Normally I would have given it 7/10, but watching it in the xmas spirit, and in particular compared with most of the American garbage xmas movies and series, I increased the rating to 8. As someone from a non-Christian culture, I truly enjoyed watching the original, traditional warmth that I felt in this series as compared with all the commercial fake xmas I feel in the North America. As someone who has never bern able to relate to the North American style xmas celebration, I have to admit this series gave me the cozy warm feeling I have always felt since childhood in our new year celebrations... The warmth of something traditional and way way more original than just pushing people to go to the mall. In this sense, I really loved this series.
In addition, I also appreciate it very much that unlike the mainstream North American series and movies (especially the Christmas ones) that keep emphasizing on how sad and needy and incomplete single women above a certain age are and they'd be happy only upon clinging to a man, this one tries to show that a woman, as is, is enough for herself and must not let all the social pressure and family expectations push her to settle on something that doesn't make her happy. I love how it shows that Johanna, despite all her doubts in herself, all her ups and downs, all her occasional bending when it comes to family pressure, does not settle for something less than what she deserves. I love her very normal realistic character, having her weak moments, melt downs, relying on friends and family at times of need, but at the same time being an independent reliable person in the lives of her family, friends, colleagues, and her patients. I love that despite all the occasional moments of feeling weak or like a loser, she eventually uses her support network to dry her tears and goes back on her feet. It is sooooo like the opposite of the American mainstream garbage advertises. I love how in the first episode it emphasizes how single people are ignored by all the commercial culture (no xmas set edition of pyjamas for singles, just couples and family).
Moreover, I also enjoyed the very real sense of humour and sensible jokes in the series.
All in all, nothing very deep or extraordinary, but a great light happy "right" choice for Christmas season, especially a Christmas like this one with all the COVID-related restrictions.
