CloudA

Please don't try to paint yourself as the victim to gain sympathy. If you said something inappropriate, the right thing to do is apologize. Everyone can see that you made personal remarks about me, while I addressed your comments, not you as a person.

Funny how it suddenly became a "general comment" after you got called out. If you didn't mean to target anyone, maybe don't tell people "your fandom's gaslighting won't work on me" or call them "snowflake." Own your words.

Spreading baseless accusations in the comments has consequences. If you say something that's unfair or untrue, you should apologize. You're not a child anymore, so you should know how to take responsibility for your own words.

You may not have intended it that way, but calling an entire fandom "gaslighters" and referring to someone as "your gege" is a personal remark rather than a discussion about the drama. I responded to your comments, not to you as a person. There's a difference.

You were the one who started making personal attacks. I was only trying to give you a friendly reminder at first. Please apologize.

Yes, it's kind of a suspense drama in my opinion.

Your conclusion is honestly far too one-sided. You seem to be deliberately focusing only on the negative comments. If you genuinely want to view something objectively, you need to consider the full picture before reaching a fair conclusion.

As for Zhang Linghe, the reality is that he has become one of the biggest targets of attacks from other actors’ fandoms in the Chinese entertainment industry, and this has been especially obvious since *Pursuit of Jade*. The evidence is right there.

I don’t support personal attacks because they only make the people involved look rude and lacking in basic decency. And if those people truly didn’t care about Zhang Linghe’s popularity, they wouldn’t be spending so much money on marketing accounts and trending topics specifically designed to spread negative narratives about him.

Why Does Murong Qingyi’s Biological Mother Hate Him So Much? (The Truth of Murong Feng’s Death and Qingyi’s Opium Addiction.): https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSXVesJAg/

It's hater's comment, once you click on one hate post, the algorithm just keeps feeding you more. Just a kind reminder, rednote is smart.

2029.

No. It's because the actress is from ZLH's agency. His agency is 'well-known' for always sending their actors to ZLH's dramas. It often shortened his screentime, though this drama is much better in this issue. If you watch Our Generation, the SML has much more screentime than ZLH in the first 10 eps.

The female pilot. Ye Zhi Hong.

Thank you so much for your support! I actually spent quite a bit of time reading through everyone's comments and trying to understand where different opinions were coming from. I've also studied some psychology, so while I'm definitely not an expert, it helps me understand how different people think and why they might react to the same drama so differently.

That's what led me to write this summary. I'm really glad you see it the same way!

Happy watching! 😊

It will be explained in the future eps. Basically, the female lead believed the male lead would be protected by his family's influence. But his eldest brother chose to send him to prison.

He had a tragic childhood and never truly believed anyone could genuinely love him. People who grow up like that are often deeply deprived of love and affection.

After reading through the comments from the past six hours, I have to admit that I’m genuinely confused by how many people dislike the cinematography and overall visual presentation of this drama.

I’ve been watching Chinese dramas for around 20 years. I know many people may disagree with what I’m about to say. Still, I want to share my perspective for those who may find it helpful.

1. The cinematography and visual quality

Over the past 20 years, most Chinese dramas have had fairly average directing and post-production. If you have only watched a few exceptionally well-made Chinese dramas, then it is understandable that this one may not meet your expectations.

However, I personally think *Overdo* already looks better than many other dramas. The lighting is well done, the colours are beautiful, and the filters are generally effective. Some of the VFX scenes do look artificial, but Republican-era dramas usually do not have particularly high budgets.

Many other dramas use extremely bright, washed-out filters that make actors’ faces look blurry and flat. Their sets also often lack professional lighting. From a cinematography perspective, I would place *Overdo* somewhere between above average and very good.

2. The story

The most important part of any drama is the story.

I have dropped many dramas this year. The only ones I managed to finish were *Pursuit of Jade*, *Veil of Shadows*, and *Ashes to Crown*, because their stories kept me interested, especially *Veil of Shadows*.

I enjoy complex plots that require the audience to think. I like suspense, layered characters, hidden motives, and mysteries that gradually need to be solved. *Overdo* happens to be exactly this kind of drama.

The script is very well written and is completely different from the original novel. At first, some people assumed it was simply a melodramatic romance, but it is not. From Episode 7 onwards, the female lead’s revenge storyline truly begins.

The story explores human trafficking and opium smuggling during a chaotic period of war, before eventually revealing a much larger conspiracy involving biological warfare during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It reflects many of the realities China faced between 1912 and 1949.

3. The acting, romance, costumes, and styling

Something that very few people seem to mention is that both the leading actors and the supporting cast deliver strong performances.

Perhaps people simply expected the acting to be good, so they didn't feel the need to mention it. But in reality, weak acting is one of the biggest problems in many other dramas.

Sometimes it feels like the best students don't get praised because everyone assumes good grades are just expected. I think that's a little unfair. When something is done exceptionally well, it deserves recognition too.

The love story from three years earlier is also very moving. The costumes, makeup, and overall styling are all excellent.

4. The nonlinear storytelling

Many mysteries from the past are gradually revealed through flashbacks in each episode.

This is different from the storytelling style used in many other Chinese dramas, which usually follow a straightforward chronological order and explain every plot point clearly before moving on to the next one.

So if the editing feels slightly fragmented or jumpy to you, it is because the drama is deliberately withholding information until the most appropriate moment for each revelation. I hope viewers can be a little more patient with this style of storytelling.

In the end, if you still cannot get used to the atmosphere of Republican-era dramas or the occasional VFX scenes, then it is perfectly reasonable to stop watching.

However, if you enjoy stories set during the Republican era and are willing to learn more about Chinese history, I would recommend this drama. It is one of the best Republican-era dramas I have watched in recent years.

Its flaws cannot erase its strengths, and online criticism cannot change the fact that it currently holds the highest market share among dramas in China.

Douban is a fandom site, so their rating is unreliable. The market share data is from official platforms.

Many international fandoms hate Zhang Linghe due to POJ success. Just ignore the comments, try it yourself. I dropped most of the dramas after POJ, because they are too boring. But this drama is interesting. And it ranks No.1 of viewer market share in China.

It’s honestly sad to see you making comments like this. This drama currently has the highest market share of any series airing in China. You should check the actual data before calling it a “failure.”

Yeah, many xianxia dramas are overrated due to fans' preference.