Enigma05

Should be called "Scripted Street Dance of China"

I originally came only to watch Yibo as I'm a big fan but I fell in love with many of the dancers and am now following them on Weibo. And the bond that they all formed, be it the four captains or all four dance teams. They really supported each other through the highs and lows of each episode. Sadly a lot of the battles and picks and rules changed on the fly over each week so people who threw towels each week could barely keep up. The last episode especially had a cruel moment where they pinned Bouboo against Yan Kai and used Yibo's song "Wugan". It was beyond disrespectful and everyone knew what the show was doing. They had more then enough dancers from the other teams to split it fairly. No other team had to dance against one another. But the sweet moment came when Yan Kai still won the entire competition. No matter who the winner was, I wish the show had not played fans and dancers as well as captains for fools. They still had high ratings because of the captains. The dancers knowing something would happen in the finale, many opted out of the resurrection towel dance even though we fans voted for them. I am glad however that friendships and bonds were forged among everyone that will last a lifetime. I just wish that part hadn't left such a sour taste in my mouth and I watched nearly all 7.5 hours of it live.

Read More

Agatha Christie & Sherlock Holmes All in One

I was completely unfamiliar with the cast going into this though the FL was ironically in another series I just finished; though the other series was poor, the actress did quite well in both. What drew me to this series other then the recommendations of several trusted sources was that it was a Republican era whodunnit that was based off several Agatha Christie novels (of whom I'm a big fan off).

Pros: This was a wonderful piece of work, one where romance didn't take center stage nor was even a tag thankfully, but the cases did. I liked all 3 leads though STY took top spot. I loved how he started out as a bit stiff but then gradually softened with the people around him. The funny banter between him and his best friend LSC was always on point from the very first episode. His subtle flirtation and caring with/of ZMW was also a nice added and very well balanced touch.

I really liked how seriously all of the cases were taken and it reminded me of actual documentaries on crime solving. The way STY's brain worked was pretty spectacular (it was like he was Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes rolled into one) and I liked the confidence he had in himself and his friends.

All of the cases were well done and even when the big bad was first coming into existence and things tying together, it didn't seem like there was a stitch out of place. Something that surprised me, as I have seen other series in this genre before, was just how much Russian there was. It being my native tongue, hearing it pop out of a character's mouth in the first episode, made me pause the series and rewind to make sure I had heard correctly lol. It was written on many buildings, the train station, references of Russian/Soviet food was a constant. It was actually cool and totally unexpected in a c-drama. I liked the blending of different cultures and it wasn't done in a negative way, which some others have.

Production like in all Republican era dramas was stunning, as were the OSTs, and costumes. There wasn't a single fault I could find with that. The ending though happy in one sense was left open ended in another and I truly hope there will be a season 2 with the same cast save one individual as he's kinda dead. I would totally watch another season of this if the cast remained the same but moved over to Beijing now from Harbin as the ending showed.

Cons: To be honest, there weren't many things I could pick apart and would have given this a very rare perfect score had the pacing of the story been better. I wish there was more time in between the cases instead of them bleeding from one straight into another sometimes a few at a time. That time in between could have been used to further evolve the characters and their relationships with one another and those around them. I understand with 24 episodes and a lot of ground to cover, it was difficult to do, but it would have made the best sense.

Also wish the SML wasn't turned into a glorified taxi driver with very little deduction skills of his own; he couldn't solve a case by himself if his life depended on it but he was a trusty sidekick to STY plus one with a weapon and some fighting skills. They could have made him slightly more intelligent.

Lastly and it's a silly one but just annoyed me to no end, was the younger unmarried rich women's hairstyles especially our FL. I'm sorry but ringlets don't belong on anyone save a young Shirley Temple. Adult women look absolutely ridiculous with them and whosever idea that was, I truly hope they never do it again. It made me question the seriousness of the character even before she opened her mouth. The only place where production totally failed.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely! Many people are comparing it with another series with the same cast and genre, but as I'm watching that one now too, I have to say I like this one way more. It has that stickler, seriousness aspect of all the characters; each case is solved in the right way and all of the characters fit for as long as they need to. So, give it a go and see for yourselves.

Read More

Heads Above Part 1---Greatness Begins in the Stars

Pros: This is an entire planet above part 1. It's like watching a different drama with the same characters and theme. WL really showed his acting skills in this part be they for being so on point with each battle to the gut wrenching emotions. Absolutely extraordinary given he's only 22 years old; if this and TLB were his first foray into serious acting as an adult as opposed to just a child star, he's making tremendous strides in a wonderful direction. Literally the sky is the only limit for this young man.

He was able to play a highly complicated character with only revenge on his mind for a whole decade, everyone who crosses him or harms those he loves be damned. Then he falls in love and plans to wed but that vengeance is never far behind. Every step he takes before and after what I call the "red wedding" scene, is either calculated to the inch or completely muddled when it comes to NN. He owed her a lot, but he paid for it, and the reconciliation was priceless as well as funny.

ZLS who is known more for her comedy roles which was also well executed here, was able to play a tunnel visioned confused girl with how she grew up and only relying on herself even when that proves to be harmful time and time again until she realizes she's got to put more thought into the consequences of her actions not just the revenge; who has to have her heart shattered in order to mature and she played the role very convincingly.

Other favorite characters were the Empress (until her last breath, she was the mother to NN, her own mother forgot to be), Emperor, Consort Yue, NN's brothers, cousin, Qiqi, HBY's sidekicks (and the rest of the elite Black Armed Guards), the eunuch, 3rd and the original crown prince (though he was a wuss), there were a few others whose names I've forgotten but they were on the side of justice.

Costumes, OSTs, sets, and production in general were all gorgeous. Comedy was absolutely well placed and the Emperor being the biggest shipper of our leads along with the Eunach was always absolutely hysterical. Even the most serious scenes were sprinkled with the proper humor and it made things easier and better to watch. Quite a lot of very comedic scenes which were much needed; especially anytime Consort Yue entered the room and read it to filth; woman deserves a standing ovation!

Love, love, love, love all of HBY's battle scenes, wish we had more of that final battle with Tian Shuo or whatever his name was (also wish they had explained how he ended up being the last villain in the first place; he was just chucked in there to round out the batch, I guess); that seemed rather rushed and lackluster with a lot of talking and declarations in contrast to all of his previous ones which were just spectacular. HBY was an absolute machine and I loved every moment of it.

The leads chemistry was awesome; though FL had three men pining after her and she got engaged or semi engaged to all 3, only with our Superman HBY (shoot him, stab him, harpoon him, throw him off a cliff, or blow him up, he'll return in one piece still, looking fierce and immortal almost lol) was the chemistry palpable from nearly the beginning. Was it the most hot and heavy from all the costume c-dramas I've watched? No. But it was enough that you knew, no matter what, once they acknowledged their love for each other, even with the revenge and abandonment, it wasn't going to be over for them. Not by a long shot.

Cons: Took way too long on the constant bullying of NN. Too many princesses, too much time. That should have all been nipped in the bud a lot faster. I felt like way too many episodes were wasted on that. People claim many were critical of NN, but we were only watching the truth; she was a bit too self-absorbed many times and blamed LBY/HBY for stuff he had no control over and couldn't stop and sometimes she didn't even bother telling him like the river snake incident; often felt she took one step forward and two back. But spending the five years heartbroken and apart, actually matured her properly finally.

What happened in the last few episodes where mommy dearest and Jabba da hut aka grandmother all of a sudden had a change in conscience and became good? They spent most of the series hating on NN or severely punishing her both physically and psychologically and then out of nowhere in a fraction of one episode they were doting on her and to be completely honest, it was like a creepy whiplash. Mommy dearest even whined that she had no idea how to raise a lady which was a total copout because when they returned from the battlefield, NN was still a teen and could have been doted on instead of ignored and the cousin chosen because she was meek and feeble. The inconsistency was beyond staggering. Even chicken feather duster dude was all mellow after he was more or less a total shit to NN the entire series (his version of showing he liked her; total moron); but his mellowing out was thankfully a lot more subtle then the other two which made me cringe. Points came off for that.

And what in the heck was that last episode? Ok, HBY and NN hit two different fronts to protect and save, got it! They trust each other totally and completely finally, awesome! But her parents and entire family save jabba da hut riding in from out of the blue made me pause the drama to double check I wasn't watching something else. It was the most twilight zone-ish experience of the entire thing. How did they know? Did NN send a letter or a pigeon before leaving Hua county? I doubt it because she looked stunned to see them as the rest of us were. And why bring family with no fighting experience like the cousin and her husband? Plus she's giving her parents and the rest of them orders on what to do, even though her dad is a general? Like make it make sense please, except it doesn't. Very disappointing after so much great material.

I wish HBY and NN got more time alone to really talk and a wedding would have been nice. But we can take what we can get, I suppose. If it weren't for the very obvious flaws, this drama would have gotten a higher rating. I do hope people in the comments are correct that the director is editing for more cohesion, because a lot is needed here and it's lacking.

Would I recommend it? I absolutely would. Part 1 can be browsed as it's really a one track style, but all the goodies lay here in part 2. This is maybe my second or third costume/Republican drama getting a 9 or 9.5 this year and it certainly earns it. So definitely check it out; you'll laugh, cry, be unhappy, and root for all of the good characters as they go through life.

Read More

First Arc Was the Strongest & Then……..Yeah and Then

Regardless of my health, I got a lot of encouragement from all of you or many of you to put my comment as a review so here it is. It’s completely different than any review I have ever written because this is just a comment so I hope it’s still is up to some sort of standards of my original reviews for you guys.

Well, I finally finished it. I couldn’t even really watch that otherworldly alternative universe because it didn’t make sense. They brought everyone back, but why didn’t they bring back the parents of the leads because wouldn’t that make sense if QM is the actual emperor or is he just the CP and his dad is the emperor? Or did they? And we never even found out whose dream or alternate universe was played out because nothing was written on the screen other than if the events 17 years ago never happened (if this was only to show that just because it didn’t happen 17 years ago, doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen 17 years later then it still was unnecessary to be shown other generations would’ve suffered something). In any case I give it after a careful thought an 8/10 because though it started off super strong, I think with great character development in that little village. The military arc was a complete mess and they turned someone who had no military experience, couldn’t read, couldn’t write, had no tact for military anything into goddess of war overnight and she was able to kill all the important generals while the man who's the Marquis, it’s his niche; it really was watered down and his fight scenes came to be about five minutes each.

I have spoken at great length in the comments about this before, so I don’t feel like reinventing the wheel and basically repeating what I had written. I think those people that agreed with me will agree with me here as well and if they feel like commenting, please do, we can continue having conversation in regards to it. The other thing that people mentioned was the fact that his power was on the battlefield was more talked about than actually shown, which was also unfair. I understand that ZLH he was excited for this role because it was the first time he had ever played a general and got to fight a little bit or rather it was filmed like a lot, but was cut. I was very dissatisfied with the FL in that second arc; she could’ve stayed at that Stone quarry and used her brute force, and she would’ve eventually run into her husband, but the fact that she essentially treated him like crap, like he was less than was unnecessary. She made a lot of errors that cost lives and walked away without consequences and that was just unrealistic writing to me.

In the last arc, it seemed that people just forgot what the show was really about and that was understanding the truth of what happened 17 years ago and getting that vindication and vengeance. The fight between uncle and nephew I think was all right. I can’t say it was great. The real standout character here was DK. I’m very very proud of him for the role that he pulled off as the absolute complex lunatic. However, I feel very bad for him because now he can’t even go to pee at an airport without fans sticking phones in his face, and the guy is so shy in real life completely opposite of the character y’all saw that the overnight success is driving him a little batty.

In any case this show could’ve been so much stronger. I feel had it been written stronger and from the novel readers perspective, I think that had they written the leads as a unit and really developed the FL into at least a foot soldier forget all those titles that were heaped upon her because of people that sang her praises in court and her brute strength. The other thing that I really didn’t like was the fact that she used physical abuse a lot; she slapped him, hit him, and punched him when they were having arguments and that’s just not how it rolls. I don’t care what gender because she was like a light version of Amber Heard. It made me wonder in some cases whether she loved him at all because that’s not how you show love. I understood because of her rough upbringing, she was not going to be this googly eyed whatever but there are different ways of showing love and sadly I think it missed the mark. So that’s my take on the show. As you guys know I have taken a hiatus from writing reviews because of my health so this is the most that I can do and say. I really truly wish and I am disappointed that ZLH did not get a chance to showcase his fighting or his characters fighting rather giving that he’s the general of all generals and instead they gave her all of these scenes and all military law and code and everything was forgotten just so she could shine and it was just ridiculous. He had more fighting skill and showcasing it in the first arc when he was injured to the point of death, then he had in his niche arc and I think that the problem there is completely because of poor writing and directing. I know a lot of people loved it. I’m happy for that, but for me personally as a writer, as an editor of scripts, I feel that it was very incorrectly written.

You can make people equally powerful, a great unit like shows like Fated Hearts (I’m not comparing it to anything and I don’t compare shows but that series just shows an equal unit between ML and FL she’s got the prowess with the bow and arrow and he’s got the prowess with the sword and the two of them were invincible, a real power couple from start to finish there was never anything lacking nor taking away from a character to add to another character.) without making one basically Robo Barbie, and the other one her poodle. It was reverse sexism. It was unfortunate. But because of the stellar acting of the actors, all of the leads, support, everyone is why I’m giving this an eight.

Honestly, I don’t even remember the OST’s that much. I also think that that Li tutor should’ve been killed not just exiled if that abdicated emperor was murdered and so were the other conspirators, he should not have gotten away with just confiscation of property and exile because he had a great grandson that begged for his mercy. This man was just as culpable as WY. People see WY as also a victim and at the beginning, he was but his later choices, killing a lot of people so he’s got to face the consequences; and even he had hallucinations of seeing the nephew whom he harmed right before his own death.

I’m glad the leads got a happy ending (the falcon also got a girlfriend lol) and apparently parents of two kids what I don’t understand is why the ML upon returning to the village had to dress in those patched up clothing when that’s not who he was; I hope Mr. and Mrs. Zhao were told that FL‘s husband was the Marquis unless they already knew and now also the Prince Regent. And I guess what I mistook for everyone being alive at the beginning was really just her illusion the real alternate universe is a post credit scene so I got that a little confused. I do wish we could’ve seen the third couple with their marriage. Also wish they had properly exited out the characters that were still alive even with that bizarre as hell post credit scene, which I honestly think we did not need. I think it was almost a slap in the face that the leads last official scene was riding off to a new war with her saying I’m not going back home I wouldn’t have become general so and so if it wasn’t for all the battles I’ve been in and I’m thinking to myself you’ve been in all of three battles most of which were not that successful other than the killing of major generals. The rest was word-of-mouth of your triumph. Now the man next to you is a different story; but sadly we never saw that it was just told in stories or conversations like he was already dead. Weird and unfair as hell. And lastly, the cinematography was beautiful.

Would I recommend it? Honestly, the high score is for wonderful acting, beautiful cinematography, costumes, some sets. But this show had a lot wrong with attributed to screenwriter and director making even fiction unrealistic in the last two arcs and the potential for amazing was great. So give the show a go, but don't set your expectations high just because of the high ratings and now over 300 reviews most of which saw zero negatives and/or are certain actor fans. Though I watched for ZLH, as you all know, I watch with an open mind. Had it not been for the things I mentioned, my rating would have been a whole half a point if not a point lower.

Read More

Chinese Historical Tribute Drama

I'm going to start by getting the elephant in the room out of the way first. I do not agree with, support, nor condone the CCP in any way, shape, or form. That said, I watched this solely because 4 actors that I follow are a part of this and I wanted to see how they did in this totally different from what they normally are in drama. Though by production, these collection of stories were called anthologies, they didn't follow the definition of that and therefore I can't review them as thus. So my review is focused on this as a historical tribute drama.

The four actors whose episodes I watched were ZLY, Wu Lei, Lay Zhang, and Wang Yibo. All four were different characters at different periods of time in the last hundred years. Each contributed greatly to their respective storylines and were very believable. I watched all four on YouTube and sadly, Lay's episode didn't have any audio. I don't understand Mandarin but when there's no sound, it's like watching a silent film and a lot of nuances are lost. Music in each was very important too. Obviously when it comes to actual dialogue that part was fiction unless they literally had a tape recorder strapped to them 24/7, so we will never really know if what they said was historically accurate, but as a historical tribute drama with multiple stories, the four that I saw, I believe achieved what they were trying to achieve under the circumstances.

I do wish the ending portions where the characters stories were written out in more detail, were part of the acting part. Since 2 out of 4 that I saw lost their lives during certain battles, it would have greatly enhanced the experience to witness that sacrifice or for the others what happened next to help their achievements along. That portion for me had a great disconnect. I understand they wanted to show the actual human beings behind each but it didn't have to go that much into it because than it took away from the actual performance and storyline. I'm not into nationalistic dramas from any country as a personal preference so therefore these are the only episodes for me here.

Read More

"I Will Always Catch You."

Very proud of BJT for this role; he took his usual almost comedic persona and created a character who was deep, emotional, sensitive, and an iron wall of protection for his high school sweetheart dealing with trauma and tragedy of her past. Even though this series is in the Hidden Love universe (character names, more or less timeline, family, locations), it's a totally different world from the bubbly and happy romance we saw there. This story is so much deeper and more emotional than that one. One thing is for sure, both Sang siblings brought their traumatized yet loved significant others home to a warm and loving environment.

Pros: I watched this show for BJT, I didn't know it was going to be dealing with trauma, abandonment, PTSD and sleepwalking, and a love so strong from one person, even in his darkest moments, he still made sure she was safe and ok. Sang Yan is the iron wall behind the girl he fell for at first sight. He doesn't know what she has to go through or ultimately went through until their reunion 6 years later. All he wants to do is love and protect. He doesn't know what so silently as we see in the ever well crafted flashbacks in the beginning of the series (that are essentially puzzle pieces that slowly come together as the series comes to a close) and the "the story is not over yet..." at the end (where we see something that happened during the episode that explains a missing piece of the episode). We see what they went through, what their lives became and how through becoming roommates he got a glimpse into her inner world of pain and self torment.

WYF seems like she has it all together on the outside; good job, cares about strangers, wants to improve herself, has a friend. But on the inside she's a scared, traumatized young woman with scars that run very deep. She was abandoned by her mother soon after the death of her father and tossed from one house to the next until she landed at her uncle's where a relative nearly SA'd her; she had to jump from the second floor balcony to get away from this monster at the expense of her foot and being unable to dance again which was her passion. We see her break her promise to SY to attend the same university and break up with him in a cruel manner because of the shame, blame, and fear she had. She then ran away from everything and everyone. And still ran into a different freak at her internship after college where she had to quit her job though she got justice. It was like she never had any security anywhere she went and only during her college days when she functioned like an automaton. SY though still followed her and was always watching her silently, protecting.

When the monster gets out of prison and comes after her again, we learn that she was not his first nor his last sadly, just one of two that got away with their lives to boot. Meanwhile, in the apartment the two (SY and WYF) share as roommates, SY starts to see the sleepwalking and other signs that show things are far worse than he thought originally of just an unhappy home life in the past and her not wanting to be with him. Though there is humor (more on his part as she is very shy) and great chemistry, we know that at some point she has to tell him everything so there are no more misunderstandings. As he says to her, "I will always catch you." His love is unconditional no matter what; from the moment she walked back into his line of sight in the first episode, he would always be there, hovering like an earthbound angel protecting soundlessly.

What she had to learn and understand was that she could lean on those she loved and tell them the truth. She didn't have to face everything alone. It was SY that ultimately captured the bastard that traumatized her who was on the run for an unsolved murder years prior and assault on his brother in law's wife. It was SY who safe proofed the house so she wouldn't hurt herself when she sleepwalked. He walked beside her always calmly talking to her even during the times she just walked around and cried. It was SY who had his heart ripped to shreds when she ran away a second time; this time he didn't know where she was though he chased down more leads than the cops ever did. He even went to where she actually was off a tip from her childhood friend who thought he saw her and other leads and even though they happened to be in the same locations, they conveniently missed each other. But he was the one who never gave up and she had to let him in.

The second couple is ok, both deserving of love especially the guy who went through a lot of tragedy, trauma, and self blame himself. I think as best friends of the leads, they deserved a bit of their own storyline told.

I'm glad she cut ties with her "mom" and the bastard and his sister went to prison (with him sentenced to death). Going to the Sang house for a holiday made her see and appreciate what a real warm family with caring parents looked like. Their chemistry was great and they had great kisses and decent skinship; it was just enough for this story. I was glad she found out about all of his travels to Yihe, kept all of her article clippings, and the fact that he went to her graduation. For 6 years he never left her; he was always just behind or on the sidelines. The proposal was unique and heartwarming and SY getting emotional was beautiful; definitely a tear jerker. We even see that it was he who initiated their first contact, so love at first sight it was for sure. Even the ring was symbolic because it had a ribbon on it and SY explained they were each other's most precious gifts.

OSTs, modern sets, camera angles were all good.

Cons: I don't agree with her leaving a second time. I don't read the source material but it didn't jive with her character development at all. A few days before she had confronted her "family" bastard included and told them that if they came near her or her loved ones again she would go to the police and yet still she ran? It just didn't match up. Furthermore, her reasoning was that if she left, SY wouldn't get hurt? Yeah ok, because it wasn't the bastard that was harassing a woman at SY's restaurant and then got into a fight with SY where he told him kind of what happened 6 years before. That it didn't shatter SY's heart to know how badly she was harmed, that he didn't know, couldn't help and now not knowing where she was. To a man like him, it was the ultimate heartbreak. Plus, as a journalist, she should know that predators will go after their prey's loved ones if they can't find their prey. They want to harm the ones that person loves the most. They're all hard wired like that. So her choice didn't hold water for me and shouldn't have deviated. Production could have chosen for her to tell him some other way finally and not have him and friends run around the entire country looking for her. Though he did learn a lot of what she went through in the years away from him, I just think a more balanced version of who her character had become would have been best in that situation. Then she got mad at him at the hospital after he went against the bastard and caught him; he felt like a man, the man she deserved as before he felt useless. But she's mad? Because she would have done what? Run away for a third time? Come on now. Her anger was misplaced; yes most likely more fear for his safety and worry but still, she had to see it from his side of things.

It always felt like though she said she loved him and trusted him, there was a hesitation and the running away the 2nd time was a huge example of that. Communication with her character was lacking; she would declare things and then take two steps back. No wonder SY felt less than even after all this time. Also wish WYF when kissed or just in a general conversation with SY didn't have her eyes roll around on her face like she didn't know where she was or what was happening, again didn't quite fit her characterization.

Several characters were completely unnecessary like that Mu guy, his whole point of being there was what? And the grandparents love line was unnecessary too. They could have just been there to bring the 2nd leads together and let SML get past his own trauma. Their entire point was lost on me. Also the once in a blue moon HL storyline that didn't quite match up in timeline sequence could have been overlooked.

Would I recommend it? Definitely. I gave .5 higher than HL because this one was darker and deeper and the ending was much more satisfactory (not knocking HL, as that one was also good but just a much lighter version) and totally came full circle in more ways than one. BJT is definitely the perfect SY for me. Give it a chance.

Read More

If There's a Will, There's A Way; Real Love Will Always Rebel!

ZLH was the reason I wanted to see this drama and we all know he can have chemistry with a pet rock plus when he wears dark colors and his character is darker, it's fantastic. That said, JT is no slouch either, so was really wondering about their chemistry together. Their story together was one that really had you understand that where there's a will, there's a way and that real love that is destined, will rebel.

Pros: Favorite character is the ML or SC/JY; though he was always the one who took the blame for things that weren't his fault just to try to set things right even when it almost never worked as he wanted. His love towards FL or NY grew gradually (really wish there were more kissing overall) and even if we thought that first arc took way too long, it showed that growth plus the introduction of the fox and young dragon lord who though two extreme personalities, ended up being the best friends of these two or sworn brothers though it would be more correct to say sworn siblings since NY was a girl. I liked how both evolved from annoying or obnoxious to understanding and mature. The first arc was more comical because we knew real angst was to come. JY becoming a demon that never lost his intelligence or really went too demonic that he couldn't control was rare or he was able to snap out of it and that made his character even more real and interesting. NY's mom tied her and JY together and even when he forgot everything due to becoming a demon, his heart remembered and that's what the Love's Rebellion really was.

Other favorite characters were FL's Mom, Chief Meng, the Dragon Lord, A Mian, NY's God pagoda Shifu, that kid from the Great Path sect that never gave up on SC even towards the end, Uncle NY. Even the cheesy demon Ghost God Sen Lou was more there for dark comedic amusement. Every single one played an important role in getting our leads to where they needed to go to destroy the mastermind. Actually there ended up being two masterminds; the one who kept stealing disciples’ souls in the mask or as people in the comments called him "the young John Travolta" and who Dragon Lord sacrificed himself for but of course JY was blamed for it because he was there and his sword was used though not on his own accord. You’d think by that point, those that were his friends would know he would never do that.

The real mastermind was dealt with in the second to last episode but almost everyone knew or suspected it was him from episode one. It was just too obvious. And he was beyond evil; he literally killed everyone and anyone that either stood in his way or he could gain anything from. He trapped spirits for his own use and gain under the guise that they were evil. Most were dead but thankfully the Fox clan survived. NY ended up being his daughter but thankfully she understood that other than DNA, they were total enemies considering that it was because of him that her mother died and JY’s parents were killed by him as well and he had the heart illness due to his immortal heart being taken by this freak just like NY’s mom; plus all the frame jobs and making JY become a demon. This monster would have killed the world if he won.

I consider this a fantasy not a Xianxia and therefore it made a lot of sense with CGI that wasn't overpowering and reincarnations. I really liked their costumes, sets were predictable as they've been used in many dramas and OSTs were great too.

Cons: It turned into a reverse harem with FL's mom where three men loved her and the one that she loved back and conceived a daughter with, killed her because of his inner demon that he conveniently blamed everything on. I really wish they didn't make the mastermind so obvious from the get go. Another point of contention was the repetition that I had with the leads promising transparency with each other only for JY to go off halfcocked to keep FL safe. Finally the Fox told him the truth and I was glad someone did. JY was always willing to "fall into the abyss" for NY without her having a say.

The show started slow and I wasn't even sure I wanted to watch it though it did pick up in episodes 4 and 5; that could have been done better. Furthermore, as we reached episode 26 out of 36 and then 28, they were still packing on conspiracies and information instead of starting to untangle the web. The mad dash to the finish line was not done well. I felt episode 35 was the best with the good guys working together except how was Li Chi still alive? When did he switch into that disciple's body and how did those people know it was him and not that senior? And how did his sister know it was him and uncle NY helped with his dying breath to bring him down? No ending explained for any of the disciples either; like what became of them? What in the what? All this preplanning wasn't shown to us like the leads and the good guys going after the big bad. It left me very confused.

Also what was episode 36? How did they determine that NY had to kill JY to get rid of all of the demons in his body in 3 days of the battle with big bad and than she sacrificed all three hearts and her own cultivation that were held by her to bring him back in 3 years? Where did these numbers come from? 36 was weirdly edited too; from the wedding to the fight with no real transition and than we didn't see the entirety of the fight but fade to black and 3 years later, after hotpot with now King Fox and new Dragon Lord with a wife and a son himself, she goes to the market, hears JY's voice and the mark her mom imprinted on them both that had vanished when JY died the first time before becoming a demon magically reappears and there he is! Wham bam boom! Memories and all. Of course, ending with standing under the same umbrella but not saying a word to each other. But literally zero explanation on anything else. It was like watching a separate series. It could have been done way better.

Would I recommend it? I would, just suspend disbelief a lot towards the end. I did really like the story and romance that even in the face of tremendous odds withstood the test of time.

Read More

8 Reviews Later & This Was Sadly Underwhelming and Lackluster

When this series was first announced back in 2020, I was very much looking forward to it because I have done a lot of research on anti-narcotics units internationally and though knowing this was fiction, wanted to see how they would be portrayed in China. At the time Wang Yibo was the only actor I knew and wanted to see how he'd handle this type of tough genre. Sadly, neither came close to delivering the goods. 8 reviews later and this was sadly underwhelming and lackluster. Let's begin with the pros as usual.

Pros: Favorite character was WZF, he had a very chaotic start where you didn't know whether he was coming or going and he had few scenes in earlier episodes. However, when you finally understood what he was doing and why as well as how hard it had been for every inch he made forward (especially when he had the snot beat out of him practically every episode), you were rooting for him. Plus this year, I finally saw his actor in something where he did very well which peaked my interest once this dropped and he delivered despite the odds. Director Lin came in second as a man who could go from furious to placating in a blink of an eye. Loved how he was both a father figure to all of his underlings and still maintained his professionalism. YL didn't seem like much but as the series progressed, her emotional acting was very well executed. I had seen the actress in a drama earlier this year where she just didn't fit (for me at least) as an antagonist but here she did a really great job and her raw portrayals were palpable.

The main antagonists once you got a grip on who the leaders or mid leaders were rather reminded me of the old Italian mob La Cosa Nostra. That "family" came above all else and no matter what, you don't rat out family and you don't kill them or see them harmed. Even though the Marilyn Manson lookalike and WH were ready to kill others to save themselves from the other's family, they would do anything to bail each other out. Very rarely did the antagonists get that much screen time in other dramas, but for them at least it served a purpose that you understood their bonds and loyalty.

Other favorite characters included poor YY, Anran, plus all the other helper cops and complicated LK. The sets were a believable jungle and the OSTs matched the theme and genre of the series. The fight scenes were well executed and that ending operation was nice though wish they didn't jam it into the last 15-20 minutes.

Cons: The plot ran amok for over half of the episodes, the editing was uneven and felt like some weirdo deja vu. The amount of foot soldier drug dealers and who they ultimately answered to was very hard to keep up with. There was zilch chemistry between CY and YL as bf/gf and they essentially felt like siblings the entire series even at the end when he told her he loved her twice. Felt completely empty and devoid of anything that would seem like a relationship. There was also almost no real connection between the leads. We know what the story was but it was just not happening with their interactions; the "trust me/tell me everything you know" talking in circles got old quick. It felt like there were missing links somewhere between them. The first of the two major drug busting operations essentially looked like a rocket launch sans rocket; just too much.

Didn't believe the character of CY at all; he spent the first 10 episodes essentially yelling his lines and afterwards there was very little emotion--aside from the continued yelling though a lot less--not in his eyes or tone inflection. His face was literally like a stone even when he frowned. He smiled so rarely that it seemed like almost an afterthought. That crying scene everyone was talking about, looked super forced on his part but Director Lin sitting next to him just captured the agony of that scene with his tears. I wanted to cry with CY considering how close to the situation he was in that scene but I didn't feel it from him, YL and Director Lin on the other hand were gut wrenching on all sides.

The main villain was under everyone's noses the entire time it was so obvious it was ridiculous. He and the woman who I thought he treated as a daughter until he kissed her (eww) and her macho guy plus the other big bads were relatively lackluster as villains as they were arrogant, twitchy eyed, or walked stiffly; impression that I got was like "if I don't blink and walk in a robotic manner, I'm super evil." Just missed the mark; he was no John Gotti.

The ending....which one? The "is he dead or not" one? That just zooms out and then roll credits or the 3.5 minute one that was randomly added by the show's Weibo page as an extra with CY and WZF fighting thugs together in some carnival funhouse-like atmosphere a year later and running around haphazardly while making "funny faces" throwing colored dust on the chasing said thugs while people are tripping, chickens and feathers are flying everywhere. Glad he survived, but that was one weird and totally from a different genre and series "happy ending". Was it just me or did they run out of wardrobe for CY because WZF wore his usual while it looked like CY was essentially wearing Wang Yibo's SDC clothes because I remember watching him in that outfit on SDC4. Didn't jive with the character's wardrobe (earth tones or police uniform) from the series at all. Fault lands on production for lack of cohesion there.

Would I recommend it? No, I wouldn't and I'm sad to say that because I wanted this to be good. Though I know actor fans will watch anyways and that's fine plus action is good where you can get it, the messy and schizophrenic plot (special no thanks to those 8 reviews) is just not worth it.

Read More

Awesome Concept & Show..... BUT Anticlimactic HE w/Choppy Editing

First time seeing Arthur in anything and I have to say that he did very well with this character. Granted, I have nothing to compare it to, but for now I can say that this was a good character for this actor. I follow Reba and Zhang Li, that's why I put this on my watchlist. Again, I'm going to keep it short and sweet and not my typical review.

I really like the concept of the show. It was very different. I especially liked the fact that it primarily had fantasy elements as opposed to that fun genre aka Xianxia that I do not like very much. It did have that feeling in the end, though. I know the novel readers said that it deviated a lot from the book but overall I very much enjoyed it especially the fight scenes and yes, it was slow burn but the novel concept the exchange of the five senses was really cool as well. I like the sub plots, but for the most part, the storyline was solid until we got to the end and that's when choppy editing and a very anti-climactic ending just kind of petered a very promising drama out and dropped my score. I wish the sword that DX carried was used in more than just fighting ringwraith looking evil spirits, and I wish that he was instrumental in bringing down YK who was the show's largest villain by far, but got a half assed ending. I really like Miles Wei and his portrayal as the deranged, bug eyed, obsessed, power-hungry asswipe was spot on. I have to say that every single actor and actress for however long they were on screen did a very good job. I do wish they had fleshed out the story a lot more and exited characters some of them properly instead of just shooting the breeze so to speak. The wedding was absolutely gorgeous and I like that the kid became ghost king. But the way it went from her mourning DX (meanwhile, there's another scene again completely out of nowhere where I am guessing the now deceased DX in his wedding gown is in the middle of some blizzard in the middle of nowhere trying to find her and then is going towards some sun. Zero explanation on that) and then all of a sudden his little jellyfish thingy popped up and then cut straight to naming the new ghost king and her leaving the realm and then the jellyfish thingy following her being DX with her, then walking the streets in the mortal realm being seen by the Lord of fate and her 20th generation nephew saying that he will return cut to the extra episode and we're back in her crying over his body and everything being frozen. Like it was literally all over the place. And the weird thing is the ban on the amount of episodes had been lifted at the point this drama was shot so I do not understand why they couldn't have made two or three extra episodes to properly end that, instead of the hodgepodge of last 5 episodes and then the extra episode as well.

I cannot stand when in an extra episode because the last episode was so all over the place at the end still has three of the six minutes, totally on the same thing that the last episode was on and you don't even see the characters hug when they see each other as mortals at the end. They are literally standing something like 20 feet apart from each other, just staring at each other and that was the ending and then roll credits. I cannot stand when they do that in a drama. Because they had more than enough ample time to at least have them run to each other, hug each other; if they kissed that would've been great, but just hug and hold each other would've made that connection so much more powerful given all the absolute BS they went through in the series. So again, I will say I really really enjoyed the show but those last four episodes or maybe even five, the cop out death of YK after absolutely everything he put everyone through including imprisoning her for five years so she couldn't even see DX while his health was deteriorating and that whole ending was just a complete mess.

ZL and Baron Chen and a bunch of other characters including his war buddies and the kid great characters plus his two double agent friends, one who unfortunately had to off himself because of the power plays in the capital but great characters played very, very well. Wonderful OST's; I love LYN's OST it fit perfectly with them together. Costumes, the CGI was just off the chain gorgeous for a fantasy drama probably one of the first. Thankfully the colors were normal and not Technicolor Dreamcoat and it was just a nice series. Subtract the last five (though they did have good parts to them too).

Would I recommend it? Despite my dissatisfaction with a lot of the last five episodes though there was still some good stuff in there, I would have to say this is a series that one has to watch just because it's so different. And I'm one to love unique stuff and just the topic itself and how it was portrayed was very unique so definitely give it a go.

Read More

Make Any of it, Make Sense Please! 3rd Dumpster Fire of 2024

I decided to watch it for HK whom I loved since Ultimate Note and YIL who never quite got the romantic role he deserved; thankfully he did here. Though both did what they could here; this show started nicely and then spiraled out of control making it the 3rd dumpster fire I've watched in 2024.

Pros: Other than the beautiful colors, stunning costumes especially for the leads, OSTs, and the chemistry between the leads, this drama had no other redeeming qualities. I'm glad FL returned to her smart self and started to protect ML too not just be hellbent on revenge. Had an HE.

Cons: I don't know what drugs the screenwriter was smoking but this convoluted mess of a script was only slightly better than what readers described as essentially brutality in a book. SML was essentially the Chinese Khal Drogo who murdered anyone and everyone and brutalized all women along with his gang of bandits. The SFL, who seemed like a free spirit followed him and was just as callous. And the absolutely ridiculous thing is that they thought the audience would just forget that part when towards the end he started to regain memories of the past and act good. He never offered any apologies. Like "sure, me and my gang pillaged, raped, and slaughtered our way through the desert but we're the good guys now; no harm, no foul." I gave up on them very soon after meeting them and ffw. I stopped watching at 16 (though through massive fast forwarding resumed on 20 and lord knows how I made it through to 26) because even though all of the characters were connected, there was such a disconnect in the story plus crappy editing that made you feel like other then a small tether you were watching three different shows in a desert like setting. I didn't have any expectations of this show because other than costumes and some scenery, this was obviously very low budget.

The antagonist (I'd seen the actor in MJTY previously) can play a good villain but boy did they make him ridiculous. Ruthless yes, but he spoke so slowly and stared so much, you think he had a mental challenge of some sort. Nothing about him seemed intelligent or right. This is one of those times when you have good actors but crappy scripts that they have to lower their abilities to get whatever the director is getting at. If they had cast a bunch of unknowns or newbies, it wouldn't have made a difference. I feel bad because I know those 3 actors (am unfamiliar with SFL and SML), can act pretty well and to be given this mess, is just unfair to them. Yes, it adds to their resume, but is it worth it?

They dumbed down FL for a good chunk in the middle which just made you want to punch her. The ML went above and beyond and she still believed the villain over him. I skipped a good chunk of the episodes. I think the only consistent character from beginning to end was the ML. The ending of the antagonist was eye roll worthy at best; he killed SML [while cackling on his horse; y'all know how much I love a good Halloween witch cackle (add extreme sarcasm here)] and SFL (though smokescreen; she's alive!) and FL stabbed him and still he rambled on for like 5 minutes not dying; like why? Just end it! But no; need more over dramatic BS before he spat his magenta blood and dropped. Oh and the main guard that pretended to be ML because ML supposedly sacrificed himself to quicksand was really ML surviving quicksand through underground tunnels, and FL not even realizing it until he kissed her after everybody left and big bed wolf was dead. It literally took seven rewatches to understand any of this. What was that ending though? ML and FL just walking hand in hand in the desert becoming legends? Huh? Why even? After SFL gave birth? What an absolute mess. Even Frankenstein would run away if he saw this.

Would I recommend this? No way! As much as I like HK and YIL, they deserved a much better script and overall production. I'm sure the others do too. Please watch her in UN and decent in Jade's Fateful Love (only love line) while he's great in TLB and AJTL (hope he does a modern); not happy except the one but you can see coherent and decent or good storylines there. Stay away from this please!

Read More

Yin & War's Acting has Improved Exponentially, Grandma is MVP, Plot & Characters Sold Separately

I will always watch Yin and War's shows or films whether they do them together or apart because I think they are great actors and that was shown in this series above all else. The improvement in the last 2 years is huge. This isn't a genre I watch and therefore have only watched their stuff and nothing else; am only a cdrama watcher. Loved grandma; she was the awesome MVP but the plot and some characters were in the twilight zone. Because this is different from what I usually watch, pros and cons will be mixed together as it's easier to explain.

As mentioned above, I can't get enough of Yin and War's improvement in their overall acting here as Jack and Joke. If it was just them two, grandma, Joke's family, the kids (especially Toi Ting, who was too cute for words), and some of the antagonists, it would have been enough. The first two episodes were the strongest and then it just spiraled out of control. The plot was a mix of too much flamboyance where serious words were spoken and actions taken, plot holes, complete nonsense, comedy that absolutely didn't land, and a bunch of actors like Prom, Bonz, Mark, and the dudes that played Hope and Save seriously need to take more acting classes. This just isn't their thing; I know Bonz is a serious singer so he should stick to that. Everyone else perhaps belong in other industries. The characters of Hope, Save, and Rose annoyed the ever living daylights out of me, but towards the end they matured and grew on me; still have a long way to go though.

You could tell right away who the mainstream actors were because they were actually serious and played their parts well; they didn't over act or be so over dramatic you just wanted to fast forward them. The comedy was slapstick and nearly shoved down your throat. Like this just isn't funny! Stop! The 4 Horseman plot with Sauron's Ring belonging back in Mt. Doom and the Ring Around the Rosie of more of the same was yawnsville. The finale episode would have been strong had there not been the obvious plot holes and dumbass humor of ok Jack has a gun, shoot boss but nope! Or the bomb activation tablet is tossed near a handcuffed Joke who can obviously get it but he just stays put. Meanwhile the martial arts were ground to slow motion and though Jack is great at going tit for tat with Carbon (both actors did well with learning basic martial arts kicks and punches), Jack periodically stops to run over to Joke and hug him; like what in the what? End it already! Make most of it make sense, someone please.

The actual ending was decent for all and the chemistry between Jack and Joke was undeniable from the get go so I'm glad we ended with them. I'm glad Joke's dad came around from an arrogant asshole to the father Joke deserved after Top and Jack's grandma talked some sense into him; it was a little too fast but given everything else, I'll take it. The opening theme of the series was great; it showcased what this show was supposed to be but ultimately fell short plot wise.

Would I recommend it? Only for Yin and War's awesome acting. It was believable and the chemistry was on point. Turn your brain off if you want a cohesive story that makes any sort of sense. It's entertaining enough and that's about it.

Read More

Let the Detectives & Coroners Detect.

After watching ID2, I wanted to see Gala Zhang in another detective series and this one popped up. I looked through the reviews and comments and decided to go ahead anyways. It was very split; some liked it, others hated it but I'm a person that makes up my own mind. So I let the detectives and medical examiners detect.

Pros: I liked ML though he had his quirks and issues; everything from his childhood trauma (which seems to be the trope this actor works with best) that he had forgotten but was trying to remember and helping the new team of detectives with many unsolved crimes which ultimately led back to his mother's murderer and serial killer at large. The suspect was under their noses the entire time and figuring out it was him was actually pretty easy. I like the fact that the crush or romance aspect was just slightly mentioned. The rest of the team when working in the field were great and professional. FL, SML, SFL, Captain, her medical examiner ex, were good characters but they also had flaws.

Cons: I found SML and SFL to be quite cringey when not on the job, he acted like an arrogant God's gift to existence (thankfully ML and captain could put him in his place quickly). Meanwhile, SFL was Uber chipper to the point that when it came to everything from her clothing to voice and attitude, she reminded you of someone on LSD or too much caffeine. I preferred that they had less of those moments as they made me roll my eyes a lot. FL did some really stupid things like going into a suspected killer's lair alone. Also I didn't understand how cops chase after suspects without guns; only one case had them draw their weapons. A few inconsistencies here and there.

Would I recommend it? It's not the best crime drama I've seen but definitely not the worst. The cases were well put together and it did have a happy ending for all important characters. This is a series for if you're in between things to watch.

Read More

Bad Fish, Monsters, & Sauron's Eyeball, Oh My! (Last drama of 2023)

So Chinese sci-fi huh? Only have ever seen the ML so know he can carry his own weight. The story started strong and the monsters were convincing; didn't end strong though. I'm glad it was only 12 episodes long and that it had some semblance of a finish though suspension of disbelief was necessary. This really was about bad fish, monsters, and Sauron's eyeball, oh my! Honestly gave it the rating I did purely for entertainment value.

Pros: The storyline had a very promising start. The ML, Shen Rong, and Bo Yan were the strongest characters in the entire series. I do wish they explored more into SR's background and history as well as those of the real origins of the Heng Masters and how the "Lord" aka misty alien thing that was really Sauron's eyeball created them in the first place. It wasn't just the semi-mortal fish; needed to be fleshed out more. The CGI was decent especially when it came to the monsters. I like how there was a mystery that was solved little by little by our characters. Music was good and OST's fit. The historical/post apocalyptic feel was there. The beasties were pretty cool looking though.

Neutral: First time I'm using this section in a review but I feel like the character of Angelica was neither here nor there. The actress is stunning but whether or not she was actually needed; I'm completely neutral about it. Maybe to show a tough woman among a horde of men. Her presence doesn't affect my score at all.

Cons: It's Spanish not Portuguese! Dear lord, even those of us who don't speak either language but have been around either can differentiate between the two. That was a pain in the ass and while Angelica was where she was, the rest of her men and the ship and that storyline was also unnecessary.

There were many unanswered questions like:
1) The meteor arrived 20 years prior but didn’t create a tsunami? Ok suspension of disbelief ✅. 
2) How did Shen Rong get infected? From that water wife gave him to drink? 
3) How much time was SR away from home that the islanders started getting infected? Because clearly not the case for when SC was still a baby. We get a timeline of 20 years since meteor touchdown and then 2 years since SR’s return and villagers already infected and mutating.
4) When did mainlanders start getting infected? 
5) How did CSY get infected; never told us. 
6) When and how was the cult formed? Why was SR's wife chosen to lead them?
7) Again what happened to that HLH kid? He fell into the water and disappeared. Did he drown? Did the Sauron eyeball thing integrate with him too?
I'm sure I'm missing other questions that I can't remember now but who knew Mordor and Sauron were alive and well, off the coast of an island during the Ming Dynasty; that was pretty ridiculous honestly.

Also, I feel that ML was pretty gullible thinking his brother was still alive while being with the "Lord"; yes twins have ESP but it never occurred to him until the last 15 minutes of the final episode that this was all a set up? He's supposedly so smart and that felt off even for him. Whether he really survived at the end as SC claimed, we'll never know but he's now hanging out with Sauron's eyeball whatever that means.

Too many green screens as characters would often stare off at something not there or react in a way that didn't really make sense or there's a delayed reaction to what the audience saw.

Would I recommend it? Only if you like sci-fi and have nothing else to watch. It was entertaining, I'll give it that.

Read More

Watch for the Romance

I was recommended this drama a while back but forgot about it and then was reminded again because I'm watching Tiger & Crane with ZLH and this was his first drama. Though called Maiden Holmes, there's less emphasis on the case solving and more about the Romance of the leads. So watch for the romance.

Pros: I love the Fab 5! Their dynamic is great from episode one. You've got the FL who pretends to be a man by cross dressing to clear her family's name after being what she thought to be the sole survivor of that massacre. Her detective skills are pretty good and she has solved many cases. ML is the prince who is ousted from office by his rebellion seeking uncle (also the main villain of the piece). Thankfully his brother was the new emperor and had a good relationship with him where he could help him out. SFL is a genius doctor and SML is a great martial artist though can't read the room for nothing is quite dumb most of the time. Adding on is ML's teen aid who's a great cook. The chemistry between the leads is obvious especially when the ML turns those seductive eyes onto FL, it's like ok it got a bit warm in this room. Furthermore, the kisses are real! And there are enough of them. For ZLH's first gig ever, he was hella convincing especially in terms of being intelligent and trapping the bad people. The entire group really complimented each other. Misunderstandings if not immediately cleared up, are done so in a smart fashion. There are a few baubles with FL temporarily seeming to lose her sensibility but she regains it more or less quickly. Good fight scenes when they happened.

Obviously a lower budget production but it worked out. The villain was obvious from the get go. The one moment that made me legit shed a tear was when ML's guard sacrificed himself to protect his prince towards the end. That guy was awesome the entire time and it really brought forth their strong friendship. Comedy was decent.

Cons: The cases though leading to the main antagonist weren't very strong and they could never bring someone in alive. Once our group had the evidence, the evildoer was either disposed of or killed themselves. Every single time to the point that it was laughable. You were just waiting for it each time a new case popped up. Also while the SFL thought the FL was a dude, she developed a crush on her and that whole thing was rather cringey. Suspended logic also was a must for a lot of things; like the cave thing because they had to figure out their misunderstanding and realize they were soulmates from a young age, add a really great kiss at the end and then it was worth it lol!

The showdown in the last two episodes was relatively lackluster as it just had the villain walk around the throne room yakking about his plans only to be outsmarted by the ML.

Would I recommend it? Only for the romance of the leads and the moving along storyline. It's a good in between series especially if you like an intense seductive ML ;).

Read More