City of Streamer -My on-going journey into Republic Era
Sometimes, you finish a drama and just want to silently move on, but then you remember the good stuff that makes it all worthwhile. After all, we watch these shows to escape, right? So let's skip the less-than-stellar parts and focus on what shone.This Republic-era drama had all the usual tropes, but what really hooked me was the Male Lead's incredible journey. This was my first time seeing Timmy Xu in action, and honestly, he's shot straight up to "favs" status for me. He started as a classic spoiled rich kid, just 19 and probably thinking life was one big playground. But overnight, he transformed into a responsible young man on a mission. He was all in on protecting his family, mastering the family business, and basically clearing his family's name by undoing his father's past mistakes. Talk about a glow-up!
And let's not forget the Female Lead. She was, hands down, one of the smartest I've ever seen. She flawlessly infiltrated the family, worked undercover, maintained her governess disguise, and somehow managed to resist falling for the ML, despite his immediate adoration for her. My man truly had his hands full! He even put his dream of becoming an air force pilot on hold to stick to his plans. Who wouldn't want to fall in love instead of becoming a pilot, a career that was ground breaking in 1929?
These two characters were the absolute backbone of the show for me, keeping me invested even when the plot started to drag towards the end with a string of unnecessary tragedies. And can we talk about the limited screen time for the leads after everything finally settled? It was seriously minimal, and that's putting it mildly!
Just like a lot of Chinese dramas from before 2023, this one really didn't need to be 40 episodes long. But despite its length, the dynamic between the leads and the ML's growth made it a journey worth taking.
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This review may contain spoilers
City of cliché
I watched this show to the end and personally I enjoyed it. Although there are bits which I couldn't help getting on my nerves. First though the positives.1. The chemistry between the two leads was great, you could really feel that connection of Feng Shi Zhen and Rong Jia Shang, especially in the episodes when it seemed JiaShang's love was not reciprocated and the pain the two characters went through both together and because of each other.
2, Acting. The acting was fantastic from all concerned, the villains and 'heroes' (if I can call them that) where beautifully played and you could really see the struggles each character had to go through to decide if were going to fall on the side of right and wrong.
3. Costumes and locations. The Rong family mansion was such an amazing location but so where the other locations they used, you could tell someone had put some real effort into looking for them. The costumes as well were perfect for each character and allowed for some individualism while still being similar as most outfits of this period seem to be.
Before I move on to what bugged me about the drama I will mention the OST. There was only one song that stuck in my mind from this drama, about using all you luck to find someone and all your power to keep them. The rest of the songs were a bit nondescript to me and that is surprising as Chinese dramas usually have great OST's . However this was not a good or bad thing.
The big disappointment and annoyance for me however was the story. It started out great and even something as cliché a revenge plot based on 'your (insert family member) (insert crime) my (insert family member) ' seemed to work ok. It also was ok that it took 30 episodes to get the 2 leads together properly as there was so much going on with the other characters that you didn't miss it that much. Then the great writing seemed to go on strike for a while and cringeworthy stuff began. in the space of a few episodes we had two side plots that went nowhere, one based on 'we love each other but we are brother and sister' and the other one was a repeat of the 'your (insert family member) (insert crime) my (insert family member) ' the first of which had just been cleared up.
To me these cliché side plots simply were not needed and only served to waste time for a few episodes when the story could have been moving forwards into something more interesting. I understand they were used to allow the plot to move forwards but this could have been done in another way without the added clichés. It let down a very good show and I can see why some people are giving this lower scores.
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This review may contain spoilers
A good start
City of Streamer could really have been a great drama from start to finish but somehow, the wheels fell off as it crosses past the 30th episode. The story starts off well as it is engages you with the relationship complexities of the Rong family and the excitement of Shi Zhen’s spying activities. We are also not told what exactly happened in the past. Hence, there is the intrigue and curiosity there as to why certain characters are against the villain.Moreover, the female lead is an educated, courageous, and independent woman despite it being a Republican era drama. So, there is a certain satisfaction in watching her story develop and how she is able to think for herself. However, there is a shock to the story in the last quarter of the drama and this is where it gets overly dramatic to me. It doesn’t render it unwatchable but I strongly believe it could have been better written. This is because once the shock is revealed in Episode 30, the plot basically becomes predictable.
A Revenge Plot (Spoilers Alert!)
If you expect City Of Streamer to be a fluffy romance drama, you will be disappointed. The main focus is actually revenge with love thrown in to up the ante and dramatic aspects of the story. Where it starts to falter is the reveal that the couple could be half-siblings. By then, they have already consummated their relationship. Now, this is where it gets predictable to me because you know they can’t be related since they have already slept together. From there, it doesn’t take much for you to guess who killed the female lead’s parents. What is left is only the details and the fate of the couple and villain which will then keep you hooked to the end.
The other thing that doesn’t feel good to me is the whitewashing of the second male lead’s crimes. In the last quarter of the drama, he is suddenly depicted as a good man when he had tried to kill Jia Shang earlier for the sins of the latter’s father. The collateral damage he caused in his quest for revenge didn’t seem to bother Shi Zhen as she worked closely with him to bring down the villain towards the end.
So, there are weaknesses to the plot which are concentrated mainly in the last 10 episodes. The focus on the revenge to wrap up the story may be apt as it started out that way. But I think some parts are shortchanged in the process and it shows in how the story flowed towards the conclusion.
Not A Really Romantic Story
City Of Streamer is not a typical breezy romance drama with a lot of lovey-dovey moments like Love At Night or Why Women Love. It has a more matured and serious feel to it. The guy is hopelessly in love with the girl while the latter wants revenge against his father. So, you can already expect theirs to be a complicated relationship. There is no simple getting together because they fell in love. In fact, their actual dating life only lasts about 4 episodes out of 40 in total. Thus, this couple’s sweet moments and skinship are definitely in short supply in this drama.
What replaces a full-fledged relationship though is the yearning and suppressed feelings especially on the girl’s part due to her need for revenge. The love undertones are obvious to the viewers but it is just that you don’t get that satisfaction of seeing them throwing caution to the wind and embarking on a romance until pretty late in the drama and that also for a rather brief period.
Therefore, City Of Streamer may not fit the bill of a truly romantic tale unless love vibes and chemistry alone are enough for you to get your fill of the romance. Furthermore, some viewers might have issue with the female lead who appears rather cold at times because of what happened to her family.
A Revengeful Female Character
If you like watching a smart and independent-minded female character, you would probably be able to relate to Shi Zhen. But her past caused her to become revengeful towards the villain. Hence, she can’t let go of that need to see justice done despite how much the male lead loves her. In City Of Streamer, Jia Shang’s love for Shi Zhen is pure and sincere. He tries his best to accommodate and make it up to her.
But Shi Zhen’s love for Jia Shang is more restrained. At certain times, her hatred towards his father seems greater than the love she has for him. So, if you are looking for a sweet romance, then Shi Zhen might appear as too cold and cruel towards the male lead. But if you are watching this for the revenge plot, then Shi Zhen’s actions will become understandable.
Personally, I find her coldness went up a notch in the last quarter of the drama which is a little inconsistent with her overall character and the depth of her feelings for Jia Shang. But it is still acceptable to me though because I don’t think it will be realistic either for the character to easily forgive and forget.
Chemistry Drives The Romance
The leads’ acting is commendable in City Of Streamer. The casting and styling were done right with the female lead appearing more matured than the male which is consistent with the characters in the story. Jing Tian gives Shi Zhen an aura of confidence and modernity. She is neither too cold nor too ardent and appears to be able to strike a balance between a revengeful and caring woman at heart with her depiction of the character.
Timmy Xu plays Jia Shang well and portrays him as a wuss when it comes to love but stubborn and determined against his father. The hardened expressions and anger when interacting with his father gives viewers the impression that he is a man with a spine. But when it comes to Shi Zhen, the softened expressions and yearning in his face reveal the depth of his love for her.
Put Jiang Tian and Timmy Xu together and the chemistry is obvious on screen. The longings are expressed through their eyes and gazes. They may not have a lot of sweet moments to show off their love in the drama but their interactions are ladened with unspoken feelings and desire similar to Because of Love. In short, their sizzling chemistry drives the romance in the drama to make viewers crave for more.
My Verdict – Go Ahead And Watch!
City Of Streamer is definitely a Republican drama that is worth a watch. No doubt, there will be the usual concubines and the inferior status of women as part of the story. But it is not the focus of the drama if you are worried about watching a group of women fighting for a rich man’s attention. Instead, you will be getting revenge as the main plot with greed, murder, illicit love, and other heavy topics being present along the way. Hence, I’m not too sure if younger viewers will enjoy this as City Of Streamer is far off from the usual school romance dramas like Shining For One Thing and Our Secret.
The overall story is captivating to me and chances are you will get hooked in the beginning. The pace slows down a little around the middle but it doesn’t really feel dragged out unnecessarily. It is easy to fall in love with the male lead and there is developing maturity in his character as the drama progresses. The female lead may be colder but she is a strong character that viewers can root for. They are not many kisses to look out for but they did include a passionate one that would make you press for replay.
For this City Of Streamer review, I would give it a score of 7.5/10. There are weaknesses to the plot and screenwriting but they are not a serious hindrance to the overall enjoyability. Watch it for the plot and the leads’ chemistry but don’t expect a fluffy romance drama to avoid disappointment.
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republican drama
I don't usually watch Republican drama this will be my first one. I still haven't watched it but everyone in the comment is praising it so I'll start it soon! I'll update this review :) At first sight, I love the costumes and the ML is handsome. The Fl also look good. I love the settings from the trailer! It kinda give me the same vibe as a book I know i'll love it so excited to watch this. I hope it'll have a happy ending. Also, I love action but from the trailer it doesn't seem that there's much action so we'll see. Also, it's 40 eps it's REALLY long so I don't know if I'll be able to finish it I hope soWas this review helpful to you?
