The Wife (2022)

angering game - have fun

"Mia Luang 2022" is maddening right up until the end of episode eighteen - the last 2 episodes being the lakorn version of loose ends. If you need romance, this is not it, no amount of wanting it, will change that. Walk in with eyes wide open; this is a game and winning is on each messed- up character's terms. Where you are only a victim, if you allow yourself to be, and if you don't know you are playing, you lose by default. This would have been a solid ten, but for the last 2 episodes, and 8 is pushing it. But, a soap-opera that generates an angry following for all the right reasons - As if reason would change the game in any way. I feel sorry for Nudee, a positive ending without getting the man, would've given this story purpose. I still recommend it.

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Useless

when the project was announced, many viewers wondered what was the point in this umpteenth adaptation of a story that is far from being popular and that had already been adapted not long ago.
After watching it… I still don’t see the point.
This new adaptation of a woman wondering how to face her husband’s numerous infidelities, when her husband keeps claiming that she’s the only one he really loves and that it’s just normal for a man to sleep around, especially when his last conquest starts to take more and more place in their married life.
The original story is pretty boring, as it is more a story of a domestic type, treating about the consequences of a man being adulterous on the people around here, and also trying to see who, between the wife and the mistress, will win.
This adaptation tries to innovate by making it some psychological war between the husband and his wife, rather than between the wife and the mistress : husband already wasn’t very likeable in the original material, but he’s simply intolerable here. Narcissistic, cruel, taking a personal pleasure in playing with and manipulating women, especially his wife, brilliant doctor Wikanda, as his narcissistic complex cannot stand having anyone, especially a woman, above him so he feels the need to bring them down to satisfy his ego. And for that, he’s willing to use sex as it allows him not only to defeat women, but also to get their willing submission, satisfying his ego that absolutely wants to believe that his amazing charisma (URGH) make women want to stay for him like crazy, even after he makes them suffer. And at some point, Wikanda can no longer stand this game so she tries to get away from this toxic, destructive man. However, her husband Dr Rut won’t let her : again, his narcissistic complex and egocentric need for power won’t accept to let her go out of his control. Let’s remember : Rut wants to submit women, especially Wikanda, who may be the only woman who actually makes him feel threatened (I can’t feel of any other reason why he would want to defeat her this much), as she’s acknowledged and admirer by everyone, as much as he is, something he can’t stand (so marrying her was a way to submit her)
The writers try to make this story more interesting with this psychological war between husband and wife, but also by adding other secondary plots that are supposed to show a deep, complex psychology of the supporting characters. However, it clearly fails at it as it only succeeds to make the characters nonsensical and incredibly dislikeable (not as much as Rut, sure : but there isn’t a single character that you’ll like here). For example, Wikanda’s friend who has an abusive husband who keeps reminding her of how amazing Wikanda is compared to her. As a result, this friend, rather than wanting revenge on her husband, is looking for opportunities ti get revenge on Wikanda. There’s also her other friend who is revealed to actually be one of Rut’s numerous mistresses. Why would she betray her friend, you ask ? Well, apparently, to help her friend. Yes, you’re right : this is ridiculous.
It even makes the viewer feel that the writers were change through the middle of the story as Orn was definitely the 3rd main character of the story in the first half, her triangle with Rut and Wikanda even being the focus of the story but she suddenly becomes a supporting character and the story is no longer about the war between the mistress and the wife, but the war between wife and husband.
The writer shows a very skewed vision of women : here, we’re either sluts, weaklings or jealous and heinous women. And yet the show tries to present itself as defending/honoring us.
On acting, nothing brilliant either : most of the performances are extremely mediocre and as the show tries to make something sensational, for most of the cast, the result is only something extremely exaggerated and unnatural. The two leads, playing Wikanda and Rut, are probably the worst : it is no longer a reveal to anyone that New Wongsakorn has no talent (sorry to his fans but I’ve never heard anyone praise him) and the actress playing Wikanda always looks like she’s watching the horizon with a need to dramatically cry.
Moreover, the writing is extremely bad and unequal : while the story is incredibly slow and frustrating for about 16 episodes, things suddenly fasten. Although it is satisfying to finally see Rut falling and getting the live slap he deserved, this isn’t enough to make up to 16 episodes of frustration and these events are way too fast and sudden to be credible.
Moreover, the ending is far from being entirely satisfying : Rut is punished, but despicable Orn isn’t, or barely. It is implied that her ex-husband, who appeared as one of the only likeable characters, is her punishment as he apparently keeps stalking her to get revenge for what she did to his family, but not only this is far from satisfying, this makes it even more frustrating : you don’t see why the writers seem to pretend that Rut is the only real culprit and spare Orn. Moreover, you can’t help but have a taste of « unfinished » about Orn’s ex-husband and his revenge. Somehow, as viewers, one couldn’t help but expect a real conclusion on his side, especially as he appears a likeable character (he was after a sincere ally for Wikanda and a smart guy), but his ending just makes it feel like his character took 100 steps backwards (I mean, seriously, dude ? From now on, your only purpose is gonna be to stalk your ex-wife and screw up her one-night stands ? Talking about pathetic…)
So in other words, they adapted a story that had already been adapted too many times and too recently despite its poor material and potential and they tried to innovate it by making it more complex, but brought absolutely nothing consistent or interesting compared to the original, making it even worse

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