That’s the kind of drama that could work really well in a soap format. The problem is that the show doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be yet.
Season 1
Okay, so there’s only one episode out right now, which immediately tells you something about the state of this thing. The first episode throws you into Joyce’s world pretty abruptly. You get that she’s famous for being married and perfect. You get that her husband is trash. Then she has some kind of breakdown on social media or in public or something, and that’s where we leave off.
The problem is that nothing really lands emotionally. The pacing feels off. It’s like watching someone tell you a story but they keep skipping the parts that actually matter. You’re supposed to care about Joyce’s fall from grace, but we don’t spend enough time with her before everything falls apart. I couldn’t tell if I was supposed to sympathize with her or judge her or what.
Gugu Gumede is doing her best in the lead role. She’s got the look and the attitude down for someone playing a social media persona. But the writing doesn’t give her much to work with in this one episode. Her husband and the other cast members feel like background noise. They’re there, but they don’t feel real yet.
The whole thing has the vibe of a show that was rushed into production before anyone really figured out the story. Like someone had a cool premise and then just started filming without a clear plan for where this goes. It’s got that low-budget South African soap opera energy, which could be charming if the show was sure of itself. But it’s not.
I’m genuinely torn on whether to keep watching when more episodes drop. The rating is terrible for a reason, but sometimes shows find their footing. Is this worth keeping on your radar, or should you skip it entirely?
Episode Guide
Season 1 (1 Episodes)
Episode 1: First episode
unknown plot
Where to Watch
Streaming availability varies by region. Check your favorite streaming platform to see if this title is available in your country.