First Impressions From “Just Us Girls” Series: Episode 1

Just Us Girls is a series adaptation of the similar titled book written by Pastor Mildred Okonkwo. Pastor Mildred and Kingsley Okonkwo are famously known for their ‘Singles’ and ‘Relationships’ themed gospel messages, and the series appears to follow a similar theme.

In its inaugural episode, the curtain rises upon our central protagonists: the vivacious Jite who is protrayed by Temitope Aje; the reserved Kayinsola embodied by Sacha Baker; and the naive and endearing Ameh, brought to life by Chisom Nwobodo. These three women cohabit under one roof, each grappling with their unique challenges in the realm of relationships.

Kayinsola seems to be in a picture-perfect relationship with the charming Munachi, skillfully portrayed by the charismatic Efa Iwara. Munachi spends the entire episodes either being dreamy eyed about his love interest or planning a special surprise for her. Meanwhile, Jite is navigating a seemingly turbulent romantic journey with a enigmatic character by the name of Sammy, who’s conspicuously absent in this episode, and you can certainly sense the upheaval. Lastly, we have Ameh, the youngest of the trio, contending with burgeoning emotions for her choir leader. However, she’s uncertain whether he reciprocates those feelings.

From the spirited and audacious Jite to the more introverted Kayinsola and the tenderfoot Ameh, “Just Us Girls” is poised to unfold as a heartwarming and captivating romantic series. Its Christian ethos permeates the narrative, evident from the opening scene where the lead character prepares for her day while tuned into an uplifting sermon on her phone. Even the daring Jite, who dons open-back tops layered with inner garments, seamlessly integrates faith into her life. Notably, this infusion of faith feels organic to the characters, rather than a preachy imposition. The storyline so far is a breeze to follow, drawing us into the world of the characters.

However, the biggest downfall of the series so far is the production quality. The video quality is competing with that of Tchidi Chikere movies from the 2001s. And while the characters look the part and almost always seem to dress the part, it’s hard to appreciate any of this because many times the directing feels like it’s simply a man with a camera pointing at people from different angles. There’s either a clear lack of budget or lack of knowledge that shines through in the production. And it extends into the introduction sequence of the show which simply feels like an Instagram reel and the core soundtrack which feels grossly uninspired.

With more episodes to come in the future, here’s hoping that as the series progresses the production quality gets a bit better and the storylines manage to create stronger emotional bonds to the audience.

Watch Episode 1 of “Just Us Girls”