What a colossal waste of my time.
This show peaked when the White Van TM took its victim, because that was the last time I cared for one of the characters we’re presumably supposed to root for. Mind you, this happens in episode 3, so that’s kind of unfortunate given the show’s run-time.
From that point onwards, my sympathies quickly shifted, until I found myself growing much more attached to Han Seok and Myung Hee than the protagonist. This, once again, was a very unfortunate development because Vincenzo (the show, the character) is so goddamn conservative and unimaginative. So there was no doubt in my mind that all antagonists would be gruesomely punished, regardless of the show's performative reluctance towards embracing vigilantism. The thing is, I don’t even mind my favorite characters being put through the wringer. But normally, the narrative at least allows you to feel bad for them and to experience catharsis through their suffering. In this case, it’s just a mix of disappointment and dragged-out torture, just like how Vincenzo kills his enemies.
It's hard to enjoy a show when you can't stand the titular character.
Okay, fine, so Vincenzo gets rewarded with power, money and love no matter how morally dubious his actions.
But why won't you let me revel in his misdeeds? Ah, yes, because he has to have these reoccurring bouts of remorse and feelings other than slow-motion bad-boy emotions. Man, the amount of times I had to fast-forward through the painfully boring scenes with his mother! Guess we're going the morally gray route, then. Sike! The show’s criticism of corruption is way too hackneyed for that. So, Vincenzo is “the lesser evil” and a monster who defeats other monsters to “protect” the innocent, but also an infallible strategist and action hero who is just family-oriented enough to sweep his damsel in distress off her feet. I have yet to watch a K-drama with a “strong” female lead who doesn’t eventually need saving by her man. How is this in any way a complex portrayal of anything, and not just the cookie-cutter bad-boy archetype again? Do you want to have your cake, eat it or seem health conscious? Pick One!
Other things I didn’t like because why not:
Obligatory cliffhangers without satisfactory payoff at the end of most episodes.
Some storylines overstaying their welcome.
Mostly way too many characters whose actions are so repetitive it feels like I’m watching Ground Hog Day, except without the variation on a theme. For example: How many times do we hear the plaza inhabitants say that they will fight now, as if that’s a new revelation and not an epiphany they've already had and acted upon multiple times? How many times will the antagonists despair, cobble together a plan, think they've won, only to lose again and somehow both be surprised but also not? How many homoerotic pairings will we create just to make fun of them for existing and give Vincenzo the opportunity to express his deep discomfort with the mere idea of homosexuality (what kind of viewer does this even appeal to)? How many times will Cha Young get 1 nanosecond of superficial bad-assery only to instantly be outshined, called crazy or saved in the next scene? Seriously, what kind of second-screen storytelling is this?
Yes, this review is barely coherent, but the show's descent into mediocrity fried my last brain cell and sapped my will to live. I’m VERY open to a fun show with villains and antiheroes who aren’t dragged down by pesky morals, just as much as I enjoy a thoughtful exploration of why people commit selfish and evil actions. However, it seems to me that marrying these two approaches was obviously a way too ambitious goal for Vincenzo. That being said, the couple of cool characters, fun scenes, and genuinely engaging moments saved the show from being unwatchable.
From that point onwards, my sympathies quickly shifted, until I found myself growing much more attached to Han Seok and Myung Hee than the protagonist. This, once again, was a very unfortunate development because Vincenzo (the show, the character) is so goddamn conservative and unimaginative. So there was no doubt in my mind that all antagonists would be gruesomely punished, regardless of the show's performative reluctance towards embracing vigilantism. The thing is, I don’t even mind my favorite characters being put through the wringer. But normally, the narrative at least allows you to feel bad for them and to experience catharsis through their suffering. In this case, it’s just a mix of disappointment and dragged-out torture, just like how Vincenzo kills his enemies.
It's hard to enjoy a show when you can't stand the titular character.
Okay, fine, so Vincenzo gets rewarded with power, money and love no matter how morally dubious his actions.
But why won't you let me revel in his misdeeds? Ah, yes, because he has to have these reoccurring bouts of remorse and feelings other than slow-motion bad-boy emotions. Man, the amount of times I had to fast-forward through the painfully boring scenes with his mother! Guess we're going the morally gray route, then. Sike! The show’s criticism of corruption is way too hackneyed for that. So, Vincenzo is “the lesser evil” and a monster who defeats other monsters to “protect” the innocent, but also an infallible strategist and action hero who is just family-oriented enough to sweep his damsel in distress off her feet. I have yet to watch a K-drama with a “strong” female lead who doesn’t eventually need saving by her man. How is this in any way a complex portrayal of anything, and not just the cookie-cutter bad-boy archetype again? Do you want to have your cake, eat it or seem health conscious? Pick One!
Other things I didn’t like because why not:
Obligatory cliffhangers without satisfactory payoff at the end of most episodes.
Some storylines overstaying their welcome.
Mostly way too many characters whose actions are so repetitive it feels like I’m watching Ground Hog Day, except without the variation on a theme. For example: How many times do we hear the plaza inhabitants say that they will fight now, as if that’s a new revelation and not an epiphany they've already had and acted upon multiple times? How many times will the antagonists despair, cobble together a plan, think they've won, only to lose again and somehow both be surprised but also not? How many homoerotic pairings will we create just to make fun of them for existing and give Vincenzo the opportunity to express his deep discomfort with the mere idea of homosexuality (what kind of viewer does this even appeal to)? How many times will Cha Young get 1 nanosecond of superficial bad-assery only to instantly be outshined, called crazy or saved in the next scene? Seriously, what kind of second-screen storytelling is this?
Yes, this review is barely coherent, but the show's descent into mediocrity fried my last brain cell and sapped my will to live. I’m VERY open to a fun show with villains and antiheroes who aren’t dragged down by pesky morals, just as much as I enjoy a thoughtful exploration of why people commit selfish and evil actions. However, it seems to me that marrying these two approaches was obviously a way too ambitious goal for Vincenzo. That being said, the couple of cool characters, fun scenes, and genuinely engaging moments saved the show from being unwatchable.
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