A tentative "so far so good"
I just finished the first two episodes of this show. While I wait for the next ones, I'll give a brief review.
First, I would be lying if I said that the show was great. It isn't quite there yet. The pilot falls prey, as so many TV pilots do, to clunky exposition in its attempt to establish the story. One of the most egregious examples is when a character tells his wife "You know why this is important" before explaining exactly why it's important for the audience's benefit. The acting is also a little shaky at times, sad to say, including in that aforementioned moment.
However, with that said, I've noticed that TV pilots are almost always the worst episodes of the show, so I would only urge people to watch both the first two episodes before making up their minds on whether to continue.
And discounting its flaws, the pilot has an interesting premise. The protagonist is very likeable too; Siaja is a young woman who got married right out of high school to the small-town hero. Ting is wildly popular, but he is also a complete and utter douchebag to her, taking her for granted while flying high on his own fumes. When he pushes her too far, Siaja has had enough. In an act fuelled by substances and her own impulsiveness, she breaks up with him. Thus, she and her daughter move in with her mom, and she embarks on a plan to rebuild her life as someone more than just the local hero's wife.
The second episode, without spoiling anything, is a big improvement to the pilot. Now that a lot of exposition is out of the way, the story is able to move forward. Anna Lambe proves her mettle as Siaja once again, as do the rest of the supporting characters. Ting is believable as a man who's used to being the popular guy, and like so many guys who peaked in high school, he's got an infuriating sense of entitlement. I also liked Siaja's complicated relationship with her mother, as well as the rest of the community.
In short, the series is decent thus far, with a unique focus on a deeply underrepresented culture in Canadian media. It isn't without its flaws, but the good easily outweighs the bad. I'm looking forward to the next episodes, with all hope that it keeps getting better.
First, I would be lying if I said that the show was great. It isn't quite there yet. The pilot falls prey, as so many TV pilots do, to clunky exposition in its attempt to establish the story. One of the most egregious examples is when a character tells his wife "You know why this is important" before explaining exactly why it's important for the audience's benefit. The acting is also a little shaky at times, sad to say, including in that aforementioned moment.
However, with that said, I've noticed that TV pilots are almost always the worst episodes of the show, so I would only urge people to watch both the first two episodes before making up their minds on whether to continue.
And discounting its flaws, the pilot has an interesting premise. The protagonist is very likeable too; Siaja is a young woman who got married right out of high school to the small-town hero. Ting is wildly popular, but he is also a complete and utter douchebag to her, taking her for granted while flying high on his own fumes. When he pushes her too far, Siaja has had enough. In an act fuelled by substances and her own impulsiveness, she breaks up with him. Thus, she and her daughter move in with her mom, and she embarks on a plan to rebuild her life as someone more than just the local hero's wife.
The second episode, without spoiling anything, is a big improvement to the pilot. Now that a lot of exposition is out of the way, the story is able to move forward. Anna Lambe proves her mettle as Siaja once again, as do the rest of the supporting characters. Ting is believable as a man who's used to being the popular guy, and like so many guys who peaked in high school, he's got an infuriating sense of entitlement. I also liked Siaja's complicated relationship with her mother, as well as the rest of the community.
In short, the series is decent thus far, with a unique focus on a deeply underrepresented culture in Canadian media. It isn't without its flaws, but the good easily outweighs the bad. I'm looking forward to the next episodes, with all hope that it keeps getting better.
- BobStage
- Jan 12, 2025