This review may contain spoilers
After having watched numerous medical series, I quite enjoyed this one. Most of the actors did a great job and there was great chemistry between them. However, this is really one of the main reasons why I gave it the higher score that I would have.Although the concept of the autistic doctor is great and the main actor does a good job at this role, I could have done without the cringe plot of the girl who was raised with dogs. This really threw me off of the realism of the overall story. I should say however, she did a great job at her role as well. Then there is a bit of inconsistency with his "genius". It doesn't make sense for him to suddenly be aloof with the meaning of certain words or phrases, especially when he was raised lovingly by the director who one would think would have taught him these concepts over so many years. It would have made more sense for him to become more aware of it emotionally through multiple encounters with others but not play the fool to the actual definitions. The last downside for me was the screen time with the main character's love life was a bit too heavy-handed.
Despite the negatives listed above, it is still worth the watch. The great acting still pulls it altogether quite well.
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Meh
The series is getting a higher score only for its good-for-casual-watch aspect and the graphics being relatively decent. Unfortunately both the FL and ML were very one-note through the whole series and despite trying to force a romance between the two, it really just didn't work. The plot was both straight-forward and sloppy.However, if you can turn off the analytical mind and are the type who enjoys watching an "eye for an eye" kind of of punishment, this is a good one to try. Note that while it's not the most graphic I've come across, it's graphic enough for queasy watchers to avoid.
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While our main actors may not be at their best acting abilities here, it really doesn't matter much for the roles they play. You have your charismatic con man, a typical hacker, a man hulk, and a thief/racer on a team that is out to take down corruption outside the legal limitations. I've quite enjoyed their chemistry and interaction with one another and very much appreciated that the only female lead is actually likeable. If you've read most of my reviews, I have pet peeves with female lead characters that don't add much value. Although they are supposed to be your super team, there are enough hiccups that get them down to earth a bit, unlike your 007s.
There is a bit of a drag during the middle with the hurdles they continuously encounter but it picks up again near the end. Some of the video shots, particularly during fight scenes, are a bit shaky. Not sure if this was intentional but it was distracting at times.
Overall, it's not a unique plot by all means and every so often you do wonder how either side went from being intelligently detailed to somewhat sloppy. But it is pretty well done and straight-forward with respect to how they laid it out and heart-warming when you see the team bonding. So just kick back and enjoy it the way you should with these types of genres.
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Although I typically don't lean toward the staccato flow of story lines (which has been my experience so far with j-dramas), it worked really well here. Sure, you won't be hand-held with details or be fed with long emotional scenes and some character introductions may seem abrupt. But it gets to the point and gives you just that right amount where you as the viewer will actually be able to use your imagination to fill in the blanks. Seriously, I have a newfound appreciation for this type of directing.
Highlights:
- Most episodes are somewhat episodic while still connected to the underlying arc.
- The juxtaposition of our four leads' characters between fulfilling their contracts and just living normal live.
- The number of times I've smiled. Who knew there would be any smiling with such a dark atmosphere?
- There is much more action than just flaying tattooed skin and it took away from the initial dread of repetitiveness.
This isn't one you watch if you're looking for an in-depth, psychological theme. There really isn't much camera panning on the actual gory actions, but there is just enough imagery with good sound effects. However, this isn't just a shallow slash and hack either. Nicely well-rounded for such a "rapid" series.
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Fun, Silly, and Coherent
The series felt like a really good college student production with a straightforward story line with some foreseen plot twists. I think the actors were cast well for their roles and are all likeable. It does as good job blending over-the-top humor with the more serious undertones of the ghosts' backstories. Some of the backstories were of deeper grievances and others were a bit shallow but it was all enjoyable thanks the dynamics of the main actors. Wish they delved a little deeper into the history of our mains. Note that the ghosts here are all portrayed in their decayed form for anyone who can't stomach this particular aspect.Haven't seen as many Thai series but really appreciate how natural and comfortable they are with portraying the intimacy between male relationships. It's a good and fun watch with a well-rounded ending. The average scoring is really just for the simplicity of the series when compared to others of the same genre.
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Left Feeling Unsure
There are multiple factors that I really appreciate about the series and other factors that watered it down. Foremost, most of the actors did a good job in their roles, particularly our two main protagonists. It would have stepped up a notch if they provided more depth to the character's backstories. Although there were hints and minor flashbacks, it wasn't enough to really draw you in to any of them in particular.Although the pacing was initially slower than what I'm accustomed to for this type of genre, it did create that essence of realism. The series did a good job transitioning Han Dan Soo's character from a struggling lawyer who kept getting screwed over by trying to do the "right" thing to finally getting fed up and deciding to utilize his skills to fight corruption by becoming corrupted. After all, those who have a conscious and have experienced something similar in life, would be able to generally relate to these multiple decision-making crossroads. It also secondarily depicts the realism of how people feel when they are being used, or when they are the ones putting in the "hard work" only to help others reap the large rewards. So there are multiple scenes where it has you questioning yourself on what you would do in their shoes.
However in the last three or so episodes, the pacing paradoxically became both too dragged while the plot felt overly rushed. It's hard to explain except that I started to lose interest in the heavy-handed shifting of the backstabbing between the various parties. So while the ending wasn't bad, it also felt rushed because of how slow the build-up was to it. If the positive factors weren't there for the overall wrap-up of the series, I would have given it a lower score. It's otherwise still an enjoyable watch but not one worth re-watching again.
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Well Done
Started this series with the expectations of dropping it in the first couple of episodes due to expecting a Wuxia theme, only to realize the setting is actually within the modernized world. But before I knew it, each episode had me hooked to looking forward to the next. Here are some key points that makes this series unique for me:- The blending of a historical essence with modern times was actually done really well and is far more believable than what other series with similar settings try to achieve.
- The action, costuming, and CG work (though I'm not an expert of any sort) was fantastic actually. This aspect is usually one of the main reasons why I drop series. Typically dislike things like "colored hair" that's utilized in historical settings (because it makes no damn sense) but because this is within the modern world, it works.
- Although not all of the acting was done well, there was enough great actors/actresses to make up for it on a whole.
- The humor-injected drama can throw you off every so often but it was also equally refreshing (with just a few scenes that were a bit excessive). The layer of humor is key as well to overlooking any potential loophole with the superhuman powers involved.
What brings the score down for me would mostly be around the plot. Although the story wasn't bad, it felt rushed within the latter half of the series. They did a great job in the beginning with character introductions and did a pretty good job in delving into their personalities but it wasn't very complete. In order for them to finally get to the ending of this first "arc", they left too many holes around the details behind the whole mystery and the characters involved. There were also some sections where I did find myself fast-forwarding a tad because it felt just slightly long-winded and unnecessary. However, I'm very pleasantly surprised at how well they did overall and it was a very enjoyable watch.
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Foremost, the team of "mad dogs" is ultimately what keeps the series entertaining enough. Especially when the leads were pretty much a perfect cast for their characters. The overall plot itself also has enough twists and turns to keep the viewer intrigued, even if the details don't always make sense and the decisions are sometimes questionable. There's enough fast-paced action here where there really isn't much room to fast-forward on and it thankfully doesn't have any sappy romance.
Although I've dropped other series that have similar flaws, this one was just fun to watch. After all, the focus wasn't meant to be around forensics or detective work but on the woven relationships of the characters. It's like watching a comic book movie of a super-hero team made up of criminals. If it consisted of more than the 11 episodes, then maybe they could have incorporated more depth. The ending felt rushed but still left me wanting to see more of them in action again.
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This series had its flaws but the specialness of it does a lot to override it and it exceeded expectations. This isn't one of your typical crime/suspense dramas where there are cool dudes or evil villains. In fact, having watched so many action-driven series prior to this, it took a bit to get used to this type of pacing (in a good way). The only way I can describe it is that it is closer to "real-time" pacing, where it gives off a "slice of life" feel despite its darker atmosphere.
The script is done wonderfully and is loaded with insight. I couldn't figure out which male lead I was empathizing with as it kept me switching back and forth until it neared the end when I thought I knew, and then it messed me up again. The female lead felt a bit one-toned for a large portion of the story but boy, was I appreciative of her presence. Almost all of your characters are humanized with realistic gray tones. I won't go into the plot details because I made the mistake of reading what was stated as a minor spoiler, only to realize it ruined quite a bit of what could have been a nice unique surprise.
The negatives for me that hurt the series was they spent too much time on emotional lingering with at least a couple of scenes an episode. I did fast-forward a bit on these sections and some repeated flashbacks but not in the areas of dialogue. The only other negative was the video shots weren't great and took some getting used to.
Don't go into this one expecting gruesome serial killings or exaggerated supernatural powers. This is actually another reason why it was done so well. It didn't need this to build up emotional intensity or suspense. I'm also confused as to why some state this one has no romance. Sure, there wasn't your sappy/tragic type of love story and it wasn't the main focus, but it is most definitely there.
I recommend this series if you are the type who values content over flashy. It isn't episodic in crime-solving but rather a movement across multiple crimes that all gather under one umbrella.
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This review may contain spoilers
Feeling cheated...
The series started out so fantastic in almost every way: the plot, the characters, the visuals, the pacing, the charisma. It was a strong 9 or 9.5 score for me for the majority of the series until the last 10 episodes or so, where it all went terribly wrong. The downfall was almost predicted as around episode 30, I was wondering how they can possibly wrap up the story in only eight more episodes.However, not only did they completely rush through to its finale, the steady and beloved personalities of the characters declined in such a way that it made all of the prior episodes feel like a bad investment. The plot that was so carefully paced out and so well done... became mush. As just one small example, when the ML sacrificed his precious hand and was stabbed multiple times, apparently it ended up not being a sacrifice at all. His hand was merely wrapped, still usable, and the rest of him just miraculously recovered overnight. This type of nonsense didn't occur previously.
The FL and ML's relationship was developing quite naturally but then devolved into an abusive/victim/guilt-ridden one in the end. Both of their characters were almost unrecognizable from where they started. Let's not forget the scene where they slept together and the ML decides to propose after (as if this is a modern day setting with no consequences for the women). Or how he tripped his own kid multiple times because despite having settled down with the FL, his jealousy is still out of control. What in the world happened? Did a writer just get swapped out towards the end? It really is such a shame. If they hadn't ruined the ending arc with such nonsense, the series would have been on the top of my list.
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The series was a solid 9.0 until around episode 30. This is when the plot takes a turn down soap opera lane a bit. They tried too hard to link everyone into having some type of familial relationship with one another which made it unrealistic with no added value. The other lesser negative is the unrealistic gun fight scenes and the unnecessary slow-motion effects during the other fight scenes. Otherwise, the action blend could have shone more.
Nevertheless, I was drawn in mainly by our two male leads from the very first episode. The contrast and underlying similarities between them created a chemistry that was addictive and fun. Cheng Feng Tai, is the true star here. He was able to portray the complexity of having to transition into multiple faces very well (and admittedly, his dimpled smile is too good). Shang Xi Rui comes as a close runner-up and I really adore the both of them on screen. There were also plenty of witty supporting characters such as Cao Gui Xiu and Du Qi who only added to the charm of the series.
There is a good surface attempt to explain the life route of opera singers, the royal family having fallen, and when Japan began its invasion. But for me personally, having read and seen many films and books that really dive hard into these events, these are just a backdrop to the ultimate love story in this series. And although I can't forgive the suffering Japan caused (read The Rape of Nanking or watch the documentary), I do appreciate that they didn't portray all the people of Japan as willing enemies.
There are some flaws that can't be overlooked with some parts of the plot and some loose ends that were never explained but everything else was done really well including the design set and outfits for the era and the incorporation of a bit of just everything. If there were some physical touch present between the leads (even if just hand-holding), I think it would have upped it by a notch. Although I took off some points for the mentioned factors, let's just say this is one of the series I made the effort to download for keeps.
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I appreciate the attempt to bring to light various forms of abuse and its various lasting effects through adulthood no matter how stable one's life turns out. Also appreciate the highlighting that not all victims are saints themselves as everyone has their own type of sin.
However, while I'm not one who minds the slower-paced type of series/movies. This one just felt like a slow-pacing in circles over and over again. The actors were awfully bland even for a somber setting. Making it through over half of the episodes (with lots of fast-forwarding), there is pretty much zero character development. The female lead's character feels so one-note that I've grown annoyed by her screen time. Despite the trauma she's apparently gone through, she is really just selfish and self-righteous underneath her overbearing gentleness and occasional rage. For a child psychologist, she really doesn't have much empathy. It would have been fine if she was given any type of personality growth by now in the series. If the expressions on the majority of the actors didn't feel like permanent Botox, it might have worked better. The only actor that pushed the episodes along was really the main detective.
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This review may contain spoilers
Overhyped and confused
I almost dropped the series multiple times for a number of reasons. But there was just enough of a plot where you felt the need to see it through its conclusion. This should be labeled a romance series that is also trying to imitate drama/comedy/action/politics but just ends up imbalanced.Negatives:
-- The initial premise was intriguing but dwindles rapidly into a full-on love story where the main leads are like high school kids continually flirting with one another.
-- The main male lead is depicted initially as a ruthless leader with a lifelong grudge. Yet they do a slow motion shot of him pretty much falling in love at first sight, which really diminishes his character and his passion from the onset.
-- While I'm all for an intellectual and capable female lead, they went unrealistically overboard with her character. So much so that apparently, the accomplished male leader who led wars and ruled over clans for years suddenly needs constant saving from her.
-- Then the pet peeve of mine that occurs across multiple similar series. When someone is supposed to be a war veteran, etc. who are used to getting wounded and then when they get a paper-cut at some point, a huge deal is made about it. They also didn't budget much on the visual of the wounds.
-- The relationship with the couple is supposed to be unique in the sense that they are enemies, but it's not much different than any other arranged marriages with trust issues. They mush for each other so quickly that it's utterly unconvincing.
-- The series throws in a few graphic scenes of violence and death, lots of lighthearted and fun banter, tons of sappy romance, political manipulation and some war action. It's as if it tried to take little pieces of what made other series successful and forced it together awkwardly.
Positives:
-- The positives also come from the negative listed in the last bullet above. The few graphic scenes does emphasize the seriousness in the grudges, the fun banter between the characters does create chemistry and comradery, and there are some romantic development scenes that are humorous.
-- There are many familiar faces in the series who do a good job in their roles though not at the level of truly seasoned actors. And while Song Zu Er's acting for me was subpar in The Demon Hunter's Romance, she shows a bit more range in this one.
If you're into the romance genre, can definitely see this one being rated on the higher end. But if you're expecting more serious undertones, unpredictability, or action, this is probably not it. There was a lot of potential with this one if they were able to properly balance the different elements or just stayed in one lane. I completed this one with a good amount of fast-forwarding.
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This review may contain spoilers
This one is a rough one. I was considering dropping it after the first few episodes because of our leads. This is no fault to the actors themselves but the male lead just didn't quite fit the role he played though it's still passable. The female lead's role was (yet again) written as a cutesy character who's obsessed with the "cold bad boy" but is just incompetent and unprofessional if you pay attention to what value she brings supposedly as a cop of a special team. Sigh to the Asian draw towards having to incorporate the "cute" even when it doesn't work for the genre, but at least she doesn't wear high heels on the job.The blend of the crime and romance aspects of the series feels forced/confused as if they didn't know which one to focus on. Then the humor and lightheartedness that was sprinkled on would have worked if it wasn't sometimes done with bad timing. There also wasn't too much chemistry between the two leads and the number of times they made him lean flirtatiously into her face to apparently make her feel uncomfortable (try counting the times) just became an irritating thing to watch. What is also up with the male lead and his alternating of two hairstyles? At first I thought they were attempting to use it to differentiate between the past and the current, but no. Choosing just one or the other would have worked a lot better for the purpose of the character.
Despite all the above however and while the crime aspect wasn't amazing, there is an interesting overall mystery with the male lead's backstory and where it leads. The rest of the supporting cast did a really good job to keep me focused so I quite enjoyed it while skipping the majority of screen time of the female lead.
The concept of society blaming and looking down on (in hypocrisy) the "monsters" they've created themselves is quite evident here which I love. Nothing to do with the actual plot. but let's say a group of children were raised in an environment where murder was as normal and natural as eating a meal, would it be moral to blame the children for living in the same fashion? Then let's say, a few of those children were fortunate enough to later be placed into a gentler and warmer environment, and learned they can feel and live a different way. Would it be moral to punish them for their past deeds from their prior environment? And then to add to the complexity, what if some of those children were just born and wired a certain way?
The strange empathy you may feel for what should be the "monsters" in this is what hits the spot. Who's the one who's really ignorant? Who's moral and who's self-justifying on their own learned morals?
It is definitely very unfortunate that outside of a great underlying plot, the series couldn't pull it off better.
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Solid historical drama
We need to bring back more historical dramas with this type of aura where no extravagance is needed and the focus is on the actual plot.This series does a great job portraying a portion of Emperor Kang Xi's accomplishments and growth as a ruler. It's hard to explain but while it has all the typical political conflicts as with other series, it's done in very digestible way despite it spanning 40 episodes. They did a great job keeping the naturalness of human interactions which include an abundance of humorous moments alongside the more serious undertones. Fortunately, there is pretty much no dramatic romantic scenes or love triangles that deter from the main focuses. It's a great fictionalized depiction of actual history based on real people and events.
The minor negative is that there are slightly prolonged/repetitive scenes at times but not enough for it to get frustrating because the overall pacing is pretty steady from beginning to end. Note that there are some time skips throughout the series that may not be immediately obvious but you'll know if you've been paying attention.
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