Gems like “Two Foxes” are the reason we keep wading through low quality minidramas
Every year, over a hundred of minidramas come out (and I mean that literally). Most of these feel like you’re watching little more than a Wattpad story come to life. But you keep wading through them anyway… Why? Because gems like “Two Foxes” exist.
This is one of the best short form dramas I’ve seen yet. It is an excellently delivered revenge story that keeps you engaged. You’ll inevitably watch it in one sitting.
Pros:
* These two leads are amazing. One one hand we have Jin Xu Yan (played by the always awesome Cheng Yu Feng). He is clever, complex, intelligent, and compassionate. He is Xinyan’s equal in wit and challenges her schemes. Ultimately, when they partner up, they’re dynamite together. On the other hand, we have Wang Xinyan. She is determined, clever, and morally ambiguous. She’s willing to live in the gray to avenge her little brother’s murder, and Cui Yi Liang does a great job demonstrating both her rigid and almost vicious nature brought on by her trauma while allowing moments of vulnerability and growth to creep in. She development as a character is excellent.
* Production. Minidramas are often know for poor production. The cinematography isn’t great, the costume budget is small, the music is too loud, etc. But “Two Foxes” manages to deliver a quality drama that feels like the budget is bigger than it probably was. Again, it stands out as a gem in the Minidrama world.
* The storyline. Is it new? No. Were there tropes? Yes. But the truth is, “Two Foxes” has engaging plot that keeps you watching. The ultimate antagonist is written so much better than many short form drama baddies. Her acting in her final scene where she literally bludgeons someone to death was absolutely spinechilling. The unraveling of the mystery of Xinyan’s brother was done well too, as was the romantic development between the leads. And, in the end, we find ourselves with a satisfying happy ending.
Cons:
* So much more to be explored. Because it is a Minidrama, some of the subplots and characters needed way more exploration. This left you feeling somewhat unfulfilled after it was said and done. If they were going to attempt this much depth from their supporting cast, this was going to need to be a longer drama. They bit off more than they could chew here.
* The evil half-sister…. What can I say? She was awful. Now, I think she was written just crazy enough, but the actress failed to deliver this. Ultimately, she wasn’t a Joker-esque crazy villain… She was a psycho who annoyed the heck out of you. In comparison with her mother, the main antagonist, these weaknesses were glaring.
* A little too much “slow” in the slow burn. Our leads had amazing chemistry; so having us wait and wait for them to finally take the step from confidantes and partners to lovers drove me crazy. If this had been a full length show and we had waited until episode 22/24 for them to actually get together, I would have given up. Their kiss scene was amazing, but we only got one… It felt like, given their chemistry, we needed more from them.
This is one of the best short form dramas I’ve seen yet. It is an excellently delivered revenge story that keeps you engaged. You’ll inevitably watch it in one sitting.
Pros:
* These two leads are amazing. One one hand we have Jin Xu Yan (played by the always awesome Cheng Yu Feng). He is clever, complex, intelligent, and compassionate. He is Xinyan’s equal in wit and challenges her schemes. Ultimately, when they partner up, they’re dynamite together. On the other hand, we have Wang Xinyan. She is determined, clever, and morally ambiguous. She’s willing to live in the gray to avenge her little brother’s murder, and Cui Yi Liang does a great job demonstrating both her rigid and almost vicious nature brought on by her trauma while allowing moments of vulnerability and growth to creep in. She development as a character is excellent.
* Production. Minidramas are often know for poor production. The cinematography isn’t great, the costume budget is small, the music is too loud, etc. But “Two Foxes” manages to deliver a quality drama that feels like the budget is bigger than it probably was. Again, it stands out as a gem in the Minidrama world.
* The storyline. Is it new? No. Were there tropes? Yes. But the truth is, “Two Foxes” has engaging plot that keeps you watching. The ultimate antagonist is written so much better than many short form drama baddies. Her acting in her final scene where she literally bludgeons someone to death was absolutely spinechilling. The unraveling of the mystery of Xinyan’s brother was done well too, as was the romantic development between the leads. And, in the end, we find ourselves with a satisfying happy ending.
Cons:
* So much more to be explored. Because it is a Minidrama, some of the subplots and characters needed way more exploration. This left you feeling somewhat unfulfilled after it was said and done. If they were going to attempt this much depth from their supporting cast, this was going to need to be a longer drama. They bit off more than they could chew here.
* The evil half-sister…. What can I say? She was awful. Now, I think she was written just crazy enough, but the actress failed to deliver this. Ultimately, she wasn’t a Joker-esque crazy villain… She was a psycho who annoyed the heck out of you. In comparison with her mother, the main antagonist, these weaknesses were glaring.
* A little too much “slow” in the slow burn. Our leads had amazing chemistry; so having us wait and wait for them to finally take the step from confidantes and partners to lovers drove me crazy. If this had been a full length show and we had waited until episode 22/24 for them to actually get together, I would have given up. Their kiss scene was amazing, but we only got one… It felt like, given their chemistry, we needed more from them.
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