Mother eps 2-6

Just when I thought Mother was getting sappy with the Nao's too much of a coincidence talk with her real mother in ep 3, there is this incident in ep 4 involving an eyepatch that just made me want to chant 'this is awesome!'. I love it when doramas dare to get a bit darker instead of simplifying and making this rosy like Aishiteru. I love that the reporter Shunsuke is not nice though his sob story past was boring. I have a dream, that someday some forward thinking jdorama writer will decide to ignore the stupid rule that every villain must have some stupid excuse for having ulterior motives. If only Shunsuke would say he was doing it because Nao's mom is filthy rich and it wouldn't put a dent in her savings account but will improve his life a great deal.

I had feared that Mother had used too many bullets early in the series and I'm happy to say my fears were not realised. The writer Sakamoto Yuji clearly has a strong plan for this series. Looks at his list of works; Taiyo to Umi Kyoushitsu, Last Christmas, Itoshi Kimi E, etc etc with Ryokiteki na kanojo being the only blemish. His idea for mother is not just about Nao playing mother to Tsugumi. He really wants to write the mother of all mother jdoramas.

We've got Nao's stepmother and her struggle to be a real mother to Nao.We have Nao's real mother who has to face the facts of her abandoning Nao and whether she has the right to intervene in Nao's life. You have Nao's sister who has to choose between being a mother or getting into a sham marriage. There is the issue of Tsugumi's abusive mom and finally the question of whether Nao is just play acting. Lots of mothers but so many different themes to explore like Nao always feeling indebted to her mother but it creates a distance between them she doesn't act like a spoiled brat.

 I like that Nao doesn't waste time arguing and justifying her actions. She knows she may have done the wrong thing and it will most likely end badly for her. But she accepts the fact that she made decision and it doesn't matter why she did it out what her intentions were. Nao has no plan but she has no choice but to keep moving on with Tsugumi. I just respect her character's inability to play the woe is me card and ability to make hard decisions. If there's one thing I hate its whiny characters.

Everytime I think the show is going to go slow, something interesting happens. I just have a strong feeling that Sakamoto Yuji has Mother mapped out and paced really well. I know mother doramas are dime a dozen but its never been done this well. Mother reminds me of this Korean movie called the Classic which tried to be the romance movie to end all romance movies except it turned out to be a lifeless tick-the-cliches-boxes and throw-in-the-kitchen-sink movie while Mother feels organised and fluid. Its not one of those doramas with older actresses each playing a different stereotype. It is a runaway movie exploring themes of motherhood but it is not visibly self-conscious of that fact. There's a chance it could all go downhill (please no bright and happy ending) but for now, this is the best jdorama this season and a must watch.