GL / Lesbian shows

Homophobic twaddle featuring your basic psycho controlling lesbian who can't handle rejection and a dishonest, manipulative, bi-curious, but fundamentally straight, woman who tiptoes into the lifestyle until she can snag a wealthy man and be "normal" again. If you like your misogynistic and lesbian-loathing stereotypes served up undiluted, this one's for you.

I LOVED this drama. The story is a beautifully rendered period piece, though what period exactly is a bit ambiguous to me - I'm guessing during the mid Republican era, probably before WWII. This is a SWAG, since I know less than diddly about 20th century China, and is based on the political/social references to Japan and some Civil War-ish looking battle scenes in the backstory of one of the leads. Drama Wiki says early Republican era, but the clothes and automobiles seem at least mid to late 1930s to me.

The main characters are sharply drawn, perfectly cast - especially the leads, and flawlessly acted. The relationships develop or crumble organically and naturally, with nothing seeming forced or rushed. The script weaves together themes of love lost and found: infidelity, betrayal, grief, passion, violence, courage & cowardice, female friendship / burgeoning romance, growing trust, and emotional resilience. Even the side characters are intricately woven in a story that is complex in scope, but always feels intimate in nature. The cinematography, editing, wardrobe, and set dressing alone are worth the watch.

Despite Chinese censorship regulations that restrict overt romance between the female leads, the nature of their relationship is clearly more than gal-pals - unless you want it to be gal-pals: the coding is subtle enough that you can lean into that if it comforts you in some manner.

Easily a 10/10 series for me.

This series should be titled "101 ways to avoid kissing another woman plus 75 painfully anguished ways to appear shorter than your very much shorter co-star". Momentum picked up in the last couple of episodes, and if you haven't already destroyed your screen by throwing it against the wall in frustration, the effort might prove worth the restraint.