Black & Blue, a new Kenyan police mockumentary series, is set to premiere on Showmax on 6 November.
The series follows police officers at a pilot station who welcome a civilian OCS (Officer Commanding Station) enlisted by the Kenya Police in a bold attempt to rebrand themselves and better appeal to the public with new police reforms. This new OCS brings a unique civilian perspective to policing, turning things upside down at the station. A documentary team is hired to follow them and document the process, but inadvertently reveals the shenanigans the police get up to behind the scenes as they grapple with adjusting to the new reforms.
Kalasha winner Gitura Kamau (Lusala) stars as the charismatic OCS. The talented ensemble cast includes Lydia Gitachu (Kina), Kalasha winner Annstella Karimi (Baba Twins, Sue na Jonnie), Collins Koyo (Asha), Hillary Wamiti (Sense8), Andrew Ng’ang’a (Escape from Mogadishu), Dennis Mutisya (Varshita, Shanga), Mwajuma Belle (Poacher, The Call), and Lawrence Kimani (Varshita, Njoro wa Uba).
Shot in the comedic and stylistic vein of shows like The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Parks and Recreation, Black & Blue is produced by Yare Picture Studio, and helmed by Abdi Shuria and King Muriuki (directors of Showmax series Igiza and Faithless).
“The idea for Black & Blue came to me as I reflected on my numerous interactions with the Kenyan police, which, in the past, have not always been positive,” says Shuria. “I have always believed that where there is tragedy, there is also humour. For me, humour is cathartic – it’s like a stress relief. I asked myself, ‘How can I take these negative experiences and inject humour into them as a tool to explore, discuss, and entertain?’ The mockumentary format allowed us to explore the world of Kenyan policing in a lighthearted and entertaining way, while still shedding light on everyday topics.”
Watch trailer:
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