Chesney007
A superb series re: Murder Mysteries
Just by chance that I found this series on Youtube. A pleasant surprise because the plots, the cast, etc, were all very good. Odd though, that this series hasn't received enough publicity as it should, and the main male lead hasn't got more major roles after this successful work. (He was pretty good in his role as a monk, a detective, a private inspector etc. in this series.)The few female leads here were quite attractive and good in their acting skills. Some were a bit mature (with respect to the male lead) in looks - guess it was because of their makeups.
I definitely will re-watch this series again and again.
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a hidden gem
The English name of the drama made me think of some heists/robberies so I didn't touch it for a long time (that theme is a bit boring if you have watched too many Hollywood movies). Turns out, this drama is very unusual, full of twists, lots of supernatural events and with a super plot.The drama made me think of the Chinese drama 'The Journey' 2017(12 episodes), but this Grand Theft in Tang seems to have more twists in it.
Sincerely hope they will make a second series for this.
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This review may contain spoilers
Incorrect summary about the prince and other things
First off, the series mentions very briefly about the very short lifespan friendship between the prince and the ML when both were little children. This series is definitely NOT about how the FL breaks up the non-existent friendship between the prince and the ML.Considering that the FL went back in time and met the ML first, not the prince, it sounds fair that the FL and ML got together again and again, while the prince tried his best to steal the girl, using any excuses he could, fair or not. (The prince character seems weak, narrow minded & stupid at times. I am glad the FL didn't go for him, even if this FL character happens to be very dumb, who constantly made horrible mistakes and caused troubles for others.)
My guess is, the prince character gets jealous with the ML character perhaps since the time they were little children (hence the prince's tendency to constantly find fault with the ML, his mean schemes to get rid of the ML). Leave it alone, the prince wouldn't be bother looking twice at the FL, but seeing her with the ML triggered his competitive & petty nature.
The ML played his role very well. The FL was just so so.
The plot was a bit messy. The story was not told well here, a pity! Side characters & their romance or whatever else, took too much screen time, which dragged and dragged...
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Just re-watched some episodes. Sounds like FL sacrificed herself (by breaking the flute) so that ML could wake up and live. They re-united in the end (the implication was there with ML after travelling everywhere to search for FL, finally saw FL's back at a cottage, waiting for him). At the palace, the prince (turned out he was ML's younger brother) seemed to get the present version of FL, since the younger girl practically followed him around (like FL had used to follow ML in their previous life).
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This review may contain spoilers
good plot, cast and acting
I like plots with main leads who become winners after facing hardships and this drama was interesting enough with many twists and turns in a fantasy, supernatural background. The main cast in this drama is good (I don't know much about Chinese actors to comment here) but in general, they are all very good in their roles.All the main leads are good looking, with good costume, hairdo, background, scenery, music etc. (I binge watched the whole series in one go.)
The story is a bit dragging/predictable at times, especially in the middle part of the drama, but guess it is necessary to build up the climax of the story.
Seemed as I missed out the part about the female lead character's grandpa and father - how did they know that she was the reincarnation of the Phoenix... (???)
The ending is a bit unclear, but it was satisfactory in a sense that everything seems to be perfect as it should be (even if time was rewound somehow, so that everything went back to the most happy time for everyone).
Really enjoyed watching this drama. Will go search for more dramas with those good looking main female and male leads (they do look familiar somehow, I must have seen them in other works).
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OK Plot and Acting, just bad costumes
The plot and acting of this mini-series is OK, it is the poor costume and hairdos that strangles this mini-series. All the main and support characters either dress up poorly or have bad hairdo, and the whole thing makes the cast looks a bit ridiculous. The main FL's dress/costume is especially dreadful, so is her ridiculous hair piece. I pity her and the ML most for having the worst costume & makeup. (I checked their profile photos, they are quite good looking in real life.).Some of the female servants have their pretty long hair out while working (a surprise to me - why servant characters allowed to have better hairdo than the main leads?).
I can't comment about the background music, but the voices I heard from some sections of the youtube clip (in Chinese) sound unattractive (guess the clip I saw was in its very raw form).
Let hope the cast here (especially the FL & ML) will be luckier in the future (ie, get chosen for some better budget productions).
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