Editorials 
1
MY CHOSEN FAMILY -- TOP SHELF MASTERPIECE
(For people who have just completed this series and are still buzzing over how much you loved it, try this song -- https://youtu.be/GTDRg5G77x4)
I have completed 39 C-Dramas. Mostly dramas and very few Idol pretty boy/pretty girl stuff. BORN TO BE ALIVE is easily in the very top of the very best. BORN stands beside the legends RUYI'S ROYAL LOVE IN THE PALACE, TO THE WONDER, BLOSSOMS SHANGHAI, SHE AND HER GIRLS and THE TALE OF ROSE.
BLOSSOMS SHANGHAI introduced me to Hu Ge. Usually when I follow an actor to a new project they're just not as good as, in this case, his Mr. Bao. Turns out his Captain Duo Jie is just as compelling. I've only seen Zhou Xun pull this off, where series after series the lead actor is always at their finest. Hu Ge now stands beside Wallace Huo in my book.
Lead actress and lead star Yang Zi is also new to me. She is twelve different flavors of terrific all rolled up into one. There's a scene where the climate got rather cold which has some of the best Chinese actress acting I've ever seen -- which is saying something considering I've witnessed remarkable performances by Zhou Xun, Crystal Lui, Ma Yi Li, and Song Jia.
The rest of this cast is wall to wall wonderful. It would take way too long to celebrate each and every choice because they're all remarkable. And since this show features an ensemble cast -- we get to spend a lot of time with them. You'll feel like you're on the patrol team by the midpoint of the series, where the story takes a big time leap.
My only real story complaint is meaningless but I can see others maybe voicing complaint -- around the midpoint the series changes genres. It's starts as an action oriented rural patrol fighting poaching and criminals -- lots of speeding cars and gunplay -- where the second part of the series is more police investigation and mysterious business dealings.
It's perfectly natural to kinda prefer the action packed first half, whereas the second half is 'less' interesting. But this criticism is only valid if you don't find interpersonal relationships interesting. If you're all about guns and action but nothing else.
Personally -- the first half of this series makes you care DEEPLY about these people and the second half features most of them -- which to me -- means it's just as interesting. You're watching one of the best ensemble casts ever and Yang Zi really carries this second half with grace and ease. The transition from patrol show to cop drama worked for me.
The other complaint I can manage is the weak Eng Subs on the YouTube version of this show. I'd gladly pay $$$ to IQiyi it but it's oddly not available in my region. Perhaps Criterion will once again save the 'Hu Ge' day and feature this series on their service, as they did with BLOSSOMS SHANGHAI. (I've been living in fear that this series will get purged just before I finished it, lol!)
These aren't real complaints, though. The on location cinematography is breathtaking. Costumes, set design, lighting, the score, the editing -- this is all Academy Award level. (Is it called Magnolia over there?)
Picky Note -- in the West, BORN TO BE ALIVE is an annoying pop song. THE TREE OF LIFE is the song featured in the end credits and a much better title for this piece. Oh, and the opening credits are a bit too dark for this series -- as well as -- the ending credits a bit too dull. But that's VERY picky.
TINY SPOILER ahead --
Another Picky Note -- Dorje's wife is written out of the second half. In such a carefully crafted series like this it feels like they were saving her for a big finish at the end. But no -- she was written OUT out, which seemed disrespectful to her character.
I have completed 39 C-Dramas. Mostly dramas and very few Idol pretty boy/pretty girl stuff. BORN TO BE ALIVE is easily in the very top of the very best. BORN stands beside the legends RUYI'S ROYAL LOVE IN THE PALACE, TO THE WONDER, BLOSSOMS SHANGHAI, SHE AND HER GIRLS and THE TALE OF ROSE.
BLOSSOMS SHANGHAI introduced me to Hu Ge. Usually when I follow an actor to a new project they're just not as good as, in this case, his Mr. Bao. Turns out his Captain Duo Jie is just as compelling. I've only seen Zhou Xun pull this off, where series after series the lead actor is always at their finest. Hu Ge now stands beside Wallace Huo in my book.
Lead actress and lead star Yang Zi is also new to me. She is twelve different flavors of terrific all rolled up into one. There's a scene where the climate got rather cold which has some of the best Chinese actress acting I've ever seen -- which is saying something considering I've witnessed remarkable performances by Zhou Xun, Crystal Lui, Ma Yi Li, and Song Jia.
The rest of this cast is wall to wall wonderful. It would take way too long to celebrate each and every choice because they're all remarkable. And since this show features an ensemble cast -- we get to spend a lot of time with them. You'll feel like you're on the patrol team by the midpoint of the series, where the story takes a big time leap.
My only real story complaint is meaningless but I can see others maybe voicing complaint -- around the midpoint the series changes genres. It's starts as an action oriented rural patrol fighting poaching and criminals -- lots of speeding cars and gunplay -- where the second part of the series is more police investigation and mysterious business dealings.
It's perfectly natural to kinda prefer the action packed first half, whereas the second half is 'less' interesting. But this criticism is only valid if you don't find interpersonal relationships interesting. If you're all about guns and action but nothing else.
Personally -- the first half of this series makes you care DEEPLY about these people and the second half features most of them -- which to me -- means it's just as interesting. You're watching one of the best ensemble casts ever and Yang Zi really carries this second half with grace and ease. The transition from patrol show to cop drama worked for me.
The other complaint I can manage is the weak Eng Subs on the YouTube version of this show. I'd gladly pay $$$ to IQiyi it but it's oddly not available in my region. Perhaps Criterion will once again save the 'Hu Ge' day and feature this series on their service, as they did with BLOSSOMS SHANGHAI. (I've been living in fear that this series will get purged just before I finished it, lol!)
These aren't real complaints, though. The on location cinematography is breathtaking. Costumes, set design, lighting, the score, the editing -- this is all Academy Award level. (Is it called Magnolia over there?)
Picky Note -- in the West, BORN TO BE ALIVE is an annoying pop song. THE TREE OF LIFE is the song featured in the end credits and a much better title for this piece. Oh, and the opening credits are a bit too dark for this series -- as well as -- the ending credits a bit too dull. But that's VERY picky.
TINY SPOILER ahead --
Another Picky Note -- Dorje's wife is written out of the second half. In such a carefully crafted series like this it feels like they were saving her for a big finish at the end. But no -- she was written OUT out, which seemed disrespectful to her character.
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