A deeply entertaining — if at times slow — look into the struggles of two female stock exchange traders in 1980s Kuwait: Netflix’s first Kuwaiti original, The Exchange, takes you into the cutthroat world of late ‘80s stock traders in the country — through the eyes of the two women who pioneered their way into the then male-dominated industry. Based on real events, the series’ depiction of 1980s Kuwait and the struggles that women faced in some industries is powerful and true to its time. Like most Netflix period productions, the details make the show — from the aesthetics (the styling alone deserves awards, in our opinion) to the characters and dialogue.

One thing we loved: The show does really well to give the two main female characters — Farida, a recent divorcee who needs to provide for her daughter, and her cousin Munira, a career-driven women who at the start of the show, was the only woman to work at the exchange — separate, complex and multidimensional stories. Instead of rooting for just one, likable character, you find yourself rooting for both — despite them being so different from each other.

One thing we didn’t: The show takes a while to find its footing, and moves a bit too slow for our taste. We were also hoping for a slightly less predictable plot, but were nonetheless happy to watch the two women navigate the problems thrown at them by the men in their lives — husbands, fathers, colleagues and bosses — with grace, wit and (sometimes) a sense of humor.

Seasons: One

Episodes: Six, each a bit less than an hour long