PeachBlossomGoddess

The Return of the King.

After closing Season 1 on a high note, the much anticipated Season 2 of Lost You Forever opens with an air of looming inevitability. The focus shifts from Xiaoyao to Cangxuan as the main plot is built around the return of the king who is meant to unite Dahuang. This also portends the end of the long stalemate between Xiyan and the Chenrong remnants. This kind of endgame puts all of the main characters at crossroads with difficult, heart wrenching choices to make.

Season 2 has not been as well received as Season 1 and the bulk of the disappointment is around how unlike Season 1, Season 2 deviates from the novel on a few fronts. I didn't read the novel so I can only evaluate the drama on its own merits. From my perspective, the season's biggest weakness is that the plot arcs leave a rushed, condensed impression. This shouldn't be a surprise as topics involving conquering harmless neighbouring states and glorifying rebels don't fare well with Chinese censors. I also had to scoff at the idea of a war with no civilian casualties; if this were a plot driven story I would be quite disappointed.

But Lost You Forever is predominantly a character story and on that front, the character arcs deliver in spades. Even though many characters make choices that are not relatable, they are not meant to be. Novelist Tong Hua designed the characters for both the prequel novel Once Promised and Lost You Forever based of mythical creatures from Shānhǎijīng/山海经, The Classic of Mountains and Seas. This is an ancient Chinese geographic compilation of mythical monsters and magical creatures; kind of like Hogwart's Monster Book of Monsters. This story is set at the beginning of time, after Pangu and Nuwa created the world. Xiangliu is a mythical beast, a venomous nine-headed snake monster loyal to water deity Gonggong. Cangxuan and Xiaoyao's grandfather the Xiyan King is none other than Huangdi/黃帝, the legendary Yellow Emperor. They are early immortals, directly descended from primordial gods whose footprints can still be found in the shape of the mountains and seas. They live for an unfathomably long time; until their obsessions eventually get the better of them. This explains Cangxuan's darkening and Xiaoyao's overpowering fear of loneliness and abandonment.

Even though this story broke my heart, all of the important characters are true to themselves and fulfil their destiny. I did not always agree with or like their decisions but the storytelling is elevated by phenomenal acting that compelled me to understand their choices and accept that their decisions made sense for them. My only disappointment with the season is that plot-wise it sagged and is not strong enough for me to raise my rating for the drama overall to a 9.5/10.0. It is nonetheless an immersive, heart-rending and dark enchanted fairytale about flawed but unforgettable characters who are trapped by destiny. I rate both the second season and the adaptation in its entirety 9.0/10.0. Watch it but guard your heart and do not grieve too hard for them because their fates are to a large extent predestined.



SPOILER WARNING

The rest of this review does not avoid spoilers and is best read after you have finished watching this drama in its entirety.


I may be in the minority but even though I almost drowned myself in wine, I think the ending is perfect and fitting. Xiaoyao is a flawed and broken character that regresses as the narrative advances. Her strongest, happiest, moments were in Qingshui Town, when she lived among mortals as Wen Xiaoliu. The only thing she lacked was a companion. When Ye Shiqi, another lost immortal came along, her life was complete. Even though Tushan Jing is a weak character that let Xiaoyao down repeatedly, he is kind and when it mattered, he was willing to be Ye Shiqi again so that she could be Wen Xiaoliu again. He was the safe choice and the only choice Xiaoyao was capable of making. Even though I will never like it, I understand it and I can live with it. The best, most magical arc was always the Qingshui Town arc so the drama closes there, in a full circle.

Cangxuan is also a damaged and abandoned character whose his mother chose to die with his father over living for him. Thus Xiaoyao and Cangxuan share a deep and complex bond that goes beyond their childhood oath. From the get go, the way they deal with their shared trauma put them on forever opposite paths; he chose to be invincible while she chose to be invisible. Xiaoyao only reclaims her identity and returns to the perilous world that cost her everything because of her promise to Cangxuan. She faces her demons, relives the worst days of her life and puts herself in harm's way to be his pawn; the princess bride that paves his way to the throne. She never looks happy or carefree again after she becomes Xiaoyao.

The great irony in their story is that Cangxuan seeks power to protect Xiaoyao but once he attains power, he becomes the greatest threat to her. He is Xiaoyao's hero that lived long enough to see himself become a villain. Had Cangxuan given in to his worst instincts, it would have been unforgivable and it would have destroyed them both. I am relieved the drama only showed us what would have happened and then walked him back from the brink. Cangxuan did many regrettable things along the way, which he describes as 遗憾/yíhàn and not 后悔/hòuhuǐ. This means he did what he had to do; that he did not really have free will. The turning point in his character is when he admits there was one pivotal moment he regrets (后悔/hòuhuǐ); when he should have chosen Xiaoyao but he chose the throne instead. But even after he owns his choices, I feel a frisson of fear at his disarming smile that is belied by the dark longing expression in his eyes. Xiaoyao will never be truly safe from him so Xiling Jiuyao disappears among those who die collecting and documenting rare herbs throughout Dahuang.

A'Nian is the best character in this story. She is the spoiled but brave and true Haoling princess who grew up with the security of a loving family and her beloved Cangxuan gege. She is who Xiaoyao should have been and she is living Xiaoyao's best life. She dares to put herself out there, to take risk in love without needing to be loved in return. I hope one day Cangxuan understands that Xiaoyao did choose him; that her name is A'Nian.

As for Xiangliu, he understood Xiaoyao best and loved her most selflessly. But by the time they met, he had long ago pledged all nine lives to his lost cause. After leading so many men to fight to the death, it is not clear Xiangliu could have just walked away even if Xiaoyao asked him to. It would have been a risky, reckless and consequential path for both of them; the story of Chi Chen and Xiling Heng could repeat itself. Xiangliu and Xiaoyao waited for each other to cross the line for a very long time; far longer than Xiaoyao waited for Tushan Jing. But the inescapable truth is after everything she went through, Xiaoyao is too broken. As the consequence of two people who loved recklessly; she could only choose to be loved. Xiangliu is himself not free either so he accepts this. For him their brief entanglement had to be enough. If Xiaoyao had been A'Nian, she would have dared to choose him except his path would have never crossed with that A'Nian, only Xiaoyao. They were just never meant to be. And so Xiangliu frees her from missing him forever and leaves her with someone to rely on and go home to. Even though she will never be burdened by knowing the full extent of everything he did for her, Xiaoyao grieved deeply for Xiangliu. To me, her silent, helpless adult tears were far worse than the way she child ugly cried for her parents. I do wish he had left her the real Chubby but I guess it was not possible since Chubby would have gobbled up Tushan Jiing and spat out his entrails.

Even though both Zhang Wanyi and Yang Zi deliver outstanding and compelling performances, Tan Jianci's portrayal of Xiang Liu is simply iconic. I can't remember when I was last so mesmerized by a character. Even though it shattered me, Xiangliu fulfils his destiny in an epic, climatic ending that is what legends are made of. According to Shānhǎijīng, Xiangliu left behind a patch of earth so toxic that nothing grew or lived there again. I know book readers are not satisfied with the ending but for me it is an incredibly sad but beautiful and fitting way to end a story about love that is not a love story. My only regret is I didn't get to see Xiaoyao shoot Xinyue in the heart. I mean to make time to read both the prequel and the novel so I won't spoil myself the book ending. But if it is at least this good, then I love it already.




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Beware of false prophets.

Ever Night is an epic fantasy adventure hit set in a mystical, ancient world where the balance of power between rival kingdoms is maintained with the aid of powerful warlords and cultivator sects. The vivid stunning palette is infused with an ominous sense of dark prophecy. The soothsayers warn that the child of darkness will bring an ice age or ever night and chaos to the world.

The main protagonist Ning Que makes an thrilling debut as a lethal, almost ferally vicious warrior in a ferocious, spectacular desert ambush. This opening sets the tone for some of the most exhilarating and well choreographed fight scenes that Chinese drama has to offer. The drama is visually spectacular and delivers on the hype on many fronts, especially in terms of its movie quality production values. The sweeping breadth of the story can be overwhelming in the sheer number of characters representing different kingdoms and sects that makes the story appear more complicated than it really is. This is really the story of Ning Que (and by extension Sang Sang's) quest for revenge that sets him on an epic journey to become one of the strongest cultivators in Haotian.

Ning Que is an anti-hero. He is ruthless, cunning, manipulative and can be quite dishonourable. While at at times Chen Feiyu's acting could do with some polishing, he is superbly cast as Ning Que. He emanates that simmering resentment and burning thirst for vengeance that propels Ning Que to prevail against overwhelming odds and superior foes. With his lithe powerful build, his combat scenes are bloodthirsty and violent and his facial expressions are vicious, almost feral. Ning Que's arch-rival the glorious Prince Longqing is an interesting mirror character on a parallel path that makes different choices at important milestones along the way. What is quite remarkable about this story is there are no outright villains. The world they exist in is cruel and fraught with peril and conflict among competing interests. Thus both the antagonists and protagonists have to do ruthless, even terrible things to survive.

Unlike others, I am not troubled by the relationship between Sang Sang and Ning Que. They have no blood ties, they are simply found family and have a complex and multi-layered relationship that is likely predestined. In fact, I think it is inevitable where the relationship must go. As much as I enjoy their undeniable chemistry and clear bond immensely, to me the real issue is that Chen Feiyu and Song Yiren should never be cast together in a romantic capacity. Chen Feiyu is exceptionally tall and Song Yiren is exceptionally petite. Her youthful features and small size makes her look like a child next to him. This visual imprint is so strong it is practically impossible to imagine them as a couple. Their relationship in Season 1 remains platonic and is not troubling but it is a good thing that Wang Hedi replaces Chen Feiyu as Ning Que for Season 2.

In terms of storytelling, there are issues with pacing and the breadth and depth of the character and world building is perhaps overly ambitious in scale. Even though I love how there are different schools of cultivation and cultivators are able to gain immense power via different theologies and practices, I find the excessive pontification and philosophical discourses mind numbingly boring. That said, I appreciate the ultimate irony of how many powerful cultivators are ruled by superstition and fear of ever night or the child of darkness. While the worthy ruler and the true wise men know to beware of false prophets. The political arcs are not that interesting and Princess Li Yu and her brother don't add to the plot. They just take up space and despite all the screen time, this and several other sub plots like the inner politics of the West Shrine and Yan State go absolutely nowhere. Obviously this lays the back story for multiple (?) seasons but unfortunately none of these sub plots and characters are interesting enough to make me want know what happens to them.

Despite the digressions and morass in the middle, the drama builds towards a very strong ending. I was truly moved by Ning Que's speech when he finally confronts his family's killer and I was really impressed by Chen Yufei's acting in that moment. "Why does it always have to be a prince?" is one of the best, most memorable lines from this show. The build up in tension, that sense of dread and hope into the ending confrontation is superb. The final fight scene is epic, full of surprises, utterly savage, desperate, exhilarating. It was everything I didn't even know I was craving for. Even the CGI is amazing.

I thoroughly enjoyed many aspects of this heroic saga and I am happy to recommend this as a not to be missed drama for action and adventure buffs. But unfortunately there are many parts of it that I did not enjoy and I feel strongly that the production over indulged in laying the backstory for many subplots that only play out in subsequent seasons. I am going to go with an 8.5 because the production values and fight scenes are exceptional. Going purely on storytelling alone however, this is at best an 8.0.

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Buns of Steel.

Blossoms in Adversity / Xī Huā Zhǐ/惜花芷 is the story of superwoman Hua Zhi's feel-good romp through feudal China. When Imperial Censor Hua dares to criticize the monarch, he is exiled along with all the men in his family. A bevy of helpless women and young children are left to fend for themselves. Hua Zhi takes charge and rallies the women together to triumph against overwhelming odds. When she flexes her buns of steel, no feat is beyond Hua Zhi! She parleys a candied hawthorn business into a pastry and restaurant empire, picks up stray royal children, foils a few palace plots, build schools and a canal, rescues the Hua family men and even manages to find time to fall in love! All in the space of a 2-3 years!!! Phew! Even superwoman would surely stagger from sheer exhaustion!

This narrative paints a distressing picture of how oppressive life was for women in hierarchical ancient Chinese patriarchal society. The best part of this drama is how in order to survive, the women defy social conventions, set aside petty differences, learn to trust each other and work together towards shared goals. While the sheer scale of their financial and other achievements are preposterous, there is something very cathartic and satisfying about how flamboyantly they flourish. The storytelling is squarely centered on Hua Zhi and speeds through many of the supporting character arcs, leaving their motivations and struggles under-developed. This is a pity because family dramas like this are most compelling when important supporting characters are given enough agency to be the main characters of their own arcs.

This is one of those dramas that is best enjoyed superficially and with heavy suspension of disbelief. Upon closer scrutiny, the overarching empowerment theme is contradicted by some of the sub-plots. I was disturbed by the different treatment of domestic abuse in Hua Jing and Hua Xian's case. But what I disliked most was what happens to Hua Rong and her child. It is as if she learned nothing from her family's struggles about resilience in the face of adversity. There are a few poorly developed sub-plots like this that the writers raced through without thinking carefully about the messaging.

As much as I like Zhang Jingyi, this is not her best role. Her interpretation of Hua Zhi is too perfect, too calm, too understanding and too reasonable. This has led to many Mary Sue comments about the character. But Hua Zhi is actually written to have many flaws - she can be over confident, she cannot mind her own business, she is reckless and like her grandfather, she cannot hold her tongue. In the canal arc, she is the architect of her own downfall but because everyone unites around her, she never suffers any consequences for her actions. This character has too much plot armor and is already so smart and capable that she shows virtually no growth from beginning to end.

Hua Zhi's relationship with Gu Yanxi is similarly whitewashed to the extent that it appears too ideal to be true; it lacks passion, conflict and intensity. Hua Zhi lets Gu Yanxi off too easily for deceiving her in the beginning when any normal person would be at least a little bit angry at him. She also never communicates any discomfort with his role at the Security Bureau; indeed she seems quite happy to use his authority there to serve her purposes. Thus, it came as much as a surprise to me as it must have to Yanxi that it could be a deal breaker for her! So much for their so called mature, open and communicative relationship! I don't know why young actors like to make their characters so perfect all the time and have such a hard time embracing more complex but perfectly natural human relationship dynamics and emotions.

Hu Yitian delivers a more nuanced portrayal of Gu Yanxi as the emperor's sharpest knife. His fight scenes are phenomenal and he is menacing and ruthless as the commander. He shows us he is a different person; more open, at ease and happier when he is with Hua Zhi. While this is one of Hu Yitian's better roles to date, he shies away from showing us the true extent of his affection for the emperor and his inner conflict. This is a missed opportunity because Hai Yitian delivers a compelling portrayal of the lonely, paranoid and manipulative emperor. Because Hu Yitian's portrayal of Gu Yanxi does not meet him halfway, the emperor's affection for his nephew comes across as borderline obsessive and a lot more one sided than it really is.

Even though it seems her character Shaoyao is dumbed down from the novel, Lu Yuxiao is once again a scene stealer in this drama. This kind of beguilingly innocent, simple minded savant kind of character is extremely difficult to portray well but Lu Yuxiao pulls it off brilliantly. She doesn't get enough screen time to steal the show but I was more invested in her character than I was in Hua Zhi who is too perfect to be relatable.

The ending of this drama really cracked me up. It is one of the few times that the villain actually saves the day by doing what Hua Zhi and Gu Yanxi could never have done. Although it is also possible that Gu Yanxi learned his lesson not to look for needles in hair stacks and had the good sense to show up a just a tad late at the ceremony. Despite some flaws, this is a very appealing feel-good drama for those seeking light entertainment. My rating 8/10.

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One that loved not wisely but too well.

Once upon a time in Beili, there lived a woman who was simply too beautiful 倾国倾城/qīng guó qīngchéng; she could fell a city with one look and fell a kingdom with a second look. This kind of woman is a menace to mankind that can only be locked out of sight in a gilded cage. This is the cautionary tale of a brave man, one that loved not wisely but too well who dared to set her free. And his one true friend who tried to help him do the right thing.

Dashing Youth 少年白马醉春风 or Young White Horse Drunk in the Spring Breeze is the highly anticipated prequel to 2022's dark horse hit high fantasy martial arts drama The Blood of Youth 少年哥行. Like its predecessor, it is a youthful coming of age story about friendship, adventure and the spirited idealism of youth. Even though Baili Dongjun is the titular character, it is equally his best friend Ye Yun's villain origin story. They are parallel characters; both innate martial artists and scions of the Beili empire's founding families. As boys, they vowed to storm the martial world together when they grew up; Yun as the Sword Deity and Dongjun as the Liquor Deity. After the Ye family's downfall, they are destined to go down opposite paths. Dongjun lives a charmed life; making a name for himself as Li Changsheng's final disciple at the prestigious Jixia Academy; surrounded by new friends like Sikong Changfeng and Beili's Eight Talented Gentlemen. He reunites briefly with Ye Yun, who now calls himself Ye Dingzhi. In sharp contrast, Ye Dingzhi's path is a lonely one, full of obstacles, inequities, betrayals and brief snatches of happiness.

At its core, this is quite a straightforward story that is cluttered in the storytelling. There are too many digressions into the Who's Who of the martial world and and its pretentious rankings. While the fan service is terrific, such a dazzling array of too hot to handle swordsmen put my exploding ovaries in danger of apoplexy. The surfeit of hot filler characters with shallow side stories distract from the main arcs. For all their fancy swords and pompous rankings, all we see are a few showy poses and twirls before the CGI takes over and screen explodes in a gory orgy of light and digital creatures. While the CGI is well done, it is a big let-down not to see a few well choreographed live action fight sequences.

I was happy to see Hou Minghao dub himself as Baili Dongjun. It makes a big difference in how the character comes to life. While his acting is still a work in progress, he plays a character he can relate to and it shows. Ye Dingzhi is a more complex and intense role, one that He Yu pulls off charismatically. Even though he does questionable things, I empathized with him every step of the way. It would have been nice to see more of Xia Zhiguang's Sikong Changfeng. The humor and camaraderie between all the dashing youths is one of the drama's highlights. Even though the romances are not convincingly written or well developed, I liked all of the couples enough to root for them. The role of Yi Wenjun should have been more sympathetically portrayed instead of just as helpless, selfish and willful. The lovely Ye Yao is only Dongjun's muse, her character doesn't get to do much.

The irreverent Li Changsheng/Nangong Chunshui is the funniest, best acted and most engaging character in this story. Even though his arcs don't tie well with the main plot, the narrative visibly sags after his exit. His parting words to his disciples 凭心而动/píng xīn ér dòng or "act according to your heart" captures the spirit and idealism of youth that is Dongjun's lifelong mantra; one that years later, he passes on to his disciple Tang Lian. He helps Dingzhi steal the bride because Wenjun was not willing and therefor it is wrong to force her. It is the simple, absolute truth that trumps the cynical calculations driven by politics and expedience. He never wavers from this belief. It is true that Wenjun is a selfish, weak and dislikable character who makes terrible decisions with devastating consequences. But she was still wronged in the first place. Thus like Dongjun, I understood, even tried to empathize with her until she was too easily manipulated into returning to Tianqi. That was not only a stupid decision, it showed that she simply did not trust and love Dingzhi enough to wait for him. Poor Dingzhi, he never got any breaks. Even the love of his life failed him at the end. Through sick and sin, it was always and only Dongjun who remained his one true friend.

There is little new in the political plot that wasn't revealed in dialogue and flashbacks in TBOY. Which would be fine if they fleshed out the character stories and the succession struggle instead. But those are dealt with cursorily with Ruojin left as a blank cartoon character and the relationship between the brothers not explored. TBOY romanticizes Prince Langya as a tragic hero, the noble uncrowned king of Beili. In this prequel, he is the character that disappointed me most. He tore up his father's will out of misplaced loyalty and his own selfish desire to live an unrestrained life. He never made the case for why Ruojin was more worthy, supported him unconditionally and in the case of Wenjun, enabled him even though he knew it was wrong. There was never a so called greater good or do or die reason why Wenjun had to marry Ruojin, it was simply a matter of imperial privilege and entitlement. They could have escaped with his help and everything could have been so different. But I don't hold him solely responsible; there were so many malign forces at play and bad decisions that there is plenty of blame to go around.

The ending to this story leaves that bitter after taste that the bad guys won. It makes too convincing a case that a too beautiful woman who can topple kingdoms must be safely locked out of sight so she can do no harm. Both Wenjun and Dingzhi paid a high price for their mistakes but too many people who pushed Dingzhi down the dark path got off unscathed. In the novel, Dongjun has an epiphany about his own dào/道 or convictions in the middle of his fight with Dingzhi. He switches sides and punches the daylights out of the emperor instead. He scolds him: "She does not like you, why force her to marry you? She has escaped and is living a happy life, why lock her up again? You are the emperor with a harem of 3000. My brother only loves one person. Live and let live. Learn from your brother, he can even let you have the throne, why can't you let my brother have one wife?" Even though it changed nothing it was something that had to be said. Without this scene, Ruojin is never called out or held accountable for his role in starting a war over a woman. Instead it is Dingzhi who is destroyed and villainized for trying to hold on to a grass hut in a tiny corner of the world where he was happy. It is very hard to feel good about a story that ends like this.

This messy and disappointing prequel was in some ways limited by what was already canon in TBOY but still could have been better on multiple fronts, Nonetheless it is a chock full of eye candy and a fun watch if you don't look too hard at it and ignore the inconsistencies with TBOY. Even though this is a critical review I enjoyed the drama. I am just mad because it had the potential to be almost as good as TBOY. But it wasn't and so I can only rate this 8/10. I am still happy to recommend it , especially if you loved TBOY. If you liked Wuxin before, you will love him more after knowing his parent's story.

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The cook, the eunuch and the chowhound - a crime solving menage a trois.

This comedic drama features a wildly imaginative yet oddly fitting crime fighting menage a trois comprising of a low (sixth) ranked magistrate (Tang Fan), a high-ranked embroidered guard (jingyi wei; Sui Zhou) and an influential eunuch (Wang Zhi) with the emperor's ear. Their paths intersect on cases with national security implications and while they have different agendas and masters, their synergistic and mutually beneficial collaborations blossom into friendship. The three main characters are well written - their bromance, hilarious antics and interactions are this drama's greatest strength.

With an irrepressible grin and a wicked gleam in his eyes, Darren Chen really hams it up with his cheeky, flirtatious and sometimes deliberately irritating characterisation of the titular Tang Fan, an idealistic young magistrate who is more of a chowhound than a sleuthhound. The talented and willowy Tang Fan is a very pretty boy with delicate and vivacious features who embraces his feminine side with abandon and is passionate, emotional, naggy, petulant, petty and vengeful. This outrageously funny character writes erotic novels to supplement his puny income, lives to eat, seems extremely well acquainted with the how to but yet can't cook to save his life. He happily moves in with the gorgeously taciturn, moody, much more masculine and deadly Sui Zhou who steals Tang Fan's heart with his ability to cook a mean meal. There is enough in their interactions and suggestive domestic arrangement to get the BL fans all hot and bothered without running afoul of Chinese censorship. And then of course there is Wang Zhi, the most morally grey and dangerous of the three. He approaches relationships transaction ally - "you scratch my back I'll scratch yours" and is unambiguous about his first loyalty to king and country. Newcomer Liu Yaoyuan's portrayal of the ruthless, calculating and yet inexplicably likable Wang Zhi nicely rounds out this kinky threesome. Between them, they are able to marshal resources from the lowest to highest reaches of society to solve their cases.

Set at the heart of the capital during the Chenghua reign of Ming Dynasty, the important characters and events of the period are nicely tied into the overall plot-lines. The surrounding characters were somewhat cliche but mostly well done from the "adopted daughter" Dong'er, the miracle doctor, the Oirats, Wang Zhi's beggar informants and the rare treat of a smart and hot emperor. The cases run the gamut from crimes of passion, corruption, larceny, terrorism and climaxes in a dangerous conspiracy reaching the highest ranks of government. Most surrounding characters including the villains have recurring roles in subsequent cases which gives them dimension and avoids the confusion of excessive character introductions with each new case. The cases shouldn't be taken too seriously; while they are fun and quite interesting, they are not that original or that difficult to solve and have some logic holes and are thus unlikely to satisfy a serious crime or mystery buff. The rhythm of the investigations frequently digress into inane and somewhat childish hit or miss comedic sketches that can go on for too long. There is a slight misogynist undertone to this drama - even the likable women have unflattering traits (stupid, noisy, whiny, irrational), or worse are power hungry, traitors, extremists or come to a bad end.

The tightly choreographed action scenes are signature Jackie Chan - lethal, gripping, high impact, extremely acrobatic and fluid poetry in motion. They are not excessive, do not drag on for too long and avoid the mid-combat slapstick moments he used to be so fond of; all good changes. The camerawork is stunning and very artistic, approaching movie quality. They obviously spared no expense with this and it shows.

For those who grew up on Jackie Chan, the Sleuth of Ming Dynasty is a fun romp down memory lane. There is a bit of the artistic Jackie Chan, the wacky whack-y Jackie Chan, the comedic Jackie Chan, the high testosterone Jackie Chan, the innovative Jackie Chan, the crass Jackie Chan and finally and pleasingly, the mature Jackie Chan. I outgrew his flicks ages ago - after awhile I found the hair rising stunts, high speed chases and exaggerated comedic routines repetitive, shallow and draining. So I am pleasantly surprised to see in this drama that maturity has toned down and balanced some (not all) of his more extreme inclinations while still remaining essentially Jackie Chan. It is also nice to see the uniquely Jackie Chan inspired Hong Kong wu da pan (武打片) sub-genre with its chauvinistic, contradictory, cynical, sarcastic yet sentimental and idealistic spirit has evolved for the better but is still innately the same.

This is highly entertaining and enjoyable if you don't look too hard at it or seek profound meaning. It is not always my sense of humor and the cases are solid but not exceptional so I rate it an 8.5 but I can see why others would call it a 9.0 or better.

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The Art of the Bluff

The King of Light (光明王), the second volume of the epic Purple River (紫川/Zǐchuān) fantasy series, weaves a tale of war, comedy, and political intrigue. House Zichuan remains embroiled in conflicts with Beizu, House Liufeng, and House Lin in a chaotic, war-torn world. The story resumes at the Season 1 (光明三杰 Three Heroes of Light) cliffhanger, with Si Yilin and Zichuan Xiu outnumbered and surrounded by Beizu’s elite troops at Payi. Di Lin flamboyantly extricates them, but at a steep cost to Zichuan and Si Yilin personally. After Payi, the focus shifts to Xiu’s adventures in Yanzhou, where he discovers his raison d’être. He rises as the King of Light, a brilliant, adaptable leader capable of uniting Yanzhou and, potentially, the entire Xichuan continent.

Despite its limited budget, the drama impresses with its movie like cinematography that captures the story’s grand scale, a starkly beautiful and portentous palette and a pervasive sense of fate. The Purple River series is a plot-heavy saga driven by political intrigue, power struggles, and large-scale warfare. Limited by budget, the drama emphasizes internal plotting and how the main characters are shaped by events until Zichuan Xiu emerges to steer the narrative. External plot developments can be hard to follow, conveyed mostly via dialogue and a few well-executed, plot-defining war and action scenes.

The character arcs are well-written and convincingly portrayed. The core of the story is the bond between the Three Heroes of Light, and the interplay of their conflicting ideologies, loyalties, and fates lends emotional weight. Si Yilin is a textbook hero: an inspiring frontline commander with little to show for his unwavering loyalty, honor, and selflessness. He never fully recovers—personally or professionally—from the devastating consequences of his righteous but disastrous Yanzhou campaign. Di Lin, his antithesis, is a classic anti-hero: an ambitious, morally flexible manipulator who wins at all costs. To him, the world can burn so long as he has his wife and his brothers, leaving him feared and alienated. Unlike Si Yilin or even Ning, he struggles to inspire Zichuan’s citizens or forge political alliances.

Zichuan Xiu is a chameleon; a tactical genius lurks behind his irreverent humor and roguish, indolent facade. He’s the most complex and fascinating character, balancing Si Yilin’s idealism with Di Lin’s ruthless pragmatism. Raised in Zichuan Canxing’s treacherous household, he’s practically Machiavelli’s heir, hiding his brilliance behind a non-threatening persona that’s routinely underestimated. His unpredictability and mastery of deception keep even close confidantes like Bai Chuan in the dark. Yang Xuwen scintillates in this demanding role, seamlessly transitioning between Xiu’s many facets: the “Flower of Yanzhou,” the reckless avenger, Ning’s charming swain, the deadly red-eyed assassin, the reluctant King of Light, and, best of all, the grifter who snatches victory from the jaws of defeat.

This season introduces House Liufeng and Liufeng Shuang as a potential ally and romantic interest for Xiu. The Liufeng arc feels rushed, with the house’s internal strife unfolding like a montage and Shuang’s character underdeveloped. Still, like Bai Chuan, she’s a strong woman who stands beside Xiu rather than needing his protection. I enjoyed their dynamic enough to worry for Ning, who has blossomed into an empathetic, shrewd, and resolute heir to House Zichuan. Her quiet realization that Xiu is on a different path and her attempt to move forward moved me, and I hope a worthy partner awaits her. I’m not deeply invested in Xiu’s romantic prospects, though; the only love story that truly touched me was Si Yilin and Ka Dan’s.

The drama boasts outstanding villains, from the hilariously inept Lu Di to the mysterious Black Veil, the vicious Luo Si, and the encroaching Sairong. Canxing remains the terrifying chess grandmaster, always two steps ahead. Behind his affable, fatherly demeanor lies a paranoid sociopath who insidiously poisons the well and cunningly pits detractors against one another. In a masterful stroke, he turns the tables on Di Lin and quashes internal opposition, cementing his status as a formidable antagonist. I’m almost afraid to see Xiu challenge him, uncertain if he can prevail, which makes the stakes feel hefty and real.

Though the stitching together of abridged plot threads creates some choppiness, the story builds to a thrilling finale. An adversary becomes a staunch ally in a brilliant “A-ha!” moment that transforms the nonsensical comedic combat arcs into sheer genius. A gripping showdown between two well-matched combatants ends with a tantalizing mystery. The finale masterfully blends peak tension with peak comedy, showcasing the art of the bluff. Yes, unanswered questions and unsettling premonitions linger, with open threads for future conflicts, but The King of Light chapter concludes splendidly, earning an 8.5/10.0 for Season 2 and the series overall. This fantastic production deserves more—more budget, episodes, resources, and seasons. That said, it’s not for everyone. It will appeal most to attentive audiences who savor intricate political plots, intrigue, opaque characters, and a healthy dose of comedy and irony.

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An appealing lawyer.

Chen Tumi grew up studying the Tang legal code with her mother's handwritten notes. It was her only link to her dead mother. When her father is wrongly indicted for a crime, she defies convention to defend him in court. She is an appealing lawyer both literally and figuratively. Her determination, intelligence, and logical arguments catch the attention of powerful actors including Crown Prince Han Wuwei and Kang Zhengyuan of the powerful Dali Temple (judiciary). She is quietly aided by the mysterious Ye Cha.

Similar to the Justice Bao stories, the legal cases in Ms. Chun is a Litigator deal largely with the common people. The cases are quite engaging and easy to follow with well-written and satisfactory outcomes. The court arguments are livened up by the amusing and friendly rivalry between Prince Han and Official Kang. While it is a bit of a Mary Sue kind of setup where everyone falls for Tumi, this funny and lighthearted quadrangle never gets annoying. Tumi is such a breath of fresh air - although she is young and inexperienced, she is clever and logical. She is able to seek and accept help without seeming weak or coming across as a damsel in distress. I am pleased to come across this very natural and charming young actress Zhang Dafei who has many interesting roles in upcoming dramas. The bromance and hilarious banter between Han Wuwei and Kang Zhengyuan is another very entertaining aspect of this drama. I checked this out because of Huang Junjie and found myself delighted and entertained by the chockfull of eye candy that makes up the charismatic young cast.

This drama's greatest shortcoming is that there are obviously many cut scenes or arcs. This affects how the larger conspiracy unfolds and leaves open some plot points. Some of the character and relationship development also feel uneven. Both Kang Zhengyuan and Ye Cha are well designed personalities that didn't get fleshed out enough. I would have liked to see Tumi interact more with Zhengyuan as he shows her the ropes in terms of judicial process. While saved by the clear spark of attraction between them, Tumi's relationship with Ye Cha seems to advance too quickly. Finally Wuwei's persona appears to take a baffling darker turn towards the end. While this wraps up well enough, there are enough unanswered questions and open plot points that beg for a second season. I would rate this higher than 7.5 were it not for the fact that it leaves a slight unfinished taste in my mouth, though not enough to ruin the drama. This drama is a lot of fun and the cast is simply a joy to watch. I am looking forward to season 2 but there is no need to wait to start this as it seems intended to be an ongoing episodic series.

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She's just not into you anymore.

The Luo family is in gentle decline as the second generation is unable to match their late patriarch's illustrious career in civil service. They look towards the complacent and entitled third generation to revive the family's fortunes with a growing sense of anxiety. It is to this backdrop that Luo Yining returns from the family's country villa to celebrate her ailing grandmother's birthday after falling out with Luo Chengzhang and concubine Qiao as a child. Chengzhang is a frustrated and resentful civil servant of middling talent with a very small heart that only has room for Qiao's children. Yining is appalled to find her "third brother" Shenyuan shunned and bullied by the family and as unfavored children and they become fast allies. They are both not who they appear to be and gradually they uncover and keep each other's secrets as together, they navigate treachery both within and outside the Luo household.

This kind of saga that depicts the rise and decline of a family has been a popular genre since the 18th century classic vernacular novel 红楼梦 Hónglóumèng/Dream of the Red Chamber resonated deeply with its philosophical questions and social critique of feudal patriarchal society. While the narrative unfolds around the main protagonists it is not just about them; it explores broader social themes through related character stories and sub-plots told from their point of view. Every character has their own cross to bear. Chengzhang for example, is at surface a bad dad but he was also someone whose ambitions never materialised and who twice had to marry a woman not of his own choosing. Yining's return ruined the three people who meant the most to him. Maybe he gets off lightly or maybe fate was already unkind enough to him.

This drama gives the strong impression that it is a lighter, more accessible version of The Story of Minglan (SOML). The production quite cheekily acknowledges this by installing Yining in Haitang Pavilion and naming her mother Gu Minglan. Many of the main character blueprints of the Luo family down to the costumes and styling and the plot arcs around the inner harem rivalries and the mystery of Yining's mother's death smack of SOML. As someone who didn't enjoy SOML, I don't have a problem with it. Even though SOML is undeniably a more sophisticated and culturally impactful production, I found the pacing and the narrative approach suffocating. Even though it is less well written and not that original, The Rise of Ning is a more enjoyable watch overall. The biggest difference for me is Shenyuan is more interesting, better written, better portrayed and more empathetic than the male lead in SOML. Zhang Wanyi never disappoints in delivering yet another immersive and complex portrayal of this seemingly mild mannered and humble unfavored son with hidden depths. His strength is in being too casually overlooked and underestimated by his enemies. The story's biggest drawback is the romance is held back for so long that Zhang Wanyi and Ren Min's chemistry as a couple is under-explored.

Even though the narrative does incorporate a few interesting and new ideas, they are not fleshed out properly and are bogged down by lazy writing, shallow character designs and logic that does not hold up to close scrutiny. The main romance is weighed down by the fact that Yining and Shenyuan remain "siblings" for almost three quarters of the drama. I understand this was so she could remain in the Luo mansion but I think that the truth should have been revealed to both Shenyuan and Yining at the same time. They could keep it from everyone else while they try to solve the mystery of her mother's death and figure out who she really is. This would allow their romance to progress earlier on in the storyline and not leave the audience with such an entrenched impression of their chemistry as siblings. Another better approach could have been to skip the boring, tropey harem squabble arcs and move up the reveal because the characters in the Wei manor are more original and engaging. This would have also allowed a fuller development of Yining's relationship with Wei Ying, who is such a fantastic and memorable character who is both funny and moving at the same time. None of the women in this drama, nasty or nice, are prone to shrill, ear-piercing screeching, which was what I found most off-putting about SOML. In fact the smart, sassy and sarcastic Lin Hairu is one of my favorite characters and a huge upgrade from SOML.

Even though I enjoyed Ren Min's charming portrayal of Yining, her acting is still a work in progress. Her lines are too tentative and lack the depth of expression needed to capture the maturity, sensibility and intelligence of the character. Her voice is so distinctive that I also didn't for one moment buy it that Lu Jiaxue did not instantly recognise her as Meimei. I think she could have credibly dubbed herself as Meimei but when she grows up to become Yining, a more nuanced professional voice actor should have taken over. Her character is also not that consistently written. She indulged in a reckless and inappropriate dalliance with a much older man but showed enough good sense not to tell him who she really was. It is a relationship that mortifies and haunts her and when she encounters him again, she clearly fears and loathes him. What is not well conveyed is how he may have still occupied a space in her heart. This didn't come out until the end; which made me wonder why she never gave Lu Jiaxue a chance to clear up the misunderstanding or severe past ties with him neatly. The way she handled the situation was very immature and not like the Yining who faces her problems calmly and frankly. As a result, she never gave him or herself closure and in this, she was also not fair to Shenyuan.

As a villain, Ci Sha's portrayal of Lu Jiaxue deserves top marks. He was almost too powerful, seemed to answer to no one and was able to walk prisoners in and out of jail and cut down his enemies in plain sight. He was so intensely menacing and brutal that every time he showed up, my throat went dry and I felt a knot of fear in the pit of my stomach. But the character is too one dimensional and not well written. It is difficult to reconcile such a heavy handed portrayal of an irredeemably cruel and callous bad guy with someone even a pubescent Yining could have fallen for. It is equally disturbing and difficult to understand a grown man's obsession such a very young and very naive girl. The "she's not into you anymore" trope is one that should win audience sympathy because it is much easier to get over unrequited love than it is once-requited love. However, the portrayal of Lu Jiaxue as a love rival missed the mark and completely alienated me. It was nothing short of offensive to watch him paw Yining and manhandle her time after time. That is not the way to woo a girl, nor is openly trying to kill her favorite brother! These are not the actions of a character that is allegedly cunning, manipulative and smart. I would have liked to see a more multi-faceted, subtle and refined love rival, one that actually is a credible challenger instead of one that is so obviously beyond redemption. This tiresome obsession went on for too long and overshadowed the development of Yining's feelings for Shenyuan.

Even though the plot builds to a satisfying ending climax, I rolled my eyes at how how the final episodes descended into a Phantom of the Opera like theatrics. I didn't think Lu Jiaxue got his just deserts and found everyone's willingness to forgive baffling and out of character. But overall the storytelling and pacing was consistent and engaging throughout and the supporting cast really pulled their weight. I enjoyed the second couple and many characters beyond the leads. Overall a very solid and entertaining watch that I rate 8.0/10.0.

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To see all without being seen.

Deep Lurk 深潜 is an intriguing and immersive Republican era spy thriller; one of the few that pulled me in from start to finish. It is set in 1939, at the prelude to the first Battle of Changsha. Changsha was a strategic city that the Japanese tried and failed to take four times from 1939-1944. As a result, they were never able to consolidate their territories in Southern China. At the time, the Republic of China's Nationalist Army had seriously considered abandoning the city but Xue Yue, the commander in charge of Changsha's defense refused to budge. As a result of terrain, Changsha could only be flanked from the east or the west, making it a difficult city to both attack and defend. In this kind of set up, intelligence and counter-intelligence can make a win-or-lose situation difference for both sides.

After a botched assassination attempt on Xue Yue, a traitor escapes to Shanghai with strategic Changsha defense intelligence. Multiple parties converge upon him in Shanghai to intercept the intelligence. The players include both the Changsha and Shanghai station of the KMT Military Intelligence (NBIS), the Wang Puppet Regime, the Japanese Military and hidden CPC operatives. Yun Hongshen, the idealistic young second master of the illustrious Yun family is sent by his father Yun Muzhi to observe. Predictably, this sharp but impetuous young man raring to make a difference does more than that and his path tangles with that off brave young NBIS agent Wen Yeming tasked to hunt down the traitor. An auction for stolen intelligence relating to the Japanese army's plan of attack for Changsha results in a deadly scramble to obtain or retrieve the intelligence. This coincides with the re-emergence of Kunwu, a long dormant Japanese spy and Muzhi's nemesis. Hongshen is lured back to Changsha, where he must crack the code to the intelligence and smoke out Kunwu in order to save his city from the encircling Japanese army. He reunites with Yeming at NBIS where they pit their wits against this master spy who seems to be able to see all without being seen.

The first three episodes are fast paced, exciting and littered with clues and character introductions and needs to be watched (and re-watched) carefully. But the setup and the storytelling is so intriguing I was compelled to re-watch; to make sure I didn't miss anything. It's been a long time since a drama pulled me in so deeply that I was literally unable to watch anything else at the same time. Even though there are some logic holes, the overall plot is tight and riveting. All the important characters are introduced early on and they are multi-faceted and grey with different loyalties and motives that reflect the clash of culture and ideology and the rival factions within the KMT during that pivotal era of change. The narrative brilliantly builds a credible case around several key characters with motive, means and opportunity to be Kunwu and maintains the suspense into the final episodes.

This drama has an all-round stellar cast anchored which by veteran actors including Wang Jingsong and Liu Huan and brilliant character acting by Hou Mengyao's disingenuous Milan, Han Chengyu's ruthless and competitive Ling Han and Zhang Tianyang's well-meaning Yun Hongqi. I really enjoyed watching Hongshen meticulously narrow down the suspect list and try to out-scheme the hidden master spy who eluded his father for years. The young Cheng Yi brilliantly captures how this character's intelligence and survival instinct makes up for his lack of experience and the shattering consequential mistakes he makes along the way. It is a shame that this drama has not enjoyed wider viewership. For this genre however, I don't need romance and I didn't enjoy Ying'er's acting or the couple's chemistry. I was far more invested in the Yun family's close bond and amused by how Hongqi and Hongshen are so different and resourceful in their own unique ways. Zhang Tianyang is a subtly hilarious actor and his brotherly scenes with Cheng Yi are among the drama's best moments for me.

Despite many cut scenes, the pacing, suspense and excitement holds up into a strong finale that delivers a good ending twist that deftly avoids one reversal too many. My only disappointment is that I had hoped for a more complex villain origin story. I won't say more to avoid spoiling the reveal. This is by far the best Republican spy drama I have watched since The Rebel (2021). I am happy to rate it the same at 8.5/10.0 despite its lower budget. It is a good watch if you are in the mood for some mental gymnastics but it can also be enjoyed simply as a fast paced spy thriller.

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Cops and Robbers

The First Shot 雪迷宫 is a classic cops and robbers crime thriller featuring China's early efforts to combat drug trafficking in the late 1990s. It seamlessly fuses together proven themes of friendship, loyalty and betrayal, and good vs evil; all the elements that make this genre enduringly popular. It is set in a fictional city Halan in frigidly cold Northeast China and is about a newly established anti-narcotics team's early efforts to combat an influx of drugs into the region. Lacking basic knowledge of synthetic drug manufacturing, Zhang Bei is sent to Huazhou in Southern China to recruit Gu Yiran, an expert chemistry professor to join his team. Due to the initial influx of drugs into Southern China in the earlly 1990s, Gu Yiran's familiarity with the habits and tactics of the traffickers proves as invaluable as his knowledge of chemistry.

This is a well made drama if you can excuse the meagre, cheesy 1990s look and feel that gets a much needed boost by Jacky Cheung's top Cantopop and early Mandopop hits from the day. It is definitely not Zhang Yimou behind the camera but the camera angles are quite innovative and the spectacularly choreographed action scenes kept me on the edge of my seat. The crime plot unfolds at a decent cadence with a few really interesting and unpredictable twists and reveals. The bromances were deftly written with each relationship: Zhang Bei and Gu Yiran; Zhang Bei and Jiang Xiaohai and Jaing Xiaohai and Liang Jiaju; illuminating different facets of both Zhang Bei and Jiang Xiaohai.

The investigative unit's rapport resonates and carries the story from the get go with every member doing their own small but crucial part in this tightly knit team. The rabidly feisty Mad Dog Yao kicking butt in any brawl only to be too easily subdued by Zhang Bei cracked me up no end. While I appreciate the narrative taking the time to flesh out the important roles, this drama falls into the usual trap of these plot driven stories of digressing too far into too many personal stories of peripheral side characters. It comes at the cost of the momentum of the investigative plot and the narrative sags in the middle. While Lin Boyang is lovely, I wasn't invested in her sweet but trite romance which went on for so long it bored me silly. This would have been much tighter and more exciting as a 24 episode drama.

I was initially skeptical about Huang Jingyu in this kind of super masculine hero cop who carries the weight of his team and the world on his shoulders kind of role. He has done it too many times and indeed there is nothing about the way the character is written or portrayed that makes Zhang Bei stand out from this tired archetype. Yet maybe its his personal charisma or how he just looks the part so perfectly that his Zhang Bei just "works" in bringing all the other roles and performances together. As much as I like Wang Qizi, Gu Yiran is the character that at the end I liked and cared about the least. He is at surface easy going and amiable but in reality he is lonely and guarded and he has his own agenda. Unfortunately I found his obstinate and repeated Lone Ranger stunts so selfish and boring that it overwhelmed my sympathy for his personal trauma. Although he isn't at Zhao Xiaoguang's level of comically terrible, he is also too obviously not a native Cantonese speaker to successfully pass himself off as one. The role just didn't come to life onscreen in a convincing way and was overshadowed by vastly superior performances by Zhang Yu and Qin Junjie. The truth is fate is random and Lele could well have been any one of them and it is this character that stole the show and made me incredibly conflicted; sad, manipulated, scared, revolted and resigned. It is the best written and best acted role; one that stands out among other stellar performances.

As an avid and frequent consumer of the suspense thrillers, this drama has an excellent ending twist that shocked me and then gave me that aha! moment as all the details just clicked into place. I haven't been surprised like this in a long time and I enjoyed it thoroughly. That said, there is nothing that new or special about the story itself, the plot should have been tightened and there were just so many hidden identities that when you put it all together it looks quite implausible. I am happy to I rate this a very entertaining and enjoyable 8.0/10.0

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The Dark Side of the Moon.

This drama is about how a power couple that is well matched in terms of cunning, ambition and capability scale the upper echelons of banking and finance during 1930s Shanghai. The narrative vividly captures the wild, morally ambiguous, highly speculative, wheeling and dealing nature of the mafia dominated banking and finance industries during that early period of industrialisation.

Cheng Yizhi is a scrappy, enterprising, self educated young orphan with a knack for numbers and finance who is raised by a kindly shopkeeper. He starts out in a lowly position at a bank but his talent propels his rapid advancement to become the protege of banking magnate Huang Ruhong. Wu Lizi is the pampered daughter of a distinguished banker whose world falls apart when her father is framed and commits suicide. Hell bent on revenge, she marries Yizhi and ruthlessly uses his access to banking circles to investigate her father's downfall. Mutual lack of communication and a terrible, irreversible decision by Lizi ruins their marriage but leads to a very rewarding business partnership where they build a bank together.

Wu Lizi is one of the most selfish, devious, manipulative, ruthless and utterly charming female protagonists I have come across. It is such a treat to get complex and fascinating female characters like Lizi. That is why I kept watching this even though at one point I was enraged and disappointed to the point of almost dropping. I still don't like how they wrote Lizi to lash out so viciously and vindictively with such heavy consequences but I am glad I kept going because she really moved me with her stoic remorse and acceptance later on. Even though there were some rough edges to Cai Weijing's performance, overall she is tough, willful, curiously vulnerable and so charismatic that I could literally see how she tied Yizhi, Charlie and Xu Du up into knots emotionally.

Zhang Xincheng delivered a most excellent performance in this drama as Cheng Yizhi, a cynical character that well understands the dark side of the moon due to his upbringing on the rough side of town. So he is the ultimate nemesis of dark characters like Huang Ruhong because he can get into their heads and narrowly manages to stay one step head of them. In sharp contrast, he seeks the light in all of his dealings and finances some of the most promising industrialists of the day. At the onset Yizhi goes toe to toe with crooked businessmen and corrupt politicians with equally scheming and wily tactics. But as the story advances and his dark secrets are revealed, the character is whitewashed and becomes too perfect, so understanding with such shiny plated plot armor that I had to roll my eyes. I needed more flaws or to see him be a little bit petty or selfish and to play dirty sometimes. Instead Charlie, a far more interesting and lovable character rises to the occasion to do all the slightly shady things that need to be done in order to stymie their unscrupulous rivals. Nonetheless the lead couple has superb chemistry and the way their relationship blossoms from mistrust and suspicion into an incredible partnership on multiple levels is one of the drama's strengths.

The business subplots are quite interesting, well written and the financial concepts are kept at a simple enough level for laymen. The characters however are less well written and notably Lizi, is not consistently written. For such a smart character she does some retarded things that can only be put down to sloppy writing. Huang Ruhong's somewhat creepy and unfathomable hard on for Yizhe is also unconvincing and not in character for the leader of the criminal underworld. Indeed the true love triangle in this drama is the one between Ruhong, Yizhe and Lizi. This was such a promising antagonist at the start but gets sidelined as the ending arc digresses into yet another patriotic fight the Japanese invaders plot. I would have preferred to see a more satisfying cat and mouse takedown of this smart antagonist play out properly. Towards the later episodes, many key characters are gratuitously killed off to squeeze out the obligatory tears expected of a Republican period drama. This backfires as I only felt very sad for two of the deaths which only highlights that the other characters were two dimensional ones that I never got invested in.

There are many enjoyable and unique aspects to this drama that make it worth watching even though it falls down on messy plot, sloppy character writing and a lame ending arc. Charlie was my favorite character and his wit, style and wisdom saved the show. Overall this is just a 7.5 for me despite strong acting by the leads. And MVP Charlie (Wang Zijian).

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A rich tapestry that frays at the edges.

Set during Tang dynasty, Brocade Odyssey 蜀锦人家 follows Ji Yingying's journey to the top of the Yizhou silk industry as she seeks to clear her father's name and to reclaim her family's reputation as preeminent weavers of the prized Shu brocade. This drama paints a realistic picture of women's roles in feudal society and the intricacies and cut-throat competitiveness of the ancient silk trade. Her path to "having it all" is littered with obstacles, betrayals and setbacks; her triumphs come at great sacrifices; she loses her first love, a few true friends and supporters and for some time, even her freedom.

This is not a light or fluffy romance drama. The main characters are dark and ambitious and some of their overlapping entanglements are messy and complex in a way that won't appal to viewers looking for more straightforward storylines. It is like a rich tapestry that frays at the edges in its over ambitious exploration of too many complicated themes. It is obvious from the start that both Yingying and Zhao Xiuyuan had ambitions that had the potential to get in the way of their relationship. While I didn't agree with Xiyuan's choice, I understood why he did it and I felt quite sad for him. While the digital face swap was surprisingly well done, I think Zhang Haowei would have better conveyed this role. What I didn't like was how when cornered, Yingying makes the exact same decision yet she had no insight from it and her attitude towards Xiyuan continued to be hard and unforgiving even though she had no real moral high ground. She just got super lucky with Yang Jinglan.

The cast is strong, and most of them are able to dub themselves and deliver commendable performances all around. It is difficult to find fault with Tan Songyun's empathetic portrayal of Ji Yingying's ambition, familial obligations and emotional conflicts. However, between her tomboyish girl-next-door look and simply dreadful styling, she does not convey the allure that draws multiple suitors, making the romantic subplots unconvincing. Zheng Yecheng really brings an exciting dynamic to the drama with his physicality and charisma. It is so rare to get such an excellent actor who is also properly trained in martial arts. The production took full advantage of this with many long, exciting, fast moving, muscular and flinch-inducing action sequences. It is a huge upgrade from all quick cuts the slo-mo posing and spinning that we normally have to make do with. I enjoyed their chemistry as a couple and how their relationship evolves organically from that of an alliance into a couple that complements each other in so many ways. Yet I wouldn't say that this is a CP that made a lasting impression on me.

Despite a solid start, this is yet another entertaining Chinese drama that self destructs in the completely unnecessary final Nanzhao arc. It was clearly meant to give Jing Chao, who is a fantastic actor, his own arc. Unfortunately, it is too late in the narrative to force the audience to reinvest in a whole new set of characters and political dynamics. I would also have preferred to see Cheng Fengze remain as a good frenemy, a business rival who valued Yingying for her talent and business acumen alone rather than turning him into yet another delusional suitor. Many of the conflicts that arise in this arc feel forced and all three main characters end up doing stupid things that are out of character. It took me twice as long to watch the final ten episodes as it did to watch the first thirty. There were also a few undeserved death that really made me want to flip tables. Even the terrific end fight scene could not make up for my dismay.

Overall, this is not a bad watch for the fight scenes alone and it is much better if you stop at about ep 30. It is thematically rich and explores female empowerment and the ties that bind in a complex and realistic way. I can rate the first 30 episodes an 8.0 but unfortunately the final 10 episodes are barely worth a 6.0 so my overall rating is 7.5/10.0.

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A hot and cheesy mess.

Though hardly original, this drama's switched bride trope is well executed and entertaining. A very shady prime minister marries his illegitimate daughter Shen Keyi to Wen Ye, a prince and the country's God of War posthumously. As it turns out, Wen Ye is very much alive and full of suspicion when he discovers himself married to his enemy's daughter. Meanwhile Shen Keyi is tasked by her stepmother to steal a jade token from Wen Ye in exchange for her beloved nanny's wellbeing. Their early antics are silly but very funny. It was great to watch an older and jaded general fall for a lively, natural and utterly beguiling young girl. The leads have good chemistry and both actors deliver convincing performances. I also enjoyed the comedic banter between Wen Ye and his two sidekicks.

At twelve episodes this drama was hilariously hot and cheesy but by twenty-four episodes it turned into a hot and cheesy mess. The palace plot becomes increasingly convoluted and absurd and both lead's adorable silliness descends into stupidity and melodrama as they navigate multiple obstacles. Ultimately, the much simpler love story between the princess and the guard moved me more. The ending is a bit rushed but it was actually pretty good in the messiest way possible. All considered not the worst drama to watch to just pass some time. I rate it 6.5/10.0

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The winds of change.

This slow paced suspense thriller by the director of The Bad Kids is told with such dry humor and irony that it initially conceals the story's intense, almost unbearable pathos. It is about how the irresistible force of the winds of change profoundly affects the lives of two generations of Hualin. Hualin is a fictional Northeastern town where the entire economy was built around a state owned enterprise, Huagang Steel, which is said to be modelled on either Angang Steel or Benxi Steel. The mill employs most of the town in some capacity and runs everything from its schools to its hospitals. This economic model collapsed in the late 1990s, displacing hundreds of thousands of workers across China. Towns like Hualin, where one enterprise comprised practically the entire economy were particularly hard hit.

The drama opens in 2016, where the main protagonist Wang Xiang, an irascible old taxi driver helps his brother-in-law Gong Biao hunt down scammers who tried to knock off his taxi medallion. They rope in Ma Desheng, a retired disillusioned cop turned ballroom dancer to aid them. Their determined, bungling poking around results in a murder that Wang Xiang insists must be linked to a cold dismemberment case at the mill that they had investigated almost two decades ago. This takes them back to 1997/1998, which was a turning point in all three lives that they survived but never quite recovered from.

Fan Wei's portrayal of the older Wang Xiang's grief frozen expression and his glittering angry sad gaze is brilliant and evocative. I almost couldn't see Qin Hao in middle-aged Gong Biao, who still somehow manages to hang on to that optimism and naivete of youth. And Chen Minghao never fails to impress with his ability to combine comedy with tragedy - his ballroom dancing left me speechless! I enjoyed the chemistry and rapport of the older cast immensely. Only veteran actors of this caliber are able to stay in character and wear the passage of time and hardship through multi-decade transformations so effortlessly. In the present, they are shadows of their former selves, displaced by the reform and changes that swept across China as it opened up to change. I am surprised by how candid this drama is about how these economic reforms did not benefit everybody.

Back in 1997, the three friends are in their prime. Wang Xiang is the important train driver that transports raw materials to the mill; Gong Biao is a rare young college graduate groomed to advance in the mill's senior management; and Ma Desheng is a hot shot detective in charge of shocking murders that shook the town. The young Wang Yang sees the writing on the wall with respect to the mill's future and resists his father's efforts to help him secure a position there, seeking employment in the nascent and seedier private sector instead. There he becomes fast friends with Shen Mo and Fu Weijun. Unlike the older generation who are still in denial, this youthful trio are quicker to accept and adapt to the rapidly changing environment. The bond of their friendship is just as strong and as real as that of their elders. The younger cast impressively hold their own well up against the veterans. This has to be Li Gengxi's best, least petulant portrayal but I still find her to be the weakest link in the cast overall. While her performance was quite good, I did not like or empathise with her Shen Mo the way I felt compelled by and rooted for both Wang Yang (lLiu Yitei) and Fu Weijun (Jiang Qiming).

In terms of the mystery plot, it is very well designed with a few good twists but is overall straightforward and easy to understand. The clues are intriguing and well planted early on and an outline of what happened emerges at a slow but riveting pace. When all is revealed, everything fits together and makes sense. It is true that this drama is a much bigger story than the mystery itself but the unravelling of the case is the centrepiece that pulls the sub-plots and narrative that spans two decades together. It is a very dark story that unfolds during a time of inescapable change that everyone is helpless up against. At the same time, they go through some utterly devastating events. The passage of time doesn't dull anything; in fact to them decades later it is still as if it all happened just yesterday. Poor Wang Xiang and to a lesser extent, his buddies are in limbo, suspended in this dreadful, long autumn. The drama tries to end with closure followed by a positive epiphany; to move forward and not look back 往前走/wǎng qián zǒu. Yet I can't shake the overwhelming sense of how beautiful but quietly helpless and tragic this story is. Not everyone will be able to understand or relate to the late 1990s backdrop or enjoy the slow pace but for me this is the best drama I have watched this year (as of May 2023). I rate it 9.5/10:0.

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The Art of Strategic Retreat

Immortal Ascension is the long-awaited live-action adaptation of the hit xianxia web-novel A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality by Wang Yu (忘语), a defining work of the "mortal cultivation" sub-genre. While the novel chronicles protagonist Han Li's thousand-year journey over a sprawling 2,400 chapters, this ambitious adaptation condenses the first 200 years into 30 episodes. It is set in a brutal, realistic immortal world where might makes right. The Heavenly Dao (天道) is indifferent to concepts of "good" or "evil"; the path to immortality isn't about grand morality or predestined genius, but about raw power and survival. Here, cunning, alchemy, and artifacts can trump sheer talent.

Three borrowed bowls of flour for flatbread. That is why an ordinary village boy, Han Li, stumbles on to a thousand year path to immortality. It isn't a profound or carefully considered decision or even a conscious choice on his part —just survival instinct, pure and simple. It begins in Shenshou Valley, a place that opens his eyes to a world beyond his wildest imagination and offers his first chilling glimpse into the callous utilitarianism and transactional nature of cultivation relationships. He picks up the underappreciated skill of gardening and chances upon his most invaluable artifact. From his first mentor, Physician Mo, Han Li learns the core secret to immortality: live to fight another day. He is the master of the art of strategic retreat—my lips would twitch every time he began stealthily backing away at the slightest hint of hostility.

Han Li is an unconventional protagonist. He isn't motivated by naive heroism and chooses a path that is ultimately selfish and solitary. Often underestimated, he prevails through cautious pragmatism and resourcefulness, relying on methodical long-term planning, deception, and fleeing unwinnable conflicts. Despite the running gag that Han Li is very plain, Yang Yang is perfectly cast. His immaculate appearance and radiant, ageless glow convey the aura of a character who is ultimately unattainable. I've never been a fan of his acting, but this is by far his best role. His portrayal is exquisite: the careful circumspection in his movements, the nuanced flicker in his eyes, the micro-expressions that signal he is always watchful and calculating; that fraught stillness when sensing danger; and the intense, cold-blooded ruthlessness in combat. Yang Yang's power, grace, and natural athleticism are on full display. Instead of just standing around uselessly waving a fan (Who Rules the World), he delivers multiple thrilling, intense, and brilliantly choreographed action sequences that showcase Han Li's ability to think on his feet, using his cunning and resources to level the playing field. The visual effects, however, are a bit dated and at times overwhelm the impressive stunt work, detracting from how flawlessly Yang Yang executes difficult mid-air acrobatics while staying completely in character.

I love the decision to shoot mostly on location—it vividly reinforces the vastness, timelessness, and solitude of Han Li's journey. It may have made lighting and framing more difficult to control, but it's far superior to the typical fake, over-lit, and stagnant xianxia set. The plot feels condensed, and the pacing is uneven, alternating rapidly between character introductions, heavy world-building via dialogue, and high-octane action. Some important characters—Physician Mo, Mo Caihuan, and a few of Han Li's Yellow Maple Valley mentors—are fleshed out, but too many others zip by cursorily. While Wang Duo plays the villain with great relish and humor, Wang Chan's character is a cardboard cutout, because Han Li's greatest antagonist is truly the indifferent universe—and Han Li himself, and the humanity he must leave behind.

At times, this feels like a video game, but it is actually a quite sad and profound story. The narrative tone doesn't indulge in sadness; Han Li's moments of temptation and regret are subtle and transient: a pause, a concealed glance behind lowered eyelids, the slightest hesitation, the moment he gives in to a brief hug. It's all in the subtext, in how he regularly shouts out to Li Feiyu, recalling his last mortal friend. Han Li is not a relatable protagonist; it's hard to feel sorry for him, as he does not feel sorry for himself or for the people he coldly leaves behind.

Fittingly, at the end of this first phase, we come full circle to a precious piece of flatbread that Nangong Wan casually snatches from him. Ms. Mo would never have done that. It's why she is not the endgame; she isn't ruthless or selfish enough to accompany him on his journey. While this is not a romantic story, the character who moved me most was Ms. Mo. It is with his first love and final obsession that Han Li almost allows himself to be mortal.

I don't know how to feel about this kind of story or Han Li's path. It is inspiring as a tale of how an ordinary person can become extraordinary. And a sobering lesson about at what price. It is a story that has stayed with me. I have to rate it 9/10.

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