Wave Makers Review: Also known as 人選之人－造浪者, this Mandarin drama stars Hsieh Ying-hsuan, Huang Jag, Gingle Wang, Leon Dai, Buffy Chen, Tsai Hsuan-yen, Kao Ying-hsuan, Aviis Zhong, Ada Pan, Hu Wei-jie, Ko I-chen, Devin Pan, Pu Hsueh-liang and Lee Chih-chin, alongside other cast members. There are eight episodes in this season, and they are directed by Lin Chun-yang. Each episode runs for around 45-55 minutes.
– The Wave Makers Review Does Not Contain Spoilers –
Immediately, this show is not what people would expect. It is shot like a Hollywood project, the way it would be a good icebreaker internationally because that is the kind of content most people would consume. However, the country’s culture and the city’s bustling nature are left true to their form in the show. It is perhaps one of the most powerful beginnings. Somewhat of a mockumentary and somewhat cinematic, the series does well by straddling the two lines and the two worlds that it seeks to portray.
Moreover, the show portrays the chaos of an office perfectly. With all the over-talking and the discussion being the key element to make it realistic. The writing is fantastic, and the way the dialogues are written is absolutely iconic. Certain dialogues from the show us why this has such a big potential to become the face of Taiwanese television. Even the progressive nature of this show makes a strong argument for more content coming from that part of the planet.
There were certain moments where the suspension of disbelief was so high that it was hard to discern whether this could be a docuseries or not. The sets were constructed perfectly, the dynamics attuned well to the genre, and the structure was perfect for keeping audiences hooked but delved enough into detail to flesh out the characters and storylines. While the plot was already fantastic, the way the subplots weave in to add to the narrative was a brilliant way to make the story come alive rather than remain stagnant.
Adding to that, they have a queer lead in the series whose identity has a significant impact on the plot but is not rendered to be the crux of her personality. There are so many shows that fail to toe that line, but this one does it magnificently. This writer cannot express enough how much of a breath of fresh air this show is. It may have cured some of the streaming fatigue they were going through this time. The story was fresh, the execution was fantastic, and the ending was also deeply satisfying.
It must be noted that the character construction in this series is brilliant. They have sown enough seeds for future seasons, which could explore the main characters’ lives but could also lead to a spinoff for some others from the events that transpired in this show. While it is a mostly fun-loving show that keeps it PG-13 most of the time, some of the themes explored in this series were poignant and handled perfectly. Things like assault, female rage, coercion, and power politics that come with male privilege were just some of the ones they explored.
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Wave Makers is also so brilliant at merging the politics of the private with the public because that is exactly how social systems function. By taking up a new kind of challenge in every episode, this show explores the different facets of being a woman in politics but also how the system is constructed to protect certain kinds of people from consequences. Additionally, the exploration of female rage was absolutely fantastic. It not only validates their experiences but also sets the tone for what future representation could look like.
Wave Makers Review: Final Thoughts
Anybody with a slight interest in politics, culture, conversation and discourse should watch this show. It is riddled with merging the personal and professional, but it is also a brilliant story on its own. It is deeply feminist and keeps the cornerstones of development for both people in the queer community and the people who identify as women.
It is refreshing to see content that is so unproblematic and wholesome that we cannot help but enjoy it. There aren’t any tropes that bring us back to the days of internalised misogyny and also champion female friendships above all. This writer would vehemently recommend people to watch this show because the end not only gives the perfect closure but is also paced well enough to keep the rhythm going for the future.
Wave Makers is currently streaming on Netflix.
What did you think of this political drama? Let us know in the comments below.
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