Song of Phoenix (2017)

Romantics stay away from this one.
Happily ever after lovers steer clear.

Watched so many episodes of a relationship developing only to have the writers dump it. I hate the fact that they gave me hope and simultaneously stomped it. I mean this after many episodes. It was ridiculous and annoying. I lost track of the plot and essentially gave up trying to understand any of it.
I really tried to power through all 78 episodes but I found myself skipping around once I got to episode 50. This series is extremely long for this type of genre. It started out somewhat slow and I almost dropped it but once you get to around episode 8 or 10 it gets a little more interesting. The beginning episodes revolve around the two leads and their relationship to include how they met and how their relationship developed over time. There were some politics in the middle of it but there was that relational aspect that somewhat kept it more interesting. I really enjoyed how their relationship developed over time and watching what they went through to help each other and be with each other. However, that all changes around episode 30ish. That fun and sweet relationships that you saw growing and found entertaining went into the trash. What began with a strong female lead with a sense of justice, bravery and loads of common sense appeared to turn into something else. I just really couldn’t like it anymore because it was too unrealistic for me. Two people meet and develop a bond and ultimately fall in love. One person made a choice due to situation (gets married, and has kids)that derailed the possibility of a relationship going further, Although his love was strong. After that, the person that was left behind spends her life alone and supporting the person who abandoned her. Miserable. This is truly not my cuppa tea.

I cannot recommend this to my hopeless romantic‘s at all. I got the melancholy, sacrificial love vibe all over again. It’s not cute. In addition to that it’s 78 episodes long, 90% of the episodes is political and routine scheming. Lead became a annoying repeating record. I found it rather difficult to really like any characters. This included the two leads. If you’re looking for a romantic drama you need to look somewhere else. If you’re looking for historical romance, again I advise you to look out somewhere. If you’re looking for some political plotting and scheming with a hint of love you might like this one. FYI there is some good fight scenes in the beginning but that ends around episode 25. There were several inferences to sexual assault that was distasteful. It was not bittersweet. It was gloomy and the ending was stupid.

I wouldn’t say the ending is awful but it’s not a happily ever after one that leaves you smiling.

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