It’s akin to having a cellar full of chrysalises but locking the door and losing the key.
I was not wrong in my early assertion that “Make or Break” would be superb, nor that it will bring a new audience to pro surfing.
The latter will not happen overnight, but as the show gains traction, so will competitions. I’m certain of that.
Why?
Because what I underestimated was how this show might reinvigorate our enthusiasm for the game.
You, Us.
This jaded core of WSL critics who tune in regardless, as if it’s some form of penance.
Of course there is something for you, Mr Fuck The WSL, even if you just wish to extend your vitriol.
“Make or Break” will show you, as suspected, that sheer ineptitude has prevented the general audience from appreciating the rich tapestry of characters we have on the pro tour. The World Surf League have failed spectacularly in this regard.
It’s akin to having a cellar full of chrysalises but locking the door and losing the key.
“Make or Break” may not be to your personal tastes, but it is absolutely the best depiction of pro surfing to date. You surely recognise by now that the remaining naysayers are below the line, or those who haven’t watched it.
I did a test. Instead of just watching it by myself, feeling I might not be objective enough, beleaguered by pro surfing as I sometimes am, I asked my other half to watch it with me. She accepted, grudging and grumbling.
“How long is it?”
“Put it on now or I’m not watching. Like right now, Jamie, not in five minutes.”
“I’ll watch one episode.”
Her patience was thin, enthusiasm thinner.
But three episodes later she’d changed her mind entirely.
It was a melding of her comfort zone and mine, sport and reality TV. Not unlike when she made me sit down and watch an episode of “Ru Paul’s Drag Race”.
“Oh my god, HOW do they make those outfits?!”
“She’s got to go, she’s such a bitch…”
Etc.
Well produced reality TV is captivating, even against your will and common sense.
So, here’s what to expect from “Make or Break”.
Episode One
This is the least engaging episode, from our perspective at least. The focus is Tyler Wright, but it doesn’t reveal much that we didn’t know already.
Tyler is fine but not especially engaging to me. Her time on camera seems self-conscious, too aware of what she’s saying. She’s not been shy of having her voice heard in the past, of course, so maybe there’s just an element of repetition.
She’s the kind of person who says “fuck” on record and it sounds deliberate, or like they’re saying for the first time.
Her close friendship with Jessi Miley-Dyer was evident. Given how often decisions about where and when the women will surf are in a state of flux, I would think this should be questioned.
My other half (let’s call her Melanie since she has a name and we’re looking at an episode dealing with the empowerment of women) thought it was refreshing that the series not only began focusing on the women, but it wasn’t in the vein of being sexually objectiifed. Instead the focus was on the equality of waves.
Tyler’s period of absence is mentioned, but not with a depth that reveals anything new. Post-viral fatigue leading to some mental struggles, though this isn’t clearly stated beyond the pictures of her kneeling in the shower that are familiar to us by now.
She certainly looked very thin when she came back on Tour. I hadn’t really appreciated the stark physical difference at the time.
“Why is she always wearing the same pants?” Melanie asked.
“Would you not wear the same bikini two days in a row?”
“Not if it was stuck up my arse.”
Of course, now men and women surf the same waves at the same times (sort of) but we see the shift that preceded this, the move from Honolua Bay to Pipe for the conclusion of the women’s event following the fatal shark attack.
On reflection, and in this context of this show it’s clear why so many gaffes were made surrounding the women’s competition at Pipe this year , amping up the history, saying they would surf when they didn’t, then pretending they weren’t there.
Clearly the whole broadcast team, and especially JMD, were conscious of the filming of “Make or Break” and the clear and desired narrative at play. It seems obvious now that the decisions and claims were driven by the ideals of this show, not the competition at hand.
It’s clear from this first episode that the actual surfing will have a bit part to play in the show as a whole. Footage of comps is limited to a couple of waves from a couple of heats. I don’t think this is a bad thing.
The surfing is shot like it’s a movie. We have stylised slo-mo. Non-diegetic sounds of surfboards moving through water are added. I don’t mind this. I’d be interested to know if they’ve shot any surfing themselves or just relied on the WSL footage. I would presume it’s an edited version of the latter.
We do have a slight revelation in episode one in that we see into the ivory towers of the judges! This, for me, is truly revelatory. When I think of the emotions (and indeed the money) hung on decisions made inside this bubble, it seems borderline scandalous that we’ve never actually been privy to the machinations of what goes on here.
Seeing WSL Head Judge Pritamo Ahrendt’s face on the screen, as an interview subject no less, was like coming across Santa Claus at the foot of your stairs. (Though possibly on his way out of your house with a sack full of valuables).
“I’ve watched pro surfing for years”, I said to Melanie, aghast, “and I have never seen that man’s face until now.”
Decent, all in all, but not a patch on episode two…
