KSM4

This depends on how well a story is written. In this case, I agree with you that DH isn't written well. However, it's not because of rape, and it's not because the characters end up together despite it. It's the same thing as saying that a series with a bank robber or cannibalistic killer as a main character is bad just because they weren't killed or thrown in prison at the end. Fiction is all for exploring different scenarios, including toxic ones.

Honestly, I think 7.9 is not bad for a show of this genre.

My major problem with this series, apart from its absence of logic, is that it has neither romantic nor individual development. We don't get to know these characters at all, they never feel like real people. What are their quirks? Their values? Their hobbies? When do they ever talk about things that matter and that aren't about their relationship? What do they even like about each other in the first place? Series of much lower production quality often manage to develop their characters better in the very first episode than DH did over its entire duration. Granted, I stopped watching during E11. I really should push myself to finish it, but what I learned about the finale was just the last nail in the coffin of my patience.

Are you saying an inclusion of rape in a dark romance story automatically makes it bad?

Yes. This show is very badly written and has a ton of issues that aren't related to its toxicity.

A big part of it, to me, was the voice acting during crying. Just, something about it registered as unnatural. Maybe it'd feel better with the actor's natural voice.

It's unwise to encourage people to keep abusing ChatGPT. It's a tool, it's not supposed to be a brain and tongue replacement.

Comedy is subjective, so I agree it might seem over the top. And yes, I agree the second half was very rushed. I would never say the actors acted bad, though, except for maybe in prolonged crying scenes. As for Yichen's actor, the character being unable to express himself is not an excuse to wear the identical face with a half-open mouth for 90% of the show unless he has some disorder. I get that in many ways, acting is subjective, so there are no wrong opinions here, but I think it's clear why some people find problems with him.

It's very relevant. What it says makes no sense, and I'm not going to have real conversations with a robot that doesn't understand context and just throws a bunch of words together. Start thinking for yourself.

I don't like talking to ChatGPT... generating your responses like this is lazy and offensive. Re-read what it came up with, and you'll see that it's meaningless word salad.

I do think the actors in DH are talented, but their skills just weren't utilized properly. Yichen's actor is walking around with the same empty, drugged look throughout most of the series starting with early episodes, when this expression is absolutely not warranted. He maintains this same look when he's supposed to be hurt, anxious, etc. It gets old very quickly, and I think it's the production that's at fault. In RL, the problems with acting were mostly limited to specific scenes, like crying.

I do think Double Helix is very badly written, but I'm surprised to see so many people criticize it for toxicity. Come on... it's in the genre. And assaults are present in every popular BL, including RL, TMS, Desire, and others.

Eh, same. It was a complete disappointment, and I'm so surprised that so many people like it when it's clearly badly written.

I love the second one most! Shows that Fan Xiao is still the jealous psychopath we know, even though he's been tamed :D

It's a good thing Shulang likes simple things and isn't fond of celebrating his birthday; otherwise, I'd have way too many questions :D Their chemistry is amazing as always, and the fire show in the second half gets really pretty, but I do wish we got another kiss and a bit more substance. The second mini-episode was truly amazing, though, I love it the most.

No, I meant in their break-up era where he forced You Shulang to come back to him. The rape is more explicit in the book, but in the series it's also clear that You Shulang doesn't want to have sex with him. There are two scenes in E11 where we see You Shulang just lying there with an empty, soulless face and trying to escape as soon as they are done.

Comments like yours are the reason why I keep checking back with this page occasionally... Everyone seems to love this series so much; meanwhile. I'm deeply confused. It's so badly written, the characters are so flat, and the bipolar stuff is just beyond lazy and ridiculous.

I agree with every word, that's exactly what I kept thinking through my watch. Lu Feng is like a typical abusive BF with anger and control issues. I have no idea why people call him the king of black flags, I wouldn't say he comes even close.

Who's your favorite character that you mentioned, if you don't mind me asking?

Ooh, can you tell me more about him thinking it's a scam? I just heard he was contacted first and that he never considered acting before, but I don't know the details.

Yeah, it's very popular! It's stayed as the most watched drama for months after its release, and the actors are doing incredibly well at the moment.