Netflix's brand new South African drama, The Polygamist, has gripped viewers worldwide since its release on June 12. Currently ranked number six in the UK's top 10 most-watched shows, the series is climbing the charts rapidly.
What Is The Polygamist About?
Directed by Akin Omotoso, the 22-episode series begins at the funeral of business tycoon Jonasi Gomora, played by Sdumo Mtshali. Viewers soon discover that his wife of 20 years is not the only one mourning: his secret second wife, mistress, and girlfriend are also present. The synopsis describes it as a gripping drama about "how one man's greed and lust led to his downfall."
Is The Polygamist Based on a True Story?
The show has gone viral on social media, with some viewers finding the plot too wild to be real. While it is not a direct retelling of actual events, it is inspired by real-life stories. The Polygamist is adapted from Zimbabwean author Sue Nyathi's 2012 novel of the same name.
Real-Life Inspiration
Nyathi confirmed that the plot was partially inspired by stories about her grandfather, who had five wives. "I was interested in examining the version of polygamy that I was increasingly seeing around me, which often felt very different from the traditional structures I had grown up hearing about," she told Glamour. She witnessed incidents where wives were pushed into accepting polygamous arrangements they hadn't agreed to after years of marriage, mirroring her characters' experiences.
Nyathi explained, "I also come from a family with a history of polygamy. My maternal grandfather had five wives and my grandmother was the first wife. Hearing those stories made me curious about how modern women navigate these relationships, especially when they have more education, independence and choices than previous generations. That curiosity became the foundation of the novel."
The Polygamist is streaming now on Netflix.
