3
11
This review may contain spoilers
"The Best Love Is The Kind That Awakens The Soul And Makes Us Reach For More" – The Notebook..
The Best Thing as the title suggests was truly the best in terms of acting, visuals, story pacing, romance development and chemistry.. No doubt about it.. Zhang Ling he and Xu Ruohan were obviously the heart of this drama.. Not just their characters but also them.. Their chemistry was electric and seriously it was that good.. Their relationship felt natural, built on meaningful gestures and honestly they didnt need anything grand.. Every interaction felt real.. Like watching two people genuinely fall in love.. It is truly a gem for its take on romance.. No over the top drama.. Just two people finding solace in each other.. Visually The Best Thing is a feast with the flowers, beautiful scenery and all the beauty you could ask for, including the actors..
The premise might feel trope heavy but it was unique in its own way and the actors brought it to life in a way that was so natural.. I loved how he peeled Shen Xi Fan's layers.. Her indecisiveness, her blaming herself for everything that happens.. Its messy, its human, and it grabbed me right in the feels..
The Chinese medicine backdrop isnt just pretty window dressing.. I was surprised by how much it mattered.. It underscores the theme of healing, both physical and emotional..
The first 12 eps were a solid 10 for me.. But eps 12-16 were a bit irritating.. They added cliche scenes that didn’t quite fit the drama I had been enjoying until then.. Problems were bound to arise obviously.. But her indecisiveness and how it felt like she was leading him on despite knowing she shouldn’t, was not what I expected.. But whatever irritation I felt just vanished after that phase.. And honestly even when it was frustrating, ZLH made his character so good that I didn’t even care about anything else..
That being said, she totally deserved the ML.. After everything she endured.. The love she received wasn’t just a reward, it was something she had rightfully earned.. Her struggles, growth and the emotional toll she carried made her deserving of a love that was unwavering and pure.. Despite her flaws and mistakes, she never stopped trying in her own way.. In the end their love felt justified,earned rather than simply given..
“No matter what happened in the past, good or bad its part of who you are..
Accept the past, and focus on the present and the future.. ”
“In my eyes, every day you get better and more deserving of love than the last..
So from now on just focus on loving yourself.. As for the rest, leave it to me.. ”
Her friends and the rest of the supporting cast were too good not to be mentioned. However the second couple's story felt underdeveloped and lacked a strong sense of fulfillment.. I suppose that’s because the ep count was shortened.. Causing some of their scenes to be lost along the way..
The parents deserve their own spotlight.. They were truly outstanding.. Man they were really good.. Ep 25, with all the nervousness, anxiety, fear and pain felt so raw.. They were too convincing and natural.. Truly commendable performances..
The director deserves praise as well.. Each episode was beautifully executed.. They completely made up for any shortcomings the script had..
The FL’s mother having breast cancer felt like a story arc designed to give the ML closure for the pain he endured from his own mother’s death.. Back then he had to face that pain alone.. Watching helplessly as she withered away.. But now he had the chance to do for the FL’s mother what he had long wished he could do for his own.. Help her face it, fight it and bring her out of it safely.. At the same time, it was also for the FL.. To make her realize that she wasn’t alone.. No matter how bad things got, she had people who would stand by her.. Unwavering and ready to support her through anything..
" But In my heart, you are the most beautiful scenery in this world..
Xifan, Falling in love with you is the luckiest thing l have ever done..
Loving you is the best thing I have ever done.. "
Overall The Best Thing is such a lighthearted drama.. No complicated stories.. Just two people falling for each other and finding their way together.. Slowly but steadily, in a way that proves no distance is too far for them.. Its neither rushed nor dragged out.. It takes its time.. Allowing you to feel every step of their journey.. By the end you can’t help but feel happy because they made it.. And it feels truly earned.. The Best Thing isn’t just a title.. Its a promise.. There’s a reason everyone is obsessed and the drama more than justifies it..
The premise might feel trope heavy but it was unique in its own way and the actors brought it to life in a way that was so natural.. I loved how he peeled Shen Xi Fan's layers.. Her indecisiveness, her blaming herself for everything that happens.. Its messy, its human, and it grabbed me right in the feels..
The Chinese medicine backdrop isnt just pretty window dressing.. I was surprised by how much it mattered.. It underscores the theme of healing, both physical and emotional..
The first 12 eps were a solid 10 for me.. But eps 12-16 were a bit irritating.. They added cliche scenes that didn’t quite fit the drama I had been enjoying until then.. Problems were bound to arise obviously.. But her indecisiveness and how it felt like she was leading him on despite knowing she shouldn’t, was not what I expected.. But whatever irritation I felt just vanished after that phase.. And honestly even when it was frustrating, ZLH made his character so good that I didn’t even care about anything else..
That being said, she totally deserved the ML.. After everything she endured.. The love she received wasn’t just a reward, it was something she had rightfully earned.. Her struggles, growth and the emotional toll she carried made her deserving of a love that was unwavering and pure.. Despite her flaws and mistakes, she never stopped trying in her own way.. In the end their love felt justified,earned rather than simply given..
“No matter what happened in the past, good or bad its part of who you are..
Accept the past, and focus on the present and the future.. ”
“In my eyes, every day you get better and more deserving of love than the last..
So from now on just focus on loving yourself.. As for the rest, leave it to me.. ”
Her friends and the rest of the supporting cast were too good not to be mentioned. However the second couple's story felt underdeveloped and lacked a strong sense of fulfillment.. I suppose that’s because the ep count was shortened.. Causing some of their scenes to be lost along the way..
The parents deserve their own spotlight.. They were truly outstanding.. Man they were really good.. Ep 25, with all the nervousness, anxiety, fear and pain felt so raw.. They were too convincing and natural.. Truly commendable performances..
The director deserves praise as well.. Each episode was beautifully executed.. They completely made up for any shortcomings the script had..
The FL’s mother having breast cancer felt like a story arc designed to give the ML closure for the pain he endured from his own mother’s death.. Back then he had to face that pain alone.. Watching helplessly as she withered away.. But now he had the chance to do for the FL’s mother what he had long wished he could do for his own.. Help her face it, fight it and bring her out of it safely.. At the same time, it was also for the FL.. To make her realize that she wasn’t alone.. No matter how bad things got, she had people who would stand by her.. Unwavering and ready to support her through anything..
" But In my heart, you are the most beautiful scenery in this world..
Xifan, Falling in love with you is the luckiest thing l have ever done..
Loving you is the best thing I have ever done.. "
Overall The Best Thing is such a lighthearted drama.. No complicated stories.. Just two people falling for each other and finding their way together.. Slowly but steadily, in a way that proves no distance is too far for them.. Its neither rushed nor dragged out.. It takes its time.. Allowing you to feel every step of their journey.. By the end you can’t help but feel happy because they made it.. And it feels truly earned.. The Best Thing isn’t just a title.. Its a promise.. There’s a reason everyone is obsessed and the drama more than justifies it..
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