Enigma05

Choppy Editing, Multitude of Inaccuracies, Too Much Propaganda (Even During the Leads Wedding)!

I first added this to my watchlist when it was first announced, 4 or 5 some odd years ago. I had seen both leads in at that point one drama each (PA for him & CQL for her); since then I've seen him in one other (Parallel World) and her in a few others. While he is good as both the protagonist and antagonist roles, it's better if she stuck to the former. While I don't know the SML or most of the support, I have seen SFL in one drama as an antagonist and I've seen the TML in several dramas where he was just very good. Everyone else is come and go. Unfortunately, though this drama had potential, I'm sure it fell prey to choppy editing, multitude of inaccuracies, and too much propaganda even during the leads wedding in the very last episode.

Pros: Favorite characters were ML, SML, CY, little head navy guy, third couple, all parents; thankfully no toxicity; Brigadier and his family. I would have to say that the pros of this drama, other than the music and the overall obvious camaraderie of the soldiers and friendships. It also had a lot of people that were funny like the parents of FL and in small moments, you had a lot of little learning curves and teachable moments for everyone combined. I like the fact that they had these clubs in groups and what not for soldiers families and wives clubs and I'm guessing also husband's clubs if they so chose to join because that was real. I do appreciate the fact that they did show sad moments like toward the end, when two of their trusted captains had to either discharge completely or get reassigned to another unit due to pretty bad injuries. Those were honest. I personally like all the gadgetry like helicopters and ships and drills and all that other stuff. The villains a.k.a. big bad dad and his son and the international guy William or whatever were OK but I really wouldn't call them anything to cry home about in the villain category. However, the majority fell into the cons.

Cons: The first thing I noticed that was completely off kilter, was the choppy editing and the scenes just didn't flow naturally be it the drill, soldier scenes or the civilian scenes. They jumped from one to another without giving the viewer time to adjust. The other thing would be that a lot of the times you could blatantly tell that they were using either news footage or documentary footage from other locations other than what was being actually filmed, also, a lot was edited out and not shown in the actual series that was shown in trailers like the leads going to Disney World or spending time together or vacations together or even that supposedly the SFL became pregnant again. They never showed any time jumps until the very last episode where we found out that the entire show basically took place within a little over two years.

The thing that I complained about the most had to be the complete and utter lack of research be it when it came to things like miscarriages (somehow SFL, who actually had the miscarriage got over it in 10 days or less both emotionally and in every other sense of the word while the SML was the one who looked like he was going to pass out and felt guilty about it. Now everyone grieves differently, but this was just completely off kilter and the fact that absolutely no one except the ML asked him how he was doing just felt wrong because in real life that's not how it works either) to my absolute worst annoyance being their scuba drills. It was like production never researched a single thing about what it meant to be a master diver or in this case since these guys were special ops and they made rookie mistake after rookie mistake or things that were literally impossible if you take into account the laws of physics underwater that just had someone like me who's a certified scuba diver cringing. Now I'm not in the military, but anyone who is a dive master or anyone who's even further advanced in scuba than I am would be cringing at this let alone anybody in special ops or who are military divers regardless of country. Some of the tests that they conducted where scuba was involved were downright illegal internationally. For people who have never gone scuba diving, if you choose to try that, my biggest piece of advice is to go with a dive master and not alone or because of what you saw on TV.

The other thing that was they brought in a 3rd wheel to be kind of a in between of the villains I mentioned up top. His whole worst thing was that he could not take no for an answer from the FL, who herself had a lot of serious lack of judgment calls, but this dude was just ridiculous & on top of that he got physical with her toward the end and that was a big no. Then he felt like he had the need to call out the ML not once but twice, even though the ML and his team saved his life like it was any of his business. 3rd wheels like that I think are completely unnecessary and just make things worse for the storyline. On top of that they never closed him out so we don't know what happened to him. They made the SFL a princess or lazy goat as the FL called her for the majority of it until the miscarriage somehow matured her, but you still didn't quite say anything. Plus, you didn't really feel the chemistry of the second leads at all. As for the chemistry of the main leads, it was kind of felt, but not really until the end either. Meanwhile, the FL sort of lost her EQ a few times and blamed him for basically telling her what she did was wrong in that hostage negotiation and her playing prima donna which just kind of made me feel all iffy about her character until she understood things a little better. It seemed to me that only ML and SML, the third couple notwithstanding and CY were the only mature dudes and when it came to being in a relationship people out of the entire situation. I called ML a lump of clay when it came to romance, but even though he himself admitted that he wasn't great at it he was certainly honest about it.

Lastly, the propaganda factor was way too much. Yes I understand this had to be with soldiers and this also had the romance thing but you do not preach Motherland, flag, military, and all that other junk when your daughter just had a miscarriage. You do not preach that junk at a wedding when it's supposed to be emotional and a romance. It got so out of hand that even the SFL's mother would talk about it in the weirdest of times. I get it when it comes to certain situations and I understood that this was part of the series, but there were many situations when it was completely unnecessary and just reduced a more powerful scene to not so much.

Would I recommend it? Honestly, this is one of those dramas where if you turn your brain off and just watch while you're waiting for something sure. And if you could get past all of the inconsistencies and everything else mentioned in the cons, you'll be just fine. I do hope to see the ML in more series in the future because I think he plays protagonist roles pretty well and we've already seen him and antagonist ones.

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Story of Resilience in Life, Love for Both Humans & Geese

Had been interested interested in this one for a while as I wanted to see LX act, I've seen ZYT before in one modern and a two season costume. This was a slice of life with imperfect characters and romance. Great relationships with siblings on the female side and just a rollercoaster of reality that mirrors what we deal with in real modern society. A story of resilience in life and love for both humans and geese.

Pros: LX's acting impressed me enough that after writing this review, I'm off to watch Meet Yourself. His character (CMD) was very much honest, he knew when he was wrong, when to go hard, when to back off, and when to give solace and learned how to seek it. I loved how they showed how through losing his best friend and meeting his Shifu, he was able to turn his life around. Becoming a mortician, he was able to become a gentle source of comfort and independence. Though he didn't know about partnership love until FL or ZJ returned into his life and taught him though she herself really didn't 100% know either. Their chemistry was on point from the get go and you understood that they really were high school sweethearts in their own special way. ZJ wasn't a cookie cutter character either and despite her disability had managed to become quite successful in her field. She did plenty wrong but also knew or was told by her best friend (WXX) or even CMD when she screwed up. No one spared her feelings, but told her straight up what she did wrong which I really liked. And she owned up to them because it was explained to her in an adult fashion. And that's such a breath of fresh air; to air out everything wrong right away and not just let it fester. Very straight forward.

Other favorite characters were WXX as the smart best friend. It was so great to finally see a bestie that wasn't afraid to give ZJ a verbal smack when necessary. Probably one of the best ones I've seen in a modern recently. Her soon to be hubby grew on me too. ZJ's siblings ZY and HNN were some of the smartest kids in terms of EQ ever, loved the three's relationship. Also best friendship goals of the drama were grandma Chen and grandma Lin. From the time they were kids until sadly grandma Lin's passing, those two were the bestest of friends. Another sad and tragic death was Mr. He, who was HNN's father and the other two's stepfather. They'd already lost their father when ZJ was 12 to a car accident that also took half of ZJ's leg (was very glad how she explained phantom pain to CMD; it wasn't glossed over); now HNN eerily also at the age of 12 lost hers. He was such a great father to all three. CMD was there every step of the way for ZJ through that and afterwards. ZY had to become more mature and he did it, though losing his pet goose to a plot device was sad, until the goose showed up with its girlfriend at the very end of the last episode after the credits finished rolling. That was absolutely hysterical.

You laughed, you cried, you enjoyed the precious moments of every character. The OSTs, sets, and everything else was on point. Wish she showed her feelings and vulnerability more. Only when she really screwed up in the end, did she finally stop with the smiles and cried. I get it about vulnerability supposedly looks weak because I've done the same but in reality it's what makes us human and not robots. He called her out on it and that was another great example of how quickly she understood things. I'm glad it was a HE though the way ZJ handled things in the second to last episode left you wanting to bang your head against the wall, the rest of that episode and 21 was essentially them getting back together (with the help of her siblings) and having a long-distance relationship until a freak occurrence made them both say enough is enough, we're not going to be apart anymore. From what I gathered, she was returning to Nanping for good (after all they were already engaged and he's got the great apartment) because with her own business and setting up that medical tourism bit would require her constant attention, she could move about at her own pace. She finally loved someone more than Shanghai. She'd handle healing living people and he would handle respecting the dead and their families. They really did belong together.

Cons: Very few of these. Mom was my least favorite character until her son read her the riot act. Her nagging was nasty and degrading. The stuff she said to all of her kids was something I would personally not have tolerated. I honestly wanted to hit her with a broom for many episodes, I even ffw'd her. She would maybe give 2% of good advice but the rest of the time, it was a hot mess. However, after ZJ fainted from stress over their argument and the mess she caused with CMD, her other two children sat her down and told her what's what. I was surprised how much she improved afterwards; it was in no way an overnight thing but she made every effort to be better which was very appreciated. After a while, she became the mom her kids really needed and should have had from the get go.

Thing I liked least about ZJ was that she brought up her disability nearly every episode sometimes twice to CMD and in general just in regular conversations even though she was the one constantly preaching about independence and being worthy of equality. If people already know, why keep bringing it up? It was just very weirdly written. Nothing to do with the actress. The other thing was why did she have that tendency to bite CMD? It was so out of character; she wasn't a vampire or a dog. Like you're trying to apologize but then do that? Like why?

Last small thing, is when they wrapped up the series, I wish they showed our leads walking hand in hand on the beach of Nanping like the trailers and many posters showed. That would have been the perfect and important way to end with them; so felt that portion was a bit rushed as our other supporting characters got a little something at the end especially the goose. Otherwise, I'm very happy with the HE.

Would I recommend it? Yes, I totally would. This was a slice of life with imperfect people who learned and evolved along the way. Wonderful romance that was believable. If you like mature dramas without tropes, this is for you.

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20 Episodes of Lying, w/Secrets; A Good Villain Replaced by An Obsessed Creep & Some Comedy & Love.

Wanted to watch this drama for the pairing of the leads and was only familiar with a few other actors. Now while the actors did a good job I can't say the same for the script and the editing. Sadly for me, this just didn't hit the mark. Came very close to being the 3rd dumpster fire I’ve seen this year but those last 4 episodes were the strongest and overall, it had some appeal; though I did skip episodes and whatnot. I will speak my mind and not apologize for it.

Pros: Very small amount of pros; just about all of the actors did a great job. The leads could have taken a page out of the second leads' playbook. Those two had a misunderstanding for decades and solved it in 2.5 episodes and were stronger than ever afterwards; I really liked that. The chemistry between both couples as well as the friendship between cat and dragon was fun. The real antagonist that was killed off way too soon and could have done way better if left at the end, the actor played him well. He is very versatile in both types of roles. When he played Situ Ling, that was the best role for him, otherwise he went into the cons. Many other characters were great both in lead roles and support.

Comedy, OSTs, CGI, sets, and costumes were nicely done. That's where pros come to an end for me.

Cons: One of my biggest problems was the fact that when the FL approached the ML with her ulterior motives, though understandable at first, when it was more or less clear to her that he was not the culprit she still continued to lie to him and the fact that this first arc of lying took up nearly 20 episodes really hurt the series. There was so much noble idiocy, it hurt your head and it was unnecessary because all they really needed was proper communication as mentioned in the pros take a page out of the second leads playbook just talk about it, tell the truth, be honest that's all that was needed. Instead it was just this ring around the Rosie-hamster wheel with very poor editing and one of those one step forward two steps back type of things. My biggest problem with the series was the actual screenwriting and editing. Things weren't flawless; arcs lurched, and things happened and you didn't understand why they were happening or how certain things got to where they went. There was no smooth editing of the rough edges of certain arcs or why certain characters chose to do certain things. So a lot of times that left you scratching your head as to the why and the how. Many claim this series had no problems but that's not true and from a novelist's/screenwriter's perspective, I can see the large flaws.

One of the things that they absolutely did not need is the third wheel, obsessed creep that they left for a final villain. Absolutely nothing about him was evil, and when he opened his red eyes after being consumed by the nether beasts in the red ring he looked like Aro out of Twilight, and it made you start laughing. He was supposed to convey the type of antagonist that you hated, and yet all he did was look arrogant, angry, and obsessed to the point where you thought his head would explode. When he didn't understand why the fox that was his friend loved him and she asked him questions that was somehow totally fine. But when he asked the exact same questions of the FL he was pissed off when he didn't get the answers. Ironic much? That kind of blind obsession is very unnecessary, especially when you are dealing with an ending that needs to be a powerful one. It was powerful, but it had nothing to do with him. They should've let him be that young kid that looked up to the FL like she was his big sister. That was the absolutely perfect role for him I feel that they completely miscast him here (actor has only ever done protagonist roles and is still very wet behind the ears. So to throw him into a massive antagonist role did him great injustice) and instead should've left the other antagonist that they killed off halfway or so through to be what he needed to be toward the end or any of this guy's brothers because they had that ability to be villains.

Would I recommend it? Though it's got a very high score here on MDL and a lot of people are praising it, personally I would not recommend it. If you like the actors awesome but the script and the editing just do not hold up.

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Life Imitating Art In Amazingly Realistic Detail

Tissues, tissues, and more tissues. This show absolutely blew my mind. I knew the premise but still the acting and accuracy were unforgettable. I wasn't familiar with the leads, just a few of the support but they took this show to a whole other level. For me it was life imitating art in amazingly realistic detail.

Pros: I know ALS well as one of my great aunt's had it and ironically I diagnosed her a day before her doctor did at the nursing home. But she was in her early 80s and it was her leg for 4 out of the 5 years. We lived in different countries so by the time she was diagnosed, she only lived several more months. But here was different; you had a young guy and taking on something so devastating just absolutely broke my heart. I love how they handled it with professionalism and grace. Both lead actors did a superb job as did most of their loved ones and coworkers. Plus bringing in an actual ALS specialist as opposed to just an actor to play the part was very smart.

Where I said life imitated art was because I've got a chronic illness though without an expiration date; when LT's disease was getting bad I felt like he was living my life. I was bedridden for 2 years, it nearly killed me, I know wheelchairs, ambulance trips to the ER 6 times a month, crawling on your hands and knees to the bathroom, falling, tremors, all of that. Even now when I've had a setback and when he had given up all hope and rolled into the river and AZQ stopped him, it was like my mom and me. Her yelling at me not to give up and me saying I want to meet my grandfather in heaven because like LT, I lost my grandfather over 3 years ago but to a tragic accident that every first responder in my city still remembers; it was the catalyst for this setback. Like LT, my grandfather raised me so he was a father and grandfather though I have a great mom unlike LT who's mom needed tweaking. So many similarities, you can imagine how hard watching this was but at the same time, it was too beautiful not to. When the setback occurred I had just finished all of my classes in my PhD program, was/am an honor student and was set to start my dissertation; now I've spent 4 years nearly trying to get back to school to finish my degree without success...yet. Just like LT having to see his dreams go down the drain; it's too much. In case people are interested, the illness I have is called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or ME for short; I've got a slew of others but this one is the life/death sentence without treatment or a cure and affects 20 million people worldwide (for further information please visit www.MEadvocacy.org). Enough about me.

It was refreshing to see how LT's company and boss stood behind him and with him every step of the way. The OSTs were wonderful and LY's perfect portrayal of LT especially towards the end as I saw a lot of Stephen Hawking's mannerisms in his performance. I would absolutely give him some best actor award. LLY (AZQ) was super woman; her quiet grace was so poignant even when she was constantly quietly crying; she would be the voice of reason even towards adults. Wise beyond her years. I'm so glad how parents evolved and understood their negligence or their children's strength. Also CGP, I mean my lord, this man had to shoulder his best friend's secret for so long, I was afraid he was going to have a mental breakdown. He shouldn't have ever been given this burden, which I'll talk about in the cons.

Cons: This story would have gotten a rare 10 from me though I wouldn't be able to rewatch it, but a few things I feel just could have been changed. For starters, I understand not wanting to be a burden to your loved ones probably better than many but when you're living on borrowed time and you can see things getting worse, those loved ones like your girlfriend deserve the choice of staying with you or not. That breakup was so unnecessary and than the best friend has to shoulder it all, isn't fair to people. LT wasn't given a choice with ALS but then he turns around and shuts out the one he loves the most? Is there a difference? Everyone in his life was devastated when they found out and angry and they deserved to be. He should have said something. Because they could have mitigated things 6 months earlier. He wouldn't have worsened so fast as the doctor said, mental stability is everything in these kinds of situations. I don't agree with his choices then. If it was an illness like mine, ok sure, time is all we have even when our bodies spiral out of control but ALS is a ticking clock, no luxury of time.

Secondly, I'm sorry but I couldn't take XHD. She never spoke normally, not once. She was either whining, yelling, or acting like a self righteous know it all; that time she blamed LT for cheating and CGP threw her out of the restaurant and told her to get lost was the best thing he did. She was out of line and just a mess. Than throwing them together romantically was unnecessary and zilch chemistry between the two to boot. They made her character way too over the top and it was jarring. Couldn't our FL have a sane friend?

Lastly, this was small but it would have been less confusing if they posted the time jumps on the screen. No need to make a big deal out of it but just subtly noted because it was confusing where we were especially once LT was diagnosed.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely; just with a whole stock of tissues. It's like one of those artistic films that just takes a place in your heart forever. I know it did in mine.

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Great Acting But w/a Too Busy Script & Unnecessary Characters

Watched this for XZ and yet a new storyline that was in the slice of life section. I've only seen two other actors before in different series and genres as support; otherwise I'm new to most of these people. I strongly feel that after reading the article the screenwriter wrote about the characters, she meant well, but it just didn't translate on screen as it was way too busy though the acting was for the most part appropriate and the situations were somewhat realistic.

Pros: I like slice of life stories and favorite characters included the ML or SY and FL or JB. I liked his stubbornness and bright attitude. I also liked how XZ could use his previous life experiences in design as well as film in his hometown. JB was mature but she was able to evolve out of her divorce to accept SY into her heart. The only thing I would change about her is that, I would have loved to see her actually take a stand for herself and not just listen while people spoke condescendingly to her and about her. Other awesome characters were dad and mom (though there was a moment there where I thought mom was a bit harsh, but she came around), SC and PR, who made the right kind of sense together and apart and I liked that they got together at the end. LSS was great but where the heck did she go for most of the second half of the series? The OSTs were nice and the fact that they essentially filmed in a city made sense too.

Cons: Busy script, way too busy. Three plus unnecessary characters were the hockey twins aka JB's sister and her crush/later boyfriend and his obnoxious uncle. I fast-forwarded them for most of the show. What was their purpose? JB's sister; I couldn't take at all. She was a college student but couldn't speak normally to save her life. She was either irritated or yelling or just acting like a 12 year old constantly. Then throw in their father in the last like 5 episodes just to show why they're so dysfunctional when it could have been explained in maybe a 10 minute scene and it still didn't explain why the sister was so ridiculous. JB's ex hubby deserved to be hit with a brick for his possessive, condescending attitude but though I can understand he was in there, his then disappearance and reappearance much like LSS was disjointed and jarring.

While I understand there were life lessons in there, if you got rid of at least three of those characters, this show would have had been better flushed out and given the main characters a more realistic portrayal and screen time.

Would I recommend it? If you like slice of life dramas, then yes I would. Overall it was a good watch, just make sure you know how to use the ffw button.

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Beauty Comes from Within, Makeup just Enhances It

Can we all just agree that the alpaca was the MVP of the show? Anyways, I wanted to see TJC in a better modern than LMLMV so this went on the watchlist about the same time. Plus it had a sci-fi element that most rom-coms don't have. I've seen LL in a drama before so as usual no expectations going in.

Pros: I think TJC handles comedy and romance quite well. His character TQ first came off seeming as a jerk but then we found out that he was just a confident nerd with little experience in romance or how to talk to women though he's great at protecting them. The premise of the filter was mysterious in its origins but the FL or SCC was chosen and first a blessing in disguise to her though a curse to TQ both comedically (through all of her personas that he met; two of which he fell in love with) and later psychologically, through it everyone was affected in some way. SCC learned how to love herself for who she was not just how she looked but only when the thing made her invisible.

The comedy and romance was on point as were all the personas and we had a lot of fun counting how many people, animals, or objects she became. The cinematography was really beautiful especially when TQ stopped seeing color except on her and the male persona she became. That seamless weaving in and out of color to B&W and back was very cool and I had never seen it done anywhere before. Also kudos to the actors who took the essential three people she became though there were several others.

The supporting cast were all good for the show and I didn't see a single person that I hated. 2nd couple (LY and GY) had chemistry and all kisses were real which we appreciated. Though I wish they explored the origin of the filter itself and the "granny" who gave it to her as she wasn't real either but just borrowing someone's face and body. I liked how TQ and GY knew something fishy was going on and started to investigate even the supernatural. OSTs were on point.

Cons: As the title of this review says, beauty comes from within and makeup just enhances it. Since that is the case and their workplace is a small company that releases beauty products, why again do they dress the FL like someone's grandmother all the time? I get that she doesn't see herself as beautiful or appreciates herself until she's put through this trial but that doesn't mean you can't at least have her dress her age. The SFL is reversed, she dresses more like a teenager than a woman with her own home and successful career. Even her agent looks more professional than her.

The drama dropped points for me when the FL brought constant psychological harm to the ML and saw nothing wrong with that, even laughed at it. Because they had a million misunderstandings and almost no real communication she somehow always felt like he was in the wrong until he explained something and she would see how her behavior and thought process was totally wrong. They crossed the line when they killed off the male persona and even her sister finally realized that these actions have consequences, not just for TQ but for SCC. I thought that a lot of times the FL was the bully in the situation as she would first boast, do her whole strength thing, screw up somehow and just keep compounding problems. Even if in her heart she had good intentions, the way she handled them would backfire. When TQ finally figured everything out and she apologized, many were expecting TQ to really punish her but because he had already fallen for her (since it was always her anyways in all of the personas, from the beginning), so after being a bit cold towards her, he let her off the hook. It was very anticlimactic to say the least. He suffered way more than she did.

Tossing in SFL's pregnancy in the end and making the wedding literally have half an episode left you feeling unfinished. They could have done without that arc and just had a proper proposal and wedding for the leads. Considering everything they'd been through--silly or not--it's the least they deserved.

Would I recommend it? Sure. It's a different type of show and the comedy is definitely good when it's there. I'm glad I got to see another side of TJC and GHY.

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Bugs Make the Best Detectives

I very much enjoyed the first one so was very surprised that they made a second one though in Thailand and China as back drops. Again this show was very underrated and I wish more people had watched it. It really had great friendships, crime solving, overcoming differences in traditions and so forth and of course the bugs make for the best detectives.

Pros: The friendships formed amongst the leads. You don't have to watch the first series in order to watch this though it does explain ML's (JT) background and how he and FL (JL) got together. Also very glad the Chinese detectives that had become ML's brothers in the first show made their appearances here and that was like a welcome homecoming for a few cases. In Thailand, the first detective aka Chai to welcome JT became also like an extension of that brotherhood. The running gag of the show was that Chai would either call or appear each time the leads would try to kiss. It's like he had a spidey-sense about it. There was definitely some underlying flirting between guys and some storylines depicted transgenderism and other LGBT notions which is why this series had no promotion and very little publicity during its run. Ter (played by Nine, first time seeing him in a series as he's most known for being a boybander from Into1), was a great character though he rolled his eyes so many times, I thought they were going to get stuck in his head lol. He was an immature policeman that was jealous of JT getting his boss's/mentor's/partner's attention but eventually he came around to value JT as part of the team. Kan was another great character from the police squad and so these guys took JT under their wing as well.

I liked the diversity of the cases though they did have an overall serial killer to catch, there were smaller cases that had to be solved in between both in Thailand and China that tested JT's mental health and knowledge of bugs. Mario was a very creepy and convincing serial killer. From the moment you met him, you knew something was off about him and than when he hallucinated what we found out later to be a witch in the mirror, it was obvious he was the serial killer. His obsessive crush on JL started from the get go and it was very creepy, which didn't help his case.

I also liked the authenticity of using both Thai and Mandarin speakers in the show, it gave that real feeling of two sets of investigators from two countries working together or when JT asked Chai to translate something to someone not speaking Mandarin. The surroundings including sets and OSTs were awesome and authentic to being Thai.

Cons: There were a lot of loop holes or strings left untied. Plus much like the prequel, they did too many flashbacks. But instead of them being repetitive, here they should have just left them until the entire case was solved. Here they were given to us in parts as particular portions of a case was solved which felt unfinished and unnecessary. There were two car bombs towards the end but they were never explained as to who caused them or why. We never saw JT go to school even though he was enrolled; they conveniently skipped over that part.

The ending was very rushed; it went from Mario possible suspect for one murder of a guy to not a suspect at all to he may have killed one woman to holy crap he's got JL and is the serial killer, run and get him! But not before we stop at his home and JT conveniently finds the book on how to kill witches in Mario's apartment's bathroom under another book yet we saw just 5 seconds beforehand he just glanced in there. So other than prodigal bug knowledge, does he also have X-ray vision? It was just very unbelievable and rushed.

Finding JL and Mario in that abandoned factory on the first try and taking him down was a low budget fight. There was no real emotion from Mario save his explanation on how he thought his foster mom took his real mom away and all of the other women morphed into this witch as well as what JT got from the book. Later finding out that Mario suffered from a condition called Capgras Syndrome which is real but I had to look it up myself as they didn't really explain it as thoroughly as they did each bug related anything. It's indeed a mental illness and is a type of schizophrenia where the brain substitutes the real person for someone or something else like Mario did with the witch. It was always one witch but because he sought after women that looked like his foster mom, something in his brain would glitch to form that image and he'd be thrown into a violent rage. I really wish they explained that in detail as opposed to three sentences. So he had a type of schizophrenia, mommy issues, and was a psychopath to boot. And that last part gave birth to a serial killer because with the other two, if treatment is sought after properly, can mitigate anything from manifesting.

Also wish they explained or showed what happened afterwards; other than Mario in the mental hospital not taking his meds and stalking a new victim. JT in school and obviously still helping Chai and the cops, was JL still in that lab or helping the coroner. Let them kiss for lord's sake! That was the only time when we felt chemistry between them two; otherwise they were like two good friends, which was fine too. That didn't take away from the story.

Would I recommend it? I absolutely would; it's a great crime solving show whether you watched part one or not. The insect portion of it was what made it the most unique. And how said insects helped solve crimes. For the friendships both new and old. Definitely give this underrated gem a go.

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Heal the World; One Heart at a Time

I wanted an easy on the brain rom-com without tropes and this was exactly that. I know both leads from various other series but the first time watching them in a modern. They had great sparks from the first episode and it really was like healing the world, a heart at a time.

Pros: The comedy and strength of the leads chemistry even before they get together. It's a slow burn but not to the point where you don't know whether you're coming nor going. The ML played by Joseph is a breath of fresh air in a modern lead where he's optimistic, loyal, kind, always has the FL's back no matter what the situation is. He keeps bringing her out of her low-self esteem stage due to her childhood. She in turn starts to grow and expand in her element as a doctor before our very eyes. It's quite lovely to see.

The two supporting best friends as someone mentioned in a previous review, don't just bust out with unhelpful comments and advice but who take real life into account and always offer advice that will lead to the best outcome. It's quite realistic. There aren't any overbearing parents, in fact both sides are very supportive of their children. No stalker, clingy ex's either or really dumb misunderstandings. Everything is real, mature, and worth the watch and the laughter.

The first antagonist was dealt with properly and maturely. Wish same went for the second one.

Cons: I really wish we got to see what happened to President Gao. He created so much havoc towards the end and then there was just a small message of "oh he went to jail". For what? That could have been shown better. I had to fast-forward the beginning parts a bit because though they were comedic, they were too slapstick and not my personal preference. Also wish the second couple got together a solid 5 episodes before the finale, it would just have flushed out their storyline better. Lastly, wish that our FL didn't wear her hair in that weird bun looking thing; either hair down where she looked liked an adult or a ponytail. Just made her look like a kid. Other than that, I saw no other cons with this series.

Would I recommend it? Yes I would. Especially for people who like easy, funny rom-coms. This is definitely the way to go. Grab some popcorn and enjoy.

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Out Scheme the Schemers

Though I don't play chess, this series was essentially exactly that as the moves were strategized in people's heads and then we as the audience saw the results including flashbacks of how we got somewhere. In general I picked this up as I've seen and liked how Chen Xiao had previously done as well as some other actors. It was really a battle of the schemers in a wuxia-like environment.

Pros: I personally like anything wuxia related so the fight scenes though there weren't a lot of them because that wasn't the premise of the series, were very well executed. From YX, our ML to every other "good" character, what I really enjoyed was that they were all morally gray. None of them were these goodie two shoes protagonists we see frequently on the screen. Each and everyone had secrets, lies, flaws, past experiences that shaped them into who they were and nothing was ever black and white. I'm also glad that the romance portion was profoundly tapered and didn't steal time from the main plots. Was YX really the ingenious one? That's hard to say, he certainly out-witted everyone in the end but he wasn't without flaws or mistakes he made which he did own up to. Originally everyone was a pawn to him, but gradually many became friends and even sworn brothers. He planned his revenge for 15 years but even then, there were many factors he couldn't count on like falling for SYN and even though she was the opposing sect's eldest child, they both broke many of their respective sects rules by having faith in each other and that ended up actually being their benefit in the end. Plus having and trusting friends as mentioned above.

Really liked the characters of SMY, KML, JB, LGC, MBF, and KQ even though we lost the latter two and that was just very sad. Another positive that just about every character stayed for as long as they needed to and then either bailed out or was killed off. Favorite antagonists both survived; one was half evil and half just grey and I feel like he should have returned to round out team good grey in the end. His leaving just seemed kind of odd and like it wasn't properly finished or balanced. NGF was the vicious, best evil schemer half to YX but he should have been offed properly not just had SYN cut off the family jewels (not that I didn't enjoy that very much), but I felt he was just given more of an opportunity to grow his evil, vicious side, with the pirates.

Costumes, scenery, and OSTs were great and on point. All quite appropriate and placed well.

Cons: Here I find that the plot strayed a bit and then took off like a galloping pony towards the end. Plot holes included who the real SYN was and where she was and why did KLY take that name? And the entire mystery surrounding WC; that was just left by the side of the road somewhere. The entire premise of this was for YX to find out who the mastermind and executioners were of his village but by the time that happened, it was kind of just put by the way side as other conspiracies took over. Again, he let NGF live! Though Prince Fu was the mastermind and died a totally copout death by suicide in flames; NGF did most of it, yet sans his meat and two veg he was allowed to live with pirates and grow strong again. A decision YX made! Made no sense to me. Most of this series was about revenge but when it was right in front of him, for a different purpose, he let it go. He was now no longer scheming but would live a peaceful life with his lady love and sworn brothers. That part I was fine with, but the rest was a bit of a let down. Most likely had a lot to do with that race to the finish line where the script took a hit.

The whole revelation of Prince Fu being the mysterious Master of the Yuntai sect was beyond lackluster because everyone knew it by the time it happened. They kept dragging it on for too long and others were ruled out and there was no one else left. SYN's bro was the stupidest, greediest, power hungry moron that killed his own mother and was ready to help NGF to rape his sister, should have been just discarded immediately. The only positive here was the actor that played him did so very convincingly. But glad SYN took him down finally.

Would I recommend it? I would; other when YX forgetting his scheming ways in the last 8 episodes but coming back strong along with everyone who mattered in the last two, the pros outweighed the cons. This is a good, engaging, and entertaining drama to watch.

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Brilliant Class 8 of Comedy & Youth

Was watching this drama for 3 people I follow; WRC, ZFX, and Zhang Li. Wanted to see all three in completely different characters then what I've seen from them before. And I have to say, all three gave me great performances. Let's get into it, shall we?

Pros: This was only the 2nd youth drama I've seen and the first one also had WRC in it. What stood out was the actual plot; it wasn't just the usual trials and tribulations of students but threw an idol and the entertainment world into the mix. I enjoyed all of the nuances of combining these two totally different worlds together.

By far my two favorite characters were Lin Sheng and Su Man played by WRC and Zhang Li respectively. They also were the perfect example of a work in progress couple; a nice and steady evolution of their relationship. Their moments together on screen were just too cute. They were literally the perfect match from day one. I actually preferred them over the main leads relationship (more on that one later). It was my first time seeing WRC in a role where his character wasn't in some shape or form arrogant. He needs more of these kick ass take names but do it with a genuine heart types of roles because I am fearful he'll get typecast. Zhang Li, I first saw in Luoyang and loved her sociopath serial killer character and when I saw she was going to be in this drama, I wanted to see more of her. She did great; Iron Lady with a soft interior and fiercely loyal and caring about those in her life.

ZFX played the adorable nerdy math teacher Chen Liu San and did it so well that you just wanted to hug him no matter how many math equations he spouted out in a fraction of a microsecond. I think this role was perfect for him considering his age. Whenever he was on screen, it made you smile.

Who could forget the kids? They were truly an amazing and hysterical bunch. This series wouldn't have the same charm if they weren't exactly who they were. Their antics and fierce protection of their teachers and each other was heartwarming. Everything was resolved no matter how large the problem was. That cast of kids was truly diverse in age as the youngest was 15 years old at the time of filming and the oldest was 30.

The comedy was spot on almost every time; I liked the slice of life aspects very much. From fighting over idols to learning about what mattered most and caring about family. The ML was like a piece of music himself; started off as an arrogant ass but then gradually evolved into a mature man who took responsibility for stuff. I think when it comes to real character development and evolvement, his did the most.

Cons: This series could have done with only 35 episodes. It had a lot of inconsistencies that were never quite explained including why on earth did the FL break up with the ML over some BS public opinion when she spent the first at least 10 episodes yelling and kicking his and anyone else's ass that pissed her off? It made no sense whatsoever.

I have to say this is the first drama where I had to ffw the FL because of her complete lack of communication and understanding; resorting to violence when she didn't get her way. They tried to make it come across as comedic but it was abusive. You don't just start beating on someone if you're upset with them. I legit laughed when in a later episode she mentioned she might be bipolar because that would definitely explain the extreme mood swings. They never followed up on that, but I wish they did because she needed anger management at least if not medication and therapy, pure and simple. Yet around her sister she acted meek and powerless; it made zilch sense.

The series started to drag in the breakup episodes and lost a lot of its cohesion which also knocked down my rating of it. Instead of creating angst with an in-cohesive break up, the plagiarism plot could have been introduced. It's such an important aspect and needed to be pursued and developed more instead in like literally the last 4 or 5 episodes. Mu Chen was literally a useless character until episode 36. And where did Wei Lei go? She's on a set somewhere and that's it? No rounding out her ending.

The ending could have been done better with XDN releasing his album and the students being proud of their special song; instead it just ends with Mu Chen leaving the industry to clean pianos somewhere and XDN's blurry figure returning the following year to teach the students again. It deserved a way better and more complete ending for all involved.

Would I recommend it? I actually would despite the many flaws. Especially if you're a fan of any of the actors. The plot, acting, comedy, friendships, and relationships (for some) were all great. Definitely give it a go.

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A Wild Goose Chase w/an anti-climactic ending

I fully understand this production had lack of funding and I watched it only because of Wang Yibo. It was a comedy but it lacked a lot. The ending was stitched together like a bad rag doll. Yibo's character getting constantly beat up was hard to watch. It should have been renamed "Where's My Notebook?" There were a lot of plot holes that never got filled, like why did the teacher cooperate with the ultimate bad guy? Or how did the fat guy and Lexi end up with powers? The ending was very haphazard and random. For one of Yibo's first series, I'd say it was a good start and his acting was the only thing that I admired. I won't rewatch it but I look forward to seeing his future works.

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Real Feminist Drama with Mature Romantic Comedy

When I first heard about this drama, it didn't speak to me in the slightest but the more trusted people recommended it and the more clips I saw of it, I started to change my mind. I'm actually really glad I watched it. It was very well, for the most part, executed.

Pros: Our leads; ZPE, GQF, SSN, and SYZ all came together in a story very uncommon in c-drama land because it was one of real feminism of bringing each other up not vice versa while understanding though being in love and loved is wonderful, one doesn't need a man to be happy and successful. This message was brought front and center repeatedly in the drama. Many people only watched for the romance and felt that when the main couple weren't on screen, what was the point? But the truth of the matter is that though yes while the main leads' romance was important to the storyline, it wasn't the main point. And personally for me that was refreshing to see.

I'm not going to rehash the synopsis nor what others wrote. Other then the very mature and adult chemistry on screen between ZPE and GQF, the ever evolving relationship between the three women was so important because though this was a costume drama, it brought home many modern points of how life will repeatedly knock you down to the point of giving up or even wanting to harm yourself but, you must get up and take a step at a time to move forward. And when you have 3 great friends (well two as one was sheltered and protected for most of it until some fame turned her into a spoiled brat that only another hard life lesson made her finally break the mold and grow a backbone), who can lift each other out of misery to move forward, it's truly touching and inspiring.

The romance of it was also totally different that what we're used to seeing in c-dramas because the two leads were mature adults and not scared kids; both were older and therefore the communication, flirtation, admiration, and passion were on a much more adult and much needed level. It brought the drama to an older audience too. No one waited until marriage to be intimate. And though the drama focused a bit too much on the "pariah" status, it ultimately still didn't overshadow the strength of love between the leads or the bond and drive to succeed by the three women.

Other favorite characters; I have to say CL was the MVP of the show. This guy was the best wing man ever! He was the matchmaker/go-between/Cupid between ZPE and GQF. He could also protect everyone he cared about with his own martial arts skills, was very intelligent, and always knew how to get his boss aka GQF out of an ill state. No matter what, he could be counted on 150%! The guy was a gem! Z girl as I called her that joined their rag-tag family later on was whip smart, loyal, and a wonderful character. When she said YZ was actually dumber then CL it made me crack up. DCF who started off as a loser but then became humane and even quite likable after falling for SSN and always being there to help the women as best he could; their wedding at the end was awesome as well as how he handled SSN's spoiled brat of a son. The fat guy working under the annoying as nails CP was also awesome along with the two male regulars of the women's tea shop and later restaurant and later on the emperor. Though he was as a bit of a prick, younger bro of GQF ultimately did redeem himself by saving ZPE. Even though he was jealous of his brother, he never wanted their despicable father to kill her.

The costumes and scenery were quite beautiful though the only OST I really liked was the one sung by LYN. His deep, soothing tones, and inflection always gives each song he sings added nuisances. I loved the rawness of different portions of the story which all of the music illustrated.

Lastly, villains/characters I loved to hate were CP and OX but for totally different reasons. CP started off as a diaper baby with a ratty annoying voice that I just wanted to shove off a cliff but when he got a taste of his own medicine dished out by ZPE as well as made to feel inferior--quite effectively I might add--it was comical and seemed to make him grow a new portion of a brain. Of course he then very quickly fell for ZPE but at least the comedic relief that he was supposed to offer from the get go, was finally realized when they opened the restaurant together. Though I still found him ridiculously annoying, at least now he was more likable when he stood up for and helped them and each time they laughed at him for acting a plum fool was the comedic relief necessary.

As for OX, he was the real villain in this piece but a haphazard one. And the longer the series went on, the crazier he got. Everything he did was only for himself, he claimed he loved ZPE and than GH but he was only ever capable of loving himself. I would best describe him as a delusional narcissistic psychopath that on top of everyone else he killed or tried to also murdered a child. I was very glad that he was handed off to GQF for "a proper investigation" in the last episode, though like many others, I wish we got to see him get tortured and killed. He deserved everything he got and more.

Cons: The fact this very adult and mature thinking drama took 11 episodes for a really ridiculous misunderstanding/miscommunication trope between the leads, was beyond unnecessary. It essentially did what most of these dramas do when this trope is thrown in. Honestly expected more from the screenwriter. Breakups or separations occur but when a drama is this smart and you write something so idiotic, it will break down and make us question the intelligence of the leads up to this point. It essentially dumbs the characters down. Why couldn't another situation be used instead?

Even the blood feud angle was haphazardly thrown in 1 minute before they got back together because she had only learned about it and decided it had nothing to do with them while he didn't know she never got the bank note (who leaves that much money just lying around?) in the first place and thought he abandoned her. It was very messy and in-cohesive to the rest of the plot and pace device. Also why did it take 11 episodes to fix it? With only 40 episodes in the show, you waste 11 of them on this mess. And yes, the women were going through a hard time and they wanted to focus on the feminism aspect, which is great but that doesn't mean you need to compromise the rest of the integrity of the plot to get there.

Furthermore, though I thought the tea challenge was beautiful and well done, it didn't need to take the entire episode. Just like the trial of OX at the end didn't need to take up two; by doing that the ending was literally a mad rush into the last like 10 minutes of SSN's wedding and the leads walking hand in hand on the bridge while flashbacks of their times together flashed across the screen. It was that gallop to the end that wasn't needed and wasn't satisfying enough. By wasting something like 13 or 14 episodes on things that could have been done in literally half that time, the ending could have been done more appropriately and had two weddings maybe instead of one and not done at the speed of sound.

Many fishy characters that never really had particularly any closure though QM was sent to some outpost, but what about LJ or GQF's father, they went from being on screen a lot with motives and agendas to just basically disappearing into thin air. Another plot hole.

Would I recommend it? Yes, I would very much. This is a real feminist drama with mature romantic comedy. Despite it having some of the usual tropes, loopholes, and rushed ending; I still feel the pros outweighed the cons and I'm glad I gave it a try after all.

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80K Di Troops + 30K Naval Forces + "You're the Crown Prince" = Messy Script w/Plot Holes

I go into each drama I watch without any expectations and that makes for shows like this to be a wise decision because then I'm not surprised or disappointed when things go south. In this case the people I watched for were Reba and LYN both of whom did good jobs in their roles as well as some of the side characters which I'll list below. But the storyline was just a mess in a dress; this series is best watched for entertainment purposes only and to suspend all logic possible. Because it's literally 80K Di Troops + 30K Naval Forces + "You're the Crown Prince" on constant repeat.

Pros: The revenge plot made the most sense and they should have just stuck with that. As mentioned up top FL and SML were convincing in their characters and as were a few of the side characters like LL, An Ning, and WS. But even with them, this wasn't their strongest drama. I really feel the script failed everyone. Both the empress dowager and the emperor were the best villains given their circumstances with this script. Costumes, sets, OSTs were beautiful. CGI was ok, could have been better.

Cons: The script was just ridiculous, you had the FL for about a dozen episodes act like fake gorilla glue towards ML. People surviving things they could only do in Xianxias; like being pierced with a ton of arrows and sail off a cliff. Cliff diving seemed to be a favorite sport of a lot of the characters because 3 did it after being mortally wounded and survived, ML did it twice. The show dragged a lot for only being 39 episodes and many scenes were very anticlimactic. You were just watching going "that's it?"

This was the first time I had ever seen GJ act in anything and I have to say that HY seemed to have facial paralysis. He said his lines but there was no emotion even when it came to sarcasm or announcing something. I don't know if that's how he always acts or they edited him that way because BTS and interviews, it was like a totally different person. I understand playing aloof characters but you need to be able to emote with your eyes at least and I didn't see any of that. It came off as largely robotic to me. Hopefully it's just because of this drama as even those that I listed in the pros, their characters weren't the strongest they've played or were edited weirdly and if I see him in the future, it'll be different and better. There are extra little clips on Youku of the ML and FL's life together that wasn't shown in the show that seems like a different drama. Their interactions there are way better than in the show. They could have put those clips into the last episode instead of keeping the ML on the mountain for 1.5 episodes refusing to go down without any rhyme or real reason.

MB or LB whatever his name was who also played an antagonist was so much of an afterthought that the character went from loyal to who he really was plus they made him randomly weirdly stalkerish when he revealed his "real self" just made no sense. It felt like that whole war plot was created just to kill off AN and send ML off the cliff going blind. What was the purpose of fake DZY and all of her bathing scenes? To make us roll our eyes more? The revenge plot and war/aftermath plots seemed like they belonged to different shows. And how did DZY's hair turn black again? I can't even count the amount of plot holes; I know I forgot most of them. I'll just say, it had a lot of potential considering what novel readers said, but came up ridiculously short.

Would I recommend it? I'll divide this one; if you're looking at this from a good storyline perspective, then no. But if you're just wanting to be entertained and not think, then sure go for it. Anyways, the choice is yours.

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Take Me Home, Country Road. To the 1 I belong, 10 Years Later, My Wife & Child; I am Finally Home.

The title of this review I spoofed from John Denver's classic song as I felt it fit the overall narrative. Wasn't going to pick this up originally because it appeared too slow, but it was exactly what I found that I needed. A mature reconciliation of first love with two great actors. It wasn't perfect by any means but the love story was quite admirable.

Pros: Both JBR and ST or LC and GX respectively held their own and then some. He looked at her like she walked on water from the first glance in episode one. I was glad the break up happened before the series and we got an understanding of it in flashbacks. But the story was about two adults that had healed especially reconnecting with one another because we knew that once this happened, they would never let each other go again. Now 10 years later and more mature knowing what was needed and wanted, was a lot easier to attain. LC was like the perfect man with a dangerous profession. He cooked, cleaned, could fix anything and everything, was incredibly attentive; he treated GX like a goddess and above everyone else. She was his one and only treasure. Who wouldn't want a man like that? He looked very handsome in his uniform. Both resolved that if they didn't reconnect, they'd never marry anyone else. That's pretty intense love and a connection seldom seen. Though mostly all of the flashbacks were from GX's POV, the last episode belonged to LC and it showed he noticed her way before the official introduction. I do wish that was placed somewhere in the middle instead.

Her best friend and husband were wonderful people and friends. And the kid was literally the best wingman ever! I loved his maturity and helpfulness. The supporting cast were all awesome individuals and the bonds formed were very obvious. I also wish they had balanced his job more in the story; secret missions I understand but they really didn't go too much into much of it even if it was training. For me personally though not enough was shown, the wedding episode I considered the last one. It brought things full circle.

Cons: The second couple was an underdeveloped afterthought and they had no chemistry. They should have just been kept as friends and it would have made much more sense. It felt very forced. The last mission we saw of LC's which had him gravely injured but no explanation was ever given seemed like things were left out. When his captain died and he was grieving his loss in the beginning, we saw that sequence on repeat but why couldn't it be shown how LC got injured? For as much talk of propaganda, what was most unrealistic in the SWAT team that they portrayed was that each SWAT officer had to be a bomb technician, K9 trainer, sniper, hostage negotiator, etc. and that's just not how it works. You can't be an expert in each field, there are too many components and too high a probability of things going wrong.

The constant spotlight in the background of their kissing scenes was very annoying; there was never any lead into a love scene though she did get pregnant somehow. That's pretty strange for a modern drama. Sure, censorship and blur it out but have a lead in so people didn't think they were always sleeping separately or fully clothed. But probably the biggest whiplashes were the leads fathers and how they got ridiculous redemption arcs that came straight out of nowhere. One was an alcoholic, abusive bastard who essentially sold his own son for money he borrowed and lost that all of a sudden became a saint acknowledging all of his mistakes and the other who was a cheating deadbeat also without warning became a caring father and no one stopped to question what just happened? These were my issues with this series.

Would I recommend it? Yes. It's very slow burn but different than other dramas because they were reconciling and growing together as adults now as opposed to kids. Their moments together and there were many were just too stinking cute so don't miss the opportunity to watch this if nothing else for just a true love romance.

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Man is Stone, Woman is Water; W/Time Water Flows Over Stone, Becoming Smooth, Complimenting Water.

I'm so glad this drama got cleared to air. I watched for LYN primarily and not only did he exceed any expectations but everything and everyone did too. I can't put into words how proud of him I am. To think we never nearly didn't get to see this wonderful drama is eye opening. I only knew the FL (at the time) from a variety show she was on with ML but that show which was filmed earlier the same year this drama was, gave them a chance to build their friendship and the chemistry that flowed naturally. I knew many of the supporting cast as well. As someone who goes into each drama without expectations, this went beyond mine.

Pros: "A man is a stone, a woman is the water; with time as the water flows over the stone, it will take a smooth, round appearance, and complement the water." This paraphrasing was essentially said by QX's (FL's) grandfather explains this drama in a nutshell. What started as a 14 year blood feud between the Wei and Qiao states/clans due to a betrayal by the aforementioned grandfather but for the sake of his people that caused many deaths including that of ML's (WS') grandfather, father, and brother resumed as a marriage alliance between a very smart and strategic QX and strong, powerful lord of Wei State WS. For him it was love at first sight but he was still hard to come around regardless how much she helped him at first and they bickered, schemed against each other though not enough to cause real harm. After all it was an alliance to be able to work together to unite the states and bring the country together. QX also had to deal with internal conflicts within his family as his stupid mother and random chick were always trying to cause problems. The fact that she had his grandmother on her side was a good thing and after some time his 4 generals and advisor also very strongly had her back. Her first priority were the people of all states and safety of her family before they grew together from cohabitation to bickering friends, to love and trust.

The story telling was very well done. The comedy was ever present and even when it didn't seem more than just getting along domestic life, the comedy made you howl sometimes. The chemistry was liquid fire and even though we only had two real intense scenes of intimacy, they were very well done, smoke was coming off the screen. I was really surprised that it passed censorship even though both were fully clothed. It can't be described but seen for oneself. Both actors did very well; we now know not to trust anything LYN says in livestreams or interviews. In one he said his shirtless scene he was just skin and bones pork ribs from a local super market with his face stuck on it lol; when in reality he had a full 6 pack. And when asked about kissing he first said there weren't any until SZR told him to stop and that they had two and that the audience should really prepare themselves. And did we have to ever! He was a total tease and actually let her take control at one point which was very hot. I better stop or my review will get flagged as rated R lol. I can write a whole review on just their two really hot scenes; one sadly interrupted but they made up for it a few episodes later and then some.

The friendship and love between the generals, assistant, advisor and their Lord which was both as boss and employee and brothers. Losing one towards the end was very sad but you knew it was coming especially when right before they spent a lot of time together. And he was nearly engaged to the maid; them two chubby folks were great. I loved how after his death the other 3 generals kind of adopted her as one of their own. Then there was the very complex and multi layered creepy and sleazy cousin or SY who fell for FL. That whole thing was very cringe but he really was a lonely soul that eventually found his way in the world and became his bastard father's successor. I really liked how they evolved his character and the actor did a great job. The other well done characters other than those mentioned were the other maids, BZ, FL's family (subtract uncle and his advisor), especially her younger brother, another general and awesome leader in the making. Eventually WS' mother came around as well.

You guys, I can't write absolutely everything I liked because then it wouldn't make a point for people to watch! But there were so many great moments of symbolism like for example; when one of the generals helped QX with her backup plan of blowing up the dam to release the river, (very LOTR style though on a much smaller scale); to back up ML when the enemy was invading on multiple fronts since she couldn't get reinforcements, thanks to her selfish cousin. The general (WX; who by the way used a bow and arrow and was probably half elf when it came to fighting) that was helping her and had her back in every single second was the same general that in the beginning of the series was ready to kill her because his family was murdered during the betrayal 14 years prior. It just showed how far this particular character had come from that time to absolute trust and faith in protecting this woman and backing her play. Another moment happened to WS himself at the end of the series when he had to make the choice of either returning and protecting his home or continuing with the original plan and finally understanding the why of QX's grandfather making the choice that he did. Because his choice was the same exact one that WS chose as well, which was to save the people as opposed to just save his family; whom WY appeared in the knick of time and saved. These little moments of symbolism really brought the entire story of many characters and many reasons full circle, and it was so important. They didn't sleep in the same bed for a year in respect for her grandfather's passing; the fact that he allowed her that bit was a big step. Also was a little less than the timeline of most of the show.

Another great point was that misunderstandings were very quickly resolved between the leads because they essentially had great communication skills and misunderstandings didn't stretch for 10 episodes each. Plus with the help of maids, generals, advisor and everyone in between those were handled very well because they both had great people on their sides to help them. WS in particular didn't know how to be gentle or say things that came from the heart as opposed to just blurting things out, but they figured out how to do it and many times it was comical because he would blurt something out and then realize it was the wrong thing to say because he pissed her off and ended up sleeping in the study more times then not in the beginning, which itself was a comedy show. But then he would try to get back on her good side and it was just very funny to see. Not to mention WS' hysterical jealousy.

The series had a smaller budget, which was obvious from a lot of the scenes, but it made up for it with the storytelling and the relationships and the acting. Costumes were beautiful sets were all right, OST's were very well done, especially the opening and closing credits by their respective artists. There are many many many more positive things, but I cannot possibly put them all into a review. This show is worth watching because there are so many small things that end up mattering later on and conversations that have incredible symbolism and mean a lot from start to finish.

Cons: Not a lot for me. Because of the smaller budget, I believe the battles were shorter that could've been longer instead of focusing on villains that were very lackluster. CGI was used and though decent, it was short. When they did fight in skirmishes and battles, it was really great to see, but they were always way too short. Another point of contention were the villains themselves or "the snakes" as I called them which included FL's uncle and his advisor, as well as SY's bastard father. I also did not like FL's cousin; there were people in the comments on both sides of her explaining why she said this or why she did that, but I really felt that she was a coward and selfish because after everything FL did for her including take her place in the marriage alliance, which ended up actually being a blessing for both, but she did not provide reinforcements because she wanted to live a peaceful life; but you can't live a peaceful life when you have war at your teeny tiny states borders from five sides and your husband is the commander of all of these troops. She said very hurtful things to FL and her decision to return back to her home even though neither she, nor her husband were accepted originally by her father, and it was such an obvious trap because he had by that time betrayed everyone and joined the snakes was very gullible and stupid; I felt that she was just waiting to be captured. I did not feel bad about her death; I felt bad for her husband and her child but she reaped what she sowed.

The deaths of all the snakes were very lackluster. The chick villain after she had her nose sliced by WS--who should've taken her head off then it would've been less problems--just took herself out after she realized that her entire life with her fake empress fate she had screwed up herself when there were literally three or four men that truly loved her for real and she just used them. And LY, who was drunk and delusional with power just got harpooned by BZ and WS at the end while he laughed or cackled maniacally felt off; I very much felt like the last two episodes were rushed. They could've had a bit less of the domestic life in the middle and made the villains feel more like antagonists as opposed to just clowns in the middle that threw wars in that for the most part, they couldn't win, even if they had more troops came and went to get power. It honestly just seemed like the villains were there just to say that the series had villains and nothing else.

Would I recommend it? 100%. It didn't get a perfect score because of the cons but it came close. LYN has outdone himself yet again; love him in his role here. I can call him Mr. Sexy for sure! I very much love this series and it's forever in my heart and in my rewatch pile.

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