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Boutique hôtel
This funny African TV show from Cote d’Ivoire is set in a small posh hotel from the capital city.
The series tells the adventures of a new hotel manager, her colorful staff, and the eccentric hotel guests that come and go.
The synopsis
Lola, an Ivorian repatriate, accepts to take over as the hotel manager after her mother decides to step down.
When she takes over, the hotel is a disaster. The service is subpar. The guests are not happy.
The series shows how Lola tries to navigate her new role. She has to convince the staff to accept and respect her. But, she also has to be tough to make sure the business is profitable while pleasing her quirky guests and their extravagant demands.
There are gold diggers hoping to meet rich men, the philanderer who invites all his girlfriends one after the other to the hotel, the not-so-famous football player. And many more.
The characters
Lola: She’s the new hotel manager. She comes with her new fresh ideas that don’t always make her staff happy.
The three front desk workers, Nicky, Laeticia, and Vanessa: They’re the gossip queens. They know everyone’s business. And they don’t hesitate to share their unsolicited advice with anyone that comes through the hotel doors.
Anatole, the Maitre d’H: in his own words, Anatole’s sole mission is to collect as many tips as he can from the guests.
Seraphin, the hotel chief financial officer: He’s the O.G who’s not too happy to see new management come. He sees Lola as an outsider, trying to force her “white people’ ideas on the Ivorian staff. He likes things as they are, and finds that change usually costs too much money.
Olivier, the barman: He’s excited to see change come as long as it doesn’t mean too much work.
Rousteing, the bellboy/ chauffeur: All he wants is to become famous or meet famous people.
Miss Julie the gold digger: She’s a regular guest. She has designer bags, designer shoes, but an empty bank account. She’s always on the look for the next rich guy who’s gonna make her rich and famous.
What I love about the show
This African TV show is hilarious, quirky, and colorful. It reminds me of the classic Ivorian shows like Ma Famille, but with a fresher tone. It’s definitely geared toward a millennial audience. And I’m here for it!
You can catch it on YouTube, in French with English subtitles.
African culture through the lenses of Senegalese women: Maîtresse d’un homme marié
This African TV show hailing from Senegal was the biggest surprise for me! I know, I am late for the party. The show has been super popular in the last couple of years in West Africa.
I heard of this show for the first time in 2020 and I decided to check it out. After watching the first episode, I had planned to come back to it but never did until a couple of months ago when researching for this blog post. It took me 3 or 4 episodes to get into it. But, booooy! Now that I am into it, this show is addicting!
If you want to see African women kicking ass and taking names DESPITE the toxic men and toxic families in their lives, this TV show is for you. If you are tired of the old cliché of cheating African men, you may have a hard time getting into it. But don’t let the first episodes deter you. This show is the bomb!
The characters
My favorite character is hands down Dialika! She’s the quieter storm that keeps taking the blows again and again until she explodes and reveals her strength.
She is closely followed by Racky. Racky has been abused as a child and as a result has built emotional walls around herself, refusing anyone to get close to her.
You also have Lalla, the beautiful wise woman, Mareme the fiery mistress, Dior the single lady who loves her independence, and Mamie, the powerful marketing manager who is conflicted about her desire for independence and her feelings for an older married man.
What I love about the show
Again, it’s another African TV series that talks about topics that are taboo in African cultures, like marital rape, incest, the non-desire of having children, and mental health.
I honestly could have done without Birame the creep. But you got to give it to the actor playing the character for being as believable as the villain you love to hate. He’s really good!
What I love about this African TV show is to see strong African women being successful in their professional lives as entrepreneurs or managers, living their full lives, and supporting each other.
I love the amazing fashion — for women AND men by the way. I love that the show is mostly in Wollof – unapologetically.
I love that it showcases African culture, specifically the Senegalese culture; its quirks and its beauty but also its imperfections.
I also love seeing everyday life in Dakar and the beautiful shots of the city. You’ll want to move there!
So check out this show. It will make you miss the continent and crave moving to Africa! It’s available on YouTube for free, in Wollof, with French subtitles.
