A hot and cheesy mess.

Though hardly original, this drama's switched bride trope is well executed and entertaining. A very shady prime minister marries his illegitimate daughter Shen Keyi to Wen Ye, a prince and the country's God of War posthumously. As it turns out, Wen Ye is very much alive and full of suspicion when he discovers himself married to his enemy's daughter. Meanwhile Shen Keyi is tasked by her stepmother to steal a jade token from Wen Ye in exchange for her beloved nanny's wellbeing. Their early antics are silly but very funny. It was great to watch an older and jaded general fall for a lively, natural and utterly beguiling young girl. The leads have good chemistry and both actors deliver convincing performances. I also enjoyed the comedic banter between Wen Ye and his two sidekicks.

At twelve episodes this drama was hilariously hot and cheesy but by twenty-four episodes it turned into a hot and cheesy mess. The palace plot becomes increasingly convoluted and absurd and both lead's adorable silliness descends into stupidity and melodrama as they navigate multiple obstacles. Ultimately, the much simpler love story between the princess and the guard moved me more. The ending is a bit rushed but it was actually pretty good in the messiest way possible. All considered not the worst drama to watch to just pass some time. I rate it 6.5/10.0

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Pour some sugar on me.

This is one of those delicious "pour some sugar on me" romance dramas where you just have to go with the flow and not be a prude. It is best watched gasping for breath on the treadmill trying to break a 9-minute mile. With a shortage of air to the brain, you will easily filter out the small stuff like how quickly they fall in love, whether she has hormonal issues, if she is schizophrenic and other logic or character gaps and focus on the only thing worth getting hot and bothered by, which is how hot the two male leads are.

Liu Ling is the most improper Princess Changle; a hoyden who does as she pleases without regard to social conventions. When commander of the embroidered guard Shen Yan crosses her path, she takes an instant liking to him and pursues him with reckless abandon. I find the sheer audacity of her shameless overtures to him absolutely uproarious. While this may sound wanton and unseemly, it is a very original and refreshing way to write a female character. More importantly Yuan Bingyan pulls it off so engagingly and inoffensively she deserves high praise for such a controversial characterization. I understand that in the novel (which I did not read), Liu Ling was deeply troubled by her traumatic childhood but a lot of that got cut out of the drama, which unfortunately makes her actions at times seem capricious and maddeningly inconsistent. As it turns out, she becomes a pawn in a high stakes power play between multiple states with links to an old conspiracy that brought down her best friend Xu Shijin's family. Can the Shen brothers, both dashing embroidered guards untangle the web of old lies and win the day?

I was swooning the moment I spied Zheng Yecheng on the cast list; throw in Merxat and it is just like a double upgrade from economy to first class. But I had reservations over Yuan Bingyan, whom I found lacking in Love and Redemption. As it turns out, she has fabulous screen chemistry with Zheng Yecheng and delivers a winsome and hilarious performance as Liu Ling. As for Zheng Yecheng, he must be the ultimate ideal of the romantic hero with his brooding deep stares and overwhelming masculine beauty. This is a not to be missed opportunity to evaluate his reputation of being the best kisser in c-dramaland. Its all, ahem... research on such an important topic to womankind. And let me just say that the kiss scenes were so scorching that evidently a bunch of them had to be cut out. That said, it is quite dismaying to see Zheng Yechen becoming typecast in these sorts of roles. He is a fantastic actor that deserves a shot at more complex roles.

Merxat is another fine actor that just doesn't seem to get enough good roles. He has great rapport with Zheng Yecheng and I had to reduce the speed on my treadmill whenever the Shen brothers shared scenes to properly drool over their combined hotness. I find Shen Yu and Xu Shijin's storyline more interesting probably because it is left largely intact by the censors. Shen Yu and Shijin are both so intelligent and just such a marvelous couple from the way they solve problems together and go all out for their friends and family. I root for them more because their romance faces a giant obstacle that is difficult to overcome without deep consequences. Despite the obvious cuts, there is clearly a well written story with some depth behind it. The over-arching conspiracy and the sub-lots that feed into that are all well written and unfolds at a very nice pace. This is overall a very well produced and high quality drama despite some odd edits and clear impression that some things were left out, notably with Liu LIng's backstory. It would not be fair to rate it that highly for that reason so this is a 7.5 for me but I find is as enjoyable as many dramas I rated 8.0/8.5.

Finally, while Yuan Bingyan is not one of my favorite actresses, she really shines in this drama. How she was essentially cold shouldered for changing agencies is disgraceful and I am so happy that for once, c-drama fandom did the right thing by her by supporting her. Kudos to Zheng Yecheng and the rest of the cast as well. They acted their hearts out and it shows - it is no hardship, indeed it is a pleasure to watch and support this drama.

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Man made goddess.

This fantasy drama is set in Sichuan, a world that is being torn apart by internal strife, corruption and disillusionment after the people are abandoned by their goddess. The young ruler Yuan Yi sets out to restore faith, peace and prosperity to his land by seeking the return of the goddess. This brings him to a remote village that is occupied by a tribe whose sacred duty is to contain the deadly earth fires from erupting and engulfing their world. There he encounters Linglong, a young girl with inexplicable powers and her father Huotu Xin. They are semi-outcasts in the village as Linglong's mother was an outsider who disappears as mysteriously as she appeared. Is Linglong the key to bringing back the goddess to Sichuan?

I have to give top marks for how mythically gorgeous this fantasy world looks - especially the fabulous flying fish ships. This drama's premise around this magical fantasy land and its man made goddess is very interesting and I really enjoy how the world building takes place slowly as the mysteries of the past and the origins of the goddess are revealed. The problem is that the plot peaks at that point, meanders around before limping to an unimpressive and dissatisfying ending.

I really enjoyed Yuan Hong's performance as Linglong's father in this drama and find it to be the drama's most memorable and enjoyable relationship. His heart warming, comical rapport with Zhao Jinmai's Linglong regularly had me grinning away and made me continue even after the plot lost momentum. This is one of the best portrayed father-daughter relationships I have seen in c-drama. I am so glad I watched this because I really needed to wipe the (not good) images I had of Yuan Hong after Rebel Princess. He is an incredible and smoking hot actor and I wish the drama was written around his character Huotu Xin, who is much more interesting than the titular character Linglong. That is one of my main gripes - the titular character Linglong is not that interesting and her relationship with Yuan Yi is sweet but does not make a lasting impression. Sadly the China market is idol-focused and there is limited room for actors like Yuan Hong who are ageing out of lead roles.

I love realistically written, opaque and intriguing characters with conflicting agendas, which is how many of the other main characters are written. That makes them so much more interesting than the OTP that I care a lot more about them and am dismayed at how callously they are dealt with. Even Li Sha and Yin Xiao are much more interesting both in terms of their personalities and abilities than the OTP. Not only was I rooting for both Wu Yuan and Yin Zhuang at the same time, I was also rooting for Wei Shengyan and Huotu Xin at the same time! It is incredible that this drama manages to resolve such win-win triangles in a way that manages to disappoint someone who is rooting for both angles. Wei Shengyan is a smart and curiously likeable protagonist who suddenly does stupid, self destructive things to force the plot towards the ending the writers wanted. I don't want to spoil the end so I will just leave it at lots of stuff happens, there are many sacrifices but Sichuan is not necessarily a better place and I don't care that much about the winners.

I enjoyed many aspects of this fantasy drama and can recommend it as a decent filler drama to watch with low expectations. I rate it 7.0.

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The Princess Bride.

Lost You Forever is a dark, beautiful, suspenseful and, poignant tale of intrigue, treachery and longing. This drama is immersive with its air of mystery, the shiver of danger, a whisper of regret and a sense of profound loss and longing that saturates every scene. It is a story about love but it is not a love story. It is a far more complex and expansive exposition of the many kinds of love and how it can be restraining and boundless at the same time.

Set in Dahuang, a magical, treacherous and unpredictable world where humans, demons and deities co-exist, two forsaken royal orphans vow to always cherish and protect one another. Shattered by a broken promise, Xiao Yao loses herself, misplaced during a time of great turmoil. She assumes the appearance of a man and lives among the humans and demons of Qingshui Town as the village fertility doctor. This is the most exciting arc because everyone has secrets and danger lurks around every corner. When cornered, Xiao Yao is most adept at grovellng, lying or poisoning her way out of trouble. Yet she is carefree, uninhibited and almost contented in Qingshui Town with her found family. Alas, destiny catches up with her as Cang Xuan, Tushan Jing and Xiang Liu all converge upon Qingshui Town, shattering her refuge.

The latter arcs take on a political tone as Cang Xuan emerges as a contender for the Xiyan throne with Xiao Yao clearing the path for him. They must establish Cang Xuan's support base among the restless and resentful Central Plains; where the noble clans and families have complicated blood ties to remnants of the defeated Chenrong state. Xiao Yao is the princess bride, a chess piece that Cang Xuan dangles temptingly in front of the scions of the powerful aristocratic families he seeks to win over. Marriage to him is simply a means to seal alliances. He supresses his heart's deepest, secret longing by sheer willpower. Zhang Wanyi adroitly portrays Cang Xuan as a consummate politician, a very dangerous, smiling tiger / xiàomiànhǔ 笑面虎 who has his enemies in a death lock before they even know it. Love is not of paramount importance for Cang Xuan and Xiao Yao, whose destinies are interlocking as a result of their childhood oath. They work towards a greater purpose with one heart and one mind. Anyone and everyone else is always subordinated to this purpose. They are both unattainable characters who have already carved out so much of themselves for each other that there is not much left for anyone else. This is why what Xiao Yao seeks is an unequal relationship with essentially, a doormat. The princess in her however prefers that it is a doormat made of fox fur rather than a rather foolish, entitled product of too much in-breeding.

Xiao Yao is by far the darkest, most complicated, and most independent female protagonist I have come across in Chinese dramas. This is an awesome and challenging role that Yang Zi delivers magnificently. As someone who had a huge allergic reaction to her earlier works, I am speechless at her portrayal. Her Wei Xiaoliu has decisively unseated Ni Ni's Fang Weizhi as the most convincingly acted female disguised as a male character. But it is her heart-wrenching homecoming scene that can squeeze tears from a rock that truly captures the depth of Xiao Yao's sense of abandonment and despair over the person she lost forever. I can't think of another actor that has so visibly taken their acting to a high a new level the way Yang Zi has. That said, no power on this earth will make me revisit her past roles though I enthusiastically look forward to her future ones.

Tushan Jing is the weakest link in this drama both in terms of how the character is written and portrayed. Despite his stunning physical appeal, this is not a role that a promising but inexperienced actor like Deng Wei is ready for. He pulls off a charismatic and endearing Ye Shiqi that melted Wei Xiaoliu's stone-cold and lonely heart. But he lacks depth and range and visibly struggles to get into character as Tushan Jing. His perpetual stricken, deer-in-the headlight expression threw me out of some of the drama's best, most intense moments. When the Haoling King assures his daughter that the shrewd and canny Tushan Jing must have already guessed her identity, the camera pans to a dumbfounded looking Tushan Jing! I burst out laughing even though I am absolutely sure I was not supposed to. It does not help that the character's weak and indecisive waffling does not match Tushan Jing's reputation as one of the most brilliant and cunning minds of Dahuang. There is clearly also a writing issue but it does not excuse the actor's inability to make the character seem deeply conflicted rather than just weak and lacking basic smarts and survival instincts. This is a glaring weakness that weighs on both my viewing experience and my rating.

Xiang Liu is Xiao Yao's greatest nightmare, a demon that she is bonded to by a spell no one fully grasps. He is her soul mate; they are both lonely, realistic characters trapped by a cause that is bigger than themselves and thus have no free will. Tan Jianci's masterful, subtly tragic rendering of this vicious, resentful and enigmatic nine-headed demon with a shockingly passionate heart has catapulted this fantastic actor to a new level recognition. His styling is spectacular but what takes my breath away is how with the angle of the head or a flicker of an eye, his expression can change from unholy amusement to vicious cruelty; from tortured to pure, unbridled joy and affection. I don't know how Xiang Liu's story ends but the fact that he is committed to a lost cause that pits him against the person Xiao Yao protects at all costs fills me with dread. I cannot see any scenario in which this ship does not somehow sink but my heart won't listen to my head that urges me to get on the lifeboat to safety before it is too late.

Season 1 sets up the backstory of a world torn apart by war and introduces many well-written and multi-faceted characters that were collateral damage in the conflict. Intricate relationships and debts that will at some point come due accumulate between the various stakeholders. After some draggy politicking, Season 1 ends triumphantly with an unexpected twist and sets the stage very nicely for Season 2. I expect Season 2 to reveal even more secrets from the past that will force Xiao Yao to make some impossible choices. How unbreakable is her bond with Cang Xuan? Will the tragic story of Chi Chen and the Xiling witch repeat itself? Will Deng Wei finally get his act together and give us the real Tushan Jing? Will Xiao Yao shock us with her marksmanship by shooting her rival in her black heart? I hope we will not have to wait too long to find out. At the same time, I am grateful that this breaks in a good place for a time out. I have come to care too much for these characters and something tells me that this is the kind of story where even those who get what they want may not truly want what they get.

So far, Lost You Forever is the most addictive and immersive drama I have watched in 2023. I rate this a 9.0 for now because there are some notable flaws but if Season 2 comes together well, there is scope for me to revise it up.

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No time to die.

I have never watched a Chinese drama quite like Joy of Life. It Is pure entertainment, a heady, masculine cocktail of science fiction, political intrigue, espionage, martial arts and laugh out loud comedy. A dying young man laments his life cut short before he experiences the joy of life. He finds himself reborn an infant in another time with intact memories of the 21st century. Raised by his grandmother, this cunning, cynical know-all kid is expertly schooled in martial arts by his uncle Wushu (pun fully intended) and in medicine by a deadly poison master. Summoned to the capital by his distant father, Fan Xian sets off eagerly, anticipating the beginning of his carefree, happy existence. But his glee is short lived as someone wants to kill him dead. He finds himself saddled with a political marriage he is hell bent on squirming out of and his mother's legacy - control over immense wealth and the incredibly powerful Oversight Bureau. This is at odds with his desire to indulge in joyful pursuits and worse, catapults him right in the middle of a power struggle between two princes. Soon it appears as if everyone wants him dead. But Fan Xian literally has no time to die as he is swept away by a whirlwind of timeless secrets, murky political conspiracies, shocking betrayals and sinister encounters with opaque characters that could be friend or foe.

Fan Xian is the central, core character that the plot revolves around;, there isn't really a female lead or a second lead. Fan Xian is a smart, ruthless and cunning rascal with very strong survival instincts who is not about to let anyone short change him of his second chance. His life philosophy and indifference to common inducements stymies family, friend and foe alike, leaving them at a complete loss as to how to motivate or manipulate him. Unlike his mysterious mother, a woman beyond her time, lofty aspirations like changing the world in the pursuit of social justice couldn't be further from Fan Xian's more self oriented goals. Until the world changes him when someone with joy of life shows him that there are things worth giving one's life to protect. This moves Fan Xian unaccountably, makes him do things against his nature and better judgement, it stays with him and forces him into the fray, to risk his life for what he wishes to protect. This pivotal moment and how it sparks a growing flame adds a defining dimension and substance to Fan Xian, one of the best written, most layered and entertaining characters I have come across in a long time.

This serpentine political chronicle satirizes the ruthlessness of man's ambitions and how it coincides with life's cruel and random vagaries. Most of the characters, including Fan Xian are scheming, ruthless, violent, deceitful and utilitarian. Bad things happen to good people, actions have consequences, people die, forgiveness and justice are not always possible. This underlying dark tone with its bitter notes and philosophical questions is so artfully disguised by the wit and humor that drenches this drama that it easily passes off as a comedy. The entire tone of a scene or a conversation can just shift with a bizarre interruption or a non-sequitur mundane question or digression that shouldn't even be funny but somehow is. The wit and comedy from clever word puns to baffling allusions to 21st century concepts are not merely for laughter's sake they are intended to hint at character traits, hidden motives and unspoken truths. The plot is action packed with many twists and is littered with thrilling martial arts encounters where moments of imminent peril can be unexpectedly broken by well timed comic relief.

To put it simply Zhang Ruoyun simply owns the character Fan Xian, it is unimaginable that anyone else can pull off this jaded, irreverent, manipulative and utterly irresistible rogue in such a compelling way. Even though this is not much of a romance, Fan Xian seems to have an affinity for and way with women that recalls Jin Yong's lascivious and vile Wei Xiaobao but in today's day and age, it is only acceptable that he is limited to one true love. From his hilarious sidekick the venal and wily Wang Qinian to his riotous siblings Sizhe and Rou Rou to his numerous antagonists, Fan Xian is surrounded by exceptionally well cast supporting characters that are properly fleshed out and have agency and free will. My personal favorite is of course the emperor, who is the best example how this drama dazzles with the art of the unexpected. I was completely nonplussed to see an emperor slither around in dishabille; with escaped hair tendrils and in oddly sensuous low cut nightgowns that flaunt his tanned bare chest. I was right there with Fan Xian in refusing to kowtow to such a slob and surprised he didn't have to leave a thumb or two behind as a result. Multiple clues to one of the big plot twists hide in plain site, from the oddly misplaced pieces of wardrobe and styling to the borderline goofy, eclectic 1980s subtly Latin background music. The unique and creative combination of casual (much dialed down) violence, cartoonish character traits, strange props, out of genre music, and the odd wit and humor in mundane dialogues reminds me of Tarantino, something I did not at all expect here.

This is of course just the first of three seasons. And I must admit I dropped this after 5 episodes when it was airing. I don't even remember why I didn't like it at all at the time. On my second attempt, I was addicted from the first episode and enjoyed almost every minute of it. I do think that the Bei Qi arc was not at the same level of the first arc, which set a very high bar. I was less invested in the characters in the Bei Qi arc and I found Xiao En's big reveal too long winded and his giant secret overly built up. One of the main roles in this arc is very poorly acted and noticeably several notches below the level of the rest of the veteran cast. The actor tried so obviously to be opaque and inscrutable that I pinned them as a backstabber right away. Their fixed wooden stare failed to connect with Fan Xian at any level and in several scenes I felt like Fan Xian was talking to a mannequin or to himself. This made it look like after being so smart and distrustful for so long, Fan Xian inexplicably let his guard down way too easily. Into the final moments of the last episode Fan Xian continued to be dumbed down and was pretty much thrown under the bus to force that completely unnecessary ending "shocker" that I could see coming a mile away.

The biggest drawback of this drama is of course the long wait for season 2, which still has not even started shooting as of May 2021. However, this shouldn't hold you back from watching this now due to its high rewatch value. I rate this a 9.5 for now but it has a potential to be upgraded to a 10.0 if the next two seasons deliver.

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Women hold up half the sky.

Song of Youth is a historical Chinese soap opera that pays tribute to 红楼梦 Hongloumeng (Dream of the Red Chamber), widely regarded as China's greatest novel. Fans of the novel will immediately recognize that the backstory of an aristocratic family in decline and the multiple character blueprints that are based on this vernacular classic. Uniquely, this narrative plucks out the all-consuming, angsty, tragically epic love triangle that forms the core of the novel and focuses instead on broader, often less appreciated themes. The love triangle is still there but it is been muted to the extent that it is only peeks out towards the end.

Lin Shaochun, a talented actress from a performing troupe marries Sun Yulou, the youngest scion of the noble Sun family. With her innate resourcefulness and the support of her husband, she becomes indispensable to his initially disapproving family by ably resolving all their internal and external conflicts and challenges. Bai Lu as always delivers a very enjoyable performance as the supportive and loving wife of Sun Yulou and the clever, thoughtful and femininely authoritative Sun family fixer. Even though I think Wang Yizhe has a lot of potential as an actor, he struggled to get into character and I didn't see much spark between him and Bai Lu. But it doesn't matter because albeit with some challenges, their arc is short and it is ultimately a rather pedestrian love match. After that the narrative explores more complicated and more poignant relationships where the couples have limited ability to make their own choices. Very much like Court Lady, Lin Shaochun is just a tour guide through the social structures, culture, relationships, vanities and daily life details of feudal 18th century China. Thankfully unlike Court Lady, Bai Lu's portrayal of the role as occasionally ruthless and not overly preachy and righteous makes Lin Shaochun very likeable if too infallible to be that interesting.

What stands out about this drama is that very much like Hongloumeng, it celebrates the contribution of women to society - Mao Zedong was far from the first to acknowledge that women hold up half the sky. True to the novel, the drama is very female centric - Lin Shaochun is the main protagonist and in a fitting role reversal the ML Sun Yulou is just a prop; an attractive, decorative vase. Even the best antagonists are formidable and devious women. In fact, most of the male characters in the drama are rather weak and not that intelligent - Sun Yulou only pulls himself together to be worthy of Lin Shaochun, his oldest brother is a foolish gold digger's wet dream, his second brother is the most capable of the lot and his third brother is a henpecked wastrel. All of them become better, more successful men thanks to their smart, determined and capable wives. I find both the eldest and (especially) the second brothers' stories to be far more interesting than that of the main CP. Unfortunately the second brother's story fizzles out in the middle and ends in a slightly disappointing way. Nonetheless, Yao Dizu is by far the most multi-faceted and refreshing character in the drama, more so than Lin Shaochun. She is also the only character that gets to be the author of her own story. If Lin Shaochun were written to be more of a bystander and less of the person who always saves the day, this would be a much better drama. She always wins by the same modus operandi so by the second or third arc, I was on to her and the "twists" become predictable.

The other problem with this drama is that it doesn't seem to be written in one voice or tone and thus gives the impression that it doesn't know what it wants to be. I think it is intended to be a satire or parody of bourgeois upper society during Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately in parts the humor is quite slapstick when it comes to Lamu Yangzi and some of Jin Chen's scenes because that matches the kind of humor they do best. Bai Lu and the rest of the cast however, are better suited towards more subtle, satirical humor and when the writing tries for something in between, it comes across as forced and half the time it misses the mark. That said, there are some really good laugh out loud moments but overall the wit and humor is hit or miss. The rhythm of the screenplay is particularly awkward at the beginning but more enjoyable from the middle episodes. After the four brothers' stories, the recycling of themes around the fallout from arranged marriages gets old and the final arcs flatline - I saw the final end twist a mile away so the end was predictable and anti-climatic.

This gorgeous production was clearly shot with meticulous attention to detail from the sets to the authenticity of the costumes, make up and the cultural details. The only lapse is perhaps the fact that the classic Cantonese opera Legend of the Purple Hairpin is sung in Mandarin and not in its original language (this was one of my grandma's favorite operas, she used to play the Liza Wang/Adam Cheng recording all the time). Overall a high quality production that is an enjoyable light watch even though it falls well short of Hongloumeng in terms of panoramic impression, breadth of social commentary and lasting impact. This is fun enough for me to rate this a 7.5.

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Lightning doesn't strike.

Season 2 picks up where Season 1 left off with Wuxie and Xiao Bai leaving Warehouse 11 and assembling a team to journey on to Thunder City. At this point Wuxie is desperately ill and it is not clear whether he will survive long enough to get closure on what happened to Wu Sansheng and unravel the secrets of the Thunder God. This season is better paced and more tightly written, avoids the digressions characteristic of Season 1 and comes to a satisfying conclusion. In this journey, Wuxie learns to live life in the present moment and appreciate the people around him rather than chasing mirages.

Unlike Season 1, this season is a lot less about the Iron Triangle. Although we see them and their rapport and witty banter remain the most memorable highlights of the drama, this would be more aptly titled Entrourage rather than Reunion. The issue is that too many members of the team that travels to Thunder City only have modestly well developed relationships with Wuxie and/or Xiaobai but are pretty much strangers to each other. So when they are thrown together in suspenseful or dangerous situations, there isn't that very enjoyable natural chemistry or seamless bond that emanates when the Iron Triangle is together. The only execptions are Xiao Bai and Liu Sang and possibly Hei Yanjing so things markedly improved towards the end when all the "extras" get left behind.

The other enjoyable aspect of this season are that we have two very good villains - Boss Jiao and the spy and one excellent grey character Jiang Zisuan. In fact I would say they somewhat stole the limelight in this season. I was particularly impressed by Wu Lipeng's portrayal of Wuxie disguised as Jiang Zisuan. He literally knocks off all of the little mannerisms and micro expressions of Zhu Yilong's Wuxie to a T. However, it goes on for way too long and to the point where it was no longer even logical from a plot point of view. So the season ends with this feeling that Zhu Yilong/Wuxie was missing in action toward the end. This is particularly disappointing because in the final arc, I expect to see the "real" Wuxie cunningly out maneuvre and confront the last villain. Instead, he pretty much just rocks up for the final two "real" episodes. Even though Zhu Yilong/Wuxie returns for that final showdown, it has a hollow and anti-climatic tone to it, as if he is not fully in character.

Although this season progresses at a much better pace without the marked ups and downs of Season 1, I actually still find both Sea King's Tomb arc and Warehouse 11 arc of Season 1 superior to both Thunder City arc and Imperial City arc of Season 2. That is not to say these arcs are not well done, they truly are but they just were not as dangerously thrilling or mythically suspenseful - I did not feel my heart in my throat the way I did in the first arc of Season 1. This is probably because the Iron Triangle is somewhat overshadowed in Season 2 and it is hard to care as much for the entourage cast. I was praying for the Iron Triangle's survival every moment of the Sea King's Tomb arc. That does not happen in any of the Season 2 arcs - in fact if anything it seems a bit too easy. So despite its overall better cadence of storytelling, Season 2 feels like the thunder rolls but lighting doesn't strike. Thus, I rate both seasons a very enjoyable 8.5 for very different reasons. I separately reviewed Season 1 in greater detail.

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Its in their nature.

I almost didn't watch this. Although many plot threads were left unfinished, I could accept the way they left things for the main protagonists. Why not leave well enough alone? Because I still wanted to know if how things play out with Gu Fengan, Prince Zhao and Xu Changping and who does not want to see more sweet moments between Wenxi and Dingquan?

There are some unexplained time gaps but these last 12 episodes are surprisingly well edited and neatly tie up all of the remaining important plot threads. What I like best is that the villain is really good, probably the best one in the entire story and he is taken down by the person he least expects. The plot is also not too convoluted nor overly mired in excessive detail so I found it easier to follow. I am also quite impressed with Zheng Yicheng's portrayal of the more mature Gu Fengan - this promising young actor needs to take on more complicated roles like this.

What remains painful is the relationship between the crown prince and the emperor - it evolves and yet is still the same. Its like watching an unstoppable force meet an immovable object. Neither can help themselves, it is in their nature. The crown prince is an amazing, uncompromising idealist with a big heart and the best of intentions but he is also a most unsuitable person for the job. He is the one person in the entire story with no free will. Everyone, including his soul mate Wenxi tries to force his hand. The outcome is inevitable and frankly, a relief.

I am glad that with this, I watched the show in its entirety. If you have already watched the first 60 episodes, I don't need to remind you that this is a beautifully written but heavy, depressing story. It is a strong finish, I give it a 9.0 although if I have to rate the drama in its entirety it is still an 8.5.

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Remember us and all we used to be.

After One and Only stabbed me in the heart, I needed justice, I needed closure and most of all I needed to hear Shi Yi say  "Zhousheng Chen, remember us and all we used to be." Theirs was such a splendid, intense love with so much passion and yearning that could not run its natural course. Sadly, after being restrained for ~5000 years, all that is unleashed are faint echoes of the past. Thus, my final impression is that what was, is never again.

What this is, is a very sweet, very ordinary, reasonably touching but hardly memorable love story that is markedly lacking in intensity. It falls down hard in its failure to connect the characters of the past with the present. Aside from appearance, both Zhousheng Chen and Shi Yi could be entirely different people and this an entirely different drama. Of course in the present, they will be different but there must be that je ne sais quoi, that certain aura that lingers. Even the essence of their relationship changes, in fact it regresses. Shiyi and Zhousheng Chen of the past were of one heart and mind - she gifts part of her dowry to pacify Nanxiao and accepts her marriage hoping to reassure Zixing of her Prince Nanchen's loyalty. Shi Yi of the present asks no questions, she just trusts Zhousheng Chen absolutely without understanding his family's background or his plans. And he tries to protect her without telling her anything - it is the one thing about him that bugged me in the novel and it is the one thing they should have but did not change! As such, the sense of them being soulmates that are connected on a level beyond words is not there.

Ren Jialun and Bai Lu are both very solid actors with good enough chemistry that I genuinely enjoyed the good (pink moped), bad (lame kiss) and ugly (I am ready) of their moments together. Overall I enjoyed Ren Jialun's endearing portrayal of the shy, awkward and introverted professor whose world goes from revolving around uninhabitable planets to revolving around Shi Yi. That said, there were some truly cringe moments and he often came across as having no fire in his belly, likely due to his heavy sighing and lethargic, monotonous line delivery. I must praise how even though it took awhile, they fell into a much more natural rhythm as a couple in the last quarter of the drama and I was moved by how they grieved together and consoled one another. So despite some initial hiccups, there is genuine relationship development and that aspect finishes strongly.

The main issue with this drama that it lacks both plot and engaging and complex supporting characters. Everything really revolves around the two main leads and their romance, which moves too slowly and uneventfully to really anchor the drama. Besides Uncle Lin and possibly Mei Xing, none of the supporting characters are that likeable or empathetic. Zhousheng Chen's stepmother is the only truly complex and interesting secondary character, everybody else including the villains are rather two dimensional and the two cloddish servants are downright annoying. The plot is for the most part suspended in favour of the romance before it rushes through to the end. It is also rife with somewhat melodramatic rich family tropes from greed and envy to infidelity.

If One and Only is slow burn, Forever and Ever is like watching paint dry by comparison because there is no burn. I had to entertain myself by speculating on who got reincarnated into who and looking for hidden clues and traces of the past while mourning the fact that I was not going to see Zhousheng Chen reborn as a present day sexy beast. Which begs the question: considering how tortuous One and Only was, should Forever and Ever be watched as a standalone romance? Well, without the backstory, this is just about how an absolutely gorgeous but likely slightly delusional voice dubber falls head over heels in love with a fictional ancient drama character Prince Nanchen. She throws herself at a complete stranger; a nutty, loner of a professor with the same name who is a bit slow on the uptake but eventually realises he just got very, very lucky and thus the story unfolds. If that works for you, then by all means, skip the heartache that is One and Only.

I only watched this because I was looking for Prince Nanchen and Eleven. Sadly the future is but a mere shadow of the past. But still this is a sweet, well acted love story so I am not throwing rocks at it or at the actors. Nonetheless, this sequel did not live up to its potential so I can only rate it a 7.5. I would give both dramas together a 8.0-8.5.

Postscript:
For those of you who still need closure, there is a very well fan made alternate ending ending for One and Only produced by industry professionals. I have fan subbed it and hidden it as a spoiler in the comment section of my One and Only review.

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Who is the big bad wolf?

This is a passionate fantasy fairytale that unflinchingly explores the thin line between love and hate and many emotions in between with a dark intensity that will not appeal to everyone. Hidden within this dark, at times ugly complexity is a simple, intense mythical love story that is beautiful in its fleetingness.

Once upon a time, Xing'er, the lonely young daughter of a feudal lord befriends Langzai, a wild orphan boy raised in the forest by wolves.  Even before they understand what it means, they fall in love and form an unbreakable bond. But after a terrible misunderstanding, Langzai is whisked away by the tyrannical, paranoid and evil emperor Chu Kui who weaponizes him. When they meet again, Langzai is the fearsome Prince Bo, a ruthless, lethal military leader who keeps the mad, bad despot's internal and external foes in check. And Xing'er has grown up to be the beautiful Princess Ma Zaixing, a pawn whose family's military might is coveted by both Chu Kui and the rival Jin king. A damning accusation, divided loyalties and duty forces them to be mortal enemies and opposing forces push them towards what appears to be mutually assured destruction. Can true love uncover the truth that can defeat the darkness in their souls and free their land from evil? 

This drama is not plot driven; the story is easy to follow with a few well conceived mysteries to be revealed but the villains are known from the outset and there are no shocking twists. It is very well paced and the action and battle scenes are ferocious, brutal and gripping. Rather it is largely a character driven drama where the main protagonists fight for who they choose to be and who they want the love of their life to be. It asks the question - who is the big bad wolf or who are the monsters? Is it the wolf in wolf's clothing or the wolf in sheep's clothing?

This character drama is made especially memorable by the many well cast and compellingly delivered roles. They are difficult roles to convey because all of the main characters are flawed and they all have inner animal avatars. When they are tempted or threatened their most primitive instincts emerge and we see both their best and worst selves. To properly appreciate this drama, it is important to keep this in context because the writing does not try to sugarcoat or suppress these traits, instead it gives them free rein to build into raw moments of enraged conflict, unimaginable pain, dark passion, misguided loyalty, pure love and violent hatred. All of the characters make mistakes both selfish and well-intentioned mistakes with heartbreaking and irreversible consequences.

The styling and costumes of the characters are designed to accentuate their inner animals and each of them are written to highlight their inner animal's associated personalities and strengths and weaknesses. We know that Langzai/Bo Wang (Prince Bo), the titular character is a wolf. Xing'er/Ma Zaixing is a butterfly, the least complex, most single minded character of them all. Ji Chong is an eagle and Bao Na is a horse. Yao Ji, the most underrated character in this drama is an enigmatic, treacherous and wise snake (I think). Her relationship with Bo Wang is the most surprising, complex and interesting relationship in the drama, much more so than both Bo Wang and Ji Chong's relationship with Xing'er. I wonder how many supernatural abilities these characters were originally endowed with before the censors erased all of that stuff.

The following is a deeper discussion of the main characters and their relationships that inevitably contains mild spoilers. You can stop reading here and  come back to the rest after you are done with the drama.

I initially mistook Xing'er for a frustrating character - weak, naive, unwilling to grow up and one dimensional. But that is her nature - she is a butterfly - a delicate, transitory being that is a symbol of youth, joy, love and beauty. Female butterflies mate only once and then they die. Her goals are simple and she is pure hearted but she is by no means weak; on the contrary she is single minded and unyielding in her love for Langzai and her determination to recall him from the darkness that is Bo Wang. Her heart is gently cruel in its lack of capacity to to let anyone else in. This kind of role is both very easy and very difficult and Li Qin pulled it off phenomenally (despite a shrill and atrocious voice dubber). I could feel her pain and disillusionment and teared up as I watched Xing'er innocence and love of life get extinguished into the strong, mature, revenge driven but indifferent Ma Zhaixing.

Bo Wang is a sexy, magnificent, conflicted and tortured beast of a character that I loved to hate in the beginning and hated to love at the end. He is the big bad wolf, a ruthless predator with savage methods but he is also highly intelligent, passionate and devoted to his pack or his family. Wang Dalu's portrayal is so vivid and potent that I could see a wolf lurking behind Bo Wang's every facial expression and gesture - I can't believe I have never watched this actor before. The scorching chemistry between Bo Wang and Xing'er is the most outstanding feature of this drama. Both actors have such intense screen presence that anyone that shares the screen with them becomes invisible. Their passionate, tormented kisses and the intense longing in their gazes give lie to their often toxic verbal exchanges. Their relationship scales the tortured depths of hatred and despair to the breathtaking heights of love and ecstasy. They are so convincing and moving as a couple that all of their love rivals pale in comparison.

Ji Chong is an eagle, a bird of prey that can see the big picture from high above and swoops down opportunistically and tactically to force the lovers to face each other as mortal enemies. Like Bo Wang, Ji Chong also tries to save Xing'er by changing her; in this matter he and Bo Wang have a common agenda. While their methods are diametrically opposite, the outcome is the same in that they both cause her to suffer enormously. Bo Wang pushes her away harshly and cruelly while Ji Chong albeit charmingly, imprisons her with duty and obligation to her clan. Bo Wang loves her enough to give her up but Ji Chong more selfishly and somewhat naively tries to wheedle and manipulate his way into her heart. Ji Chong and Bo Wang are both ultimately well intentioned but make many mistakes and are thus equally responsible for all but erasing the Xing'er they love. I am very impressed that Xiao Zhan chose to play such an interesting, endearingly immature and flawed second lead rather than yet another insipid and suffocatingly noble and selfless one. Just as with his iconic interpretation of Wei Wuxian, Xiao Zhan's blinding charisma compels us to forgive Ji Chong's flaws and weaknesses and even empathize with him.

Surviving to exist is not important to Xing'er who only cares that she rescues her Langzai so that they can retreat into the forest away from the two legged monsters that walk the world outside. With this in mind, the drama's ending is not just good, it is also fitting. As someone who loves such beautifully flawed and even dark characters, I find Xing'e and Langzai's mythical love story to be unforgettable so this has to be a 9.0  possibly even a 9.5 for me. I can understand why others may find the themes too darkly disturbing and judge the characters much more harshly.

I will end with a nursery rhyme I vandalized for @sony_t:

Wheedle eagle, pudding and pie,
Kissed the butterfly and made her cry,
When the wolf came out to play,
Wheedle eagle flew away.

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The Return of the King.

After closing Season 1 on a high note, the much anticipated Season 2 of Lost You Forever opens with an air of looming inevitability. The focus shifts from Xiaoyao to Cangxuan as the main plot is built around the return of the king who is meant to unite Dahuang. This also portends the end of the long stalemate between Xiyan and the Chenrong remnants. This kind of endgame puts all of the main characters at crossroads with difficult, heart wrenching choices to make.

Season 2 has not been as well received as Season 1 and the bulk of the disappointment is around how unlike Season 1, Season 2 deviates from the novel on a few fronts. I didn't read the novel so I can only evaluate the drama on its own merits. From my perspective, the season's biggest weakness is that the plot arcs leave a rushed, condensed impression. This shouldn't be a surprise as topics involving conquering harmless neighbouring states and glorifying rebels don't fare well with Chinese censors. I also had to scoff at the idea of a war with no civilian casualties; if this were a plot driven story I would be quite disappointed.

But Lost You Forever is predominantly a character story and on that front, the character arcs deliver in spades. Even though many characters make choices that are not relatable, they are not meant to be. Novelist Tong Hua designed the characters for both the prequel novel Once Promised and Lost You Forever based of mythical creatures from Shānhǎijīng/山海经, The Classic of Mountains and Seas. This is an ancient Chinese geographic compilation of mythical monsters and magical creatures; kind of like Hogwart's Monster Book of Monsters. This story is set at the beginning of time, after Pangu and Nuwa created the world. Xiangliu is a mythical beast, a venomous nine-headed snake monster loyal to water deity Gonggong. Cangxuan and Xiaoyao's grandfather the Xiyan King is none other than Huangdi/黃帝, the legendary Yellow Emperor. They are early immortals, directly descended from primordial gods whose footprints can still be found in the shape of the mountains and seas. They live for an unfathomably long time; until their obsessions eventually get the better of them. This explains Cangxuan's darkening and Xiaoyao's overpowering fear of loneliness and abandonment.

Even though this story broke my heart, all of the important characters are true to themselves and fulfil their destiny. I did not always agree with or like their decisions but the storytelling is elevated by phenomenal acting that compelled me to understand their choices and accept that their decisions made sense for them. My only disappointment with the season is that plot-wise it sagged and is not strong enough for me to raise my rating for the drama overall to a 9.5/10.0. It is nonetheless an immersive, heart-rending and dark enchanted fairytale about flawed but unforgettable characters who are trapped by destiny. I rate both the second season and the adaptation in its entirety 9.0/10.0. Watch it but guard your heart and do not grieve too hard for them because their fates are to a large extent predestined.



SPOILER WARNING

The rest of this review does not avoid spoilers and is best read after you have finished watching this drama in its entirety.


I may be in the minority but even though I almost drowned myself in wine, I think the ending is perfect and fitting. Xiaoyao is a flawed and broken character that regresses as the narrative advances. Her strongest, happiest, moments were in Qingshui Town, when she lived among mortals as Wen Xiaoliu. The only thing she lacked was a companion. When Ye Shiqi, another lost immortal came along, her life was complete. Even though Tushan Jing is a weak character that let Xiaoyao down repeatedly, he is kind and when it mattered, he was willing to be Ye Shiqi again so that she could be Wen Xiaoliu again. He was the safe choice and the only choice Xiaoyao was capable of making. Even though I will never like it, I understand it and I can live with it. The best, most magical arc was always the Qingshui Town arc so the drama closes there, in a full circle.

Cangxuan is also a damaged and abandoned character whose his mother chose to die with his father over living for him. Thus Xiaoyao and Cangxuan share a deep and complex bond that goes beyond their childhood oath. From the get go, the way they deal with their shared trauma put them on forever opposite paths; he chose to be invincible while she chose to be invisible. Xiaoyao only reclaims her identity and returns to the perilous world that cost her everything because of her promise to Cangxuan. She faces her demons, relives the worst days of her life and puts herself in harm's way to be his pawn; the princess bride that paves his way to the throne. She never looks happy or carefree again after she becomes Xiaoyao.

The great irony in their story is that Cangxuan seeks power to protect Xiaoyao but once he attains power, he becomes the greatest threat to her. He is Xiaoyao's hero that lived long enough to see himself become a villain. Had Cangxuan given in to his worst instincts, it would have been unforgivable and it would have destroyed them both. I am relieved the drama only showed us what would have happened and then walked him back from the brink. Cangxuan did many things he regrets along the way, which he describes as 遗憾/yíhàn and not 后悔/hòuhuǐ. This means he did what he had to do; that he did not really have free will. The turning point in his character is when he admits there was one pivotal moment he regrets (后悔/hòuhuǐ); when he should have chosen Xiaoyao but he chose the throne instead. But even after he owns his choices, I feel a frisson of fear at his disarming smile that is belied by the dark longing expression in his eyes. Xiaoyao will never be truly safe from him so Xiling Jiuyao disappears among those who die collecting and documenting rare herbs throughout Dahuang.

A'Nian is the best character in this story. She is the spoiled but brave and true Haoling princess who grew up with the security of a loving family and her beloved Cangxuan gege. She is who Xiaoyao should have been and she is living Xiaoyao's best life. She dares to put herself out there, to take risk in love without needing to be loved in return. I hope one day Cangxuan understands that Xiaoyao did choose him; that her name is A'Nian.

As for Xiangliu, he understood Xiaoyao best and loved her most selflessly. But by the time they met, he had long ago pledged all nine lives to his lost cause. After leading so many men to fight to the death, it is not clear Xiangliu could have just walked away even if Xiaoyao asked him to. It would have been a risky, reckless and consequential path for both of them; the story of Chi Chen and Xiling Heng could repeat itself. Xiangliu and Xiaoyao waited for each other to cross the line for a very long time; far longer than Xiaoyao waited for Tushan Jing. But the inescapable truth is after everything she went through, Xiaoyao is too broken. As the consequence of two people who loved recklessly; she could only choose to be loved. Xiangliu is himself not free either so he accepts this. For him their brief entanglement had to be enough. If Xiaoyao had been A'Nian, she would have dared to choose him except his path would have never crossed with that A'Nian, only Xiaoyao. They were just never meant to be. And so Xiangliu frees her from missing him forever and leaves her with someone to rely on and go home to. Even though she will never be burdened by knowing the full extent of everything he did for her, Xiaoyao grieved deeply for Xiangliu. To me, her silent, helpless adult tears were far worse than the way she child ugly cried for her parents. I do wish he had left her the real Chubby but I guess it was not possible since Chubby would have gobbled up Tushan Jiing and spat out his entrails.

Even though both Zhang Wanyi and Yang Zi deliver outstanding and compelling performances, Tan Jianci's portrayal of Xiang Liu is simply iconic. I can't remember when I was last so mesmerized by a character. Even though it shattered me, Xiangliu fulfils his destiny in an epic, climatic ending that is what legends are made of. According to Shānhǎijīng, Xiangliu left behind a patch of earth so toxic that nothing grew or lived there again. I know book readers are not satisfied with the ending but for me it is an incredibly sad but beautiful and fitting way to end a story about love that is not a love story. My only regret is I didn't get to see Xiaoyao shoot Xinyue in the heart. I mean to make time to read both the prequel and the novel so I won't spoil myself the book ending. But if it is at least this good, then I love it already.




X

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Wild goose chase.

Ancient conspiracy thrillers are right up my alley so I looked forward to Luoyang with bated breath. This is set in Shendu (now Luoyang), capital of Wu Zetian's Wu Zhou Dynasty (690-705). As the only female emperor in over 5000 years of Chinese history, Wu Zetian remains a controversial figure - an ambitious, usurper whose exceptional intelligence and leadership is only matched by her ruthlessness against anyone in her way, including or especially her own children. She cultivated informers and multiple secret police and spy rings that gathered evidence against her detractors. and maintained a careful balance of power between the important political structures of her administration. This is reflected in the drama in the clear delineation of responsibilities between the Judiciary, Inner Guard and Secret Police (Lianfang). During this time, the Wu clan and Li clan were embroiled in a power struggle which persisted until Wu Zetian intervened and clarified her succession plans. Nonetheless it ended in messy plotting, betrayals and twists that are drama worthy in and of themselves. This is rich fodder for conspiracy plots such as this one.

The drama starts thrillingly with a bold daylight assassination of an informer and his daughter and the ensuing dizzying high speed chase through the streets of Shendu. All three main protagonists mortician Gao Bingzhu, foodie Baili Hongyi and inner guard Wu Shiyue are at the scene and invisible threads from their past pull them together to uncover a much deeper conspiracy that could rock the very foundations of Wu Zetian's empire. Clues emerge that connect seemingly unrelated cases and force the three protagonists to work together, at first reluctantly and with selfish agendas and then with growing mutual respect and trust that blossoms into deep friendships. I most enjoyed the tripartite friendship in the drama and would have liked to see it better explored rather than unnecessary romantic arcs. Huang Xuan nailed it with his cynical yet paradoxically idealistic Gao Bingzhu; whose shrewdness and insight into dark hearts of man does not extend to those he cares for. I also did not see much chemistry between him and Song Qian who impresses with her fight scenes but falters somewhat in her line delivery. Wang Yibo's performance is strong in some aspects but uneven overall with too many scenes where he is clearly unsure what facial expression to wear. This role does not elevate him for me from an actor that I don't mind watching but wouldn't seek out. That said the trio has enough combined chemistry that I am happy to watch them together again. As for Song Yi, she has gotten enough flack and her character was so poorly written that all I will say is this is a role such a wonderful actress should have just passed on.

I did not enjoy the first two episodes of the drama - too much was happening at the same time and the cameraman swung the camera so wildly I thought he was possessed. The action scenes are exciting and well choreographed enough they did not need to artificially augmented by cheap camera tricks. After the psycho camera settles down, the plot unfolds at an intense and exciting pace against a gorgeous backdrop of dazzling sets and with a deluge of colorfully garbed denizens - they must have hijacked and costumed practically every Hengdian tourist as extras on set I have never seen so many people crammed into each scene. My personal favorite set is the Unwelcome Well which looks almost too inviting to be a ghetto. While the costumes and certain props are anachronistic, everything comes together is such a vibrant and captivating panorama that it scarcely matters. This is complemented by well designed side characters that are based on well known historical figures. Hints of their personalities, scandalous affairs and alliances are quite faithful to history and add a nice ambiance to the setting. It set up for intriguing Dumas like plot twists that didn't materialize.

This drama builds to a top-notch, shocking and heartbreaking climax prematurely at episode 20 where both actors delivered standing ovation worthy performances. It achieves that perfect sequence of shock followed immediately by stunned comprehension and acceptance as all the clues rushed to the fore to blindside the viewer to the next unfolding twist. In the second half, the plot visibly loses momentum and digresses into romantic arcs that don't belong in this genre and filler maudlin flashbacks. The writing of the mini-threads in the second half is insipid with excessive gratuitous character implants, many of whom delivered cringe worthy performances.

In hindsight it would have been difficult to top the fantastic mid-drama climax but it is still extremely disappointing for the final reveal to be so bland. The hollow villain that everyone was on to as a bad guy early on but dismissed as too obvious turns out indeed to be the final villain, one that is not worthy of being called a mastermind. Both their motive and end game plot is not well articulated or convincing. Multiple clues and more interesting suspicious characters that don't play out leave me feeling like I went on a wild goose chase. I don't know if they ran out of money or wasted it on too many bodies but there is no sense of peril or excitement in the final showdown. Forget explosions or collapsing buildings, we don't even get one good last fight scene. The final insult is how unfathomably a feather brain like Liu Feng manages to find himself in the right place at the right time to deliver an unnecessary and uncalled for outcome. This is just a misguided attempt to deliver an audience shocker to make up for the nothing burger of a final reveal.

Even though this remains a very entertaining and highly recommended watch, the ending is a big let down that knocks 0.5 off my final rating for the show. I feel that an 8.0 is the best I can give to this show, which is still one of the better c-dramas of the second half of 2021.

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An Oriental Odyssey.

Chu Sijing, a captain of theJinyiwei/锦衣卫 or Embroidered Guard is on a mission to investigate a strange epidemic that broke out on the remote Wumu Island in Liaodong province. The outbreak threatens the adjacent NInghai Fortress, a critical stronghold against the invading Jurchens. The powers that be have their own agendas and appear more interested in covering up the outbreak than anything else. Thus Sijing steals onto the island aided only by a Mongol Tartar official Bo Yan and a Fulangji/佛郎机 businesswoman Angelica. There he encounters mysterious, disease afflicted villagers who worship ancient Gods and is forced to deal with some monstrous truths. Can he weed out the root of the epidemic before it overwhelms them all?

This story is set in the 3rd year of Tianqi, when the Ming Dynasty was in rapid decline. It was a time of many natural disasters from meteorites to a mini ice age, drought and famine. Superstition reigned high as the peasants were starving and the emperor was widely said to have lost the Mandate of Heaven. The drama invests heavily in world building and weaves in many themes from the period and fantastical creatures from Chinese mythology 山海经/Classics of Mountains and Seas and 神异经 / Classics of Gods and Spirits. Even though the CGI is not the best, I appreciate the effort that went into how they blended history, fantasy and ancient lore together to make this an Oriental odyssey.

Unfortunately all the research and creativity that went into world building is wasted on the story's plot which hints heavily at a complexity that never materialises. For such a short drama, there are too many subplots touching on many themes that go nowhere. Even ignoring Sandrine Pinna's appalling Disney cartoon character acting, the entire Angelica/Pirates of the Caribbean arc adds nothing to the story. The time would be better spent fleshing out the motives of the Henggong cult and tying up the many loose ends to the story. I usually like Huang Xuan's acting and enjoyed his chemistry with Bo Yan but this is not his best role. Maybe it is the overuse of green screens but I caught him frequently out of the moment and staring blankly into space. Shen Rang is the only character that really moved me and I enjoyed this character design and portrayal the most.

The best things about this drama are that it does try to be different, it is short, some of the action scenes are pretty good and it is oddly enjoyable despite its lack of logical consistency. The ending is anti-climatic, doesn't hang together well, leaves loose ends and is disappointing overall. I am being generous in rating this as a 7.0/10.0.

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Sing a Song of Six Spies.

This is a lively, intriguing and exciting romp into the murky world of espionage during the Northern Song period. The various subplots of this drama delve into the counter-intelligence activities of six, young and budding Song spies as they work to undermine Song's arch enemies Liao and Xia. This under appreciated drama carries the hallmark witty dialogue, creativity and manifold twists that made Joy of Life such a huge hit, albeit with lower budget and a young cast.

Sing a Song of six spies
A pocket full of lies
Four and twenty black deeds
Faked by a Xia

Six young and promising individuals from vastly different backgrounds are recruited and undergo intensive training at a top secret spy academy. The morally ambivalent Yuan Zhongxin is cunning, cynical and diabolical; the perfect anti-hero in the high stakes world of double agents, conflicting loyalties and multiple betrayals. He is only bested by the fiery and badass Zhao Jian and together, they make a formidable pair. Although Zhao Jian comes off as arrogant and almost dislikable in the beginning, she is a rare strong female character whose desire to be relevant resonates from the get go. Along with the chivalrous Wang Kuan, who is pretty much 11th century google, Zhongxin, Zhao Jian and Wang Kuan are the brains of this outfit of six young spies. The well connected and commercial Wei Yanei alternately bullies or buys them out of trouble while the lethal Xue Ying more than pulls his weight in any skirmish. The disarmingly innocent Xiao Jing is the glue that binds this talented team together. Their goofy antics, youthful idealism, courage and sheer brilliance under pressure shines a bright light into the dark world of spooks and war hawks to whom the ends justify the means.

The rapport and camaraderie between this ensemble cast and how they grow to trust each other and learn from each other is the best thing about this drama. In each arc, one or two characters gets fleshed out and dimensioned - we get to see their home, family, who they care about. The character building is achieved via clever dialogue and suspenseful or action oriented moments that lapse unexpectedly into comedy before transitioning back seamlessly into the previous moment. The characters have unique shared experiences with each other, giving them individualized rapports and further deepening and dimensioning the team dynamics. I watched this right after Imperial Coroner and I cannot help but notice how uncannily similar Xiao Jing/Wang Kuan are to Chuchu/Prince An in terms of archetype. The big difference however is that in Young Blood, both characters grow and develop and they seem more real and fit in naturally with their team.

Most of the danger laden missions or arcs are creatively written and laced with the right mix of action, intrigue, comedy, romance, tragedy and of course betrayal. The superb subplots overflow with richly dimensioned characters - there are so many fantastic grey characters from villains, to rival spies and would be friends were it not for the different loyalties. There are few easy wins for our spy team as they are engaging with smart characters who are consummate liars that can (and do) beat them at their own game. In the last two arcs however, the writing did fall down somewhat. The writer seems unable to stop himself from overindulging in too many twists and surprise about faces. I did not appreciate how some of the smart characters got noticeably dumbed down in order to extend the plot or force additional twists. That said, the ending was good, tying up most loose ends but the end bit was a bit messy obviously to leave the door open for Season 2, which has since been announced. The strong performances, the richness in the characters and the team makes Season 2 a no brainer in terms of something I look forward to watching. Even if it doesn't materialize however, the ending can be considered satisfactory and conclusive. I give this super enjoyable watch a 9.0 although it should be between 8.5 and 9.0 or a 8.75.

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When you order prime rib and get spare ribs instead.

I expected Youku's short "Revenge" series to be a xianxia in disguise featuring the many hot re-incarnations of "The Best-est of the Chest-ests" Dai Gaozheng in all his topless smoking hot glory. If that is also what you are here for, let me save you some time because Bride's Revenge is nothing but chest bait. In this incarnation as Mu Anhe, Dai Gaozheng is over-dressed and so camera shy he is in hiding for over a third of the drama. When he reappears, it is uncomfortably obvious there is no spark between the leads. While their chemistry is sweet and loving, it notably lacks the passion and intensity of the previous incarnation.

The plot is uncannily similar to Maid's Revenge where two related men Mu Ancheng and Mu Anhe duke it out over the family assets and a woman. Except this time a bunch of "green tea bitches" scheme, bitch slap and scratch each others' eyes out over a scrawny and unappetising scumbag. That entire arc of not very smart people trying to out dumb each other made ten minutes feel like an hour. Even a happy ending cannot save this drama. The dissatisfaction level is just like when you order prime rib and get spare ribs instead. Give this one a pass unless you are super bored and need a quick Dai Gaozheng fix. And in that case, just watch the last three episodes or better yet, rewatch Maid's Revenge.

I generously rate this 3.0/10.0 because Dai Gaozheng is still the chesty definition of hotness.

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