Maintaining friendships during adulthood comes with its own challenges.
From family commitments to the demands of work and school as well as the struggles of daily life, there is usually very little time and energy left to spend time with friends.
But the hit Showmax series, “Adulting”, proves that solid friendships can get you through some of the toughest times of your life.
With friends, you can share your deepest fears, secrets and insecurities that not even your family are aware of.
In season two of the 13-part drama series, which ends this month, it proves once again that sometimes it is only your friends who know you best.
“Adulting”, produced by Tshedza Pictures, stars the ever-popular Thembinkosi Mthembu as Bonga, Nhlanhla Kunene as Eric, Luthando BU Mthembu as Vuyani and Thabo Rammusi as Mpho.
The “gents”, as they often refer to themselves in the show, met at varsity. But their bromance has stood the test of time as they retained the close bond into adulthood.
And this season, their relationships were tested even more as their personal struggles, egos and inner demons saw the men push their friendship to the limits.
Bonga, an overachiever who is fresh off his break-up from Nkanyesi, faces a personal tragedy when his estranged father is diagnosed with cancer.
Meanwhile, Mpho returns to his philandering while Eric, or “Tsiki Tsiki” as he is affectionately nicknamed, has to leave behind a toxic relationship and criminal ways to gain custody of his beloved daughter.
And then there is Vuyani, who is trying to live a cougar-free life and commit to his girlfriend, all while working as a personal trainer, where temptation often lurks.
Of course, in life, nothing goes as planned and the guys find themselves dealing with a few curve balls.
Bonga takes his heartbreak out on the many women he has non-committal relationships with, treating them with utter disdain.
But when his father dies, it is his friends who console him. He is also forced to admit that he is repeating his father’s toxic patterns and he finally reunites with Nkanyesi.
But after an epic meltdown and some questionable shenanigans the night before his wedding, it remains to be seen if he can stay loyal to one woman.
A fan favourite, Eric appears to have made the most progress out of all the friends this season.
He is committed to regaining custody of his daughter, Ncumisa, and for this to happen, he has to leave his ghetto girlfriend, Minky, who is brilliantly played by Samkelo Ndlovu.
Once he finally brings Ncumisa home from the Eastern Cape, he quickly realises that he is unprepared to raise a teenage child who is mourning the death of her mother.
The youngster raises havoc and when she masterminds her own fake kidnapping, an unaware Eric is forced to rely on the support of his friends to “save” her.
Once again, the men go above and beyond for each other, even if their relationship is tested at times.
Meanwhile, Mpho’s adultery causes havoc when he not only fathers a daughter outside of his marriage, but also moves his mistress and child into the same housing complex that he shares with his wife and sons.
Unable to confess his affair to his wife Zithu, who is doing all she can to keep the marriage alive after his previous indiscretions, Mpho is in danger of losing it all.
His friends do all they can to convince him to come clean and become his support system as he spirals when Zithu and his mistress, Palesa, want nothing to do with him.
And then there is Vuyani, who starts the season off in a committed age-appropriate relationship with aspiring lawyer Zelda.
But his financial insecurities and love for material things sees him involved in sexual relationships with older women, who pay for his “bedroom” services.
And when the husband of one of the women violently confronts him at the gym he works at, he turns to Beth, played by Safta-nominee Winnie Ntshaba, a fictional MEC of Arts and Culture in Gauteng.
His friends disapprove of the toxic relationship, even though Beth’s power and status get them out of some troublesome situations.
But Vuyani can only truly be his toy boy self with his friends as his family disowns him.
The one enduring theme throughout season two of “Adulting”, is the power of friendship as the guys is unmistakable with all the storms they weather.
∎ “Adulting” season one and two is streaming on Showmax.