‘Angela’s understanding was invaluable’ – How Makholwa helped ‘Critical But Stable’ producers with their TV adaptation

When Critical But Stable premieres on Mzansi Magic (channel 161) on Sunday, 26 July, viewers will meet a story of friendship, betrayal and the secrets hiding beneath long-term relationships. But getting Angela Makholwa’s celebrated novel from page to prime time was a journey in itself, one that producers say would not have worked without the author’s hands-on involvement.

The 13-part drama is produced by Barkers Media and co-executive produced by Makholwa through her company, Red Ink.

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It marks the independent production house’s latest addition to a growing slate of scripted drama, feature films, narrative reality and factual entertainment, following productions such as the Safta-nominated How to Manifest a Man, Killer Front Page, The Bala Family, Shebeen Queens, Ngishade Wrong and uMbali – a series that became the most-watched drama on eVOD before pulling in an average audience of more than two million viewers on e.tv.

From novel to insurance scam drama

Mzansi Magic’s new drama series ‘Critical But Stable’ follows Duke, a struggling businessman who pulls his closest friends into an insurance scam in a desperate bid to save his ailing wife and his failing business. Duke and his childhood friends belong to a jazz-themed stokvel called Khula. Picture: Supplied/Mzansi Magic

Critical But Stable follows Duke, a struggling businessman who convinces his closest friends to take part in an insurance scam to save his failing business and his terminally ill wife. The men are bound together through Khula, a jazz-themed stokvel built on brotherhood and mutual support, but soon discover that their seemingly stable lives are hiding secrets that could destroy everything they’ve built.

While the novel was picked up through a publishing partnership between the broadcaster and Red Ink, turning it into television required considerably more than transferring the story to screen.

Barkers Media says it went through an extensive development process before the final commission came through, needing to show broadcasters exactly how the book could work as a television drama while staying true to its emotional core.

“The success of the book opened the door, but it certainly didn’t guarantee a television commission,” Barkers Media co-founder Reneilwe Sema said in a statement.

“We had to demonstrate how the story could evolve into compelling television while offering audiences something fresh and distinctive. That meant unpacking every character, every relationship and finding new ways to tell the story without losing what made Angela’s novel so powerful.”

Reworking the story when a rival project emerged

One of the biggest creative hurdles came when another television project entered development with similar themes and plot elements.

Rather than let that derail the commission, the Barkers Media team reworked the adaptation, making the insurance scam the series’ central dramatic thread and expanding the story with new characters, locations and emotional stakes, all while keeping the emotional integrity of Makholwa’s source material intact.

Lawrence Maleka stars as Mzi in Mzansi Magic’s new drama series Critical But Stable, based on the bestselling novel by Angela Makholwa. Picture: Supplied/Mzansi Magic

The adaptation also shifts perspective from the book. Where the novel is largely narrated through a female lens, the series explores the realities of long-term relationships primarily through the experiences of the men, offering a different take on marriage, friendship, masculinity and loyalty.

“Our responsibility wasn’t to recreate the book scene by scene. It was to honour what readers loved while creating a television experience that feels emotionally richer, visually compelling and capable of sustaining audiences over 13 episodes. Whether we’re producing scripted drama, narrative reality or feature films, our goal is always to create stories that spark conversation while reflecting the richness and complexity of African lives,” said Mpho Lengane, Barkers Media co-founder and executive producer.

Makholwa’s role behind the scenes

Makholwa stayed closely involved throughout the process, taking on the role of co-executive producer and contributing input from development and casting right through to production and post-production.

“Angela’s understanding of the characters was invaluable. She embraced the adaptation process and understood that television demands its own language while remaining true to the spirit of the original story,” Sema added.

For Sema and Lengane, who between them bring more than three decades of experience across broadcasting, commissioning, content strategy and production, Critical But Stable marks another milestone in Barkers Media’s growth as a premium South African content studio.

Critical But Stable premieres on Mzansi Magic (channel 161) on Sunday, 26 July 2026 at 8pm.

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