IN MY time, Nigerian television was huge. The New Masquerade. The Third Eye, Abiku, Behind the Clouds and even the tacky Willie-Willie Hot-Cash! Those were great times that died before they were fully formed. And whatever you have to say about the Nollywood, we either had to take the half-baked bread it offered or depend on the dregs that Nigerian television in its lost glory could provide. Or cable.

In recent times though, with government policies that favour local productions, television seems to be doing a comeback and we are now inundated with all sorts of home-grown shows. But nothing new seems to be going on still. When drama plots are not duplicating themselves across cultures and genres, talk show themes and reality-television formats are similar.

Therefore when The Teju BabyFace Show (TBS) hit the screens it left me excited, but not without scepticism. A talk-show that has already brought on heavy celebrities like King Sunny Ade, Asa, Richard Mofe-Damijo, etc., is definitely a big deal. Plus, the production values are spot on and we hope it stays that way. But the big question is Continuity. Can ‘TBS’ pull this off for several seasons without morphing into a watered-down version of itself? I love the Late Show with David Letterman and I hope that this Nigerian ‘version’ will stay fresh and not spiral into that genre of drivel-laden television that reminds you to update your cable subscription!

–      Nk’iru. Njoku.

Oluwapelumi