TrashyMctrashPicker Form

Silent agreement. As a cronic mini trash drama watcher. It's giving trash drama on a better budget. I wasn't expecting I'd have to turn my brain off for the ride. I also didn't expect it to basically be a romcom. I think if I had known to expect this, it would be easier. This is why I don't watch currently airing shows much.

I think because I love slow burns, that really for me was the selling point of the show. There's only so much getting beaten up on a building that you can take. The backstories really ground this show.

I really want a full on historical drama with Zhou Xun and Chen Kun.

These comments make me wonder if I need to read another of his books to see the magic, because it all comes across as fairly bland though whimsical, pretentious, and what I can only describe as a coffee shop that plays slow jazz muzak with hazy people orbiting in the background. At least the cats in the story have more life than the characters. I also think the Kafka comparison is misplaced because I like Kafka. Kafka writes humans in ways Murakami simply can't. I feel like the appeal is the surreal nature and jumps through setting because it surely can't be the characters. Also, weird obsession with breasts.

You dropped at the perfect time. It truly is all downhill from here.

Seems to be a meaningless term these days co-opted by the people who think anything with a minority is woke. I swear I've seen people complaining that one minority in a show is woke. The funny thing about it is much like this commentor, these people scream the loudest when companies like Netflix don't hold their view. You would think Netflix was holding a gun to these people's heads. Like I cancel and rotate streaming subscriptions when I don't feel like there's anything decent to watch. Why can't other shut up and do the same?

It will be high budget but if Netflix can green light Blade of The Phantom Master, I may die happy. Simply need a Korean production with that Netflix budget. Something like Kingdom really gave me hope. People can rag on the Korean Netflix productions but I am so glad Netflix is not focusing on rom-coms and going for gritier Korean shows. I can just imagine if HBO ever moves into Asian content, so they can give us something like Vinland Saga.

It's the same drama. Empresses in the Palace is the Legend of Zhen Huan.

Almost started this but I hated the novel which started out great before it devolved into damn near garbage.

Something tells me Zhou Xun won't make this list when to me, she's right up there with Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi in terms of acting. I tend to love the way she acts because she's very quiet about it too.

The lack of Zhou Xun who in my opinion is right up there with Michelle Yeoh is criminal. She gets skipped over when I literally cannot think of anyone other than Michelle Yeoh to have impressed me. I'd put Zhang Ziyi too as the trio for me.

This drama is honestly held up by romance and character relationships and nothing else. The story is mediocre and the character development is lacking. If the romance and relationships are doing nothing for you, I'd forgo this one. Their romance is one of those, we can't because the world tells us not to and that's about it.

I am not okay. Towards the end, I was just like stop it, stop doing this to me.

I was about to reply. Of all the cold male lead tropes, this one is truly the best. He actually has a personality. His little pranks are hilarious even if not obvious from the get go.

Empresses in the Palace though is absolutely ruthless and devoid of any love. It's easily in my top 3 of dramas, but if you want to see love, angst free, and subtle romance, it is not for you.

Definitely overhyped overall. Also, while the storyline is unique, I didn't feel like this re-invented the zombie genre. Ultimately, it also leans into pretty standard zombie tropes. That even among monsters it's always the power hungry humans you have to watch out for. Waiting for a zombie show that will actually trace it's origins back to it's Haitian roots as that remains a significantly more terrifying concept than anything I've watched from the zombie genre. With that said, the lighting in this story to me was phenomenal. The lighting director should give a masterclass on this because every other historical show I've watched often has far too bright lighting that no candle should be giving.

Netflix burned me with Mind Hunter so I try to let my hopes die first.

I complain about unrealistic shows yet sometimes this show felt so realistic that I wish they'd just sprinkle some protagonist halo to have things work out. But no such case. It made for a truly great watch in that regard because I stopped hoping for some relief and just soaked in the story. I've watched a lot of Chinese period pieces yet this one perhaps felt the most like truly watching what felt like the life of real people. Not since I watched The Wire do I feel like I've watched another show that gave me the same sentiment. Shows that make you feel like some things truly have no solutions. Not all problems the characters face have answers. You grieve at the injustice but the show makes you feel powerless about it. Beautifully done.

That and the melodrama theatrics of the second arc. It was sad to see historical trope cliff make an appearance and someone survive from jumping from it.

Is Netflix writing that check?