Overdo

Overdo was, I think, one of the most anticipated Chinese series of the year, and perhaps, for many viewers, one of the biggest disappointments. It is difficult to follow one major success with another, especially after the lead actor’s huge commercial success with his previous project — a series I personally did not enjoy that much. Here, however, I find his performance much more convincing. He seems better suited to melodrama, and for once, I actually believe what he is going through.

For me, the real problem lies in the visual choices. There is simply too much glamour, too many beauty filters, and too much emphasis on creating polished images, while underneath it all, there is very little substance in terms of character writing and development. The series does not really create a rich, immersive visual world; instead, it often feels like a collection of beautiful costumes and Instagrammable shots — something that has unfortunately become increasingly common in contemporary Chinese dramas that look gorgeous but lack depth.

The biggest problem, however, is the "overdose of drama". Perhaps "Overdose" would have been a more appropriate title than "Overdo". There is nothing wrong with melodrama when it is well handled. In fact, I would much rather see one or two strong dramatic threads explored properly throughout the series than have a new layer of tragedy added to every episode without ever really going beneath the surface. Here, the constant escalation eventually becomes exhausting rather than moving.

There is actually an interesting historical subject at the heart of the story: a period in which women and the sex trade could be treated as commodities and part of an established social and economic system. Unfortunately, the way this subject is handled never feels particularly believable. Everything becomes so exaggerated that the historical setting starts to feel more like Disneyland than a credible world. At some point, I simply became tired of it and lost interest halfway through the series.

The love story itself also left me rather perplexed.

And then there is the hero, who seems to spend the entire series being tortured in every possible way. Did the screenwriter have a personal grudge against him? Or were they trying to make all of Linghe's haters happy? I have no idea — I'm joking, of course. But seriously, the character goes through so much suffering that it eventually becomes almost comical.

Yet somehow, he remains the person holding the whole boat together.

Because the heroine, despite having almost all the keys and power within the story, is presented more as a glamorous figure than as a genuinely complex and dramatically developed character. She is absolutely beautiful — just like the male lead, who is exceptionally handsome — and she certainly knows how to look stunning on camera. We even get repeated close-ups of her feet while she walks — easily 20 times throughout the series, if not more. And, when the production calls for it, she can certainly deliver a beautiful, convincing tear.

So, in the end, "Overdo" is a series with a gorgeous cast, attractive costumes (It creates historical inaccuracies by featuring contemporary luxury brands) and plenty of visually polished moments, but far too little depth beneath the surface. It had the ingredients to become something much stronger, but the constant glamour, excessive melodrama and lack of meaningful character development ultimately made me disconnect from it halfway through.

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Don't Let the First Impression Keep You from Enjoying Overdo

I honestly don't understand why Overdo is receiving so much negative feedback.

Is it because of the AI-generated intro? The visuals? If those aren't your preference, that's completely fair—but why let those things overshadow the drama itself?

For me, the most important part of any drama is the story, the acting, and the emotions it delivers. Overdo has an engaging storyline that keeps you invested, and both lead actors gave their all to bring their characters to life. Their chemistry, emotional performances, and character development are what made me stay.

I've seen comments saying the CGI, editing, and production quality aren't perfect. Others feel the pacing is slow or that the AI opening is distracting. Those are valid opinions, but they don't automatically make the entire drama bad.

Sometimes it feels like people judge a drama after watching only a few minutes instead of giving the story a chance to unfold. Every production has strengths and weaknesses, but the heart of Overdo lies in its characters and the journey they take.

At the end, not every drama has to be a blockbuster with a huge budget to be enjoyable. If a story can make you laugh, cry, feel anxious, or root for the characters, then it has already done something right.

For me, Overdo deserves to be appreciated for its story and the hard work of the cast and crew—not dismissed because of an AI intro or a few visual imperfections. ❤️

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you know this love/hate pairing will be iconic

first time i watch republican-era dramas, the reason is my last sentence.

so far lots of underwhelming things about it:
>>>ai-slop opening, the scenes sometimes feel off in the way the actors look frozen or extra melodramatic and the scenes have the pace of a short drama, the overly edited effects...
about the ai and editing style: it's only natural to see more and more attempts like this that seem to rely less on human creativity, and more on average/generic expectations.... i heard BTS content was more impressive visually.

all of these have nothing to do with this 'era' drama,

But i still love it so far
>>>the attention to the details and dialogue are really nice.
>>>extravaganza melodrama is so fun 😅
>>>ZLH roles of hate/love are really iconic like kunning palace, i think this role will also be incredible tension! especially with WCR as co-lead. i just hope the direction gave them enough room to showcase the nuance of such a tende relationship! so far it seems still so dramatic that it doesn't leave enough room for the greyzone...and the growth of these characters doesnt look well established yet...

but one thing for sure, i know these 2 main leads will carry this show regardless!!

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Below expectations but has potential

I understand what people are saying about the directing being bad, and honestly I agree with them. The camera angles, shots and lighting give short drama vibes and the music becomes randomly dramatic at times. Also, the lines are so funny, and not in a good way. However, the plot shows potential and the acting is okay. Also, the face cards are beyond a doubt excellent. If you can get over the use of AI, cheap, amateurish editing and cringey script I think it has potential and may be worth a watch.

Honestly, I had very high hopes for this drama because of the promoting and marketing and the lead actors, but although it is far below my expectations, I wouldn't say its as horrible as some people are making it out to be.

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To be very honest, it is okayish❗

I really wanted to love this drama because the premise and cast had so much potential, but something just doesn't click. The problem isn't the actors. It's the way the emotions are presented. Instead of letting the performances breathe, the direction and background score keep pushing every emotional moment, making scenes feel less genuine than they could have been. In 2026, I expected a production that trusted its audience enough to let the acting speak for itself.

If anyone wants to see how a Republican era romance should be done, watch The City of Streamer on YouTube. It still sets the standard for me. The chemistry between the leads is effortless, the kisses are unforgettable, and the angst is so well written that every emotional moment lands without feeling forced. The female lead is clever, strategic, and independent. She solves her own problems instead of waiting for the male lead to rescue her, which makes the romance even more satisfying. Every emotion feels earned, which is why it's still a 10/10 in my eyes.

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Don’t waste your time watching this drama!!!

My Review of Overdo

I wanted to like Overdo because the concept had potential, but overall it just didn’t work for me.

The Story
The plot feels all over the place. Instead of building up tension or emotion, it just drags. There are too many filler scenes that don’t add anything to the main story, and the pacing is super slow. The storyline could’ve been deeper and more meaningful, but it ended up feeling shallow and repetitive. I kept waiting for that "wow" moment and it never came.

The Acting
This is the biggest issue for me. The acting felt forced and unnatural. There was no real chemistry, and a lot of the emotional scenes came off as awkward instead of touching. The delivery was flat, and it made it hard to connect with the characters. For a drama that’s supposed to make you feel something, it just fell flat.

Overall
Overdo had the chance to be something good, but between the weak story and stiff acting, I just couldn’t get into it. If you’re looking for something with strong writing and actors you can actually root for, I’d say skip this one.

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