Local creative and her team bring fresh faces, bigger dreams, and real Guyanese life to the screen

WHEN Anastacia Shako–Van Tull first conceived the idea of Misadventures, she knew it would be more than another local TV series — she wanted it to be a reflection of the Guyanese spirit. Now in its second season, Misadventures follows the story of Shikisa, a young woman determined to follow her dreams. The show captures the triumphs, stumbles, and laughter of her and her group of friends. From the first season to the second, Anastacia says the star-studded production has evolved into a bold celebration of ambition and community. This week Pepperpot Magazine sat down with creator and lead of the show, Anastacia, and fellow cast member Carissa Van Doimen, as they shared what it means to prove that local storytelling can be just as powerful, funny, and universal as anything on international screens.

In many ways, Misadventures tackles some of the most talked-about challenges of young people. The story follows Anastacia’s character, Shikisa, a young woman with dreams of becoming a fashion designer. While the show follows Anastacia’s character as the lead, it also balances the diverse lives of young Guyanese, all with their own stories told passionately and creatively, side by side. The melting pot of lives, drama, and individuality is exactly what Anastacia wanted to bring to the screen. “The show is not about just people having one specific kind of dream. Somebody could have a dream of being a fashion designer, another person could have a dream of being a business owner, or just being in a relationship.” She added, “It’s really to describe whatever desires a person may have, and it just follows their ups and downs, the things that they go through, and how they go through it together. They’re like friends for Guyana.”

The first season of Misadventures was well received, garnering viewers across platforms. The second season, however, brings new lessons and new faces to the screen. As Anastacia stated, “The cast is definitely different. The only returning cast members are my character, Shikisa, and Vikash, played by Charles Adrian. The story has definitely expanded and developed, and the characters get to take on a wider journey. This season, you can see it’s more of an ensemble cast. It’s not just happening to one character; it’s happening to a group of people.” The current cast features an experienced, dynamic team with Khristian Khaleel, Charles Adrian, Leahna Emmanuel, Nethan Breedy, Ken Sahadeo, and Jessica ‘Scarlett’ Lindo.

The feedback for Misadventures has also been growing since its premiere, with many Guyanese already invested in and interested in the show and its diverse, captivating characters. “We had a premiere for the show, and the feedback has been that people were just really waiting to see where we were going to take the season.” Anastacia further added that while many people were impressed by the show, there was surprise that it was a Guyanese show — a narrative that Anastacia and her team hope to change. “They were very surprised that this was a local show. What they have said is that it’s not good for a local show, it’s just a good show. And that’s what we’re aiming for, that our show could just be a show. It doesn’t have to necessarily just be a Guyana-only show. We’re really proud of that perception,” she stated.

This season, Carissa acted and served as assistant director. While her character is notably troublesome, Carissa says she fell in love with the character the first time she read the script. “When Anastacia sent me the script, I was reading through it, and I really liked the character of Destiny. That might sound a little crazy because Destiny is a menace.” She added, “But I really saw her, and I said I wanted this role. It felt like she was just misunderstood, like we really just needed somebody to play her the way she was meant to be played, to tell her story the way it was supposed to be told.” Carissa believes it is because of diverse characters like hers that the show continues to garner support.

While on the surface Misadventures may seem focused on the mundane lives of young Guyanese, the show highlights much more. It sheds light and perspective on the reality of young Guyanese making choices and decisions, growing and changing. It emphasises the complexity of young lives most creatively and vibrantly. This representation, Carissa says, is vital — not just in Guyana but everywhere. “I think it’s important for us to have representation. It’s important for us to see that life can be more than just sitting home, going to school, and going to work. You can have a purpose, you can have a dream.” She added, “In our culture, we don’t really get to explore that. We’re often told you have to do what your parents want, be a doctor or a lawyer. It’s important for us to show that there’s more to life than that.” Misadventures is currently available to stream on YouTube at Anniemated Productions.