Baltimore-native Imani Nia Robinson came up with the idea for 3 Blind Mice, a 90s-inspired TV show following a young woman in pursuit of her Black identity, in high school.
In 2023, her idea became a reality. And now she’s sharing it with the world.
Robinson released the show’s pilot episode on YouTube earlier this week. In only five days, over 16,000 viewers have watched – and loved – the 25-minute premiere.
“I honestly feel like it’s like a dream,” Robinson said. “I feel so fulfilled and so thankful to have everyone’s support, but most importantly, to have Baltimore’s support.”
The show follows three main characters at different stages in their 20s. They all come from different backgrounds and navigate adulthood together.
“There’s no manual for that, it’s the blind leading the blind,” Robinson said about the show’s title. “So it’s like a play on words.”
Naeemah, the main character, is in pursuit of her Black identity after growing up with white adoptive parents. While meeting Brittanie and Muffin, the pilot episode shows her challenges after transferring to an HBCU in Baltimore. It ends with a cliffhanger, leaving viewers asking for more.
“Please don’t tell me you had me watch this amazing show for there not to be an episode 234-567 and 8. You will not have my stomach up in knots with that sort of cliffhanger,” one comment read, in part, from a user named “TryCross.”
Robinson shot the pilot entirely in Baltimore, including at Coppin State University. The production included over 100 cast and crew members.
Still searching for a production company or platform to pick it up, Robinson announced plans to film additional episodes. She recently accepted applications to hire writers for the show. She said viewers can expect at least three seasons “to pay homage to 3 Blind Mice.”
“We’re going to witness Naeemah all the way up until she’s 30 years old and living on her own,” she said. “Naeemah is what catapults us into the story, but it is Muff and Brittanie and the surrounding characters who anchor it.”
Robinson attended the Waldorf School of Baltimore as a child. She found her love for acting and got an opportunity to play a recurring role in season four of HBO’s The Wire.
“I was just a kid and I just remember just being excited to be on TV,” she said. “I just knew then that was like, okay, I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing.”
Robinson graduated from the California Institute of the Arts and got a job as a writer’s assistant for season one of HBO’s The Deuce. She later became an executive producer’s assistant for the second and third seasons of the show.
Robinson and her mother, Noni, waited over a decade for a production company to pick up the show. After no bites, the duo decided to start Faith & Purpose Productions and produce 3 Blind Mice.
The show won “Best Series” at the Queen City Film Festival, “Best Indie Pilot” at the 2024 Essence Film Festival and nine other awards across seven film festivals.
The storyline is loosely based on the events in Robinson’s life, while taking inspiration from 90s Black classics.
“I feel like there really isn’t a show out there about a black character who feels like they don’t belong in black spaces,” she said. “Most of the time, growing up, I was the only black girl in my class.”
Robinson also made sure to showcase her hometown.
“It was so important for me to have Baltimore be its own character,” she said. “I want to show the beauty of Baltimore and it’s called Charm City for a reason.”
