Firefly88

I really liked the fight when Fengnian freed the man under the lake.

Yes, but it's not only wuxia.
This drama has a lot of twists and turns.

Xu Xiao is the very definition of a 老狐狸 (Lao Huli). 🤣

Haven't seen Deer and Cauldron so can't comment!

I don't know, but I have noticed this much:
1) Unless the ML is an emperor, the ML is always monogamous even if everyone else is polygamous, and that is portrayed as being a virtuous characteristic.
2) Polygamy is never portrayed in a positive light. There are never any harmonious pplygamous families where everyone is happy. But, I think for the number of unhappy polygamous families, there must have been happy ones too. Are monogamous relationships any better? Lol

Anyway, I just theorised censorship may be involved. I think there were some scandals in recent years in China (wives and mistresses living together) and they cracked down on it.

Oh and by the way, I like the kiss ass female characters too! Nangong Pushe (says Pushe here, but I thought it was Puye, maybe I'm remembering wrongly) is bad ass. 💪

I've been wondering about the subject of polygamy in C dramas. I actually assunmed there was a censorship issue there rather than "appealing to female audiences" issue. I think it has been a tense topic in China over the years...

It also comes down to the fundemental question regarding historical dramas: Should historical dramas be authentic or should they cater to modern tastes altering historical reality? It's an interesting question. Personally, I'm open to either style...! Authenticity certainly has its own appeal, even when it is uncomfortable or different from what we know or believe. I mean, we don't agree with slavery either, but that hasn't stopped them having slave characters in dramaland.

Hmm, well what do you think? Have you ever lived in a matriarchal society? I think it might be premature to assume that a matriarchy would be patriarchy but in reverse, matriarchies might have different solutions/ways, who knows? China actually has an ethnic minority that is matriarchal, the Musuo, look them up, very interesting culture! 👍 By the way, I just want to point out, patriarchy and matriarchy are not the only options.
There is a third option: a society that is neither..
removing gender supremacy from the equation altogether. 😄

Well, we'll have to wait and see. 😉

To be fair, there are a lot of cliches in female acting in China that are a result of deeper seated misogynism. Arguably, what is really misogynistic is the little girl coquette/bratty/whiny act that so many Chinese actresses do, either because they are told to do so by the director or because that's the scope of their ability... Or being solely valued both by the director and the viewers for their appearance rather than their acting talent, sometimes leading to "actresses" being hired purely for their looks rather than their ability. A lot of viewers like myself object to that the most and see that as the true misogynism. Male acting styles in China, although also subject to some cliches, is less caricature than that typical female role like the one I mentioned earlier. I have to say, I personally find that style of acting demeaning to women's intelligence. It both irritates me and offends me... This style is also so common (another sign of misogyny imo), which means I end up complaining about actresses more often than actors! And yet so many people lap it up! 🤷‍♀️

In societies which are still very patriarchal, yes, men in the public eye are subject to less criticism (or none at all) for things that could destroy a woman's career (or life...) like rumours and scandals. However, there are several cases I can think of where I have criticised the ML over the FL for poor acting. For example, I was not remotely convinced by Jin Han in "Jun Jiu Ling", but Peng Xiaoran's performance was much stronger. I also felt somewhat underwhelmed by Chan Waiting's performance in "Novoland: Pearl Eclipse". Many disagreed with me, but that's their right. 🤷‍♀️

Lastly, just because someone dislikes someone's acting doesn't mean it is misogynistic even if they casually use a word like "hate"...

Just my thoughts on the subject, make of them what you will! 😄

Me too! JOL had something special about it, but SSS is definitely a major upgrade...! Regarding the white makeup, sometimes they go overboard on the white with the girls too imo, not just the makeup but also with the lighting and editing. Sometimes their faces are so white, I worry whether they have a Vitamin D deficiency. 😅😂 If I was one of those hardcore fans based in China, I'd send them supplements and a postcard with the sun on it! 🤣 🌞

Just finished episode 6! Are you watching too?

I don't think romance is the main focus like with a lot of C dramas.... (But I've only watched a few episodes so far.) It's a bit more mature, less of a Disney "find the one" type of story. That being said, there are several female and male main characters emerging and developing at the moment, there is a hint of something between the ML and one of the female characters... Not sure how that will play out. Nevertheless, it keeps you totally hooked. Give it a shot.

I don't think romance is the main focus like with a lot of C dramas.... (But I've only watched a few episodes so far.) It's a bit more mature, less of a Disney "find the one" type of story. That being said, there are several female and male main characters emerging and developing at the moment, there is a hint of something between the ML and one of the female characters... Not sure how that will play out. Nevertheless, it keeps you totally hooked. Give it a shot.

Oh and from the episode I just watched, a good dose of wuxia! A bit of something for everyone! 😆

Oh, well it's a mix of heavy historical intrigue and it's funny/witty. Very cunning/deceptive characters. A lot of unexpected twists!

I've just watched the first few episodes and it has blown me away so far. It's like Nirvana in Fire and Joy of Life had a baby. It has the heavy historical themes of war and intrigue like Nirvana in Fire, but the witty jokey quality of Joy of Life, but somehow even more so. It's totally unpredictable. The characters are immensely complex, a lot hidden under the surface!

Great! I've just started Sword Snow Stride which is also excellent. I thought 2021 was a bit disappointing so far (too few great dramas), but they've packed in a couple of great ones near the end of the year!

Oh I haven't seen Huang Xuan in something since Tribes and Empires!

This father and son duo are amazing. 😂