This is a masterpiece

This is a masterpiece but it may not be the type of drama you like. Don’t waste your time if you’re looking for a comedy, thriller, action, mystery, crime, or fantasy series with some romance. You’ll find this too slow and boring. But you’ll enjoy and really appreciate this series if you’re in the mood for a serious drama that focuses on character development, thought-provoking dialogue, and realistic life challenges such as infidelity/divorce, dysfunctional families, and the pressure that long work hours and business competition puts on friends and lovers.

The plot is mainly driven by the impact of infidelity and divorce on the life of the female lead (FL), a spoiled and snobbish stay-at-home housewife and mother who is forced to go back into the work force in her mid-30’s. The friends and family who help (and sometimes hinder) her journey of self-discovery and self-reliance are well-rounded and nuanced. There are no real villains or black-and-white characters. The FL is not particularly likeable in the first couple of episodes, whilst her cheating husband is rather sympathetic - a good but weak man, under a lot of pressure from his high-powered job.

The script-writing, acting, and cinematography are superb. The soundtrack/score is based on jazz/blues, which worked really well with the urban and modern business setting of the series. (And I’m not really a jazz/blue fan.)

I only have two niggles: Firstly, I found the FL’s mother too loud/hysterical in many scenes, so I fast-forwarded through some of those in the middle episodes without really losing much of the overall story. Secondly, there is very little kissing/hugging/skinship in this series, but the romance/love is definitely there and plays in important part.

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