This review may contain spoilers
Most Unexpected drama to start 2022!
Omg! Let me shower my love for the drama first! Splendid cast and quite a fresh genre in Chinese dramas! I'm glad Zhao Jing Mai finally took up a role that suit her very well and not to say how much she has improved as an actress, I would she has successfully made a break though into an adult actress and no longer just under the shadows of other more successful similar age actress!Bai Jing Ting too did a really great job portraying a character that could seem boring and two-dimensional, both his and Zhao Jing Mai's character grew at a nice pace as the story built up. I'm really thankful that he finally got the chance to prove his worth as an actor and not just some "idol" star! Kudos to their chemistry and professionalism despite the age gap and WOW I am satisfied with a proper and hilarious romance they had!
All of the romantic moments didn't seem awkward and you can see the director did not try to shove us with fake romance and typical "sugar" scenes like many big budget dramas did in 2021 and not to mention all the details in the entire script. I almost want to cry when I saw the drama is so serious with the story!
The good thing about this drama is that it allowed me as an viewer to feel like I'm involved in the situations too. I felt the emotions strongly as the story progressed and the scenes made me think too what the ways to stop the explosion, not just following the flow of the drama!
Just some parts that I feel are loopholes! First is definitely the unexplained part where Zhao Jing Mai being pulled into the cycle for no reason. Second, whereby the policemen that appeared in every cycle, like do the policemen just stopped in their time once the next cycle starts or do both the main leads disappear from being investigation suspects in previous cycle like they didn't exist from the start and the police continues the investigation that will never derive at an answer? Third would be a confusion for me when Li Shi Qing brought Xiao He Yun to a house to wash away the blood when Xiao He Yun accidentally stab the murderer in one of the cycles. It felt very odd for me like why Li Shi Qing knows the area so well and even managed to escape the police's search as though she lived there... (Maybe I had missed out on the details! ><)
Overall, really great drama and super worth it to watch it not to mention how short the drama is! Don't be worry about weak story plots because it's NOT! And if you are looking for interesting genres to watch and not just those brainless "beautiful" idol dramas then this will definitely be great one!
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Time is an illusion.
I am someone who firmly believes in this headline, although I know that it's impossible for me to track back and change the very root of the concept of time and space.Kai Duan, or Reset has been on my radar since last year. Being an avid fan of the time travel genre, I was particularly excited -- last year's First Love Again had been satisfying in delivering a believable story, although it's production was far from perfect.
Although it has a rather strange number of 15 episodes, a distinct change from the regular conventions of CDramaland that have an unspoken rule of dragging stories endlessly to fill 24 to 36 episodes and ruin the experience, it rarely disappoints.
Following a Groundhog Day like plot, Li Shi Qing, a young college student, is inadvertently pulled into a time loop after she dies in an explosion aboard Bus No. 45. In a desperate attempt to save someone from their fate and also get down from the bus, she yanks Xiao He Yun, a game developer, into the loop. Now with the added burden of being the prime suspects and getting chased by the police force, the duo search for a way to stop the explosion and terminate the loop.
Following the themes and background that are literal staples of any forms of entertainment involving time travel/time loop, the very succinct and clean execution of the plot is something that is particularly rare to find. Especially in Chinese Dramaland, where a deluge of dramas with absolutely little to no effort is being put behind them are produced aplenty.
While the story, particularly the time travel aspect, was far from perfect, the very basis of this drama's strength lies with the entire cast and characters. Except for a few of passengers in the bus, we get indepth backstories about everyone. The police officers, particularly Captain Zhang, was meticulously and excellently portrayed. The leading actors were right on par with the more experienced cast.
One minor fault with this drama might be Li Shi Qing's guardians' complete absence. And the final episode was satisfying, but also left me feeling discontended as there were a few unexplained topics that remained.
I will rate this a 9.0 for now, thanks to the writers' uncanny ability to make me tear up for everyone.
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Great Watch
Finished 'Reset' two days ago and still feel impressed by the show. I know a thing or two about constructing plots and I must say it is very hard to make a story soooo gripping while basically staying within the same frame for 15 whole episodes: the main leads wake up on a bus that is about to explode in some minutes and they try hard to prevent that from happening by playing out various strategies...I had imagined it would be a bit boring to watch right from the start, but I was pleasantly surprised because the show got me hooked within the first couple of minutes. So I kept on watching, while thinking it would eventually still lose the dynamics, but that never happened! The story is ADDICTIVE from the first episode through to the last one and it never gets slow or boring! I finished it in two sleepless nights :-)
Moreover, it has the vibe of a video game: you keep replaying the same situation because you want to pass the level, but you always fail... The only difference is that you see real people instead of pixel characters.
Speaking of which, I really appreciated the two leads: their acting skills are superb, they managed to convey all the complicated emotions their characters went through. I had seen BJT before, so his acting did not come as a surprise, while the FL -- ZJM -- has easily made it into my personal list of favourite actors and actresses :-) I really, really liked her way of portraying her character: mine is probably an unpopular opinion, but I am extremely tired of the FLs in CDramas who act too childish, too cute, pout their lips, speak like they are five year-olds, etc. so I felt a huge relief when I saw a normal, relatable, real-life young girl in 'Reset.'
A huge thank you to the whole crew! I will be looking forward to new projects like this one.
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This review may contain spoilers
TIME LOOP EXPERIENCE
Feb. 25, 2022Reset is actually a drama that is recommended to me by a friend. To be quite frank, I actually rarely watch these types of genres or dramas as they are not my cup of tea. But to my quite a surprise Reset is actually such an interesting drama.
The characters are well-thought-out though I did have some issues with the writing of the plot. I feel like they could have explained things more. But I guess that's one of the key points with sci-fi time travelling dramas, THEY DON'T EXPLAIN EVERYTHING. So I guess if you don't like dramas with no full closure. Maybe this one is not for you.
Also, I was a bit sad when our Cat-boy did not enter the loop. I really thought he was gonna be part of it and they are gonna be a trio. Oh well. 😢
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One of the best C-dramas so far!!!!
OVERALLThis drama is SO unlike any other C-drama I've seen so far, it feels like a Hollywood film! Watch it NO MATTER WHAT, you'll be mind-blown by the pace, the suspense, the heartwarming scenes, the occasional humor and slight hint of romance. But if you really, really want a developed love story or if you really, really don't like time-travel loop plotlines, wait until you're bored...then definitely give it a try. It's worth it!
THE STORY
I have to start by saying I'm not a fan of the time-travel loop storylines. Time travelling, yes, but when the characters have to go through the same thing over and over AND OVER again, I usually find it kind of boring...and very unsettling haha STILL, Reset managed to completely shatter my prejudice and I absolutely loved it. Why?
1) Because the mystery of finding out exactly what is going on is actually gripping, and there are a few unexpected twists so that even when you think you've figured it out, there're still surprises.
2) Because you learn to care about the secondary characters since they're given detailed backstories, so you end up hoping the protagonists will succeed.
3) Because even when things feel repetitive, they're actually kind of funny/ironic at the same time? So the repetitiveness of the loop trope doesn't get annoying or tiring.
4) Because the main leads are kind of cute together, and even though romance is really not a major aspect of the drama, there's enough of a hint of romance to satisfy you.
Of course, nothing is perfect and neither is Reset. The biggest flaw, I think, is how all secondary characters get a backstory but not the OTP. By the end, you know the side characters better than the leads, which is weird. But since it doesn't stop you from rooting for the OTP, it's fine. Another big flaw in Reset (there're only two, really) is the way the final mystery is solved, which feels kind of...disappointing? Like it doesn't quite make sense. But maybe it's just me? Anyway, it doesn't take too much away the greatness of the show, and the ending sequence is so nice, it makes up for it!
THE ACTING
Perf, everybody was perf. I need to highlight the performance of lead actress though, she was a.ma.zing!
THE MUSIC
Great for the genre (suspenseful instrumental music), but nothing that stands out.
REWATCH VALUE
Definitely high! Even though some scenes are truly traumatic, the drama is binge worthy and I can watch without skipping any scene (which is so rare nowadays!) so I'll rewatch FOR SURE!
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This review may contain spoilers
Binged this in 2days and i would say, it is intriguing enough for me to keep on pressing the next ep button on my off days. LolConsidering this is a time loop series, it is very much easy for viewers to get fed up and stop halfway, and i must say, around ep 4-6ish, i almost got a feeling of wanting to give up because of how much the scenes are getting repetitive and how the police officers are behaving is starting to grate on my nerve! Lol. Luckily it picks back up around halfway mark and i cant wait to see how the leads are trying to better their tactics to achieve different outcomes everytime.
I am bit too lazy to arrange an essay right now (lol) so i would just mention things as i remembered as i go along typing then
-this is probably my first time seeing timeloop theme series and it always crosses my mind while im watching this series, but the wardrobe coordinator/stylist/mua must have the time of their life not having to think too much. Lol. But i wonder how many of those same set of cloth they used to film a 15episodes drama? Haha
-bai jinting is one of my favourite chinese ML since YAMH and he delivers a nice acting in this as well but i was pleasantly surprised with the FL. This is my first time watching her drama, and she truly nailed her character and compliments bai jinting so well. The chemistry is there, which i love
-maybe this is just me, but i truly think that the FL looks soooo much like Go Ara. Lol
-the romance is maybe a drop in the ocean, tiny as it is, but it seems quite rush. Not that i have any problem that it was there though
-the actress who played that psycho mother is reallllyyyyy gooddd. Her expression, voice and not to mention, her resistance while fighting back realllyyyyy gives me goosebumps, she definitely give me a psychotic murderer vibe *shivers*
-and did i mention, i hateeeeee how the police handles the case initially. Sergeant Jiang is unprofessional as hell, not to mention, judgemental to the T. Captain Zhang is just slightly better than Jiang. He redeemed himself slightly towards the end. In real life, thats the recipe for scaring away someone who wants to do a good deed, and letting the criminal unable to be convicted, just because innocent people just dont wanna deal with a biased, judgemental police. And Of course, coming from Operation Special Warfare prior to watching this, i am totally disappointed with how the law enforcer behaves in Reset. Lol. Maybe i took it too personally haha
In conclusion, a good single watch drama for me personally. Dont think i’ll be rewatching this again though. Haha
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WATCH THIS!!!!
wow.... the first 4 episodes i was thinking maybe to drop this because it seemed like it was going to be repetitive and boring (i was thinking do i have to watch them relieve this day for the whole 15 episodes ), BUT i got hooked from the 5th episode and i am glad i stayed. This drama is so wholesome and everyone's story is touching and important. The police was smart and professional, no unnecessary dumbness to have a plot (very common in asian dramas where smart characters suddenly do dumb stuff lol). The acting was daebak!!! really one of the best i have seen in a chinese drama and there were no unnecessary scenes. totally recommend! epecially if you like time travel story linesWas this review helpful to you?
The idea of a time loop has always faciniated me so watching this mystery drama was so fun! I loved the storyline and pacing of each episode. The decisions made by all the characters were understandable and reasonable so I was never frustrated with their decisions. Our main leads were brilliant, and always brought their A-game to getting down to the bottom of the mystery. So you'll never once feel like the characters are dumb or lack critical thinking skills. Everytime I had a thought/idea about the case, the characters would bring it up themselves and investigate/discuss it, so it felt like i was with them solving the case and their pacing always matched mine so I never felt frustrated at them for being slow or not doing more, which is a big issue in thriller/investigation dramas.
All the actors did a fantastic job. Not just the main leads but side characters as well, all the bus passengers, police officers etc. Every single actor felt natural.
Our main leads also had great chemistry. I wasn't expecting a romance plot to appear in this but I was pleasantly surprised and it absolutely made sense that both leads developed a romance. Although we only had a few moments seeing them be a couple, it brought a dose of sweetnesss to the show that was so very needed to calm you down from getting too worked up/tense from watching how the investigation plays out.
The music was also really good, the OST was very emotional and dramatic and the sound directing within the scenes was so well done too. They really made great use of music throughout the drama because it really heightened the scenes and made you feel even more tense/stressed/anxious as you are watching.
Overall, I had a fantastic time watching this. I was having a hard time understanding how everything would be resolved in the end but was completely satisfied with the route in which things went. It was all believable. So glad everyone got a happy ending as well!
In conclusion, I highly recommend.
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Speed but Groundhog Day (or Groudhog Day, but Speed)
That is how the show was sold to me and it delivered on that promise. It was a really enjoyable show to watch and I think it's something that would be good to see a second time through, knowing what's coming so you can see some of the clues that are there.The characters are interesting and the main two - Li Shi Qing and Xiao He Yun - play off each other really well. I have a soft spot for Lu Di for cat related reasons, but the people on the bus that get backstories were all pretty great.
Biggest drawback was the copaganda, but I feel like that's pretty standard so it wasn't a surprise.
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Will enjoy it if you are a groundhog day fan
First things first , the drama won't be added to my rewatch list . So 8.5 is the highest score I give to the dramas of one time watch.The reason this drama doesn't become one of my favorite rewatch is I am tired of the repetitive scenes over the 15 episodes (even for the first time )& watching it another time while knowing the possible end result, sounds a bit boring to me .
*****
Let's move to the plot.
1.If you come for this certain type of genre ,you will find it does well & the plot is consistent.
While watching the movies, there are certain types of thrills for various genres.
1.Jump scare type of thrill.
2.Don't know what will happen next ( life threatening )type of thrill
3. Mysterious curious type of thrill
And what 'Reset' gives us the Curious type of who does it & how they will resolve 'The Bomb ' situation
It does not give ' Who will die next ' kind of story,so I am not worried for the protagonists' lives because I know when they die, the next loop will come immediately.
So apart from the mystery of how they will resolve the situation, nothing comes super interesting to me.
It may depend on my mood, but the story arc about each passenger doesn't connect well with me either.
May be part of the reason is I can guess all of them will be alive at the end of the drama.
Another reason is there are many people in worse condition than these bus passengers & they are around me in real life.
2. For the acting , the acting seems natural.
Because this is the thriller type genre and there are no dramatic scenes that characters need to show intense emotions in the story. So,this is the highest praise I can give to the acting , by the given scenes and the story.
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This review may contain spoilers
The suspend is awsome from Start to finish. It's about two strangers who get into time loop and has to experience the same circumstance over and over again with different scenario and it bring them closer.. They realistically show how human nature will react if this two people who know something bad will happen on the bus, and take certain action in those situation. The circumstance is too much repetitive and some people might be bored with repetitive plot. The main lead keep wearing the same ourfits and rarely take different clothes except in different circumstance. But the repetitive doesn't make me bored one bit. Watch it in weekend because the show is quite addicting. You can rewatch it to make different perspective of each character. The two main actor is awsome deliver the suspend and the depth or their character, and I would like to watch their other project!
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This review may contain spoilers
I could not stop watching
Firstly, I have to clarify why I did not give a full 10/10. It is simply because I wanted more :') I wish we had seen more about the normal lives of the main characters. We know who they are as people but I still craved that normal everyday lifeespecially SPOILERS-------> after everything was over and they had returned from the loop. I loved that they visited Meng Meng's grave and everything felt very conclusive. We saw a conclusion for all of the stories for the people on the bus and I loved that.
But still.. I just wished we had spent even a minute more on the couple and how they coped. Imagine how traumatizing all that was for them. XHY stapped that lady. Was she nuts? Yes. But still. He killed someone and that will be something that he has to live with. And also the fear of not waking up the next day. That must be scary. And I also just wanted more moments between XHY and LSQ after everything was over. They had amazing chemistry and they could have used that even more. Genuinely loved them together.
Overall the only thing I want to complain about is that I wanted more XD and for a c-drama that is very rare. Most 50ep dramas spent way too much time on filler while this one was full of plot since episode 1. In Reset there weren't any moments that felt useless. Everything was necessary for the story to process and for them to finally figure out how to break the loop.
Genuinely loved this drama.
Please go watch it. Or.. I mean I hope you did not read my comment before watching since these are spoilers but.. yeah
Let's all go rewatch Reset!! XD
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