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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It is twice the pleasure to deceive the deceiver.

This Chen Kaige production more than lives up to its pedigree with a fresh and intriguing plot, unforgettable characters, eye popping visuals and costumes and movie quality production values overall. It is the rare Chinese drama that delivers a hefty and completely satisfying wow factor at the end that actually exceeds the exciting, high octane start. Unlike most Republican era dramas, this one is not at all just plain depressing and yuck.

On his way home, fresh graduate Hua Minchu (Oh Hao) finds himself entangled in the affairs of the Eight, a vast and powerful jianghu alliance representing eight professions or guilds (spies, sages, mechanics, deceivers, thieves, assassins, poisoners and entertainers). The Eight guild masters have been long awaiting the emergence of a new leader (their Holder) to help them "go legitimate" by disbanding and exiting the grey underworld economy to become upstanding and productive members of society. But this is easier said than done as different factions emerge and other forces plot to seize power and unlock the secrets of a fabled magnificent treasure.

This drama bursts with colorful and multi-faceted characters from the most banal to the most divine; the most loyal to the most diabolical; the most compassionate to the most deadly and the most transparent to the most deceptive. While Oh Hao's Hua Minchu is clearly the lead and very well acted, this drama is about teamwork and the entire idiosyncratic cast steals my heart. All of the guild masters are legends unto themselves; each bringing an unmatched skill to the table that complements the skills of the other masters. Both good and bad are so dynamic, bad ass and so utterly awe inspiring it is literally a gangster's paradise. I love that this drama is about a team that works together, loves together, rejoices together and mourns together - the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. It is big fun to watch such impeccably well acted character dramas like this that doesn't just focus on one lead character. That said, I must admit that Oh Hau/Hua Minchu is delicious! He is a man's man - tall, tan, charismatic and ruggedly handsome - unlike the super androgynous, pasty white faced effeminate male leads we see too much of. He is not the best fighter nor does he always make the best decisions but he is clever and dang - he is way too sexy for whatever outfit they pour him into! I watched this through what I (mistakenly) thought were gaping plot holes just to savor his effortless charm and masculinity.

The villains in this show are very good villains - just as deadly, well resourced, smart and cool . Among others, our heroes are pitted against main villain Fang Yuanji, a viciously brutal, steroid enhanced lean mean killing machine and a shadowy mastermind with an opaque agenda. I had my heart in my mouth every time the Eight engages in hand to hand combat with Fang Yuanji and all their encounters are shockingly consequential. I don't think I need to elaborate on the visual virtuosity of action scenes produced by Chen Kaige - and in truth I don't have the words to do them justice.

From the start, I saw this as a character drama and did not have high expectations in terms of plot so I was wowed when it actually delivered. The story is tightly written and the plot unfolds at an exciting pace with enough conspiracies, twists, angst, betrayals, manipulations and manifold adventures within the well constructed and engaging arcs. However, it is not that easy to develop believable romance threads within such an action packed and heavily character laden story. As such, the romance between Minchu and Xishui (Tan Songyun) was not convincingly developed and it was quite obvious that many of their scenes were cut. That said, they still had good chemistry and Tan Songyun is always adorable, she just seemed to have been dealt a bit of a raw deal on her scenes. I don't enjoy triangles generally but in this case, it is handled very well and turns out to be actually relevant to the plot. In the middle, plot holes emerged with key actors making uncharacteristic decisions that had me rolling my eyes. And then in the final two episodes, I realized I was fooled - everything makes sense and every major loose thread comes together in an EPIC showdown and an exhilarating finale that will leave you thrilled, agonized, shocked and completely and utterly pleased by the way the deceiver is deceived. This is the one drama I have seen this year with a truly strong finish and it is the way dramas should end - shortly after a thoroughly satisfying climatic peak.

Make this the next drama you start. You can thank me later. My 8.0/10 rating would be higher were it not for the cut episodes and the somewhat weaker romance arcs.

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The boundless promise.

Feng Ren is a Gushi/骨仕, an enigmatic, lethal sworn blade whose sole reason of existence is to protect the coveted Wuliang/无量/Boundless Heart Sutra. He intercepts a blind boy Po Xiao, who may just be a decoy or may be the true custodian of the Wuliang Heart Sutra and together, they flee the city. On their perilous journey they learn each others secrets. Underneath all the half-truths and deceptions between them, an inexplicable bond, an unspoken shared understanding and trust grows between then. For such a short length story, the actors' chemistry and the depth and complexity of emotions they conveyed shook me. Every twist deepens their bond and the boundless promise they make to each other. The important message of this story is that with great power, comes great responsibility. This is dark and heartbreaking wuxia but the break of dawn that pierces the darkness is blinding and immensely powerful.

Everything about this movie smacks of Guo Jingming's fabulous taste and hallmark aesthetics. If like me, you watch this after My Journey To You, it is quite clear that the drama expands upon many ideas in terms of style, plot and character design from this 37-minute movie. Feng Ren makes me think of Han Yasi and Po Xiao of Xue Gongzi. The narrative also explores how best to deal with a weapon of unaparallelled power. Due to its short length, the plot is tight with no unnecessary digressions and everything comes to a full circle at the end. It perfectly illustrates the power of a short story in how it captures the heart and the imagination with all that is left unsaid and untold. This is a simple, well executed plot that is a must watch and one that I am happy to rate 8.5/10.

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Can't judge a book by its cover.

Judge Dee is one of the most widely adapted and iconic ancient Chinese detective figures in popular culture. Di Renjie, or Judge Dee was a prominent Tang Dynasty official and twice chancellor to Empress Wu Tzetian. In the 19th century, Dutch sinologist and diplomat Robert Van Gulik translated an 18th century novel by an anonymous author Dí Gōng Àn/狄公案/Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee, into English. He went on to write numerous other Judge Dee mysteries, increasingly crafting Judge Dee in his own image. Van Gulik's books are regarded as a cultural bridge between East and West. They were devoured by the Chinese diaspora long before Tsui Hark fanned the flames with his wildly popular Detective Dee movies.

Judge Dee's Mystery/大唐狄公案 loosely adapts nine cases from Van Gulik's novels for the small screen. This drama has notably high production values with lavish sets and costumes designed to create an immersive visual experience. The cases are well crafted with meticulous attention to detail and pay homage to Judge Dee's reputation as a people's hero; a champion of truth and justice for the common people. The cases highlight the discontent at some of Empress Wu's policies and shortcomings of the Tang Code, China's earliest legal code. Di Renjie gained many insights on the struggles and aspirations of the common citizens as magistrate of many important provinces across the empire. This shaped him into a great statesman and reformer in his later years; a chancellor often known to stand up to the formidable Empress.

This is the kind of drama that I should love - its my favorite genre featuring my favorite Chinese detective, set in my favorite Chinese dynasty and is helmed by a few of my favorite actors. The fight scenes are fantastic and the whole thing just looks gorgeous and bloody expensive. Which just goes to show you, you just can't judge a book by its cover. Because even though there are some really great moments, overall this drama just bored me silly.

The problem with the cases is that the four episode are too long when the villain is usually obvious from the beginning. There is not enough development of the suspects or the victims to make the audience care about the why-did-it. The audience also does not get to participate in the solution. Instead, the intricacies of the how-did-its are revealed as flashbacks in Judge Dee's mind's eye. The cases do get better in the latter half as they tie into Judge Dee's past and are shored up by the appearance of characters like Diao Xiaoguan (Zhang Ruoyun) and Lin Fan (Jiang Yi). Even then, the writing tends to tie the minute details together well while leaving big gaps on important things. Thus it is never fully explained what Diao Xiaoguan's motives were or what terrible thing the young scion of a noble household did that got him disowned and left to fend for himself.

The biggest issue with this drama is that Zhou Yiwei pretty much carries the entire crime-solving team by himself. None of the supporting characters are well designed and there is zero chemistry between Ma Rong, Qiao Tai and Judge Dee. This is made even more obvious when Deng Xiaoguan shows up and there is a tangible difference in the dynamics between everyone. Both of Dee's sidekicks appear and disappear inexplicably in the middle of a case as and when the plot requires. Ma Rong is written to be a comically obnoxious character but there is nothing funny about her obnoxiousness. This is the obvious the weak link in the cast and one that is utterly lacking in charisma that unfortunately gets too much airtime. Inasmuch as Zhou Yiwei and Wang Likun deliver a heart-stopping and mature portrayal of attraction and love at first sight, sadly Cao An is written to be a blank character; an elegant musician well past her youth clinging to a silly girlish fantasy over a highwayman (face palm). She only serves decorative purposes until the final case, where she finally gets to shine with her bravery and her foolishness.

In conclusion, this is a visually stunning production that stays true to its source material in terms of setting and thematic elements. However, despite some exciting and well choreographed action scenes, it fails to deliver truly captivating mysteries and is bogged down by lackluster supporting performances. While the cases in Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty (2022) are only a tad more tightly written, the humor and fantastic crime solving team dynamic elevates that series over this one. That said, Judge Dee's Mystery is not a terrible way to pass some time even though it ultimately falls short of making a lasting impression. I rate this Seasons 1 a 7.5/10.0. Season 2 has been filmed and should air by early 2025.

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Scorched earth.

This is an artfully related dark crime thriller about a long, life blood sucking and soul destroying quest for justice. A body in a suitcase, a bomb scare, an incriminating old photograph and a looming terrorist threat captures headlines and puts acclaimed investigator Yan Liang on the case. He quickly discovers that these events are linked to a decade old cold case. The narrative navigates three time periods and alternates skillfully between the original team on the case led by prosecutor Jiang Yang (Bai Yu) and the present investigation led by Yan Liang as both investigations proceed down a parallel path. This is done so seamlessly it is not at all confusing; indeed all of the characters, events and clues flow fluidly and clearly. The pallete is sparse and dark toned consistent with the title and tone of the drama.

While the mystery and suspense part of the drama is very well written and doesn't reveal itself too soon, this is really more of a character drama about Jiang Yang, a brilliant young prosecutor with a lot of fire in his belly. Without a doubt, this is Bai Yu's best acted role to date. His signature gigantic forehead was so well concealed I didn't recognize him for awhile. The way his Jiang Yang's indomitable idealistic youthful spirit is extinguished into a subdued, quiet desperation and almost but not quite defeated acceptance is one of the most moving and nuanced portrayals I have seen in a long time. He deserves to win awards for this role. I wish I could say the same for Liao Fan's Yan Liang but I was not wowed by his crime solving brilliance which is supposedly signified by pondering and obsessive ball bouncing. Despite some failed and misplaced attempts at humor, Yan Liang's present day team also lacks the rapport and chemistry that oozes out of Jiang Yang's "hot pot" team. Anchored by Bai Yu's powerful performance and a solid cast overall, there is still an unbalanced or somewhat lacking feeling. This is amplified by the fact that the adversary is just powerful with unlimited resources and tentacles everywhere. There is no well developed mastermind at work - all we see are a bunch of petty villains who employ rather crude tactics to suppress the truth.

The drama peaks at the end with the final reveal in a truly masterful and heart wrenching performance by Bai Yu. Yet I am left feeling unsatisfied; I am missing the satisfaction of a showdown and fitting consequences for the villains. Indeed the repercussions seem far worse for those who resort to scorched earth methods to uncover the truth. Thus to me, this is a dark drama - it far from glorifies the quest for the truth and justice. It leaves a lingering sense that it is far more worth while to just live a good and happy life.

This is an excellent watch but be warned, it is dark and sad. I don't consider it to be quite in the same league of the Bad Kids and give it an 8.5.

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Who's your daddy?

Destined is a story about how an unlikely couple discovers themselves and each other and survive turbulent times together. Liu Yuru has been auditioning all her life to be a worthy wife to the finest young gentlemen in Yangzhou. To her aghast, she finds herself engaged instead to Gu Jiusi, the scandalous scion of Yangzhou's wealthiest family. Gu Jiusi is no less dismayed to find himself shackled to such a paragon of virtue but he is chastened by his careless prank that got them in that situation. They hilariously find that they are actually well suited and the sum of their parts is greater than the whole. The first arc is by far the best; it is funny, romantic and underpinned by genuine chemistry and rapport between Song Yi and Bai Jingting.

The couple's newfound bliss does not last as the country is swept into chaos as civil war breaks out. At their loss of influence in the capital, the Gu family is forced to flee Yangzhou for Youzhou far to the north. There they are still inevitably caught up in the war and ensuing political upheaval. Meanwhile, in the shadows, a hidden mastermind plots their downfall at every turn. There is a marked dark tone shift in the drama as it delves into the political arcs in the latter half. This drama explores the - "Who's your daddy?" question and whether it matters. All of the main characters have bad dads to different degrees; overly-indulgent, indifferent, overly-judgemental, negligent, wilfully blind and missing in action. Most of them are no worst for the wear but others allow their resentment to get the better of them.

This is a very entertaining drama despite that the second half is sloppily written and ridden with logic holes. The source material evidently had more substance and depth but the drama adaptation falls short on multiple fronts. The plot and character designs don’t make sense without novel readers to help connect the dots (see @CloudA’s discussion threads). The best written parts include most of Jiusi and Yuru’s arcs and humorous moments. The political arcs have too many logic gaps and farcical sub-plots that undermines the intelligence of allegedly smart characters. The writers have a very superficial understanding of history, politics and inner palace protocols. It is mystifying why the Dowager Empress does not secure the position of crown princess for her daughter in exchange for her support. Instead she uses up all her goodwill to try to foist her on a happily married man! The new emperor is so weak instead of banishing these harpies to the cold palace, he allows them free rein to bully his loyal court officials and interfere in official proceedings. He puts a known villain in charge of the crown prince's education when both Ye Sh'an and Gu Jiusi are obviously better choices. They forgot to tell us Luo Zishang has an invisibility cloak that gives him better access to the emperor's bedchamber than a favorite concubine! Game of thrones in this drama pretty means Pass the Throne (parcel). This kind of writing is why fluffy romance writers should stick to their knitting and not try to write about stuff they know nothing about.

What does make this drama work is phenomenal acting all around that papers over the lousy writing. All of the main actors are incredibly charismatic and blend into their roles so well that the portrayals surpass the character blueprints. This is especially true of Liu Xueyi's mesmerising ability to make the vicious, misguided and tragicomic Luo Zishang seem sympathetic even though his backstory and motives are not well explored and only fully revealed at the end. As a result, for most of the drama, this character comes across as a cardboard villain; a delusional sociopath that is just evil for the heck of it. Similarly Fan Yu's character evolution takes abrupt turns and his interest in succeeding his father is not well explained. Fortunately the good characters in this drama are far better written than the tired trope of villains who blame their bad behavior on their bad dads. Their motivators are not as forced and it is a lot of fun to watch the rapport, loyalty and friendships between them blossom so organically. After Jiusi and Yuru, Zhou Ye is my favorite character even though he can be a noble idiot. He just gets really hard things done and done right in the nick of time to save the day.

In the final arc, both Jiusi and Yuru are sidelined so that everyone else can do absurd things to let the villain easily get the upper hand. We are short changed of a satisfying final battle of wits between Jiusi and Zishang to make way for a very anti-climatic reveal of Zishang's backstory that devolves further into a maudlin moment of truth and reconciliation that somehow diminishes both characters.Along comes Zhou Gaolang to bravely re-take a city that was already in hand! There was a senseless, gratuitous death of a terrific character just to squeeze a few audience tears and to add insult to the injury, the perpetrator was unjustly sentenced to live the life of the idle rich. While many favourite characters got good outcomes, some of them deserve better and the final denouement fell flat and was anti-climatic This drama peaked too early at King Liang's epic siege and went downhill from there. The early arcs were an 8.5 for me but the back half was at best 7.0/7.5. Even though I can only rate this 8.0 overall, it is still a very enjoyable drama that is shored up by some fantastic acting. It is best watched tipsy or with your brain half switched off as the plot does not bear close scrutiny.

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Flower Power.

The Starry Love is a divine comedy packed with romance, sisterhood, friendship, adventure, mystical powers, and gut-busting laugh-out-loud moments. It takes dead aim at the tired, cliche-ridden xianxia formula. I was sold on both the drama and the female lead the moment she asks the most relevant question; after thousands of years, does the equipment still work? I laughed so hard that I fell off my treadmill. Be warned; it can be life-endangering to eat junk food or sip wine while watching this hilarious xianxia spoof.

This story rehashes a well-known plot about mixed-up brides where two sisters end up with each other's intended. Born under auspicious omens, the elder, virtuous, and good-natured Princess Qingkui is engaged to the aloof and righteous Shaodian Youqin, Sky prince and protector of the realm. The ill-omened, defiant, and mischievous younger Princess Yetan is to be married to the ominous Void realm, where the unfavored, scheming, and ruthless third prince, Chaofeng plots against his brothers to be the next Void Tyrant. Through a comedy of errors, Yetan ends up in the Sky realm where she turns the world of the pompous Youqin upside down while Qingkui stupefies the nefarious Chaofeng with her goodness. Both couples hilariously discover that opposites attract and two wrongs make a right. All too soon they discover that they are twin flowers born from a sacred tree that can unleash chaos on the four realms. Can their flower power prevail over destiny or will their stories only be remembered by the starry skies?

The more familiar you are with common xianxia tropes, the funnier this drama is. The plot unfolds along recognizable lines, gobsmacking you with unexpected twists along the way. The sisters truly love and support each other and the friendships are genuine and tested by hardship and sacrifice. While there is a healthy dose of the genre-defining angst that made my eyes burn with tears, it is usually short-lived, turning into humor in the blink of an eye. This is a very self-aware drama that pokes fun at the absurdity of tired tropes by acknowledging that even invincible immortals fear death, that the Sky realm is a very boring place and most of the eye candy lives in the Void realm. While it is a humorous fresh take on the genre, the underlying messages about good and evil are all too familiar and there is not much substance to the story.

It is undeniable that the sis-mance and romances are the highlights of this drama. Each sister finds in her mate all the qualities she loves best in her sister! The sisters are loyal to each other almost ahead of their lovers and their men get it and accept that there are more important things than love. Newcomer Chen Muchi gave me palpitations with his sexy and charismatic portrayal of the duplicitous and manipulative Chaofeng. It was a joy to watch Qingkui awaken that spark of conscience that sets him on the right path without losing his air of devil-may-care wickedness. I was initially less impressed with Chen Xingxu's cliched and stiff portrayal of Youqin's stony indifference. But the way Youqin comes alive once that facade crumbles and how he shows us the many sides of Youqin - germaphobe, pyromaniac, mercenary, and playboy; once again attests to this actor's versatility and mastery. Chen Xingxu's and Li Landi's wonderful chemistry and the way they are able to play off each other's emotions and reactions are authentic and captivating. Li Landi is really a young actress to watch. Her Yetan is so brave, naughty, and infectiously bubbly that it is no wonder she had not just Youqin but the entire Sky realm at her feet. All four lead actors have excellent comedic timing and the impressive ability to pull off many simply uproarious lines with a straight face.

The biggest criticism I have of this drama is the overuse of bright lighting and the over-lit Sky realm. It makes for an overbearing visual experience that makes the back of my eyeballs feel like I have been staring down a torchlight. The production values and CGI are not the best and almost made me skip this drama, which would have been a mistake. Because it is addictive from the start and overall well-paced although it loses some momentum in the mortal realm before reaccelerating to the finish. The final arcs take on a more serious and angsty tone and the villains are a bit cliched and too easily identifiable. It also overuses the bad dad trope and some of the rationale of the Sky emperor in particular does not bear close scrutiny. Although many are not pleased with the ending, I have watched enough xianxias to expect something like that so it just made me laugh. I think it was quite comical and oddly fitting with the spirit of the drama. I am happy to recommend this as a very enjoyable light watch. I rate it 8.5/10.0.

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Beware of false prophets.

Ever Night is an epic fantasy adventure hit set in a mystical, ancient world where the balance of power between rival kingdoms is maintained with the aid of powerful warlords and cultivator sects. The vivid stunning palette is infused with an ominous sense of dark prophecy. The soothsayers warn that the child of darkness will bring an ice age or ever night and chaos to the world.

The main protagonist Ning Que makes an thrilling debut as a lethal, almost ferally vicious warrior in a ferocious, spectacular desert ambush. This opening sets the tone for some of the most exhilarating and well choreographed fight scenes that Chinese drama has to offer. The drama is visually spectacular and delivers on the hype on many fronts, especially in terms of its movie quality production values. The sweeping breadth of the story can be overwhelming in the sheer number of characters representing different kingdoms and sects that makes the story appear more complicated than it really is. This is really the story of Ning Que (and by extension Sang Sang's) quest for revenge that sets him on an epic journey to become one of the strongest cultivators in Haotian.

Ning Que is an anti-hero. He is ruthless, cunning, manipulative and can be quite dishonourable. While at at times Chen Feiyu's acting could do with some polishing, he is superbly cast as Ning Que. He emanates that simmering resentment and burning thirst for vengeance that propels Ning Que to prevail against overwhelming odds and superior foes. With his lithe powerful build, his combat scenes are bloodthirsty and violent and his facial expressions are vicious, almost feral. Ning Que's arch-rival the glorious Prince Longqing is an interesting mirror character on a parallel path that makes different choices at important milestones along the way. What is quite remarkable about this story is there are no outright villains. The world they exist in is cruel and fraught with peril and conflict among competing interests. Thus both the antagonists and protagonists have to do ruthless, even terrible things to survive.

Unlike others, I am not troubled by the relationship between Sang Sang and Ning Que. They have no blood ties, they are simply found family and have a complex and multi-layered relationship that is likely predestined. In fact, I think it is inevitable where the relationship must go. As much as I enjoy their undeniable chemistry and clear bond immensely, to me the real issue is that Chen Feiyu and Song Yiren should never be cast together in a romantic capacity. Chen Feiyu is exceptionally tall and Song Yiren is exceptionally petite. Her youthful features and small size makes her look like a child next to him. This visual imprint is so strong it is practically impossible to imagine them as a couple. Their relationship in Season 1 remains platonic and is not troubling but it is a good thing that Wang Hedi replaces Chen Feiyu as Ning Que for Season 2.

In terms of storytelling, there are issues with pacing and the breadth and depth of the character and world building is perhaps overly ambitious in scale. Even though I love how there are different schools of cultivation and cultivators are able to gain immense power via different theologies and practices, I find the excessive pontification and philosophical discourses mind numbingly boring. That said, I appreciate the ultimate irony of how many powerful cultivators are ruled by superstition and fear of ever night or the child of darkness. While the worthy ruler and the true wise men know to beware of false prophets. The political arcs are not that interesting and Princess Li Yu and her brother don't add to the plot. They just take up space and despite all the screen time, this and several other sub plots like the inner politics of the West Shrine and Yan State go absolutely nowhere. Obviously this lays the back story for multiple (?) seasons but unfortunately none of these sub plots and characters are interesting enough to make me want know what happens to them.

Despite the digressions and morass in the middle, the drama builds towards a very strong ending. I was truly moved by Ning Que's speech when he finally confronts his family's killer and I was really impressed by Chen Yufei's acting in that moment. "Why does it always have to be a prince?" is one of the best, most memorable lines from this show. The build up in tension, that sense of dread and hope into the ending confrontation is superb. The final fight scene is epic, full of surprises, utterly savage, desperate, exhilarating. It was everything I didn't even know I was craving for. Even the CGI is amazing.

I thoroughly enjoyed many aspects of this heroic saga and I am happy to recommend this as a not to be missed drama for action and adventure buffs. But unfortunately there are many parts of it that I did not enjoy and I feel strongly that the production over indulged in laying the backstory for many subplots that only play out in subsequent seasons. I am going to go with an 8.5 because the production values and fight scenes are exceptional. Going purely on storytelling alone however, this is at best an 8.0.

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Abs-olutely Fabulous!

I rarely watch modern romance dramas but the lure of a mystery piqued my attention. And within minutes, I was sold at the first eyeful of Tsao Yuning's absolutely fabulous abs. Yes, this is one of those dramas that makes me embrace my shallow self. Because this dude is one sexy beast with the kind of tanned, toned, intensely masculine smoking hotness that reduces me to a speechless, foolishly grinning, puddle of drool.

Five years ago, aspiring actress Ruan Nianchu is at the wrong place at the wrong time and falls headlong into a hairy situation. She falls for a dangerous stranger who saves her life, evidently at the cost of his own. A hopeless romantic and optimist, she can't forget him and looks for him in countless blind dates. He reappears with a hidden agenda as Li Teng, as mysterious, intimidating and possessive as ever. The air literally sizzles between this couple who are now my gold standard for onscreen chemistry. There is no mistaking the intense longing and physical attraction between the two. The slow build up to the kiss scenes that usually starts with him invading her personal space and circling her is very hot. And yes, they go all in for the kisses, there are no birds involved. Its a good thing this is only 16 episodes cause my TV was in danger of burning out from the heat even with my air-con cranked up to the max.

I really like the way each episode opens with a flashback that reveals a bit more of the backstory. It is very effective in establishing the depth and substance of the feelings between Li Teng and Ruan Nianchu very early on and it adds to the sense of intrigue around what happened 5 years ago. Underneath it all, the plot is simple but fast paced and interesting even though it does have an its been done before feeling. The villains have rather boring motives and the final villain is revealed the moment they are dropped into the plot which is a bit clumsy.

I found the second couple to be a sheer delight. At surface they are a bit cliche but the kid is hilarious and mixes up their story in a good way. And Li Teng's camaraderie and loyalty to his sexy Men in Black like team of operatives is both cool and heartwarming at the same time.

Overall I rate this very entertaining watch an 7.5 even though its unlikely to turn me into a fan of this genre. I must confess that if Tsao Yuning flaunted his magnificent chest and fab abs just a few more times, I would have abandoned all standards and slapped one of my rare 10.0s on this one. If nothing else, I had several lbs of water weight loss from all that drooling.

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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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Missing parts.

Let me preface this review with a warning - this is a well-loved drama that I simply fail to appreciate. If my criticism of it will offend you or ruin the joy you found in it, best give this a skip.

The soundbites are tantalizing: a taboo romance between a eunuch and a concubine; a ruthless and scheming male lead; a spirited and clever female lead; and palace conspiracies and mysteries aplenty. Not to mention Wang Hedi's Xiao Duo exudes that intense tall, dark, and dangerous kind of sex appeal that screams he is no Lord Varys. So I jumped in despite my reservations over Chen Yuqi's acting. As it turns out, that is one of the drama's lesser problems.

This drama is an inane attempt at dark satire aimed at the obscene privilege of emperors. It opens with the shockingly cruel practice of sending off childless concubines, known as tribute ladies to accompany the emperor in the afterlife. After high powered eunuch Xiao Duo rescues Bu Yinlou from this dastardly fate, an alliance of sorts forms between the two as they navigate treacherous palace politics in a time of power transition. I like how it was just a mutually beneficial relationship initially and how they disliked and were wary of each other; that the romance did not blossom instantly. Where it falters is in showing me why the two most powerful men in the palace connect with and fall so utterly for a woman afflicted by bizarre facial paroxysms.

Xiao Duo's wicked ruthlessness is gleefully conveyed with wit, panache, and flawless comedic timing by Wang Hedi. This is well matched by Peter Ho's slightly over-the-top portrayal of the deceptively simplistic, cartoonish-ly obsessive, and delusional emperor. Both portrayals convey each character's underlying ethos; a past sadness and secret loneliness. Unfortunately, Chen Yuqi’s jarring and tacky comedic interpretation is far more typical of a slapstick comedy than dark satire. Her exaggerated rapid eye movement and outlandish facial expressions had me triple-checking the synopsis to see if the character is supposed to be epileptic, schizophrenic, or simply possessed. While a huge upgrade from her usual vacuous sleepwalking, for the first 14 episodes, there is little beyond brazen tasteless humor in Chen Yuqi's Bu Yinlou. After that, she gets into character and delivers some really good scenes. She has good romantic chemistry with Wang Hedi that elevates her performance and the more serious tone the story takes also helps. But her acting is not consistent and wobbles again at the ending episodes. It highlights her limited range and is quite inexcusable for someone who is an acting school graduate with a long list of drama lead role credits. This is the best I have seen from her in years but that says nothing at all.

This drama's biggest issue is that it is missing a good plot. The storyline is contrived, naive and so ridiculous it is disdainful of audience intelligence. The writer's ignorance and superficial understanding of feudal imperial inner palace workings are embarrassing. It is impossible for someone like Bu Yinlou to waltz in and out of the inner palace like it is a hotel, live at a brothel and gallivant all over the kingdom with Xiao Duo. The production leaked "cut" romantic scenes like a sieve, trying to blame the abysmal failure in storytelling on censorship. The truth is all the kiss scenes in the world cannot salvage the messy plot and inconsistent characterizations. We are told both leads are smart characters but they are actually the architects of their own troubles. The allegedly Machiavelli Xiao Duo wrests the crown prince from the custody of the one person with the highest incentive to keep him alive and healthy and puts him in the hands of the person with the strongest incentive to kill him dead! As a couple, they have repeated opportunities to escape, but choose not to. Xiao Duo's revenge is anti-climatic and hastily swept under the rug once the killer is uncovered. They flaunt their affair with such reckless impunity they so deserved to get busted. I stopped caring if they ended up together and sat on the meh ending episode for weeks. I finally finished watching this so you don't have to. To my dismay, they got an ending they didn't earn or deserve.

The bottom line is Wang Hedi is the only reason to watch this drama. He is sexy even when he glowers and scowls and his costuming and visuals in this drama are swoon-worthy. In fact, save yourself some time and just watch all the fan-made videos of the romantic scenes hard-core fans have stitched together. You can skip all the rest because as foreshadowed by the eunuch theme, this drama has critical missing parts. I can only rate it 6.5/10.0 to finish at the rock bottom of my completed list for 2022.

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The Virtuous Husband.

In this witty satire, a modern business man finds himself in ancient China where he is Ning Yi, a soon to be zhui xu/赘婿 or matrilocal husband to Su Tan'er, the heiress of a wealthy cloth merchant. Using modern business methods, he hilariously wins his Tan'er's heart and mind as they take down internal and external rivals together and he proves his worth beyond being a useless kept man.

The wicked role reversals as Ning Yi and Tan'er navigate their marriage made my shoulders quiver with laughter, especially the darned Academy of Male Virtue. I love the way Ning Yi is written in this drama - he is cunning, compassionate, innovative, ruthless and far from the virtuous husband, he is the academy's most farcically subversive element. Guo Qilin and Song Yi sparkled together, transitioning seamlessly between brilliant comic timing and repartee, heart stopping action and moving emotional moments. The colorful ensemble characters, friend and foe alike are well dimensioned and written and acted with verve and audacity. The humble Guard Geng with a big heart and big dreams is my favorite supporting character.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of this drama, which is easily a 9.0+, the second half is noticeably loses its mojo and is at best a 7.5/8.0. The decision to back burner both Tan'er and Guard Geng would have been fine if comparable new characters stepped up to fill the void. Unfortunately while Xigua starts out as a powerful and interesting character, she becomes pathetic. It does not help that while she is lovely and likable, the actress Jiang Yiyi is miscast here - she not funny and has little chemistry with Ning Yi/Guo Qilin. Ditto for his shifu and the creepy Lou Shuwan; I didn't really see the point of either character. The drama only picks up again when Guard Geng and Tan'er re-emerge and our power couple is reunited. This makes it obvious that despite Guo Qilin's undeniable talent, he cannot pull off these uproarious moments when he is not lined up with the right team.

Similarly, the antagonists in the first arc are very comical but in the bandit arc, the villains were mostly trying too hard to be humorous caricatures. The attempts at comedy are also often at odds with the heavily political and increasingly complicated plot line, one that leaves scarce room for Ning Yi the maverick to save the day. The story also takes a darker and more cynical turn and even though Guo Qilin impresses with his ability to make me feel the weight of his loss and cry alongside him, the drama ends in a way that does not leave me thirsty for the heavily hinted season 2.

Overall I rate this a 8.0. I would recommend dropping after completing the much more outstanding first arc.

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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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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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