The Making of an Ordinary Woman (2019) (DVD) (Ep. 1-10) (End) (Taiwan Version) DVD Region 3

Based on writings by Jiang E, The Making of an Ordinary Woman's heroine and crossroads are simply oh-so-relatable. As she nears 40, every middling, unfulfilled aspect of her life is telling her it's time to quit her adopted city and go back to whence she came. After experiencing major setbacks, Chen Jia Ling decides to temporarily return to her childhood home and colorful family in southern Taiwan. Once she's there, she has little reason to leave again.

The Making of an Ordinary Woman jumps between the present day and Jia Ling's childhood in Tainan in the eighties. The nostalgic flashbacks are delightful to watch, harking back to simpler times of child's play, flights of imagination and blissful ignorance. Back then as it is now, Jia Ling's family was never free of drama, but it was always full of affection and bustle. Child star Wu Yi Han charms effortlessly as the mischievous and cheeky young Jia Ling, who provides good indication of why the adult Jia Ling could never become that sophisticated lady she hoped to be. Both Hsieh Ying Hsuan and Wu Yi Han earned well-deserved Best Actress nominations at this year's Golden Bell Awards for their portrayals of Chen Jia Ling.

At its heart, The Making of an Ordinary Woman is a universal homecoming story about the return of the prodigal daughter who rediscovers her roots and herself. The formula may be predictable – after all, Chen Jia Ling is just an ordinary woman – but the characters, conflicts and backdrop that make up her ordinary world are so warm, realistic and compelling. At the same time, the drama never gets didactic or overly sentimental, even during the emotional moments, as the heroine and her family are a down-to-earth, straight-talking (and often hilarious) bunch. I'd be very surprised if The Making of an Ordinary Woman didn't win Best Mini-Series at the upcoming Golden Bell Awards.