Nice attempt at a throwback to gritty 'dorodoro' melodramas soap but doesn't quite commit
This drama special is a self contained story and from the first few minutes it's apparent that it's not to be taken seriously. Over the top tropes and corny narration are a plenty and hammy over acting and corny dialogue are everywhere. This is a self aware show that could be described as a parody but I think there was a huge element of sincerity here that perhaps more homage is appropriate. Home and appreciation for those older melodramatic gritty soap dramas it seems to be inspired by, albeit tongue heavily planted in cheek. This is what I like in a modern sort of send up but I just felt it missed the mark and didn't truly commit.
The first 20 minutes of episode 1 were fantastic but then the show seemed to forget what style of show it was and started to almost become like a regular tv show (except in with that lens it becomes rather dull). Later it flipped back again into overdrive for the second part. I was left feeling a bit confused in the middle and starting to lose interest. I really wanted it to go in harder with its OTT throwback style melodrama. The finale also felt a bit silly and a little too out left field for me (even in the context of being crazy on purpose).
What the show did excel at was delicious excessive use of Checkov's Gun type story telling where small details such as a protagonist being a pole vaulter in school etc. would soon return and be "relevant" somehow. These moments were hysterical as you could seem them about to happen and those "oh that's why" moments were satisfying. But, I just wanted more. More cliches, more forced exposition, more cheap shoehorned a-ha moments. More commitment to what it was trying to do.
That said I'm very here for this sort of genre and will be checking out the screenwriters other longer shows. I did get the sense that this was all a bit too rushed to fit into a 1 hour 30 special. The absence of episodic cliffhangers likely hurt it too. The performances were outrageous and it's just a really great bit of fun on a lazy afternoon that doesn't ask too much of you but won't stay with you for very long after.
The first 20 minutes of episode 1 were fantastic but then the show seemed to forget what style of show it was and started to almost become like a regular tv show (except in with that lens it becomes rather dull). Later it flipped back again into overdrive for the second part. I was left feeling a bit confused in the middle and starting to lose interest. I really wanted it to go in harder with its OTT throwback style melodrama. The finale also felt a bit silly and a little too out left field for me (even in the context of being crazy on purpose).
What the show did excel at was delicious excessive use of Checkov's Gun type story telling where small details such as a protagonist being a pole vaulter in school etc. would soon return and be "relevant" somehow. These moments were hysterical as you could seem them about to happen and those "oh that's why" moments were satisfying. But, I just wanted more. More cliches, more forced exposition, more cheap shoehorned a-ha moments. More commitment to what it was trying to do.
That said I'm very here for this sort of genre and will be checking out the screenwriters other longer shows. I did get the sense that this was all a bit too rushed to fit into a 1 hour 30 special. The absence of episodic cliffhangers likely hurt it too. The performances were outrageous and it's just a really great bit of fun on a lazy afternoon that doesn't ask too much of you but won't stay with you for very long after.
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