Let's you down with a dull thud
I made it to the end! No please, please, hold the applause. Don't get me wrong. It's not because this drama was uneventful. Au contraire, there's certainly a lot of activity stuffed into the plot. But quantity does not equal quality, especially when the characters themselves are dull.
Honestly, the problem began early on in the series and it began with our FL, Lu Zhen. It looks like the writers were trying really hard to portray her as an underdog figure who's life falls apart due to factors beyond her control. In the first few episodes, she hits on hard times and needs to pick herself back up. And, to her credit, she does. But not without help. Due to a fortuitous coincidental meeting with the Crown Prince (ML), she is able to use his influence to enter the palace as a maid. From there, she climbs the ladder into officialdom.
Along the way, she repeats aloud: I made it this far on my own. Except, again, that's not entirely true. Her friendship with the Emperor and Crown Prince are definitely factors. That's not to discount her own hard work and ingenuity (although part of this is due to her middle class upbringing). However, she has doors opened to her that other women with similar wits and smarts wouldn't have. As such, I never really bought the underdog depiction.* I therefore didn't have any emotional investment in her character. I also found her quite boring, considering she's a glorified accountant (no hate to accountants, but y'all are killjoys at parties).
Even more lacklustre is her BF, Crown Prince. Not only is he dull, he's also inconsiderate. Also, why was he chosen to be the romantic interest?? When General Shen comes onto the scene with that fine ass jawline and is actually upfront and honest with Lu Zhen, how are we meant to still like the ML??
Tbh, scattered glimpses of that jawline was the only thing that got me through to the end. Totally worth it to see 2013 era CGI in the finale. I needed some comedic relief by that point.
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*Particularly around episode 9 when her fellow maids are worried about being buried alive so they try to take ~drastic~ action to avoid such a fate. Lu Zhen looks down on them and tells them off. But then a couple of eps later, she's worried about her own skin. Hypocritical snobs make for poor underdogs.
Honestly, the problem began early on in the series and it began with our FL, Lu Zhen. It looks like the writers were trying really hard to portray her as an underdog figure who's life falls apart due to factors beyond her control. In the first few episodes, she hits on hard times and needs to pick herself back up. And, to her credit, she does. But not without help. Due to a fortuitous coincidental meeting with the Crown Prince (ML), she is able to use his influence to enter the palace as a maid. From there, she climbs the ladder into officialdom.
Along the way, she repeats aloud: I made it this far on my own. Except, again, that's not entirely true. Her friendship with the Emperor and Crown Prince are definitely factors. That's not to discount her own hard work and ingenuity (although part of this is due to her middle class upbringing). However, she has doors opened to her that other women with similar wits and smarts wouldn't have. As such, I never really bought the underdog depiction.* I therefore didn't have any emotional investment in her character. I also found her quite boring, considering she's a glorified accountant (no hate to accountants, but y'all are killjoys at parties).
Even more lacklustre is her BF, Crown Prince. Not only is he dull, he's also inconsiderate. Also, why was he chosen to be the romantic interest?? When General Shen comes onto the scene with that fine ass jawline and is actually upfront and honest with Lu Zhen, how are we meant to still like the ML??
Tbh, scattered glimpses of that jawline was the only thing that got me through to the end. Totally worth it to see 2013 era CGI in the finale. I needed some comedic relief by that point.
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*Particularly around episode 9 when her fellow maids are worried about being buried alive so they try to take ~drastic~ action to avoid such a fate. Lu Zhen looks down on them and tells them off. But then a couple of eps later, she's worried about her own skin. Hypocritical snobs make for poor underdogs.
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