TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Yearender: Viewers' top TV serial hits in 2022
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
A
s the cinematic quality of Indonesian soap operas and local web series improved to match those on the big screen, local viewers had a wide selection of great serial entertainment to watch this year.
Saying that 2022 was the year that Indonesian television series ruled the nation is no understatement. With a boom in limited series on streaming services and the massive viewership that followed them, it’s safe to say that the country’s TV industry is bursting with creativity.
Recent years have seen a shift in viewership from TV to digital platforms to watch their favorite shows. Local over-the-top (OTT) streaming services have grasped this opportunity to rake in more viewers by producing high-quality web series, and many have been successful in this endeavor, according to Kompas.
But this change has not meant the death of the strip programming that Indonesia’s TV soap operas, or sinetron, have used since the sector’s birth. If anything, TV soaps became even better this year as some platforms started streaming TV channels, driving the trend in quality entertainment.
Here, some avid viewers talk about the best TV series to come out in 2022.
‘Yang Hilang Dalam Cinta’
For Zafira, there was no better series this year than Yang Hilang Dalam Cinta (What’s lost in love).
“What makes this series great is the premise, something that I think hasn’t been raised before,” the 24-year-old told The Jakarta Post.
Directed by Yandy Laurens and produced by production behemoth StarvisionPlus, Yang Hilang Dalam Cinta seems to introduce a typical love triangle between main characters Dara, Satria and Rendra. But something unusual happens when Satria’s first love Dara gets ready to marry Rendra: She becomes invisible.
“As it turns out, Dara becomes invisible when her self-esteem is very low, and this often happens because of her abusive partner, Rendra,” said Zafira, an employee at an NGO in Jakarta.
The premise not only creates a great show that combines drama, romance and sci-fi, but also shows how toxic relationships can harm someone through the physical loss of self, quite literally.
“In the [series], Dara loses her body. In reality, if you are a victim of an abusive or toxic relationship, you do lose control over yourself,” said Zafira, who could relate to Dara’s experience.
She added that this simple depiction through Dara’s invisibility, aside from its focused narrative and excellent cast, allowed viewers to understand more about the dynamics in an abusive relationship. It might even lead to self-realization in people who might unknowingly be in an abusive relationship.
“I think these [things] happen to some of us,” said Zafira. “But whenever we discuss toxic relationships, most get stuck in the pain and loss, when those are actually just the tip of the iceberg.”
‘Suka Duka Berduka’
If anything could be more devastating than a funeral, it is a funeral in which the surviving family members fixate on their inheritance.
“Sometimes movies are based on real life, right? This one made me think, ‘Is there a family like this in real life?’” said 23-year-old Caca Salwa, a full-time housewife.
Suka Duka Berduka (Joy and sorrow of mourning), coproduced by Rapi Films and Kalyana Shira Films, was one of the biggest and most anticipated series to come from the Vidio streaming platform, mostly due to its star-studded cast and Citra Award-winning director, Nia Dinata. And when it was finally released, its quality met the hype.
“The jokes, which I don’t even relate to, are downright hilarious,” said Caca, adding that she enjoyed watching the drama unfold between the deceased Opa Rauf’s children and his young wife.
“It is also more vulgar. I love it when a director and producer make a series that can explore vulgarities on screen,” she said.
From sex scenes to marijuana use, no holds are barred in Suka Duka Berduka as it dives into the psyche of each family member. Even the tagline, “Tangis Paling Keras, Tawa Paling Lepas” (the harshest sobs, the freest laughs) warns viewers of this maximalist venture, but the satirical drama is executed meticulously without being over the top.
As Caca put it: “It’s pure fun. The series reminds the audience that you really cannot do this stuff to your own family.”
‘Imperfect 2’
A feature film often does a better job of neatly packaging stories in three acts surrounding a central conflict, but a TV series tops films in that it has the power to flesh out its characters from one episode to the next.
“I watched the [2019 film] Imperfect first, and when it was made into a series, I ended up loving the jokes and the characters even more,” 25-year-old Dean told the Post.
Based on the box office success about a love story between an overweight woman and her love interest that sold 2 million tickets, its TV serial adaptation dives more into the side characters that stole the audience’s hearts: the geng kosan (rooming house gang).
After its first season in 2021, the second season of Imperfect 2 was released this year, written by comedian and filmmaker Ernest Prakarsa. The original idea for the story came from a novel of the same name by Meira Anastasia, Ernest’s wife.
“The story is so heartwarming,” said Dean, an employee at a healthcare NGO who lives in South Jakarta. “It’s still fun seeing the earlier characters who haven’t changed since the first season, as well as the new ones who add a fresh aspect [to the series].”
It is this dynamic between the characters and their uniqueness that have charmed Dean. With all the problems that the geng kosan have, the gang still navigates life in a captivating way, thanks to the careful and caring direction of Naya Anindita.
“Maybe this is a bit more like Friends for me, which I never bore of, even if it has 10 seasons,” Dean laughed, referring to the celebrated United States sitcom.
‘Love Story the Series’
Who says TV soaps have lost their power amid the surge of web series? Even after its release in 2021, Love Story the Series was still going strong into 2022, even bagging the same awards it won last year.
“Love Story’s storyline is easy to understand and doesn’t have a lot of flashbacks or changes,” said Haikal Ilmi Akbar, a 24-year-old private employer.
Haikal also watches other TV soaps like Ikatan Cinta (Love ties) that have gained popularity the last couple of years, but says Love Story feels “different”.
“The conflict is simpler and the characters are more focused. It doesn’t rush from one character to another,” he said.
Even when other problems arise in the series, they are introduced one at a time. Haikal believes this straightforward focus makes Love Story easier to watch and follow, not to mention the “visually great” cast who delivered great performances.
“The protagonist has more fight in them toward the antagonist, it is not the typical pushover character you usually see [in soaps],” he added.
‘Dapur Napi’
Untold stories are among the biggest draws for TV viewers, and Dapur Napi (Convict’s kitchen) is a shining example.
“What I love is its story. There seem to be very few discussions about the lives of ex-convicts, especially women,” Fay told the Post.
Dapur Napi tells the story of ex-convict Laila, who decides to open a small eatery with her friends, also ex-convicts, for a fresh start. Unfortunately, the local residents do not exactly welcome them with open arms, especially because of Laila’s criminal history.
This premise about second chances and the true meaning of family has rarely been explored on local TV, if ever, Fay thinks.
“I also like how each character has different backgrounds and personalities, but they all connect and support one another so well,” said the 21-year-old university student in Malang.
The series, released in early November, was penned by famed filmmaker and author Gina S. Noer and stars Clara Bernadeth, Asmara Abigail, Poppy Sovia and Shenina Cinnamon.
“The actors’ performances are very convincing [...] and new conflicts keep popping up, so it’s not boring,” added Fay.
‘Drama Ratu Drama’
If 2022 was all about bringing new ideas and concepts to the small screen, then nothing could be as fun as a TV series about sinetron.
For a country that has been enamored by sinetron for decades, Drama Ratu Drama (Drama of a drama queen) sheds light on what goes on behind the scenes.
“What made Drama Ratu Drama one of the best Indonesian series is its social message and critique,” noted Aji Nurohman, a university student based in Cirebon.
Written by rising filmmaker Aco Tenriyagelli, Drama Ratu Drama shows the harsh realities of the sinetron industry, in which airing one episode requires intense sacrifice from the entire crew because of strip programming, a technique for scheduling TV shows.
“No wonder, then, we often come across ridiculous sinetron plots, because the production side actually cares little about [the writing],” Aji said. “This is also what makes it difficult for Indonesian soap operas to develop. The producers love the demand, so it’s hard when people with creative ideas want to make changes [to the industry].”
The series’ main storyline follows the kind-hearted main character Ijul, played by veteran sinetron actress Enzy Storia, who endures hate from viewers because of her antagonistic starring role.
It was a well-meaning critique of Indonesian viewers who “often can’t separate the characters from the actors in real life,” said Aji, who also noted that the series was cleverly written.
