Nepeta 22

You must have skipped A Love Never Lost. One of the best productions I've seen this whole year. And yet the ratings here on MDL will tell you to give it a skip. But I fear many Li Xian fans dropped it even though he was so good in it.

I don't know about MDL scores as there is hardly any respect for drama making and story telling. The scores tend to be more fan based rating, and that means it's not rated always on general content and standard. I'm sure over in China it will be well received.

My main concern here is there is so little research given to the horticultural aspect. You would see blossoms at the same time as lush green foliage in forest areas. Sometimes in the same scene. In part one, they showed a double camellia bush when at the time of Tang, they will only have had single of semi double form of this plant. They give very little details on MD's formula for success. I know it's a romance drama, but still, in order to reach a higher rating these things matter.

I think the drama needs to put some kind of timeline otherwise it's confusing, or there is some kind of continuity issue.

From episode 8 to 9 it seems a fair amount of months have passed since they are now asking the FL to produce a flowering peony during winter weather and I see snow. Only last episode, she was swinging away in her garden full of roses and peonies.

Truth is they need this story line otherwise it would be pretty hollow. This SML obsession is a tried and tested one and seems to be the go-to for making some kind of rivalry between ML and SML.

Well that's a shame if they don't expand on her character since I felt this character would be an interesting one. But I guess, I'd be asking too much. Sounds like there was more in the novel. I'll keep watching and hope she gets some shine instead of negativity later on.

Thanks for finding the time to explain. Yes, I'm aware of real life people that behave this way, but it's far less common than men harming women in general.

I was actually more interested in this character as I came for this character. I really hope there is more depth on her later and I resonate with Sheng Yi's story and character, but here I fear they lost the opportunity to expand on the complex dynamics on her position in society and her father's role in her life.

I'm behind at the moment so cannot comment but so far, he's less jovial and more silent and almost awkward around FL. I know this misunderstanding will drag on a bit so hopefully not too long. But FL's repetitive suffering just doesn't feel natural. It's almost as if the writer cannot think of an engaging way to hook the audience so the easiest is to create endless contrived trauma for her. It's hard to watch because it feels like filler and that's not right.

Fine, I get that, but maybe it's me, this obsession thing looks unrealistic. The lines they're given is also basic and undeveloped.

This is my personal opinion. There is an element of lazy writing when it comes to women. The story is driven by plots of obsession but not actually delving in enough. This SFL is like some stock character and they have missed a trick to expand on her life and instead choose to make it seem like she's just a spoilt brat that is only obsessed with one thing. It's disrespectful to this type of character.

Thanks for the analysis. Going by that, it's too much and I feel this ex husband thing was already a stretch. But now we have to sit through endless episodes of FL being a target so it makes a point she's smart despite all the pain she endures it whilst ML watches on in awe but also there to save her. A bit too cliched.

SFL is just badly written. Just a two dimensional counter to FL's character. For that, it just doesn't feel natural and her character is painful to watch because I think it's poorly researched. Even how spoilt and rich, she has no dignity and thinks that trying to burn the FL's residency is the answer to her problem. I'm sorry, it's demeaning to women. No effort has been given to look at her character properly.

Zhang Ya Qin playing Li You Zhen.

I'm only on episode 7 and it's already repeating itself. I thought they'd move the story along without her being targeted non stop. But it's always the ex husband or his new partner and it feels tiring. You could be right she must not be putting herself in the lead's' mindset properly. It sometimes feel contrived with no soul.

No problem. I wanted to know if the second (toxic) couple had changes written in or deviated from the novel. The SFL is poorly written and I am surprised that she is so blindly jealous in a childish way and has the belief that by taking out the FL will solve the issue considering it's not a secret he beats her up and puts her down and actively seeks FL in an unhealthy way. I was expecting a change to her character by now. Even if she changes I fear it's late and then begs the question of filler storylines that makes her look unlikeable even though she's a victim in the relationship.

As for the SML, his blind obsession with HWF was already a stretch to begin with, but now seeing him get worse is almost too contrived and unrealistic.

Have you read the original novel? I want to know if the second couple has any made up bits because it's just so demeaning for the 2FL character to behave this way. Especially trying to burn down a place the FL is residing in.

I also think her character is like this just to help uplift the main couple which makes this story telling seem weak. I won't even go into the lack of details on horticulture since Litchi Road had more research done there than here.

As for the second part with more of the same from the first part, it feels like trauma porn which is a form of filler. I get it's Tang Dynasty and all that realism, but it just doesn't feel like it's done for education and realism but more as filler and drama which sort of feels unfair to the FL's character.

Not only not like women, I would say some aspects regarding SFL's behaviour is not well researched and her actions are influenced by past men writers even if the author may be a woman.

I get your point but there is a difference between that and basic trauma porn which some writers do just to create drama and even filler material. I'm only in the early parts and was expecting part two to be moving on from part one but it's more of the same stuff. Don't get me wrong, it's engaging and Yang Zi is doing an amazing job, but as for the story it's repetitive.

I'm behind as I have been a bit busy lately. I am on episode 7 now and want to check on anyone who has read this novel. Is it accurate that Li YouZhen tries to burn down a residence that He Wei Fang is living in just as a way to stop her husband seeing her?? I'm shocked that anyone can write such a basic and dare I say demeaning thing even for a woman that is jealous and abused by her husband.

I understand that this is a woman novelist and quite disappointed at the level of basic dialogue between this couple. I know they are a support couple (toxic one) but it's done badly. I was looking forward to seeing how this couple moves on and I knew it would be bad, but not in this way for Li You Zhen.

She may have a redemption arc but this act is making it impossible to relate to her. I think the author is doing this at the expense of making FL & ML look extra special and that's sort of not fair and bad writing in my opinion. But if this didn't happen in the novel. I can lay the blame on screenwriters here.

Thanks. Yes, I suspect with how developments are going right now, these scenes will likely be revisited!

My perspective is she is now just living the days that comes to her but because it's real time, we are watching her thoughts so she may have up days and down days and of course days where she's pondering how to get out of where she is.

The earlier episodes showed that if she dies and it all starts again. Now she's unable to die. Her plans will adapt and change. Right now, she's affect bits here and there and most importantly through her time there, she's starting to get more attached to the "characters" not just the ML. That may well be making her act for others and not just for herself anymore.

There's a dialed down version over at In the name of Blossom. SML there is also self righteous (in early days) and pretentious only to slowly descend into a position he hates limping about with a walking stick. Perhaps with all CGH's injuries, he will also be snarling with a walking stick.

What's the suicide? Is it the fall from the top of the building with her sister?I'm still wondering about that.