Between The Lines

Got to say, didn't like this latest episode........

This was a classic episode of a big spoonful of romance, quickly followed by healthy dose of angst on the side. That in itself is fine. Its kind of mandatory for these kinds of dramas.
The problem is that this episode should have taken place at least 5 episodes ago! We are more than half way through this drama, with seemingly so much still left to happen and yet we needed this type of episode? It was an episode of nothing....

Then HY, seriously what are you doing? your a smart guy right? it must have crossed your mind that Anle agenda might be at best justice or at worst revenge. Both these scenarios would put her in harms way. Anle confirmed it by saying " I have my own path to follow" His response again was nothing. I appreciate this is all at face value, but it was sooo contrived. This is all to ramp up the angst.
Sorry scriptwriters, at this point I don't need more angst, i want supposedly one of the smarter characters in this drama to acknowledge that his agenda and Anle agenda will almost certainly be different.
Finally, just to make matters worse, unless i completely missed it how can HY inner clothing have a tare in it but when he puts on his outer robe no tare! Come on! That's just sloppy... I'll apologise if I got this wrong but this was just a reminder of why this episode didn't work for me.

I think that's safe to assume for the drama as well. I think though it just reenforces the sense of after 20 ep I still don't know what type of drama this is aiming to be.

"They really tried to soften Anle's edge" your being too kind! I can't recall seeing an edge. Perhaps when she switched places with her fake DZY, but even then they tried to explain it away..

Is Anle's motivation in the drama justice or revenge? For her are they the same thing? Reflecting back over the last 20 episodes it's referenced both vengeance and justice. My fear is that we end up with a soft sell attempt at delivering both. I would be disappointed if Anle either doesn't get her hands dirty to some degree, or she walks back on any questionable choices she makes.
Of course this all based on idea that the "the plan" is actually going to be introduced before any more baths are taken or any more "i have 30,000 strong navy" references are made.
BTW does it count as a "plan" if you are simply reliant on Anning saying "Oh wait everyone this is what really happened 10 years ago........." Maybe/Hopefully there will be a little more to it than that

I think it simply comes down to expectations. I think some were expecting a romance like Hidden Love. and of course this was definitely nothing like HL. What we got was a romantic melodrama with more realistic problems. I personally liked the slow burn character development in the early episodes before we transitioned into the romance side of the story. I know from previous posts a lot of people hated it. Again was this because of certain expectations? I don't know. All I can say is I enjoyed this drama for what it actually is and not what maybe it was expected to be.

I completely agree that this forum should be for open, honesty and good natured debate. I personally dislike the personal attacks that creep in from time to time when opinions differ. That being said I, i think YY has improved his acting standard over the years. If you compare his performance in Love 020 and then GOSF there is certainly improvement. His character in GOSF was also far from perfect - he was a bit of a jerk at times!!! Do I think he's the best actor around then no I don't. Is he the worst - then no that wouldn't be fair either. I think he perhaps has a comfort that doesn't always help him, although with GOSF he seemed to step outside of that comfort zone. Personally I would love for him to play an anti hero role. Something where he maybe makes questionable choices.
Regardless of opinions on his acting skills, I would ask anyone this question. Do you enjoy the drama's that YY features in?
If the answers yes, then watch and enjoy because as drama fans isn't enjoying what we see what really matters?

I've tired to solve the crimes as I'm watching, so far I've been pretty hopeless. There complex, but when they are explained they do make sense. So far perfect combination, humour, crime solving, camaraderie between our 3 leads and action.

I'm disappointed that we will not get to see these versions of DZY and HY. These seem much more complex characters. From your explanation DZY is far more ruthless in her quest for revenge/justice. She was prepared to blow up the world to do so. Its hard to believe this drama would ever go down this route.

I think as whole its never really committed to either romance or revenge. Its tried to soft sell both. In the end we get a watered down version of both. Obviously the best drama's with a revenge and romance plot mange to combine the two. This just hasn't managed to accomplish that.

Can I have both please?? Greedy I know but i did say please...

Probably, but ironically I think he's been woefully under used. Other characters who shall remain nameless.... feel like they have had more screen time..

I'm more and more convinced that the revenge is all part of a cunning plan to let them all die of natural causes. There's nothing like letting them die of old age to get your revenge.... wait ...that doesn't sound right????

I think they have tried to make HY this upright, moral and infinitely good person who's only agenda is to serve the people and to make up for what happened 10 years ago. He's supposed to be the opposite of every other character HY = Good. Everyone Else = Bad. Unfortunately he's just rather bland or one dimensional.
I think the whole Anle thing is to hammer home that she is Anle and couldn't possibly be anyone else. If its said often enough it must be true.... I don't know if this is supposed to be humorous but in the end like so many of the other things that have happened in this drama its all very repetitive . Big swing Big Miss...

sadly I think Mu Qing will have tragic end I think he will be sacrificed for fake DZY...

Wow......... I think I just had my heart ripped out! I actually felt like I lost a friend. That was just hard to watch.
As for the episode as a whole, MYC where did that come from??? Finally you act like an older brother. Its only taken 30 plus episodes.
He then followed it by a swift punch to Muma Mengs face (although not literally)
I did love the light heartedness of SY interaction with his boss. Just a fun scene to watch.
Then tragedy struck - again wow! Watching it was heart-breaking...

I actually think that the romance storyline isn't the worst offence. I don't even think the romance has even been that overblown. Its suffering because they have seemingly dumbed down the the characters and the overall plot. Maybe they were going for a romance story with some revenge instead of a revenge story with some romance. Either way, those behind the scenes have done the cast no favours.

Yes! Some progress! Not perfect but at least we have moved forward.

Things I liked -
Progress in the plot
Anning, (Wait don't laugh), she was introduced as a bad ass general at the very beginning of her story, however in pretty much every scene until now she is either frowning, crying or drunk. Not exactly bad ass in my opinion. Now, finally when HY and Anle are in danger she gets up all in the emperors face! Demanding that they be rescued.
Mu Qing TBH I had him pegged as a naïve idiot waiting to be manipulated by fake DZY. Now he may end up being manipulated but at least he called her out. Does she care about HY or herself? Yep he nailed it! He has more awareness than I've given him credit for

Things I struggled with -
HY realises who Anle really is. Based on no additionally evidence he figured out Anle identity. How? This felt more like wish fulfilment than a logical deduction.
The reveal its self was made worse as it was done in a lowkey kind of way.
HY having figured out who was fake and who was real felt the need to reiterate in some kind of inner monology who was fake and who was real. I just found this odd. Did the scriptwriters think we might have missed the reveal the first time around? Seriously we've been waiting 20 episodes for this moment was there a need to do it twice?

I did like these episodes more than many of the recent episodes but it wasn't perfect by any stretch.

My hope moving forwards-

Less talking more action - Yes Anle that means you!
No Baths - surely there's got to be a water shortage somewhere??
The 30,000 navy dowry - all the ships sink
HY becomes a real boy - he really needs to stop obsessing with the fake DZY
The revenge plot - this doesn't involve just waiting for all the bad guys/girls to die of natural causes!
Anning - Please just smile it won't kill you, I promise!
Fake DZY - drowns in the bath, oh the irony! yes I do realise this would require one more bath scene but I'm willing to accept it.

I had no real expectations as I found this by chance, but so far, so good! Well thought out crimes, with some twists thrown in as well. The bickering between our detectives, I can almost feel Lianhua exasperation! Love the developing friendship, love the crime solving and the fight scenes have been pretty good too! I've had a few miss's lately on drama's, but this has certainly started strong, please let them keep this up!

This has been perfect Sunday afternoon watching, pure harmless fluff. I mean that in the best possible way. I can put this drama on, disengage my brain and let each episode drift by. Its a very easy watch and sometimes that's just what I need!