Five Reasons New BET Original Drama Pound 4 Pound Packs a Punch
The South African show is a socially relevant show that touches on timely themes and issues.
Poster for BET Original Drama Pound 4 Pound
Pound 4 Pound, the South African TV show that aired locally last year, will premiere on BET in the U.S. on February 26. The 13-episode series centers on the trials of Lindiwe Mkhwanazi, the COO of South Africa's Boxing Federation, as she prematurely registers an all-women's team for a Boxing Championship in Lagos, Nigeria.
Without the federation's support, Mkhwanazi (Enhle Mbali) navigates brazen misogyny to prepare a grossly underfunded team for the championship. The main plot weaves several themes into the show's myriad of stories and characters, including loss, trauma, resilience, and transformation.
The U.S. premiere of Pound 4 Pound is notable and loaded with potential, as African-produced shows rarely reach audiences beyond the continent outside of streaming platforms. Beyond the novelty, Pound 4 Pound offers strong reasons to watch if you're in the U.S. Here are five of them:
A plot that centers around women's sports
Women's sports are undervalued globally, and in Africa, they are often overlooked. This is due to ultra-conservative values that keep women's issues on the back burner. Pound 4 Pound explores this little-portrayed side of African sports, weaving in the mountainous hurdles that female athletes and administrators face on the continent. Last year's Olympics gave us some examples; Pound 4 Pound goes beyond the headlines to excavate a fraction of the messiness, making it as much a socially relevant drama as it is a sports series.
Enhle Mbali in the lead role
It's not an overstatement to deem Mbali as an OG. The veteran South African actress has been in the spotlight for two decades, starring in iconic soaps and TV shows. For those unfamiliar, Mbali's innate elegance will give Lindiwe Mkhwanazi her magnetic quality. From the trailer and clips on YouTube, her commanding essence is already evident, as are glimpses of vulnerability, which help with the stakes of the show.
A front row seat to South African youth culture
An accusation that can never be leveled against South African shows is a lack of authenticity. Pound 4 Pound is rooted, especially as it concerns its younger characters. There's intermittent non-English dialogue, slang is casually dropped in, and conversations between young characters are universally relatable. Additionally, the music on the show reflects the current popular landscape. It's a seamless form of cultural immersion.
A glimpse into South Africa's racial dynamics
The last few weeks have seencontroversy over a new land expropriation bill. American President Donald Trump signed an executive order stopping aid to South Africa despite the situation being fuelled by unnecessary misinformation. In Pound 4 Pound, the character Frans Walker (Brandon Auret) is a white Afrikaner who feels he's dealing with reverse racism. His sentiments affect the show's plot in tangible ways, giving new viewers a glimpse into the racial discourse in the rainbow nation.
Other affecting sub-plots
Pound 4 Pound delves into the stories of its characters, pulling together several threads that will draw viewers in. One character is a former prisoner with anger issues; another is a former sex worker looking to create a new life for herself, and the two characters are connected through a traumatic experience. The show works through several stories that will keep viewers engaged.
