Enigma05

Great Case Solving Trio & Friendship; The rest? Eh Not So Much.

This was obviously filmed a bit earlier with a lower budget. It was in my watchlist for LHY plus the storyline. Now while all of the actors, did very well, the storyline started to crumble. We had great case solving trio & Friendship, but the rest was really not so much.

Pros: The friendship of the main trio that went through life and death together and never faltered except for GT or YCE had a bit of an identity crisis when he had a tough injury where he nearly lost his arm and the use of it but our miracle physician FS was able to solve the problem. While on a quest to find some sealed treasure book and find out who killed FS' father and 10 other physicians, them two get framed by people working with the Breakwall organization who essentially run the kingdom with a puppet emperor. WJ (spelled Wen Jue) the daughter of the city Lord of Xichuan comes to their aide and they escape there. To find the book they must look for jade pieces to fit into the main plate FS unknowingly was given by his father to hold since he was a child. Turned out his dad and several others were working against Breakwall to find and return the actual emperor back but were systematically murdered over the course of 20 years.

Meanwhile, while on this main quest they have to solve one strange case after another and in the process some of them lead back to the main case and they get the Jade pieces while others aren't related at all. Though they have the ever undecided Lord Wen on their side (sort of), the chamber of commerce is corrupt and when the first two leaders are killed by the Breakwall organization, a narcissistic psychopath or SSM who once was a horse slave and was saved by FS, slowly weaseled his way into the top spot and into the Breakwall's lower ranks. This dude was the best villain out of all the villains because he killed without mercy and enjoyed it. And as I predicted, he really was the last villain standing for about 10 seconds before the real emperor finally finished him off in the last episode.

The deaths were cruel but the one that made me shed a tear was Wen Jiu, who was adopted and raised as Lord Wen's son; he was a great soldier but he had to essentially fight an entire battalion on his own and the hidden SSM who shot two tiny arrows into him one going straight threw his heart. It was gut wrenching to watch. And he knew he was going to die, that was the worst of it. This guy was a great ally to our friends. YY was the character GT fell in love with and vice versa and their romance was ok; it didn't take away from the main plot. YY went into a coma after her entire organization of spies and information were slaughtered and around the time GT lost his arm trying to save her; but at the end the trio rode off to find FS' Shifu physician who was also a miracle healer to save YY. There was also TB, Hulu, and several others that were good characters.

Costumes, OSTs, sets and the CGI especially FS' fantasy world where practices his theories with a duck and a wooden men that have WJ and GT's voices as well as understanding the hidden clues were cool. A lot however just didn't jive at all.

Cons: While the case solving was nice, the main case was a lot of build up to a lackluster outcome. There was no real book of treasure in the place they found. Instead it was the remaining loyalists of the emperor who was also there and had the face of the puppet emperor because the Breakwall leader who was a eunuch and apparently dying, used someone's game of faces technique to make the emperor's kid or someone else look just like him. The secret to the book of treasure was how to properly govern the state and the only reason the real emperor and his loyalists were stuck in that underground palace for 20 years was because the door could only be opened from the outside with the fully assembled Jade plate and the most of the pieces were lost or hidden but by parties unknown until now. There was weapons gold and jewels, plus miasma that was used to tell the real tale. But all this hunting down some special book was nothing more than restoring its rightful emperor.

Lord Wen pissed me off; he had so many chances to arrest and kill SSM but didn't want to get involved that it was ridiculous. Like the chamber of commerce murdered thousands of people in broad daylight but he was like forget it, no big deal. Even the Ma Gang didn't create that much mayhem. If it wasn't for him always letting SSM go, Wen Jiu would still be alive. And how literally everyone good or bad believed SSM's words as gospel was mind boggling; you just met him and he's telling the truth? He's lying through his teeth but everyone was too stupid to just believe him? Come on now; maybe the first few times but not all the time. SSM cared for nothing but power and himself; even his mentally challenged brother was left to himself which was hella wicked when he claimed to care so much about him. But sure let him get to the end; GT should have finished him off because no one else had the balls to.

With the last case with fake shamans and whatnot and the last jade piece, that case was already sliding into the negatives and suspension of disbelief. The storyline came apart at the end. Plus the forced feelings of FS and WJ just didn't cut it. She was for the most part too ditzy and pouty and there was literally zilch chemistry between them plus FS was completely unaware of feelings as his character was supposed to just care about being a good doctor and friend. So it felt unnecessarily forced.

Would I recommend it? It's one of those in between watches while waiting for something better to drop though the actors did the best they could with what they were given.

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

Which Season Did I Like Better?

(First review of a 2025 show) Creepy, crawly, great CGI, and performances. I was interested in season 2 to see the continuation of Season 1 but that didn't really happen. Other than the backgrounds and names of characters we had already met and more or less a conducive original story, these could have been 2 totally different shows. Which season did I like better? I liked them equally the same.

The most fascinating character this season was Chen Dou; it's a shame we really didn't get a deeper dive into her but kept trying to capture the MXH guy. They really didn't go too deeply into his storyline either. And why did WY say that he and WCL were similar? I was hoping they'd go deeper into the mystery of FBB's past but that wasn't done. The entire show was about great fighting, some humor, nice CGI; a leg up from season one. I did like when they did show CD's storyline come full circle that she made the right choice for herself. That was her dream after all; was to have the freedom to make a choice.

I'm glad WCL matured a lot here and was more strategic as opposed to just out of control; FBB was also acting more human though still her quirky self. Definitely wish WY had more screen time but with only 13 episodes, things were bound not to go the way we wanted. The new people in the group were definitely an interesting bunch and I feel like the organization they work for needs new leadership as they're shady AF. I do hope if there's another season eventually, it'll be longer and started explaining things not just adding layer upon layer of questions. We have very little answers now after 2 seasons. I could say this second season just scratched the surface of a story that started in season one. Plus, not having a lot of the same characters from season one made it slightly confusing and added a lot of plot holes.

Would I recommend it? For those who are fans of the comic or want to see some growth in the characters from season 1, then sure. It was a cool watch for sure.

Read More

Cute and Quirky Drama, w/a Messy Start and Wonderful Surprise Ending.

While I originally intended to watch this series for ZZJ and QPX, after viewing TBOY, I wanted to see how LHY would handle a romance drama. This series would have gotten a lower score had it not been for the surprising and very cool ending. I'm very glad they deviated from the book because it would have been a confusing mess otherwise, when usually it's better if they stand by the book.

Pros: Though it claims to be both a wuxia and Xianxia series, it has very little of both. But that's alright because instead of focusing on the fantastical elements you get to see how the actors carry themselves. Favorite characters include the ML or LHY, I already knew from TBOY he could play aloof, arrogant, and narcissistic well, but when he finally began to soften up and reveal his secrets and love it was just melt in place time. Just a heads up, in no way am I comparing this drama to TBOY; firstly because they're completely different genres and secondly because I just never compare dramas regardless. It's a pet peeve and preference that each series even if they are exactly the same genre, gets a proper review.

The FL, I didn't like very much at the beginning because it just seemed like a hamster wheel of mistakes and men she wanted to save. And each time they ended up harming or "killing" her. But as time went on I realized that she was just a lonely girl who would lose her memory but not her nature and extreme penchant for helping people. She would go to great lengths to help a guy out and each one turned out to only want to use her and ultimately take her life. They supposedly fell in love at first sight with her but it was obvious from each one that there was something wrong with them. The only man that went to equally great or greater lengths to protect her was the aloof ML and not until one of her suitors and main antagonist attacked the Fenghua Valley did he finally open up to her about his love.

The entire storyline which I won't get into was as summed up as; a female ginseng root, 4 bouts of amnesia, her hexagram-harem, & the miracle doctor who loved her regardlessly. She didn't have a heart but somehow managed to have a pulse which was pretty funny. The comedy in the series was very tongue in cheek. The other characters in this section, were her BFF and later on flamboyant hubby. Uncle Hui who was always giving the best advice and the ultimate matchmaker for the two even though he didn't know about BY's curse, was heartwarming. I loved how YX would always initiate the kissing scenes and many of the hugs between her and BY as this woman knew who she loved and went after him with much fervor which was always cute and funny to watch. No matter how many times she lost her memory he was the one man that sooner or later she would still remember was her soulmate, her destiny. She could forget everyone else but he would be in first place of recognition.

Even though he was annoying as nails and yet another attempt at a bromance that didn't quite work out after mister purple flamboyant guy, the beyond obsessed emperor played by the very talented ZZJ definitely took the cake. Though we wanted to hit him with a stick and send him back to the capital without anyway to return, what made me put him in pros was just how similar his life before he became emperor was to that of his breakthrough character in CQL (TU) as Jin Guang Yao. It was almost eerie of how both were abused and tortured by their biological fathers, the only difference was that one became a worse monster then his father while the other was obsessive and domineering to the woman he loved but ultimately a good ruler of the people. It was great to see him let go of his obsession at the end (even though his main general helped BY win the bet as it was very obvious to everyone but CQ that his obsession and love was one-sided) and decide to follow the wishes of BY and YX. He definitely brought much comedy and eye rolling to this series.

Costumes were beautiful though this was a lower budget drama, I do wish the FL had better costumes, as only one of her red ones that seemed to have jewels and lots of white was very stunning. The amount of magic used was minimal and that is actually a good thing because Xianxias usually use so much CGI, it may blind you. So I'm glad there was minimum of it here.

Cons: This series had a very messy start. It made very little sense and was one of the many reasons I was looking to give it a lower score but if I decide to stick a series out, I'll wait until the finale before making up my mind. I'm glad that I stuck it out because as we got past the campy confusion, it started to come together and you understood what was happening. OSTs were for the most part forgettable.

I like QPX but casting him in the role of this monster antagonist was absolutely the wrong choice. It was too much and too hard for him. I also got to know him from CQL and there he played a bratty, arrogant, nosey kid that only really wanted to be loved. Those are the roles he should be doing; youth dramas, but not hardcore main villains. He bit off more then he could chew and the character fell completely flat. With the hairdo and facial expressions, he looked like a confused teenager not an adult with murderous tendencies and schemes. Poor casting decision here. I hope his work in the future is better selected.

There were definitely a lot of times where I had to rewind because the segmentation of the subtitles were just too fast to keep up with and wish there was better job done with that. Some loopholes were never explained or if they were, they didn't make much sense. Like how could YX have a pulse but not a heart? One is directly connected to the other; no heart, no pulse. But I guess she is a special root where common sense doesn't apply. She explained that she just wanted a home for herself and to not be lonely, but that didn't explain why she still got into two of the relationships that ended up killing her if she never loved them. Or why she only helped men in need but never women. She'd traveled far and wide and never ran into a single woman in distress? Hard to believe.

Would I recommend it? Actually, I would. If you can get past the messy beginning, you'll have a great time with the funny, nonsensical, and just cute series. This is one of those to watch without expectations and just for fun. The ending is worth it all for sure.

Read More

Fluffy Romance & Nice Comedy (Just FFW 2nd Leads Until Episode 24)

I didn't know any of the actors but I wanted something fluffy that had a lot of romance and no need for thinking capacity. It had very little in the terms of cliches, but tropes and annoyances were mostly for the second leads, which I explained below.

Pros: I adore the main leads. Their chemistry was wonderful and the unwavering commitment of ML for the love of his existence was something not often seen in any of their modern dramas. The comedic aspect between them and the others was also on par. I loved the kissing, both subtle and not so subtle flirtation of the leads. It was a bit draggy but I was very glad when he finally told her the entire truth about them being childhood sweethearts and the man she's been searching for while he's waited for her. It's a very rare occasion nowadays for childhood sweethearts to wait for each other. Many forget. The ML definitely knows how to kiss and their wedding night was very sexy; wish there was more of it but I doubt that would have passed censorship. It was still very nicely done. The ending was very well executed.

Great OSTs and once they got together and got past that one misunderstanding, I loved every moment they spent together though I wish FL didn't always look surprised/petrified when ML was going to kiss her; it was quite silly. I think the only real time she looked totally comfortable was on their wedding night lol.

Cons: I do not understand this need in many cdramas for whiny, pouting, crying females. The SFL was a hot mess; I legit ffw'd a lot of the episodes because I just couldn't deal with her personality. All she did was cry, whine, bitch, moan, and complain in a pre-pubescent voice. The SML also had a lot of problems including an identity crises and not knowing what he wanted or when he wanted it. Honestly, if this was a drama with just the main leads and the supporting cast, it would have been so much better. The second leads didn't bring anything useful to the table.

The FL's cousin was an absolute nuisance; he popped up in the most in opportune moments and honestly, I'm surprised he didn't interrupt them on their wedding night. Dude was as dense as a rock. Good kid all around but just no contemplation of when to go somewhere or say something. It was because of the SLs that this drama is getting rated as I did it. I shouldn't have to fast forward full episodes because of the ridiculous and cringeworthy SL characters.

Would I recommend it? As a filler fluff drama full of romance, yes. Just concentrate on the main leads and you'll get your fill of fluff and comedy.

Read More

Raw & Edgy Meets Noble Idiocy; The Ability to Make A Choice is a Must for All.

I added this for HY having only seen him in a few costume dramas and wanting to see him in a different genre. I knew Esther but very few of the supporting cast especially the Thai folks. I remember when this thing was filming in Thailand and they had an earthquake but thankfully everyone was unharmed and production soon wrapped. It proved to be an interesting story and glad for the HE as well.

Pros: I'm proud of HY for this role. His story is raw and edgy in regards to the boxing, racing, and the undercover work for both. He really lived and breathe this character you could tell. It wasn't just about the romance, but it was about the story behind it, how his character had basically grew up suffering, because even though his adopted father and family fell apart soon And he had all those hardships in Thailand when they got there that he told the FL in the first or second episode, he chose not to repeat the cycle. He chose a more righteous path which was a lot harder to take and caused him to be hurt so often because he was involved with a lot of the stuff that was illegal. Granted he wasn't the only undercover dude they chose, but this story for him had a lot to do with evolution. He never had it easy until the end and being with the FL and coming to the realization that he did. Everything that happened to him after the crash and learning to walk again and going through that whole time where it was like he had a little bit of hope, and then it was taken from him again only in a different way. But he kept going. Also, very proud with how he dealt with PTSD and other psychological issues. It was very realistic.

The FL basically grows up in a rich and entitled household, where her mother spoils her with a big brother though obviously adopted and not buy blood so when she finds him again as a 19/20 year-old in Thailand, along with her biological father and new family they reconnect and she obviously has feelings for him that it takes him a while, but he does reciprocate. Unfortunately, their romance at that time only lasts a week before his big accident. She, however, is no slouch she does know how to stand up for herself for the most part. Their relationship after the fact, only happens because she reconnects with him due to the fact that They both returned to their city in China, and the whole story is basically about him being the sun, her being the moon because of their names. Their break is that of six years and in that time she gets to grow up and gets a job he gets to finish the education he never got to before and also gets a job, opens the café of their dreams that they talked about for her and she, because of her senior, and now that she works at the observatory finds the café and finds their supposedly lost dog.

I won't go into a whole lot of detail in the story because there's just a bunch of little nuances that people need to watch to understand, but that's the gist. All the characters were flawed, there was not a perfect character in sight and it made it even more realistic. This was a raw and edgy show and so were its characters. Comedy was on point and the chemistry was awesome. Especially after they get back together after the break toward the end, there was a scene or two where the screen was definitely smoking. Though I do have to say the stepmom of FL was a hell of a lot better than her actual mom though at the end her mom did get better come around and treat ML the way she should have when he was a kid. She made her amends in my eyes.

The other thing that I found interesting and very very rare was the fact of how closely the series followed the novel. I'm not a source material reader, but all novel readers when I inevitably asked for spoilers, literally went bit by bit by bit, and it was exactly like that in the series. So that was a huge plus as usually the series deviates heavily from the novel you don't even recognize the novel according to people, but here it really was on point. I felt that every character was necessary. I loved a lot of of those supporting cast like SL, Mike's character was comic relief with ML, Patrick's character, Nana, Crazy Jin or whatever his name was, even Snakey at the end was a good person and no longer a rival to FL. There were others I just don't remember who they were. Even the antagonists did a good job playing those roles.

Obviously location being Thailand, for the most part was beautiful and rich and great where it was, modern drama costumes and ML motorbike riding, OST's were on point. It was obvious everything else was done by professional racers or CGI and that was fine. My only question was was it really HY doing all those martial arts because it did not look like a stunt double to me.

Cons: I mentioned noble idiocy in the title and for sure, I had a problem with that. Though he didn't want to be a burden (post accident with the severity of his injuries) on her life given how young she was at the time and chose to separate himself from her and then cut contact so she could go to school, which she needed to do and what not and he could recover and he could heal, go through rehab and eventually also go to school, he still should've told her the truth. He could've waited a few years, but he should've never hid that from her or taken the ability to choose away from her. Even when they reconnected, it took her walking away and before that telling him well, "what if I had ended up with an abuser and a loser and someone who cheated on me, do you know that by cutting off contact you were also gambling with my future?" That was exactly what he needed to hear. He had essentially no right to take that choice away from her. She was not stupid back then and not only that, but they also lied about the dog saying that the dog was lost and had other friends not contact her. All these choices hurt her badly. Why not give her the dog? Why say he was lost? Even getting her own father, stepmom, and stepsister to lie. A lot of lies that shouldn't have been told and things that should've been done differently.

I don't understand why modern dramas have been cutting intimate scenes like kissing scenes and going straight into after the fact or just they start kissing and then fade to black and next scene? We're not talking about showing them doing the entire deed, but with this series, a lot of the editing was incredibly choppy, especially when it came to that part. Also, the ending was beyond rushed. That last episode shoved so much into it that no wonder they chose eloping sequence as opposed to the actual full wedding that was filmed and was caught by fan sites. They could've spaced it out so much better within those last few episodes but they shoved three episodes worth into one.

Would I recommend it? Yes I would because this drama was definitely different for most modern dramas you see nowadays. The rawness and the edginess of it with the boxing and racing, especially in the beginning how do you thinking fast and furious meets fight club with romance.

Read More

ADWAD; Historical World, Real World...Both FAKE! The Bar Has Been Set!

I started watching this show for LYN; was very interested in how he would handle this character since he essentially was playing 3 of them and this supposedly regular transmigration story into a book. I knew many of the actors including the FL and support so it was fine; they all did a wonderful job for the most part. What I completely didn't expect was that this was totally not a regular story but that both historical and modern worlds were fake! Ep. 1 and 40 show things as well in the story itself that not all is what it seems especially when what I call the "glitch in the matrix" starts happening. The ending itself is an LSD trip of epic proportions and both as it ends and after the credits so don't forget to watch that. The bar has definitely been set for future both regular historical ones and transmigration dramas.

Pros: LYN nailed his performance as both NH and Zorro as I called him or LSL. This was such an unconventional role and series for him that he just literally seemed to be rolling with the punches. His crying scenes were so spot on. It's like LYN both put himself and at the same time totally disappeared when he embodied those roles. I remember reading an interview that he gave where he said when he first got the script and read his character, he wasn't sure he would be able to portray him properly given the fact there's literally two fake worlds and understand everything, but after much thought and contemplation, he decided to give it a go, and I'm very glad that he did because I don't think any other actor would have been able to portray this role the way he did. His ability for ruthlessness is already known well as is the softer side of him but being able to show his silly and romantic side was also awesome. Playing a figure at first who's "an A-List celebrity" but in the transmigrated world a man wronged and blamed by the world for things he never did (death of the Empress and not coming to the aid of his so called childhood friend at the cost of that person's father and 20,000 soldiers; called the God of Death trying to have himself vindicated as he's being set up continuously. Imprisoned in the cold palace since childhood, then sent off to the border to fight as the emperor in his blind and sadistic hatred towards him wanted to control and take away his power and if he died at the border, all the better for everyone who didn't know the truth.

The FL or SYM/SYX played by LYT who did very well playing her parts; both of them. Who would have thought that both she in her real world and the historical one as well as the ML were both fake characters and in the mind of the scriptwriter not that we later meet in the historical but the writer of the show we are watching and is a woman. That part was brilliant. Anyways, in episode 1 the FL was a lazy Z-List actress that was the last on a list to be chosen to play the FL plus for some reason the ML had specifically chosen her. So when she transmigrates, she's in fear for her life based on what she little read from the fake script & of the ML so she tries desperately to get out of that marriage & run to SML to get married however, every single time she tries, she ends up hysterically dying only to get resurrected to try time & time again & it being put into this humorous montage, she is just trying to save her family & avoid ML at all costs, which also does not work at least avoiding the ML. But she does save her family. Plus, there are certain tropes in the fake script that say things like when FL is in danger, ML must save her so she tries very hard to avoid those but unfortunately they still happen whether the ML is the one trying to kill her from the original script for whatever reason he still ends up saving her & even he doesn't understand what's going on because a lot of the times it's his intention to kill her because he's still going by that old script & if he kills her, then he may get the support of her family which is written in that old script but then because everyone hears typing sounds; so he ends up basically harming himself when trying to harm her because he saves her.

Then comes the creation of LSL and the Crescent River Nightwalkers who weren't in the original script but obviously there because the real scriptwriter wrote them in to counteract FL's hate and fear of the ML to someone who wears a mask and so obviously him to everyone except FL and SFL (who later also falls for him but thankfully that is worked out and quickly). Now FL quickly without fail falls for LSL or Zorro as I call him but that's the real NH. I love Zorro and his nightwalkers. They are great characters all of them, especially SGH who falls for SYM's sister SYT; they are a couple number two. And I have to say SYT is ridiculously smart in this series fake script not the original story but in this one she reads SYM to rights in regards to treating NH the way she does after the whole he's tried to kill me thing is over. And even after the leads have gotten together, she still tells her what she has done wrong; she's just smart in general. She's very feisty and knows what's going on, doesn't drag stuff out, knows what she wants. She's a great character.

I am very proud of WYS who plays the main antagonist or CGH who I called Darth Vader. This is the actor's first real role playing a villain and he did so well; his psychopathy was evident from childhood making me think he was born with it. As the series progressed, we started to understand that he wouldn't just snap out of it when the truth came out but that you could write the truth in giant letters in the sky and he would still find fault with it and the way his face contorted with almost orgasmic pleasure when torturing one of our Nightwalker guys who he falsely imprisoned told me everything I needed to know about him. He almost reminded me of Richard Ramirez the serial killer who always displayed the same sick smile. Glad he was dead. The actor who played the Emperor was awesome in the way he played him going from sadistic emperor (who I still do not give the redemption arc to) to basically a pussycat simp was kind of strange and kind of funny. The way he treated NH and through most of it until he found out the truth of who killed the Empress and what really happened in that battle was so despicable and disgusting. He literally seemed to enjoy NH's pain and suffering that sometimes he himself inflicted. The definition of a true sadist. When they were changing their own fates in the script (going through the two reincarnation phases) did he finally basically in his own weird way apologize to NH for everything. It was too much for too long. Uncle villain was responsible for the death of the empress and the whole battle fiasco among many other things framing NH because in his words, he wanted to make his nephew ruthless, so he basically killed innocent people, and tried to kill and harm those that NH loved to create that; it was basically an excuse because he wanted to seize power himself.

Fake Scriptwriter who wanted everyone to get back and do the iconic scenes just so he could return to the fake modern world was a villain in himself, though no one listened to him even when he created havoc with ML's health. We started getting more glitches in the matrix that we noticed as well as a moth or a butterfly that had started to appear early on in the series and I personally was wondering about it, but later on figured out that that was the actual real scriptwriter of both worlds. In the end, the fake scriptwriter finally joined the good guys to defeat Darth Vader (that final battle with Darth Vader was so awesome because when the townspeople as well as FL's family and ministers who also helped out came running in, they called themselves like passerby F or folk D or passerby A, passerby B; they didn't have real names because they were NPC's lol and that was so funny but at the same time, it was so great when they were all coming together to fight this one major villain, and the rock music going on was chef's kiss).

Other great characters Nightwalkers along with SGH (only he knew NH was LSL), Yun Long & Shan He, who were both great brothers & arms to Zorro; he created them as Zorro because he didn't want them to know who he really was until eventually, he had to tell them, but they still backed his play, Fugui who was the hilarious assistant to NH but couldn't read the room for shit as well, but he sometimes said a simple sentences that in a complex world & mind of NH just made all the sense. Donkey for brains a.k.a. 18th Prince, became a little wiser mending his grudge with NH & always had a good heart. Jixiang, FL's father the sly fox; and the rest of her family. Finally, because we know that the series had a decent budget so the costumes, sets, OSTs, CGI and comedy was top notch.

Cons: The biggest problem I had was the FL or SYM in the second arc. My biggest problem with her was the way she treated ML after the first arc was over. He's no longer trying to kill her. He has changed. Everything has changed; the original script is no longer what it was even the iconic scenes that she's so terrified of are no longer what they were. Everyone around her has changed except her. She is so ingrained with the original script that she cannot go beyond it and her vile verbal abuse goes too far, she makes him cry with all of the God-awful stuff she says to him and it was because the arc was stretched for too long too many episodes. And she's always bringing up a script (that's already changed that she hasn't noticed) that he has no knowledge of like it's the damn gospel. Yes, they both had miscommunication because he kept stuff from her later on too, so he had his own faults 100%; but she goes way too far with everything else.

Would I recommend this? I totally 100% would. It is totally worth it. Not to mention that LSD trip at the end! So give it a chance!

Read More

A Rare Gem in the Plethora of Detective Stories

And here I thought I was just going to see another crime drama....yeah right! This not so little rare gem came out of nowhere and jumped up to receive a perfect score from me; someone who doesn't give them out easily. Also something that literally becomes better in later parts of the series as opposed to the beginning. The entire cast for the most part did great and I know all of them save a few people. Despite the rating (which I never care about), this drama gave a lot of other detective/crime/conspiracy/supernatural etc genre shows a run for their money.

Pros: Dude, ML or BM played by WXY and TML or TS/BK played by HLL were my favorite though DK who played KY or Peacock 🦚 was hot on their heels. A serial murder occurs on a boat on a lake with only one guy left alive; BM who is quickly framed for it. He is shot with an arrow and falls into the water disappearing for 3 years, when he returns, his old sweetheart whose father was one of those that was killed, stabs him, shackles him, than poisons him with the most lethal poison instead of the one she wanted to give him. By her side is doctor/coroner Feng, someone she saved, while by his side is someone he saved named Tong Shuang or TS and secretly placed in the constable unit to seek information on the murderer known as Yesha who is getting revenge on everyone in connection with a mysterious case from 20 years ago or the 36th Ningtai year as it's known for a while from a town known as Haiya. Slowly the squad forms eventually also including HD a woman whose father is murdered and was part of the Haiya story.

There are 7 cases in total including the main large case. The squad solves each murder only to realize each one is connected to the original case. Hot on their heels is KY from the rival constable company wanting to catch BM as he's thought to be Yesha; the guy spends nearly the entire series trying to clear his name and get reinstated while trying to find a cure for his poison and find the real and very elusive Yesha. The killers and minions of Yesha are orphans of what turns out to be the massacre of Haiya. The twists are great especially of the poison of BM, the real Yesha (will be spoken about in the villains section), the fact that KY doesn't really want BM dead but loves the competition between them and ends up helping the squad a lot before joining them and becoming one of them. Dude was called peacock 🦚 first on Weibo then it made its way to MDL because of his wardrobe, hair (wig), and makeup. He was comic relief though second in intelligence after BM; DK played him to the hilt and it was awesome. WXY as BM was fantastic; he got all of the emotions & actions down pat; arrogance, maturity, loyalty, kindness, intelligence, anger, love, grief, depression, etc. still hard to reconcile how well he acts with his young age.

The main villain aka Yesha, made your mouth drop when you realized who it was because he was next to them the whole time. And not only that, there were two of them; first one (another general and original resident of Haiya) groomed or trained the second one before dying in that boat lake case 3 years prior and his well camouflaged protégé took his place. The actor, fairly unknown played the hell out of both characters in one person. He reminded me of Ted Bundy and the phrase “the mirror has two faces”; you never would have thought the handsome man with women on his arm and college graduate was a serial killer until he was caught. But he was none other than BK or BM's brother also known to the squad as TS until he faked his death and went full throttle on his persona and his horrifying plan. Turns out that both brothers and HD were Haiya orphans and 2 out of 3 turned out just fine; with the last because of who ultimately raised him, became a wolf in sheep's clothing, a killing machine.

My two favorite moments during the show is when BM told the Emperor, what was what essentially calling everyone out who participated in the Haiya massacre as well as the cover up that happened after including the emperor himself saying that there were survivors living in hellish conditions and they deserved better, enough of the cowardice. It was very powerful. And the second, even stronger scene was the face to face with his brother in the last episode when BM hammered into his brother that he used Haiya as an excuse for all the murders he did because he was manipulated and allowed himself into thinking the worst, and that he used other people who could have lived better lives but died tragically because of him after committing murder and those in the wilderness are living in hell in part because of his actions with that pill and mutations. That had their situations been reversed BK would probably had been a better constable and person but BM would never be a more wicked person than BK because even if he had to suffer he knew there was hope and there was always suffering and bad stuff in the world and it was their jobs as humans not to make it worse. He just kept chipping away at every excuse BK had until there were none left. Than he told him that he had plenty of chances to turn back and when a defeated BK said it was out of his grasp in this lifetime, BM reminded him that he had in fact had it in his grasp once meaning when he was TS; he had so many chances to tell them the truth as he had the love of a real family and not just his brother. That entire exchange was remarkable, raw, and powerful and BK took his own life as BM walked away after telling his "didi" that if there was another life, he hoped they wouldn't meet which I took to mean that he would still feel ashamed and guilty to face his brother even in the next lifetime. So thankfully no redemption for the ultimate predator but it was still so sad because it didn't have to happen that way and he was a character we had all grown to love a lot.

Everyone else whether squad members or others all did their parts well. And everyone was there for as long as they needed to be; no unnecessary appearances or disappearances. Great costumes (especially for peacock lol), sets, OSTs. I don't think this was a large budget production but it did well with what was shown. There was some comedy and though there were technically two couples, this was not a romance drama but more of a thriller which I was very happy with. The squad had 5 people at any given time with one single guy but it never felt like he was the 3rd or should I say 5th wheel. Everyone was equal or maybe because the leads always called each other "junior sister" or "senior brother" lol, kind of gave that incesty feeling though they were not blood.

Cons: Though I did give it a 10, it still had some flaws. It had many tiny inconsistencies like the dumbing down of the FL (going alone to rescue BM from Old Bug or constantly asking "what do you mean" when the answer was staring her in the face) or her having RBF for the whole first arc and well into the second though the actress usually does great with emotions so perhaps there was problems with the writing. Even with his redemption arc in the end after essentially being a glorified asshole the entire series, Mr. Zhuge aka peacock's father, I still couldn't get to like. The actor though did a good job playing him. Also found the poisoning portion of the story just slightly draggy; could have made it take up less episodes.

The largest inconsistency was why Mr. Zhong who was FL's dad and BM's Shifu didn't keep both BM and BK as he had carried both boys out of Haiya after the massacre. Had he kept BK and raised both boys, these tragedies may not have happened or at least BK would have had the same loving upbringing as BM had and not been abused so severely or found by first Yesha and turned into this monster. An answer as to why was never given. And it was very sad.

Would I recommend it? What do you think, with a perfect score lol? This is an awesome rollercoaster that ticks many genre boxes and where the second and third arcs were way stronger than the first. Will def be rewatching portions. Great job cast and crew!

Read More

Emotionless Line Delivery + Fizzled Chemistry + Sloppy Script = 1st Dumpster Fire of 2025

Welcome to the first dumpster fire of 2025! My goodness what a mess! I forgot I had it on my watchlist plus it was airdropped with no warning or promotion which should have been a massive clue. I had wanted to see SWL in a different genre and it was my 1.5 time watching Angelababy as I dropped a previous drama she was in due to horrendous writing. This wasn't much better and I ended skipping some episodes towards the end as well as fast forwarding a lot of it during the entire thing.

Pros: Almost none other than the gorgeous costumes/accessories of the Beixuan people, the martial arts and acting of some of the supporting characters. SML and TML died for all the wrong reasons and I thought both were wasted characters though both nailed their parts. There was more chemistry between the guard and the sister than the leads. ML's acting has improved slightly.

Cons: Everything else! Atrocious script that literally threw every trope possible into the story but nothing new. Two horrible kings of two countries but you couldn't even hate them as proper antagonists because they came across as petty and insecure and one literally had some squirrel's tail for a mustache attached to his face. Chemistry between leads fizzled in the near beginning. Both leads were pretty emotionless; he always looked pissed off even when smiling and she was the opposite as even when upset she had like a joker smile glued to her face. No expression whatsoever from her but if his acting made up for a bit of it, in her case it was like a recital of lines with that creepy smile. I think I may stay away from her dramas from now on; she may be a pretty woman but acting requires more than looks.

Also the character of the princess was shudder worthy. Spoiled self absorbed brat from beginning to end. I never believed she genuinely loved SML; he was like a shiny toy to her that dared to defy her and she got a kick out of that. I wish she died instead of him; zero redeeming qualities. Cheap AF CGI, if you can call it that. The entire thing looked very cheap. I think most of the budget went to those stunning costumes and accessories. The story was like every other story you've ever seen crazy glued together. Boring. I have no clue how I got through it. It's very forgettable.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely NOT. This review should give you everything you need to know. Preserve your sanity and watch something else.

Read More

XFN's Journey

I was actually very surprised that I liked this series. Many people I usually chat with, dropped it without looking. But it had many good qualities. XFN is officially more cunning then his father. That finale was something else; truly hope seasons 2 and 3 don't take 10 years to make.

Pros: Most of the characters were there for as long as they needed to be and greatly evolved. The main lead was the most obvious. His father was the 706 steps ahead thinking man planning everything in his son's path to both help him and test him. But as the series wore on he too became very much like his father; from a stubborn teenager who refused to learn martial arts until his closest friend and master martial artist died, did he realize he can still live his own way but be great at something.

It was great to see 3 actors from DC in this thing; old man booger aka Sword God, Ning Emei, and the death guard Qing. I totally saw the latter two as becoming a couple. The fantastical aspects were great but not overdone. Every loose end was one way or another always tied and not left along for too long. The ending episode was cool except for ZK talking for far too long after Xu big sister stabbed him. I particularly liked when XFN used the martial arts he learned to fight the bad guys.

The story in itself progressed well, with XFN growing, maturing, learning and ultimately embracing his destiny in his own way. The comical aspects were also a nice touch and progressing the story along. You never knew who was working for dad or by the end of it XFN himself and that was always comical when the audience learned along with other parts.

Cons: Many inconsistencies and really unneeded characters like the lady with the cat. I'll take the cat over the chick. Just the sheer number of people who wanted to kill XFN for reasons most of the time not well explained or if explained, didn't make sense. It reminded me a lot of Luoyang and the plethora of unneeded assassins. Ms. Hehe's sudden appearances, her lackluster explanation for why she was there and then final appearance, equally bizarre other explanation and disappearance. Her entire presence was like a whiplash each time.

I didn't see any point in the FL until she literally left. She didn't have (imo) any chemistry with the ML aside from wanting to kill him for reasons unknown. I know that readers of the book liked her and understood her purpose and perhaps she'll be given better development in the upcoming seasons but in this one, she just whined and repeated the same thing over and over; kill XFN, death and buying herself a coffin.

Each episode in someways felt like its own plot story or rather multiple episodes until yet another failed attempt at assassination happened and perps were revealed. Then we move on to the next plot and next bunch of assassins. It was very push and pull often and I wished other aspects of the series were brought. It needed smoother writing and overall transitions.

Would I recommend it? Sure. It's got great growth moments, funny moments, if you like fantastical stories and trying to figure out who's good and who's really not. It like everything else, has lackluster moments and errors, but overall it was fun to watch.

Read More

Healing Through Patience & Love is Truly the Best Thing

I've wanted to see ZLH in a modern drama for a while now and though he had those before, only after he shot to stardom after his roles in MJTY and KP, did more audiences see him as a versatile actor. This drama was a perfect offset of all of his previous roles because it was calming, relaxing, while showing how love grows naturally. Healing through patience & love was truly the best thing.

Pros: This was such a lovely and fun in a subtle way series. I loved how every episode started with a particular TCM ingredient and it was explained how it worked and then it was incorporated into that episode for better or for worse. Both leads had their fair share of pain to go through and heal from and they found those ingredients if you will in each other. The ML or HSY was definitely the more mature and wise of the two. FL or SXF met him in the first episode just as she was going through a rough patch with her asswipe soon to be (like in the next episode) ex boyfriend. Due to the fact that all of the stress from that, work, etc, caused her insomnia, she was recommended to the neighborhood TCM doctor and that's how they met. Fate or the universe couldn't be more perfectly aligned for that meeting. For him it was like at first sight and this was he fell first and hard and it took her a much longer time to realize her feelings.

Let's not forget their chemistry! Well we all know ZLH can get it done; even XRH said that he is an eye-showing actor; so he shows you how he feels with his eyes before he says the words. But their kisses and even hugs were all that and then some! It got warm in my room quick lol! I also loved that she initiated a lot of their make out sessions and didn't just wait to be kissed. That was a lot more natural than the woman just standing there as the man goes in.

Their lives and romance were immediately intertwined because they also happened to live in the same neighborhood. He was the gentle healing soul that always told her to take her time and learn to love herself while he took care of the rest. He was literally the perfect man. You can call this a slow burn because it took her quite some time and funnily enough a push from her aggressive, arrogant ex to get her to understand what her heart and soul had known for a long time; that the right person was in front of her and next to her the entire time.

Though there was a third wheel in here, she was after the ML and once he found out what her thoughts were, he cut the cord quick. He wanted to be with one woman only. This was a mature romance with great characters. Not a single one took up space or needed to be tossed off a cliff. There was comedy especially the references to certain characters and series the actors actually played in was a great way to both promote those series and give it a real world feel. The leads way of expressing love was through flowers, sachets, nature, and cooking not always words and that was for the most part a great and symbolic thing.

The way they helped each other with things as well as their friends did; her bestie cleared the confusion of why XF rejected SY's confession in the first place; that it was out of fear not that she didn't care. Meanwhile, XF helped reconcile SY with his father towards the end after many years of estrangement. SY helped heal XF's existential identity crisis post breakup and made her stronger in her convictions not just as she even pointed out "an obedient dog that would follow your every command." I loved the united front that the parents and SY showed against the ex as he was kicked out of their house and also at the hotel, where even the GM stood up to him along with her two best friends and some other hotel staff.

All of the supporting characters were great! XY and LYS who were friends for 10 years and loved each other just as long but only got together after XF's constant pushing and prodding. XF's parents were funny and so great and supportive. All dramas should have parents like them. SY's grandfather was just awesome and comedic in a good way; when the families blended it was a very strong unit. SY's interns especially LJ are funny as well as the dude that's always single and his patients. You can see who all matters to them from who's invited to their wedding in the last episode. And the wedding was lovely especially the choreographed dance of the leads in the heart made out of flowers.

OSTs, extra info on TCM, sets though modern, we're all lovely and fit. For him the symbol of love was that keychain ring she gave him to ward off matchmakers and for her it was the satchet.

Cons: Though very few I did have some issues. For starters, the FL had this annoying tendency to go all deer in headlights when she was around him and couldn't say a single declarative sentence and that got kind of annoying. Because when she had to ask him questions about TCM or things she was interested in or talk to her friends or at work, she could just babble forever. But simple conversations were hard won. And at 27, you should be able to speak like an adult all the time. Glad that once she realized her feelings and they got together, she "grew up" so to speak.

The old people clothing, I don't understand. Both leads wore clothes that were suitable for their parents and grandparents and you could see them wear that. I don't know why in modern dramas they do this to young adults making them look so elderly with the wardrobe. Only when at work and they had to wear a uniform or a suit did they dress their age.

Felt the ending was a bit rushed with her mom's illness and her again having thoughts of studying abroad. Also the fact that at the wedding SY said this whole monologue of things and XF said maybe a sentence or two felt uneven. They could have placed the illness somewhere else and then made her studying abroad, returning and having their wedding so much smoother. That's it.

Would I recommend it? I totally would. This was a breath of fresh air and homey and so nice like a warm hug at the end of a long day. A simple romance with symbolism, meaning, and a bit of humor. Definitely the best thing.

Read More

Two Different Dramas For the Price of One but the Actors Delivered

(Edited rating and review) I wanted to watch this because of LXY and his versatility. Neither him, the FL, nor any of the cast disappointed. The writing was sloppy and filled with unnecessary deaths and plot holes. It literally felt like two completely different dramas in one with superb acting. But after thinking carefully, I had to amend my rating.

Pros: Every single actor nailed their role to a T. If it wasn't for them, this drama could have ended just fine at episode 24. LXY was absolutely amazing here though; each tear of his broke your heart and he cried a lot. The kissing scenes were well done by two adults. The first portion had everything; the frame job by the CP, the crippled and masochistic ML trying to clear his name and that of his army. Than the FL who lost her parents in the fire but was brought into what I called assassins creed to get revenge though the mastermind behind that was none other than the ML himself. The ML and FL worked very well together and the characters near them were fantastic especially YQ. As the main villain, the CP was narcissistic, cunning, and vicious. QY was necessary but not as a third wheel that hindered more than helped. The palace intrigue and winning against the CP and clearing his name was paramount. Falling in love with the FL was cool and their time in the village was awesome too but he shouldn't have done the nobility arc thing but kept her hidden and waited until the flower to detoxify her bloomed. Then he could have saved her and they would have married and the undying flower thing still held water. Though the second portion or what I consider a different drama altogether was messy, the ending though tragic was beautifully written and acted out by all. Costumes, sets, OSTs, fight sequences, etc were on point.

Cons: What was the point of 25 through most of 31? 32 was the poetic tragedy so I consider it a pro. Messy plot full of holes that was unnecessary, wasted people and characters and still FL wasn't cured because the flower was stolen. Why kill QY? Zilch sense. The reinforcements arrived just to scare off the enemy? Make it make sense. Regular civilians had to fight regimented soldiers was nonsense because the emperor for some reason didn't know his country and that city was under attack from the get go? How is that possible? And his relationship with Zigu was cringe at best; he was old enough to be her grandfather and they conceived a child but she died in childbirth because of her previous injury which was to her arms? How does one affect the other? Again plot hole.

The actress who played Luo Mei had way too much Botox because her face never moved on or off screen. None of her emotions were believable at all; she was totally stone faced. And how did she go from seeing ML as her unrequited love to whiplashing and loving that monster CP? It was so quick, you'd blink and you'd miss it. Another one was of FL knowing she only had an X amount of time to live but didn't reconcile with the ML until he dove into the river after her. She wasted so much precious time. For what exactly? ML only lived 13 years longer than she did and you'd think when you know you've got an expiration date, you'd want to spend every second with the one you loved. But he didn't even know she wasn't cured; that was a dumb plot move. He had the most masochistic role in the entire series. The entire second portion was totally unnecessary. Finish it at 25 episodes and it would have been an HE and matched with the book. Bringing all that nonsense in made me skip two episodes towards the end.

Would I recommend it? I actually would but for excellent acting and that first portion of the show. The rest you can just casually watch.

Read More