Review: SuriHati Mr Pilot

Despite the hype I've seen on social media about SuriHati Mr Pilot (SHMP), I was quite hesitant to watch it mainly because it's a Malay drama. Don't get me wrong. I do watch Malay drama, but it's hard to find good ones nowadays plus, one big setback was the overly cheesy titles they are using nowadays, like "Suamiku Jatuh Dari Langit", "Aku Tundukkan Playboy itu" or something similarly cringe worthy.

It wasn't until I saw one of my online friend talk about it on IG that I thought I'd give it a try.

Tersangkut beb. Huhuhu... Nasib baik macam 16 episod je.

[Image credits to this site]

What I liked about this series is the entertaining story line of the first half of the series.
-The banter between the main character and their best friends.
-Kahwin paksa is a typical Malay-drama storyline these days, but to run away from it and then agrees to marry the same person later down the road is quite interesting.
-Watak Neelofa pun ada satu macam yg menarik dan misteri.
- Oh did I mentioned she plays an engineer?? I've been asking aloud for quite sometime now about how there is lacking stories about engineers; selalu pun Doctors or Lawyers, or Policemen or Scientists... but never engineers. Tapi dlm cerita ni Neelofa aku rasa lebih macam arkitek daripada engineer. but whatever.. aku bukan tau semua jenis engineer kerja macam mana. maybe dia civil or electrical engineer or water engineer.

Rants. Sebab aku terlalu invested dengan cerita ni... which may include spoilers...

- I get why Warda sanggup lari dari rumah ikut tingkap bilik yg tinggi (still in her engagement gown) sebab tak nak kahwin dgn a total stranger. i mean who does that these days? Are we living in remote village in Afghanistan that still holds true to arrange marriage? Nasib baik la kawan tu handsome. Tapi still...

- Warda ni pun kalau nak lari dari rumah dan merajuk dgn family pun, macam acah2 merajuk. Sebabnya dia lari pun duduk kat KL je, which is like one hour away from where her family is. The chances of bumping into them is so high, dekat MidValley, OneUtama, Bangsar.. KL kecik je. If I were her, I'd run to Melaka or Pahang, Kedah. Anywhere but KL and Selangor. Her second run away from home was more believable.

- I think episods yg cerita Warda & Ejas sebelum berkahwin lebih menarik daripada episod lepas diorang kahwin (I think episod lepas jumpa nenek up until episod 12 or 13). Those episodes are the most mushiest ones ever sampai rolling mata tak larat nak tengok. Kalau tak manja, gaduh. jeles, gaduh. Baik,gaduh. gaduh, gaduh. all because both have large ego and don't know how to communicate with each other. I think all their problems can be solved with honest communication with each other. They talk to their friends about problems, but they don't talk to each other. Dua2 pun tak trust masing2. Dua2 pun ego besar macam gajah.

- So Warda is asking Ejas to ceraikan dia, tapi Ejas tak mau kan. Why doesn't she go and ask for a fasakh? kan senang. Mungkin sebab dia masih sayangkan Ejas. Sebab tu sanggup gantung tak bertali hampir 5 tahun.

- Wow, I can be a relationship counsellor lah like this.

- One thing that I noticed in this drama is the high affinity the actors have towards their jackets and sweaters. Setiap scene pun (except masa dia pakai baju pilot) they'd be wearing jackets and sweaters. Konfius aku diorang ni duduk KL ke Bukit Fraser?
It wasn't until I watched the director's interview that I understand that they wanted to do a korean-drama like show. hence the autumn clothing and the pastel colour palette.

- Warda's tudung game is always on-point. No wonder lah dia tidur pun pakai tudung. sebab perfect gila. haha. If you have a good hijab day, you'll definitely want to wear it all day long.

So, what to watch next?

Mr Robot S2 (Warning! Spoilers! Ahead!)

Warning! (Again!) Spoilers! Ahead! READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL

I think the build up of season 2 was extremely slow. From every episode starting from 1 to 4 or 5, I slept halfway through the show. I don't know whether it was actually dead boring or purposely intended to be so just to tell viewers how boring life is when you're living it in a routine. Routine. That is what Elliot's life was at that moment.

When it did build up, it blew over, in the most unimaginable way that I think was possible. I knew something was 'off' about the mundane routine and the people he interacted with, which turns out to be the rose tinted glasses that he put on to shut himself from the reality that he was facing, living in prison.

Season 2 gave us a bit of a back story of how F-society and Mr Robot was founded and how the group members met. So, at least I know how it all started.

My favorite episode was the one where Elliot's life transfigured into an 80's comedy sitcom, complete with 4:3 screen and audience background laughter. The whole family was on a road trip to somewhere. I enjoyed that episode very much probably because there was so much sunlight as compared the normal setting that they are always in.

After the reveal, the story picks up well.

Angela; I still don't know what is her role in all of this. Is she an outsider or an insider? What is her motivation for doing all this and is she on a solo mission for revenge? Is she just into old guys and wanted to live a rich lifestyle. Or is she really the boss in this whole conspiracy?

Dominique; the FBI agent that is obsessed with the case she's on because she doesn't have a life of her own (she admits it). It's kinda sad, but there are real people out there like that. She puts on a brave front when she's at work, but when she's alone, she let her vulnerability be known, only to a virtual assistant called Alexa (isn't that like Amazon's version of Siri?)

Dark Army; crazy Chinese internet mobster gang. The enemy of my enemy is my friend? One thing for sure, the leader has some cross-dressing mental issues. But as I am typing this I am starting to realise that it is probably a clever way to dissociate yourself, when you're the govt minister, you have to have an alias if you are to also run an underground organised gang as your second job. #duakerja

Darlene; if only she kept her shit together. things might've gone in a different direction, as planned.

Elliot/Mr Robot; I don't actually know what his plan is, but for a mental dude to execute such an extensive and elaborate plan and kept it from himself (bi-polar?) is literally, brilliantly mental. The struggle within him (konflik dalam diri) to let Mr Robot dictate his life or to take back control is interesting to look at. I think this is the same case as that cross-dressing Chinese minister. A way to feign innocence when you're executing your master evil plan.

Tyrell; ok this dude is crazy. Who shuts himself from his own family and the world in an abandoned warehouse for three months?

I like TV, but I think I liked it too much for my own good

I love TV. For me, it's the equivalent of books, saying it in a crude way.
While I was growing up, TV used to be make us disciplined. Me planned our days activities based on TV schedules.
Pagi = sekolah
Tengah hari = I think there was a drama show during lunch time, then go for mengaji Al-Quran
Petang = tengok cerita drama Jepun, then play outdoors
Malam = doing homework while watching Pi Mai Tang Tu or 3+1
Sabtu = the reason why we don't sleep till noon is Saturday cartoon shows!

Remember "Intisari Rancangan"? I used to read it to see whether there'll be any interruptions to my daily plan.

You have to watch the show as they are aired on the telly. If you missed it, then you'll have to ask your friends at school what happened. What ever you get to watch was decided by the TV station (and your parents). So maybe you don't like like wrestling shows, but you have to watch it anyways because majority wins. Or the only good show on TV that night was Hiburan Minggu Ini (it's really a good show, especially when there was Sudirman that one time).

The VCR came and helped us a bit with watching shows that we missed; IF we know how to set the timer to record the show On-TIME. Imagine the disappointment of returning home after a long weekend lunch outside only to find that the VCR did't record the show because the clock on the LED display was blinking 12:00.

Nowadays, everyone has their own screens, minimum one per person. TV shows now has cloned themselves into apps. With just a decent internet line, you can watch anything you want anytime you wish. The TV stations doesn't have a firm grip on your life schedule anymore and more power to the people. Isn't that dandy?

Well, not so. IMHO, too much of a good thing is not really that good.
take it from my own experience of binge watching episodes of Criminal Minds or Downton Abbey in one day just because I can. Tengok sampai rasa nak muntah. I'm happy while I watching the show, but after a day gone by, I am filled with shame and regret because of wasting a whole day in bed like a slob. Then comes next weekend, I'll repeat the cycle. Binge watch, and feel bad for myself, then repeat. I am an adult. Imagine children being given the same freedom of choice. I think they'd also want to watch Upin & Ipin sampai minggu depan.

Ko displinkan la diri ko.
Yeah, tell me about it when you can overcome the suspense of the clever cliffhanger that is soooo high up there that makes you want to click "Watch Next episode" while quietly saying this to yourself "it's only going to be 43 mins" and then realise 5 hours later that half a day has gone.
Or that sneaky show that you've watched before, but you forgot how it all started so you go and find the Pilot episode and got sucked into watching the rest of the season. Ha!