Joy of Life: Season 2 (2024)

“You cannot do this alone”.

Con; A lot of talking, politics, might bore you to death if that’s not your cup of tea. Old men converse in riddles that you won't understand if you don't pay attention.

Pro; 1) Acting, production, story, intriguing if you like politics, deep scheming. 2) The twists are just so good, even if I had read the novel, the acting really played it all out for me. 3) Old men converse in riddles that when you pay attention, it rewards you with the wittiness of the conversations. It’s a great drama honestly. Even side characters had great performances. Other reviewers will have better adjectives than I do lol.

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I liked season 2, although it did contain much more politics than season 1. It would be the same versus the novel. They did change and modify some events and people, but I guess in the grand scheme of things, it made sense for the drama adaptation. Many viewers indicated that the new season is more like a detective/crime solving cases and corruptions, which they didn’t like. That part is correct. It seems like the drama combined some events here and there. In order for Fan Xian to consolidate his power, he uprooted all corruptions and went head to head with most officials in Jingdu, which made them either fear him or hate him. It follows the novel in this aspect. While doing so, he gained a lot of respect and allies, whom would then join his rank for the later part of the novel. These cases are important to build the story and allies, because they play a major role in the third season.

If season 1 was introducing us to Fan Xian and the story, then season 2 provide us with insights on how Fan Xian is establishing and consolidating his powers, all the while dealing with Palace politics and hidden enemies. Just like Chen Ping Ping said “You cannot do this alone”. Season 3 should be much darker, because there will be alot of killing involved, I hope that is one thing they do not change.

Some things I wish they kept throughout the drama; 1) the subtle darker tone from the novel. 2) Some of Fan Xian’s arrogance and ruthlessness. I think in the novel besides the Emperor, there aren't any enemies that Fan Xian wouldn’t dare beat the hell out of lol. He basically fought with everyone, physically or mentally to establish himself in Jingdu. 3) Fan Xian had operatives under him that were fearless and ruthless, abiding his commands and orders. They were especially scary during the night because you don’t know when they’ll come for you. It is the unknown fear that Jingdu is so afraid of Fan Xian, and afraid of the Bureau. I guess hiring a bunch of people dressed as assassins just to follow him around might be too much ($$) lol. But that's the beauty and fame of the Overwatch Council and how they operate, unpredictable, powerful, and inducting fear.

Several things I did like: 1) they made Yan Bingyun to have more character/flavor to him. The nature of Yan Bingyun is the same as the novel, unyielding, goes by the book and only for the goodness of the Qing empire. No one likes Qing more than Yan Bingyun. A true patriot. In the drama, they made him likable and had comedy bits. I like that change, it humanized him. 2) the drama does a good job at giving viewers subtle hints or foreshadows via character expression, POV frames, and etc. You really don’t get that perspective from reading novels unless it is specifically written out.

Example spoiler: Emperor having a conversation with Fan Jian and Chen Ping Ping about Fan Xian not registering his name within the Fan family, and he commented “Good, good, etc”. The camera then pans to Fan Jian and Chen Ping Ping expressions, which hide hints of mystery/slyness. It’s these little moments that the POV, Camera works, allow the audience to maybe speculate “Why is the Emperor saying that..?” and “what does the expression of those two really mean?” If viewers hadn’t read the novel and hadn’t read spoilers yet, it’s a great hint. There are many subtle hints and foreshadowing throughout the drama, Season1 as well as Season2.

And 3) the antics from the 2nd prince, crown prince, and Fan Xian were great. It is like they are acting out a play, very comedic. Other characters were great too.

If you don’t enjoy politics then I wouldn’t recommend this show for you. However, IMO even with the politics it was still entertaining. The Characters are sly and scheming, even with the ‘little’ (side characters) guy. So it made it that more interesting. For those novel readers out there, just remember that this should be an adaptation, so change is unavoidable. Enjoy the drama and acting!

I love Haitang in the novel, and fell in love with her again due to actress Xin Zhi Lei portrayal. Mao Ni isn’t good at romance, that is the only downside from his novels. Damn you Mao Ni!!!!

Lire davantage

To FX: is Guo Baokun a joke to you? :/

In spite of its flaws, JoL is still one of the best cdramas this year. I admit there are many things I was not a fan of but can't deny I enjoyed every episode (except maybe the arc with the Ming family) and I even cried a couple of episodes (ep9 with DZ and ep32 with Wang'er). JoL has so many endearing characters that every time we had a comeback of someone familiar I was like "Fei Jie!" or "Uncle Wuuuu!". Even with the Royal Princess, who has a much better hairdo this season XD

Of this season, I like that FX does not feel so much like a Gary Stu. Yes, he is loved/hated by many, but also many are just using him. And I like the difference between young FX and older FX.. he is not that cocky and arrogant as before; he matured and has seen the dark side of the world and of the people, of course he will be more serious and less playful. I love to see a MC that witness injustice and does something about it; he would have been besties with Wei Wuxian.

I also like that this season it does not feel like a harem like in S1. I am a fan of Wang'er-FX pairing, I think they match perfectly and while I adore Haitang DuoDuo, she feels more like a buddy, a best friend kind of gal.

As for its flaws, the pacing was all over the place, each arc takes a couple of episodes and then it is forgotten, like what was the point? Except maybe for S3. But the brothel arc, the examination arc, the court arc, there are so many arcs and then the main characters of that arc kind of disappear (like the princess from Northern Qi, hello?). And not only that, what was the "mission" of Guo Baokun and FZ? As much as I love FZ, his travel to Northern Qi took like a day for us audience, so it was a puzzle that he changed so much and "experienced" the lives of the people there. And frankly, I feel a bit sad fo GB because the whole S2 ended and FX STILL did not freed his father :(

The OST is ok, nothing memorable unlike S1. But what bothered me the most was the change of Ye Ling's actress. This one was so bad and nothing like Ye Ling at all. I didn't like the new Prince Li and new Yao Bingyun either (he wasn't as serious and rigid as the 1st one) but it was acceptable, unlike the change of Ye Ling.

I also didn't like the PP... I was unpleasantly surprised by it. Yoghurt in JoL? Are you kidding me -_-

But still, the acting + the mystery of the grand-masters and Uncle Wu and the awesome cliffhanger at the end left me very satisfied IN SPITE of having more questions than answers.

Lire davantage

To be continued

While this is an entertaining follow up to season 1 of Joy of Life, the story and themes do not resonant as well this time around. There are simply too many threads and characters to follow that much of the season can feel like going from one plot point to another. The set up from the end of the first season is that the main antagonist for this season should be the Second Prince. And while the schemes and back and forth between Li Chengze and our lead Fan Xian can be interesting to watch, ultimately it all feels somewhat inconsequential since not enough time is spent on fleshing out our antagonist's character. He simply begins and ends this season the same person, and the audience does not learn any more about his motivations or see his struggles (if he has any). He, like the Eldest Princess, is simply crazy bad. Other characters are sorely underused such as Yan Bingyun or woefully underdeveloped (and unfortunately miscast) such as Ye Ling'er.

The more interesting character is that of the Emperor of Qing, Fan Xian's true biological father. I suspect (as I have never read the very lengthy novel) that he will be the main antagonist in the final chapter. Chen Daoming as usual gives a masterful performance of the very complex character who keeps his true intentions close to himself.

This is all not to say I did not enjoy season 2 - I certainly did. Some of my favorite episodes involve the Spring Exam and the downfall of Prime Minister Lin and the scenes Fan Xian shares with the emperor. The middle chapter of any story can be challenging to adapt. There is no real beginning or end, and I feel that lack of narrative focus when I watch this. Everything deeper was already said quite well in season 1, and I was hoping for its own story to tell in this season. I get the sense that this season is more of a set up for the final one to come, and hopefully we all get a satisfying conclusion.

Lire davantage

Let's continue the journey of Fan Xian...

This season is heavier than the last season. Fan Xian (FX) fall deeper into the Emperor's web of plan.... As usual really like Jeana & PeachBlossomGoddes writing. For deeper thoughts read their writing....

Now let just discuss what i like & don't like about this drama...

What I like:
+ All the important cast is back!!! Hope remain the same in the season 3
+ The beautiful growth in FX character. Really like what Jeana & PeachBlossomGoddes wrote. Yeah this season more focus how "FX embraces his mother's legacy with a sense of purpose and a clear vision of what he means to do with it. & how the way "his thirst for justice and fairness builds up in every episode."
+ The next level in FX & Lin Wan Er (WE) relationship. Let me be a shallow girl & be exciting about their new status....
+ Every character keep surprising me with their hidden layer... I feel I need to learn about them every time they plan / act something....
+ How FX brutally honest with WE. Even when she ask him about her brother.
+ The joke & all the question that's been ask by FX's teacher in real world. Haha... That's the exact question I want to ask the writer...

Well nothing I really don't like, so let me just add too in here... Haha... What I don't too like:
- Woman sometimes really can't lie about their face. Although we see almost no different in the man face, but the woman (WE & Fan Ruo Ruo) we can see their older. Haha... Especially Li Qin, make up can't hide this fact, or maybe the make up indeed a little bit different from season 1
- I don't like the changing in Yan Bing Yun (YBY) & Ye Ling Er (LE) cast. No i don't complain how they can't act. But I don’t think both actor/ess fit to play the role. Wu Xing Jian can't even come close to Xiao Zhan serious face when come to YBY character, his face is too cheerful maybe to play the serious face of YBY. And vice versa with Gina Jin as LE, her face is way too serious....
- This season a little bit too heavy for my plate. There's a time I kinda bored with all the scheme the emperor plot....
- I got more and more confused about the mysterious temple & FX's mother.
- The ending. Although not really a cliffhanger like season 1. This season still leave us hanging in the edge of the cliff...

Overall I quite happy this drama can have season 2. quite exciting for season 3. I really hope I don't need to wait too long like season 1 to 2 & all the important cast remain the same...

Lire davantage

let me make a short review

Fan Xian, Emperor, and Chen Pingping: A Dynamic Triad
In the world of "Joy of Life," the interactions between Fan Xian, the Emperor, and Chen Pingping are some of the most captivating and complex elements of the narrative. These encounters are not just political or strategic meetings but are filled with emotional depth, hidden motives, and layers of intrigue. as for the emperor he really make this show so likeable his plots on different level { I should say he is a person on different level}.

Celebrating the Remaining Life
real name of the show.

and
If people want to know which season of "Joy of Life" is better, it's definitely Season 1. Season 2 is slower compared to Season 1 and lacks some major plot points. Moreover, many beloved characters from Season 1, such as Se Lili, Wuzhu, Haitang Duoduo, and Eunuch Hong, receive much less screen time or do not appear at all, like Hong and Se Lili.

As for my personal opinion, I like this show very much. All I'm saying is that Season 2, in my opinion, did not meet the expectations set by the five-year wait when compared to Season 1.

Lire davantage

EL MEJOR DRAMA CHINO DE LA HISTORIA

Puede que el título de esta reseña parezca exagerada, pero no lo es. Si aún no fuiste a ver la 1era temporada, te recomiendo que prepares un fin de semana, snacks, café, mascarillas y le des play a esta serie, IMPOSIBLE QUE TE ARREPIENTAS!

Todo en esta historia es atrapante, desde el 1er capítulo vas a querer saber más y más, la historia es tan atrapante, los personajes son tan intrigantes, tan divertidos (hasta los villanos son divertidos), tan estratégicos. Te muestran sus facetas de Leales, filiales, empáticos, estrategas, sarcásticos, y NADA está sobreactuado, todo está en su punto.

Me impactó mucho el nivel de sentido de justicia que tiene nuestro protagonista, la lealtad y lo protector que es con todos. Hace mucho tiempo que un drama no me impactaba tanto, hace solo unos dias terminé de ver la 1era temporada y ya inicié con la segunda, no sé como voy a entretenerme mientras espero la 3era temporada (espero que Cheng Yi estrene dramas durante el año).

Este es un pequeño spoiler, pero es sólo para que vayan a ver el drama: La combinación entre la historia antigua y el moderno siglo XXI les hará explotar la cabeza, especialmente por la mamá de Fan Xian y por el Maestro Wuzhu, estos dos personajes les hará pensar una y otra vez. Para que vean, no solo los protagonistas son interesantes en este drama, cada uno de los personajes es intrigante.

Aun quedan algunos días para que esta 2da temporada termine, pero no aguanté las ganas de contar lo EXCELENTE QUE ES ESTE DRAMA.

Lire davantage

Season 2 is boring and stripped down to nothing but talking

What a BORING season 2. I loved Season 1 and was looking forward to this after years of waiting.

What a complete waste of time.

This is nothing like Season 1. It's like you are watching a completely different show. There is nothing that made Season 1 interesting in this Season 2. Gone are interesting characters and characters with special skills. His protector never again appears. There's no fighting or martial arts. This show is for old people who love palace gossip shows.

What the hell happened to the original team? What a disappointment and disservice to fans.

I watched up to episode 7 and found it so boring so I skipped ahead to 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22 just to watch some scenes and guess what, it's all just chatting and palace intrigue.

If you liked Season 1, it's best you just avoid this disastrous Season 2 and save yourself the heartache of watching a much inferior product. I would rate Season 1 a 9/10 and this is 3/10. That's how far the gap is.

Lire davantage

Fantasy Political Nothing more Nothing less

So, disappointing season we have. Drama genres are Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, and Wuxia. But what it delivers is only fantasy politics that all. Don't expect more from it. We are here to watch more harem, wuxia, and adventures. But they deliver nothing. The acting is superb as always. Male eccentric drama . It always revolves around ML which is very good but this time they only serve some boring politics around him. The first season million times better than this season because of the wuxia, adventure and romance there. Before watching I want to give you a boring alert. Thanks.

Lire davantage

Not as good as S1 but still worth watching!

Epic continues 4.5 years later.... Everyone's been waiting and I am so happy most of the main and supportive cast returned. Must be a tremendous effort to coordinate all the schedules. However, having rewatched S1 to prepare for S2, the absence of Xiao Zhan was felt immediately. I get it, he's a big star now but sometimes a small part in an epic drama beats ML in a mediocre drama. Actor Wu Xing Jian did not deliver the intense stare Xiao Zhan had for Yan Bing Yun's character. Not that I expected him to, but I was hoping for more? The entire character felt flat.

Story started a bit slow with some OTP crying but by ep 4, the humor really kicked in when the faceoff between the Crown Prince, 2nd prince & Fan Xian happened. You know how great the acting is when they can deliver that micro expression.

Sure, there are lots of things I am not liking:
-Dubbing for Liu Ru Yu (Madam Fan) is different and not in a good way.
-The yodeler music for silly funny scenes is a bit overdone.
-Yan Bing Yun's character changing from sexy mysterious feel to blahhhhh
-YeLingER's character went from spunky hot head to serious bitter? No issues replacing the actress but common don't replace the personality.....
-Over heavy on political scheming. Ep 15 was hard to watch as it was way over done on the interrogation scene
-Zhang Ruo Yun (ML)'s weight loss? Questionable healthy
-Lack of Fan Si Zhe, Uncle Wu. These are awesome characters from S1 that worked, and they should've continued with more scenes not less

But there are also improvements:
-Lighting (S1 was olive... browns... yeah not flattering)
S2 lighting is better but still not great. No over skin smoothing, no heavy makeup, you can see people's skin textures
-Continued character development like the crown prince, 2nd prince
- Introduction of new interesting characters like the 1st prince & princess pairing (very cute), the little Eunuch that seems to know what to say at all times

A must watch for anyone who loves beyond idol dramas.

Lire davantage

Great watch but Pt2 may not be for everyone

Great watch but Pt2 may not be for everyone -- geek scifi and early modern history fans will perk up and smile. Qi-problems sideline our bold brassy boy from any martial action for much of Pt2; Fan Xian gets one truly spectacular, mistaken and vertiginous duel. The grandmaster system starts to become a subject for thought.

Much thinner, FX steadfastly makes his way forward now as a true insider in the capital city, once Dad-the-Emperor sort of acknowledges him. Exeunt the std hero plots, enter a sci-fi steam punk search for Mom's identity, while DtE uses FX to claw back control of Mom's seed projects: the Overwatch Council (and associ.ated govt agencies) and the Imperial Treasury. FX fights public corruption and sweet chubby-cheeks Fan Sizhe invents economic theory (I knew he could do it. Fangirl here).

The Dad-cabal still manages to fascinate -- adoptive-Dad, Dad-in-law, super-mentor-"dad", and somebody-else's-Dad (Yan Bing Yun has a future ahead) all joust with Bio-DtE over how their retirements will play out. Poor dears, always upended by some long involved strategy of DtE which is only recognizable via its final result.

FX begins to self-define as a grownup -- feelings are more important to him than they are or were to either parent, justice is his Mom's gift to him and he has clearly inherited his Dad's skillful, calculating and often violent strategic action. But will he ever get to settle down with his Wan-er? I hope so. However as an historian I can smell reform of the armed forces coming on ....

Most of Pt1 actors/charcters return and develop further. The irrepressible Elder Princess and the Second Prince (I feel a sneaking fondness for his little cat face and his pretty bare feet ) return but do not change. Most of the horrific violence occurs offstage to the suffering People, in the imperial family violence is a constant threat only rarely carried out.

Random thought: the constant shots of main characters' footwear seem not to have any poetic logic, and surely they arent ppl...

Lire davantage