This Thing Called Love

“This Thing Called Love” is a landmark Ghanaian web series that premiered in 2014, offering a fresh and authentic look into the complexities of modern African womanhood. Created by writer and director Nicole Amarteifio, the series follows the intertwined lives of four ambitious Ghanaian women navigating careers, friendships, and relationships in the bustling city of Accra. Often described as a Ghanaian answer to “Sex and the City,” it broke new ground by showcasing nuanced, multifaceted female characters addressing topics rarely explored in mainstream African media at the time.

Cultural Significance

The series holds significant cultural importance for its bold approach to storytelling and representation. It challenged traditional narratives by presenting independent, career-driven African women with agency over their own choices and desires. “This Thing Called Love” provided a platform for conversations around dating, marriage, career pressures, social expectations, and personal liberation within a contemporary Ghanaian context. Its independent production and distribution primarily via YouTube also highlighted the potential for digital platforms to bypass traditional gatekeepers and reach a global audience, fostering a new wave of African content creation.

Legacy and Related Works

“This Thing Called Love” is widely credited for paving the way for other African web series and independent digital content, demonstrating the viability of high-quality, locally produced narratives online. Creator Nicole Amarteifio went on to create another critically acclaimed web series, “An African City,” which further expanded on themes of modern African identity, fashion, and urban living across various African cities. The success of “This Thing Called Love” inspired a generation of filmmakers and digital creators to tell their own stories, contributing to the rich and diverse landscape of African digital media.