WK1

Well, some here who did watch Love and Redemption, they said this is on par with that. You might have Reba's recent historical drama, The Long Ballad. That one is really good, and the story is original.

I think TBW is also original. I doubt there has been any Chinese historical drama that has cross species romance. So, a lot of stuff they do in TBW must be fairly new.

I mean, more fun to watch, having him being able to walk around, than to have him being chained up all the time. If he is chained up all the time, whenever he talks to Yunhe, it will be the same place. Very boring.

Not very likely, Lili. Just my opinion though.

Reba's next drama, Legend of Anle, in indeed with Youku. But the one after that, I think it is joint production between CCTV and Tencent. It is well possible that, after that she might do another one with Tencent. Seems they usually sign a one year contract, during which they will do two dramas with that particular producer. Like she did two with Tencent, TLB and YAMG.

Youku is a bit slow in getting into the act with drama production. So, they are get better, maybe more big name stars will sign with them.

There is also a third one called, Iqiyi. But, that company is said to be in financial trouble, so could be quite risky to sign with them.

Those three are the biggest video streaming companies in China. They have the money to sign the big stars. I think smaller companies will not be able to afford Reba and her male co-stars.

Oh, I have been told that the novel is a quick read, actually. Can almost finish it a day, some novel readers said. But, you don't really have to crash it in a day. Lots of time left in March.

I did not think of this! Yes, her previous leads, some were really tall. Her next drama will be the same as, Gong Jun is really tall. In some of the scenes, during filming, she had to stand on those wooden boxes, to be on the same level as him, scenes where they had to stand back to back.

I would not be surprised! Because he is so good looking. And she seem like a power hungry woman. So, if he is the very obedient sort, why not?? But, they are not allow to have any romance, am I right? I mean, in the novel, cross species romance is a taboo?

I salute all these volunteers. Takes a lot of time to get it right. For a modern cdrama, that is ok. For a historical drama, big challenge.

So, there were three things Princess Shunde asked them (either Yunhe or Haoqing) to do. Make Changy talk, make him walk like a human (well at least the same species as Yunhe, but we do know, she is not human like all of us). Third thing was, to be obedient to her, am I right. Just glad the third request is not she wants them to cut off his fins. He is a shark, am I right? Chinese love to eat shark's fin soup.

It is a terrible dish, by the way. They cut off the shark's fins and throw the sharks back to the sea. Without those fins, the sharks cannot swim and they usually die very shortly after that.

Could be more than just that. We keep watching. They may have more surprises for us. Like I said, this director, he is very experienced. He will not just imitate a trope that has been used so many times in so many other dramas. I think he and the screenwriter have more things up their sleeves.

Ah, someone mentioned about this scene in the novel. Not sure if they will show this in the drama. But, they wish to, there is no problem. Because Dilraba is really strong, for a lady. She will easily carry Allen.

You see, that is why they need to adapt. Those kinds of scenes, it will never pass the censors. If they submit those scenes to the censorship board in China, the board will just ask them to delete all those scenes. It will just be a waste of time, and money, filming all those scenes. Over the years, the censorship board has always asked drama producers not to show too much blood, not to make all those gory scenes.

All the time? Even if it is most of the time, it cannot be fun for Allen to act. He will indeed be like a prisoner. In the drama, he can walk around, talk to people, and so on. Definitely more freedom. And more fun for us to watch.

Are you serious? You think the war made Croton Media deliberately release it late, because so many countries are supporting the sanctions, except China and a few others?

Ok, that information is good to know. So, they must have good reasons to inject that one-sided love into the drama.

I am just trying to visualise him, having to walk on land, with his tail. My mind is brought back to mud skippers. which is a fish that can also survive on land.

Mud skipper have fins, which helped them to 'walk' on land. And they also wriggle around using their tails.

But, they lay flat on the ground, while moving around. I do not think Allen would want to wriggle around, flat on his body. And they may have to use really great CGI to give him fins that can help him to walk on land. Either way, he will flat on the ground, like a mud skipper.

So, one alternative is to make him hop around with his big tail. But that will make him look really funny. And his tail is so big, he would towel over Ji Yunhe. They will have to make Yunhe walk on stilts, just to have eye contact with him.

He is not even supposed to be walking around? So what exactly happened in the novel? He just stays in an aquarium like container?? I saw another Xianxia drama and that is what they did to a mermaid there. Put her in a container. But, it would not be fun to watch, and Allen, the ML would probably would not like that.

If you are alluding to CGI used in a fantasy drama, it is indeed true. Costly, especially if you want top class CGI. They don't come cheap.

Don't feel so bad, There are pros and cons about reading the novel, before watching this. Either way, you will pleased with the drama, once the subs are out. Great majority have enjoyed it. Including me, who watched it raw, without reading the novel.

Just take your time with the novel.

I am just curious, was this ever made explicitly? What I mean is, in the novel, did he specifically told her, he has no romantic intention or inclination toward her? Cause, sometimes, novels are just words. And different readers may well interpret those words differently, and there is no clear answer.