Nepeta 22

I always defend her "character" not actress because i don't rate her much in general. So, unless you watch to the last minute of this drama, the penny will drop. But, with the barrage culture in China, this drama is actually poking fun of viewers like yourself. Because it's showing all the tropes on C-Dramas. You are in the middle, so it's very hard for you to get it. It's meant to get your blood to boil because you have been given the all seeing eye whilst FL doesn't and I think many over estimate themselves and think themselves smarter than her in the situation. Oh wait...that sounds like the FL! Yes, these modern females think they know best.

Just reading the many comments on this drama, it's cringeworthy how some can't even grasp the basic concept of the drama and only nit-picking at the FL, That's the level. Give the ML character a pass because of all the padding and plot armour. If you can't even work out that part of the plot and the ending, then what can I say.

Yes I also thought the same but it does die down and settle down. Still funny but in a more natural way. The support cast or more or less everyone pulled their weight which made it much more enjoyable.

This is my take on this. Those that like it tend to not take it too seriously since it's so clearly a parody of the industry. Those that don't like it may have not fully gone through the full spectrum of the Chinese entertainment business yet. I might say, they are the centre of it, so cannot see anything funny about it. They have not accepted for so long FL characters and ML characters are done in a way to make MLs always shine. It's a form of entertainment propaganda that warrants over-the-top barrage culture that is quite popular in China because many of this is due to a big online community which can sway public opinion quite quickly.

I get your reasoning but it seemed like this was happening over a period of 8 years. Why didn't ML or emperor work more on getting a strong army in that time. It seemed like a really long and convoluted way of telling us they were just not good enough at what they had been planning. Even in the final stages, it's typically the FL's wit and knowledge of plants that got them out of the sticky situation. ML was no more than a meat-head fighting with his fists, even though in earlier episodes, he was more smarter but only up to a level.

I feel this is where the plot fails. It was an afterthought. This is a romance drama first and foremost and it shows. The fleshing out of this arc does not make sense and is only there for the SML and SFL to have their little tussle and his contrived struggle with Prince Ning. That worked up to the last quarter when the storyline of the courts fall apart and you start to really despise the emperor for being so weak and over-reliant on the ML and dare I say FL to get the job done. It's not balanced. Especially in the ridiculous scenes where the ML is given a lifeline by Prince Ning in that staged stabbing. I eye rolled, as-if...

I'm afraid I haven't seen Zhang Yi play sleazy yet. Closest was a small part in Fearless Blood. The other drama I saw him in was Who Is He. I quite like that retro drama. He was playing a cop again.

As for similarity to ML in The Long Night, I hope not, because the outcome of that ML was inside a suitcase!

No worries, I am going to continue. Thanks for answering anyway. Yes, I can see this Xie Hong Fei character is not the brightest. Zhang Yi has played a lot of similar characters where is is not the typical heroic ML, I feel the poor man is type cast. But I am sure his character will grow in time. Just thought the interview style seemed too odd and over the top. Couldn't work out whether it was part of some grand plan.

I'm on episode 13. Why did Xie Hong Fei call up the lawyer straight after his interrogation? That has got to be the most odd thing to do considering his background. He should know by now they are on his tail?

As for Hong Liang's affected performance, I didn't know whether he was being sarcastic or really supposed to act like that, but the way he interviewed him seemed over-the-top and not in line with how I expect someone in his job would be like even how friendly they are. I do hope it gets better because so far, the ML's character is all over the place. One minute he's like a jobsworth, next he's interested in his job. These two seem to collide. Or it might be the way the actor playing this character is not good enough.

I haven't read the novel either but yes, it could have been a bit more better executed towards the last 5 episodes. Speaking of masterpieces, it depends on taste. I thought The Demon Hunters Romance was near perfect for me.

He's listed as a guest star here. Very messed up cast order. Played by famous and respected actor Tu Song Yan. The other is Jeremy Qu listed as "saint", not sure why.

Some dramas are like that. One actor could be a support or even low support and it's taken up 70% of the photo gallery. If you go to Romance in the Alley, 80% of the photos are for a female actress that has such a minor role, you'd think she's at least a support. YZ & LS fandom don't converge onto MDL photo galleries. Same with Yang Yang. I think more established actors' fandoms don't get involved in that much.

I wondered what the novel readers felt about the second part. I agree with your summary. Unless the novel was also quite dated in how they portrayed FL towards the end where everything seemed to open up for her and classically everyone just agreed or bow down to her except the handful of predictable baddies, it's what lets down the end parts.

I was told that JCY is more a support role in the novel and it was clear FL was the lead and he didn't figure until 1/3 of the way in the novel. If that's true, you could say, he falls into "I'm in awe of you because you saved the day" camp type of ML partner.

Unfortunately, I was defending the FL's behaviour when the drama was airing originally because I felt the drama makers did a decent balance.

Too many viewers are over critical of female characters and give male characters a pass. ML here did not express himself, was deceiving everyone with his second persona. He kept a tough persona in front of others but that is not the FL's problem. He caused it himself.

Yes he's misunderstood, but that's because they showed us, but from the FL's perspective she doesn't see this. She's just an average woman transported into history so she's going to me harsher.

Sorry if I have offended you in anyway. It was not meant to upset anyone.

I saw nothing wrong with the FL's character as a whole. You have the benefit of seeing everything whilst she doesn't. She has her biases which is why she behaves the way she does. She simply does not trust ML. I wouldn't either. In life, you are more likely to have your guard up. He tried to kill her many times. Even if he's nice it could be a trick. Her mindset is not of someone from the Tang Dynasty.

For viewers it is frustrating to watch but luckily the comedy made it watchable. Luckily we find out in the end, she was written like that and that layer of the drama is a script of the drama.

Have you watched the drama up to the last minute. Even after the credits? What you wrote was a script first layer. The FL is not her real her?

If you can bear it. All will make sense when you watch this right up to the last minute. Even after the credits. Collect your opinions and then you'll see how you feel.

It's because it's alluding to being all a dream.

Keep a collections of your comments, then re-visit them after you have watched it to the absolute last minute of this drama. I think you won't be disappointed.

Same here. I only found out the titles of the dramas had changed from first time FL was reading, to the end scenes. So smart yet subtle enough to make a statement.

I liked how even in the main layer of the story, the made a conscious decision to make the SFL smart which was deliberate in two ways. To make viewers point out she's the better choice for the ML and also throw others off to show that in the world. these characters have a mind of their own even though they are confined to their story line.

The prolonged misunderstanding is a classic and as seen most unforgiving tropes in c-drama and it sure teased the viewers. The ML that loves the FL no matter what which is just love for some. She doesn't need to be perfect or nice or mother Teresa...that nearly killed some viewers who just cannot accept a bit realism rather than some fairytale romance with proper reasoning and logic.But the ending cleared this up and those that made the most noise can't say much really.

Yes, I'm surprised that some have watched the full drama right up to the last minute and still have not joined up the dots. This is why I love this drama. It's a subtle dig at those that make too much noise and over-react the most. The drama makers are actually having the last laugh for those that moaned about the FL's behavior.

To some extent your last sentence could be right. It's a drama making a bit of fun about the idol drama industry and its tropes. Those that don't like it may just not feel the same way as the drama makers' take on the industry.