Better Than Its Ranking Makes It Look
Honestly, I don't understand why Overdo is ranked so low. I almost got discouraged because of the ranking and nearly skipped it, but I'm actually glad I didn't. It's definitely not perfect, but it's nowhere near as bad as the ranking makes it seem.
I'll be blunt though the first few episodes can feel pretty boring. I wasn't completely invested at the beginning and I can understand why some people might drop it there. But once the story starts picking up, especially around Episode 15 for me, I became genuinely invested and wanted to know what was going to happen next.
One thing I'd seriously recommend is understanding the Republican-era setting before starting this drama. The drama doesn't explain everything clearly, so if you go in without knowing much about the historical/political context, some parts can feel confusing and painfully boring because you won't understand why certain things are happening. Once you understand the background, the story makes much more sense.
The acting was actually pretty good overall, but the drama can be really frustrating sometimes. There were moments where I genuinely wanted to yell at the screen because of the characters' decisions or the way certain things played out. Some of the writing choices made me question what the drama was trying to do, and there were definitely scenes where I felt the frustration more than the emotion.
And honestly, Murong Qingyi is definitely not Zhang Linghe's best role. I don't think the character suited him that well at all. Compared to his previous roles, Murong Qingyi lacked the impact, charm, intelligence, and depth that usually make Zhang Linghe's characters stand out. It's not that he acted badly I actually think he did a good job with what he was given but the character itself just wasn't strong enough. Zhang Linghe is much better when he's given a character with more emotional complexity, dignity, intelligence, and presence. Murong Qingyi simply didn't give him enough to work with.
Now let's talk about the part that absolutely destroyed me: my favorite characters literally ALL died. And I'm still bitter about it.
Some of those deaths were genuinely painful to watch, and there were episodes where I was just sitting there thinking, why are you doing this to me? But at the same time, I don't think their deaths were meaningless. Since the drama has such a strong patriotic element, these characters were willing to sacrifice themselves for the people they wanted to protect and for their country. Their choices were basically suicidal missions, and while it was incredibly painful to watch, I understood what the drama was trying to convey.
That doesn't make watching it any easier, though. If you can't handle watching characters you care about suffer and die, seriously prepare yourself before starting this. Some episodes were emotionally exhausting.
The production is probably my biggest complaint. The story had potential to be much more powerful with better execution, stronger camera work, and a more polished overall production. There were moments where I could see how good the drama could have been if it had been given a higher production quality.
But despite all that, I don't regret watching it.
So honestly, don't let the ranking decide for you. Give it a chance if the premise interests you and for your own emotional wellbeing, don't get too attached to your favorite characters. Because apparently Overdo has absolutely no mercy.
Overall, it was a good one-time watch for me.
I'll be blunt though the first few episodes can feel pretty boring. I wasn't completely invested at the beginning and I can understand why some people might drop it there. But once the story starts picking up, especially around Episode 15 for me, I became genuinely invested and wanted to know what was going to happen next.
One thing I'd seriously recommend is understanding the Republican-era setting before starting this drama. The drama doesn't explain everything clearly, so if you go in without knowing much about the historical/political context, some parts can feel confusing and painfully boring because you won't understand why certain things are happening. Once you understand the background, the story makes much more sense.
The acting was actually pretty good overall, but the drama can be really frustrating sometimes. There were moments where I genuinely wanted to yell at the screen because of the characters' decisions or the way certain things played out. Some of the writing choices made me question what the drama was trying to do, and there were definitely scenes where I felt the frustration more than the emotion.
And honestly, Murong Qingyi is definitely not Zhang Linghe's best role. I don't think the character suited him that well at all. Compared to his previous roles, Murong Qingyi lacked the impact, charm, intelligence, and depth that usually make Zhang Linghe's characters stand out. It's not that he acted badly I actually think he did a good job with what he was given but the character itself just wasn't strong enough. Zhang Linghe is much better when he's given a character with more emotional complexity, dignity, intelligence, and presence. Murong Qingyi simply didn't give him enough to work with.
Now let's talk about the part that absolutely destroyed me: my favorite characters literally ALL died. And I'm still bitter about it.
Some of those deaths were genuinely painful to watch, and there were episodes where I was just sitting there thinking, why are you doing this to me? But at the same time, I don't think their deaths were meaningless. Since the drama has such a strong patriotic element, these characters were willing to sacrifice themselves for the people they wanted to protect and for their country. Their choices were basically suicidal missions, and while it was incredibly painful to watch, I understood what the drama was trying to convey.
That doesn't make watching it any easier, though. If you can't handle watching characters you care about suffer and die, seriously prepare yourself before starting this. Some episodes were emotionally exhausting.
The production is probably my biggest complaint. The story had potential to be much more powerful with better execution, stronger camera work, and a more polished overall production. There were moments where I could see how good the drama could have been if it had been given a higher production quality.
But despite all that, I don't regret watching it.
So honestly, don't let the ranking decide for you. Give it a chance if the premise interests you and for your own emotional wellbeing, don't get too attached to your favorite characters. Because apparently Overdo has absolutely no mercy.
Overall, it was a good one-time watch for me.
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