Otto no katei wo kowasu made

Until I Destroy My Husband's Family starts off incredibly strong, instantly pulling you into its over-the-top emotional world. Matsumoto Marika is splendidly excessive from beginning to end and that's part of the fun. The entire cast leans into the melodrama, making it impossible to look away. I haven't read the manga, but the show absolutely captures the right tone and energy.

The plot is engaging throughout, even if some twists are predictable for anyone familiar with similar Japanese dramas. The ending stumbles a bit writing-wise, but it still manages to wrap things up in a way that feels satisfying enough. Special mention to the music team - Galileo Galilei song really added texture and mood to the chaos.

Narratively, the show loses a bit of steam toward the end the resolution doesn't quite live up to the explosive build-up but by that point, you've already been thoroughly entertained. It's less about realism and more about catharsis: watching people self-destruct in spectacular fashion.

Minori discovers that her beloved husband and father of her child is having an affair with a woman who has a teen-aged son from a prior relationship. She also finds out that her husband and mother-in-law plotted to marry her knowing that she would eventually come into a large sum of money. Her entire romantic world is upended, and the now emotionally damaged Minori embarks on a scheme of revenge to destroy the lives of her husband and his "other" family. The other woman's teenaged son becomes a key part in her plan. But she discovers nearly too late that vengeance can create collateral damage.

The mise-en-scene of this high strung domestic drama is borderline gothic. From background music that belongs in a horror movie to Minori's crazed expressions when she confronts those who have betrayed her, it's melodrama with a capital M. Never have I encountered a group of characters in a series with less impulse control: tearful screaming, maniacal laughing, cheek slapping, head holding , picture tearing...let's just say that there is much suffering and none of it is silent. And it's all supremely entertaining. If you've been betrayed by a loved one, this series is the ultimate in wish fulfillment.

P. S. The actors are all terrifically over the top but particular kudos to the actor playing the teenager who sounds the one note of sweet sincerity in this series' emotional cacophony.