Catalyst1999

Hello PBG 🙂 I was on the lookout for Zhang Linghe dramas after finishing his recent works. Glad i could find this drama as it's a cute one. ZLH has certainly evolved into a stronger actor, and it was pretty cool to be abls to compare his early performances with his latest dramas ♥️

Thank you for your enjoyable review x

I kept wishing for Su Wuming and Lu Linfeng to appear on the screen 🤣🤣

PBG, I pulled the plug at Ep 22. Just couldn't persevere further 😁 No point hanging on after they killed off Zhang Ruo Yun's character. Even the romance was boring. More than anything- the nail on the coffin - that annoying girl sidekick who's so full of herself

Thank you for your review. I kept nodding my head in agreement 😆

Hahaha. Blank is indeed better than annoying 🤣🤣 That role wasn't too taxing, i guess. ML carried that show.

Annoying is Magistrate Dee's female sidekick in Judge Dee's Mystery. She single-handedly made that drama even worse 🤦‍♀️

This actress was ok in Regeneration. But her FL in Go East was not believable and i found it hard to root for her.

Interesting that she has resources backing her. I wonder what will happen to her career if she doesn't improve her skills.

I just finished Go East. Oh my goodness...FL's acting was very painful to watch whether she was portraying rage, righteousness, grace or love 🫣

Not sure how she managed to win Best Actress awards?! Awards were rigged? Or the Go East director was terrible?

Ready to move on now! 🤣🤣

Thank you PBG. Will give these dramas a go 🙂

I'm still on Ep 33, and I totally agree with your review, PBG. The FL actress is so unlikeable. She doesn't have the skillset to carry a main role, plus the character was written badly. Zero chemistry with Tan Jianci.

Overall, a poorly written, badly casted (except for TJC and Director Yu) disappointing drama.

Just hanging on cos i can't find other dramas to watch atm 😁 Are you watching anything interesting?

What? 1.0 on Douban?! 😂😂😂

Sounds about right 😁

Yay…this time Cang Xuan won the girl’s heart! 🤣🤣

Zhang Wanyi keeps getting better every time I watch him. His Cui Xingzhou was totally different from Qiao Er Qiang in The Bond. Solid actor! Hope to see him in more projects. Wang Churan has improved, compared to the bland FL in Fireworks Of My Heart. I just couldn’t finish that drama - of course, Yang Yang’s acting didn’t help 😆

Agree that a darker portrayal by Zhang Wanyi would have elevated the drama. But then the gap in acting chops between the leads might become more apparent LOL

Love Shi Xueji too. Very poised when she needed to be, and cute when she was enjoying her meals. The second couple was boring for me as well.

Thank you for your excellent review, PBG ❤️

Thank you for your brilliant review, PBG. I loved S2 too. Snowy Inn was very funny; that interrogation whilst seated on the urn...LOL.

The Provider was touching. I wonder if the ritual of sending 60yo to death fact or fiction? That's so sad.

The 2 child actors are so gorgeous and talented. Future stars in the making.

Yes, Huang Rong was soooo cool. Guo Jing would have died multiple times if not for her! Each time he went solo, we would remark he's in trouble. No street smarts at all!!

I'm beginning to swoon when I watch YXW now. Glad that I've still got 3/4 of S2 to make my eyes happy :P

SWM has the moustache to play Poirot. Hehe

🤣🤣🤣 I guess it was Jin Yong's own fantasy 🤭 If my hubby had zero brain, i would have given him the flick right from the start no matter how cute he was😝

Going back to our Di-tectives - i like both of them cos they're very smart. But of course, LLF is sexier 😍

Yes, agree regarding Li Yitong. Her smirk got under my skin.

Guo Jing was really hard to cheer for. The way he was written - dumb and yet very talented in martial arts was a bit hard to swallow. Maybe he had savant syndrome?

The Heavenly Sword and Fox Volant heroes were more fun to watch, especially the young Zhang Wuji :)

We've started S2 and finished the first case. E6 with its intense fight scenes was awesome! 2nd case is in progress :)

I need to rewatch 2017 Condor Heroes then. I completed the 2024 version recently and not impressed with the ML actor. But at least I've now watched the Condor Heroes story. Plus we got Zhou Yi Wei as bonus 😝 Not sure if i should attempt the Hu Ge version. It might be too dated to enjoy 🤣🤣

Hey PBG, you've done it again for me! I'm in awe of your analytical and writing prowess <3

Actually, I dropped this show round about the middle of their second case. Lu Lingfeng was still annoying and full of himself then. The case was a bit boring as well. But your high score, and the popularity of S2 made me pick up S1 again. Soon enough hubby and I were bingeing. Hahaha

The character growth of LLF and the chemistry between the 2 leads, plus Fei Ji were very enjoyable to watch. The cases well written and the martial arts were well choreographed. I now have a new appreciation of Yang Xu Wen :P I dropped the 2017 The Legend of of the Condor Heroes, and he was one of the reasons.

Thank you for your illuminating review. Such a good read after I completed the show :)

Love your review of this drama. Love these types of well-written Cdramas that have complex and compelling storylines. No melodramas for the sake of melodrama. The characters have layers, like real people.

The cast is not as strong as The First Half Of My Life nor Nothing But Thirty, but i was still bingeing and cheering our female leads.

Wish they put the FL in better wardrobe. The poor woman had to stay in character in daggy clothes most of the time 🤣🤣

Another negative for me was the lack of chemistry between FL and ML. Stronger actors would have been able to convey more emotion even though there weren't many intimate scenes. Nevertheless it wasn't the point of the story.

Overall, a good drama!

Ahhhh...then I wouldn't mind that XY walked into the sunset with TSJ. Hahaha

You're right. I have forgotten so many details when I jumped into S2.

For Joy of Life, I rewatched the whole S1 before starting on S2 and it was such a fun ride.

Having said that, I have much respect for the author to have created such layered characters and a story that is very different from the usual offerings.

One pet peeve...the drama would have been even more immersive if they had cast a more accomplished actor for the role of Tushan Jing.

Still feeling sad how Xiangliu loved Xiaoyao selflessly, and took his secrets to the grave :(

Tan Jianci and Zhang Wanyi were phenomenal indeed. But I didn't feel that Yang Zi performed as well as in S1. Maybe the script didn't offer as much range to play with.