“Law and Order all around”

This series reminds me of the American dramas like NCIS, Law and Order, CSI etc.

No dubbing – Yay!!!! And the accents of the character were good, I am happy that not everyone spoke perfect English – that would have taken away from the characters.

Cast: fantastic across the board hands down. Congratulations! The cast measures up closely to what officers go through in their lives. Love, serve, and loose, but in all of this is their win, their win for The Country, for The People that They Serve. Many of us take this for granted in real life.

Story: Nicely written so that it flows smoothly and jive well throughout the series. This series grabs and keep your attention. What I like the most, is that it is realistic to a point. And the female lead holds her own and does not take back seat to none and the space is equally shared with the male lead.

“The sins of the parents fall upon the children”, I can’t remember the author, but the novel is The Dollhouse. The sins of Miao Lu’s father fall upon her and her sister. Miao is the quintessential daughter, who is caring and hard working and daddy’s girl, while her sister is childish, spoiled, and daddy’s little girl. Miao takes on the villains by using her brain to block her from completing their task for them and completing it at the same time without giving out information. However, their ploy does not stop their and pressures her more, she ends up going the police for help and becomes an integral part of the investigation. When Miao says that she learned how the dodge being followed on TV – that was no joke because many of us learn from TV Series and Movies of all sorts. Daisy Dai knocks Miao Fei’s character out of the park – hats off.

I respect you too much to tell you I love you but won’t step aside if some messes with our equation. That is Du Meng with An Jing. On the same team for years covering each other backs on different dangerous and non-dangerous missions alike. Du Meng is secretly head over heals for An Jing, his boss lady, but does not spurt it out until their equation is threatened by Ma Shang, And Jing’s ex-flame. Unfortunately, Du Meng is faced with certain situations not to his liking, but respects them. He respects the fact the An Jing only see him as a good friend and not lover, however he refuses to continue taking An Jing’s monetary contribution to his family for his mother’s medical care. But eventually works out a pay back plan with her. Du Meng is a true hero of this story because he did not let his personal feelings affect his job or his relationship with An Jing. Although he did not let any opportunity go to take a jab at Ma Shang. But nonetheless the worked together to solve the death of An Jing’s father’s case. And Du Meng saves An Jing and he dies making the arrest. Officers cannot always predict everything at every instance. Many traffic officers die the way Du Meng dies in this series. Sad but true. And yes, Wayne Liu as Du Meng was on point, everything in moderation.

I am home honey or at least so Ma Shang thought. Secretly working a case, he returns to his hometown to his unsuspecting parents of his actual career. When the home police officers are introduced to the Beijing Team, then Ma Shang and An Jing knows what each other do for a living. While Ma Shang has been hunting for his love, An Jing has been dealing with a heart ache of her own. They work the case together. Ma Shang works late and does not come home sometimes. Ma Shang’s partial secret comes to light when his father discovers that the really isn’t working late at the company. He thinks the worst of his son and even has a father and son conversation. This was hilarious and when Ma Shang’s father was tailing him – Oh my, funny. Ma Shang’s mother is no less – she had me rolling with laughter and then to see her subdue herself when she finds out that her son is an officer. The proudness and care for their son is obvious and so is them being sacred and worried for him. Ma Shang’s character is more of a profiler and character analyzer. The maturity of the character is evident when he leaves no stone unturn to find An Jing’s father’s killer and to find the crook in the current case, one in the same. Also, when he prioritizes with An Jing to solve the case first and then discuss their love. I like the very subtle romance in this series, it helps to give that realistic vibe. Vin Zhang does an excellent job.

I am no more and no less. An Jing is the head of her team, and she is an excellent leader and a determined officer from beginning to end. She commands her team with affirmative action and care at the same time. She is dedicated to her job and family. Not only is she an officer, but the caretaker of her mother to some extent. The so-called accident of her father was a devastating blow to both her and her mother. An Jing tackles the case head on working with her team and the team from Beijing. They suffer a great loss of Du Meng, and his death also became motivation to find the enemy no matter where they are hiding. After riding and chasing the waves, the finally get the villains only to have them taken away by the higher ups – as usual. Yang Mi as An Jing was exquisite. Yang Mi is boss of this series – she just rocked it!!!!!!

I only look innocent. Cheng Lei, who would have expected the quiet boy to be one of the bad boys. He played them all like they were just toys in his hands. Lawrence Wang nails Cheng Lei’s character to the T – I don’t think anyone else could have done a better job.

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The Demands of Nan Nan and the Great Resolution

I have long awaited the transition for the “Demon Emperor” to go from villain to star. And it was worth the wait. Liu Xue Yi rocks his character as Ye Xiu Du / Lord Yuang. He is a versatile actor and one worth watching. The other actors are very good. Totally love Zhang Zi Han as Nan Nan. His character is cute and hilarious.

The story is good and flows and weaves smoothly holding one’s attention. The action is good, the comical scenes are enjoyable, the love expressed is on point, the entertainment factor is definitely there. A plus point is that they did not make the female lead without a brain. Wang Zi Wei as Yu Qing Luo is fantastic – she may not know to fight, but she will not be bullied, not even by the man she loves. She has her priorities straight as a mother, woman, lover, and a doctor at best. Another plus point is that the tracks/story lines do not drag.

Nan Nan wants his real father while Yu Qing Luo struggles to remember/find out about her past only to be in despair everything she thinks she has made a breakthrough. Nan Nan will take no less than his real father and puts up a fight with the men that comes in his mother’s life. As fate would have it, Yu Qing Luo bumps into Lord Yuang pretending to be Mr. Charming, a big-time flirt. Yu Qing Luo wanting to save Mr. Wang, who she mistakenly takes Lord Yuang to be, scurry him to a hiding place, where they share their first kiss. As the story progress we find out that Yu Quing Luo’s husband the wick prince, set her up to be raped, but she is saved and ends up sleeping with Lord Yuang, who is the real father of Nan Nan. This is not discovered until later in the series. There is trust building between Yu Quing Luo and Lord Yuang. And there is also trust between Nan Nan and Lord Yuang – they take a liking to each other without much tension.

Both Lord Yuang and Yu Quing Luo are hunted and wanted by the Shura Sect and the evil Prince, who works for the Shura Sect. This hide and seek, I am going to kill both of you track, leads to Lord Yuang and Yu Qing Luo jumping off the cliff and Quing Luo regaining her memory and Lord Yuang loosing his. This part is not dragged on, and he does not fall in love with the princess that falls in love with him.

We get to see a father sacrifice himself for his son without any reservations. He makes plans and teaches Quin Luo to protect herself, which comes in handy later. I liked that they did not kill off Quing Luo’s father to save her or grandson – enjoyed that she worked with Lord Yuang to solve the issue. The marriage is a plus.

Nan Nan calling his father, father is awww so cute.

Totally an all-rounder show.

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Too Good To be True

The cast is good, and they acted well to whatever was given to them.

I got totally into the show because I like mystery and throw in the mystical powers and all, I am good to go. The show reminded me of the X-Men, Power Rangers, and Pokémon all roll up in one. The teamwork was great and the way the teachers pushed, but not abuse them was good. The Seven’s own efforts and desire to succeed was also intriguing just like Tang San’s mystery rendezvous with the mystery man. However, my excitement came crashing down on the last fight where Tang San fights but really doesn’t, I get that strategy is important, but a good fight was also needed. And the ending was just twisting the disappointment dagger even more.

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Revenge is Mine

In this series Allen Ren, who plays, Na Lan Yue / Lin Jing shows his diversity. The cast is pretty good; however, I am not fond of Zhang Hui Wen, who plays Rong Hua. She come across plastic and expressionless. Additionally, there is little to no chemistry between Allen Ren and Zhang Hui Wen.

The story itself starts off good with Nan Lan Yue investigating his father’s death in Dragon Howl City as Lin Jing. He manages to win the trust of Rong Hua’s father, Rong Jing Feng, played by Lu Xing Yu. He is a ruthless murderer. He wiped out Ling Shu Pavilion, Na Lan Yue’s home and stole the Wachau flower. As the story unfold, we get to know that Rong Jing Feng’s older daughter, Rong Su, played by Li Yi Tong, was once captured by Mo Huan / Ming Zun, played by Lin Yuan. She is the teacher of both Rong Jing Feng and Lin Ruo Han, played by Zhang Yan Yan, Nan Lan Yue’s mother. Rong Su was tortured and trained by Mo Huan, who herself has the Wachau in her. After Rong Su was reunited with her family, she found that she had to prove herself to her father, and nothing was good enough for him. This also spurred up animosity between the two sisters because Rong Hua was born sickly, and their mother died during childbirth. Rong Jing Feng was more caring to Rong Hua over Rong Su. As the story progress, we see that his daughters and everyone else are just his pawns. Rong Hua and Nan Lan Yue come to find out that the monster that killed his father and slayed the people of Ling Shu Pavilion was none other than Rong Jing Feng himself. And he does it a second time, and this time Nan Lan Yue not only lost his mother, but his mother saved him by giving him her Wachau. Mo Huan makes use of this to turn Nan Lan Yue into one of her soldiers and heir to her throne since she is his grandmaster. We see the motion and tribulations between Nan Lan Yue and Mo Huan. Nan Lan Yue manages and fights back and eventually conquers. The defeat of Mo Huan by Nan Lan Yue was quite unexpected.

And here comes the disappointment aside from Rong Hua being plastic and emotionless. The death of Lu Yi Zhou, played by Terry Guo. It was so unnecessary and would have added more to the show if he was not killed off. The so-called pregnancy and miscarriage. First all, I am not one that needs the consummation to elaborate and to be shown in detailed. However, if there is a pregnancy scene in a show, please show the woman pregnant and when there is a miscarriage, show the appropriate emotions. Nan Lan Yue and Rong Hua did not have the appropriate emotions for this scene.

And the incomprehensible, is how can Rong Hua expect her husband to forgive her father when he slaughtered her husband’s entire family and clan not once, but twice. And she only cares of Dragon Howl.

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Developing Martial Artist

The cast jive very well together. The chemistry between Zhou Fei (Zanilia Zhao) and Xie Yun (Wang Yibo) was on point.
The series focus on the making of an upcoming young martial artist’s journey, which includes a range of life’s rainbow, family love and issues, love and love issues, obstacles and her own personal growth through all.

Zhou Fei grew up under the shelter of a stellar grandfather, who was a grandiose martial artist during his time. The she was under the wings of her parents. Her grandfather established, built, and protected the 48 Fortress. Many sects tried to breach Fortress but failed to do so because of Zhou Fei’s grandfather and her parents, specifically her mother. Her mother was extremely strict with reasons of course – survival. She was more so tough on Zhou Fei than others, as she was in the line up of being Young Master of the Fortress. Little did they know that they had their own little martial artist within their family.
The impenetrable Fortress was not so impenetrable for Xie Yun, the Prince of the former dynasty. He managed to not only break in but dazzle the occupants of the Fortress by breaking through one of their most secured entrance. Little did he a Zhou Fei know that they would end up lovers. Situations presented themselves in such a way that the rebellious Fei got what she had wanted for years, to venture out of 48 Fortress. However, little did she know that this journey will make her into a refined martial artist. Fei experiences many different aspects of the world of Martial Arts and was able to learn from many renounced teachers. We see her character growth throughout the journey, and we also treated to the subtle bloom of her and Xie Yun’s love story.

This series is not about an established martial artist, but a developing one. I like the fact that the creatives took the time to develop Fei’s character as such and were able to weave in her and Xie Yun ‘s love story without taking away from the actual story and everyone had enough screen space as needed and the interaction between the characters were on point.

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All I want is to be Loved

This is a fantastic series. It fulfills the hypothesis of the story in its’ entirety. The series deals with real societal issues without dodge anything. It illustrates how parental actions can truly and deeply affect a child and their surrounds, especially when adults do not own up to their own mistakes and blames the child(ren). It shows blackmailing and manipulation of a child to their adulthood by a parent, which runs parallel to the parent that wants to care and does care for the child to their best ability. In this series, a mother emotionally blackmails and traumatizes her son, while a father within his own capability joins forces with another single dad to give his son all he can. The care of both fathers is admirable. The story is neatly weaved, which makes the display even better. The other angle which is shown is a divorcee scared and chasing life until she realizes her biggest mistake was running away from it and abandoning her son. The series also deals with stigmatism of two non-official adopted children relationship the extends beyond siblings. This shows that sometimes adults and the best of adults fail to recognize the seriousness of a child’s decision at the very moment it is made. It teaches us not to assume that everyone in the relationship feels the same way. Loved the fact that Ling Xiao not only followed his heart but fought for it because his love and courage are one in the same, Li Jian Jian. The bonding between the different characters is absolutely amazing. Sometimes we tend to ignore the obvious, like when Ling Xiao bought a lace bra for Li Jian Jian. A “brother” adopted or not, will not go out and by his sister a bra. Everyone in the room missed the elephant in the room completely. The development of their romance is subtle, sweet, and funny.

Heart wrenching when Ling Xiao spills the entire turmoil of his life, heart, and soul and she hugs him asking are you sick. This scene truly demonstrate how damage Ling Xiao is by his mother’s actions.

The two fathers, He Zi Qiu, Ling Xiao, and Li Jian Jian could not have survived without each other’s love, support, and care.

The entire team, not just actors and actress, is t be congratulated for a phenomenal job, congratulations!

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Do you really do who am I?

The actors did a wonderful job and Joseph Zeng shows his versatility in this show.

The drama is about the life of Li Jia and it is depicted in chapters. Li Jia’s entire family is plagued with mental illness, specifically Schizophrenia. Li Jia tries extremely hard to stay afloat to keep his mental stability as he must turn reach his twenty fourth birthday to know if he is schizophrenic or not. He goes to Hong Kong to study with an expert, who is not only his professor and doctor, but also his arch enemy. Li Jia meets his new best friends, Shi Cheng, and Zhang Cha Cha (Cha Cha) and love, Cha Cha.

Each chapter has a new stressor for Li Jia and the intensity grows with each chapter. However, he is able to solve the mysteries and maintain mental stability with the help of his friends. Li Jia is even able to hold it together for Cha Cha when he finds out that her mother also has a mental issue. Additionally, he was able to hold strong when Cha Cha lost her biggest and most important support in life, Xiao Xi.

However, when the Professor, Chen Ming Xuan (Chen) starts to notice that Li Jia is doing fine and is no longer meeting his personal needs, he manipulates Li Jia that he should not have friends or a love. When Li Jia starts to distant himself from Cha Cha, we notice a break in his mental stability where his alter personality comes out to play subtly. We see more of this when Cha Cha is kidnapped. However, with the help of the Assistant Professor, who calls out Chen on his personal exploitation, see Li Jia mental break cease to make an appearance. However, the Professor Chen knowingly pushes the most intense stressor onto Li Jia causing his alter personality to come out fully.

This is where the story starts to fail because it abruptly ends. If there is a second season the makers needed to indicate that more than just having a cliff hanger.

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Light Hearted Entertainment

This is a light hearted drama with a good cast. The actors did a great job in their roles and jived well.

There is eye candies for everyone in the drama and long with some serious tracks. The arrangement of the tracks is what sets this drama a part from the intense category.

I was rolling on the floor at the boys trying to cover her identity for her, oh my. Hilarious and cute, too cute.

I am going to stop here. I do recommend this drama if you just want to enjoy watching a show without too much engaging that you feel exhausted at the end - kick up your feet and just relax.

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This started off good...

This drama series started off pretty good. Liked that the main leads did not fall all over each other right away. However, Jiang Jun (JJ) shows such disrespect for Yuan Shuai (YS) when she contacts Du to help YS's cousin knowing that the two share a dislike for each other. She later accepts a watch from him as her so-called gift for her promotion. Promotion gifts are given by the company and not individual boss and he brought such a personal gift on his trip for her. She does become arrogant not to see it isn't that YS wants her to quit her job for quitting sake, but because Du is overloading her with work and is undermining her. YS being given the dialogue in the ending of the series that he pressured her a little to quit was such a turn off.

The second lead was super annoying from beginning to end, no exception. Xu Li need some self respect written in her character. Loving someone and them not loving you back is definitely not the best feeling, but one should have self respect.

Although there is chemistry between the main leads, the scene of Du forcing himself on JJ being played down was the biggest turnoff and downer of this show.

He first pulled her into his hug tightly, which she clearly said no many times and struggle to break free. Then he tried kissing her, which she said no and still continue to break free. The fact that unwanted sexual advancements were made, it is was sexual harassment. And it should not have been played down like nothing happened, it should have been addressed. It was quite disgusting the way this track was handled.

At least five to six episodes were wasted, they could have ended the series at episode 30.

I low marked the story of the series and actors because to the mishandling of the sexual harassment scene.

I low marked the music because it played in, inappropriate places of the show.

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I know MY VALUE

CAST: Really enjoyed the cast.

SCENERY AND CLOTHING: The scenery is beautiful, and the clothing is gorgeous.

STORY: This series is full of plotting and cold-blooded murder from murdering adults to child and the unborn, a fight for power amongst those that reside in the Harem. In many ways, the Emperor is at fault because although he knows the truth, he looks in the opposite direction because of the political affiliation or political position/strong hold of that person or family.

Fan Bing Bing as Wu Mei Niang does a phenomenal job. She is blunt, poise, and learns how to play the game like a pro. She truly gives a surreal depiction of what the real Empress may have been like. The Empress proves that a woman is no less than a man, even if he is the emperor.

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Brother, she is mine, not yours

The cast is good.

This is drama is about revenge. The evil queen uses her Rong Qi (Leo Luo), his girlfriend, Princess Rong Le, Fu Chou, Wu You (Aarif Rahman) and others as chess pieces to take revenge on Wu You’s father. Her plot and strategy well thought out and she is quite manipulative. The story goes somewhat south. What better way to defeat an opponent by snatching the love of his life a way from him and making him scum to you, his victor.

The put off is that the king did not need to die nor did Fu Chou’s girl. The story dragged, not good.

I have to say that Rong Qi played by Leo Luo puts a different spin on I will sacrifice everything for my love, he surely did, even his life.

The clothing and scenery was quite nice.

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The ups and downs of life

Cast:
The child actors that play Wuji in this series are talented and very cute. They executed their role like a boss! Love it!
The child actress also did a good job with their characters.

Joseph Zeng plays Zhang Wuji and he does an awesome job!

Yukee Chen Plays Zhao Min and she handles the character with style and confidence.
The other actors and actress do a good job with portraying their character.

Story:
The story is very twisted in that fate will take you where you need to go regardless of where you want to go. A few real life themes are illustrated in this series: a person will not reach or achieve unless it is meant for you and when it is meant for you; people will always try to judge and deceive you to achieve their gains or to make themselves look better or both. And mistakes matter because the cost a great deal!

We see how each character’s mistake is a domino effect that happens in the series. The journey shows how wuji’s grandfather was envied and betrayed brutally by his teacher. And he, committed so many sins in the name of taking revenge on his teacher and failed to think of future consequences. His actions cost Wuji’s parents their lives, they gave their life up to protect Wuji’s grandfather’s location. Many sects wanted to take revenge on him for the brutal killings he committed. We also get to see how loving and caring he is to Wuji and his parents. And we also get to see his atonement for the sins that he committed.

Going further on this journey we see how Zhao Min’s entitlement attitude and deceptive behavior costs her to be misunderstood and hated by the sects. She invites Wuji and his friends to lunch and then she poisons them. She then kidnapped and physically abuse the sect members using Wuji’s Sect name. These deceptive actions along with other deceptive behaviors leads Wuji’s sect and other sect members to hate her and want to kill her. We also get to see the enlightened side of Zhao Min. She falls in love with Wuji and him with her. She stands up against her family for Wuji and she travels many different places with Wuji and we learn that she knows him better than anyone else.

In contrast, along this journey we see how Wuji’s childhood friend and love, Zhou Zhi Ruo, seems quiet and obedient and sweet in the beginning. She pretends to be Wuji’s friend yet stabs him in a fight that wounds him, and he got hurt because he does not fight back. Wuji continues to blindly love and forgive her. She later kills his cousin and attempt to drown Zhao Min. She also manages to convince Wuji’s grandfather and Wuji that Zhao Min is the one that killed his cousin. We later see how she practices black magic and yet, she continues to play somewhat helpless. Until their wedding day, when Zhao Min barges in and asks Wuji to full fill one of the two remaining wishes he gave her. Zhou’s claws and literally her poisonous claws come out and she injures Zhao Min and Wuji. And Wuji forgives her yet again. We later see how she confronts him at the challenge and Wuji lets her win. She later goes back to being good.

Wuji’s Cousin fell truly madly in love with him upon their first encounter at a tender age. Wuji was in Butterfly Valley trying to cure his cold illness he got from his kidnapper. Wuji practice medicine with the doctor their and help the doctor and his wife escape Granny. She wanted to take Wuji with her and Granny, but Wuji did not want to go with her and bit her want. Not knowing that the boy was her cousin and not knowing whether he survived his cold illness, she wondered aimlessly looking for Wuji, the man of her heart. Fate brought them together, only to tear them apart. She did not die and was able to dig herself out of the grave but was not mentally okay. Wuji got to know that she was his cousin.

Wuji is smart, kind, and easy going. Wuji was educated by his parents and grandfather and they each taught his martials arts and he himself learned various styles. Wuji managed to handle many complicated situations from a young age and he did a magnificent job. His easy-going nature made way for people in his own sect to act according to their own accord. They did not always respect his wishes and Zhao Min warned him of this. He eventually learns all of this the hard way and he restores justice and goes with his lady love, Zhao Min.

Unfortunately, the story bumps when one of the Wudang Brothers marries his dead lovers’ daughter from another man. It also slides downward because of Wuji’s constant forgiveness, lending a blind eye to Zhou constant deceptions. To drag the story further down is Wuji’s state of depression when he hears that Zhao Min was murdered by her father. This occurred during the time that they were at war and many of the Ming soldiers die due to Wuji not showing up. Although Wuji’s cousin got her memory back, she did not let anyone know, except Zhao Min by accident.

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You may be cunning, but I got smarts

Cast:
The cast of The Eight is good. Majority of the cast carried their characters well. I was a little bit disappointed with the two female leads, but more so with Seven Tan’s character. The actress is particularly good at her roles; however, it seemed that her character in here, Xi Shui was somewhat similarly written to that of Xia in Under the Power. She was also very seldom in the show, I was expecting that Seven Tan would have more screen space, but it could be due to the new rule of episode limitation that has done a number on other shows as well.

Story:

The story is interesting and decent. The clothing and the setting suited the era that was being portrayed. I like that the male lead, Hua Min Chu played by Oho Ou used his brain and some fighting skills to achieve his goal and his people as well. He is indeed a smart character and has the courage not to back down in any situation. Having a lead use logic to outsmart the villains was refreshing.

I thoroughly enjoyed the visible, yet subtle one-sided love stories between Hua Min Chu, Xi Shui, Ke Shu, and Zhong Yao. Hua Min Chu and Xi Shui does end up together eventually, but their journey was exceedingly difficult and tested the trust shared between them. Zhong Yao was not less at sacrificing her love for their true love, Hua Min Chu and Xi Shui. Ke Shu secretly kept his feelings for Xi Shu to himself and he is too cute.

The villains are relentless in this series, especially Fang Yuan Ji played by Zhang Ao Yue. He did such an excellent job at his character, that you just love to dislike him. Regardless, of how relentless their opposition were, The Eight were no less in their resilience. The ate every hurt, every defeat, but came back stronger and defeated their opponents with a blast, including the mastermind himself Qi Ming played by Cheng Zing Yuan. The Eight emerge victorious in the end and were disbanded.

Another plus is that characters were not just randomly killed off as with other series.

A downer is the scene where Xi Shui was tied and bound by the locks and fireworks. It was too similar to Xia’s situation in Under the Power when Yan Shi Fan captured her. It is understandable that no show can be completely unique from other shows, but significant or memorable scenes should not be re-used.

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