I should add a disclaimer here that all of my thoughts are based upon the closed captioning that was probably auto-generated and may not have completely matched the actual dialog of the characters.
Romantic relationships between people are probably the most prolific subject of TV and movies. We all can't fly rocket ships or wear capes and fly thru space and time however, most of us have had a relationship with someone who disappointed us in some way. I could easily say that cheating is the main subject of this series. The real main subject is hinted at in the title "My Wife is Having an Affair This Week." These are the words the husband in this series posted anonymously to an online chat group as he struggled with his wife's supposed and then confirmed affair with another man. He could not bring himself to talk with friends or family so he indevoured to gain some knowledge or at least solace by chatting with anonymous strangers. It was interesting to see some of the fictional group of posters frequently mimic my thoughts. Many did not agree of course. What was equally interesting was noticing that actual persons were out in the world posting online at various sites making comments that agreed with one side or the other. So the actual main subject of this screenplay may be our modern ability to seek anonymous online advice on everything and consider if that is a good thing.
I think the series creator, writers, and director intended for us people in the viewing audience to be drafted onto the husband's crew of online helpers by coming to our own conclusions about what was happening. Many of us posting in real-time (and later for some like me) with our conclusions about what the cheating wife was doing and what the dutiful husband should do. Many were on both sides of the issue and many stating the same comments as the fictional characters. It was also rather exciting to see many of my thoughts as a resident of the southern United States agree and markedly disagree with those from distant lands. This series apparently hasn't had much playtime in the USA.
Many of the real comments point out a severe lack of characterization for the cheating wife. A likely great actress was tasked to spend an inordinate amount of time just looking with anguish at her clenched hands with her missing wedding ring saying "I'm sorry", "It's my fault." She very quickly was determined to separate and divorce without thoughts or discussion of reconciliation. Not many (if any) TV viewers seemed to see that it was a purposeful direction and not a mistake. The wife was suddenly an enigma for the husband. He could not understand what motivated his perfect wife to cheat and abruptly give up on the marriage. Likewise, his group of online supporters could also not be allowed the inner thoughts of the cheater. Since we viewers were also cast in the role of his online group we also could not be given that information. The usual semi omniscient view of the TV audience dictated we not see her any more clearly than the storytelling husband. She had to be closed off to everyone including us. Therefore it was necessary for her to have virtually no characterization for us to judge her by.
But
I think they accomplished that too well. Even in the final episode when "The Cheating Wife" as she identified herself logged on to the message board to defend her husband, she doesn't reveal herself quite so well as I thought she could. Although blaming herself by "wearing herself too thin" being a working mother and wife, I think she could/should have addressed every single question and thought her now ex-husband posted to his pack of online helpers. This series was about that online relationship more than the marriage. We (or at least I) would really like to know if she forgot the wedding anniversary? She bought the gift but left it in a drawer where it remained till the next day. Why not give it to him on the anniversary. If she did intend to keep the marriage intact (as her cheating lover said prior to being caught) then she would have continued the excellent facade of happiness by celebrating the anniversary with her husband. She did not do that. She forgot or ignored it. Next was the question "Why didn't my wife follow me from that hotel room?" which could have been directly addressed. She stated it was her that insisted on divorce after discovery but didn't answer "Why was she so determined to divorce?" An opportunity to fill in her motivations to her husband's online crew and us TV viewers could have been better used. She might have tried to resolve her earlier angry statement to her husband that she" longed for her lover and asked him to meet her." That did not seem congruent with her later words that "when I'm with him I don't think about my husband, child or work." That longing for him sounded liked she thought she loved him and not that he was just a distraction from responsibility. This was the final episode so her internal thoughts should have been more generous and forthcoming to those of us paying attention to all these details about her that bothered the husband so much. I guess I am saying that all of the missing characterization of the wife from early episodes was not adequately made up for in the concluding episode.
What is/are the moral(s) of this story? Pay attention to your spouse if you value their happiness and your family. Happiness is a life-long endeavor. Talk to your spouse about things that trouble you, please you, and everything in-between. They can't read your mind because they are not perfect and you know that neither are you. Don't save these conversations for an outside lover with pillow talk which virtually guarantees the end of your marriage.
One more very personal opinion about the plot: I disagree with the conclusion of this story that you suddenly find yourself in someone else's arms like that full "glass of water" suddenly losing its surface tension talked about by the husband's female co-worker. Cheating is strictly a choice. With every action of this series in place, I would still conclude the wife cheated just because she wanted to. She cheated because it felt good and new and exciting. She was only sad because she got caught and her fun came to an end.
Romantic relationships between people are probably the most prolific subject of TV and movies. We all can't fly rocket ships or wear capes and fly thru space and time however, most of us have had a relationship with someone who disappointed us in some way. I could easily say that cheating is the main subject of this series. The real main subject is hinted at in the title "My Wife is Having an Affair This Week." These are the words the husband in this series posted anonymously to an online chat group as he struggled with his wife's supposed and then confirmed affair with another man. He could not bring himself to talk with friends or family so he indevoured to gain some knowledge or at least solace by chatting with anonymous strangers. It was interesting to see some of the fictional group of posters frequently mimic my thoughts. Many did not agree of course. What was equally interesting was noticing that actual persons were out in the world posting online at various sites making comments that agreed with one side or the other. So the actual main subject of this screenplay may be our modern ability to seek anonymous online advice on everything and consider if that is a good thing.
I think the series creator, writers, and director intended for us people in the viewing audience to be drafted onto the husband's crew of online helpers by coming to our own conclusions about what was happening. Many of us posting in real-time (and later for some like me) with our conclusions about what the cheating wife was doing and what the dutiful husband should do. Many were on both sides of the issue and many stating the same comments as the fictional characters. It was also rather exciting to see many of my thoughts as a resident of the southern United States agree and markedly disagree with those from distant lands. This series apparently hasn't had much playtime in the USA.
Many of the real comments point out a severe lack of characterization for the cheating wife. A likely great actress was tasked to spend an inordinate amount of time just looking with anguish at her clenched hands with her missing wedding ring saying "I'm sorry", "It's my fault." She very quickly was determined to separate and divorce without thoughts or discussion of reconciliation. Not many (if any) TV viewers seemed to see that it was a purposeful direction and not a mistake. The wife was suddenly an enigma for the husband. He could not understand what motivated his perfect wife to cheat and abruptly give up on the marriage. Likewise, his group of online supporters could also not be allowed the inner thoughts of the cheater. Since we viewers were also cast in the role of his online group we also could not be given that information. The usual semi omniscient view of the TV audience dictated we not see her any more clearly than the storytelling husband. She had to be closed off to everyone including us. Therefore it was necessary for her to have virtually no characterization for us to judge her by.
But
I think they accomplished that too well. Even in the final episode when "The Cheating Wife" as she identified herself logged on to the message board to defend her husband, she doesn't reveal herself quite so well as I thought she could. Although blaming herself by "wearing herself too thin" being a working mother and wife, I think she could/should have addressed every single question and thought her now ex-husband posted to his pack of online helpers. This series was about that online relationship more than the marriage. We (or at least I) would really like to know if she forgot the wedding anniversary? She bought the gift but left it in a drawer where it remained till the next day. Why not give it to him on the anniversary. If she did intend to keep the marriage intact (as her cheating lover said prior to being caught) then she would have continued the excellent facade of happiness by celebrating the anniversary with her husband. She did not do that. She forgot or ignored it. Next was the question "Why didn't my wife follow me from that hotel room?" which could have been directly addressed. She stated it was her that insisted on divorce after discovery but didn't answer "Why was she so determined to divorce?" An opportunity to fill in her motivations to her husband's online crew and us TV viewers could have been better used. She might have tried to resolve her earlier angry statement to her husband that she" longed for her lover and asked him to meet her." That did not seem congruent with her later words that "when I'm with him I don't think about my husband, child or work." That longing for him sounded liked she thought she loved him and not that he was just a distraction from responsibility. This was the final episode so her internal thoughts should have been more generous and forthcoming to those of us paying attention to all these details about her that bothered the husband so much. I guess I am saying that all of the missing characterization of the wife from early episodes was not adequately made up for in the concluding episode.
What is/are the moral(s) of this story? Pay attention to your spouse if you value their happiness and your family. Happiness is a life-long endeavor. Talk to your spouse about things that trouble you, please you, and everything in-between. They can't read your mind because they are not perfect and you know that neither are you. Don't save these conversations for an outside lover with pillow talk which virtually guarantees the end of your marriage.
One more very personal opinion about the plot: I disagree with the conclusion of this story that you suddenly find yourself in someone else's arms like that full "glass of water" suddenly losing its surface tension talked about by the husband's female co-worker. Cheating is strictly a choice. With every action of this series in place, I would still conclude the wife cheated just because she wanted to. She cheated because it felt good and new and exciting. She was only sad because she got caught and her fun came to an end.