Enigma05

Art Brought Back to Life

A painting from the Song dynasty has art imitating life. A time where justice was served more vigilante style than through the court system as that seemed broken. "Only evil can counter evil" but is that really true? Is there no light at the end of this dark, gritty treacherous tunnel? That's what drew me to this show. I liked the mystery solving, regular people predicaments with a slice of life comedy. Just about every show I watch of the historical costume variety has rich people or royalty dealing with betrayal. This one was of I guess you could call them the lower middle class with clothing everyone else wore. Didn't make them any less smarter or capable than their peers with large homes and a multitude of servants. The paintings brought art back to life.

Pros: The storytelling was wonderful. The five main ones created a patchwork family that took care of each other and loved each other. Each case tied back to their own histories and families as only two were related to each other. Ultimately there was one main villain that took an episode and a half to bring down but who caused oppression and tyranny with everyone he killed. And he wasn't brought down by any epic war or battlefield fight, but through the concentrated effort and meticulous evidence gathering of ZBY or ML. He connected the dots for himself and others better than most. Though not without flaws, his biggest was burning that diary and not letting the kids know who their real father was (letting someone take advantage and nearly cause a catastrophe). Which was then brought before the public and governor in a trial for all to see.

All five in this family held their own; WY, whose family save brother (he comes in at the end as a psychopath who was from the extreme opposite of the main antagonist so also no redeeming qualities as he used others as much as the villain for his revenge, while keeping himself safe; a total coward) were massacred and she became a pirate/assassin who quit instead of murdering innocents and found her life with ZBY and his father. Her intelligence and fighting skills came in handy. Then there were the two kids; ZB and ZM. ZB wanted to be a physician but was too strong and became an excellent coroner instead helping on many of the cases. ZM was as rigid as a ruler when it came to his belief in rules and regulations but was impulsive and naive in many situations. Lastly, the supposedly senile patriarch was really the 11th brother of the emperor and apparently the exact replica of him but he helped in putting a lot of small pieces together through the secrets he kept/knowledge he had.

On top of the actual family, their friends like GZ and WF at K-court were on hand with both the case solving and comedy. Silly YH the actual coroner who couldn't perform an autopsy without hurling to save his life. Lady Wang towards the end to help GZ. The painter came in just the right moments to help with his Eagle eye view as he's the reason these stories are known now. The neighbors and other East Capital residents who helped in a big way at the end and throughout. This was very realistic where great characters lost their lives due to injustice and you felt the pain of the main characters; like just as ZM made a friend, he lost him. I do think that ZM given today's parameters fits on the autism spectrum with his personality.

A lot of things we see in today's society we saw in this series, the lack of justice being one but also how good people are framed and whole families decimated because of that. We saw a regular family just trying to buy a house, fail over and over due to corruption. From the way the cases were done and murders happen (especially the human paint brush) made you think you were in Dante's Inferno.

Costumes, sets, and the makeup which made two actors as father and son even though in real life they were only 7 years apart in age was remarkable. Opening credits were very creative. That last scene made it seem like they were possibly thinking of a season 2; we knew SZ was alive after that jump off the bridge but who's that dude he was bowing to? So I guess we'll see though I think just this season was enough as justice was finally done though it took 20 years. Better late than never.

Cons: I don't remember any of the OSTs honestly. The bgm was also forgettable. I had some issues with WY as an assassin; her facial expression lacked the gravitas when she fought. You can be cold and collected but it wasn't even there. Only when she felt pain did her face move. Assassins are colder, less human, more fierce and that just didn't happen with her. The short storyline of ZM breaking from his rigidity to just get swayed by one conversation with SM to do something as extreme as blowing up a bridge when he's never done a single bad thing. Yes, one can argue he had his mind blown with what his biological father did though under duress and SM probably drugged him when he planted those ideas in his head, we had seen him be so controlled that it was completely out of character and than after the cry fest with WY where only pro was their acting their hearts out, how quickly he snapped back to his former self. It was a bit of a whiplash.

Why were there only 4 guys from K-court fighting that large group of big bad's guards in the last episode? On the boat all the other K-court were all "we're not afraid to die, let's go get him!" But when it really mattered, they were nowhere to be seen. Were they babysitting the bridge after the threat was neutralized? Like what? They all rushed in after the fight was over. It made zilch sense. And we never knew how ZBY pulled off the master plan that included the story teller, his neighbors, the butcher, and everyone else who helped. We were used to seeing little flashbacks but other than the one with his father we had no idea how that was organized. Little things here and there could have been more fleshed out.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely! This was great storytelling and it felt more real than a lot of the costumes dramas with wealthy people. I only knew BBH, Gala Zhang and a few of the supporting from the cast prior to this; but boy did they do a great job. Definitely give this a go if you're looking for a high quality drama.

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Finally A Xianxia with A Proper HE

I could say that about The Legend of Shen Li too but that one I consider to be more fantasy. Anyways, I picked this because of DW as I had seen previously in both LYF's and as a small supporting role in a low budget modern years back. I wanted to see his range of emotions and acting skills in general.

Pros: I think DW or SYS has improved a lot. He was able to be cold and even devilishly evil, jealous, stubborn as well as happy and in love. We all know he can cry and spit blood well lol. His chemistry with the FL or MQG/XRR was on point. I have to say that this plot wasn't new by any means and we figured out fairly quickly who the big bad was even though he technically didn't appear until episode 30. SYS' unconditional love for MQG/XRR was palpable when he did everything within his power to reincarnate her and then also fell in love and vice versa with XRR. The amnesia arc wasn't too bad but I wish it didn't stretch out as long as it did because our leads barely got any together time until the last 3 episodes and a few in between; in order to break the amnesia curse he had to fall for her yet again which he did of course as some part of him still retained memories and feelings; especially his fantasy dreams lol. Though SYS definitely gained ground with 3 kids in 13 years (very much working on a 4th) and with the wedding. This is how a Xianxia should end as opposed to looking at each other from a distance not hugging or anything in the last 5 seconds of the show. They got rid of the bad guy, had a proper wedding and then left the sect in the hands of their friends to travel the world and build their own home around the reincarnation tree.

What I loved about XRR was that she wasn't the damsel in distress type that needed to be saved. She was willing to get in the thick of things to fix a problem; she sacrificed herself the first time around, then helped others, and went after him when he sacrificed himself. She was like ok cry for about five seconds and then get down to business. She was resolutely against just resigning to what fate gave her; willing to challenge heaven's will at every turn. She was bright and airy, made many friends easily and for life. Was always willing to give people a second or third or zillionth chance as long as that person could return to the right path.

I have to say that a huge chunk of the TBOY cast was in this one which was great to see them play different roles. Her 3 friends when she joined the sect post reincarnation, ZY the exasperated other senior who was always keeping SYS in check or trying to. He was the sounding board. The alcohol and other talisman plus medicine sect guys. I called him goofy lukewarm evil WJ was comic relief. You couldn't take him seriously; DK played him very well. ZFH was a good person and even took in batshit crazy MRW at the end. The few other sect people were good as well as the people who they met along the way and helped, returned the favors. Only real good thing about the main antagonist was just how many plans he had to get where he wanted to go. I liked when they went around solving cases DT would throw their way.

Costumes, CGI, and some of the music was pretty decent too. And most importantly, plot never really dragged or you felt the need to skip episodes.

Cons: DT though the big bad that caused a lot of harm; his one note expressions weren't great. Furthermore, this actor is known for playing protagonists, so as the main antagonist, it didn't suit him. The other two villains of the piece were the sister of MQG aka MRW and the crown prince. One was ridiculously jealous because she was just ordinary; wanted all power her sister had. The crown prince was twisted obsessed with MQG and was willing to do whatever to get her to be his including harming others. He got a rather blah redemption arc at the end where he killed a shadow person of SYS and himself so DT's plan ultimately failed. The sister's whole collapse into insanity after watching someone she never cared about but had unrequited love for her die, all of a sudden she wanted that guy. Like what? Didn’t you just spend 30 something episodes trying to get the CP to love you? Just whiplash madness that made no sense. I would have preferred her to die a horrible death for all the harm she caused to her sister and others.

Can they please start writing inner monologues for the FLs in these dramas? XRR spend up to half episodes just walking around the sect talking to herself and then would be all surprised when someone caught her. It was annoying to the point that I had to ffw her a few times. A guy would have maybe say one line out loud and the rest would be inner thoughts, but women had to look like lunatics walking in circles talking to themselves. Furthermore, her voice as XRR was so much higher than MQG and it felt like she was a 12 year old at times not 18 or 19 or whatever it was. I was glad when her memories combined and she started speaking like an adult again.

It was sad that given that Hengdian has such lush forests and scenery they still needed to use fake woods a lot of the times. Not a fan of that. This show could have easily been 35 episodes and still been fine.

Would I recommend it? Yes, I would. It was a nice watch and if you're interested in DW's improvement in acting, you'll like him here. Originally, I was going to give this an 8 but upped to an 8.5 because of that awesome ending.

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Love & Shine with Billiards

Watched this for WL and the sport aspect. Also was interested in the fact that they traveled to various foreign countries to film. This was the second time I'd seen WL in a sport-modern drama but this was more romance focused. I think I was only familiar with a few of the supporting characters. It was love and shine with billiards.

Pros: I didn't read the novel as I never do so can only review from a viewer's prospective. One thing this drama drove home about WL (LYY) and his acting was that the guy has the ability to give both bedroom eyes and looks that can drop an entire army. In this case, straight from episode one, he knew who and what he wanted. This was a case of love at first sight and he was hooked.

The story was really about pursuit and he gave his all. Furthermore this drama could do loss very well like losing his coach just as he finally returned home properly. That legit made me weep as it brought back grief that I've been personally dealing with. The FL (YG) was alright though I liked her more when she acted maturely as opposed to the pouting as that got old quick. And the supporting cast were awesome and fun especially MXD and JY were great when paired with LYY; so comedic it was like the 3 stooges.

All of the OSTs, scenery especially in Finland and France was beautiful. I really liked the rock/techno compilations when the leads and friends were in competition and ready to kick ass. The sport aspect of it was great, wish there was more of it and explained. The chemistry between the leads was very sweet and it got funny when in the comment section we had a very long discussion about did they or didn't they and if they did, which they did (I admit it lol); when was the first time? The fact that this show could bring about mile long conversations is what made it very successful.

Cons: Now while I did enjoy it very much, it wasn't without problems. For example why didn't they show MXD and LL's love line through to the end? It was very unsatisfying to leave them hanging when MXD was essentially the SML and a great friend/cousin to the leads. Their relationship should have been aired out more. Also why wasn't MXD there at the proposal at the end or in the 3 year time lapse rounding out? LL was but he wasn't? It was weird.

I wish they had balanced the billiards portion more with the romance side of it. There was so much of the getting the leads together and their relationship before we ever got to what they both loved doing. I'm great with fluff but it should have some meat and potatoes too. Would have also been great to explain to the audience what 8-ball, 9-ball, and snooker actually was and how it was played. Also, though I understand cultural differences and whatnot, the FL pouted way too much and the ML did most of the heavy lifting even emotionally. At some point, I said to myself that a 23 year old woman should act her age. That tantrum she threw and then expected him to call her when he didn't do anything wrong but was the one that was sad and needed comforting in the one "fight" they had made me roll my eyes.

The weird hosts that turned an international competition into a dating show was unnecessary and unprofessional when you're trying to show an actual competition on an international scale. Is it so common in cdramas or in China in general for everyone to be so nosy? Everyone wants private stuff to be public. Obviously hiring some actors that were referees who couldn't even speak English made it even more unprofessional looking. If you're going with an international event, you have to make it look as realistic as possible not just certain things that had just a tad too much propaganda which was also 7 versions of unnecessary.

Would I recommend it? Yes. It's very good despite the cons and will have you laughing, crying, and cheering in all of the right places. Definitely give it a whirl.

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Great Acting but the Storyline was a Choppy Mess & the gun was STOLEN not lost!

I only came about this series last minute because I had previously watched DYX in 4 costume dramas this year so wanted to see him in a totally different genre. Now he and the rest of the actors (some I've seen while others I haven't) did a phenomenal job at their characters but the script was just a choppy mess and I was so sick of them talking about the gun being lost and how he had to take responsibility when the dude was knocked out and the thing stolen off his person.

Pros: Honestly, just the acting of the actors; DYX did a wonderful job, just wish the script was strong. Every character was believable and did their part for as long as they were needed. DLE or as I called him the Hawaiian shirted gangster was literally the comic relief of the show. How everyone was able to convincingly speak in whichever dialect of mandarin that was, was very cool. Mastermind was truly cruel and used everyone to his advantage. The worst was NF; because he killed her father but made her believe he was her benefactor until right before she was shot by the SWAT team. He manipulated this poor girl her entire life into becoming a spy and assassin for him and then called it her atonement for what her father did. Losing LTY, then her, then Bao Ge (though that was inevitable) was hard. But the mastermind being very smart that he planned everything for something like 12 years and his actor played him well. Sad part was that LTY didn't like nor trust him from the beginning but no one believed him and than he was killed by the guy, that one hurt the most.

Cons: The storyline was a mess. Ok there's a mastermind that had ML's gun STOLEN but that was constantly referred to as a lost gun and he was suspended over it not to mention yelled at because all of these other cops SML included would somehow be super human if knocked over the head with a metal pipe and be able to retain his service pistol. That was a crock of shit. The cops themselves couldn't catch a bad guy red handed if he came to them on a silver platter which included whole departments, SWAT included. Meanwhile WBB (ML) and his best friend LTY were always in the path and somehow either slowed the person getting away down or caught him for said flailing cops.

Furthermore, no one could really tell when ML met NF; one moment you think they just got to know each other a little while ago and he just has a crush on her and then a few episodes later you find out he’s been in love with her since they were young. That’s what I mean by choppy and messy. There was absolutely no need for romance in this drama or even the slight possibility of it. And the way it was written, was screwed up as well.

For 26 or so episodes, the bad guys were running circles around the cops. They couldn’t put 2 + 2 together to save their lives. The flashbacks in the beginning were slowly necessary more or less to piece together who the mastermind was and why (he was of course right under their noses) but his why was just a self justification for the bad things his "nephew" did and why his sister and husband died. I also had problems with the way LTY and even NF died; they weren't given proper deaths; like ok killed, next scene. At least Bao Ge had a funeral but the main antagonist's death was a total copout happening in literally the last 5 minutes of the series with the reinstatement of WBB as an officer before stupid words about characters being charged (who cares, this was fake!) and role credits.

Would I recommend it? Honestly only for the acting because the storyline was just really dumb especially when you start to realize what's happening. It's a good in between anticipated dramas show but that's it. DYX did a good job; hope he gets better scripts for modern dramas in the future.

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Dashing Around with Helen of Troy

I really loved TBOY so wanted to see what the prequel was like. It was also cool to see a lot of TBOY actors play their fathers or masters or ancestors or even themselves for 3 individuals. There was a lot of connections in understanding TBOY. But the storyline and timeline overall was really all over the place hence it felt a lot like it was dashing around with a Helen of Troy character. I feel this review will have pros and cons mixed so won't separate them.

This was a bitter story for the SML or YDZ who only lived happily for a smidge of the time and for a woman or WJ who though swore she loved him, left him every chance she got by acting really gullible and naive. The ML or BDJ was the sole true carer and one who would do or die for the SML as soon as they were reunited after being separated for a decade. TML or SKCF was another great friend to BDJ, though I wish he had more screen time to show their bond. I found that SML's screen time was also very small in the beginning until we were finally bringing about his end. The fact that the series made a mad dash through the timeline with much in narration and art form or cartoons reminded me a lot of The Long Ballad. I wanted to see those wars and fight scenes just like they were shown in TBOY not just the CGI--though impressive--didn't have the same feel as a wuxia with swordsmen going at it where you could see it. And forget about ages, we couldn't figure out how old Wuxin or XS were or whatever it was. The producer and screenwriter had a lot of math problems.

Much like in TBOY, XS was the one surrounded and protected by pretty much everyone who didn't want to kill him; here it was BDJ and HMH played him really well. Same went for the other male leads. I actually liked that they fleshed out Prince Langya's character here. Because in TBOY, we were made to believe that he was this holier than thou person that deserved to be emperor who didn't want it. In this one, we saw him as a morally grey person with a blind belief in his brother the emperor even when it came to decisions that ultimately led to dire consequences for the very people in the country. Like others, I don't understand why he couldn't help YDZ take the woman he loved, why stop him? Just because his brother supposedly loved this one? He had a ton of women. At least he cleared YDZ's father's name though YDZ was dead by that time so to me it seemed like he was trying to get himself some merit. But I don't dislike the character, just glad they showed us more of him. Also wish we got to see the birth of LWJ and maybe the death of LMS as that would have tied even more into TBOY, since we saw just about all the other leads. Loved how they added two of TBOYs OSTs in to it.

TWT's old leadership and that Qing sister's obsession with YDZ made a lot of no sense. But White-Haired Deity and the Purple Robe one were like the best of TWT. They were the epitome of bonds/loyalty to each other, their new chief, his child, etc. in a way it made TWT look more loyal than Beili; because even SKCF said he was disappointed in the country because he thought things would change after Roujin took the throne. I also agree with BDJ blaming WJ for YDZ's decent into demon hood and ultimate death. That woman was a walking catastrophe; originally she felt that she had no choice but after Roujin did what he did, she should have never returned. Listening to that TWT member she met once without verifying the information and just going without waiting for YDZ to return, was the ultimate betrayal. What made me really think she didn't love YDZ as much as he her was when he slit his throat, it was BDJ that caught him and was trying to save him and pressed his hand against his throat; WJ just collapsed, whimpering where she was standing. She didn't even rush over to him until he was almost gone. That's not how a woman who loves someone badly behaves. Even Wuxin wasn't as important to her; with a mother and father like that it's now no wonder Xiao Yu turned into who he was in TBOY. Woman had no real contemplation of love; she'd follow whomever as long as she was free. I think the only thing she did for Wuxin was return to the palace to keep the 12 year deal in place and for her monster of a husband to not try anything. But that pales in comparison to the fact that because of her, the Helen of Troy in this story so many innocent people died due to a war that wasn't needed including the man who loved her the most and meant so much to many. Your heart just hurt for YDZ and HY brought him to life to perfection.

I feel the ending was all too much because we went from such gravitas and BDJ brokering the 12 year deal for Wuxin's essential safety to then BDJ riding off to get married to YY. It was very broken feeling. Especially since we didn't see what happened to the remaining young elegant gentlemen. There was a lot of disconnect between the characters that we knew in TBOY. Like BDJ was so much connected to Wuxin because of YDZ entrusting the child to him but yet in TBOY BDJ just appears occasionally and never actually meets Wuxin as he promised. A lot can happen in 12 years true especially him losing YY, just wish the very obvious inconsistencies weren't there. That would have been the epitome of "stick to the script." The other OSTs, sets, costumes, CGI, etc was on point.

Would I recommend it? Totally. While it was no TBOY, it was incredibly entertaining and the fact that I loved the opening OST so much that I always wanted to listen to it before every episode says a lot as I usually ffw them. Some people have said to consider it as a stand alone because of all of the inconsistencies but that's in the eye of the beholder really.

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Royal Outwitting

Watched this solely because I follow MZY and wanted to see Jeremy act. I'd have to say that I liked the second part of the series way more than the first. It was all about who was smarter and could outwit whom.

Pros: The series didn't have a shortage of people trying to get one up on the other but LL and YS were very well matched though all the slapstick things I did fast-forward. The costumes were beautiful as was the music and sets. I really liked how LL made friends even out of her "enemies" so most of the support were awesome like her maid and his assistant, the guards. YH was a really tragic character but I'm very glad he survived though I disagree with the decision of his to make YX think he was dead. Both deserved each other's love as they were essentially alone in the world other than their friends. I have faith that as they both grow in their independence, they will find their way back to each other. One was essentially sequestered most of her life from the outside world and the other was a tortured slave that had to fight on two fronts. Other than our leads, these two deserved a happy ending more than anyone else. RIP Uncle Song; now that's a real hero.

Cons: Didn't like the fake illness of FL in the beginning at all. The fake coughing was so obvious, anyone with half a brain saw through it. There were different ways of writing to show weakness without being so idiotic about it. Once they got rid of it, the series took on a stronger stance. The last episodes felt rushed; the introduction and subsequent reveal of the mastermind felt lackluster like even though they blurred him out most of the time, you knew it was him. The only real surprise of a villain was the consort that barely had any screen time so it didn't seem to jive with the story. All of her actions, seemed like an afterthought. It was abhorrent that though HT made an attempt on the CP's life, he wasn't dolled out any punishment but instead was just allowed to portray a victim going back to his country. He had no heart so there was no love for the FL; allowing innocent people to die for his greed, should have had him at least in prison. At least the CP killed the mastermind, though a poisoned arrow would have been more appropriate given what he'd done to YH all his life.

Would I recommend it? This is a series for those days when you just want to watch something semi-lighthearted. So if you've got those days and you like the actors, you'll get your proper fill.

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2nd Dumpster Fire of 2025 but a much Cheaper One

I solely wanted to watch and support WRC, because he's so talented that he deserves great roles and I haven't seen anything of his in a while. I didn't know what I was expecting other than I knew it was a low budget, but I'd never thought it would be a disaster of this proportion. This is literally the second dumpster fire of 2025 but a much cheaper one.

The only pro is WRC's acting and sword skills and the some version of a small bromance between him and the SML. Even that seemed very wishy-washy and very haphazard. There were some times when I really liked how they worked together, and you could totally tell that they were having some sort of secret plans that they never told anyone. Some of the costumes looked either burrowed or decent.

Literally, this thing had no other redeeming qualities. The ear bleeding sound and editing from someone who took a ton of drugs was horrendous. The music would sometimes drown out whole speeches and conversations and dialogues. The sound would cut in cut off without any warning. The FL though surprisingly in real life older than the ML acted 12. Their romance came completely out of the blue. It was not forced down our throats, but it was never explained either. ML as the emperor and the woman who played his mother are practically maybe 10 years apart and it's obvious and it's cringe. The constant runaround with the fake princess from a previous dynasty was such a moronic thing; just kill her and get it over with. The dude with the white hair that eventually became good though he started morally gray kind of antagonistic was just shallow, but I like him a lot better than her. She was just beyond saving and a crappy villain.

The amount of loopholes and plot holes was staggering. The storyline was a complete disaster did not make any sense. It's sort of started to come together toward the end, but you still didn't quite understand what the point of most of it was. The ministers for the emperor were just a bunch of whiny crybabies just like his royal uncle who I just wanted to hit with a bat so many times. Costumes were too big for all the guards. Everything looked cheap. I feel so bad for WRC and hope he gets better roles in the future.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely not if you value your sanity look at his other works everyone else in there are either new or they picked them up off the street I have no idea who any of them are.

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The Hibernating King of Big Air Made this Show Watchable

I picked this up for LY and the snowboarding aspect of it as it's one of the sports I watch during the Olympics and it seemed they really wanted to showcase the sport. Sadly, between wrapping filming and broadcasting, the series lost 12 to 14 episodes due to review and very negatively affected the show. The hibernating king of big air made this show watchable.

Pros: I'm starting to think that LY is one of those actors that can have chemistry with a pet rock. I have no idea how and why he or SC was attracted to WZ or FL in the first place other than her looks and optimism. I certainly wish for him to get better scripts because this was definitely not the one. I loved his character even when he was stubborn, I also really liked that even though he had to deal with a lot of trauma like his sister's accident and than his own, he never gave up on his dream to return to snowboarding. The cutest couple was his sister SS and DD; they melted your heart because he would never leave her side even if she stayed in the wheelchair for life. The other characters like the FL's bestie, his snowboarding crew, goofy as they were, they made things real. His parents and even the 3rd wheel once he got over his delusion, was a good friend to have. And FL's studio girls including SS. Even though this wasn't meant to be a snowboarding documentary, it still had a lot of those aspects in it. I wish it had more. Also a lot of the comedy was well placed.

The scenery was gorgeous and I think they mentioned that they traveled to 8 places to film in 4 months which is pretty nuts but worth those stunning views and shots. The FL here was optimistic, hardworking, and the cheerleader as well as very protective of the people she cared for. She gave people second chances that didn't deserve it. I did like how at the end the guy who originally made the mistake of following asswipe boss by making false claims, came clean publicly and left the company and everyone else pretty much walked out with him.

I loved the World Cup event even though a lot was obviously done by AI and actual professionals and Olympians, wish we had more of that. For a show that had a lot to do with snowboarding, what we did see though great and cool, wasn't that much. But tying that in with the proposal fails until it finally worked was great and having all of his friends, sister, and her bestie there was great.

Cons: My greatest problem with this series other than the cut episodes and what they had to shove into the ending because of that, making for many whiplash moments and unnecessary things happening, was the FL. WZ was a walking contradiction. She acted and spoke like a toddler for most of the series which made it hard to connect with her. We knew that she lived a sheltered life due to her over controlling parents but even though she was optimistic in solving problems, she kept getting herself into situations that were unlike what she appeared moments before. The gibberish that came out of her mouth was not understandable if it wasn't for the subtitles. Her most used phrase in the entire series was "what do you mean?" It was like she couldn't understand the simplest things being said or happening around her. Her best friend had to spell it out for her as if she was impaired or something.

The breakup; noble idiocy arc wouldn't even had to happen if she had just told him what she told him only several episodes later when they reconciled. I was aghast at just how oblivious she was to his heartache and pain standing just feet from him while she's just blabbering on about herself and how happy she is. Meanwhile, this man has had his heart broken and ripped to shreds by how her parents treated him, as if he was less than. And she was present during a lot of those conversations? Did she think her parents ripping into him for his middle class life was normal? Then she had the balls to be angry at him for breaking up with her even when she didn't understand anything. Like what even? Are you 25 or 3? At any time, she could have reached out to him but nope, she waited until they met again and he started his usual taking care of her before she spoke up. This man had to play coach, babysitter, boyfriend, bodyguard, etc for what essentially amounted to a kid. Someone, who forget snowboarding, couldn't learn much else and always made everything someone was trying to show or teach her a total chore, throwing tantrums (as the doctor appropriately said when she got hurt on a slope she was forbidden by him to go on).

Personally, it was very creepy to me when even when they got back together, she still called him "Shifu" or Master. Like girl this is your boyfriend, he's got a name, use it. It was also very weird that though she had her own copyright and pen name stolen by a false contract, she didn't fight for that until after the asswipe went after her new work that didn't have anything to do with the company. That's when she got a lawyer and everything. Why not do it before? Why not talk to Manman before that way? You could have saved a lot of people, yourself included a lot of time and problems.

Her parents whiplash from what they said and did to supportive parents that only care about their daughter's happiness was a plot hole a mile deep and had to do with the cut episodes, so I'll leave that there.

Esther will be Esther. But seeing her in MJTY blew my mind because I'd been avoiding her dramas due to that voice where people will argue is real or not; that's not up to me. The fact that she was able to portray the FL in a GJM drama and do so effectively was eye opening for me. It made me hope that in the future she would take more of those types of roles because believe me, nothing about GJM's work says cute (even though at almost 30 all of that is creepy not cute), toddler sounding adult. This drama made me cringe every time she opened her mouth and they made her even cringier by making the character essentially an airhead that both ML and SFL called her out in person.

I personally believe this is a persona she created for herself and it's worked with fans as many famous people all over the world do that. I also got a little suspicious in their Hi6 episode together because there were times when she was talking and her voice was a lot lower than what we usually hear and once or twice she caught herself and quickly went up several octaves, so that lay more credence to my theory. But whatever it is, I hope she's not too late in typecasting herself in these types of roles and leaves them behind altogether. This series could have been a lot better and funnier if she and the writers/director made her less childlike. I do wish her the best.

Lastly, why was FL more often than not in granny wear or a combination of something a kid would wear and what her grandmother would? This is literally the 4th modern drama this year I'm seeing this. These stylists need to go back to school.

Would I recommend it? Honestly if it wasn't for LY, snowboarding and the supporting cast being so good, I would have probably dropped the drama. But I did give it the extra .5 for LY and his range of emotion. So I honestly can't tell you guys. This one hangs in the air for me.

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Luxurious Cinematography, CGI, and Costumes---Screenplay Sold Separately.

First and foremost, I'd like to thank the fan subbers for doing this entire part for us. Without them, we'd still be waiting. They made it possible. I will be reviewing the parts separately as I don't want one to influence the other. I watched this series because Dilraba is one of the people I follow.

Pros: The only reason this drama is getting a higher score is because of the absolutely stunning cinematography, CGI, luxurious and richly colored costumes, and some of the OSTs. Production spared no expense there. The last time I saw a production even closely resemble this one was ELOD which also starred Dilraba. But this one clearly went full steam with the richness of each location and their gorgeous and bright colors.

While I liked Yunhe and her complexity as a character; I felt she had way more chemistry with Lin junior as I nicknamed him; the one she called older brother. His love and protection of her though falling short many times, was raw and real. I liked him more after I learned his secret and how much he wanted to save those who he cared about most including the entire Wanhua Valley. The man, whether he succeeds or fails in part 2 is already a hero in my book.

Other decent characters were Kong Ming for steadfastly standing on Chang Yi's side and helping him along the way. Head Immortal is a good antagonist and he's evil enough where while you can't stand him, you also understand he's a necessary evil. Can't say I liked old man wheelchair though he didn't need a wheelchair, but when he died and Lin junior was grieving; that was one of the few times in part 1 that tears came to my eyes. The man was a horrible ruler, father, etc and yet....there was always that yet. So a decent character.

Mediocre characters that were confusing and I'm not sure where to place them yet were the peacock that was released from underground, Li Shu, and San Yue; perhaps in part 2 they'll do better. So I'll leave them alone for now. Also immortal bodyguard Cheng Ye and the kid emperor were decent and I hope to see them evolve more as well.

Cons: When I wrote screenplay sold separately, I wasn't kidding. It was a mess. A zillion characters whose names you don't remember nor want to. Every single relationship between every couple was essentially sadomasochistic. Lies, betrayal, secrets kept, scheming to either harm or protect which 9 times out of 10 backfired. I didn't know if I was coming or going. The character Chang Yi didn't offer much; it was disappointing. I didn't feel his chemistry with Yunhe was beyond friendship that was clumped together haphazardly out of thin air. He always looked either constipated or stoned; I hope part 2 shows something more from him.

The annoying butterfly maid drove me batty. In the first 5 episodes, she had more lines and screen time then the leads. And she would yammer nonstop. I legit ffw when she would start. Also the other big bad was Shunde? Really? All she did was throw her weight around and whine. Yes, she's vicious and ruthless but I couldn't take her seriously as a proper villain when she acted like a drama queen and diva 99% of the time. Gorgeous costumes on her but her character was just roll-your-eyes worthy at best.

I don't remember any of the others because they were really that forgettable. It wasn't just one plot with maybe 2 subplots but about 76 of them all running amok where I legit felt like I was in the twilight zone. What the heck were these writers thinking? Just focus on a few things maybe from a few angles but don't confuse the audience with a zillion failed love stories and doomsday scenarios. The best way to describe it was a luxurious mess.

Would I recommend it? If you're a diehard Reba fan, then of course as she embodies Yunhe well and the cinematography is beyond stunning. But in general this is for people who like busy plots with lots of different characters all going in some direction from center. In any case, decide for yourselves.

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Mediocre

It took me a while to remember why I had decided to add this series into my watchlist because it was a toxic train wreck for the first maybe 17 or 18 episodes and then I remembered that it was because of the SML lol. I had seen him in a costume drama earlier this year and wanted to see him in a modern. Though his character delivered, the rest was mediocre at best.

Pros: Very few; SML just stole your heart and the show. He wasn't just eye candy but he played a professional young director very well. I thought that if they had switched the women for couples 2 and 3 it would have actually made much more sense. I refuse to fault actors for crappy storylines and therefore I think both ML and FL did the best they could under the circumstances. The opening credits were far more exciting and interesting than the show itself. OSTs were on point. Only reason this series got to a 6.5 and not far lower is because once all the toxicity was vented out and Ding Dong some version of matured, it was pleasant to watch. Also liked the supporting characters and the real mature kissing.

Cons: I don't understand why they stuck the SML with Ding Dong, ML's baby-voiced sounding sister. That really felt like a forced relationship even on the few occasions towards the end when she acted her age. The budget was obviously nonexistent here because the ML who owned a massive company had maybe 3 or 4 suits and shirts to his name. FL had the same exact hairstyle for all 24 episodes; a basic messy bun which she even sported on her wedding day.

Also how do you string someone in a harness with ropes that are tied haphazardly? Any drama we've seen, it's wires and cranes all super secure with people as back up. So we're supposed to believe that the mega rich producer couldn't afford a crane? Plus the one rigged into it was going to be his own sister? And that when the accident happened only SML ran to save her like Superman while others were just standing around with pads clasping their hands? What even? Suspension of disbelief was required a lot.

Ok the biggest elephant in the room was the absolutely psychotic way the FL behaved for a solid chunk of the show; the creepy wall of ML's photos, "couples clothing" when they weren't even together, copying his signature into a journal a zillion times, not to mention the beyond ridiculous confession and forced kiss. First she spent about 4 or 5 episodes reminding him of his failed attempt at a relationship which was like rubbing salt into a wound and was sadistic at best. Then the forced kiss and the phony sounding confession "I like you because you're handsome, rich, and loyal", either she's a gold digger or describing a poodle. Yes he rejected her, but she acted like he just murdered her best friend. He didn't owe her squat honestly even if he was getting ready to admit his own feelings for her, she became this one woman vengeance train. Even when he did everything he could for her (like take her to the hospital and watch over her), the things she said to him were just plain mean. Furthermore, who confesses at the workplace? That's so unprofessional! She could have asked him to a restaurant or something.

Not saying his own stalking traits once he decided to "woo" her weren't questionable; like moving across the hall to her new place, following her on her blind dates, telling her she shouldn't go on them (just because you're courting her, doesn't mean others can't) acting jealous at every turn, elevator semi-forced kiss. I'd say overall, she was worse of the two of them but all the creepy stuff did show they were made for each other.

Would I recommend it? No. People in the comments are saying that only young people don't like this series; it's quite laughable because as a 40 year old professional, I want to watch a drama with substance but not one with a psychopathic mindset passing for a romance; life is crazy enough. The actors are better off watched elsewhere.

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My Most Anticipated Drama of the Year & It Landed!

What a journey! My goodness! In the 5 years since I fell into the cdrama rabbit hole, this is the first and only drama that I followed since the very first day of filming (primarily for TJR but was glad that 60% of the MJTY cast was in here too), through the grueling 5 month shoot, every day watching many of the scenes we saw being shot because unlike every other drama, it was like fans were welcome to film whatever they wanted as it was free advertising and no one cared about leaks. The multitude of costumes and that the wrap on set at the end of February to see it come to our screens in late October. It nearly got a perfect score if it wasn't for some writing and editing issues I had. This was my most anticipated drama of the year and boy did it land!

Pros: Lord, I don't even know where to begin. The CGI was phenomenal and it never felt like a computer was doing the work instead of the actors. The gorgeous costumes and sets. I wonder if this was an S++ drama because of how expensive it looked and was. Favorite character was ZYC with ZYZ coming in close second. Both of them, be it their bickering or stronger than platinum bond were such dynamic characters. Both actors are still young and for one this is only his second series to air while the other has had several but both showed tremendous growth from what I had seen from them previously; the versatility was insane. The demon hunting bureau became a family stronger together than many you'd see in real life that had to go from case to case and from tragedy to tragedy as they were being set up by asswipe camp and ZYZ's former best friend who was ridiculously misguided but gained his redemption at the end. BJ was a riot though all the shrieking did kind of get annoying after a while; that said when he was possessed by LL until nearly the end, you missed the kid. PSJ and her puppet brother were also indispensable to the team as was cheesy mountain God YL; he and BJ made a great pair. I have never seen CX act before and felt she gave a strong performance here. WX had her strong moments, being the common sense voice in the group/family and scenes of sisterhood and encouragement with PSJ.

When this thing was filmed, none of us who followed the actors—day in and day out—knew that it would have any comedy in it (it was an original IP after all) so were totally caught off guard with the first episode and onwards. It wasn't a lot but it certainly made for some interesting situations especially when BJ yanked ZYC's hair repeatedly and the sound effects, that part we actually saw filmed as in real life TJR and Lester are really close since their MJTY days and Lester turning 13 on set plus going through puberty, it made for some really funny scenes both BTS and on screen because whether in real life or not Lester/BJ clung to TJR/ZYC like crazy gorilla glue lol! One of those yanks off screen nearly pulled TJR's wig off; it became a DY masterpiece. I'm personally extremely proud of TJR as new and green as he is to show business; with now only 2 series out, 3 filmed and currently working on a 4th. He couldn't play that character any different or better; it’s mind-boggling that he only debuted last year.

While filming, the entire cast including the guests had to perform a certain dance in various locations and we were puzzled about how it would be used; we counted over 30 by the time filming ended. They even filmed one in the snow which was followed by an epic snowball fight that had crew joining in and GJM being lambasted by everyone as he tried rather unsuccessfully to get away. It seemed the cast was giving him payback for the extreme dieting and hours of work. That was made into an MV but when this thing premiered we realized that the dances were edited in a way to become our ending credits that would change every few episodes. It was quite smart and resourceful; because the show was emotionally heavy and the credits added that light and warm touch. So it became a wonderful combination.

All of the supporting cast were great as were the guests. So many wonderful characters to show that not all demons were inherently evil; some were born with fates they didn't want like ZYZ and Fei. And that humans could be far worse like leader of asswipe camp. He became immortal and so many had to sacrifice so much to take him down especially BJ. Losing YL and BJ were the hardest for me; I legit cried. ZYZ, you were prepared, still hard though there's hope for him returning someday. Maybe one of the characters could go into the sundial and wait until he cultivates into human form again, like WX did with the tree.

All of the OSTs and BGMs were amazing but my number one liquid fire favorite was by LYN. It was his first time doing this genre of hip hop/rock and it absolutely blew my mind. I have it and a few others now in my Spotify OST list. Maybe it's because I followed this show from the beginning but I feel like when it ended (after the special episode), it took a part of me with it. Like I'm extremely satisfied but wish we were with our characters longer.

Cons: Though this section is small, unfortunately it still was there. I absolutely did not like how the majority of the character of WX was written; (this is no reflection on the actress at all; only about the writing of the character) I don't know why GJM decided to make her so one dimensional. She spent many of her scenes for 34 episodes crying and yelling either for ZYZ or ZYC. The writing of this character reminded me of her character in MLC due to the weepiness of it, though there she at least talked and acted tougher and carried a sword. Everyone else who cried which they did often given the amount of tragedy in this had a lot of depth and you felt the weight of their tears but with her it became almost a waiting game of when will she start per episode or numerous times per episode. Even in the end, it threw a heavily emotional scene off; like stop already, do and say something else, please! So the writing threw a monkey wrench into this whole character for an actress who could handle being complex and should have been allowed to showcase that. Also could have had the good guys not lose so much when it came to asswipe camp's strategies. Felt like they were given the upper hand way too much as opposed to the push and pull that would have felt more appropriate.

Editing was off as some scenes came together very suddenly and you didn't understand how this person was there or why. Or wait did she cough up blood? When did that happen? I felt like many scenes were cut altogether which was kind of weird since the episode count actually went up and there was an extra episode to boot. It being a fantasy drama, suspension of disbelief had to be deployed a bit especially when our group was so obviously spied on and they didn't realize it at all or some characters disappeared without a trace and we didn't know what happened to them. But that's it.

Would I recommend it? 100% would! This show delivered in so many ways. The cons were nothing in comparison to the pros; writing and editing but the richness of the story, music, locations, costumes, and the absolutely phenomenal performances by the actors should give you a very satisfactory experience.

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It Grows On You

I picked this up for the two male leads as they have both impressed me with their characters in several previous series. The story line was also kind of different so was curious about it. I will say that I dropped it twice before just jumping to episode 5 and fast forwarding until 7 when the plot actually picked up. But it did grow on me.

Pros: I really liked the group dynamic and how they were--once formed--very "leave no man behind" no matter what the situation is. Because this was a transmigration into a book thing, the characters could be reborn or healed by unlocking certain elements of the game. Both ML and SML played their parts well and I was happy to see more differences and versatility from them. When they were together with the two female leads (both of whom had their own strengths and abilities plus evolution) and the kid, they really were a force to be reckoned with. I like the different mysteries that they solved on the path of eliminating an evil woman; this was another drama where demons were often misunderstood and way better than humans.

The ML was half demon and actually the author of the novel as well as a series of books which the FL was a fan of and followed but when this novel came out, it was really bad as it was his first book that he wrote when he was a teenager and diagnosed with a disease that could only be treated when he was an adult and his parents fought all the time so he was writing from a place of anger and dejection. So both he and the FL were thrown into the book with her determined to rewrite the ending and him not knowing anything really or pretending not to until the very end. To make it more predestined, they had actually met in middle school where he developed a crush on her (but his first book ended the way it did was also around the time that the FL left the school due to the loss of her father) and as he grew up he basically wrote all of the books for her. As he saw her comments online which encouraged him, he grew to love her even more and after going in for surgery decided to revise that first novel. It was while he was in surgery that his trip happened while for her it was an overnight dream.

Costumes fit each character accordingly, as do the OSTs, sets, and CGI.

Cons: Though it did grow on me; the fact that I couldn't watch the first 5-7 episodes without dropping or fast forwarding due to the beyond ridiculous slapstick humor that didn't land from the FL and the plot not going anywhere was hard. Dramas need to hook you from the beginning and this one just didn't. If it wasn't for the people I really wanted to see in different roles, I probably wouldn't have stuck around though it got a lot better with more episodes.

That ending was a total mess. It's being questioned whether or not it's an HE or OE on Weibo by fans. What were the editors thinking? Did they unscrew their brains for a day or something? The ML filmed the actual ending as he calls the FL's name; he was there! Yet they cut that part and had just his voice say her name and her stare beyond the camera in shock and then smiled as the paparazzi behind her all called his name and said that he was coming. What in the what? They had the kid and his grandpa in the real world selling ice cream at the event location, but they couldn't show the ML coming over to her and at least hugging her or holding her hands? Plus what happened to the second couple? They don't get roles in the real world? They were just left without proper closure creating that ladder to heaven and that's it? Someone help me out here? It's ridiculous! I was very displeased with that and it knocked .5 off my rating automatically. Endings are as important as beginnings; so if they're screwed up, the drama will take a hit.

Would I recommend it? Honestly, this is a good drama if you need something to tie you over between something anticipated or if you're a fan of any of the actors, then sure. All in all, a decent watch.

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Primarily Focused on FL's Storyline

This "2 part" drama, I'm going to review separately on here because I feel part 1 is different from part 2. Watching it solely for Wu Lei as he's one of the people I follow. I love him in these commander roles plus the man can have chemistry with a pet rock at only 22 years old. I never read the source material so I'm sure many of the novel readers will disagree with me and that's ok.

Pros: LBY played by WL never disappointed when he hit the screen for the very short amount of time he was in this part. Not only was he lethal and ruthless but he also knew who he wanted from nearly the first episode and was just bidding his time for the sake of the familial politics working around him. He however was also not without flaws and that showed a lot at the end of part 1. CSS/NN played by ZLS was always on her game though also a flawed character. I really appreciated how smart she was without the need of traditional learning. With so many odds against her, she still not only managed to survive but make something of herself.

Other favorite characters included NN's brothers, third uncle and aunt, LBY's guards, Yang Yang, QiQi, emperor and empress. All were very helpful and caring where most of NN's family fell short. Ah Yao was alright but just a sweet kid and I'm glad he was maneuvered accordingly out of her life. Music, costumes, scenery, and that part of production was quite beautiful and I enjoyed that very much. Also the comedic elements helped move many of the slower scenes along.

Cons: This part of the story was slow; like snail paced slow to the point where it was very draggy. I ffw a lot of NN's family drama in the beginning episodes because it was legit yawnsville. I get that they were trying to show how hard she had it and all but it was just too much. The only bright spots were when LBY came into the picture or she traveled to Hua County. Otherwise, it was all very similar and lackluster.

Really poor characters were all the Princesses especially princess seaweed who's whining just made me want to stuff said seaweed down her throat. All they did was bully NN and with the same old tired crap, like ladies can y'all sing a different tune? You're all boring. Mommy dearest took the cake and the award for worst mother of the year and I couldn't deal with her; dear lord what a horrible woman. I'd say she was the main antagonist of part one. Dad was ok but essentially had no spine. YS aka pompous ass didn't need any scenes. He is a contender for NN's heart but each of his scenes were just of him being an asshat to the woman he liked.

Just a lot of unnecessary tropes and cliches, in this first one. I know all of the meat and potatoes will be in the second one but I do wish that the first part had an even backstory on the ML not just a rinse and repeat of FL's crappy home life dynamic, it would have helped a lot with what's coming and made the first portion more even keeled.

Would I recommend it? It's beautiful and if you're a fan of any of the leads or support and are ok with a really slow start, then sure, I would. Because I'm looking forward to part 2 and what it has to deliver.

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Total Departure from S1 & A Completely Miscast Main Antagonist.

I wanted to watch this because it was S2 from S1 which had been a sleeper hit. The main actors were the same and though time passed, it would be just as good, right? Sadly not. It was a complete departure from S1 with a completely miscast main antagonist. This will be one of those reviews where pros and cons will be mixed together.

The story started strong just like normal, with a case and had the fab 4 plus big bro helping out. But then things begin to slide downwards. Though it's understandable that in 3 drama years both of the fab 4 couples would be married, they didn't have to make their husband such simps around their wives. ML was still as whip smart as ever but because the enemy was now a different country it seemed like they were constantly missing something. It didn't help that there was a spy called Peacock that came literally out of nowhere. He was the leader of the spy network deeply entrenched in their capital which they only figured out as time went on. If in season one, we had an understanding of who the main antagonist was and he fit the mold, in season two we needed Jack the Ripper by the time he revealed all of the atrocities (skinning people alive, whipping them with the same whip that was used on him when he was a child, or feeding them poisonous bugs until they incubated long enough to burst out of the stomachs and kill others; very The Mummy or Species diabolical) he was responsible for but instead we got friendly Joe from next door who mows your lawn and gets paid in chump change. This particular actor has never played a real antagonist; always as a protagonist in modern or costume dramas so to stick him in a role so complex was absolutely was unbelievable, I don't know what production and casting was thinking. He could scheme sure so could play the role of a small villain but not the ultimate villain; it was truly laughable by then. Especially the issues in continuity where in his last scene, one minute there was no blood on his dagger, the next there was, and it kept going back forth, the other actors delayed reactions or movements was lazy editing. And his ending, with the academy award speech before thrusting the knife into his own heart or stomach, was so even more anticlimactic than the rest of it. Truly eye-roll worthy.

I also don't understand how the emperor of Da Tang could constantly listen and obey orders from an envoy of different country like the guy had any real power; fatso as I called him; now he could have played the ultimate villain. But we spent the first half of the show one step forwards two back because the enemy was with them all the time. No one would believe he could be the biggest threat because he just didn't have the personality for it even when it was revealed he was Peacock. It wasn't spoken about again; all this time trying to find this spy and by the time it was realized, it was forgotten. After they finally found some upper ground with the fake syphilis and started bringing down the network, they were sent to join big bro, who still acted the same and I wish had more screen time to weed out what we learned was the poisonous bug network and he too ended up with a love interest but sadly that wasn't properly explored. It just seemed on a case by case bases if there even was such a thing, things were buried and not properly clarified or just forgotten. Or why did CC's dad suddenly appear out of nowhere, with no warning in the middle of nowhere, so he could get kidnapped and than CC was as well; it just didn't make sense. These type of instances happened a lot. Or when the big web unraveled it was one giant conspiracy with several minds behind it but again the one that mattered just didn't hit the bar. The killing of two characters especially the guard was sad.

I also wish the ending was different; exit out characters, don't leave them hanging or poof like big bro and his woman. Also wish instead of another imperial decree, they showed the leads with kids as opposed to them making plans to travel while the second couple was going to get married again. It just felt incomplete; like even production gave up on it.

We did have a higher budget, some decent comedy, decent OSTs, nice costumes, and sets.

Would I recommend it? Honestly unless you want to see the progression of the Fab 4, no. It just didn't have the same uniqueness and difference from so many other shows. It seemed lazy on production's part and it could have been a great show.

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Chinese Justice League for the WIN!

I don't remember why I had originally put this in my watchlist probably because the concept seemed interesting and I've seen a good chunk of the cast previously in other dramas. The fantasy element was always fascinating and so it was the Chinese Justice League for the serious WIN!

Pros: Favorite character was definitely the demon grand marshal NTEX. I had only seen the actor in one modern before and I was blown out of the water by his performance here; he's improved by leaps and bounds and is totally suitable for costume dramas. He literally delivered every ounce of his character until his dying breath and then in spirit. Not a perfect character; made a big mistake, had flaws but absolutely won the hearts of everyone. WG was in close second as it was his storyline of becoming essentially the mortal God of War but through trials and tribulations and even death but returned to triumph at the end. For him it was from power to slave to slowly developing into a very formidable force of freedom. Everyone he met along the way, became his friends and allies. He grew his anti-immortal army slowly but once they joined hands, they were awesome. WG and NTEX's friendship/brotherhood was my absolute favorite. Them two shared a brain cell when it came to strategies; that was so cool!

Other favorite characters were Ah Lan, Uncle Ziyu, grandpa, SX, Bei'er (though her appearance was very short, it was meaningful), precious dragonfly and even ZQ plus the last real Sage who took over governing that realm afterwards, SX managed to flip him to the good side lol (their funniest portion was as they were both just hanging in that space above everything until the undying bird left SX's body to join WG and took them two riding its tail; made me laugh as I thought they were both dead but nah they were just chilling in the immortal lounge lol). All the leaders of their respective clans were great. As for villains, hands down favorite was GM aka Hannibal Lecter. Dude was the comic relief for the show; the actor nailed his character so much, the other actors would try to make impressions of him during their BTS and he would do like standup comedy for them in character. He was a trip and I personally wished he stuck around longer than say the cackle queen, I'll speak about her below. It was my first time seeing Jeremy as an antagonist and he delivered though he was only around in a few episodes. I think that could be a great niche for him if he ever returns to acting (which given the recent interview he did, isn't out of the realm of possibility, though he wants to also try directing after spending time with his family). His character HL was a tunnel visioned obsessed with love King of the Immortals who finally got his comeuppance via WG.

The battles were pretty great for the most part. The Justice League was very cool while the band of thugs were extremely cocky for their own good. Which most of the time was their undoing. The rock music during the big bad fights was the best and all costumes, sets, and even CGI I won't complain about because it was good. That last fight when WG merged with NTEX's spirit as well as that of the demons and the undying bird to finally kill HL was the best part of the entire series.

Cons: Unfortunately, though the FL (BC) started out as a strong and independent woman, she soon devolved into a whining mess whimpering "A Gou" so many times per episode it started to hurt my head. Like there were times she just needed to zip it. It seemed that was her only line for a long time. There was no chemistry between her and WG no matter how much they wanted to force it upon us. They were fantastic as brother and sister though; that's what they should have kept it as. I hoped that her possession would invigorate her character but in that one she was very robotic and when she was returned she was still a blubbering mess. Like where was the awesome, resourceful woman we met? We wanted her back! The writing was off there.

That ending was so jacked up; ok lackluster wedding whatever but then BC just up and dies in the middle in front of everyone? What even? Why? You knew she went through a lot during the final battle especially being used to build that iced transformer (that part of the battle made me roll my eyes and laugh. The cyclops and his friend vs HL in giant iced transformers was very ridiculous and thankfully short lived. Seemed like an episode filler not something important) obviously used up her life span. So why not tell WG about it sooner? Nah, it's better to tell him just before you dissipate on your wedding day in front of everyone. Just seemed heartless and out of character for her. So that entire end portion of the episode was beyond unnecessary. There were other ways for WG to walk around to the different clans and say goodbye or check up on them. They could have done it together and it would have made so much more sense as they just wanted to live in peace. And that snowman cabin last 1.5 minutes scene where the door automatically opens but there's no one there though he smiles? The open ending was a crock of BS, at least show her face smiling back at him. Was that so hard? It ended in Xianxia style though this was not that genre at all.

The cackle queen, lord help me. The actress plays a great antagonist don't get me wrong, but that voice and that cackle was horrifying. It made her sound like a Halloween store plastic wicked witch. Anytime an antagonist cackles, it completely takes away from their evilness. They need to stop writing that into series. The best villains are those like HL who can look through you and you'd get a chill up your spine. Her death was anticlimactic as I wish WG had finished it instead of HL otherwise it looked like she had a self-redemption thought process before she finally croaked.

A bit too much talking; I agree with several people. The battles needed to continue not pause for a boatload of speechifying. It would take away from the fierceness of the fight or battle. Same went for several deaths, we didn't need long speeches right beforehand from some. Also it reminded me of Snow Eagle Lord and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers when they chucked the moves on screen with giant letters; extremely unnecessary. The characters were yelling them out as is.

Would I recommend it? Despite the many cons and the unsatisfactory ending, it was still a good watch. Besides these thoughts are mine, you may feel it was great. So decide for yourselves.

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