EclecticJello

🎶 🔥 'Cause you're hot, then you're cold
You're yes, then you're no
You're in, then you're out
You're up, then you're down
You're wrong when it's right
It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up 🧊 🎵

I have only watched the 1st episode of this, but it is pulling me in immediately. This may be insanely premature (only seen 1 episode), but if this trajectory continues I am going to file this under 'I Was Not Expecting This' and Top 15 of the Year.

No asymmetrical pacing, the leads clearly have chemistry and there is definitely a mystery/back-story to be explored. I would say it is pulling me in to the same degree as The Starry Love. Totally different genre and dynamics, but at this moment I am equally invested in both (again, after 1 episode)

I 100% adore their push-pull, yes-no-yes-no-maybe-lobster dynamic.

Yes! And we are getting 2 healthy mother-son relationships in The Starry Love. I love all these affectionate parents. You hit the nail on the head; a very nice change of pace.

Photo Gallery of 3rd Prince being an Absolute Smitten Kitten

https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/comments/1191l6t/3rd_prince_chaofeng_being_an_absolute_smitten/

I like the little quirk going on with her hair (where she threads it through her jade hairpin). I am not certain why, but I find it rather endearing. It straddles that line of still being refined, but highlighting her youth and playfulness.

I loved the scene where the father and son are arguing over 2000 yuan, because "that is a lot of money" and an assistant walks in and wants clarification about what to do about a 200 million yuan contract. He is dismissed summarily because 'it is so little money it doesn't matter, figure it out yourself' , 'can't you see we are discussing something important?' They then proceed arguing over the 2000 yuan.

This and The Starry Love are exactly what my brain needs after the heavy themes of Unchained Love and the more intense plots of Under the Microscope, League of Gentleman and Three Body.

Can we all just admit that the two characters that make these episodes truly hilarious are Heartless Shaodian's attendant and Chaofeng's (3rd Prince) attendant?

The more you know! -insert rainbow here-

There were so many scenes that just begged for this to happen. From how Fairy Danyin died to XLH freaking out on DFCQ in Episode 2 about ruining her hair (remember Principal Duval breaking up the Junior Girls Riot by ruining all their hair with the sprinklers?)

It takes a special type of man to understand all the physical violence in the world or in DFQC's case all the powerful magic in the world pale in comparison to threatening a woman's hair.

11 pm! Never Give Up has episodes released at 11pm! With Journey of Chong Zi at 5:30am and Starry Love at 6:00am, I am now convinced China doesn't want me to sleep.

(Also, thinking about the fact that 11pm for me is 11am for China, which is decidedly not primetime. Despite pushing this drama through, do they have low expectations for it?)

If LBFaD were Mean Girls:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/comments/1177ikc/if_lbfad_were_mean_girls/

Cheng Renqing and his Judd Nelson Breakfast Club fist pump made my day!

Shuai Jia Mo: "Bao Yu; you have a brother-in-law now."

Someone has their priorities straight!

Feng Bao Yu and Cheng Ren Qing: Talking about commoners vs. government officials, court strategy and life or death stakes.

Shuai Jia Mo:

This show is worth it for the comedy alone (screen-shot a day for some of these facial expressions), but it looks like we are ramping up the political intrigue also!

I couldn't stand how everyone assumed she liked him simply because he happened to like her. What the heck? Ewww.

The facial expressions of the honey trap actress in the attack scene 31:42 - 31:56 of Episode 1 are priceless!

The plot twists with Song Ren and Cheng Renqing weren't really a surprise. But how severe they were (no gradual boiling of frogs here) took me by surprise.

I mean Song Ren being a secret baddie, we all saw that coming. But - dang, suggesting Shuai Jiamo be executed! That is just vicious. It takes a very special type of person to get Ma Wencai to say "You are even crueler than me."

Cheng Renqing being forced into the coalition against his will was so heavily spelled out. That they would flip on him - beyond foreshadowed. But I am impressed how his character is gelling with those three. I do love an intimacy forged in rivalry, but cemented in unified causes.

This show is overdelivering. A very tight storyline, rich with back-story. The character have much more depth than the one-dimensional archetypes I was anticipating. The evolution of the relationships between various characters is nuanced. And the acting is fantastic.

He really needs to back off. I get that they are painting him as frivolous, fun-loving and loyal (that he knows what he wants and only has eyes for her), but she is literally saying 'No,' 'Stop,' 'Go away,' 'Leave me alone'. She is literally running away from him and asking others (both male and female) to drive him away.

I like his playful and direct energy. It actually matches Chong Zi very well. I really hope their relationship evolves into Scooby Doo shenanigans between bratty sibling-esque energy, though he will most likely stay a romance "contender". Sigh