If you are staying at home because of the corona virus and need some quality entertainment to keep you occupied, then this list of popular shows on Showmax will help you figure out what to watch.
From documentaries, soap operas, thrillers, comedies to dramas, the list below features a bit of everything that you would want to binge watch. What’s even better is that if you pay via M-Pesa, you get extra savings on your subscription.
International series
Westworld is a futuristic sci-fi drama based on the 1973 feature film. It is the story of a wild west theme park where guests come to live out their most outrageous desires. One thing is obvious in the show, the cast, the set, the cinematography, the costumes are top notch. And from a production value perspective it is clear it is a high standard quality programme and no expense was spared. It is no surprise that the overall budget of the first season cost about $100 million, according to the Hollywood Reporter. If you are into this kind of show you may find the performances fantastic, especially if you are an Anthony Hopkins fan, whose character is really compelling; talk of masterful acting. Prepare to get lost in Season 3’s mysteries and get invested in the characters (there are many) and story line. If you haven’t watched it yet you can always start streaming from Season 1.
The Magicians is a fantasy television series show about magic. A group of students are recruited to a secret magic school to learn about magic, there, they band together to fight a sinister threat. The series is based on a novel of the same name by author Lev Grossman, where the world of magic is real. The main character Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph) is a nerd who has always loved magic but thought its fake, but when he finds out it is real it simultaneously lifts the burden off his shoulder but also adds on to it because it is more dangerous than he ever thought. It is a fun show with good character depth to keep things compelling. Follow the cast as they learn magic and get involved in increasingly weird stories. The show is on its fifth season.
If you are a Stephen King fan, then The Outsider should probably be on your watch list because this adaptation of the book does not fail to deliver the writer’s usual dose of dark mystery, spookiness and grit. It’s made up of a solid cast which includes Jason Bateman Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo, Bill Camp, Mare Winningham, Paddy Considine, Julianne Nicholson, Yul Vázquez, Jeremy Bobb and Marc Menchaca. The story starts out as a murder mystery which seems like a clear cut crime series. But this is a Stephen King adaptation and the fun starts when the supernatural elements start to kick in. But even if you are not a fan of Stephen King you may still enjoy it.
Movies
The movie is based on DC Comic characters and features Zachary Levi as the lead actor. Shazam is a superhero movie about a teenage boy who can transform into a superhero s. His mission is to defeat the evil Dr. Thaddeus Sivana. Zachary Levi plays the superhero character. Now, normally Levi wouldn’t be the natural pick to play a superhero but his childlike innocence (in the movie) makes him the perfect fit. If you have watched Chuck (the 2007 comedy-action-spy-drama in which he stared in) then you will see why he was cast in this production. There are so many references to the other DC movies that will pique your interest too. It’s a cheesy movie but with some good action scenes that will keep you occupied throughout.
Have you had your fill of zombie movies yet? If not, then cue up Dead Trigger and prepare to kill one and a half hours of your day. Dead Trigger is a run of the mill zombie movie adapted from a horror video game of the same name. When a virus kills billions and turns others into bloodthirsty zombies, Captain Walker assembles an elite team to destroy them and save the world. It’s an all too familiar story line that has been overplayed, only this time the government develops a video game called Dead Trigger and recruits teenagers who are good at playing video games. The best are chosen to mirror their skills in real life to kill the zombies.
Skyscraper is an action adventure film starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The Rock plays an ex-military veteran, Will Sawyer, who is hired to work in security in a fancy brand new building in Hong Kong. While in Hong Kong with his family, like any other action hero character, Sawyer is minding his own business until trouble finds him. The whole movie centers on Sawyer fighting the bad guys and trying to save his family at the same time. There is no huge plot twist to this movie so don’t go in expecting some major life lessons. It’s a nice popcorn flick with a lot of explosions which you will enjoy watching.
Local television series
This Kenyan telenovela must be a real hit considering its on its fifth season and showing no signs of slowing down. The story line, is cliché but authentically Kenyan- a beautiful naïve girl from the village moves to the big city and finds love. Her evil stepmother sets things in motion to curtail her dreams but luckily her father intervenes. In the city, Selina (Celestine Gachuhi) finds work at Marembo farm where she meets Nelson (Pascal Tokodi), the rich kid helping his folks run the flower farm. The two helplessly fall in love but the odds are stacked against them. The show won the Best Tv Drama at the 2019 Kalasha Awards with Pascal scooping Best Lead Actor in Tv Drama. Keep up with the latest episodes of Season 5 on Showmax.
Pete is a drama series that follows the story of two brothers in a leadership wrangle after their father passes on. Set in the Coastal region, Pete is hugely influenced by the rich coastal culture. Mbura and Jasiri are two brothers fighting for the control and leadership of Funzi Island after their father Dalu passes on. But there is a catch, they have to find the ring (Pete), but they are not the only ones looking for it. There are mermaids too who seek to find the ring because their survival depends on it. Catch new episodes of Season 2 airing on Showmax.
Njoro wa Uba is a story about Njoro, a taxi driver who is struggling to make ends meet after losing a lucrative job at a bank. The drama-comedy depicts the frustrations Njoro endures on a daily basis in the form of rude, irritating and sometimes drunk customers who make his work unbearable. The dramedy follows Njoro around the city as he where he meets a varying range of customers who help to push the programme’s narrative. Meanwhile, he is also struggling to come up with enough money to manage his growing legal fees.
Documentary
In 1987, fast food chain McDonald’s ran a popular marketing campaign called Monopoly. The prizes ranged from food, vacations in form of cruises to over $1 million dollars. But underneath it all, a huge scam was brewing that was eventually brought to an end by the FBI. Find out what happens in this six part docu-series that chronicles how one person rigged the McDonald’s Monopoly game for a decade.
