Ask Mantik Intikam Episode 9 Review "Kiss in the Rain"
Recap
This episode came out pistols blazing... Ozan having finally confirmed that Esra left the company because she was afraid of being around him used a classic Esra tactic and brought her back to work. Unfortunately, Cinar, having found out that Esra is Ozan's ex wife decides corporate takeover is the only payback. Zumrut does a good deed. Esra and Ozan KISS IN THE RAIN, while Cagla watches creepily in the distance.Review
-At the beginning of the episode both Ozan and Cinar go about pining the lack of Esra in the workplace. Ozan deals with his sadness by staring broodily and remembering stolen moments while Cinar sleeps in the office and argues with his superiors. Both of them find themselves in the neighborhood to find out why Esra was crying when she left the office... look, you'd cry too if you couldn't just see Ozan everyday, but that is another story.
-Ozan quickly determines that Esra is running from her feelings for him and this makes him very cheeky. Cheeky Ozan smiles a lot and winks at everyone. I love winking, so I think I love Cheeky Ozan as well. Or shall we call him Happy Puppy Ozan? Either way, his winks aren't wasted.
-Unfortunately Cinar spies Ozan in the area and everything comes together with realization and confirmation that Esra is indeed Ozan's ex wife. THEN things take a turn. Look, in cliche shows they'd drag out the fact that Cinar knows but they don't KNOW he knows... Not so in AMI... he immediately calls out Ozan for being a bad friend (fair point) and heads straight to corporate takeover (WHOA... a bit overboard but I love a good villain...). There is also a basketball game/punch that happens in between.
-Musa and Zeyno finally meet and become the second cutest couple in diziland. Their unabashed interest in one another makes Zeyno a bad wing woman, and instead of keeping Esra away from Ozan as promised... she facilitates Ozan's advances. Only a girl who has been sabotaged by a BFF can understand the comedy in the dirty looks Esra was giving her best girl.
-Esra wears the hell out of a red dress.
-Ozan makes up his mind that he's not going to let Esra escape from him this time. He completely disregards personal space and spends his time working at Menekse's cafe until he (with a wink!) teases Esra into coming back to work.
-Back at the office Cinar takes over his father's shares in the company to question Ozan's decisions and offer Esra the position as his assistant... a) Esra misses work so often, she'd be an absolute CRAPPY assistant and b) (as Ozan said) she's going to be leading the marketing/ad project (although why a software company is involved in an ad campaign still mystifies me. This company has always seemed vague with its door to door sales team and CEOs that are always out of the office) so why would she need to be an assistant to anyone? Also... isn't she still an intern? Don't they have internal regulations about promotions etc? Seriously, this is a fake company people, but I still hate the inefficient way it is run. Cinar's new position does nothing to impress or change Esra's opinions about Cinar, but it does ad for comedy as Ozan and Cinar passive aggressively try to keep her near them.
-Despite Eco and Esra trying to Parent Trap Menekse and Alcin (see, I finally learned his name), it takes my Queen Zumrut stepping in to get everyone back on track. Yes, she SAYS she's doing it so that Menekse can focus all her energies on THEIR mutual fights, but we're not buying it... particularly when we see glimpses of the lonely soul who made material comfort a coping mechanism.
-A new man comes to the neighborhood. Eco isn't happy about it, but Elif certainly is. Poor Eco.
-We end the episode with an argument, a confession, and a kiss in the rain. *sigh. Folks, they had me at argument, but everything else was beautiful as well. Ozan's pleading for Esra not to run away this time. Esra's reluctance to trust what she was hearing but responding to his kiss anyway because... well, look, this is Ozan we're talking about. Also, and here I will get into the nitty gritty of kisses in diziland. Most of the time they are meh. Look, I'm usually not looking for the character to eat one another's faces off because for first kisses that is a tad unrealistic in my humble experience. First kisses are a bit more tentative. BUT... Ozan and Esra have been married. They have a shared history of passion. They have both love and desire in that kiss. They have a history of disappointment and a hope for a shared future in that kiss. It NEEDED to be epic, and my friends, it was.
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| This shot wasn't in the episode but I'm hoping it is the aftermath... |
-Man, how I LOVE, love this show. I'm watching another RomCom currently and feel THAT show has run off the rails a bit. They need to take note on the things that make AMI this summer's RomCom to watch.
-A) Engaging side characters that while certainly flamboyant and over the top never become TOO MUCH. They are touched upon, not DWELT upon... and we've seen character development for Zumrut, our main over the top character. You get to see her dimensions, rather than the consequences of her actions. She offers surprises. As do the other side characters. Who isn't cheering for Muso and Zeyno to hit it off? I know I want a double wedding.
-B) The romance isn't one note. Sure, Ozan does a bit of trapping Esra against walls (we love to see it) but there's so much more. There's making her hangover food, there's Esra applying anti itch cream, there's sweet flashbacks, there's closing Meneke's restaurant together. The writers keep giving us glimpses into a LIFE, not just sexy brooding shots and jealousy that is unresolved.
-C) Complicated leads who are neither angels nor devils (this might change for the twins as they step into a more antagonistic role). Both Esra and Ozan have made mistakes, they've been selfish, they've been unaware, and they've been callous to one another's feelings. They've both shown love, growth, new awareness, and their good sides along the way. Cagla and Cinar have shown kindess, a work ethic (for Cagla), desire to help those around them succeed. They've shown dishonesty, hurt, and single-mindedness. They've been both good and not so good, and that is the point. Lets focus on Cinar. He has every right to be upset that Ozan didn't tell him about Esra initially when he began to express interest. Cinar's motivations are to win Esra's affections and he says "Esra will decide." He's not laying claim to her just because he wants her (at this point...). His actions in the company are meant to provoke Ozan, but I believe he really feels that Ozan doesn't see the whole picture in the company. It is clear he's been a capable person, but was lazy. Now he feels motivated. See, complicated characters.
-D) Styling. Folks, I am a styling snob. Whether it is dressing young girls to look too old, or ugly hair, I am all over that in my critiques of any show. The styling people on AMI absolutely nail it. The clothes reflect character and personal taste. Slight touches to show Esra at work v Esra at home. When Cinar comes to the company as a CEO he isn't immediately dressed in a 3 piece suit, but in a jacket and better tailored jeans. All Cagla's outfits are gorgeous! (minus those crazy green leopard pants, but I will allow it this time)
E)- Production. AMI is smart. I know there have been some critiques of the fragmans, but I'll tell you what I like. I enjoy NOT seeing every single romantic scene that happens in the show. I like snippets and breadcrumbs. I also love that they shoot so many versions and takes of the #EsZan scenes so what we see in the episode might not be how it was in the fragman. The promotional materials reflect this as well. It's exciting to see different kisses, and different angles. Everything is crisp, well done, carefully thought out and the backing music and sounds are 10/10. I particularly love the scenes when it is getting all romantic with the music, then there is a screeching sound and back to reality. They know how to play with the comedy using ALL their tools, not just the actor's facial expressions.
-Neyse, I've written a treatise on why I love this show, but on to what I THINK will happen.
-Cagla saw the kiss and will either immediately team up with Cinar to make Ozan's company life hard, or team up with Zumrut to keep Esra and Ozan apart. Cagla is in a difficult position here because her brother is in love with Esra, and she herself likes and admires Esra... But hell hath no fury so we shall see.
-Cinar will fight more with Ozan.
-Esra and Ozan will try and fail to keep their new/old relationship secret. They will be tentative with each other. There might be some misunderstandings.
-Eco will try to win Elif, despite the new hot guy in town.
-Happy Watching!
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