This is a Kenya vs Uganda production battle. The Hostel is a Ugandan production by Fast Track Production while Kenya’s Higher learning is a product of Spielworks Media. Both air on NTV and are based on lives of campus students. But that’s where the common thread ends. Vincent Matinde takes a critical look at both productions.
SETTING
Higher Learning sets its story in the fictitious Kilimanjaro University. The idea is to take us from the classroom to the living quarters and private lives of the students.
The Hostel focuses on one location: The New Edge Hostel. Here we get to see the social side of students in campus and the silly things they do. Although for such a big hostel, they are like six prominent characters! New Edge hostel is definitely making losses.
CHARACTERIZATION
Higher Learning has more rough edged characters that are either involved in a criminal activity or are heart breakers in the campus. We have a prominent story of a call-girl agency being run in the school by one the students named Aida and the Principal, no less. If this is believable, I am not sure.
The Hostel, has more lighthearted, crazy, obnoxious characters, headed by Odoch. I am not sure if it’s the wanting English that makes this series laughable! The Hostel brings together different characters who co-exist in the same living area. Some memorable characters include the hostel caretaker, Sobba (ironically, he is drunk half the time). Oh, there is a random inclusion of characters that disappear as fast as they appear. They expect you to stomach it.
[youtube_sc url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtkWL0b2a8M&feature=player_detailpage”]
THE PLOT
Higher learning has more of the illegal and criminal things students do to survive in campus. There are stories of drug trafficking, prostitution, corruption in the administration. Jess (Jessica) is a well brought up girl from a good family but by the second season, she is not the girl we know. Her aim is to get through campus, graduate and make her wealthy father happy.
The Hostel mostly deals with relationships. Most of the storyline is embedded on the reality of heartbreaks and new love. Twine, one of the protagonists always finds himself in a love triangle of some sort. Odoch, his roomy doesn’t make things any easier with his “out of the box” ideas and quick fixes, which always lead to trouble. For the Hostel they have great plot, but bad execution! It’s almost a “kill-me-now” moment throughout.
STORY FLOW
The Hostel has somewhat hanging storyline flow. Some issues never get resolved and some characters disappear for ages! Somehow they get to tie up the loose ends — eventually, if you have patience for it.
Higher Learning has a more compact story telling flow. Each sub-story has a logical conclusion to it but somewhat predictable. But only reaffirms the stereotype about Uni guys – that they are only driven by mischief. There is more in campus than drugs, crime and cheating.
CONFLICTS
The Hostel has pitched itself as a conflict ridden story. There are more chick fights than in a chicken farm. The story intertwines with jealous roommates, regardless of gender. The Christian character, Hope always finds herself in the ridicule of others. Gilo (Gilbert) a heartless (and brainless) playboy who goes after everything in a skirt adds on to the conflict especially with Twine.
Higher Learning on the other hand, has more rough edge conflicts with love interests being minimal. Double crossing and betrayal rhymes throughout the plot. Aida who plays the lady “pimp” seems not be a trusted character and also gets sold out by the principal when the news about the call girl syndicates hits the wind. These conflicts greatly fail to bring us to be in touch with the characters. Do we like anyone at the end really?
Verdict:
Higher Learning 7/10
The Hostel 5/10
[youtube_sc url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7R8X2bdWoI&feature=player_detailpage”]
What is your verdict?
Opsil
November 1, 2011 at 9:38 pm
corruption is rife starting from the top with the COTU sec general leading. Branch elections are conducted by corrupt labour officials with blessings from Atwoli as he can only with his hench men whom he appoints and makes sure they are elected even if its in the middle of the night.union election disputes are never resolved with cases stsaying for up to 5yrs as corrupt judges sit on them with instructions from the Head office of COTU to lock out some individuals.
Fittingplumbing
November 4, 2011 at 4:18 pm
wooi cotu/kupripupa full of tribalistic old wazees. Nothing changes their minds except bribes from employers to opress suffering workers. Employees under company managements are by far better than ones under trade unions. How do you explain the use of all the cash deducted from employees countrywide every month just as nssf is deducted? no audits nor accountability is done by government nor the useless ministry of labour which has also left kenyans to suffer in aarab countries? they have left poor kenyan workers to the dogs having chinees and indians to come and sell mandazi and bread in kenya, some without work permits? The unions cant even help other kenyans in the east african states to work without work permits forcing them to play hide and seek games in neighbouring countries?
Dennis
August 16, 2012 at 12:20 pm
The Hostel is by far a hotter series. The ugandans really know how to Relate to campus life. They also are very Ugandan something lacking in Higher learning…….
Nyangori Oduori-alitsi
August 16, 2012 at 2:10 pm
this reviewer sounds like a scriptwriter for the higher learning
kkklan
August 16, 2012 at 2:14 pm
Odoch!
Kelvin
August 16, 2012 at 2:52 pm
the correspondent has most of his points ‘spot on’, but misses the bigger pic.. Hostel is a comedy, Higher learning is a drama. if u want something more concrete and focused, higher learning is ur thing. else go for the hilarious Hostel.
sam
August 17, 2012 at 9:59 am
hostel brings campus life closer home! its the ugandans originality that carries the day- the writer needs to watch how sn 1 ends and the drama in sn 2 – hostel 8/10!
Advizam
August 20, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Hostel iko yuest.