Beautifully packaged show with a weak plot that does not match up
Watched this show because I do enjoy the visuals of the 3 leads, and it was a happy surpise to see familiar faces in the supporting cast who were also visual eye candy. To preface, I don't know anything about the original novel the show was based on, but the introduction was clear enough at the beginning. However, once you got past the first few episodes, the cracks in the plot logic start to show. Yes, the characters are presented, yes, some background context was shown, but somehow they still felt rather flat.
It was really the visuals (in terms of face cards, set design, and costumes that made the viewing more palatable till the end lol). The shots and scenary were actually also really nice, especially the scenes where they went to the mountains to light the fire, and I appreciated how the use of studio lighting was not too obvious so the show does look like a lived in set, and not just a prop/fake set. The OSTs also saved the day especially when you have heavyweights like Zhou Shen and Liu Yuning singing them, you know it will still be enjoyable to a certain extent lol. Especially some scenes with Zheng Shi and Fan Yun and 何故 starts playing and the longing (from Zheng Shi) just HITS you like a truck.
But this still was not enough to hide the glaringly abrupt scene edits/cuts, weird gaps in plot and illogical character development/incoherent character motivations. Certain things also just did not make sense, whereby I cannot reasonably believe that the same character carried out those actions or thought/said certain things, because it just does not align with how you would expect them to behave. The FL also charges towards her goal with little thought about romance along the way, and neither were there moments showing any chemistry of an unknowing sort of budding romance with either of the male leads, so it was hard to root for any romantic pairing there...in fact I thought she had more chemistry with Jiang Shu during one moment they had together in the library RIP LOL. On top of that there were other moments where the FL's actions felt a bit...inconsistent....or unrealistic. Though I would say both MLs did play their part and show their longing towards the FL, but I'm biased towards Deng Wei lol. However even his face card cannot help me understand or accept the actions and decisions that Zheng Shi did. What do you mean he's a big baddie at one moment rolling in the dough, and the next he's a big softie? And then he becomes a super perverse baddie AND softie at the same time at the last moment??? Make it make sense. At this point I am just watching because of all the beautiful cast members and suspending logical thought to be able to continue watching the show.
Notable relationships such as that between Elder Zheng and Zheng Shi, Shi San and Gao Ran, and even that between Yan Jiang and Fan Hui were lovely to watch. It was also enjoyable to watch Tian Xing / Tian Yue.
side note - maybe some of my motivation to finish the show was to see if Jiang Shu finally revealed his face he he. And of course just to see more moments of Deng Wei's acting lol. TLDR watch if you like the cast and if good visuals can make you look past glaring plot holes.
It was really the visuals (in terms of face cards, set design, and costumes that made the viewing more palatable till the end lol). The shots and scenary were actually also really nice, especially the scenes where they went to the mountains to light the fire, and I appreciated how the use of studio lighting was not too obvious so the show does look like a lived in set, and not just a prop/fake set. The OSTs also saved the day especially when you have heavyweights like Zhou Shen and Liu Yuning singing them, you know it will still be enjoyable to a certain extent lol. Especially some scenes with Zheng Shi and Fan Yun and 何故 starts playing and the longing (from Zheng Shi) just HITS you like a truck.
But this still was not enough to hide the glaringly abrupt scene edits/cuts, weird gaps in plot and illogical character development/incoherent character motivations. Certain things also just did not make sense, whereby I cannot reasonably believe that the same character carried out those actions or thought/said certain things, because it just does not align with how you would expect them to behave. The FL also charges towards her goal with little thought about romance along the way, and neither were there moments showing any chemistry of an unknowing sort of budding romance with either of the male leads, so it was hard to root for any romantic pairing there...in fact I thought she had more chemistry with Jiang Shu during one moment they had together in the library RIP LOL. On top of that there were other moments where the FL's actions felt a bit...inconsistent....or unrealistic. Though I would say both MLs did play their part and show their longing towards the FL, but I'm biased towards Deng Wei lol. However even his face card cannot help me understand or accept the actions and decisions that Zheng Shi did. What do you mean he's a big baddie at one moment rolling in the dough, and the next he's a big softie? And then he becomes a super perverse baddie AND softie at the same time at the last moment??? Make it make sense. At this point I am just watching because of all the beautiful cast members and suspending logical thought to be able to continue watching the show.
Notable relationships such as that between Elder Zheng and Zheng Shi, Shi San and Gao Ran, and even that between Yan Jiang and Fan Hui were lovely to watch. It was also enjoyable to watch Tian Xing / Tian Yue.
side note - maybe some of my motivation to finish the show was to see if Jiang Shu finally revealed his face he he. And of course just to see more moments of Deng Wei's acting lol. TLDR watch if you like the cast and if good visuals can make you look past glaring plot holes.
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