The Stakes are High in Netflix's ‘The Exchange' Season 2

Kuwait’s ‘The Exchange’ returned to Netflix with its second season on Thursday, where Munira and Farida return to the cut-throat world of the Kuwaiti Stock Exchange.

In the new season, they become part of the IPO team for Alpha, which is led by Sabiha Saad (Asmahan Tawfiq).  They have to give the valuation of the company, but they give a low valuation, which Saad is disappointed by. She soon introduces her son, Rakan, who is the co-CEO of the company and the mother-son duo bring the IPO team to an island where they want to develop their Falaika resort project.

The second season solely focuses on this new project, which brings various challenges in Farida and Munira’s careers. Writer Nadia Ahmed, Anne Sobel, Adam Sobel, and newly added Rulan Hassan have properly delved into the intricacies of this huge project by showing the search for an anchor investor, the team’s efforts at the Arab Investors Summit, and the launch of the IPO.

This part of the plotline perfectly weaves into the main characters' personal, social, and emotional challenges. For Farida, the new project constantly comes in the way of her maternal responsibilities, straining her relationship with her daughter and her ex-husband Omar continues to demean her for this.

On the other hand, Munira is being pressured to marry an older man, but the Alpha project brings a better marriage proposal from Rakan. However, the marriage would be advantageous to her career-wise only. On top of all this, Munira has to deal with Saud’s return, his involvement in the Fulaika project, and his feelings for her. Both the personal and professional sides of these characters have been perfectly interwoven to create a balanced and holistic narrative.

The second season continues to highlight sexism at home and in the workplace. Issues of male guardianship and female subjugation at home and at work emphasize that these issues persist despite changing times. Similar themes from the first season are repeated, but they are developed with more nuance this season, especially through Munira’s narrative.

This well-developed dramatic structure has also come about because of Jasem Almuhanna and Abdullah Boushahri’s direction. This season is well-paced and nuanced, keeping viewers hooked from the get-go.

The production design is also good this season because of Salah Zamani. The vibrancy of the Tarabesque uplifts the mood of the plot and provides relief from tense moments in the season.

The costume designer Dalal Alhajri has also created some amazing looks this season for Farida and Munira, making their presence known and continuing to break barriers at Kuwait’s Stock Exchange.

Actresses Rawan Hamdi and Mona Hussain continue to impress this season, especially Hussain whose character experiences various ups and downs. Hussien Almahdi introduces new shades to Saud this season who constantly surprises at every twist and turn of the season.

Sulayman Al Bassam as Laith Nasir is a pleasure to watch and Hamad Ashkanani also nails down the eccentricity of Rakan. Asmahan Tawfiq impresses as Sabiha Saad, starting off as a girl's girl, but turns out to be more complex than that. 

If you haven’t watched the second season of ‘The Exchange’ yet, stream it soon on Netflix. 

This article was previously published on kuwaitmoments. To see the original article, click here