It's 'Sex and the City' but only Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha are replaced with single men living in Cape Town. Brash, edgy and completely real, MAN is a new series coming to SABC3. A 13-part documentary with the slogan, 'Four Guys, One City, Three Million Women. Can They Handle It?', it's bound to be one entertaining show.

Each episode explores a different aspect of the male persona through a cast of four participants, with no previous television experience. In a city where women outnumber men three to one, these four individuals test their audacity and awareness, through a series of dates, interviews and experiences.

We spoke to Michael Raimondo, devisor and co-executive producer of MAN, as well as Maurice Levin, one of the cast of four studs in the city.

How was the idea conceptualised?

Michael: "There are a prevalent amount of single men in their 30s in Cape Town. A little investigating revealed a variety of reasons behind this. Some guys chose to be single; others were single because they found the traditional bar/club meeting arenas did not present them with compatible dates.

The more we looked at the dating scene, and the single guys involved in it, the more it became apparent that there were hundreds of opinions and experiences, and no South African vehicle to disclose these.

Around this time SABC put out a brief for 'Dates Beyond Disaster', they were looking for a documentary series on dating. We spotted the perfect vehicle to lift the lid on Cape Town's dating scene, and MAN was pitched to SABC."

Why men?

Michael: "Men pose an unexplored emotional resource, and are often seen as a sport watching, beer drinking, sex-crazed stereotype. Making a documentary about man offered an opportunity to unpack what men are like, a chance to test that stereotype. By using participants with no prior television experience and with no script it seemed possible to put man under a microscope as see how he'd react."

Selection of characters?

Michael: "MAN is a reality-documentary; we wanted four interesting, charismatic characters. We tried actor agencies, model houses, advertising agencies, set up facebook groups, newspapers, websites like gumtree, none of these yielded the flavour of character we were after. In the end, we found our participants by getting into the single scene, a sort of guerrilla recruiting. We networked through friends, hung out at nightclubs, bars, coffee shops, and met people through word of mouth."

How did you end up on MAN/how did they find you?

Maurice: "A close friend who also knew members of the production team suggested I go for an audition along with all the other hopefuls. The director and junior producer were in attendance at the audition, firing questions and getting a few profiles on camera. And then some weeks later I got the call that I had made it to the final three. Another member was subsequently added."

As a man in the context of the show (that is a single, dating man) how would you describe yourself?

Maurice: "The context of the show is an unscripted portrayal of the thoughts, actions and attitudes of four men from different backgrounds. I'm an impulsive, assertive and selfish individual who can say that the only reason I haven't settled down is because I am still having fun living the quintessential bachelor life. I'm also a traditionalist, having come from a wonderfully warm family, and in due course I'm sure I will open up more to the domesticated life."

What else (besides becoming an actor overnight) do you do for a living?

Maurice: "I studied journalism and political science at Rhodes University and have worked in media for close on 10 years, as a writer, editor, communications and PR consultant and press liaison officer."

How do you feel about having your 'dating life' on camera? Aren't you worried your grandmother will be watching?

"That's a funny question. Not only do I not have grandparents around anymore but I also lost my mom in January this year, so I will always wonder what she would have thought, being a little more conservative and private. But she loved me so much she would tolerate anything. My dear dad is in for some laughs!"

Tell us about the 'dates'. Were these girls you met randomly and then asked them out? How did they feel about being filmed?

Maurice: "Our dates were gathered through a combination of random meetings and mates fixing up mates ("I know a girl who you will like/click with", etc). I cannot remember a case of where a girl felt uncomfortable coming on the show, rather most of the dates were keen to explore not just one of us but also themselves in an unusual dating environment."

Tell us a bit about the other guys on the show. Did you guys become great friends? How do your personalities differ?

Maurice: "There is always the traditional 'sizing up' and awkwardness at first, but we naturally became closer as the show wore on. I love seeing the other blokes around town, and I know we'll have the show link forever keeping us in touch. Our personalities differ markedly, that's what stimulated the lively debate."

What for you was the funniest moment in the series?

Maurice: "Funny yet painful, the time I lay on my tummy and allowed a young blonde beauty therapist to give me a 'crack wax' with about six people in the room at the same time!"

Do you think that the show degrades women or is more of an insight for women into a man's world? What are the merits/disadvantages of a show like this?

Maurice: "There is no degradation or belittlement whatsoever. The show is an accurate portrayal of male behaviour, not bound to script or content ownership of any sort. The word insight is key: this is how a lot of men think and if women take heed of some of the issues that make men tick, documentaries like this will foster a better understanding between the sexes."

What did you learn from the series?

Maurice: "I learnt that I'm quite normal, that other men share the same concerns, fears and opinions as I do. I learnt that I have many flaws and prejudices which I am working on. And I learnt that men need women more than ever, emotionally as well as physically."

Visit www.mantv.co.za for more...

The show starts on the 23rd of October, don't miss it! See the trailer below: