The Exorcist’s Meter (2017)

Story:  Wasn't the best thing I've ever watched, but it was consistent & made sense! And that's rare for TVB drama LOL.
It has been a while since I’ve completed a TVB drama. I’ve long forgotten when I stopped keeping up with TVB series; with all its disappointing plot, one dimensional characters and reused actors/actresses. After the Golden Years, everything just went down hill for TVB. However, it looks like things might be changing for them in the next few years. We’re seeing more and more “support” characters stepping up to main roles as well as brand new faces and more grounded plot ideas. And this drama, The Exorcist’s Meter is one of the rare gems of the end of 2017 that got me excited for 2018 TVB’s lineup.

Likeable characters, good acting, and most importantly consistent story telling! At 21 episodes with 43 minutes each, the series goes by pretty quickly. Every episode ended in such a cliff-hanger that it was so hard to refrain from clicking on the next episode! There wasn’t one dull moment. I wasn’t expecting a lot when I decided to watch this series. I thought it would be one of the one ghost per episode kinda show where they actually go and defeat ghosts, something like My Date With a Vampire. However, it turns out to be a family series and it worked; wasn’t boring (though I really wish TVB would do something like My Date With a Vampire or Vampire Experts). The show didn’t meet my expectation for a horror TV show, however it was still entertaining as a fantasy/family show(?).

The story is a simple one, though I notice that a lot of people were still confused about Ma Kwai’s supernatural power and that some deaths were unnecessary. I have to disagree. I feel like they were all important to Ma Kwai’s development as a character and there was a reason for each death. However, I don’t want to spoil anything so you just have to watch and see for yourself ;] I'll address this in the comments with spoilers warning.
 
Acting/Cast:
The characters were great! I love the interactions between Ma Kwai and Shek Gam Dong. Most of the LOL moments are from them. Ma Kwai’s taxi crush for Chi Yeuk was heart-melting, however I find it hard to root for them because Ma Kwai & Booi Booi shared a very good chemistry (>_<). I find the Ma Kwai’s taxi group very likeable, too bad there wasn’t much story on them except for the Long Mao’s arc at the end. However, if I have to pick the best relationship in this series, it would be Ma Kwai + Ma Ka Lit + Kwai Lei Fu (the noodle shop’s couple). As for the casting, I think almost everyone did a super duper job in their respective roles. There was only 1 person I had a problem with and it’s sad because I’m a big fan of her work: Mandy Wong. I feel like she was more of a supporting role than the main female lead. It could be because of the script & role she was assigned, but there wasn’t anything memorable with Chi Yeuk. That said, her other role later on in the series was much more interesting to watch though, it was too short and she could do less with the head jerking movement ^^ll All in all, this wasn’t one of her strong roles. I would like to see her play a villain in future series; it’ll be interesting. My favorite would have to be Ma Kenneth as main guy, Ma Kwai. His emotional scenes were great with King Kong & Yuen Kitty. At first I thought he looked too old to play Ma Kwai, but then I saw his smile… :D Yeah, he’s perfect.

Music:
I’m in love with the OP and ED! Especially the ED song. I tear up every time I hear it. The songs matches with the theme of the series and it really enhance the sad moments. For those who want to look up the songs:
OP: Here for a Visit" (????), sung by Hubert Wu
ED: "Out of Reach" (????), sung by Hubert Wu
Insert: "Blood-Weeping Rose" (????), sung by Jinny Ng

Rewatch Value:
For me, it’s a one time thing. The open ending left room for a season 2. I’m very interested on how they will handle season 2.  Do I recommend this series? YES.

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I really enjoyed this series. It's a light-heart comedy with a sprinkle of mysteries. The episodic cases were not that intriguing, but the way the team carries out their investigation was fun to watch. The drama tried to focus on the value of family and friendship (there were parts where it was very heart-warming), but  it kinda fizzled out near the end. The characters were all quirky and funny; very lovable. Their chemistry with one another is just amazing.

I really like the twist of having handsome guys turn to old grandpas. Seeing the grandpa doing things that young 20's something guys normally do was freaking hilarious! My favorite character would be Kang-seok (The Muscle) played by Jang Gwang. He was so adorable, cute and will make you LOL all the time!

The only fault of this show is the length. It was just too short. Given the plot & setting, I felt like they could have done much better if it was a 20 episodes series. There were holes every where with the story & characters. We were introduced to some of the characters' background, but they were never fully elaborated & one of the guys didn't even have a real background! Aside from Joon-hyuk, there was little character development for the others. Even with Joon-hyuk, I felt his changes were so sudden. It was a bit hard to believe, but eh.

This is my first time seeing Heechul act in a series. Given that he is an idol I didn't expect much from his character, but he played his part well. His character Jung-woo was pretty much similar to his idol's personality in real life.  It was not until the very end where I thought: "I would like to see more of Heechul's acting in future drama." The only complaint I have about his character is that Jung-woo was too perfect. He didn't have any flaws! He was just as smart as Joon-hyuk in solving the cases, his personality was charming and easy to get along with compared to Won-bin - who essentially was suppose to be the "charmer." When the guys were still in their young bodies, Jung-woo looked so out of place with his small, feminine frame when standing with the others.  

Anyhow, lacking as it may have been, the series was still fun to watch just for the laughs, bromance and great acting from the ajusshi.  I would give this a 7/10. If you don't care much for the lousy plot and awkward romance, then I would recommend you watch this. Watch it for the grandpas. :]

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"Come With Me" is a very unique series and I absolutely adore it! It is definitely different from the typical TVB drama and I can see why they shelved this series for 2 years. The themes of this drama are all very controversial and uncomfortable for most. The series highlight the raw truth about the unpleasant side of love, sex, marriage, family, childbirth, and parenting that people don't often talk about. Yet, it dealt with heavy, depressing subjects in such a warm, light-heart manner in which everyone can relate to. I love the courage everyone put in to making this series. I'm really glad that TVB decided to air this online.

At some point it does felt like sex education, but the way they present it was very natural and it actually complimented the story line. I don't usually watch modern TVB drama since they tend to over-dramatize things and cringe-worthy acting. However, this series was refreshingly entertaining! The casting was spot on; everyone played their role perfectly. I love all the couples in this story. The main leads had GREAT chemistry! They were very convincing as a couple and then as husband & wife.

Favorite Actors & Actresses:

I never paid much attention to Sharon Chan; probably saw a bunch of drama with her in it and never realize it, BUT she was super in her role as Lam Ching Yee. All her emotional scenes break my heart! She is truly a talented actress. I'll be looking forward to her future series. Good job Sharon!

Grace. What else can I say? She's amazing as usual. I loved her in "My Dearly Sinful Mind" and she did not disappoint in this series. Love her story with Sammy. They made a very cute couple, though I wished they flesh out that love line a bit more. It's nice to see her acting a good guy role, but I do miss evil Grace.

Eddie - hilarious. Like Sharon, I recognize him but never really paid much attention. He was so sweet throughout this series lol. I can't say for certain, but he does this thing with his eyes during emotional scenes, and boy is it powerful. He doesn't need to cry for the audience to sense his pain. Now, that's amazing. His chemistry with Sharon was so beautiful and so real.

Overall, I highly recommend this series. Great story, great acting, and great message.

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Oh gosh. Where do I even begin? This one is...watchable. The cases weren't horrible, but they weren't memorable either. To be honest the only reasons why I was able to sit through 16 episodes of this was for Song Ji-hyo & Song II-gook, and the hope of Min-joo reuniting with her dad (which the show left me utterly heartbroken but I shall not spoil anything). I was also interested in Se-hyuk's quest for the truth as well, which I'll admit, the writer did a great job hiding it and making it intriguing. Unfortunately, the big reveal was so anti-climatic. It was not epic and shocking as I had hope it would be and made me wonder: "Really? That's all you got? Really now?" It is very unfortunate because all the actors and actresses really played their roles well.Aside from the male and female leads, the rest of the crew was forgettable. Sometimes I even wonder why they're even there. Don't get me wrong, the actors and actresses were great in their roles, however their characters was just lacking. Again, lacking proper background story. Even though they are supporter characters, the writers should have given them some background story since they are all so close to the main protagonist! I mean, at least give the arch rival (Jung II-do) some background!! He's one of the mains too! Isn't he suppose to be this super smart cop? But he barely contributes to any of the cases nor the story.  They should have elaborated more on his internal conflicts and guilt, but no. Nothing but denial. While showing Se-hyuk struggling to find the truth, they should have also show Jung II-do's struggles for redemption instead of portraying him as a stuck-up boss who refuses to admit his mistake! As for the other team members...=_= The writers are cruel in their own ways (Yes, I'm talking about at you, Episode 7).Enough of that, if I rant anymore, I'll spoil everything. Should you watch this? Eh, maybe. If you have nothing better to watch or if you are a fan of Song Ji-hyo, then yes, watch it. Her acting is amazing. I truly believe that she is Jo Min-joo; totally in character. Must watch it for her emotional scenes! Overall rating of this series would be 6/10.

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For a drama with only 11 episodes, Bad Guys did not left the viewers with any "incomplete" feeling. This is one of those "no BS, no fillers" drama. Everything connects, every little details, background, and cases matter. The feeling when you finally see all the puzzle pieces connecting is just so amazing.

Bad Guys came at the viewers with one solid story and it stick to that story without going off track. Thank you for staying consistent with the story!! The actors and actresses carried out their roles perfectly - I don't know what else to say, they're so raw, so real! You'll want to rip your heart out when you see them cry, feeling happy when they get along together... ugh.. the feels are real. Great, great chemistry! Another drama to add to my Bromance list.

Overall, Bad Guys is a refreshing drama with strong plot and characters. Praise to the director, writers and producers! Please, we need more quality drama like this! As for second season, I'm having a hard time believing that they can pull it off. But that ending just threw me off and I can't help but wanting to know more! >_<

I would recommend this to everyone and anyone. It's a pretty short drama, so you'll reach the end soon without knowing it. Just hit play, sit back and enjoy one of the best crime drama you'll ever watch.

**As for rewatching ability, I gave this a 3 because of two reasons:
1) I don't usually rewatch drama/movies since I tend to remember most of it anyway
2) With thrillers like this one, the best experience is always the first one (unless it's one of those hidden messages between the lines type of drama).

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