The badass Female assasin & Liu Dao Halls' 5 elite squad assembled!
"I'm not consulting you. I'm informing you." - Ren XinI hereby declare personal grudge against the writer (Zhang Wei) of this story. I want to be impartial and just be nice because this drama has brought me so much happiness and entertainment; but, how can I do that when she turned such a promising and amazing drama into a stupid tragic path? I'm extremely dumbfounded at the same time furious over her disgusting and treacherous act. This drama could have been a happy ending but for some reason her crazy mind went wild and decided to kill the main characters one after another, continously... and even if she implied that Ning Yuan Zhou and Ren Ru Yi magically survived and is alive at the end—through their "kids". I still cannot take that to comfort me and make me feel redemptive over this excellent story that was unfortunately ended tragically. NYZ and RRY is parenting the entire squad like they're their own children and yet she decided to slaughter them one by one. Gosh! My Parents deserves better treatment!
I want to conclude this rant section of my review by saying, I got so much beef with the writer of this drama and I think it will last forever. She excels in making good story unfortunately she also got a strong obsession in turning everything into a tragedy.
Disclaimer: Even after all the things I stated above, I still won't deny how good of a writer she is. The script is exceptionally well written and god knows how blowned away I was watching the exchange of words from the characters of this story.
Moving forward, I want to say how much I enjoyed this drama as a whole. The intro was perfect and so does the suceeding episodes until the tragedy I mentioned above started. I love how their love story started naturally as strangers who accidentally encountered one another but didn't immediately fall in love; rather, they allow us to witness their suspicions that gradually developed into trust to mutual affection then finally, love.
In terms of chemistry, I'd say they're straight out insane! It's crazy how their very first interaction which was an intense scene turned out to be full of sparks and charisma; and don't even let mention how compelling their following future scenes are, because I might spend my entire time fanboying over how perfect they are together. I also want to mention here how Ren Ru Yi's 'I want to have a baby with you' to NYZ has lived and explored entirely free in my mind. My imagination runs wild with this two (NYZ as a surrogate Father lol). Also, their infatuation and indenial moments are the cutest! I cringe so much in a good way because of them.
Next thing I want to talk about are the supporting characters. I don't usually do this, but I feel like each one of them deserves to be acknowledged for their excellent role and portrayal in this story.
"You've trained a sparrow in a royal cage into an Eagle" - Princess Yang Ying
Princess Yang Ying/Prince Li Heng portrayed by He Lan Dou is the MVP of this drama for me. She went from a fragile and docile cub into a full grown tigress. This is one of those times I realized how good the writer is. She transformed the weak and damsel in distress Princess and made her a tough decisive one. Of course, this wouldn't happen without He Lan Dou's acting prowess and versatility. I love her a lot in this show.
Yuan Lu played by Chen You Wei is one of my favorite out of all the characters of this drama. He's cheerful, bright and overall entertaining. I'm so proud of this guy, he's the epitome of positivity and good vibes. I'm the most disheartened when the writer finally decided to kill him. Grr! I guess, I'm just grateful that he died full of pride and valiantly.
Li Tong Guang played by Chang Hua Sen by far is the most overrated character of this story. This man's emotionally unstable and I find it unbelievable how he broke down in the middle of a losing war. I admit that he's good looking and charismatic but his physical appearance alone doesn't fill the gap in his character for me. Chang Hua Sen's acting here is great though. I often find him amusing, specially during his mental breakdown scenes for his Master Ren Xin.
Yu Shi Shan played by Fang Yi Lun - This is my first time to watch him play a lively and carefree role and I must say he nailed it! It feels refreshing to watch him be annoying and mischievous almost all the time compared to the previous roles he's acted on.
Qian Zhao played by Wang Yi Zhe for me is the serious brother of the gang who played the role of a Vice captain whenever NYZ is not around. Wang Yi Zhe impresses me on how he portrayed this character so well.
Sun Lang played by Li Huan is the least favored character for me. I feel like the writer doesn't like him that much base on how little his screentime are the whole show.
Special mention to Zhang Song played by Zhang Lei. His acting on Episode 3 alone made me realized that Vetaran actors are a cut of their own cloth. The lines were written eloquently and provocatively but the way he delivered it gave me real chills. His control and command of his actions and facial expressions hightened the tension of his scenes for me.
I know this is getting lengthy so let me just mention some unpredictable scenes which I have mixed feelings of.
First is the pairings and love teams. It changes so constantly and unexpectedly that I don't know anymore what to expect. This aspect of the storyade me disappointed and dumbounded a lot.
Second is the death of the main cast! Dang! I still can't move on! I know that they all died in a reasonable way and with great valour but then, I still can't let go of my 'supposed' happy ending. (Sighs)
Lastly, I just want to commend this drama for its slick, refined and smooth exhibitions of their fight scenes. Martial arts choreography is Mad! Specially Liu Xi Xi and Liu Yu Ning's. My satisfaction of them is at its peak!
P.S. My favorite moments of this drama is when the Main casts are all together casually hanging out and having fun. + Why do I find them cute when they all finally assembled? Hahaha! What an adorable bunch. <3
Story - 9.5, Although I hate the fact that the entire Main cast was killed; I guess, I'm just glad that it was done in a logical and valorous way. Like I mention above I can never do this drama dirty just because I hate its ending, so I would still give credits where it's due. Also, it's one of those dramas where both leads are cool and highly skilled; and coincidently the two fo them wanted to live peacefully and normally but how dare the Writer give them an actual eternal peace!
Acting/Cast - 10, I believe my above sentiments is enough to explain how satisfied I am with the casting and acting on this drama. So, let me take this time to mention how great of a choice for them to cast both Liu Yu Ning and Liu Shi Shi. First of, I wanna say that I'm mad at those people who are hating on Liu Yu Ning just because he's not handsome enough? when his role doesn't require him to be one! and he's so damn fine from head to toe. So whatdaheck!? Liu Shi Shi on the otherhand is a full package for her role. Beautiful that's goddess-like and a real badass seductress! Her stares hypnotizes me to the point where I'm down on my knees every single time. Lol
Music - 10, I will boldly declare and claim that this drama's Music Team is on the same level of those in K-dramas. All the music used are endearing and perfectly fits each of the scene they're used for. This is also the first time in 2 years? where I literally downloaded and added the songs to my playlist for offline listening (Spotify).
Rewatch Value - 10, Honestly, I would still rewatch and will also highly recommend this to everyone. I mean, the cool and badass scenes each episode are enough to make me rewatch this. Not to mention how entertaining this show is as a whole.
Overall - 9.5, I still feel bad of the tragic ending but this drama is simply not one of those craps out there that I can derate solely for it's ending—because this is more than that! Nonetheless, I would like to encourage everyone to watch this drama to experience the entertainment and pleasure I felt when I was binge watching like crazy.
IF you find my review helpful please let me know
A goofy and sweet semi-xianxia drama | Healthy love rivalry | Irritating and hateful 2nd FL!!
A piece of advice I want to give to people before watching this is to always remember that this is an Idol drama so keep your expectation for crazy plot twists and character development at bay and make sure that you stock a pile of chill pill because you will need lots of them watching this. Take note that I lost all of mine while on the process. Hahaha!I already expected this drama to be overly clichė-d yet I still found myself cloyed over some of its scenes. Although this show is full of goofy-slapstick comedy skits we often see on a comedy drama; I must say that they did a great job on keeping all those ridiculous stuff in bare minimum that it doesn't made me completely tired of it.
One factor I truly love about this is the healthy love Rivalry between the Male Leads. Each dude sure got their own advantages but I'm just glad that they didn't use it to harm one another and I must say that I truly enjoyed all the jealousy scenes between Chu Ye, Shangguan Ya and Yun Chuan. + I love how both of them are genuinely concern of the FLs welfare and safety above everything else.
The only time I felt sick and tired of the drama is when they introduced Tong Er. She's like that unnecessary pest who suddenly appeared out of nowhere to ruin the show and I must say that she successfully did because my mood turned sour and salty—indifferent, until the end of the drama.
I feel like 24 episodes is even too long for this story. 16-18 would have sufficed and never introducing Tong Er would have made this story even better. I mean, after I accepted that this is a light and sweet idol drama you will suddenly give me a bratty character? Like, who asked for that? This show is better off without her!!
Lastly, I enjoyed Li Fu and A Jing's story a lot. Although their scenes were as short as it can possibly be, I appreciate the fact that they were there to divert and balance the overall mood of the story. I love that they are both childish yet reliable at the same time + I'm also grateful that A-Jing stayed the way she is until the end. About time we let women choose the person they want to be.
Story - 8.5, I love the healthy rivalry and positive vibe the story has shown me and it would have been better if they didn't introduce Tong Er at all. Her role on the drama totally ruined it for me. She's that unwanted guest no one ever wanted to see but still came to wreck the show. A curse!
Acting/Cast - 9.0, I'm fairly contented with the acting, although some of them might have been too much at times but they're still bearable. I'm familiar with almost all of the main cast and it's fun to see them goofing around like that. I'm just glad to see them in a new light portraying a softer character specially Xiao Yu Liang. P.S. I watched this because of Tian Xi Wei! ♡
Music - 9.5, it's nice overall. I love the cute and playful opening theme and I also like all the insert BGMs they used throughout the show. Nothing to hate about it in all honesty.
Rewatch Value - 7.0, I'm still being considerate at this point. This is one of those dramas I am glad I was able to finish. It feels like an achievement for some reason...like I deserve all the bragging rights for bearing all through the shits Tong Er has brought to this show. She spoilt my mood so much It lasts till the very end of the story.
Overall - 8.5, If you are planning to watch this because of one specific actor you are following, then go ahead and do so. However, if it's not, you better be prepared to get irritated to the 2nd FL and how riduculous some of the scenes are. It's nice and decent but finishing this drama was a bit of a challenge for me because the 2nd FL effect has taken over me till the final episode. Lol
IF you find my review helpful please let me know.
The miserable and melodramatic love affair of the so called Heroes'.
First of all, Welcome back? Hahaha! I can't believe it took me 2 months to finish this drama. It was dragged so much I almost forgot to continue watch it. I seriously got plenty to say, so shall we start?Why is this Wuxia full of unnecessary dramas!? Can we just focus more on Fighting, shall we?
My disappointment and distaste over this show started when they first revealed Nan Lan. Her character introduction was a big turn off and maybe it's my intuition but at that very moment I just knew something eerie is bound to happen and I prove myself right because as the drama goes on the more horrible the story progresses. My expectations gradually getting tarnished and eventually crashed by how they terribly transition the story from all the great Wuxia action into a melodramatic mess they got themselves into. I was dumbfounded on how they took a huge leap from having the best raw and realistic martial arts executions into a brow-raising and overly tiring dramatic display. Like, how am I supposed to digest that?
It felt like the show was suddenly terrorized by some unknown disease that made it heavily focused on Love and Family affair. Even at this point, I still have that lingering irritation from the amount of tolerance I invested to finish all those episodes because I hate fast-forwarding and leaping through scenes and episodes. It's like I paid so much money to watch my favorite show only to be served by some crappy and bland illustrations. Just imagine how disappointing that was! It doesn't even help that Miao Renfang as a Husband is a total red flag. I mean, come on! I understand that it's his greatest mission to find the killer of his sworn brother but man! You got a wife and daughter to take care of. I was so pissed cause he's so irresponsible and selfish that I even find Tian Guinong a better father and husband. Well, he techinically is. He just lacks better opportunity to fully demostrate it as he was consumed by his ambition to be hailed the best.
Moving with our 3 main Leads, I feel like every single build up they did to make their characters romantically connected all went to drain. Hu Fei and Zi Yi's parts were actually great and I enjoyed it a lot but I would lie if I say I hope for them to be together. I feel like Zi Yi's personal dramas exhausted me almost the same as Miao Renfang and Nan Lan's. Her reasons were logical and understandable but she's just too complicated to my liking. Cheng Lingsu on the otherhand is my best pick. Her vibrant and amiable aura automatically made me drawn to her. Not to mention her prominent expertise in both medicine and poison. It's just too bad the script writer hated her so much. They went all out with the 'Love and Family Affair' theme only to destroy it all at the end. How tragically fucked up is that? Unbelievable!!
There are only 2 things I would commend this drama for. First, is their mind blowing martial arts execution for almost all of the fight scenes. It is more Human-like—authentic, raw and realistic. It is very different to all the Wuxia's I have watched all these years who had indescribeable and ridiculous Kung Fu skills. Second, is how satisfying they carried out the deaths of all the major antagonists on the story. I love how Feng Yiming got his death right infront of his father while Feng Tiannan getting slaughtered felt extremely satisfying. But above all, no one can beat Tian Guinong's unuttered defeat. Man was clobbered down, HARD! Incapable of fighting while pierce through by a sword and eventually got pierced again by a spear. Real definition of Vanquish!
P.S. I won't mention those pathetic Disciples of Medicine Valley and the Poison King himself cause I find them irrelevant. I don't even know why they persists till the end when they could've been eliminated much earlier. Honestly, those pathetic fools doesn't deserve recognition. They're like the guinea pig of this story... bunch of sacrificial lambs.
Story - 8.5, I'm being kind and considerate when I decided for this score. Thank god they still got prominent Martial Arts executions to vouch their lack of better decision when it comes to their absurd story progression. + The satisfying deaths of the Antagonists made it bearable and fulfilling.
Acting/Cast - 9.0, I don't really have any specific preferences when it comes to the artists but I must say that I'm quite pleased by the set of actors/actresses of this show. Specially, Xing Fei & Lin Yushen.
Music - 8.0, Among all the music from this drama, I only appreciate the Ballad song they usually use on the sad/tragic scenes. Aside from that everything is non-existent. Well, I can also remember the opening theme. I kinda like the suspense build-up tone to it.
Rewatch Value - 6.0, Sorry not sorry! But I won't watch this again. God knows how this show made me stray away from watching dramas for 2 months simply because I can't just leave a drama hanging and watch another one cause that's not my thing and I take my reviews/commentaries seriously. I guess, I'll just avoid Qing Dynasty dramas since it feels like they're more on the overly dramatic theme I'm not that fond of.
Overall - 8.5, I contemplated quite a bit with this rating but I just realized this is the highest I can go with this drama. The story's sudden transition to the Love and Family affair ruined it for me. It felt like they got no better plot in mind so they've decided to just go all out with it...which is really disappointing for me. I'm not even lying but it feels like this dramas is consist of 15% Wuxia and 85% Love affair. Doesn't that sound crazy and tiring???
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Brilliant but unnecessary ending + Needs better scene arrangement & sequencing.
Just to give a quick insight about this story, I wanna say that It was wonderful yet sorrowful. They did so well in making the plot well-balanced despite their straightforward takes of its unexpected turn of events... however, still managed to make the whole narative look manipulated and misarranged.First of, I wanna commend this production for consistently staying away from clichė plot till the very end. That was very unexpected and satisfying! Just the thought of not having to bear through such ridiculous scenes already made this experience more delightful and light to me. Not to mention how we were given such spectacular and highly intelligent protagonists who were capable of taking absolute control of any situation they were thrown into and overcoming them with outstanding wits and teamwork. Made this drama even more amazing for me.
But!! we must bear in mind that no matter how good something is, It can never be imperfect. This story, in spite of executing most of the scenes in a viewer-friendly manner can never escape some questionable plot holes and glitches that can be found at the most crucial places. The way they dealt with the antagonists felt so wrong... Like you knew it was a bad decision but refused to judge it since you're not even half through the story yet. But as it progresses the more you find your opinions right and reasonable.
After finishing this show, my opinion still stands firm about how Lu Yuan deserves to be the final antagonist. I honestly think that everything went weak and bland right after they've dealt with him. Like he is the truest antagonist there is! so right after he passed away, the other major conflicts on the story has immediately become a child's play. Xie Hao is simply an overconfident official who thought highly of himself by pulling some grand scheme he can never control. While Wang Mian is an old man who's planned on his revenge for more than 2 decades only for it to be trampled right in front of his eyes. No matter how and where I look at it both of these guys just doesn't have it. They have aspiration, will and is bold enough, unfortunately, they're both incapable of pulling it off successfully. And, Oh, Please! Do not let me start with Grand Consort Sun and Shen Leqing! These two deserves to die even before Lu Yuan but they never did and I will never understand why no matter how much anyone try to explain it to me. Cause they may have been useful to create some discords and conflicts but they were never relevant enough to last that long! God, gracious! An utterly bad decision to keep them till the last 10 or so episode of the story.
Lastly, "It's all in the past" is my most hated phrase in this drama. The way they use it as a means to move on from the death of Shen Tingzhang and Shen Zhi gives me so much grief. I know it was wrong to keep yourself caged in the past but I also stand firm that we need to occasionally look back at those events to realize how some people deserves the worst from us.— Never forgive those who're unforgiveable.
P.S. Evil is hard to extinguish. Once an Evil, Always an Evil.
Story - 9.0, Would have given it a 0.5 rating higher only if they gave us a happier ending. I can never accept the fact that they went over tons of clichė plots all throughout the story yet still pull this kind of ending. I have long accepted that they misjudged their plot arrangements and all but I never predicted them to do it once again. Overall, the drama is good. They just tend to eliminate the wrong characters at the wrong time and keep some for longer time for nothing.
Acting/Cast - 9.5, Main CP is good. Although, it took me few episodes to fully absorb their chemistry but right after that it worked out magically. Lu Yuan and Xue Hao have been exemplery all throughout and I've got little to no complain about the side characters. The only thing that probably stood out to me the most is the inconsistency and awkward acting from Herman Li and Deng Ying at times. Specially during the first half of the drama. P.S. Ren Yun Jie is one of my fave character in this drama and hello, there Tian Xi Wei!
Music - 10, I love how it sounded natural and authentic which is very suitable to the time/era the drama's set. + Excellent and I'd say even perfect control and choice of music. I vibed so much on how laid back and comforting it sounded all at the appropriate and accurate moments.
Rewatch Value - 8.0, The overall story is good. Good pacing and character progression but watching it over again will be tough for me. Considering how displeased I am with its ending and the way they eliminate their characters in a wrong time really left a bitter taste in my mouth. I'll forever complain on how they misarranged those events and characters which impacted the story so much. This drama could've honestly been better with proper arrangement and sequencing.
Overall - 9.0, After intensive deliberation and consideration... and even after all my rants and complains. I feel like this drama and production still delivered a good story that can be enjoyed by different types of people. It just that I have my own conclusion and expectation for this story thus it made me feel so many things. All I can say is that bear my words in mind and watch this cautiously with expectation.
IF you find my review helpful please let me know.
The newly married CPs journey to overcome their doubts, worries & insecurities.
Just an early advice to never let the lefthangers at the end of each episode frustrate you because this drama is really good in turning the plot into something light, funny and entertaining. + As much as possible don't take the negative reviews seriously. Just watch and enjoy!
Where to even start? I procrastinated the most watching this drama yet I can't call it bad. It was smooth sailing and simple but I can't claim that it didn't bore me at all. It was a crazy feeling of uncertainties and hesitations whether to like or love it and despite all of my worries, one thing's for sure... and that is, I can never call this bad or even hate it... and let me explain why.
After some deliberation, I can only think of 2 major reasons why I was so frustrated and annoyed of this drama. First is the countless tiring wedding jitters and concerns FL has that lasted for more than 10 episodes which greatly affected my overall mood. Second is the sympathy and consideration 2nd ML has shown to the main antagonist that made the drama unnecessarily longer.
The love-hate emotion I have had for the first 10 episode was insane. I initially love it for their usual lovey-dovey moments only to be interrupted, and later ruined by FLs immature, selfish and foolish issues that will ended up being resolved by the MLs wise and romantic methods. I never thought it would be this crazy. It's like a rollercoaster ride each episode and as time passes by it made me dizzy and exhausted. The Male lead saved me from dropping this show early on, honestly + the fact that I adored them so much during S1.
I was never a fan of showing compassion and sympathy to Villains that's why when the 2nd ML let the main antagonist go, I already knew what's about to come... and I totally hated it. I think its stupid to do it that way cause they just unintentionally revealed what's about to happen even without saying anything, and that ruined the excitement of the story for me. Instantly, it has become an open book... bare and predictable.
Moving to the positive end of the show...
The most important factor I love about this drama is how straightforward, fast moving and uncomplicated the story flow and overall plot is. The main leads got tons of issues and misunderstandings as a newly wedded couple but one thing that surprises me a lot is that they never let an episode end before solving it. It was such a breath of fresh air from the usual overly clichėd idol dramas that will use all possible ridiculous means to make everything worse and dramatic.
Unconditional trust and love from the Main leads. I feel like the main purpose of this story is to show us how strong and impregnable the relationship of the main couple has become. That no matter how huge of an issue or problem anybody throws at them, they'll not—even once! lose their trust and faith to each other. This sequel was created to slap us with the fact that we don't need to worry about the Main leads falling apart because of various problems and misunderstandings cause they simply won't. Like, Never Ever! and this entire S2 is to flex their indestructible love for one another.
Overall peaceful and harmonious set of events. I've got so much to mention but I'll make sure to take my time to enumerate them properly. First, the non-toxic love rivalry and equal exposures of side couples. If all production can just do the way this drama did it, everyone would probably be satisfied. The way they covered every significant character decently and ended the drama without leaving anyone behind felt perfectly satisfying for me. Second goes to not so wicked, even reasonable antagonists and how the Main leads befriend and made peace with them. This is one of the reason why I was never bothered of this drama going downhill... Simply because I know they will never. Onset of the story, this drama already left us an impression and assurance that everything will go accordingly so no need to worry. Just sit back relax and enjoy the show.
Story - 9.0, I would have rated it higher only if they didn't wore out my appetite early on the show. The way they showed the Main CPs unconditional love and understanding for each other is wonderful but also annoying. Specially with how the FL constantly has issues to offer after another is truly exhausting. The rest of the plot is great and I really love the overall message and value this show has for its viewers.
Acting/Cast - 9.0, I was elated to see them keeping the original casts back. The only issue I got is most probably with their overly-cringey acting. I mean, it's understandable cause this is an idol drama. But I felt like they got too comfortable executing their roles and I started feeling vicarious embarassment for them. Don't get me wrong, they acted so well here! but it's just too much for me at times.
Music - 9.0, The opening is really good and I love it! same with the random sound inserts. But it just doesn't make sense to me that they're using such modern funny and comical sounding tunes on a costume drama. I like how they use it but was also flustered to hear them as well.
Rewatch Value - 7.5, Probably not. No matter how good of a story this is overall. I just can't imagine myself watching it again. The amount of time I've spent to finally finish it is enough proof that it would be hard for me to do it again. Ghad, the FLs wedding jitters really ruined it for me.
Overall - 8.5, After thorough deliberation, I feel like this is the best I can give to this drama. Again, the overall story is really good. It exudes positivity, harmony and cringey-adorable love but the way they started it really took a big blow to me. That constant issues the FL has truly made my mood sour and indifferent... thank god they were able to redeem and recover from it very quickly. It was nonetheless a good drama. I recommend everyone to just skip some early parts if you want to avoid those annoying moments.
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Once you entered darkness, there's no turning back... No matter how hard you try.
If I were to sum it all up, this story is all about unconditional love and everything grim, dark and tragic all together. It's like a whole 4 tier cake that's fully-structured by prostitution, molestation, suicide, rape, cheating, murder and violence with same-sex romance as its cherry on top to attract its viewers. It may look interesting, exciting and delicious on the outside but once you take a bite you'll be shock on how awfully bad it actually tastes inside.It was a story of everything sinister and ludicrous intertwined to each other and depicts how multiple acts of such brutal action can result to a continuous, moreso, non-stop set of events that only leads to either tragedy or death.
Closely looking at the narrative, I'd say that they successfully made this story as dark and tragedic as they wanted it to be by mercilessly manipulating each and every piece like a puzzle that will only move in accordance to its players wish and desire.
This movie probably has the greatest facade I've ever watched in a long while. The way they've flawlessly hidden the true agenda of this piece by showing us same-sex love story felt like a whole fraud trick to me. It may seem promising and exciting at first but as it progresses you'll realize that it's starting to go deeper and darker... and by the end, you will be perplexed to know that you're only left with nothing but agony, disappointments, and regrets.
There are only 2 positive points I can clearly see from this movie; First is the familial love Mek has shown to his mother and brother. Second is the unconditional and unrestricted mutual love and affection Itt and Mek have for each other. Aside from these, I can't seem to point out anything else that's considerably good or nice.
Lastly, its ending!! I was so mad and heartbroken. I really thought they'd finally live a more peaceful and happy life after all the tragedy they've been through, yet, this story chose to go all out by giving us nothing but another heartache. They killed Mek like it was part of the plot... Expected to happen to conclude the story and pronounce it 'complete'. Where in fact! It was not! Probably the worst decision ever!
P.S. They really love to do the making out/sex scenes outdoor and I got no complains about that. I even love it a lot. Hahaha!
Story - 7.5, Despite all the negative and dark messages this movie has. I'd still say they executed it quite well and it would've been even better only if it wasn't this problematic!! Still can't move on with the tragic ending ><
Acting/Cast - 9.5, I'm surprisingly satisfied with the leads. Specially with how 'A' look convincing, both appearance and acting wise. Same with 'Tob'. The only problem I've had is with Ying. In some instances her line deliberation felt weak and unstable
Music - 9.5, It's nice to hear early 2000s BGMs once in a while. It felt nostalgic and it truly brought me back to those times. Love the Thai song played too. It smoothly conveys and make you feel the raw emotions they all wanted you to experience and go through.
Rewatch Value - 8.5, Even when it ended tragically. I can still see myself watching it in the future. A year or so probably? For some reason, their bittersweet romance still makes me feel butterflies.
Overall - 8.5, No matter how dark and gloomy the whole vibe of the story, I still can't deny how good the delivery of the entire narrative is. It was foul tasting, traumatic yet kinda addicting. Something I can remember for a long time for sure.
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Goddess of Corpses & All in one Medical Examiner + Great chemistry from the 3 Main Leads!
"If you love her, why did you give her up?" - Xiao Song's FatherWanna start this review by stating how messy and overly manipulated the entire love and romantic scenes of this story. Honestly speaking, the entire 1st half (Love story part) of this drama was such a trash I wish it never existed or they at least made it less chaotic and irritating. I just hated how they seemed to eagerly push 'Xiao Song' to be the ML where it was supposedly 'Su Fu' in the first place. It's weird how it feels like they're forcing another character to the ML role where it is evident that the original script tells us otherwise.
It was a challenge to watch a love story unfold with such obvious heavy manipulations from the script itself. Like you just immediately knew that something is off... unnatural and fabricated— fake! I feel like I developed anxiety from having to bear through those sequences this whole time.
Moving on, I just wanna dig deeper into this drama by enumerating some of the positive and negative aspects I have observed while watching it.
Romance & Love story - Su Fu was in a tough spot for being an assasin and spy but I just can't comprehend why he didn't even try to explain himself when he loved her so much. Like, where's the sense in that? at the end, he just didn't seize his chances to the very extent. While Xiao Song on the other hand got it all wrong from the very beginning. Forcing and controlling someone you 'supposedly like' to work for you, hurt her physically and emotionally, failling to protect and even bring harm to her and more. God knows how disappointing this guy was (yes 'was' cause he gradually improved).
Unrealistic, absurd and problematic scenes - This drama got it all for you. From the Crown Prince and Princess attending a banquet without much entourage. Followed by the overhyped 'Drunken state' reaction they had for the FL so they try so hard to keep her from drinking alcohol only to be disappointed because she just puked a little and got a bit more aggresive in doing her autopsy. Up until her infuriating father who chose to blame and disown her even when things has been cleared up and more. It was... draining.
Fighting scenes are actually good. Lots of angled cuts just to hype the action scenes but they were still able to execute cool and amazing sword, archery and brawl fights.
Crime scenes and Problem solving cases are very detailed, well thought and satisfying. You'll immediately know how much research they did just to make it fit perfectly to whatever crime they're trying to show and achieve. I also appreciate the crime scene visualizations whenever they're investigating a crime. Made it more easy to understand the whole scenario without having to recollect and remember what actually happened in the past events.
Supporting characters were also interesting. I love the BL touch from Bai Yi and Sang Chen. Hahaha~ + The FLs Master and Maid Servant brought so much content to make the whole story more light, funny and enjoyable. Let's just ignore her entire Ran Family members. They were all trash aside from her biological Mother.
P.S. There was a teaser at the end of the last episode for a possible Season 2 and I hope it would never happen. I just had enough! >_<
Story - 9.0, Would've made it higher if not for the disappointing manipulations they did with the 2 Male characters, cause if ruined the 1st half of the show. Thank god they were able to save it. Problem solving is great so does the mind-boggling crime set ups and preparations.
Acting/Cast - 9.0, I'm quite satisfied with the Main Leads specially Tim Pei (Su Fu) because even when he constantly look grim and serious you can clearly feel and see the emotions from his eyes and movements. Jie Qiong (Ran Yan) and Toby Lee (Xiao Song) executed their characters greatly as well and I just love their lovey-dovey-teasing moments a lot. I just wish some of the Supporting and Side character never existed. They ruined the experience for me.
Music - 9.5, At first, I find the music used as typical and ordinary but as time passes by I was able to fully grasp the emotion and truly enjoy each one of them. + They were all played on the right time and perfect moments. I was never bothered by their placement and usage.
Rewatch Value - 7.5, It was good but I just won't rewatch it again. I'm only being nice by giving it this rating because it wasn't bad but i'd rather watch other shows than to rewatch it. Heck! I don't even want the S2 to be produce no matter what.
Overall - 9.0, Problem solving, Crime cases and Fighting scenes were actually great but beyond that just felt forced and completely fabricated. I also hate how they keep on challenging the Main Leads love and trust by constantly trying to make them misunderstand each other. Huh! That was effin' tiring y'all. Would've been nice if they didn't made the love story look so manipulated. It was still a good watch specially for the crime-investigation parts.
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Reputable, Brave & Lovely Main Leads + Severe Polygamy delineation~!
This drama got me so whipped the entire time and put me in quite a few mood swings during its duration.A well planned, produced and written story that will surely touch you in every corner there is. I expected it to be Good but not THIS 'GOOD'. An example of a Solid drama that surpasses the Great tier and should be lined up along the BEST OF BEST!
I've got so much to say but lemme just summarize it to the best way I can cause this will be endless for sure IF i don't limit myself. Hahaha~
×× Things I LIKE and/or Love.
+ The characters are well-versed and truly showcases different views, situations and emotions that are relatable to probably anyone who would watch it.
+ Smart Story and Plot, It feels so surreal to be able to watch such production who's incorporated with proper planning and thinking after a long time. This drama provided it all beyond my expectation and truly nailed it.
+ Refreshing character development and world building. Something that is rarely seen these days due to 'recycling-whats-popular' trend nowadays. A breath of fresh air I must say.
+ The EVER reliable Main Leads who're always there to help nonetheless of the situation and is always ready to take charge and resolve things. Both of them are brave and responsible individials whose sense of responsibilty and understanding is beyond and above the normal/standard.
×× Things I Dislike and/or Hate.
+ Terrible presentation of Polygamy. I always hated the Idea of having more than 1 Wife and this show just infuriated me for doing so.
+ This is more like a compliment but I hate the villains here more than I do to other dramas antagonists I've ever watched.
Story - 10, Story & Plot wise it's top notch. No words needed. A story that is highly and worth recommending to almost everyone. This production won't disappoint one way or another.
Acting/Cast - 10, Oh God! Phenomenal set of Actors. 💯 All of them nailed it and it's really rare for a drama to do that. Their way of executing emotions and reaching out to their viewers is something to take note of. One of a kind.
Music - 10, I honestly didn't focused much on the music side cause I was so engrossed on how the story unfolds but simply base on the BGMs and insert music I've listened to, I can say that it's decent, Good even. No complaints at all
Rewatch Value - 9, For me, It is on the level of 'Nirvana in Fire'. A drama I wouldn't get tired watching of no matter how many times I watch it. It will always has that multiple spark that will glued your eyes on the screen gradually and consistently.
Overall - 10, This shouldn't even be a question at this point. This drama deserves more than what it has achieved. The way it's produced and presented to viewers felt so refreshing and relatively new. I can assure anyone that this drama will never disappoint.
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Extreme and Flawless Deceit with Unpredictable Twists, Turns and Tumbles ~!!
A Masterpiece covered by it's great scheme and some irritating and useless characters.Lemme start my review by praising how Patriotic and Genuinely compassionate Zhang Xiao Jing (Lei Jia Yin) is and despite his shortcomings he's able to pull it through without tainting himself against his own conscience. A well written character, 100% ~!!
Next is how utterly useless Li Bi (Jackson Yee) is and how his Ignorance and obliviousness always gives the people around him so much disadvantage. He's the greatest flaw of this entire story honestly. At the Finale, I was even glad that Xu Bin (Zhao Wei) was the one getting the spotlight. Such a dissapointing character.
The "MVP" of this drama would be Xu Bin (Zhao Wei) like damn, this man hid himself so well and was able to create those extravagant scheme without getting discovered. I don't find him relevant till the last 20+ episodes but he's surely the Most Well Played character in here.
Something I like about this drama is how they're able to squeeze the entire 48 episode into a 24 hours period of time without making it feel dragging and purposedly slow paced. They did great in putting up each pieces into the puzzle one by one.
Although the Ending is totally unclear when it comes to how they end the war of throwns. You can still get a quick glimps of how it actually went through just with them showing the littlest act needed. Nonetheless it was satisfying and absolutely deserving of high praises.
Story - 10, Story can be kinda confusing at first (that's how it usually is watching Period Dramas) but it'll eventually show you how the story goes and will keep you on your seat the entire time. As I mentioned above, the story has the most unexpected twist, turns and tumbles that will surely blow everyones mind. Satisfactory level is 100.
Acting/Cast - 10, This drama is fully-loaded with such great actors. Everyone has performed beyond expectation and was able to highlight their characters in each scenes. The characters made me feel so much and was able to sway me till the last moments and that is only possible because of it's performing actors.
Music - 10, Honestly, IDK. I tend to skip the ending credits because of the excitement to watch the following episodes but the insert songs specially the sorrow sounding ones do provide the color and mood to the scenes. Still a perfect 10 since it never bothers me.
Rewatch Value - 10, This is such a masterpiece that I would recommend to anybody who love such genres of drama. A Great and Must watch!!
Overall - 10, Despite my negative feedback towards some characters, It won't hide the fact that the story is well written, with high budget, A+ acting and satisfying production and overall display. So I would never take away it's well deserved acknowledgement and praises.
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The most Ridiculously Comical C-Drama I have ever encountered so far~!
Fiction Guo look exactly like Dong Sicheng! I Cannot~!! I was giggling while extremely engrosed the entire time he's on screen. #WhippedThis drama defies the natural expectation of human itself. The contradictions in this drama is too strong that it might frustrate and drive you insane!
Even the 'supposed' romantic scenes were made to be funny and that's one of the selling point of this drama. Each episode will surely irritate, frustrate and make you laugh all the time. Oh Gosh!
This as an entirety is extremely light-hearted and easy to watch; Some of the problems I have with it is the lack of actual 'proper' story development and some of the characters being so hilarious that I feel like their purpose wasn't accomplished in any shape or form. Lol~
Story - 9, I would still consider it a good drama despite the fact that it has no clear story development. Atleast all the additional elements they added made it extra fun and unexpectedly entertaining to watch.
Acting/Cast - 10, I don't even find the acting here judge-able. For me it is more of them enjoying and having fun by themselves. One thing I MUST highlight is how FICTION GUO made me insane with his resemblance to Dong Sicheng! I'll definitely watch more of his works.
Music - 10, The song placements is hella entertaining. The opening even sounded like a theme song for Gag Shows. Hahaha~!!
Rewatch Value - 8, Not something I would watch sooner. Probably after 2-3 years? It has it's own value and I enjoyed it. It's just that I have my own preferences for dramas as well. But it's really good.
Overall - 9, I want to give it an 8.5 but I don't feel comfortable rating it that way because it did entertain and made laugh each single episode. Mad respect to it's Producer, writer and all the staffs behind this production. Made me feel weird yet satisfied.
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Exceptional plot twist and mouth gaping story~!!
Spoiler!! Be ready for Wu Lei, He'll be coming at you HARD!!I don't even know where to start! This drama has brought me so much amazement that made me reassess my hopes and expectation in every climatic scenes cause they never go the way I thought it would be; It made me realize how dumb I am. Hahaha
It's a story that is smartly created and is placed accordingly without any loop holes. I'm not that keen but I can usually see through plot holes and such however this drama really is a cut above the rest. Hands down to that! My compliments and respect to the author/writer of this drama.
Another thing I notice is how abundant the budget is. This is a drama that thought me how big of a difference there is between Well Funded and Greatly Funded projects. This drama surely SPENT so much. From the costume, the location, the # of people, the horses and all other stuff. Just Wow!
ONE FACTOR that must be praise no matter what is its Meticulous tactics and planning. I love guessing of what might happen next but I just never got it right. Really, It always goes the opposite way of how i thoihjt it would and that is a Great Indication of an outstanding piece. Deserved every high praises!
Story - 10, I have high praises and mad respect to this story and it's writer. It's almost 1 in a million chance that I get to encounter such a great piece in this oversaturated dramaland.
Acting/Cast - 10, Do I even need to tell? Main Leads are Phenomenal so does the 2nd Leads and other actors. Everyone is well-versed with their characters. You'll know they're professional when you see the fire and concentration on their eyes. It's different to how "experienced actors" look like; they're certainly on that PRO LEVEL.
Music - 10, I appreciate how the music compliments the scenes and story. It never bothered me instead soothed me and highlighted the emotions the actors are sending/relaying when the music plays in each scene.
Rewatch Value - 10, No doubt that this is a great drama which deserves all the views it can accomodate! I will surely rewatch it IF I feel the need to watch a drama that's above the usual cliche storyline.
Overall - 10, I would be to ashamed not to give it a Perfect score! It deserved all the love and support. EXCELLENT & PHENOMENAL!!
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Soooooo Underwhelming~!!!!
I watched this as the 2nd installment of CITT and it destroyed my palate and expectation of this whole series.I'm the type of person who loves to seek through people's review before watching any dramas cause I don't wanna waste time yet still gave this one a chance since it's part of the series and I believe that thriller-action dramas can never go wrong; but TWG proved me wrong. This drama made me so furious and disappointed countless of times and almost let me drop it halfway.
Story is too JUMPY for no reason and is somewhat confusing. Female leads are useless but was able to survive nonetheless even the 2nd male lead is a liability. Terrible.
Story - 6.5, I'm honestly still being too kind for giving this a 6.5. IF i happen to drop it halfway It would've been 5. The action and fighting scenes somehow save it for me. Even when they're mostly average as well.
Actors - 8, The actors did deliver. It's just that their characters lack purposes and is heavily shouldered by the Main Lead.
Music - 6.5, I'm too infuriated to even notice and appreciate. Music could've easily pass the mark but this drama failed to do so.
Rewatch - 5, I wanted to give it a lower rating cause i definitely won't watch it again but i'm keeping it at 5 since I was able to get through the story while bearing so much. But I WILL NEVER EVERR~!!
Overall - 6.5, I supposedly wanna give it a 7 but I felt like it's way too high so I reduced a "0.5" points. It's horrendous but is bearable.
Please let me know IF you find my review helpful.
Adorable & Naughty Father-Son Relationship. + Full of Cute & Interesting Character Interactions~!!
Where do people even get the hate for this drama to start with?...Reading through reactions and commentaries can really be interesting before starting a drama. Yes, it may provide spoilers/teasers but it also encourages me to watch the drama to prove it wrong and to make counter argument about it. Well... Most of the time it works but I guess not this time?
At first, I was so curious about the hate the FL's getting from some of the reviews I've red but after completing the drama, I just understand it wholeheartedly and can't disagree about all the hate and disappointments they have for the FL. The FL as a Mother just felt too impulsive and proud to the point where I find it really irritating. It does improve gradually though, just make sure to keep an open mind about her character and soon enough you'll probably realize that her character was simply written that way for a reason.
Another thing is the unnecessary and unused characters. I mean, I understand that stories need some background characters to support the entire context but the supposed 'Support Characters' just felt so unused and was only kept there as display to make the drama look good in some ways.
Also, I just wanna highlight how the final 2 episode felt so rushed and squished in. They could've removed or even shorten lots of irrelevant scenes to make the important ones more detailed but they just did not and that's the biggest dissatisfaction I have for this piece I must say. There was even a point where I asked myself "Why?~!! Why the hell did they do it like this? Like it was compressed just to include every single thing before they finally end it?"... That was really frustrating for me, thank god it still ended decently.
In contrary of my commentary so far. I would like to change it a little bit by praising how the drama stowed away from the super cliché and unbearable plot twist by keeping the ridiculousness below minimum and keeping the spark going without ruining the whole story. I guess the 'one thing' that made me satisfied about this drama is that they kept its original flow and didn't attempt to add anything unfamiliar that may ruin the story itself.
In conclusion, this drama's still good and I must say 'far' from the bad reviews people gave it so far. Anyone should give it a watch and have fun.
Story - 9.0, Overall story is decent. It may not be exemplery but it is really good considering how they managed to keep it going without ruining anything. Just watch out for some tasteless scenes that are usually present in any dramas.
Acting/Cast - 9.5, Acting wise, I guess It's beyond average? specially with Main Leads and Main Supporting roles. But I must admit that some of the Minor Supporting Actors felt lacking with their acting and some just lack lines and true purposes. P.S. I must agree that any drama with Liu Xue Yi in it is always Good~!!
Music - 9.5, Music are decent. Honestly, the website I watched this drama in muted some of the scenes so I wasn't really able to fully appreciate the music. But so far with the BGMs inserts I've heard, most of them fits the scenes and doesn't really felt off in anyway.
Rewatch Value - 9.0, It was Fine. Nothing rewatcheable about it in particular but I guess some viewers may find it differently compared to how I originally feel about this.
Overall - 9.0, In consideration of how they wrapped and concluded this drama, I feel like this rating is very reasonable already. It didn't highly satisfy me but it didn't disappoint me neither. It was a fine drama that has decent storytelling and good acting. I would still recommend it, specially to Liu Xue Yi's fans.
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Sensual, Lustful and Arousing Making out scenes from the Main Leads~
Okay! come on, calm down. Lol~ I know some people might be weird-ed out by my Drama Highlight but when I think of something that left the most impact on me watching this drama I got nothing except for Yang Mi & Mark Chao's kissing and Making out scenes. Hahaha~For someone who've watched tons of dramas with such heated scenes I must say that the way they deliver and execute them is by far the most utterly jaw-dropping and drooling among all. They exude the passion, devotion and very intense emotion that can make you feel differently. Hahaha~
P.S. I finished watching this drama 1 week before I complete the entire series. Hahaha~ So, apparently I was so busy with work that I can't watch the whole show in one go, so I ended up spoiling myself by fast forwarding, Jumping and Leaping through its scenes episode per episode on Youtube. So I watched this drama completely spoiled and aware of what's to come. The very first drama I felt impatient about. HIHI~
Anyways, let's move on and discuss some other things I love and some other stuff I felt like the production felt short of.
→ Likes...
×× Probably the way they kept Yang Mi's character look and feel proud and regal 80% of the time. The way her character was created is something that I love. Whenever Sujin tries to harm her and way she retaliate always satisfies the real-b*tch out of me. Like "Yes Girl feed her with humiliation" Hahaha~
×× Next is the side characters/couples. This drama just made sure that it is giving justice to almost anyone they start a story with. Most specially with how Zi Lan and Yan Zhi's story ended. It is really heartbreaking and saddening but that only shows how much the producer tries his/her best to end the other relationships they built to make sure that nothing is left hanging even after the drama ends.
×× Oh God, Here we are!! Zhe Yan && Bai Zhen's subtle Bromance, Kyahh! Aside from the Main Couple their cute-sweet-tiny moments gave me so much joy whenever they appear on screen. They're like an old couple who silently takes good care and pamper each other most of the time. I hoped to get more from them. T.T
→ Dislikes...
×× This is tough but I gotta say that the first half of the drama kinda bored me out. I felt like most of the early stuff could've been shortened and it would be more perfect. 58 Episodes is really a lot but it's all worth it. However I felt like they could've used some of the unnecessary fillers to give us Bai Qian && Ye Hua's story enjoying their time with A-Li. They really felt short in showcasing that cute and wonderful child.
×× Next is some questionable plot materials that felt odd & ridiculous. First is Ye Hua's custom-made prosthetic arm that shouldn't be useful but right after his Heavenly Trial in Mortal Realm he was able to use it instantly and even utilized it in fighting the Former Ghost Lord. Like, common! Second is how the Soul-gathering-lamp was broken after Bai Qian threw it. I mean, I know she's a High God but that thing is supposedly an old artifact that should've been sturdy and magical... So how? Third is the power scaling... Being on that position of High God means that you got prestige and insane power, right? yet most of Bai Qian's fighting scenes is simply lacking and unimpressive. I don't wanna pick on this but it just stood out like a sore-thumb and it truly bothered me.
×× Finally! The fight scenes in general. It was so underwhelming and unimpressive to the point where I'm quetioning how come how are they defeating their opponents with such slow and pathetic movements. This is one of the areas where this drama left a huge hole for me and made me quite disappointed.
Story - 9.5, I went through so much contemplation and consideration before giving this rating cause the drama is certainly not perfect but I felt like most of the things I find underwhelming about it doesn't necessarily affected the story in a bad way and I felt like although some of them do affects my mood while watching the drama I just can't discredit it for how well-made the main story is. It was still a brilliant plot that gave us so much character development and story progression.
Acting/Cast - 10, Definitely! I must say that they got one of the FINEST among the C-dramas I've watched so far. The artists in this drama are magnificent in their role and I never felt bothered by anyone's acting even one bit. Even the side and extra's felt so damn good. The set of artists casted in this production is really remarkable.
Music - 9.5, The Music started as SO-SO during the first half of the drama but eventually redeemed itself towards the latter half. Although I find 50% of this dramas BGMs as flat and unimpactful they were still decent and never affected my mood in a bad way.
Rewatch Value - 9.5, I would Probably skip some of the scenes on episode 10-20 but I'll still surely watch it nonetheless. This drama gave me so much emotion and feels watching it. A drama that gets better and better as you watch it.
Overall - 9.5, Considering the things I felt underwhelmed about... I feel like this is the perfect score I can give to this production as a whole. This drama is truly impressive specially with its story progression and its highlight scenes but I can never overlook some of its flaws that made me a little bored and dissatisfied. Overall A Great drama that depicted Passionate True Love even after several misfortunes and challenges.
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The most Scarred Female Heroin ever && 2nd CP nearly robbed the show~!
Definitely a Must Watch!Although this drama is not perfect and has its own confusing flow, it surely catered and entertained me all throughout.
Main Flaw - What made it confusing is the fact that the change of reign were mostly off-screened and not all of the characters who were given a title actually appeared on the drama. For example, Prince Qi was never on screen and it took me so much research when the hell did he appeared and what he has done so far for me to know him. Same with how Li Shimin was just a Crown Prince then episodes after he's already the Emperor. Like, How? Where? When? It's very confusing to the point that you'll have to do your research to actually understand what's happening (Because they never explain it properly in the beginning).
Also, I felt so bad for Li Changge/Princess Yongning. It feels like she was there to be hit every episode and most of them are major injuries! Like who the hell survives that? Most of her wound were on her upper body and it made me wonder how did she made it till the end. 😅 Her Stubborness at one point irritated me but I guess this is just how the story goes and those events were necessary for her character growth. At the end, it has proven its worth as she's able to realized her aspirations and was able to free herself from revenge and grudges.
The Sceen stealer of the show!! The greatest CP of all Princess YongAn and Hao Du. Their character development was insane. I started this drama hating on Le Yan for being fragile, weak and a cry baby & Hao Du for being ruthless and unreasonable. But they turned out to be the Dark Horse of this drama. When everything's going north and south, their Couple Scenes stole the viewers interest and they succeeded in literally owning half of the show.
Story - 9.5, IF not only for it's confusing changes of reign this drama is easily a 10 even considering the plot holes and such. Nonetheless, It is a great watch and I truly enjoyed it.
Acting/Cast - 10, Top notched! I mean, Dilraba + Wu Lei + Zhao Lusi is already an all kill for me then they even added Liu YuNing and Alen Fang (Although his character's kind pathetic lol). I only got praises for the actors/actress because they all nailed it. I just wish they didn't use the Kissing Birds for Dilraba and Wu Lei's kissing scenes... Such a waste...
Music - 10, Epic! I love all of it's Soundtracks & BGMs. Like I always says "Ballad will never go wrong". Eargasm and very soothing.
Rewatch Value - 10, IF given a chance I would definitely watch it again and will recommend it to anybody who got interest to such genres. An enjoyable piece.
Overall - 10, despite the plot holes it is an easy 10. No arguments needed. This show just served its purpose and that is to give great entertainment to its viewers. It is indeed a good show to watch.
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