A Very Different Yet Inventive Variety Show

Very rarely, if ever do I review variety shows. I watched this one solely for LYN and the fact that I like the whodunnit factor. The show's 30 episodes were very well scripted and even when the cast went off script, it was great and funny. I won't rehash the synopsis because it's all there. I enjoyed it very much, from the mysteries themselves, how each character was somehow connected to each of the first 7 mysteries and then the rather twilight zone-ish last three weeks trying to find out who the mole was in the group. I loved how they all came together to solve the crimes and then at the end of each case the legal and psychology professor Dr. Ma was invited to speak about all of the legalities involved in each case from both that and the psychological perspective. It was quite fascinating (for me especially as law is one of my backgrounds and I like to see how other countries function legally). I would totally recommend this show, it's not scary in the slightest. It's fun and funny, with even some tear jerking moments towards the end. The only cons are that the subs are AI-generated and product placement with full speeches happen at least once an episode, otherwise a really great and fun show that I hope returns next year with the same cast; they really have a great connection together.

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Misunderstanding, Misinformation, Misleading, Misinterpretation; Just an Overall Miss

Have never seen the leads before this so was interested to see how they did. All I can say is that I hope their past and future work has better scripts than this absolute mess of one. The novel readers made it sound great and interesting with a new concept but instead it was a misunderstanding, with misinformation, misleading, misinterpretation, basically an overall miss.

Pros: Literally the chemistry of the leads and second leads, working relationships. The business aspects of it as it showed how different firms worked. Some comedy. That was it! The actors did as well as they could with the shredded mess they were given. I under no circumstances fault them.

Cons: Who in the 21st century still writes FL's with zilch EQs? Nearly 30 episodes of 36 revolved around a misunderstanding so absurd I don't know how it was even pulled off. FL took some dumb chick's who broke up her already ridiculous relationship words as gospel instead of finding out the truth as she was supposed to be some brainiac reporter and with that proceeded to act cringey beyond belief trying to get close to ML a CEO at new but major company. The bestie with her dumb as bricks advice that made things worse when she couldn't make her own life work made you want to scream.

When the truth came out finally, the FL still didn't reveal it to ML even though both had genuinely fallen for each other. Their relationship was originally built on a lie and once exposed it naturally crumbled. The FL was a selfish, self-absorbed moron that I wouldn't have forgiven as easily as the ML did. This show could have been made just fine with 24 or 26 episodes. The dragging of the ridiculous lies and misinformation, was unnecessary.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely not. This is probably one of my shortest reviews but nothing after the leads got back together even redeemed it for me. I am watching BL in a costume drama right now where she's killing it and I hope to see Dylan in the future in a great written drama. Save yourselves the aggravation and just run.

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Should be called "Scripted Street Dance of China"

I originally came only to watch Yibo as I'm a big fan but I fell in love with many of the dancers and am now following them on Weibo. And the bond that they all formed, be it the four captains or all four dance teams. They really supported each other through the highs and lows of each episode. Sadly a lot of the battles and picks and rules changed on the fly over each week so people who threw towels each week could barely keep up. The last episode especially had a cruel moment where they pinned Bouboo against Yan Kai and used Yibo's song "Wugan". It was beyond disrespectful and everyone knew what the show was doing. They had more then enough dancers from the other teams to split it fairly. No other team had to dance against one another. But the sweet moment came when Yan Kai still won the entire competition. No matter who the winner was, I wish the show had not played fans and dancers as well as captains for fools. They still had high ratings because of the captains. The dancers knowing something would happen in the finale, many opted out of the resurrection towel dance even though we fans voted for them. I am glad however that friendships and bonds were forged among everyone that will last a lifetime. I just wish that part hadn't left such a sour taste in my mouth and I watched nearly all 7.5 hours of it live.

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Chinese Historical Tribute Drama

I'm going to start by getting the elephant in the room out of the way first. I do not agree with, support, nor condone the CCP in any way, shape, or form. That said, I watched this solely because 4 actors that I follow are a part of this and I wanted to see how they did in this totally different from what they normally are in drama. Though by production, these collection of stories were called anthologies, they didn't follow the definition of that and therefore I can't review them as thus. So my review is focused on this as a historical tribute drama.

The four actors whose episodes I watched were ZLY, Wu Lei, Lay Zhang, and Wang Yibo. All four were different characters at different periods of time in the last hundred years. Each contributed greatly to their respective storylines and were very believable. I watched all four on YouTube and sadly, Lay's episode didn't have any audio. I don't understand Mandarin but when there's no sound, it's like watching a silent film and a lot of nuances are lost. Music in each was very important too. Obviously when it comes to actual dialogue that part was fiction unless they literally had a tape recorder strapped to them 24/7, so we will never really know if what they said was historically accurate, but as a historical tribute drama with multiple stories, the four that I saw, I believe achieved what they were trying to achieve under the circumstances.

I do wish the ending portions where the characters stories were written out in more detail, were part of the acting part. Since 2 out of 4 that I saw lost their lives during certain battles, it would have greatly enhanced the experience to witness that sacrifice or for the others what happened next to help their achievements along. That portion for me had a great disconnect. I understand they wanted to show the actual human beings behind each but it didn't have to go that much into it because than it took away from the actual performance and storyline. I'm not into nationalistic dramas from any country as a personal preference so therefore these are the only episodes for me here.

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8 Reviews Later & This Was Sadly Underwhelming and Lackluster

When this series was first announced back in 2020, I was very much looking forward to it because I have done a lot of research on anti-narcotics units internationally and though knowing this was fiction, wanted to see how they would be portrayed in China. At the time Wang Yibo was the only actor I knew and wanted to see how he'd handle this type of tough genre. Sadly, neither came close to delivering the goods. 8 reviews later and this was sadly underwhelming and lackluster. Let's begin with the pros as usual.

Pros: Favorite character was WZF, he had a very chaotic start where you didn't know whether he was coming or going and he had few scenes in earlier episodes. However, when you finally understood what he was doing and why as well as how hard it had been for every inch he made forward (especially when he had the snot beat out of him practically every episode), you were rooting for him. Plus this year, I finally saw his actor in something where he did very well which peaked my interest once this dropped and he delivered despite the odds. Director Lin came in second as a man who could go from furious to placating in a blink of an eye. Loved how he was both a father figure to all of his underlings and still maintained his professionalism. YL didn't seem like much but as the series progressed, her emotional acting was very well executed. I had seen the actress in a drama earlier this year where she just didn't fit (for me at least) as an antagonist but here she did a really great job and her raw portrayals were palpable.

The main antagonists once you got a grip on who the leaders or mid leaders were rather reminded me of the old Italian mob La Cosa Nostra. That "family" came above all else and no matter what, you don't rat out family and you don't kill them or see them harmed. Even though the Marilyn Manson lookalike and WH were ready to kill others to save themselves from the other's family, they would do anything to bail each other out. Very rarely did the antagonists get that much screen time in other dramas, but for them at least it served a purpose that you understood their bonds and loyalty.

Other favorite characters included poor YY, Anran, plus all the other helper cops and complicated LK. The sets were a believable jungle and the OSTs matched the theme and genre of the series. The fight scenes were well executed and that ending operation was nice though wish they didn't jam it into the last 15-20 minutes.

Cons: The plot ran amok for over half of the episodes, the editing was uneven and felt like some weirdo deja vu. The amount of foot soldier drug dealers and who they ultimately answered to was very hard to keep up with. There was zilch chemistry between CY and YL as bf/gf and they essentially felt like siblings the entire series even at the end when he told her he loved her twice. Felt completely empty and devoid of anything that would seem like a relationship. There was also almost no real connection between the leads. We know what the story was but it was just not happening with their interactions; the "trust me/tell me everything you know" talking in circles got old quick. It felt like there were missing links somewhere between them. The first of the two major drug busting operations essentially looked like a rocket launch sans rocket; just too much.

Didn't believe the character of CY at all; he spent the first 10 episodes essentially yelling his lines and afterwards there was very little emotion--aside from the continued yelling though a lot less--not in his eyes or tone inflection. His face was literally like a stone even when he frowned. He smiled so rarely that it seemed like almost an afterthought. That crying scene everyone was talking about, looked super forced on his part but Director Lin sitting next to him just captured the agony of that scene with his tears. I wanted to cry with CY considering how close to the situation he was in that scene but I didn't feel it from him, YL and Director Lin on the other hand were gut wrenching on all sides.

The main villain was under everyone's noses the entire time it was so obvious it was ridiculous. He and the woman who I thought he treated as a daughter until he kissed her (eww) and her macho guy plus the other big bads were relatively lackluster as villains as they were arrogant, twitchy eyed, or walked stiffly; impression that I got was like "if I don't blink and walk in a robotic manner, I'm super evil." Just missed the mark; he was no John Gotti.

The ending....which one? The "is he dead or not" one? That just zooms out and then roll credits or the 3.5 minute one that was randomly added by the show's Weibo page as an extra with CY and WZF fighting thugs together in some carnival funhouse-like atmosphere a year later and running around haphazardly while making "funny faces" throwing colored dust on the chasing said thugs while people are tripping, chickens and feathers are flying everywhere. Glad he survived, but that was one weird and totally from a different genre and series "happy ending". Was it just me or did they run out of wardrobe for CY because WZF wore his usual while it looked like CY was essentially wearing Wang Yibo's SDC clothes because I remember watching him in that outfit on SDC4. Didn't jive with the character's wardrobe (earth tones or police uniform) from the series at all. Fault lands on production for lack of cohesion there.

Would I recommend it? No, I wouldn't and I'm sad to say that because I wanted this to be good. Though I know actor fans will watch anyways and that's fine plus action is good where you can get it, the messy and schizophrenic plot (special no thanks to those 8 reviews) is just not worth it.

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Heads Above Part 1---Greatness Begins in the Stars

Pros: This is an entire planet above part 1. It's like watching a different drama with the same characters and theme. WL really showed his acting skills in this part be they for being so on point with each battle to the gut wrenching emotions. Absolutely extraordinary given he's only 22 years old; if this and TLB were his first foray into serious acting as an adult as opposed to just a child star, he's making tremendous strides in a wonderful direction. Literally the sky is the only limit for this young man.

He was able to play a highly complicated character with only revenge on his mind for a whole decade, everyone who crosses him or harms those he loves be damned. Then he falls in love and plans to wed but that vengeance is never far behind. Every step he takes before and after what I call the "red wedding" scene, is either calculated to the inch or completely muddled when it comes to NN. He owed her a lot, but he paid for it, and the reconciliation was priceless as well as funny.

ZLS who is known more for her comedy roles which was also well executed here, was able to play a tunnel visioned confused girl with how she grew up and only relying on herself even when that proves to be harmful time and time again until she realizes she's got to put more thought into the consequences of her actions not just the revenge; who has to have her heart shattered in order to mature and she played the role very convincingly.

Other favorite characters were the Empress (until her last breath, she was the mother to NN, her own mother forgot to be), Emperor, Consort Yue, NN's brothers, cousin, Qiqi, HBY's sidekicks (and the rest of the elite Black Armed Guards), the eunuch, 3rd and the original crown prince (though he was a wuss), there were a few others whose names I've forgotten but they were on the side of justice.

Costumes, OSTs, sets, and production in general were all gorgeous. Comedy was absolutely well placed and the Emperor being the biggest shipper of our leads along with the Eunach was always absolutely hysterical. Even the most serious scenes were sprinkled with the proper humor and it made things easier and better to watch. Quite a lot of very comedic scenes which were much needed; especially anytime Consort Yue entered the room and read it to filth; woman deserves a standing ovation!

Love, love, love, love all of HBY's battle scenes, wish we had more of that final battle with Tian Shuo or whatever his name was (also wish they had explained how he ended up being the last villain in the first place; he was just chucked in there to round out the batch, I guess); that seemed rather rushed and lackluster with a lot of talking and declarations in contrast to all of his previous ones which were just spectacular. HBY was an absolute machine and I loved every moment of it.

The leads chemistry was awesome; though FL had three men pining after her and she got engaged or semi engaged to all 3, only with our Superman HBY (shoot him, stab him, harpoon him, throw him off a cliff, or blow him up, he'll return in one piece still, looking fierce and immortal almost lol) was the chemistry palpable from nearly the beginning. Was it the most hot and heavy from all the costume c-dramas I've watched? No. But it was enough that you knew, no matter what, once they acknowledged their love for each other, even with the revenge and abandonment, it wasn't going to be over for them. Not by a long shot.

Cons: Took way too long on the constant bullying of NN. Too many princesses, too much time. That should have all been nipped in the bud a lot faster. I felt like way too many episodes were wasted on that. People claim many were critical of NN, but we were only watching the truth; she was a bit too self-absorbed many times and blamed LBY/HBY for stuff he had no control over and couldn't stop and sometimes she didn't even bother telling him like the river snake incident; often felt she took one step forward and two back. But spending the five years heartbroken and apart, actually matured her properly finally.

What happened in the last few episodes where mommy dearest and Jabba da hut aka grandmother all of a sudden had a change in conscience and became good? They spent most of the series hating on NN or severely punishing her both physically and psychologically and then out of nowhere in a fraction of one episode they were doting on her and to be completely honest, it was like a creepy whiplash. Mommy dearest even whined that she had no idea how to raise a lady which was a total copout because when they returned from the battlefield, NN was still a teen and could have been doted on instead of ignored and the cousin chosen because she was meek and feeble. The inconsistency was beyond staggering. Even chicken feather duster dude was all mellow after he was more or less a total shit to NN the entire series (his version of showing he liked her; total moron); but his mellowing out was thankfully a lot more subtle then the other two which made me cringe. Points came off for that.

And what in the heck was that last episode? Ok, HBY and NN hit two different fronts to protect and save, got it! They trust each other totally and completely finally, awesome! But her parents and entire family save jabba da hut riding in from out of the blue made me pause the drama to double check I wasn't watching something else. It was the most twilight zone-ish experience of the entire thing. How did they know? Did NN send a letter or a pigeon before leaving Hua county? I doubt it because she looked stunned to see them as the rest of us were. And why bring family with no fighting experience like the cousin and her husband? Plus she's giving her parents and the rest of them orders on what to do, even though her dad is a general? Like make it make sense please, except it doesn't. Very disappointing after so much great material.

I wish HBY and NN got more time alone to really talk and a wedding would have been nice. But we can take what we can get, I suppose. If it weren't for the very obvious flaws, this drama would have gotten a higher rating. I do hope people in the comments are correct that the director is editing for more cohesion, because a lot is needed here and it's lacking.

Would I recommend it? I absolutely would. Part 1 can be browsed as it's really a one track style, but all the goodies lay here in part 2. This is maybe my second or third costume/Republican drama getting a 9 or 9.5 this year and it certainly earns it. So definitely check it out; you'll laugh, cry, be unhappy, and root for all of the good characters as they go through life.

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Agatha Christie & Sherlock Holmes All in One

I was completely unfamiliar with the cast going into this though the FL was ironically in another series I just finished; though the other series was poor, the actress did quite well in both. What drew me to this series other then the recommendations of several trusted sources was that it was a Republican era whodunnit that was based off several Agatha Christie novels (of whom I'm a big fan off).

Pros: This was a wonderful piece of work, one where romance didn't take center stage nor was even a tag thankfully, but the cases did. I liked all 3 leads though STY took top spot. I loved how he started out as a bit stiff but then gradually softened with the people around him. The funny banter between him and his best friend LSC was always on point from the very first episode. His subtle flirtation and caring with/of ZMW was also a nice added and very well balanced touch.

I really liked how seriously all of the cases were taken and it reminded me of actual documentaries on crime solving. The way STY's brain worked was pretty spectacular (it was like he was Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes rolled into one) and I liked the confidence he had in himself and his friends.

All of the cases were well done and even when the big bad was first coming into existence and things tying together, it didn't seem like there was a stitch out of place. Something that surprised me, as I have seen other series in this genre before, was just how much Russian there was. It being my native tongue, hearing it pop out of a character's mouth in the first episode, made me pause the series and rewind to make sure I had heard correctly lol. It was written on many buildings, the train station, references of Russian/Soviet food was a constant. It was actually cool and totally unexpected in a c-drama. I liked the blending of different cultures and it wasn't done in a negative way, which some others have.

Production like in all Republican era dramas was stunning, as were the OSTs, and costumes. There wasn't a single fault I could find with that. The ending though happy in one sense was left open ended in another and I truly hope there will be a season 2 with the same cast save one individual as he's kinda dead. I would totally watch another season of this if the cast remained the same but moved over to Beijing now from Harbin as the ending showed.

Cons: To be honest, there weren't many things I could pick apart and would have given this a very rare perfect score had the pacing of the story been better. I wish there was more time in between the cases instead of them bleeding from one straight into another sometimes a few at a time. That time in between could have been used to further evolve the characters and their relationships with one another and those around them. I understand with 24 episodes and a lot of ground to cover, it was difficult to do, but it would have made the best sense.

Also wish the SML wasn't turned into a glorified taxi driver with very little deduction skills of his own; he couldn't solve a case by himself if his life depended on it but he was a trusty sidekick to STY plus one with a weapon and some fighting skills. They could have made him slightly more intelligent.

Lastly and it's a silly one but just annoyed me to no end, was the younger unmarried rich women's hairstyles especially our FL. I'm sorry but ringlets don't belong on anyone save a young Shirley Temple. Adult women look absolutely ridiculous with them and whosever idea that was, I truly hope they never do it again. It made me question the seriousness of the character even before she opened her mouth. The only place where production totally failed.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely! Many people are comparing it with another series with the same cast and genre, but as I'm watching that one now too, I have to say I like this one way more. It has that stickler, seriousness aspect of all the characters; each case is solved in the right way and all of the characters fit for as long as they need to. So, give it a go and see for yourselves.

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Crackle, Pop, Sizzling Chemistry; Good Acting, But too Many Plot Holes in the Script

Didn't know the cast at all, heard it had good chemistry from the leads and was convinced after seeing a short trailer that I should give this a go. It was essentially crackle, pop with good acting but an all over the place script with a ton of confusing plot holes.

Pros: This was a short drama that basically ran on the absolute sizzling chemistry of the leads. From episode one when LJY first rescues his charge and understands she's not the original XXX but someone else, their connection is instantaneous. I can definitely say these entire 16 episodes ran on when the leads would have their moments together. Their make out sessions and eventual getting together did make you question whether you needed to let some cool air into the room; flames were lit. Also loved his fight scenes, they were very well choreographed.

What I didn't expect is that for a serious plot like twins or clones switching and the big bad wolf trying to kill everyone to save his supposed daughter, it had a fairly decent amount of comedy. And it was real humor, like LJY's jealous streak over AY (the umbrella thing, crushing the water bottle, punching dude in elevator), or the absolutely hysterical condom box reveal and then as I called it the "radioactive period," there were moments when you would double over with laughter. Even though LJY was technically her bodyguard, he went above and beyond his own job description for AY. Though we know she fell for him when she laid her eyes on him, he was not far behind though it took him a bit longer to admit it. Once he determined she was his woman and that was fairly early on even before he admitted it to himself, that was it. Stick a fork in him....dude is done! As the story progressed, them learning they had in fact met as children made them actual soulmates in this slightly futuristic world.

Great acting on the part of the FL as she had to play two completely different people and personalities. You knew when they were together in a scene or apart who was whom; so that was a job very well done there. We had a great support cast though not a great second couple and I'll speak about that below. Initially I thought of XXX as a second antagonist to her father because of her sheer nastiness, but in the last 3 episodes she really opened up and we really found out her true feelings. Her father trapping her at home and being a literal Guinea pig had in fact shortened her lifespan and caused her immeasurable pain. But he was too blinded by his own power and what he wanted to do that even when the truth about AY and XXX was staring him in the face, he was still determined to kill everyone in some BS revenge. He was loathsome and despicable but it made him a good villain.

TS, DBF, JC, even the other bodyguard Dayu who came to LJY's defense time and time again even in the end, were a great group of friends that worked together to get to the bottom of all of the mysteries and get justice for their friends. I loved how once they all met, they immediately and almost seamlessly became this singular unit of people. Even when the plot seemed to start to unhinge, as long as there was a steady flow of them, it was good.

Cons: The storyline was all over the place and yes, I understand only 16 episodes but then why create a love triangle for the second leads? Shoving DBF in between JC and TS was so weird and unnatural. Then to turn JC into a wimp just giving up on his love being all chivalrous and stepping back? It felt unnecessary and just threw that whole thing off balance. I didn't feel any chemistry between DBF and TS. They were great as friends for each other and everyone else. JC's ending up in a tent in the mountains with a pooch he found after all he'd been through instead of with the woman he really loved was a total copout. It felt like the writer gave up on him altogether.

The OSTs should have stayed in one language or another. And they were thrown into places that either required light instrumentation like the actual love scene in 12 or a rock ballad in 14 when LJY was single-handedly fighting off a slew of bodyguards. When the man is kicking ass and there's a slow love ballad playing, it throws the scene.

Too many very ridiculous things happening like LJY and AY going to the underground lab, the place has cameras everywhere and y'all didn't think you would be seen or caught? Or that it was a trap in the first place? For a smart and aware bodyguard and former soldier, that seemed out of character for him. Or his father waking up from like a multi-year coma and then arriving in a wheelchair like a saving avenger only to sacrifice himself for the cause at the end? Even with the most futuristic technology, there's no way he would look completely healthy in 15 minutes; it was laughable at how absurd it all was as they were very obviously racing for the finish line. Should have made it 20 episodes and flushed out a better ending. The amount of plot holes like that were too many to write. Oh and don't forget the head scratching scene after the last episode's credits.

Would I recommend it? Only for the "skinship" as the jargon goes or really awesome chemistry of the leads as well as the close friendships that either already existed or were made and the comedy. The rest was ok.

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The Boy Wunderkind

I was very surprised by how much I actually enjoyed this drama, even though 2 people I follow are in it and I wanted to see knowing Wu Lei was a child actor and having now seen him in many things as a young adult, was curious how he was as a teen. He met every single one of the expectations and then some for the role. I heard people hated on him at the time this was released; I'd just say they were jealous or had nothing better to do. Many actors that I've seen since in other things, seeing them here was always a pleasant surprise. Obviously, watching a 2018 drama in 2023 is an entirely different ballgame but I go into each drama with literally zero expectations even if it's an anticipated one. Call it a personal pet peeve. Xiao Yan was the boy wunderkind.

Pro: Though called an "idol drama" just for the sheer number of boy banders in it; I viewed it as just another drama. As mentioned above, WL or XY was really great in every scene of his. He was able to hit each emotion and movement on the nose. He was 17 then, 23 now and it was there when he was really angry that I saw a young Ashile Sun or Ling Bu Yi in the making. That smoldering glare of "if looks could kill or at least maim" was very impressive and on point. Am I praising him because I follow him? No. I'm an equal opportunity critic especially since I'm an author/writer myself and know how a character should express their scenes even if I haven't read the material. I know this thing was popular when it aired so obviously he did something right. His evolution was fantastic. I have to praise the author of the IP for the character itself. To go from almost no martial art skills to that of a near God in 45 episodes is impressive to say the least. Truly wish he and many others reprised their roles in the sequel though I know that's not happening. The martial arts scenes were awesome, especially as XY ascended in power.

Had many favorite secondary characters but the one he had the best banter with was Yao Chen or Yao Lo aka the psychedelic-haired genius trapped in the ring. Baron Chen was an absolute riot as him. I would have loved to see more scenes with just them two. They had the best back and forth friendship even though they were essentially Shifu and student. I lost count how many times I was cracking up at their mutual bitching or antics. This relationship was the best tension breaker when Soul Hall was getting out of control with their evil. It was like a grab and release, each and every time.

If I start listing all of the other great characters that molded so well by XY's side, we'll be here all night. But just about every character was an awesome addition, including the antagonists like the Omega (JR Ward BDB novel reference) looking Old Fan, just 86 the evil cackle which always just destroys the credibility of a villain as it makes me think of a Halloween store decoration. I had forgotten Xiao Zhan was in this one way back when he was still a new face on the block. He's one the Yan Sect pact boys I really liked, so it was a pleasant surprise to see his face on screen. Just wish they didn't poof him from 20 episodes only to return him in the last few (but I'm guessing that had more to do with his own filming schedule conflicts). Everyone XY aligned himself with like the snake tribe and its gorgeous queen was awesome. When it came to chemistry and who he was ultimately best with, in part one I couldn't tell because it seemed like Xun'er was the obvious choice and the one he got jealous over, but he played his naïveté so well, everyone's guess is good. Hopefully in part 2, they appropriately address it and have him choose just one and not 471. Head of the academy Elder Mi was more like a father figure to XY than his own father though the latter did everything in secret to protect XY. Also loved his older brothers from the desert. Just too many people to put down, but overall the support from family and acquired friends and allies was pretty outstanding.

Production itself was alright but not super tight; I was actually happy with the less is more concept. Costumes, OSTs, sets, etc were well done and believable for the time. The cliffhanger was pretty well executed even considering audiences 5 years plus are still waiting for part 2. It gave people hope instead of many that just confuse the hell out of everyone. As far as cliffhangers go, it was the best way to do it. I liked it a lot; though I wasn't a fan of Xun'er's betrayal as he's "dying." I hope she gets a crack in the head from him for that.

Cons: As many mentioned, there were plot holes in the series that never were resolved or understood. How did XY's mom stick Yao Lo and a bunch of treasures into a ring when she was so badly wounded and he was already dead? What happened to the Mo Clan after its leader was killed? How did the snake tribe know where to go during that last battle? And the student friends of XY from the academy arrived on scene after everything was cratered, just like "wifey" and her new magical beast. Did some bulletin go out to the rest of the world? Or was everyone psychic and telepathic? Where did his brothers from the desert go? How were they not found before for years but magically when XY is doing that 30 day trial underground, they poof and no clue to whether they're dead or alive. Many, many others. At a time with no limit on episodes, they could have explained a lot of this and better. Didn't like that there were a few episodes without XY at the end just so they could shove in small subplots to make room for the final battle, but it opened the door to even more questions that were never revealed. I also wish they had told him of what happened to his clan sooner, it was very anti-climactic.

Why couldn't they get rid of Han Heng before part 2 because it seemed to me like he possessed more power then even Old Fan and all he did pretty much the entire series was whine, throw his hair around like some cocky Fabio, and try to pin every problem of their lands on XY; it got old quick. How did he even know where the cave was, how to use the spatial ring, etc at the end? It just cut off any logic. The guy was a straight up douche and didn't deserve to outlive other, perhaps better even antagonists. The zombies were just undead people with eye makeup, quite lousy. The camera shook repeatedly and could be extremely noticeable. So I hope in part 2, they bring everything full circle and use better fantastical elements instead of the cheap zombie extras.

Would I recommend it? I would. And am even going to try part 2 despite the change in everything from cast to production. If you want an adventurous, fun, well moving story with great martial arts that's like a blend of wuxia and fantasy, give this a try.

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Cute and Quirky Drama, w/a Messy Start and Wonderful Surprise Ending.

While I originally intended to watch this series for ZZJ and QPX, after viewing TBOY, I wanted to see how LHY would handle a romance drama. This series would have gotten a lower score had it not been for the surprising and very cool ending. I'm very glad they deviated from the book because it would have been a confusing mess otherwise, when usually it's better if they stand by the book.

Pros: Though it claims to be both a wuxia and Xianxia series, it has very little of both. But that's alright because instead of focusing on the fantastical elements you get to see how the actors carry themselves. Favorite characters include the ML or LHY, I already knew from TBOY he could play aloof, arrogant, and narcissistic well, but when he finally began to soften up and reveal his secrets and love it was just melt in place time. Just a heads up, in no way am I comparing this drama to TBOY; firstly because they're completely different genres and secondly because I just never compare dramas regardless. It's a pet peeve and preference that each series even if they are exactly the same genre, gets a proper review.

The FL, I didn't like very much at the beginning because it just seemed like a hamster wheel of mistakes and men she wanted to save. And each time they ended up harming or "killing" her. But as time went on I realized that she was just a lonely girl who would lose her memory but not her nature and extreme penchant for helping people. She would go to great lengths to help a guy out and each one turned out to only want to use her and ultimately take her life. They supposedly fell in love at first sight with her but it was obvious from each one that there was something wrong with them. The only man that went to equally great or greater lengths to protect her was the aloof ML and not until one of her suitors and main antagonist attacked the Fenghua Valley did he finally open up to her about his love.

The entire storyline which I won't get into was as summed up as; a female ginseng root, 4 bouts of amnesia, her hexagram-harem, & the miracle doctor who loved her regardlessly. She didn't have a heart but somehow managed to have a pulse which was pretty funny. The comedy in the series was very tongue in cheek. The other characters in this section, were her BFF and later on flamboyant hubby. Uncle Hui who was always giving the best advice and the ultimate matchmaker for the two even though he didn't know about BY's curse, was heartwarming. I loved how YX would always initiate the kissing scenes and many of the hugs between her and BY as this woman knew who she loved and went after him with much fervor which was always cute and funny to watch. No matter how many times she lost her memory he was the one man that sooner or later she would still remember was her soulmate, her destiny. She could forget everyone else but he would be in first place of recognition.

Even though he was annoying as nails and yet another attempt at a bromance that didn't quite work out after mister purple flamboyant guy, the beyond obsessed emperor played by the very talented ZZJ definitely took the cake. Though we wanted to hit him with a stick and send him back to the capital without anyway to return, what made me put him in pros was just how similar his life before he became emperor was to that of his breakthrough character in CQL (TU) as Jin Guang Yao. It was almost eerie of how both were abused and tortured by their biological fathers, the only difference was that one became a worse monster then his father while the other was obsessive and domineering to the woman he loved but ultimately a good ruler of the people. It was great to see him let go of his obsession at the end (even though his main general helped BY win the bet as it was very obvious to everyone but CQ that his obsession and love was one-sided) and decide to follow the wishes of BY and YX. He definitely brought much comedy and eye rolling to this series.

Costumes were beautiful though this was a lower budget drama, I do wish the FL had better costumes, as only one of her red ones that seemed to have jewels and lots of white was very stunning. The amount of magic used was minimal and that is actually a good thing because Xianxias usually use so much CGI, it may blind you. So I'm glad there was minimum of it here.

Cons: This series had a very messy start. It made very little sense and was one of the many reasons I was looking to give it a lower score but if I decide to stick a series out, I'll wait until the finale before making up my mind. I'm glad that I stuck it out because as we got past the campy confusion, it started to come together and you understood what was happening. OSTs were for the most part forgettable.

I like QPX but casting him in the role of this monster antagonist was absolutely the wrong choice. It was too much and too hard for him. I also got to know him from CQL and there he played a bratty, arrogant, nosey kid that only really wanted to be loved. Those are the roles he should be doing; youth dramas, but not hardcore main villains. He bit off more then he could chew and the character fell completely flat. With the hairdo and facial expressions, he looked like a confused teenager not an adult with murderous tendencies and schemes. Poor casting decision here. I hope his work in the future is better selected.

There were definitely a lot of times where I had to rewind because the segmentation of the subtitles were just too fast to keep up with and wish there was better job done with that. Some loopholes were never explained or if they were, they didn't make much sense. Like how could YX have a pulse but not a heart? One is directly connected to the other; no heart, no pulse. But I guess she is a special root where common sense doesn't apply. She explained that she just wanted a home for herself and to not be lonely, but that didn't explain why she still got into two of the relationships that ended up killing her if she never loved them. Or why she only helped men in need but never women. She'd traveled far and wide and never ran into a single woman in distress? Hard to believe.

Would I recommend it? Actually, I would. If you can get past the messy beginning, you'll have a great time with the funny, nonsensical, and just cute series. This is one of those to watch without expectations and just for fun. The ending is worth it all for sure.

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XFN's Journey

I was actually very surprised that I liked this series. Many people I usually chat with, dropped it without looking. But it had many good qualities. XFN is officially more cunning then his father. That finale was something else; truly hope seasons 2 and 3 don't take 10 years to make.

Pros: Most of the characters were there for as long as they needed to be and greatly evolved. The main lead was the most obvious. His father was the 706 steps ahead thinking man planning everything in his son's path to both help him and test him. But as the series wore on he too became very much like his father; from a stubborn teenager who refused to learn martial arts until his closest friend and master martial artist died, did he realize he can still live his own way but be great at something.

It was great to see 3 actors from DC in this thing; old man booger aka Sword God, Ning Emei, and the death guard Qing. I totally saw the latter two as becoming a couple. The fantastical aspects were great but not overdone. Every loose end was one way or another always tied and not left along for too long. The ending episode was cool except for ZK talking for far too long after Xu big sister stabbed him. I particularly liked when XFN used the martial arts he learned to fight the bad guys.

The story in itself progressed well, with XFN growing, maturing, learning and ultimately embracing his destiny in his own way. The comical aspects were also a nice touch and progressing the story along. You never knew who was working for dad or by the end of it XFN himself and that was always comical when the audience learned along with other parts.

Cons: Many inconsistencies and really unneeded characters like the lady with the cat. I'll take the cat over the chick. Just the sheer number of people who wanted to kill XFN for reasons most of the time not well explained or if explained, didn't make sense. It reminded me a lot of Luoyang and the plethora of unneeded assassins. Ms. Hehe's sudden appearances, her lackluster explanation for why she was there and then final appearance, equally bizarre other explanation and disappearance. Her entire presence was like a whiplash each time.

I didn't see any point in the FL until she literally left. She didn't have (imo) any chemistry with the ML aside from wanting to kill him for reasons unknown. I know that readers of the book liked her and understood her purpose and perhaps she'll be given better development in the upcoming seasons but in this one, she just whined and repeated the same thing over and over; kill XFN, death and buying herself a coffin.

Each episode in someways felt like its own plot story or rather multiple episodes until yet another failed attempt at assassination happened and perps were revealed. Then we move on to the next plot and next bunch of assassins. It was very push and pull often and I wished other aspects of the series were brought. It needed smoother writing and overall transitions.

Would I recommend it? Sure. It's got great growth moments, funny moments, if you like fantastical stories and trying to figure out who's good and who's really not. It like everything else, has lackluster moments and errors, but overall it was fun to watch.

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The Long Journey to A More Cohesive Plot

Pros: I'm just going to delve right into this. It was slightly better then part 1, emphases on the slightly. The script was more cohesive and there were less unneeded characters. The plot was actually finally going somewhere. My favorite portion by far was when Yunhe regains her memories in the volcano in episode 15. It was the only part of the entire thing, I kept rewatching many times.

Definitely favorite character out of the entire thing was LHQ or Lin junior as I called him; complicated and tragic man. No matter what, he could never get who he really wanted no matter how much effort he put into it and how much it cost him. But he never gave up trying for what he truly believed in and though not with whom he wanted to be, he was able to live freely in the end. Even though I didn't really like Yunhe (I still liked Yunhe's character in general and evolution in this part) as Ah-Ji because her constant talking to herself and inner monologues gave me a headache, she still had way more chemistry with Lin Junior than with Chang Yi.

Li Shu, San Yue, and the emperor kid evolved nicely and were given their own paths in this story and though Li Shu sacrificed himself for the umpteenth time, he was also able to return to his lady love. Emperor kid really grew both as an emperor and someone decisive and forthright. For those who watched TLB, he was the same actor who played Reba's character's annoying nephew. It was great seeing him in this way better capacity that could showcase his acting skills.

I don't remember all of their names but the ruler chick of North Abyss who had a yen for CY also did way better here then in Part 1. Kong Ming, Bird Deity, Yunhe's guard friend skinny dude as well as Lin junior's aid all were good and/or passable. As mentioned in part 1, immortal master was the best antagonist and I actually liked the actress who played Shunde's other identity as it was more natural then Shunde and felt right for the actress.

The plot though not entirely on the straight and narrow, was a more functional and understandable one as there was finally one set goal with many parts and places to go step by step before accomplishing it. As in Part 1, costumes, CGI, scenery, etc were breathtakingly beautiful. That was the one thing that remained consistent.

Cons: Even with a more cohesive plot, there were many plot holes that just didn't add up. Like how could an already dead Chen Yu resurrect and become part of Shunde's zombie army? The poor man essentially died twice; he was really pitiful but his tunnel vision loyalty to immortal master was his undoing, so though I did like the character, he really didn't change much. How in the world did most of the supposed dead come back to life at the very end? Very weak explanations if any to all of this. Or how were Li Shu and San Yue able to leave the mountain they were trapped in with the Emperor and his masters but the latter three couldn't?

Shunde, Shunde, Shunde....lord almighty what an atrocious villain. Even after she sucked all of that voodoo mask turned terminator with Freddy Krueger's claws' energy, she didn't become a believable villain. She was still a vicious, self-righteous, drama queen, with a massive superiority complex and the "evil" crazy laugh she had didn't help matters. After the loss of the Immortal Master to repentance, there was no way she could replace him. And they did zilch to evolve her.

Chang Yi didn't change in the slightest save for a few moments he smiled in later episodes. The conflicted block of ice who imprisons Yunhe to "torture" her in the beginning, had only two facial features during the entire series; constipated or stoned. I really thought it would be better but not until episode 15 or beginning of 16 did he slightly defrost and not for long periods of time either.

The continuation of the lies, cover ups, deception to protect kept up with just about everyone until literally the last episode of the show and it really messed up the equilibrium of the show. Why couldn't people just be straight forward as that in the end was what ended up being needed? The leads and other solid couples had about 5 to 10 minutes of happiness before something would go wrong. But though the show was supposed to be angsty, you very rarely felt any of that. Yes, when Yunhe sacrificed herself for North Abyss and then later died in CY's arms; but I felt sadder when Lin junior brought her back and she started to drift from him. Such a huge contrast between robot CY and raw Lin junior.

The largest mess up was the ending. As I waited for part 2 to come out, I read the translated chapters/episodes from a site and the ending could have been way better for Yunhe and CY if the directors hadn't cut a very important scene. Though while I feel if just about everyone else came back, Yunhe did too, a lot more could have been relayed had that ending been properly in place. Everyone else got their version of a proper happy ending but the ones who were toughing out this journey from day one were just brushed aside and it was a great injustice to them. Would have been way better had they just killed Shunde (make a big blast of it for emphasis), left North Abyss together and lived in the world with the freedom they both craved since episode 1 and that piece would have come full circle. Scrap the volcano sacrifice and all the other stuff. It would have been much more fulfilling and proper for them both to end like that.

Would I recommend it? If you watched Part 1, then you need to watch this in order to get an understanding of what was going on there, where it went and how it ended. Also better plot and if you're an actor fan of anyone. For me personally, the entire series was disappointing; could have been done way better. The actors deserved that much and so did the audience.

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Fluffy Romance & Nice Comedy (Just FFW 2nd Leads Until Episode 24)

I didn't know any of the actors but I wanted something fluffy that had a lot of romance and no need for thinking capacity. It had very little in the terms of cliches, but tropes and annoyances were mostly for the second leads, which I explained below.

Pros: I adore the main leads. Their chemistry was wonderful and the unwavering commitment of ML for the love of his existence was something not often seen in any of their modern dramas. The comedic aspect between them and the others was also on par. I loved the kissing, both subtle and not so subtle flirtation of the leads. It was a bit draggy but I was very glad when he finally told her the entire truth about them being childhood sweethearts and the man she's been searching for while he's waited for her. It's a very rare occasion nowadays for childhood sweethearts to wait for each other. Many forget. The ML definitely knows how to kiss and their wedding night was very sexy; wish there was more of it but I doubt that would have passed censorship. It was still very nicely done. The ending was very well executed.

Great OSTs and once they got together and got past that one misunderstanding, I loved every moment they spent together though I wish FL didn't always look surprised/petrified when ML was going to kiss her; it was quite silly. I think the only real time she looked totally comfortable was on their wedding night lol.

Cons: I do not understand this need in many cdramas for whiny, pouting, crying females. The SFL was a hot mess; I legit ffw'd a lot of the episodes because I just couldn't deal with her personality. All she did was cry, whine, bitch, moan, and complain in a pre-pubescent voice. The SML also had a lot of problems including an identity crises and not knowing what he wanted or when he wanted it. Honestly, if this was a drama with just the main leads and the supporting cast, it would have been so much better. The second leads didn't bring anything useful to the table.

The FL's cousin was an absolute nuisance; he popped up in the most in opportune moments and honestly, I'm surprised he didn't interrupt them on their wedding night. Dude was as dense as a rock. Good kid all around but just no contemplation of when to go somewhere or say something. It was because of the SLs that this drama is getting rated as I did it. I shouldn't have to fast forward full episodes because of the ridiculous and cringeworthy SL characters.

Would I recommend it? As a filler fluff drama full of romance, yes. Just concentrate on the main leads and you'll get your fill of fluff and comedy.

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Strong Alone, Stronger Together.

This drama looked good because a YouTuber I trust recommended it and I was looking for something extra to watch. I don't follow anyone here but have wanted to see Kenny Lin since Princess Agents and this drama did speak to me. First time seeing Seven Tan in anything.

Pros: NM was by far my favorite character and the entire storyline of hers was probably the most properly evolved out of the entire cast. I'm in the business field myself though not in investments nor corporate anymore plus all of my nearly 3 degrees are in that as well so I understood what I was watching. I loved how strong, intelligent, capable, steadfast, and true she was regardless of her situation at work. She wouldn't let any naysayer keep her away from her ultimate goal. And then gave that up to start almost from scratch to help the ML. She used every opportunity wherever she was to network and find people to work with. It was a very smart way to cultivate real workplace relationships.

My second favorite character by far was her boss Ms. Shi. If I had a boss like her in my corporate days, I probably would have never chosen to switch careers. This woman was the epitome of what an actual boss of any corporation, big or small should be like in both the workplace and outside. Very fulfilling character; job well done. The ML was flawed to high hell. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, which did explain a lot and although you really wanted to deck him especially after episode 11, he did start to evolve thankfully after that and only through really realizing he was being a prick because he had feelings for our FL.

All of the side character friends and coworkers gave the series the much needed comedic relief and support it needed many a time. I liked the positive ones. This wasn't a romance drama unless you count the longing looks of the ML at FL and the last 5 minutes of the last episode, which was totally fine by me. It really didn't need the romance, it was doing just fine as a corporate drama with some comedy.

Cons: While the show had a decent pacing, the timing was quite weird. It shouldn't have taken 11 episodes to show how much of a pompous jerk the ML was; could have been just as easily done in 5. Also placing the main meat and potatoes of the story in the literal last 5 episodes was way too much. The spreading of the drama could have been done way better, but that's a fault of production.

The only problem I had with NM was that after the incident, she didn't immediately break up with SWR. She needed her boss's guidance to help with the situation. Here she was ready to fight grown men at work for her client and for her best friend, but for herself she went all deer in headlights; that was the only time I wondered if they were really going to dumb her down but thankfully she returned to her old self immediately after. Just the slightest inconsistency in her character that one time.

The antagonists were like a mean, whiny evil. What they actually did was done unseen to the viewers. Though the main big bad, SWR was a good antagonist, with DV and some form of mental issue that wasn't discussed; his entire existence seemed forced. Even his supposed redemption was a cop out. Ok so he turned himself in after a heart to heart with NM but he was so brutal to her and others before, using her every step of the way. It was a bit messy for this big bad hunter after its prey that he was. Turn the hunter into the hunted instead. But they ran out of episodes so it was what it was.

Would I recommend it? Yes, if you're looking for a strong female that always goes against the grain but still does it by working very hard and learning quickly. The drama was good and funny, just keep the timing situation in mind.

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