Season 1 of Showmax Original County 49 wraps up after 13 exhilarating episodes. The political thriller which premiered in August this year is about the travails of fictional Bwatele County. During its premiere date, County 49 broke streaming records on Showmax making it the most-watched premiere ever for any title on Showmax in Kenya.
Currently, County 49 is one of Kenya’s most-watched shows on the platform. In addition to stellar streaming records, County 49 was nominated for 5 awards at the Kalasha Awards 2022. Best TV Drama, Best Lead Actor in a TV Drama (Peter Kawa), Best Supporting Actress (Nyokabi Macharia), Best Supporting Actor (James Webbo), and Best Viewers’ Choice (TV Drama).
It starts with the swearing-in of new female governor Nerimah Mkung (played by Wakio Mzenge) and ends with a funeral. This begs the question, has Bwatele County finally found its savior? If so, at what cost?
County 49 Plot
County 49 season 1 was not short of plot twists. It unveiled unforeseen enemies, unexpected alliances, secrets, violence, and even lessons. The lead actor Peter Kawa admitted that this was one of his most fulfilling roles. It was his first ever lead role in his decade film career.
The political thriller’s first scenes portray Malik (Peter Kawa) as a disgraced officer. One dealing with the consequences of his involvement with corrupt governor Okusimba. As the storyline progresses, Malik is able to switch between hero and villain situations throughout the plot.
Kawa described his character Malik as a man who is looking for redemption, and the only way to earn it is to save the world around him. “He has a close family – his wife and son – that he wants to take care of. That’s the world around him that he wants to save. But he always wants to push himself the extra mile to save the next person – his neighbor, the constituents (of Bwatele), and even the entire government.” Kawa said.
The last episode ‘Dying for freedom’ sees Malik make yet another attempt to save Bwatele from its biggest threat yet. County 49 is now available for binge-watching on Showmax. It will be replaced by the upcoming crime drama Pepeta.
