KINGS: A NEW AFRICA (SERIES) TREATMENT
Narrative Treatment
“Kings: A New Africa” (2024), Season 1, Episode 101, [Pilot - Part I]
“Who’s Your King?” (60min); Two Kings, a wealthy American-African same-sex political power-couple ruling Africa in 2060, find themselves in a viciously unrelenting battle of love and war.
[This program contains coarse language and adult situations. Viewer discretion is advised.]
Time; January 2062 (/w flashbacks)
Location; Cape Town, Africa
The scene opens on the Main Quarters of the palace of New Africa in 2062. A violent sparring match is occurring, as it is heard off screen, and through The Infinite Hall. Two men awaken to a tense breakfast in the Dining Quarters. They play battle of the wits in a quarrel over impending executive decisions regarding new tactics and strategies concerning the country’s growing threats, and their military. Chief of Staff, Maria, Head of Security, Dillon, The King’s Hand, Quintin, and several palace attendants arrive but get caught in the middle of Kings' disagreement, as breakfast ends with food on the floor.
The Kings get prepped for a live public address, as they are suited up and adorned by dressers in separate but adjoining rooms, they’re tossing out insults in the interim, still fighting from separate rooms. Tensions rise. Serendipitous timing— they’re ready. They meet in the foyer, with a brief stand-off at first sight of each other, they then to go into the palace’s Main Conference Room escorted by security guards, assistants, and lawyers, we find out the two men are finalizing their divorce settlement deal and discussing possible stories for a speech to give to the public this afternoon regarding their separation. After an intense battle over what to do, The Hand suggests that for now, it’s in the country’s best interest for them not to reveal internal affairs or the separation at all, but to ‘keep up the appearance of a strong co-rulership’ until the Kings ‘work through their issues’ and until Homeland Security reports threat levels lower. The Kings agree.
Later, the next hour, the Kings address the awaiting public together. The Black King has had several glasses of Gin. What starts out as an awkward and confusing speech on the ‘growing strength and resilience of the royal family’ and of the country’s new government policies, vying for dominance over the speech, planting witty attacks on the other via sarcastic remarks and subtle subtext, the Kings find themselves in a fist fight before the shocked eyes of the public. At The Hand’s hasty request, doors are shut on the royal family. There is some blood. There is pandemonium among the shuffling people. The press tries to get in to no avail.
Both the Kings’ immediate families show up in the Main Living Quarters, The Library, for an intense confrontation— Black’s mother and father, Red’s mother, The King’s Hand, The Chief of Staff, Head of Security and several palace security. The guards are paralyzed after given opposing orders from The Kings. Quintin, The Hand, sides with The Black King. Dillon, Chief of Staff, sides with The Red King. Facing off, now back in The Infinite Hall, The Kings declare to take down the other in a battle over the full sole ownership of the palace and monarchial power to continue to govern over the kingdom.
Now in opposite quarters, the Black King’s mother tries to persuade him to finally take a Queen, this is his chance, she begs. The Black King is resentful of his mother’s ongoing attempts to change him. The Black Kings pushes back, attesting that although he identifies as bisexual, and can be physically satisfied by women, he can only be ‘emotionally attracted’ to another man. The Black King’s father expresses, for the first time, his beliefs that he does not feel his son, in this position of great power, is adequately representing the legacy of the black man. He gives an emotional testimony to his son of the black man’s experiences in what used to be the United States of America, and why they have to fight for what they have now, what they have re-gained, rebuilt, or it will ‘be all in vein’.
Meanwhile, in the other quarters of the palace opposite The Hall, The Red King’s mother comforts her son, affirms her acceptance of his sexual identity, but protests his new stress-inducing, very public position and his marriage to The Black King— and pressures him to step down from the throne, so they could live like a normal family again— with ‘less dangers and risks’. The Red King, riddled with fear and anxiety, considers this, but decides that it is his duty, and that he did not choose to be a leader or the King of New Africa, but rather it chose him. He has to be who he is, he says. He vows to take responsibility for the true purpose to his life, and his past struggles, and reaffirms his declaration to take on any challenge to his right to leading a new government that he helped to create. The Red King’s mother expresses her concerns and worries. They’re exchange is interrupted, as The Hand shows up to tell The Red King that The Black King desires him to meet in the Conference Room as he has called for The Royal Court, to rule in favor of the King of their choosing and force the other King to step down.
We flashback sequence to a man fighting through a crowd at an airport. Cut to-- A tender exchange between the two kings in a small beautiful church, they have just gotten married. On this epic Inauguration Wedding day, they build each other’s esteem in an intimate scene between the romantic pair turned business partnership, then take hands and lead an epic march down Kingsway, stopping at the the Great Gold Palace of The Cape where together they give a crowd rattling speech about love, legacy, the war on hate, equality, reparations, and their promise of the unbreakable rulership and strength of The New Africa. To one side of them, next to The Black King, stands his mother and father. On the other side, next to the Red King, stands his mother. The Kings take hands and hold them up. We pan out on a gorgeous and wealthy, thriving future Africa. The people, the colors, fanfare— It is lit up ala Times Square. They all look out on a crowd screaming and cheering with hope and joy. They look at each other and smile. [End].
Characters: Season 1
"The Red King" of The Cape
"The Black King" of The Cape
Sergeant Quintin Erasmus of Bozambique, The King’s Hand
Dillon Aries Jackson, Head of Security (Spoiler: Dillon The Red King of The Cape)
Maria Anna Gonzalez, Chief of Staff
Jawanna Faye, Lady Red of Cairo
Evangeline Martin, Lady Black of Morocco
Harold Martin, Sir Black of Morocco
King Euchre Omnibus of Bujumbura
Queen Helenae Omnibus of Bujumbura
Vera Adjae of The Cape (Spoiler: Vera The Black King of The Cape)
Mateese Llaqui, One of New Africa's famous and well respected artists
“Kings: A New Africa” (2024) Season 1
Episode 101. “Who's Your King?” [Pilot Part I - 60min.] The year is 2062. Two kings, the first ever same-sex couple rulership in the world, rule together in Cape Town, South Africa. Combining some elements of an old American democracy and new ideas, the people remain insistent on honoring Africa’s traditions of kings and queens, as two young men, have been elected to take leadership of their newly formed government, and quickly rose to prominence. They become affectionately nicknamed by their supporters as "The Red King"-- adorned in shades of maroon, crimson burgundies, and royal purple; and "The Black King"-- adorned mostly in shades of black, grey, midnight blue, and deep purple. Though their Rulership Campaign is at the forefront of a time that has come to be called The New Age of Equality, and unbeknownst to their people, the kings pit their wits against each other in disagreements and domestic battles of the mind and heart. They secretly file for divorce and begin an intricate battle for dominance. Through advanced media technology, rumors of the kings' split are leaked to the public and within seconds spreads throughout the world. The rumors are confirmed by a fight during a live Public Address gone wrong. The people of The Cape are divided by the split as some people support and follow one king and some the other. This taking sides consequently pits the community against each other as they debate and foster resentments. It is now common around The Cape to ask "Who's your king?" to determine allegiances before anything else. The native Africans and the American-Africans foster tension as well as the the parents of both kings. *Flashback-- The day the kings are wed and a historic election day where thousands gather and marched with the newly elected kings from a well known government facility toward a breathtaking newly built palace of The Cape-- Which consists of 5 "quarters" connected by long halls. The kings arrive at the footsteps of the palace's entrance and deliver a speech that is televised live around the world. [To be continued...}
Episode 202. “Thy King Dom Come” [Pilot Part II - 58min.] [Pilot Part 1 Recap -2 min] *Flashback-- A fight ensues between the kings that result in the destruction of the original single crown as the tiara sits enshrined in a glass case over the mantel of the private quarters. We see the early stages of the kings' quarreling baggage revealing insight into the current mysteriously complicated relationship they both have between each other, their families, and the men and women of their romantic pasts. Two new crowns are made out of pieces of the damaged original thanks to the innovative vision and skill of Mateese Llaqui . A passive aggressive tit-for-tat for dominance stirs, heats up, and eventually boils, birthed out of lingering resentments, searing jealousies, and leading to an emotional battle of the wits-- And by extension, of dominant power over the kingdom and it's legacy. Repressed emotions create the cocktail for their game of teetering between aggression and tenderness. *Present Day-- In the private quarters of their bedroom, the only place where the guards are forbidden to enter, they both fight and partake in sexual exploits. A live porn shows ensue in the kings’ bed involving some men and women of the palace staff. The next morning, with streaks of blood down The Infinite Hall, the kings find gutted animal carcasses in their main quarters.
Episode 3. “Yes Queen” - Constant comparisons to a heterosexual couple by a popular media source adds to the fuel for new and energizing argument fodder. The Black King and The Red King argue over who is seen as the queen. Meanwhile, not far away, several plots brew for a woman to take one of the spots on the throne as Queen. One woman gets very close-- too close for comfort and three’s a crowd. Black's mother tries to convince him to switch to women. The conversation results in The Black King realizing the fact that, opposed to his childhood, he is now the authority figure, more powerful than both of his parents, and he orders them out of The Cape. They are forced to journey to Morocco. The Kings partake in a “devil’s three way” with the remarkably witty and stunning Vera Adjae of The Cape. (Guest Star: “Name” as Vera Adjae of The Cape)
Episode 4. “The 1st Match” - *Flashback-- We flashback even further than before to the day the kings first meet. We glimpse into their very first quarrel-- it was much sooner than either of them expected. *Present Day-- In a controversial sport drawing high paying bidders, two fully grown and trained lions fight to the death, but today with a shocking outcome. There is a devastating fire at the palace. The kings and staff appear to be baffled by the cause of the fire that leaves their private quarters now uninhabitable. The staff is interrogated by government officials, in an attempt to find a culprit, but to no avail.
Episode 5. “Solitaire” - After a relentless battle, and a burned down bedroom, the kings' lawyers finalize a supposed 'fair' yet extremely intricate divorce settlement, which inspires The Red King to journey to a vacation in a kingdom in Cairo as The Black King deals with paralyzing loneliness and, against Quintin's plea to wait until The Red King returns, decides to visit his sick mother in Morocco. His mother demands him to finally be rid of The Red King and take a Queen as his wife. She dies.
Episode 6. “Fu*!ed” - There is a violent explosion in the Town Market. The kings are both called to return immediately. The Black King says his final goodbye to his now deceased mother, his mourning father, and is transported back to The Cape as everyone wonders where The Red King is. A state of shock is yet to subside before the city experiences two more major explosions, one in Central Square and one on King’s Highway, the historic stretch that leads up to the palace and marks the historic march to the thrones lead by the kings and their supporters on election day. As the kingdom and the community remain divided, there was little preparation for the attacks and New Africa's government officials, for the first time, lack proper communication protocols, leaving them vulnerable to more attacks. In New Africa's news media, international terrorists and white supremacists are the alleged perpetrators of the attacks which leaves dozens of casualties and the city in a state of panic. However, to everyone’s surprise, the mastermind invaders have come from a religious group from the northern part of Africa, Bujumbura, led by a powerful religious leader, King Euchere Omnibus, and his wife Queen Helenae Omnibus of Bujumbura. Inspired by Ancient Egyptian scriptures, the Bujumbura have come to overthrow the kings and publicly execute them. King Euchere live broadcasts a call-to-action, to prosecute and kill anyone openly committing the abominable crime of homosexuality in an ongoing effort to cleanse the country of a sickness they insist has been brought over to Africa by the Americans. Euchere and some of his men manage to invade the palace. During this invasion, the Bujumbura King attacks the The Black King and nearly beats him to death just before he is stopped and killed by one of the king's guards. In an emotional few moments following The Black King's near-death experience, he is comforted by Dillon, Head of Security, and they share an unexpected moment of intimacy. (Guest Star: “Name” as King Euchre Omnibus of Bujumbura)
Episode 7. “The Hand You Are Dealt” - As the people of The Cape try to get answers and make sense of the attacks, tensions between the Africans and the American-Africans rise. White people of The Cape, a dwindling minority, protest in claims to being treated as second class citizens and deal with racism. Many attest to being oppressed and and stereotyped for 'the whiteness of their skin' in New Africa. The Red King returns to The Cape surprising everyone at the palace that he has also been attacked and wounded in an attempt on his life during his travels back to the palace. This sends The Black King into a rage of fury. Just as they agree on new security protocols and preparation for military defense, Dillon is suddenly fired by Quintin and no one knows why except for Dillon and Quintin. Dillon's absence causes complications as his promoted replacement is overwhelmed. *Flashback-- We flashback even further than the last time, getting a glimpse into both of the Kings' upbringing as young children, a couple defining moments in their adolescence, and individual struggles as single young adults preceding the formation and rise of the power couple to-be. One particular event in The Red King's life has a shocking outcome. *Present Day-- The details of The Red King's hidden past are revealed in a conversation that devastates The Black King.
Episode 8. “Love Trumps H8” - Over the next few days, ordering heightened security and attempting to recover from the trauma of the attacks, the kings agree to make amends peacefully, reminiscing on their good memories, and reveal to each other more vulnerabilities and the secrets of their past that were long hidden. The people of The Cape come together and hold a vigil for the fallen. There is a rare lunar eclipse in The Cape. The Red King’s mother, Lady Red of Cairo, Jawanna Faye, leads a purging ceremony on Kings' Highway. The people bond through this celestial history-making and internationally broadcast live streaming event. The tiara is discovered undamaged hidden in the library.
Episode 9. “Poker Face” - Queen Helenae of Bujumbura suddenly resurfaces and seeks revenge on the kings for her husband's death but is instead arrested on charges for the fire at the palace. Meanwhile, in the private quarters, the kings' amends are suddenly broken. This time the blows are not physical. They push each other's emotional and psychological buttons, exploiting the vulnerable confessions to the press, and both say things that can never be taken back. *Flashback-- We find out who really is responsible for the fire at the palace-- It was Lady Black of Morroco, Evangeline, The Black King's mother, given the stolen access codes by Vera Adjae. She chants as she lights their bed ablaze, slips out, and collapses. (Guest Star: “Name” as Queen Helenae Omnibus of Bujumbura)
Episode 10. “Joker’s Wild*” - š *Flashback-- Government shut-down day, America, September 2020. We flashback for the first time to the United States of America in 2022. A man awakens to a nightmare of the shooting of a young teen. He recovers and leaves his residence-- we see it is a poverty stricken area. The man's tempers are tested during an encounter with a group of young men on the street corner, but the group scatters when they see a police car approaches. The man, now alone, is interrogated by the officers. There is a huge explosion that shocks them all. The explosion leaves the windows of every cars in sight busted. *Flash Forward-- People show up to the local airport by the dozens of thousands. Extensive security and armed military are present enforcing order to the frantic crowds. Amidst the pandemonium, the man struggles in a frenzy through the chaotic crowd until he is finally reunited with his wife and young son. The wife expresses her fears. Media announcements confirm that there has been a nuclear attack on the US. Limited emergency visas are being granted from a very select group of countries. Any pregnant women and women with children have been given priority for both visa granting and seats. Men over 18 and under 65 are being prohibited from flying as there is an active military draft in effect. Senior Citizens and elderly are exempt from drafting but are also not ineligible for refugee visas. The woman pleas for her, her husband, and their young son to all get onto one of the flights, at any cost. *Flashback-- The man is teaching his son to play a game of cards and gives him a lesson on a very special card, The Joker. *Flashforward-- The woman is forced to board with her young son in her lap, sharing a seat belt, being given only one seat, and the man is left behind. The flight is headed to Cape Town.
Episode 11. “Mother Land :The Red, The Black, and The Green” - *Present Day-- Flags wave around the world for the mourning of the recently lost in the attacks on New Africa. *Flashback-- Flags wave around the world for the mourning of the recently lost in the attacks on the United States. At the same time, thousands of unexpected U.S. citizens seek refuge in Africa. We glimpse into a tense government meeting that forces the birth of the formation of A New Africa's new government.
Episode 12. “Ace” - *Flashback-- We are back with The Red King during his vacation in Cairo where he is bonding with nature in a stint at small hidden getaway. He refuses all calls and communication with the palace. He goes through a ritual who's intention is to detach one from the physical plane and reconnect with inner spirit of God. One particularly hot and foggy night he is visited by the spirits of his father and brother. *Flashback-- Euchre of Omnibus' secrets are revealed. *Present Day-- The Red King's mother alerts him that there's been an explosion in the Town Market. (Guest Star: “Name” as King Euchre Omnibus of Bujumbura)
Episode 13. “King Me” - [Finale 120min.] - *Flashback-- King Euchre Omnibus and Helenae Omnibus of Bujumbura meet with Evangeline of Morocco and solidify a pact. *Present Day-- The Red King returns from his trip in Cairo to discover Vera Adjae is newly married to The Black King. She insists on being crowned as "King."
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