written by Mmenyene-Abasi Ekwere
For most people, when starting a series, the first episode needs to be gripping enough to pull them into the second without even realizing it. For rap lovers, it’s that double entendre that makes them scream, “WTF!” But with Zikko, the opening scene alone is enough to foreshadow what’s coming in the next minute.
The film opens with Miriam taking contraceptives. Moments later, she’s in the living room getting the kids ready for school. One of the children is running around a dining table where the father sits, leg stuck under the chair. He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even attempt to free his leg, just playfully grabs the boy. That’s how effortlessly Zikko and his crew use foreshadowing—it’s subtle but intentional.
Now to the plot: it’s simple, concise, and progresses with precision. Think of it as watching a relay team of Usain Bolts—each handoff smooth, building to a climax as the anchor dashes to the finish. That’s what the pacing feels like. The cinematography? Clean. Especially that eatery scene with Aliyu and Fatima—visually crisp.
One standout moment is the argument between Mariam and Caleb. It flows from the living room to the kitchen and into the dining room. They didn’t cut it. She dishes food, moves to the dining table, serves her husband—all while the argument is heating up. That unbroken sequence heightens the tension beautifully. These characters didn’t just hit their marks—they became them. Caleb especially: insensitive, manipulative, calm, and eerily convincing.
Now, some may argue there was poor communication of needs. But let’s ask: what if Miriam changed her mind after discovering Aliyu’s infidelity?
If this had been an hour-long movie, I might’ve questioned the decision to send her out at night so abruptly. I’d have raised eyebrows at the writer’s choice. But in their defence—humans are erratic. Caleb, being who he is, could very well do that.
Still, Victor Daniel deserves credit. His ability to immerse us in Miriam’s emotional spiral—her eviction as a turning point, how every argument felt like a full story—deserves applause. In just 27 minutes, so much was unpacked.
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