Enigma05

My Most Anticipated Drama of the Year & It Landed!

What a journey! My goodness! In the 5 years since I fell into the cdrama rabbit hole, this is the first and only drama that I followed since the very first day of filming (primarily for TJR but was glad that 60% of the MJTY cast was in here too), through the grueling 5 month shoot, every day watching many of the scenes we saw being shot because unlike every other drama, it was like fans were welcome to film whatever they wanted as it was free advertising and no one cared about leaks. The multitude of costumes and that the wrap on set at the end of February to see it come to our screens in late October. It nearly got a perfect score if it wasn't for some writing and editing issues I had. This was my most anticipated drama of the year and boy did it land!

Pros: Lord, I don't even know where to begin. The CGI was phenomenal and it never felt like a computer was doing the work instead of the actors. The gorgeous costumes and sets. I wonder if this was an S++ drama because of how expensive it looked and was. Favorite character was ZYC with ZYZ coming in close second. Both of them, be it their bickering or stronger than platinum bond were such dynamic characters. Both actors are still young and for one this is only his second series to air while the other has had several but both showed tremendous growth from what I had seen from them previously; the versatility was insane. The demon hunting bureau became a family stronger together than many you'd see in real life that had to go from case to case and from tragedy to tragedy as they were being set up by asswipe camp and ZYZ's former best friend who was ridiculously misguided but gained his redemption at the end. BJ was a riot though all the shrieking did kind of get annoying after a while; that said when he was possessed by LL until nearly the end, you missed the kid. PSJ and her puppet brother were also indispensable to the team as was cheesy mountain God YL; he and BJ made a great pair. I have never seen CX act before and felt she gave a strong performance here. WX had her strong moments, being the common sense voice in the group/family and scenes of sisterhood and encouragement with PSJ.

When this thing was filmed, none of us who followed the actors—day in and day out—knew that it would have any comedy in it (it was an original IP after all) so were totally caught off guard with the first episode and onwards. It wasn't a lot but it certainly made for some interesting situations especially when BJ yanked ZYC's hair repeatedly and the sound effects, that part we actually saw filmed as in real life TJR and Lester are really close since their MJTY days and Lester turning 13 on set plus going through puberty, it made for some really funny scenes both BTS and on screen because whether in real life or not Lester/BJ clung to TJR/ZYC like crazy gorilla glue lol! One of those yanks off screen nearly pulled TJR's wig off; it became a DY masterpiece. I'm personally extremely proud of TJR as new and green as he is to show business; with now only 2 series out, 3 filmed and currently working on a 4th. He couldn't play that character any different or better; it’s mind-boggling that he only debuted last year.

While filming, the entire cast including the guests had to perform a certain dance in various locations and we were puzzled about how it would be used; we counted over 30 by the time filming ended. They even filmed one in the snow which was followed by an epic snowball fight that had crew joining in and GJM being lambasted by everyone as he tried rather unsuccessfully to get away. It seemed the cast was giving him payback for the extreme dieting and hours of work. That was made into an MV but when this thing premiered we realized that the dances were edited in a way to become our ending credits that would change every few episodes. It was quite smart and resourceful; because the show was emotionally heavy and the credits added that light and warm touch. So it became a wonderful combination.

All of the supporting cast were great as were the guests. So many wonderful characters to show that not all demons were inherently evil; some were born with fates they didn't want like ZYZ and Fei. And that humans could be far worse like leader of asswipe camp. He became immortal and so many had to sacrifice so much to take him down especially BJ. Losing YL and BJ were the hardest for me; I legit cried. ZYZ, you were prepared, still hard though there's hope for him returning someday. Maybe one of the characters could go into the sundial and wait until he cultivates into human form again, like WX did with the tree.

All of the OSTs and BGMs were amazing but my number one liquid fire favorite was by LYN. It was his first time doing this genre of hip hop/rock and it absolutely blew my mind. I have it and a few others now in my Spotify OST list. Maybe it's because I followed this show from the beginning but I feel like when it ended (after the special episode), it took a part of me with it. Like I'm extremely satisfied but wish we were with our characters longer.

Cons: Though this section is small, unfortunately it still was there. I absolutely did not like how the majority of the character of WX was written; (this is no reflection on the actress at all; only about the writing of the character) I don't know why GJM decided to make her so one dimensional. She spent many of her scenes for 34 episodes crying and yelling either for ZYZ or ZYC. The writing of this character reminded me of her character in MLC due to the weepiness of it, though there she at least talked and acted tougher and carried a sword. Everyone else who cried which they did often given the amount of tragedy in this had a lot of depth and you felt the weight of their tears but with her it became almost a waiting game of when will she start per episode or numerous times per episode. Even in the end, it threw a heavily emotional scene off; like stop already, do and say something else, please! So the writing threw a monkey wrench into this whole character for an actress who could handle being complex and should have been allowed to showcase that. Also could have had the good guys not lose so much when it came to asswipe camp's strategies. Felt like they were given the upper hand way too much as opposed to the push and pull that would have felt more appropriate.

Editing was off as some scenes came together very suddenly and you didn't understand how this person was there or why. Or wait did she cough up blood? When did that happen? I felt like many scenes were cut altogether which was kind of weird since the episode count actually went up and there was an extra episode to boot. It being a fantasy drama, suspension of disbelief had to be deployed a bit especially when our group was so obviously spied on and they didn't realize it at all or some characters disappeared without a trace and we didn't know what happened to them. But that's it.

Would I recommend it? 100% would! This show delivered in so many ways. The cons were nothing in comparison to the pros; writing and editing but the richness of the story, music, locations, costumes, and the absolutely phenomenal performances by the actors should give you a very satisfactory experience.

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It Grows On You

I picked this up for the two male leads as they have both impressed me with their characters in several previous series. The story line was also kind of different so was curious about it. I will say that I dropped it twice before just jumping to episode 5 and fast forwarding until 7 when the plot actually picked up. But it did grow on me.

Pros: I really liked the group dynamic and how they were--once formed--very "leave no man behind" no matter what the situation is. Because this was a transmigration into a book thing, the characters could be reborn or healed by unlocking certain elements of the game. Both ML and SML played their parts well and I was happy to see more differences and versatility from them. When they were together with the two female leads (both of whom had their own strengths and abilities plus evolution) and the kid, they really were a force to be reckoned with. I like the different mysteries that they solved on the path of eliminating an evil woman; this was another drama where demons were often misunderstood and way better than humans.

The ML was half demon and actually the author of the novel as well as a series of books which the FL was a fan of and followed but when this novel came out, it was really bad as it was his first book that he wrote when he was a teenager and diagnosed with a disease that could only be treated when he was an adult and his parents fought all the time so he was writing from a place of anger and dejection. So both he and the FL were thrown into the book with her determined to rewrite the ending and him not knowing anything really or pretending not to until the very end. To make it more predestined, they had actually met in middle school where he developed a crush on her (but his first book ended the way it did was also around the time that the FL left the school due to the loss of her father) and as he grew up he basically wrote all of the books for her. As he saw her comments online which encouraged him, he grew to love her even more and after going in for surgery decided to revise that first novel. It was while he was in surgery that his trip happened while for her it was an overnight dream.

Costumes fit each character accordingly, as do the OSTs, sets, and CGI.

Cons: Though it did grow on me; the fact that I couldn't watch the first 5-7 episodes without dropping or fast forwarding due to the beyond ridiculous slapstick humor that didn't land from the FL and the plot not going anywhere was hard. Dramas need to hook you from the beginning and this one just didn't. If it wasn't for the people I really wanted to see in different roles, I probably wouldn't have stuck around though it got a lot better with more episodes.

That ending was a total mess. It's being questioned whether or not it's an HE or OE on Weibo by fans. What were the editors thinking? Did they unscrew their brains for a day or something? The ML filmed the actual ending as he calls the FL's name; he was there! Yet they cut that part and had just his voice say her name and her stare beyond the camera in shock and then smiled as the paparazzi behind her all called his name and said that he was coming. What in the what? They had the kid and his grandpa in the real world selling ice cream at the event location, but they couldn't show the ML coming over to her and at least hugging her or holding her hands? Plus what happened to the second couple? They don't get roles in the real world? They were just left without proper closure creating that ladder to heaven and that's it? Someone help me out here? It's ridiculous! I was very displeased with that and it knocked .5 off my rating automatically. Endings are as important as beginnings; so if they're screwed up, the drama will take a hit.

Would I recommend it? Honestly, this is a good drama if you need something to tie you over between something anticipated or if you're a fan of any of the actors, then sure. All in all, a decent watch.

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Primarily Focused on FL's Storyline

This "2 part" drama, I'm going to review separately on here because I feel part 1 is different from part 2. Watching it solely for Wu Lei as he's one of the people I follow. I love him in these commander roles plus the man can have chemistry with a pet rock at only 22 years old. I never read the source material so I'm sure many of the novel readers will disagree with me and that's ok.

Pros: LBY played by WL never disappointed when he hit the screen for the very short amount of time he was in this part. Not only was he lethal and ruthless but he also knew who he wanted from nearly the first episode and was just bidding his time for the sake of the familial politics working around him. He however was also not without flaws and that showed a lot at the end of part 1. CSS/NN played by ZLS was always on her game though also a flawed character. I really appreciated how smart she was without the need of traditional learning. With so many odds against her, she still not only managed to survive but make something of herself.

Other favorite characters included NN's brothers, third uncle and aunt, LBY's guards, Yang Yang, QiQi, emperor and empress. All were very helpful and caring where most of NN's family fell short. Ah Yao was alright but just a sweet kid and I'm glad he was maneuvered accordingly out of her life. Music, costumes, scenery, and that part of production was quite beautiful and I enjoyed that very much. Also the comedic elements helped move many of the slower scenes along.

Cons: This part of the story was slow; like snail paced slow to the point where it was very draggy. I ffw a lot of NN's family drama in the beginning episodes because it was legit yawnsville. I get that they were trying to show how hard she had it and all but it was just too much. The only bright spots were when LBY came into the picture or she traveled to Hua County. Otherwise, it was all very similar and lackluster.

Really poor characters were all the Princesses especially princess seaweed who's whining just made me want to stuff said seaweed down her throat. All they did was bully NN and with the same old tired crap, like ladies can y'all sing a different tune? You're all boring. Mommy dearest took the cake and the award for worst mother of the year and I couldn't deal with her; dear lord what a horrible woman. I'd say she was the main antagonist of part one. Dad was ok but essentially had no spine. YS aka pompous ass didn't need any scenes. He is a contender for NN's heart but each of his scenes were just of him being an asshat to the woman he liked.

Just a lot of unnecessary tropes and cliches, in this first one. I know all of the meat and potatoes will be in the second one but I do wish that the first part had an even backstory on the ML not just a rinse and repeat of FL's crappy home life dynamic, it would have helped a lot with what's coming and made the first portion more even keeled.

Would I recommend it? It's beautiful and if you're a fan of any of the leads or support and are ok with a really slow start, then sure, I would. Because I'm looking forward to part 2 and what it has to deliver.

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Chinese Justice League for the WIN!

I don't remember why I had originally put this in my watchlist probably because the concept seemed interesting and I've seen a good chunk of the cast previously in other dramas. The fantasy element was always fascinating and so it was the Chinese Justice League for the serious WIN!

Pros: Favorite character was definitely the demon grand marshal NTEX. I had only seen the actor in one modern before and I was blown out of the water by his performance here; he's improved by leaps and bounds and is totally suitable for costume dramas. He literally delivered every ounce of his character until his dying breath and then in spirit. Not a perfect character; made a big mistake, had flaws but absolutely won the hearts of everyone. WG was in close second as it was his storyline of becoming essentially the mortal God of War but through trials and tribulations and even death but returned to triumph at the end. For him it was from power to slave to slowly developing into a very formidable force of freedom. Everyone he met along the way, became his friends and allies. He grew his anti-immortal army slowly but once they joined hands, they were awesome. WG and NTEX's friendship/brotherhood was my absolute favorite. Them two shared a brain cell when it came to strategies; that was so cool!

Other favorite characters were Ah Lan, Uncle Ziyu, grandpa, SX, Bei'er (though her appearance was very short, it was meaningful), precious dragonfly and even ZQ plus the last real Sage who took over governing that realm afterwards, SX managed to flip him to the good side lol (their funniest portion was as they were both just hanging in that space above everything until the undying bird left SX's body to join WG and took them two riding its tail; made me laugh as I thought they were both dead but nah they were just chilling in the immortal lounge lol). All the leaders of their respective clans were great. As for villains, hands down favorite was GM aka Hannibal Lecter. Dude was the comic relief for the show; the actor nailed his character so much, the other actors would try to make impressions of him during their BTS and he would do like standup comedy for them in character. He was a trip and I personally wished he stuck around longer than say the cackle queen, I'll speak about her below. It was my first time seeing Jeremy as an antagonist and he delivered though he was only around in a few episodes. I think that could be a great niche for him if he ever returns to acting (which given the recent interview he did, isn't out of the realm of possibility, though he wants to also try directing after spending time with his family). His character HL was a tunnel visioned obsessed with love King of the Immortals who finally got his comeuppance via WG.

The battles were pretty great for the most part. The Justice League was very cool while the band of thugs were extremely cocky for their own good. Which most of the time was their undoing. The rock music during the big bad fights was the best and all costumes, sets, and even CGI I won't complain about because it was good. That last fight when WG merged with NTEX's spirit as well as that of the demons and the undying bird to finally kill HL was the best part of the entire series.

Cons: Unfortunately, though the FL (BC) started out as a strong and independent woman, she soon devolved into a whining mess whimpering "A Gou" so many times per episode it started to hurt my head. Like there were times she just needed to zip it. It seemed that was her only line for a long time. There was no chemistry between her and WG no matter how much they wanted to force it upon us. They were fantastic as brother and sister though; that's what they should have kept it as. I hoped that her possession would invigorate her character but in that one she was very robotic and when she was returned she was still a blubbering mess. Like where was the awesome, resourceful woman we met? We wanted her back! The writing was off there.

That ending was so jacked up; ok lackluster wedding whatever but then BC just up and dies in the middle in front of everyone? What even? Why? You knew she went through a lot during the final battle especially being used to build that iced transformer (that part of the battle made me roll my eyes and laugh. The cyclops and his friend vs HL in giant iced transformers was very ridiculous and thankfully short lived. Seemed like an episode filler not something important) obviously used up her life span. So why not tell WG about it sooner? Nah, it's better to tell him just before you dissipate on your wedding day in front of everyone. Just seemed heartless and out of character for her. So that entire end portion of the episode was beyond unnecessary. There were other ways for WG to walk around to the different clans and say goodbye or check up on them. They could have done it together and it would have made so much more sense as they just wanted to live in peace. And that snowman cabin last 1.5 minutes scene where the door automatically opens but there's no one there though he smiles? The open ending was a crock of BS, at least show her face smiling back at him. Was that so hard? It ended in Xianxia style though this was not that genre at all.

The cackle queen, lord help me. The actress plays a great antagonist don't get me wrong, but that voice and that cackle was horrifying. It made her sound like a Halloween store plastic wicked witch. Anytime an antagonist cackles, it completely takes away from their evilness. They need to stop writing that into series. The best villains are those like HL who can look through you and you'd get a chill up your spine. Her death was anticlimactic as I wish WG had finished it instead of HL otherwise it looked like she had a self-redemption thought process before she finally croaked.

A bit too much talking; I agree with several people. The battles needed to continue not pause for a boatload of speechifying. It would take away from the fierceness of the fight or battle. Same went for several deaths, we didn't need long speeches right beforehand from some. Also it reminded me of Snow Eagle Lord and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers when they chucked the moves on screen with giant letters; extremely unnecessary. The characters were yelling them out as is.

Would I recommend it? Despite the many cons and the unsatisfactory ending, it was still a good watch. Besides these thoughts are mine, you may feel it was great. So decide for yourselves.

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Team Qi +Team Qian = Team Qi-Qian.

This show was something else. At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to pick it up but I had seen BWJ in Silence of the Monster and wanted to see him in a different genre. Other than a few supporting characters and barely, I'm completely unfamiliar with the cast otherwise. So which is it? Team Qi, Team Qian or better yet Team Qi-Qian.

Pros: This drama had great OSTs and fighting scenes as well as a good fantasy angle. ML played by BWJ or HZ was my favorite even when he was rough around the edges and grumpy as all get out. I liked the mysteries when they had to do with the actual topic. The jealousy sequences were pretty funny too. I think more than fantasy, this had a lot of comedic elements, though HZ shape shifting that one time was pretty awesome. Reminded me a little bit of the movie "Underworld" with Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman. The ambiguity of the CP and MY until the second to last episode and reveal blew my mind and probably what hitched this drama from an 8 to an 8.5. I have seen many Scooby Doo reveals before but not on this scale. Out of everything possible, I never would have predicted that one. Though I must say, after CP's dashing good looks, getting MY was a total letdown lol. It all made sense as soon as things were revealed, why CP had that reaction to Chilan when she first arrived, how with the spoon and water and hand washing, he was able to trigger her memories of MY and of course the other things we saw in flashbacks; chess playing, the dagger gift, same wine, same bday, etc. With a drama still so full of unanswered questions, all of these were put to rest. Though a good villain, MY's actual agenda harmed his race just as much if not more so then the Qian folks, so there was no greater good in his plan. It was all about power and control.

My 2nd favorite character was Chilan; the actress nailed that performance to a T. She was badass and kickass in every way possible. The perfect general, advisor, protector, and helping hand to HZ and the other two. I'm glad she became queen of the Qi tribe, she deserved that more than anyone. She had a heart of gold and could handle diplomacy well. Even though the love of her life ended up being the villain and a crazy one at that, she was still able to rise above that. I hope she finds her happiness with a wonderful person from whichever race. Same goes for WJ; I feel so bad for him. But talk about someone who started immature and grew to be a bit more forthcoming and understanding. He had an unrequited love for FL but thankfully this was a peaceful love triangle that retained its friendship of both parties regardlessly. But the fact that he decided to be a monk due an unnecessary character's issues as well as finding out his older brother was a fake for a decade, I've got no idea how his mental health was still intact.

Other favorite characters do include the FL or SJR but only when she was smart and mature, her ditzy side was less tolerable. She was a walking contradiction; one minute she would Sherlock her way out of the largest puzzle, the next she'd be walking around like a grown doll, talking to herself. Keha, Liu Fu, SJR's mom, Lao Hu, and Kaka were all great as supporting characters and their personalities meshed with whatever was going on in the moment. Though this was obviously a lower budget production, the costumes and sets actually fit their parties.

Cons: The amount of unanswered questions, cases that had very little to do with the main plot save bring the leads closer together especially why turn the Qi people into monkeys instead of wolves through that poison. Monkeys and wolves aren't from the same DNA pile and it was just completely out of the blue. Poisoned his own people just to make HZ choose between the race and SJR? MY was a total lunatic, yet developed a brotherly affection for WJ that he himself couldn't explain; probably because both were outcasts and WJ was innocent and too nice. The unnecessary cases which showed Qian people getting harmed, obviously didn't show MY's plan that all Qian's needed to die, but it actually set HZ to understand both races in a new light.

I wish they revealed answers like what did that Ember look like? Was it edible and small like the Qi stone? How did SJR ingest it in the first place and how was it removed? How did CP and his wife die? Where was the king this entire time? He wasn't seen onscreen again after the last treaty talk with fake CP in the early 20s of episodes. How did the entire city plus royal family just forget about the disappearance of CP aka MY at the end? No explanation but at the wedding WJ was now the new CP? HY was chucked into maybe 4 episodes and then disappeared just as randomly as she'd arrived; what was her actual purpose? Other then make people's skin crawl from her child-woman "gege" babble? It would have been way better if WJ was just left with his unrequited love and could fall in love again in the future instead of the vow of celibacy. So bizarre and quite unnecessary.

I also wish the ending was wrapped up better. The fight was awesome and brutal but that last episode, SJR's choice and flashbacks and HZ risking his life to save her, while great, it should have not just had a fade to black and explanation by SJR that he saved her, with a quick cut to wedding and explanation of the treaty signed though we don't know why, WJ is now the new CP without any real anything, SJR has HZ's powers, while he's basically a regular Joe. Instead, they should have shown her waking up and finding him awake by her side in this new world of them essentially switching. Then show both kings signing the treaty and having that being properly explained even the whole fake CP thing, then have a full wedding and her showing off her newfound skills after the fact not in the beginning. The way it was done was just slapped together for some unnecessary slapstick humor. Given that the leads only got together a few episodes before, the wedding should have been done right. You can save the comedy for the post credit ending. So not a fully satisfactory ending; it deserved better.

Would I recommend it? Yes. This drama had a lot of good elements if you could get past some of the confusion. Great mysteries for the most part, good acting, though a beyond slow burn romance, great characters, decent comedy. All in all, a good show.

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Great Case Solving Trio & Friendship; The rest? Eh Not So Much.

This was obviously filmed a bit earlier with a lower budget. It was in my watchlist for LHY plus the storyline. Now while all of the actors, did very well, the storyline started to crumble. We had great case solving trio & Friendship, but the rest was really not so much.

Pros: The friendship of the main trio that went through life and death together and never faltered except for GT or YCE had a bit of an identity crisis when he had a tough injury where he nearly lost his arm and the use of it but our miracle physician FS was able to solve the problem. While on a quest to find some sealed treasure book and find out who killed FS' father and 10 other physicians, them two get framed by people working with the Breakwall organization who essentially run the kingdom with a puppet emperor. WJ (spelled Wen Jue) the daughter of the city Lord of Xichuan comes to their aide and they escape there. To find the book they must look for jade pieces to fit into the main plate FS unknowingly was given by his father to hold since he was a child. Turned out his dad and several others were working against Breakwall to find and return the actual emperor back but were systematically murdered over the course of 20 years.

Meanwhile, while on this main quest they have to solve one strange case after another and in the process some of them lead back to the main case and they get the Jade pieces while others aren't related at all. Though they have the ever undecided Lord Wen on their side (sort of), the chamber of commerce is corrupt and when the first two leaders are killed by the Breakwall organization, a narcissistic psychopath or SSM who once was a horse slave and was saved by FS, slowly weaseled his way into the top spot and into the Breakwall's lower ranks. This dude was the best villain out of all the villains because he killed without mercy and enjoyed it. And as I predicted, he really was the last villain standing for about 10 seconds before the real emperor finally finished him off in the last episode.

The deaths were cruel but the one that made me shed a tear was Wen Jiu, who was adopted and raised as Lord Wen's son; he was a great soldier but he had to essentially fight an entire battalion on his own and the hidden SSM who shot two tiny arrows into him one going straight threw his heart. It was gut wrenching to watch. And he knew he was going to die, that was the worst of it. This guy was a great ally to our friends. YY was the character GT fell in love with and vice versa and their romance was ok; it didn't take away from the main plot. YY went into a coma after her entire organization of spies and information were slaughtered and around the time GT lost his arm trying to save her; but at the end the trio rode off to find FS' Shifu physician who was also a miracle healer to save YY. There was also TB, Hulu, and several others that were good characters.

Costumes, OSTs, sets and the CGI especially FS' fantasy world where practices his theories with a duck and a wooden men that have WJ and GT's voices as well as understanding the hidden clues were cool. A lot however just didn't jive at all.

Cons: While the case solving was nice, the main case was a lot of build up to a lackluster outcome. There was no real book of treasure in the place they found. Instead it was the remaining loyalists of the emperor who was also there and had the face of the puppet emperor because the Breakwall leader who was a eunuch and apparently dying, used someone's game of faces technique to make the emperor's kid or someone else look just like him. The secret to the book of treasure was how to properly govern the state and the only reason the real emperor and his loyalists were stuck in that underground palace for 20 years was because the door could only be opened from the outside with the fully assembled Jade plate and the most of the pieces were lost or hidden but by parties unknown until now. There was weapons gold and jewels, plus miasma that was used to tell the real tale. But all this hunting down some special book was nothing more than restoring its rightful emperor.

Lord Wen pissed me off; he had so many chances to arrest and kill SSM but didn't want to get involved that it was ridiculous. Like the chamber of commerce murdered thousands of people in broad daylight but he was like forget it, no big deal. Even the Ma Gang didn't create that much mayhem. If it wasn't for him always letting SSM go, Wen Jiu would still be alive. And how literally everyone good or bad believed SSM's words as gospel was mind boggling; you just met him and he's telling the truth? He's lying through his teeth but everyone was too stupid to just believe him? Come on now; maybe the first few times but not all the time. SSM cared for nothing but power and himself; even his mentally challenged brother was left to himself which was hella wicked when he claimed to care so much about him. But sure let him get to the end; GT should have finished him off because no one else had the balls to.

With the last case with fake shamans and whatnot and the last jade piece, that case was already sliding into the negatives and suspension of disbelief. The storyline came apart at the end. Plus the forced feelings of FS and WJ just didn't cut it. She was for the most part too ditzy and pouty and there was literally zilch chemistry between them plus FS was completely unaware of feelings as his character was supposed to just care about being a good doctor and friend. So it felt unnecessarily forced.

Would I recommend it? It's one of those in between watches while waiting for something better to drop though the actors did the best they could with what they were given.

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It Was Nifty

Really had no idea what I was getting myself into because other than BWJ, I've never seen any of the other actors. Plus I've never seen nor heard of the comics or donghua this was based on. So was completely flying blind going into it. Another thing that was keeping me from starting it, was that zombies were mentioned and that's a genre I take a hard pass on. Thankfully the zombies--if you can call them that--were far from The Walking Dead or Resident Evil. They were there for maybe 2 to 3 episodes and looked more like something out of MJ's Thriller with too much makeup. They were comedic and not too bright.

Pros: What I really liked was the unraveling of the mysteries, the growth of friendships, having each others backs, the fight scenes, and the really awesome CGI; had to be my favorite part. It was nifty. The ending fight scene was probably the best because everyone that mattered even those that turned over a new leaf were part of it. Chief Taoist was like the granddaddy of awesomeness when he added icing on the cake. Over all, I hope season 2 explains more and has characters not just disappear and reappear randomly, but are given justifiable entrances and exits. FBB is my new favorite robot girl. From the protagonists, I think everyone was pretty great.

Cons: The ML annoyed me a lot; I won't lie. His goofiness was too much at times while other times he'd just walk around pouting like a 5 year old kid who didn't get any candy. I did ffw a lot because much of that comedy wasn't for me. I preferred when he acted and spoke intelligently. I feel the writing was stilted at times. Plus, each time character was charged with something, the mandarin writing on the screen and subbing overlapped and you couldn't understand what was written.

Would I recommend it? Sure, why not? Especially if you know the donghua it's based on and really like awesome looking CGI and unraveling fantastical mysteries plus group dynamics.

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Crackle, Pop, Sizzling Chemistry; Good Acting, But too Many Plot Holes in the Script

Didn't know the cast at all, heard it had good chemistry from the leads and was convinced after seeing a short trailer that I should give this a go. It was essentially crackle, pop with good acting but an all over the place script with a ton of confusing plot holes.

Pros: This was a short drama that basically ran on the absolute sizzling chemistry of the leads. From episode one when LJY first rescues his charge and understands she's not the original XXX but someone else, their connection is instantaneous. I can definitely say these entire 16 episodes ran on when the leads would have their moments together. Their make out sessions and eventual getting together did make you question whether you needed to let some cool air into the room; flames were lit. Also loved his fight scenes, they were very well choreographed.

What I didn't expect is that for a serious plot like twins or clones switching and the big bad wolf trying to kill everyone to save his supposed daughter, it had a fairly decent amount of comedy. And it was real humor, like LJY's jealous streak over AY (the umbrella thing, crushing the water bottle, punching dude in elevator), or the absolutely hysterical condom box reveal and then as I called it the "radioactive period," there were moments when you would double over with laughter. Even though LJY was technically her bodyguard, he went above and beyond his own job description for AY. Though we know she fell for him when she laid her eyes on him, he was not far behind though it took him a bit longer to admit it. Once he determined she was his woman and that was fairly early on even before he admitted it to himself, that was it. Stick a fork in him....dude is done! As the story progressed, them learning they had in fact met as children made them actual soulmates in this slightly futuristic world.

Great acting on the part of the FL as she had to play two completely different people and personalities. You knew when they were together in a scene or apart who was whom; so that was a job very well done there. We had a great support cast though not a great second couple and I'll speak about that below. Initially I thought of XXX as a second antagonist to her father because of her sheer nastiness, but in the last 3 episodes she really opened up and we really found out her true feelings. Her father trapping her at home and being a literal Guinea pig had in fact shortened her lifespan and caused her immeasurable pain. But he was too blinded by his own power and what he wanted to do that even when the truth about AY and XXX was staring him in the face, he was still determined to kill everyone in some BS revenge. He was loathsome and despicable but it made him a good villain.

TS, DBF, JC, even the other bodyguard Dayu who came to LJY's defense time and time again even in the end, were a great group of friends that worked together to get to the bottom of all of the mysteries and get justice for their friends. I loved how once they all met, they immediately and almost seamlessly became this singular unit of people. Even when the plot seemed to start to unhinge, as long as there was a steady flow of them, it was good.

Cons: The storyline was all over the place and yes, I understand only 16 episodes but then why create a love triangle for the second leads? Shoving DBF in between JC and TS was so weird and unnatural. Then to turn JC into a wimp just giving up on his love being all chivalrous and stepping back? It felt unnecessary and just threw that whole thing off balance. I didn't feel any chemistry between DBF and TS. They were great as friends for each other and everyone else. JC's ending up in a tent in the mountains with a pooch he found after all he'd been through instead of with the woman he really loved was a total copout. It felt like the writer gave up on him altogether.

The OSTs should have stayed in one language or another. And they were thrown into places that either required light instrumentation like the actual love scene in 12 or a rock ballad in 14 when LJY was single-handedly fighting off a slew of bodyguards. When the man is kicking ass and there's a slow love ballad playing, it throws the scene.

Too many very ridiculous things happening like LJY and AY going to the underground lab, the place has cameras everywhere and y'all didn't think you would be seen or caught? Or that it was a trap in the first place? For a smart and aware bodyguard and former soldier, that seemed out of character for him. Or his father waking up from like a multi-year coma and then arriving in a wheelchair like a saving avenger only to sacrifice himself for the cause at the end? Even with the most futuristic technology, there's no way he would look completely healthy in 15 minutes; it was laughable at how absurd it all was as they were very obviously racing for the finish line. Should have made it 20 episodes and flushed out a better ending. The amount of plot holes like that were too many to write. Oh and don't forget the head scratching scene after the last episode's credits.

Would I recommend it? Only for the "skinship" as the jargon goes or really awesome chemistry of the leads as well as the close friendships that either already existed or were made and the comedy. The rest was ok.

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A Demon Living a Human Life as a Demon Hunter & a Human Able to see Demons

What will fate bring them? Filmed 3 years ago, as always I go into each drama without any expectations and as though I knew the ML, both second leads, and various other characters; it was my first time seeing the FL outside one variety show. I will say I was very pleasantly impressed by the storyline as a whole and the characters.

Pros: The arcs were seamlessly intertwined and went from one to another without missing a beat. Our leads met and that too had a lot to do with fate as he saved her when they were kids but because of that he fell from his demon world into her mortal one and both lost their memories. He thought he was a human and therefore adopted as one becoming the successor demon hunter (ironically) of a righteous sect. Due to the blow he took for her, some of his demonic blood got into her left eye making her see demons with one eye. So it became a demon living a human life as a demon hunter & a human able to see demons all thanks to each other. None of this was revealed until much later in the show as they continued to solve cases seemingly unrelated and yet very much so together. He taught her that like humans, there were good and bad demons and that both species could peacefully coexist, especially if demons cultivated enough to shape-shift into human form.

ML or XY grew up in a sect/demon hunter/pharmacuetical family but was dealt a heavy blow 6 years prior when his human family was possessed by a poisonous demon and he had to kill them; though after a cryptic message to XY in regards to his demonic origins that his son only understood towards the end, his father chose to end his own life. XY was living in the shadows of that awful night and even though he was exonerated of the murders by his "uncle" aka the antagonist of the piece, rumors never ceased and he was not only distrusted but also hated by ignorant people. His father upon discovering XY's truth, created a powerful mystical tattoo bracelet to keep the truth always hidden under the ruse that it would protect him in times of danger. XY inherited his adoptive father's 5 mystical hidden swords that he carried with him everywhere and were used accordingly. They however always had a backlash affect each time he would use them, first on himself and then on the FL and others in close proximity.

FL or BX was a young lady that could see demons out of her left eye only. She came from a very wealthy family and though they loved her very much, they kept her sheltered and drugged because they didn't believe in the existence of demons so they thought she was crazy. Due to that at first, she was very shy and timid but once the truth was revealed to her with the Hidden-Owl demon her cousin married and meeting XY, she started to get braver and more outspoken until both her brother realized and her father admitted that he had lied to her. He mother supposedly passed 10 years before and then suddenly her father was supposedly murdered in a fire. But BX was smarter than to believe the latter so that's how her path with XY would permanently cross, change, and evolve.

Bringing demons and people to justice, ultimately rescuing both of her parents and trying to figure out who the mastermind was while at the same time XY's origins came to light with his brother coming into the mortal realm kept them busy and us wanting more. I was very proud of BX as she reminded me a lot of MQG from "Love of the Divine Tree", no matter how dire the situation was, she remained determined to stay by XY's side and fix whatever problem together. She would cry and that steadfastly made him understand she wasn't going anywhere. She even rescued him when he changed into his demon body and was caught.

Romance and love was very subtle but it was there. It never overpowered anything else that was going and there was a lot. Their bond remained (I believe) even when she let him go and didn't follow him to his world at the end because she knew that at that time she didn't belong there and that perhaps in 12 years they would reunite and by that time she could go with him. It was a bittersweet OE but given that she was a human and he was a demon, neither could give up their responsibilities; his to his land as he was a prince plus his land was in chaos and dying out plus his brother couldn't handle it on his own anymore and her to her family as they were still young. In 12 years a lot could and would change and perhaps as his adoptive father said (who like everyone else that died, came back when XY restarted their timelines only with everyone forgetting his existence except BX who was once again deemed crazy but for different reasons as opposed to seeing demons, this time she knew there was someone she was never meant to forget, their love being that strong and of course with the help of some demon who somehow retained all his memories, she finally remembered but with only one day to spare), he hoped he and XY would reunite again. I firmly believe that day will come in 12 years for father, son, and BX and this time she would go with him.

The friends and supporting characters that were awesome adding to the already phenomenal martial arts of XY and comedy were CX our beloved bunny, YH, SLL, WJ, XY's dad, BX's family, ZK, and several other demons they met like Nine Lives and the snake serpent one; I've liked the actor ever since I've seen him in TLB though it's been a long time and though he had a small role here, it still was great. The small villains all did what they were supposed to do except for the little shit sand demon who could have just said his lines not shrieked them; would have helped a lot. The main antagonist, we knew who he was from nearly the beginning so no real surprise there but he played him well even surprising me with how strong of a martial artist he was considering he seemed in poor health when we saw him the few times before more and more of his motives were revealed. Out of all of the arcs, the creepy doll one was my favorite. The acting on her part was scary accurate to a real marionette doll.

The sets and CGI was done really well, you felt it was almost 3D, costumes were also on point. You could also tell how XY's character changed with his costumes; from who cares how I look, to lighter outer clothing if happy or darker if upset to black leather as prince black Panther at the end.

Cons: While a lot was very well done, somethings lacked like calling it "The Demon Hunter's Romance" should have been instead called "The Experience of a Demon Living & Loving as a Human in the Human World." We all know Allen Ren doesn't do romance well especially the kissing for whatever his personal reasons are; thankfully here the romance was subtle and ran more like an underlying current but it would still have been nice to at least get one proper kiss in since it was part of the genre. Furthermore, AR should try other genres other than romance because he'd do great in those where romance was unnecessary.

Felt the last few episodes were rushed especially XY making everyone forget him as he restarted the timeline and though some events still happened as that was fate, others didn't and even in this second chance BX was not timid but brave. But as he stood or followed watching her grow up, you felt incredibly sad for him that he was all alone in this world where he used to have friends. The drag out to the final episode while she just spent all her time running into him and crying while trying to remember, I felt was very cruel to her. I do think that basically the entirety of 36 once she FINALLY got her memories back for me anyways it was understandable that they were going to part. There was no way around that and they spent most of 36 basically getting ready for that. I don’t think she was going to marry anyone else and neither was he. I firmly believe they will reunite in 12 years, forever this time.

Now it's coming out from the screenwriter that they had actually written BX as a half demon which is what the majority of us thought she was and therefore could have left with him and we could have had a great happy ending. But the directors for whatever reason decided to go this "creative" route instead. While I'm fine with a well written bittersweet although hopeful OE, I would have preferred the half demon/HE instead and it would have made even more sense. Directors made a similar decision in A Moment But Forever and it could have been better with the more obviously and already written HE. More often than not these "creative" choices do a drama more harm than good.

None of the OSTs were memorable other then sometimes drowning out what the characters were saying. Proper editing could have handled that.

Would I recommend it? I totally would! This story had so many amazing plots and subplots interwoven and the characters that you grew to love and admire even if they were on screen for a short time, that you just wanted to watch more of it. It took 3 years, but it was worth the wait!

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Detailed Decade Long Planned Revenge with Many Moving Parts.

Chose this because it was a different type of story for CY. He wasn't playing someone with superb martial arts but a strategist instead. Many veteran actors also made it a good story. This will be shorter than usual.

Pros: Basically a story of a decade's long very detailed revenge plan by the ML or XHA with many moving parts. It was a very heavily dense storyline. The premise was simple, XHA was getting revenge on people involved in the brutal murder of his father and clansmen by people who defected from his father's own created army. He had a list of people and underlings he wanted to kill and he managed to do just that save a few. There were many betrayals but also people who he could trust as well as use. Motive was power and the throne of Chang'An. I like how there thankfully no romance in this one. Sometimes it was very much like GoT's Game of Faces as human masks were used. The strategies and contingencies deployed were very complex and difficult to explain. You have to watch this one carefully. For someone so young, XHA chilled even his most fearsome enemies to the bone with one glance as they themselves often pointed out. CY was very good at showing emotions especially when XHA's sister previously in hiding was killed after returning to the city under false pretenses. His grief over her body and earlier over finding his father's headstone was very well done.

Fight scenes, sets, costumes, and OSTs were very much on point with this top tier drama. It is best to watch to the very end before making a decision on any character save the ones around XHA from the beginning and young or supremely loyal and the emperor. There were so many double agents, after a while you didn't know who to trust at all.

Cons: I would have preferred if we didn't have a special episode because the original ending was very much like MLC where it was an OE and that's ok. The only issue is that there a few characters that disappeared and we never saw them again like the chick Huben guard who delivered GY's notes to a general or GY's own aid; last seen she was riding somewhere with some of his military and a few others. Wish these people had proper endings. The first part of the story was in my opinion better than when they brought in King of Tiemo; things just seemed more convoluted in the beginning and after the fact the pace picked up and more betrayals happened and a lot didn't make sense. The last episode was over 50 minutes long. It was like because the series was only 28 episodes long they had to cram to get as much in as possible. The other thing I didn't understand was how XHA could just sit down with his biggest enemies and have tea and discuss strategies of them killing each other essentially or why. It felt contrived; even those that were supposed to be on the same evil side betrayed each other.

The special episode was super ambiguous; other than the allies of XHA doing other things or one leaving to go find someone. The point was to possibly make it seem there would be a season 2, but they left many questions unanswered. The emperor was once again in possession of the token he gave XHA in the beginning and gave it to his younger brother, but if XHA was now locked in a prison somewhere location that king and later the emperor himself was locked in, how did the emperor get the token unbroken and clean? It never showed XHA's face but it was CY's voice. So whether there will be a season 2 or not and whether CY and those that survived will reprise, we don't know.

Would I recommend it? For those of you who like good revenge stories with very smart strategists than this series is for you. Just don't binge it because your head will hurt.

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Pandora's Box

This Pandora's box of a psychological thriller was something I picked up after a trusted source suggested it and I read the premise. It reminded me a lot of the dynamic of "Under the Skin" only there it was a cop and a sketch artist and here it was a cop and a hypnotist. I've never seen anyone from the cast before, so as always went in without any expectations or preconceived notions.

Pros: As always the dynamic of the two ML's had to develop as one couldn't just blindly trust a stranger especially when law and crime was involved. The cases all early on suggested a very rich and powerful psychotherapist that was also a psychopath was the main villain. Even though the people committing the absolutely horrible crimes had their own reasons, they were essentially vigilantes which goes against all forms of societal justice. Yes you feel bad for some of them and who they were trying to protect, but killing innocent people like Xiao Liu, the officer just trying to do his job, was not justice. It was greed and self pity. Both ML's were struggling with inner demons related to the same case from 10 years back and I did enjoy their back and forth as they tried to figure that case out amongst all of the others. Finding their balance of trust as cop/consultant and friends was often heartwarming and often frustrating.

Everyone on Team Luo was essential even the one they lost and the one that transferred in. They not only formed a formidable task force but their care for one another was just a very bright spot to see even when things seemed to get out of hand. The main villain's true motive didn't come into focus until the last few episodes but it didn't take away from his viciousness nor depravity. Which made him a great and absolutely psychotic antagonist. I wish we got to see more of his psychological disfunction throughout the series; I spent many years researching serial killers like him and he reminds me a lot of Dr. Harold Shipman and Ted Bundy in his ability to essentially hide in plain sight and yet be this series version of Dr. Death. He used others to commit crimes for him never getting his hands dirty until the last one. His ability to manipulate those around him was in line with him refusing to take any responsibility for the crimes that started everything. He played God though he was dying and thought he was in the right until the very last breath he took. Other than needing more time on screen, he was a great big bad wolf.

The OSTs were on point and I also liked the flashbacks as the audience got to understand what had happened or why certain things went a certain way. Everything was placed just right. I was pretty neutral on LFP always having lollipops with him or LF handing them to him later because that was his own psychological way to handle anxiety after the death of his mom.

Cons: Ok I'm getting this out of the way but who's idea was it to give LFP a Hobbit wig? The thing was absolutely atrocious and made him look ridiculous. Was it in order to show him during and after his prison term with a bowl haircut looking somewhat normal, because when he ran or moved fast it was so obvious it was glued to his head, it just didn't help with concentrating on the scene. Wardrobe in general for him was a few sizes too large and just didn't fit his character. Wish they kept him in the tone of less is more.

Why didn't a single officer carry a gun with him unless told to do so? Xiao Liu did bring a gun but LF didn't in the episode Xiao Liu was killed. Wasn't part of being a police officer that you had to always carry your service piece and know how to use it? Go to target practice, make sure you always are up to date with knowing how to use your firearm? Plus, never enter a cave or any other unknown location without backup? That entire part of episode 10 was completely unbelievable in police procedure in any country. I have seen this in a few of their series where the perps had weapons but the cops had zilch. A gun fired for an officer's safety doesn't mean use of deadly force. The perp is trying to stab you, shoot the knife out of his hand. A survivable and light wound for him, but you're alive. Guess they had to kill off Xiao Liu in that one because even when LF called his name in that tunnel, Xiao Liu could have called for help but didn't and that was such a huge loophole. LF always using his martial arts only when others have pipes and knives was just unreal.

I mentioned this in the comments but LFP getting 7 years (served less) for manslaughter. It should have been involuntary manslaughter as the big bad didn’t give them a choice other than suicide by cop plus stopping the bomb attached to LY. That should have been probation max. That made a whole lot of no sense to me and I often feel that their criminal laws give a greater punishment to protectors than perps.

Lastly, I wish LFP was shown doing more hypnosis in the series and where we really got an understanding of how it worked on a smaller scale. But that wasn't much of a con.

Would I recommend it? I absolutely would. If you don't look at this from a procedural perspective and can overlook the annoying as hell wig, this is actually a pretty engaging and entertaining series. I'm glad I watched it. There's an extra episode with links in the comments too.

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Strong Alone, Stronger Together.

This drama looked good because a YouTuber I trust recommended it and I was looking for something extra to watch. I don't follow anyone here but have wanted to see Kenny Lin since Princess Agents and this drama did speak to me. First time seeing Seven Tan in anything.

Pros: NM was by far my favorite character and the entire storyline of hers was probably the most properly evolved out of the entire cast. I'm in the business field myself though not in investments nor corporate anymore plus all of my nearly 3 degrees are in that as well so I understood what I was watching. I loved how strong, intelligent, capable, steadfast, and true she was regardless of her situation at work. She wouldn't let any naysayer keep her away from her ultimate goal. And then gave that up to start almost from scratch to help the ML. She used every opportunity wherever she was to network and find people to work with. It was a very smart way to cultivate real workplace relationships.

My second favorite character by far was her boss Ms. Shi. If I had a boss like her in my corporate days, I probably would have never chosen to switch careers. This woman was the epitome of what an actual boss of any corporation, big or small should be like in both the workplace and outside. Very fulfilling character; job well done. The ML was flawed to high hell. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, which did explain a lot and although you really wanted to deck him especially after episode 11, he did start to evolve thankfully after that and only through really realizing he was being a prick because he had feelings for our FL.

All of the side character friends and coworkers gave the series the much needed comedic relief and support it needed many a time. I liked the positive ones. This wasn't a romance drama unless you count the longing looks of the ML at FL and the last 5 minutes of the last episode, which was totally fine by me. It really didn't need the romance, it was doing just fine as a corporate drama with some comedy.

Cons: While the show had a decent pacing, the timing was quite weird. It shouldn't have taken 11 episodes to show how much of a pompous jerk the ML was; could have been just as easily done in 5. Also placing the main meat and potatoes of the story in the literal last 5 episodes was way too much. The spreading of the drama could have been done way better, but that's a fault of production.

The only problem I had with NM was that after the incident, she didn't immediately break up with SWR. She needed her boss's guidance to help with the situation. Here she was ready to fight grown men at work for her client and for her best friend, but for herself she went all deer in headlights; that was the only time I wondered if they were really going to dumb her down but thankfully she returned to her old self immediately after. Just the slightest inconsistency in her character that one time.

The antagonists were like a mean, whiny evil. What they actually did was done unseen to the viewers. Though the main big bad, SWR was a good antagonist, with DV and some form of mental issue that wasn't discussed; his entire existence seemed forced. Even his supposed redemption was a cop out. Ok so he turned himself in after a heart to heart with NM but he was so brutal to her and others before, using her every step of the way. It was a bit messy for this big bad hunter after its prey that he was. Turn the hunter into the hunted instead. But they ran out of episodes so it was what it was.

Would I recommend it? Yes, if you're looking for a strong female that always goes against the grain but still does it by working very hard and learning quickly. The drama was good and funny, just keep the timing situation in mind.

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Bit off more then he could chew...

This is my honest review.

I'm going to start by saying this series gets a 7/10 from me and it's 100% on the screenwriter. Maybe it's because I'm used to American blockbusters, maybe it's because I have friends that are screenwriters in Hollywood whose work I've read and given critique on, maybe it's because I'm a professional writer/editor myself and have written scripts and novels over the years, or maybe it's all of the above. Fact remains, this screenwriter bit off more then he could chew and it fell short and I'm just a drama/lead actor fan; never read the novel nor am I into donghua. Though it's not even close to a comparison, Lord of the Rings: first film alone had 3 screenwriters. Maybe it was the arrogance of the screenwriter but he or the director or the production company should have brought more people to help him. There was simply no way for him to be able to take this project and do it justice himself. It is impossible given its size. I know there are people scoring full 10s and more power to them but with all of my experience in this and as mentioned above, this is an honest review that will get constructive criticism.

Under no circumstances can or should DC be compared to his other works simply because it's completely different. With the amount of CGI and other visual effects, it lands in a category of its own. Let me make myself clear, DC is not a bad series, especially for those of us that don't know its history; it's just not a powerful transition from 2D to 3D live action. One thing that is a faux pas for writers and screenwriters; it should not take 13 plus episodes/chapters to introduce main or supporting characters. If there is a concrete lead, that lead should always be around enough to remind the audience of who the individual is.

We were working with 40 episodes, 35 minutes long each (not counting credits) for part 1. I get it, you want to introduce everyone and set up their backstories. Very feasible but you're neglecting the reason the story exists; lead character must grow and evolve too. Between episodes 6-13 there was almost no plot cohesion. It was a roller coaster ride of let's randomly bring more people into the mix while running around doing tasks that don't have a meaning.

Furthermore, those episodes and some additional ones should have been called "The boring nonsense of OuSiKe and Rong Rong." Out of the 7 devils the screenwriter/director/producer made him look like Betty Crocker and his constant artsy fartsy monologues of Mr. Motor Mouth were enough to give most a splitting headache. Personally if he had signed with Prince ugly Eyebrows, left ShiLanKe and opened a theatre academy, I would have been thrilled. Again, I'm not blaming the actor for this as he was acting out the script. His character was the most lackluster and worthless out of the entire bunch. When he and Rong Rong would whine, it sounded like '90s dial up internet gone haywire. I fast forwarded a lot of their scenes as they added no value to the story.

It felt sad that so much good material was wasted. The battles lasted maximum 5 minutes while the conversations and needless explanations took the rest of the time. Growth of characters requires them doing things; just like the saying goes "actions speak louder then words", just dialogue will not evolve a character. Even without the background of the novel, I could tell the evolution of some characters and total standstills of others.

So many anticlimactic scenes and music. The OST's were gorgeous but towards the end were chucked randomly into parts of the episodes that didn't require them. The entire time the 7devils were in MSH towards the end didn't even seem like part of this series. Most were out playing Sherlock Holmes on separate mysteries trying to solve puzzles and save the ultimate villain who already knew everything that was going on. It seemed that the screenwriter ran out of material (shocking) and had to stretch to make it 40 episodes with a lot of nonsense. For 5 episodes, I felt like I was in the game of "Clue". It was a shoddy patchwork job that deserved way better; the actors taking on these roles and the audience deserved better.

I've mentioned some actors above and I'll continue speaking about them in their character sense again (I'll speak about the actual actors later if necessary). Mu Bai who started out as bossy and a total turn off, evolved into a mature and well prepared captain. Same goes for Zhu Zhu Qing, though from the 7 devils other then Tang San, she was my 2nd favorite because of her fierceness and I liked her character's growth. Master and Headmaster along with Ma Hong Jun were also heavily favored because of their comedic reprieve and growth.

I must say episode 40 left me scratching my head but not at the cliffhanger which was expected and yet even that fell flat. There was no great battle for the championship nor a fight between Papa Tang and the Pope. The finale battle was really one dude spouting arrogant nonsense who still got his butt kicked, and the way too obvious revelation of XW being a soul beastie with a side order of Papa Tang smacking the Pope around with his hammer, twice. Tang San trying to protect XW per usual was obvious but his serious lack of surprise about her identity and his proclamation (if the subs were on point) that she was his love or lover were misplaced because it was never shown before. Even in the most dense of moments he never uttered anything save she was his younger sister. Another point off from the script, massive disconnect. I can point out many points of disconnect within the script and this show but then I'd be writing this for days.

There were many people who didn't like XW's character; personally I felt very neutral towards her. She had her good attributes (she always had TS' back, could kick some serious butt in a fight, never backed down, was willing to do whatever it took to get stronger) and she had her weaknesses (sometimes too clingy, didn't understand the simplest things, a bit too bouncy for my taste). Again most of her lackluster traits are attributed to the script because what she read, she did. Episode 39 where she and TS are in the soul beast dungeon and she basically all but said who she was and Tang San was still somewhat clueless babbling theories; really that's like scriptwriting 101 and our pal screenwriter failed. Why wait? Especially when you're not going to make it into like an abracadabra super reveal anyways? Defies logical writing and progression.

Lastly for characters and actors, I want to speak on Tang San and Xiao Zhan. It's because of Xiao Zhan (not a solo fan; multi here) that I watched this. Is his performance Oscar worthy? No. But it was the only thing with a few other characters that kept me coming back every evening for my VIP. I loved his character. Even when it was at a standstill due to the introduction of others. He put everything he knew into it and I give him praise for that. The stunts, both on wires and without were wonderful. For him, I will absolutely watch part 2 (though hopefully it won't take multiple years to get there).

I also hope--because they took such a long time to introduce the other characters--they won't throw them away in part 2. And that they follow the novel a lot closer into the second part. Nothing will ever be 100% adaptable anywhere but it should at least come to some version of close.

Lastly, I want to thank the visual effects department and CGI crew for their hard work because they truly did a fantastic job on all of their parts. My favorite part will forever be the dreamscape or interspace that TS' mother created for him. It was truly beautiful and magical. I know this international team worked hard on all of their scenes and they should not be forgotten as neither should the crew who worked in lord knows what kind of conditions and how many hours. So hats off to them. Thank you Douluo Continent for the teamwork because it does make the dream work and I'll see you all again hopefully in Part 2!

P.S. Please add at least 2 more experienced screenwriters. Much appreciated!

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Those Destined Will Go Far

This drama was on my anticipated dramas of the year list and for the most part it didn't disappoint. I wanted to see BJT in another costume drama and recognized many actors from the TBOY cast here. This must have been a great reunion for them. Those destined will indeed go far.

Pros: The first two story arcs were the most promising and held my attention as both leads and those that became their friends went through literal hell in order to survive. I really liked both leads evolution as they came together due to a misunderstanding that gradually turned into very deep love. BJT can play a lazy rich kid just as well as a military strategist. I loved the fight scenes though there were few of them. Going from one home, then to starting from scratch in a second and yet a third, it was a process we looked forward to. All characters I felt were necessary though I think for being such a ruthless antagonist, LZS didn't get that much screen time. I loved the sworn brotherhoods and sisterhoods around the leads. So it was very sad that in the final 3 episodes, QWZ was killed. Even though that was as many said, in the novel, after so much loss and destruction, this was absolutely heartbreaking and unnecessary. They could have changed that.

Sets, costumes, OSTs were perfect everywhere though I wish they didn't sub them over the lines because it made it nearly impossible to understand.

Cons: The entire palace arc being put into the last dozen episodes seemed like production was galloping to the finish line and I found much of to be too much. So much so, I skipped a few episodes. FY becoming LZS' puppet was obvious and obnoxious but him getting a semi-redemption arc when he was acting like a 12 year old with people's lives made me sick. LZS' demise also didn't seem satisfactory as this nut job killed so many people because of a total misunderstanding was pretty ridiculous. Another one with daddy issues that didn't know the truth. I just feel that these antagonists need more satisfying endings given their brutality.

Would I recommend it? Yes, I would. For 40 episodes, it had a little bit of everything so give it a go.

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The Boy Wunderkind

I was very surprised by how much I actually enjoyed this drama, even though 2 people I follow are in it and I wanted to see knowing Wu Lei was a child actor and having now seen him in many things as a young adult, was curious how he was as a teen. He met every single one of the expectations and then some for the role. I heard people hated on him at the time this was released; I'd just say they were jealous or had nothing better to do. Many actors that I've seen since in other things, seeing them here was always a pleasant surprise. Obviously, watching a 2018 drama in 2023 is an entirely different ballgame but I go into each drama with literally zero expectations even if it's an anticipated one. Call it a personal pet peeve. Xiao Yan was the boy wunderkind.

Pro: Though called an "idol drama" just for the sheer number of boy banders in it; I viewed it as just another drama. As mentioned above, WL or XY was really great in every scene of his. He was able to hit each emotion and movement on the nose. He was 17 then, 23 now and it was there when he was really angry that I saw a young Ashile Sun or Ling Bu Yi in the making. That smoldering glare of "if looks could kill or at least maim" was very impressive and on point. Am I praising him because I follow him? No. I'm an equal opportunity critic especially since I'm an author/writer myself and know how a character should express their scenes even if I haven't read the material. I know this thing was popular when it aired so obviously he did something right. His evolution was fantastic. I have to praise the author of the IP for the character itself. To go from almost no martial art skills to that of a near God in 45 episodes is impressive to say the least. Truly wish he and many others reprised their roles in the sequel though I know that's not happening. The martial arts scenes were awesome, especially as XY ascended in power.

Had many favorite secondary characters but the one he had the best banter with was Yao Chen or Yao Lo aka the psychedelic-haired genius trapped in the ring. Baron Chen was an absolute riot as him. I would have loved to see more scenes with just them two. They had the best back and forth friendship even though they were essentially Shifu and student. I lost count how many times I was cracking up at their mutual bitching or antics. This relationship was the best tension breaker when Soul Hall was getting out of control with their evil. It was like a grab and release, each and every time.

If I start listing all of the other great characters that molded so well by XY's side, we'll be here all night. But just about every character was an awesome addition, including the antagonists like the Omega (JR Ward BDB novel reference) looking Old Fan, just 86 the evil cackle which always just destroys the credibility of a villain as it makes me think of a Halloween store decoration. I had forgotten Xiao Zhan was in this one way back when he was still a new face on the block. He's one the Yan Sect pact boys I really liked, so it was a pleasant surprise to see his face on screen. Just wish they didn't poof him from 20 episodes only to return him in the last few (but I'm guessing that had more to do with his own filming schedule conflicts). Everyone XY aligned himself with like the snake tribe and its gorgeous queen was awesome. When it came to chemistry and who he was ultimately best with, in part one I couldn't tell because it seemed like Xun'er was the obvious choice and the one he got jealous over, but he played his naïveté so well, everyone's guess is good. Hopefully in part 2, they appropriately address it and have him choose just one and not 471. Head of the academy Elder Mi was more like a father figure to XY than his own father though the latter did everything in secret to protect XY. Also loved his older brothers from the desert. Just too many people to put down, but overall the support from family and acquired friends and allies was pretty outstanding.

Production itself was alright but not super tight; I was actually happy with the less is more concept. Costumes, OSTs, sets, etc were well done and believable for the time. The cliffhanger was pretty well executed even considering audiences 5 years plus are still waiting for part 2. It gave people hope instead of many that just confuse the hell out of everyone. As far as cliffhangers go, it was the best way to do it. I liked it a lot; though I wasn't a fan of Xun'er's betrayal as he's "dying." I hope she gets a crack in the head from him for that.

Cons: As many mentioned, there were plot holes in the series that never were resolved or understood. How did XY's mom stick Yao Lo and a bunch of treasures into a ring when she was so badly wounded and he was already dead? What happened to the Mo Clan after its leader was killed? How did the snake tribe know where to go during that last battle? And the student friends of XY from the academy arrived on scene after everything was cratered, just like "wifey" and her new magical beast. Did some bulletin go out to the rest of the world? Or was everyone psychic and telepathic? Where did his brothers from the desert go? How were they not found before for years but magically when XY is doing that 30 day trial underground, they poof and no clue to whether they're dead or alive. Many, many others. At a time with no limit on episodes, they could have explained a lot of this and better. Didn't like that there were a few episodes without XY at the end just so they could shove in small subplots to make room for the final battle, but it opened the door to even more questions that were never revealed. I also wish they had told him of what happened to his clan sooner, it was very anti-climactic.

Why couldn't they get rid of Han Heng before part 2 because it seemed to me like he possessed more power then even Old Fan and all he did pretty much the entire series was whine, throw his hair around like some cocky Fabio, and try to pin every problem of their lands on XY; it got old quick. How did he even know where the cave was, how to use the spatial ring, etc at the end? It just cut off any logic. The guy was a straight up douche and didn't deserve to outlive other, perhaps better even antagonists. The zombies were just undead people with eye makeup, quite lousy. The camera shook repeatedly and could be extremely noticeable. So I hope in part 2, they bring everything full circle and use better fantastical elements instead of the cheap zombie extras.

Would I recommend it? I would. And am even going to try part 2 despite the change in everything from cast to production. If you want an adventurous, fun, well moving story with great martial arts that's like a blend of wuxia and fantasy, give this a try.

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