Daughter of Fortune (2026)

The story was good, but was the *entire* set on Ativan?

I want to treat this show kindly because I basically liked it.

But I can't. Because I saw greatness in it that never manifested properly. And I hate to say it but some travesties occurred. They did. And I'm not here to glaze anybodys donuts. I'm just here to say what I saw as honestly as possible. So I'm going to shred it. But that's not out of hate. I don't hate this show, I don't hate anybody that worked on this show. Okay, that's a lie, I hate the hair stylist. But I digress. I was saying, I don't hate anyone on the show. I say these critical things that I'm about to say from a place of love. Just remember that.

Now the biggest problem (and I mean of course ASIDE from the hair) is the FL. Jade Cheng is not a terrible actress... at least I don't think. Not really sure. But her approach to her role was all wrong for the script and the co-starring ML's energy. She went into this like it was some Sherlock Mystery series, or Dr Quinn Medicine Woman or something. She had lines ALL OVER THE PLACE that could have been delivered in a VERY sexy way, that the ML could then have played off of with his next line. She missed her opportunities, and instead sat there with a placid, bright smile on her face, her bodylanguage and her responses to him, her line delivery, showed that she was not tempted or unsettled by him in a spicy way at all. He could have been the effing mailman and she would have acted the same towards him. She stomped all over ML's cool and his sexy vibe. She was a green Subaru to his black Porsche.

Idk about her, she kinda had them 'psycho eyes' a little bit. Her smile was super bright and pasted on and she's got her eyes open really wide all the time and it was weird. Maybe Jade and Jerome got in a fight offscreen or something idk. But whatever it was, she strikes a distinct note of 'Oh yes I love you so much, imma go comb my hair k bye.'

Because of this, we did not get to see Jerome Deng shine in a dark role, because FL refused to let the vibe go dark. Great, now he needs a do-over. Smh.

Hair was stupid. Costumes okay. Sets were done on a serious rush job, but not too horrible and this one's got excellent snow. Love the snow guys they should get a bonus on their paycheck. Direction was mixed feels. Not mid. But just all over the place with some shots very beautiful in a sort of 90's mtv video kind of way (and i mean that in a good way), and other shots lookin like he told his 10 year old cousin to take over for a half an hour while he went to eat a sandwich.

The ost/bgm/sound/dubbing was all total TRASH. This is literally one of those one-in-fifty shows I watch that I freakin make a playlist of songs myself, turn the entire show's audio OFF, and listen to music of my choosing as I watch. What this does for me, is preserve my ability to watch the ACTORS the way they MEANT the performances to be given. Without the cracked out bastard input of the audio department getting involved and wrecking everything. Zero is not a low enough score for the sound on this one.

The screenplay itself is really kind of cool, lots of good lines and good side quests and a good plot, good pacing... interesting but not confusing.... it deserved so much more than what it got. Same goes for the ML. He also deserved a better shot than this to really spread his wings and show what he can do. FL sucked all the energy out of the room, I don't know what she was thinking here, as far as her interpretation of her role and the love between the two characters. She was flat and boring. Snow Kong would never have played that role like that is all I have to say.

But all that having been said. It was fun. It was entertaining. And the story held up all the way through. Not a bad effort, I think this is worth a one-time watch.

7,5/10

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