Elsa Mae Mae
Delicious pie crust, no filling
I'm definitely in the minority with this one! When Stranger first aired in 2017, it was easy for me to look past, because I wasn't watching many crime thrillers or suspenseful mysteries at the time. But then, Stranger made it onto the New York Times' end-of-year round up of the best international television, and my fear of missing out set in. Had I overlooked something exceptional? After skimming the overwhelmingly positive reviews on this site, I can see that the hype for Stranger is as strong as ever, even six years later.
I tried to get into this three times, and it was only the last try that stuck, which probably says everything you need to know about my ultimate reaction to this drama. I forced myself through it, constantly holding out hope that I'd see why everyone enjoyed it so much, but spoiler alert: I didn't.
While I was watching, I didn't notice any huge area of weakness. The writing, while occasionally convoluted or over-baked, was solid. Directing, acting, and editing were great, and as you can tell from the promotional material alone, this drama looked amazing, in its dark and naturalistic way. I had complaints about the pace, but that's such a common issue in Asian dramas, it's barely worth mentioning.
No, my big block was how hollow this story felt. Stranger is certainly sparkling and competent on the outside, as it excels in every category we usually use to evaluate the quality of a drama, but it was persistently vacant on the inside. It left me empty, emotionally and intellectually, and thus failed to capture my interest in any genuine sense. Of course, I realize that this is a story that intentionally focuses on an emotionless protagonist, and I don't have any qualms about his characterization or Cho Seung Woo's subtle and sophisticated performance of Hwang Shi Mok. But I don't think his presence at the center of the narrative is a justifiable excuse for the void at the center of this drama.
And, please don't get me wrong, I don't think every show needs to present an intellectual debate or deliver a huge emotional punch. For instance, some romantic comedies are purposefully built to be fluffy and fun, and thrillers may be emotionally shallow to better blitz through a lightning fast ride of unforeseen twists. However, I don't think that these goals were the ones Stranger set up for itself. It's meant as a "serious" show to be taken "seriously" by its audience, as prestige television. I'm 100% on board with its plan, but the distinction raises my expectations, since that god-tier level suggests Stranger will be bringing something extra to the table, either emotionally or intellectually. Yet, it doesn't. There's no THERE there.
Sure, it's a great show, but no one orders pie at a restaurant expecting nothing but a delicious crust.
I tried to get into this three times, and it was only the last try that stuck, which probably says everything you need to know about my ultimate reaction to this drama. I forced myself through it, constantly holding out hope that I'd see why everyone enjoyed it so much, but spoiler alert: I didn't.
While I was watching, I didn't notice any huge area of weakness. The writing, while occasionally convoluted or over-baked, was solid. Directing, acting, and editing were great, and as you can tell from the promotional material alone, this drama looked amazing, in its dark and naturalistic way. I had complaints about the pace, but that's such a common issue in Asian dramas, it's barely worth mentioning.
No, my big block was how hollow this story felt. Stranger is certainly sparkling and competent on the outside, as it excels in every category we usually use to evaluate the quality of a drama, but it was persistently vacant on the inside. It left me empty, emotionally and intellectually, and thus failed to capture my interest in any genuine sense. Of course, I realize that this is a story that intentionally focuses on an emotionless protagonist, and I don't have any qualms about his characterization or Cho Seung Woo's subtle and sophisticated performance of Hwang Shi Mok. But I don't think his presence at the center of the narrative is a justifiable excuse for the void at the center of this drama.
And, please don't get me wrong, I don't think every show needs to present an intellectual debate or deliver a huge emotional punch. For instance, some romantic comedies are purposefully built to be fluffy and fun, and thrillers may be emotionally shallow to better blitz through a lightning fast ride of unforeseen twists. However, I don't think that these goals were the ones Stranger set up for itself. It's meant as a "serious" show to be taken "seriously" by its audience, as prestige television. I'm 100% on board with its plan, but the distinction raises my expectations, since that god-tier level suggests Stranger will be bringing something extra to the table, either emotionally or intellectually. Yet, it doesn't. There's no THERE there.
Sure, it's a great show, but no one orders pie at a restaurant expecting nothing but a delicious crust.
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