Catalyst1999

Interesting review. It gives me greater clarity of TLC's journey. Thank you.

I just read the first para in your review.."a loan shark innkeeper, an intrepid airhead and an irreverent monk"....what a wild collection of characters :D :D

I remember the first episode was set in a snowy place, and bald LXY. Somehow I got lost in the confusing story which involved a casket ;p Not sure whether I should read your review first; I usually go into dramas blind besides reading their genres and getting clues from posters.

Thank you for another insightful and well-written review, PBG ❤️ I tried and dropped this drama 3 times, but gave it a final go when I saw your rating. The premise of protagonist being an assassin coupled with Gong Jun’s flat acting made it hard to feel for the main character. But once I went pass 5 episodes, it got better. The ensemble cast was generally good, especially Su Changhe. The dubber elevated the character and I started to care for him 😆

So true that the writer has no finesse when it comes to romance. In fact, he’s anti romance. None of the couples had happy ending, aside from the weird time jump for the main couple 😬

Might give TBOY another go, when I run out of dramas to watch.

Beautifully written review. Thank you 🥰

Interesting info, PBG. I love NIF, JOL and SSS. Love Eternal Brotherhood too, though it took 3 attempts before I could go pass Ep1 in S1. Actually, I persevered cos you rated S2 highly. Haha

Glad I did. Just finished S2, and now I'm reading your excellent take of the show. Hope they make S3! I need to find out why Xiu's eyes flashes red and why he could stop time :)

I watched the 2 seasons back to back. Good to see the actor playing SYL get better with his performance in S2. Yang Xu Wen was brilliant; he should be in more dramas <3 I like the long-suffering Bai Chuan more than Ning and Liufeng Shuang. Her interactions with Xiu are funny, and layered with respect, love plus frustration.

S2 highlights the details that go into building a functioning society. It's not just battles, and motherhood statements of protecting the people. Such a well written show (and book) <3 <3

Thank you for your review, PBG. Have missed reading your thoughts this year.

This makjang show was a fun watch, as long as we have the right blinkers on 🤣🤣

I was pleasantly surprised with Li Qin. My impression of her is coloured by the chicken loving girl in JOL. Easy role, just look pretty most of the time 😬

On the other hand, Chen He Yi was so bland. I thought he was more skilled.

Agree with you that Qin Tianyu was a scene stealer 😝

Totally agrre with you. I thought Cheng Lei was going to perform similar roles to his other 2 dramas. So sooo glad he had more range to play with in this one. Now I'm convinced he's a solid actor. Looking forward to watching his gorgeous face in future works 😍

Thank you for your review, PBG. So happy to read your thoughts and analysis. They always give me food for thought.

I was totally surprised by the reveal. The dude didn’t even enter my shortlist, cos he appeared like a simpleton 🤣🤣

Your alternate ending is a great idea! Both sons working together to right their father's wrong.

Was going to rate this drama 8, but you reminded me on how good the first half was. Plus, the ensemble cast is not as strong as the team in Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty. But it deserves a higher rating 😊

Thank you for the best review of this beautiful drama 😊

Agreed. Loved this drama

Open ended 😄

Yes, hints of romance 😃

Just finished this drama, after dropping it twice 😂 That Wen Rou was super annoying.

Liu Yuning has improved so much since Heroes. Kudos to him.

You're right about Di Fengjin's last battle. It would have been more satisfying to watch him slay the despicable Fang Yingkan.

Thank you for sharing your well-articulated review ❤️

Good decision. I persevered because of Bai Lu. ARP was not in the same league, and couldn't deliver the goods. Not that it was a well written "goods" 🤪

Definitely not aiming for realistic 🤣🤣🤣

I did find the chemistry between this pair to be stronger than between Ao Ruipeng and Bai Lu 😍

"Between swoons, Qin Wan tackles eight suspenseful cases" 🤣🤣🤣

Agree with your review. Popcorn level forensics + romance = fun watch 😆

"He exists in a state of permanent dramatic squint, delivering monologues that suggest he thinks he's in Macbeth while everyone else is stuck in Scooby-Doo." - love your writing and sense of humour. This actor was one of the worst in this show.

Thank you for the sharp and witty review. Will look out for your reviews in other dramas :)

Wow! What an insightful and well-articulated analysis of the show. You gave me a better understanding of what the drama creators wanted to convey. Thank you so much ♥️

I'll be looking out for your other reviews now 😊

As for this drama, I'm glad I gave it another chance. Dropped it in the middle of Ep 1 due to the voice dubbing for Bai Lu. After a few episodes that irritation faded away.

Reading your framing of the drama made me realise that I tried to peg this drama into familiar categories, which drew disappointments. After reading your review, I've increased my rating 😬

Best scene of Ep 11!