Holiday – Series Review & Episode Guide

Rui Qiu is a single, divorced mother in her mid-40s. She grew up in Erlin, a Taiwanese town, with her best friends, Shi Mei and Ru Ru. The three of them met in high school drama club and have stayed close ever since. Rui Qiu works two jobs. On Saturdays, she hosts her own part-time radio show, a relaxing segment meant to help listeners ease into their weekend holiday. On weekdays, she's just a regular office worker. However, no one at work knows she's secretly having an affair with her married colleague, Te Hsing.

Te Hsing keeps assuring Rui Qiu that he'll divorce his wife soon, but it turns out to be a lie. His wife finds proof of the affair and storms into their office to expose them both. Humiliated and outed in front of everyone, Rui Qiu is forced to resign. She later finds work as a hotel maid. By coincidence, she runs into her high school ex-boyfriend, Zhi An. Rui Qiu has always believed he led a perfect life, happily married and running a successful tourism agency. In reality, Zhi An is barely holding things together. His wife has gone missing and his business has been bought out. His life is just as much of a mess as hers.

Rui Qiu divorced her ex-husband, Ye Ming, after catching him with a mistress. They have one son, Xiao Jian, a university student who lives with her. Rui Qiu and Xiao Jian are very close. After a bad hookup, Xiao Jian recently came out to her. She responds with total support and unconditional love. Lately, Xiao Jian has been using a hookup app and chatting with a mysterious guy. The two of them get along, even though they haven't met in person yet. Xiao Jian doesn't realize his new crush is actually Wen Le, his mom's producer at the radio station.

Shi Mei is one of Rui Qiu's closest friends. She's tough, stubborn, and very set in her ways. Shi Mei works as an electrician and has recently taken over her family business. Her grandfather has retired and moved into a retirement home, while her father is going to move abroad. That leaves Shi Mei running everything on her own. Her only other relative is her nephew, Hao, a gym teacher with zero interest in helping out. Shi Mei struggles to find clients because they see her as inexperienced. She also faces misogyny, as local male electricians refuse to team up with her.

Ru Ru is a close friend of both Rui Qiu and Shi Mei. She is a well-known actress who has starred in a long-running Taiwanese drama. In that series, she plays a homewrecker, and that role has defined her public image. Many fans and media outlets now associate her with that character. Ru Ru is desperate to break free from the persona and take on more ambitious roles. Her agent, Peter, would rather she stick to what made her famous, but Ru Ru has turned down projects she doesn't believe in. Outside of acting, she recently opened a bar and runs it on her own.

Holiday is a well-written Taiwanese drama about three women in their mid-40s. Their friendship is the heart of the story. They have the kind of bond that makes you look at your own friends and ask, "Why aren't WE like this?" The best scenes are when they chit-chat about anything. Could be gossip, could be life advice, could be complaining about men. Whatever it is, the conversations are entertaining. The funniest moments are when they do role-playing. I crack up any time they act out a fake scenario and go over-the-top.

Rui Qiu's actress (Chung Hsin Ling) brings an absurd amount of charm. When she enters a scene, everything instantly comes to life. I laugh at her banter with friends… I root for her when she flirts with her ex… And yes, I get emotional during those heartfelt chats with her son. Is her character messy? Absolutely. She has an affair with a married man and loses her job over it. Shi Mei and Ru Ru are also flawed as hell. But you know what? All three of them are still super likable. Maybe it's because they aren't perfect. Their ups and downs make them so relatable. We support women's rights AND wrongs!

Riu Qiu has a gay son. When Xiao Jian comes out to her in Episode 1, she supports him from the get-go. They have the tightest bond, and it's one of the best things about this series. If Xiao Jian runs into a homophobe, his mom will wreck them. After Rui Qiu's own life falls apart, her son is there with tissues and hugs. There are heartwarming moments, but the story never gets sappy. The writing is sharp and mostly avoids those cheesy "I love you no matter what" speeches. Instead, the casual dialogue and natural reactions still resonate with us without trying too hard.

Xiao Jian and Wen Le have a cute little romance brewing on the side. Both guys are sweet-natured, so their scenes together feel adorable. They start by flirting online. Fumble their way into meeting in real life. And grow closer episode by episode. With that said, the gay relationship is just a minor subplot and only gets limited focus. The three women are running this show. The story spends way more time on their love lives and gives them complex character development. While I like Xiao Jian and Wen Le as a couple, they have much less depth than a proper BL drama.

My favourite couple is Shi Mei and Guan Zhong. These two absolute weirdos crack me up so much! Guan Zhong is hilariously eccentric. This antisocial loner has all kinds of weird habits and acts neurotic as fuck. On paper, he sounds like the love interest from hell. Somehow, he has incredible chemistry with Shi Mei. They're both oddballs, so it's perfect. The other pairs are fine. I like the characters enough and their relationship drama kept things interesting. But three straight romances? That's a LOT of heterosexuality for BL Watcher. Holiday could've gayed it up so much more.

Not every couple gets a happy ending. Luckily, the gay relationship survives. Phew! You can breathe now. As for the others? Some of them stay single, but they seem okay with it. They've got their careers going. They've got their lives together. And most importantly, these three women still have each other. Men come and go, but your best friends? Those are forever. That message is empowering! Overall, I've really enjoyed Holiday, thanks to the well-written storylines with many lovable characters. Just like a vacation, this whole drama has been super fun and relaxing!