Season 3 - Episode 2

Season 3 of Under the Microscope was a powerful men’s mental health edition, developed in close collaboration with the Centre for Analytics & Behavioural Change (CABC) and funded by the European Union. Iron Heart exists to create and craft engaging, edutaining and quality video content and campaign work tailored to non-profits, advocacy groups, and organisations working toward positive societal change. For this season, we set out to tackle one of the core root causes of gender-based violence: toxic masculinity and the emotional repression many men endure due to harmful cultural and societal expectations and norms set over centuries.

This series was born from the urgent need to dismantle the outdated belief that men must remain stoic and emotionally disconnected to be perceived as strong or manly. These ideals have resulted in troubling mental health statistics, with high rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide among men in South Africa and globally. By challenging the harmful narrative that vulnerability is weakness, this content series aims to rewrite the script on what it means to be a man.

In Episode 2, comedian and medical doctor Riaad Moosa addresses these issues with frankness, warm openness and with no judgement or condescension. Using his trademark comedy style (look out for the Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation) to disarm and connect, Riaad explores the downside of emotional suppression and the urgent need for more inclusive, modern, and mentally healthy definitions of masculinity. The episode cleverly revisits historical gender norms—highlighting times when men wore dresses and skirts (as seen in clergy garments, Scottish kilts, and Zulu ceremonial attire), and when pink was a colour associated with boys and blue with girls. These examples rewire one’s thinking and encourage the viewer to question how rigid gender constructs came to be, and why they need to persist.

Our full-service creative team handled scripting, research, filming, and editing—ensuring a seamless blend of data-driven insight, gripping storytelling, and strategic digital distribution. Designed to perform on YouTube and social platforms, this episode and the broader series continue to resonate with diverse audiences. The episode inspired open conversations and healthy debate, encouraged help-seeking behaviour among men, and received attention from both male and female viewers.

At Iron Heart, we believe that content should not only inform but transform. By combining entertainment with advocacy and behavioural insight, Under the Microscope Season 3 stands as a bold, empathetic step toward a healthier, more emotionally honest society.