antiherodiaries

hmmmmmm...this is also a problem. ☠️💀

I guess it's really depends on the story...sometimes it doesn't work. I've seen way to many failed attempt.

What if the novel is FL centric, but the world-building positions the male character in a space where the visual storytelling is essential to make him believable? Then, I will complain too because it breaks down the world-building and complexity of the realtionship between the FL and ML. If he was just meant to be eye candy, then just say so...why waste pages and screentime on him (because male centric stories don't even pretend that women are eye candy and unapologetically writes thier female characters as support).

The drama gave him the Yuanzhou army but he actually only controls the Xie family Military, and the 100 Blood calvary (the most elite soldiers).

They just lucky he loves her cus if it's novel Xie Daren, they would have been clutching thier pearls for dear life.

They don't film in order so this doesn't track. It's the writing and editing. A weak script will lead to weak editing. A weak director will lead to a terrible drama. Jade fortunately had a good director so it managed to get some things right.

I agree with you. I'm just saying the lack of action for Buyi worked better than for Xie Daren because of the time and place of the story. But yes, they were telling us and not showing us enough. What I did love about Buyi character is that we did get to see his revenge come to fruitation so in the end, we still leave the narrative with closure. I am doubtful we will get that with the Marquis.

No we did not need her. She shows up in the novel in the third act and had like three scenes. Her contribution to the story is that she is Gong's "spy" in the palace. They could've still kept her character as is, and it wouldn't hurt the narrative.

It's balanced...starts from the FL but jumps back and forth between both of them.

I'm halfway. It's so good. I like this writer quite a bit actually, very detailed, so makes it for a slow read. Have to pay attention.

Dear drama gods,
Please please please do not downgrade the ML. My heart can't take it again.

What or who do I need to sacrafice so we get a balance narrative and great adaptation? 🤣

You have brought up a really good point. I didn't think of it because it followed the novel very closely. The villiage life also containted alot of CP troupes for the main leads, so there's also alot of wasted time there.

The novel is set up like this which I think in terms of writing, it's actually very unique: Slice of life (first act), military intrigue (second act) and palace politics (third act). So I had anticipated it like so. the issue is the second act takes over several months, many of them could been summed up in a nice montage with voice over if they are running of space. But they chose to go back the slice of life humor found in the first act coupled with the CP shennegans, that we ended up with all the character development (which took place on the battlefield) to be less than compelling.

I don’t think my point came across clearly. In a 40-episode drama like Chasing Jade, the screenwriter spent too much time catering to CP fans and failed to craft a concise narrative within the given timeframe.

You can still include romance like your point, K-dramas have been doing this effectively for years within a 12–16 episode structure. In Chasing Jade, however, it feels like screen time was sacrificed for marketing-driven moments rather than a well-developed, cohesive story.

I disagree. The chasing jade is for both of them and I'll die on this hill. The "Jade" actually carries a dual symbolism: Xie Zhang is described as a rare piece of jade (as seen in FCY’s conversation with Madam Zhao about the fake marriage), and “jade” is also embedded in Changyu’s name.
Thus, “pursuing jade” works on two levels—Xie Zhang pursuing Changyu, and Changyu pursuing Xie Zhang.

But I also agree the screenwriter failed the adaption.

There's no billing order in Jade. ZLH 's character was built in at least 17 episodes and marketed as of equal importance. So alot of our crash out are also valid.

In the drama it's only 2 years. 19 and 21. in the novel it's 5 years. 16 and 21.

LLTG worked without the actions because it took place during a time of peace and works as a court politics drama. The boarder was already secure hence her parents returned home. But for Jade, it doesn't work at all because it's a military drama.

Poor writing. The screenwriter weakness is showing through.

To cater the romance crowd...lots of unnecessary scenes for couples, so not enough time to develop the plot.

I don't think it censorship this time. I wholeheartedly blame CP marketing.