It's awesome, just watch it. And while the payoff of most shows depend on the whole story and ending, this show you can just watch for the laughs in each episode.
It doesn't even need a coherent plot. Though so far (ep8) underneath all the silliness, there actually is a consistent plot line.
The good news is that if you liked this show. There are 2 more shows you'll like even better 😃. I recommend you watch Sword Snow Stride first, then Joy of Life. They are from the same screenwriter and has a similar vibe but even better execution compared to Young Blood 1&2.
Both of these excel at depicting a fleshed-out world with dimensional and intriguing characters. The plot twists are revealed in a way that's even more integral to the story and with the proper buildup and pacing. And best of all, there is plenty of humor (especially JOL) delivered by veteran actors.
Though unlike YB, where the story revolves around a team of main characters, SSS and JoL is much more focused on the journey of the ML. Though if you liked Yuan Zhongxin, the MLs dials up the 'good-hearted rogue' character even more. And there is still camaraderie between the ML and his team of funny/intriguing support characters.
In the quantum sense, yes anything is possible. But practically speaking, it's extremely unlikely as it's intended to be the conclusion of the story. And one of the good things about Cdramas is that they don't drag shows out into infinite future seasons.
I understand How LLH felt at the end of the drama He lost everything he used to know and hold dear to his heart,…
I think this is perfectly reasonable route for this story, though I think the buildup and execution could be improved as it was very abrupt and wasn't wholly congruent with the episodes leading up to it.
There was also many perfectly reasonable ways to end the shows on a happier note that still preserves the theme of the story (letting go, etc.) and resolves the tensions (emperor issue, poison issue, quitting Jianghu issue, etc.).
Douban 8+ is indeed a really good rating. The highest Douban score for 2023 YTD was 9.4 for The Long Season.
I think Douban rating reflect the sentiment of Chinese natives or those who are linguistically/culturally fluent, with a broader age range. Most idol dramas languish in the 4.0-7.0 range as they are derivative and the audience have an idea of what exceptional shows should look like. 8+ is considered a very good rating as unfortunately the 8+, 9+ shows have become scarce in recent years.
There's still manipulation and upvoting/downvoting campaigns, but generally I find it a much better indicator than MDL. Where there is significant overrating on Douban is actually for foreign (US) dramas. It mirrors the overrating situation on MDL--because Chinese audiences also like the novelty of foreign shows and have less cultural acumen to be very stringent on quality. So a you have the likes of 2 Broke Girls rated 9.1, the same level as Breaking Bad, and much higher than most Chinese shows.
In many ways the lack of cultural fluency is also a gift, as it allows MDLers to enjoy many shows that natives find bland or trope-filled. Though that creates a situation where even the worst shows get avg rating of 7+ here. Older shows and culturally inaccessible shows are underrated, and there's little numerical differentiation between shows of varying quality in the top range.
This drama is great but there is something that just bothers me.How was ShiQing able to obtain the image during…
I don't remember too clearly, but I think the image was uploaded to a cloud drive in the previous loop, and accessed for the final reset. If the upload time was before the start of final loop, I suppose there wouldn't be a direct contradiction.
I was surprised you picked it up against since you didn’t like it from the start. It has to follow history so…
Oh I see. I can see some merit to this policy as I'm sure many show would have no problem trampling all over history just to make money from shock value. At the same time, this could get really restrictive and hamper creativity.
Makes me kinda wonder about the Longest Day in Chang'an ending and whether this played a role.
Not sure how you came to this conclusion from the books or the show, if you actually read or watched at all. So much for defending authoritarianism and inhumanity when Book 1 literally puts the ghastly insanity of Cultural Revolution on full gory display. It's also written as the genesis of Ye Wenjie's pivotal decision to betray the location of Earth.
If you want to get really political about it, a far more reasonable reading would be that Liu Cixin wrote his magma opus on the anniversary of Cultural Revolution, and indicted CR for the destruction of humanity. And in the sequels, he repeated reflects on the destructive capacity of being too authoritarian alongside the sobering reminder that in desperate times some authoritarianism is needed for survival. So much for being a groveling misanthrope.
Does that mean his political views will completely align with yours? Or that he will go out of his way to put himself in political crosshairs? Of course not. But by having the courage to enshrine the Cultural Revolution in the Three Body Problem he will have already have done infinitely more for humanity and justice than a hate review on a book you didn't read, about a human being you don't know, regarding subjects you don't understand, using the time/effort you didn't invest.
If anything, your moral grandstanding is just perfect for authoritarianism. Go join the cultural revolution, you will feel right at home.
On ep7 and I'm actually liking S2 quite a bit. S2 may not have begun with as much humor as S1, but many aspects have improved. The acting is much better for both the younger actors, and older supporting actors. Production quality is better and I like the serious color grading to match the serious tone of the drama.
If you are nostalgic about the funny moments from early S1, it's not there yet but rumored to be coming in later episodes. If you finished S1 recently and is a little hesitant due to the limping finish in S1, definitely give this a shot.
IMO the best thing for me in S2 is that they quickly put the story back on solid footing.
I can't help but keep going back to all of CY's crying scenes - he plays tortured characters so well! I came across…
To be fair, it might have been an upgrade. Even machine dictation might be more compelling and doesn't come with the permanent 'Droopy' (from Enigma) look.
CDL should get best supporting actress award for minimizing her own appearances in the show--addition by subtraction. I kid, I kid, she wasn't awful but also didn't bring much dimension or presence with her role.
I personally loved season 2 more than most people, I don't know, it made me love the characters and dynamics and…
You are not alone. Having just watched YB1, I'm more relieved that the beginning of YB2 is much improved over the end of last season and less focused on its lack of early YB1 humor.
Do keep in mind JOL *is* comedy first and drama second. It's definitely one of the funniest shows the last 5-10 years. But if you are not Chinese speaker, I can easily see how the humor will fail to resonate as most of it is based on puns or cultural references, the physical humor that's cross-cultural is a smaller part.
From the start, the screenwriter Wang Juan is telling you in his signature humor style to not take it too seriously, this is not NIF nor intended to be. The plot twists and political stratagems are there for variety, depth, and excitement. But make no mistake about it, it's the humor that provides the lubricant to keep the whole show running.
Sword Snow Stride is another example, where the humor is the essential component of the show.
Now if you are Chinese speaker, then I'd actually be curious about your comedy list, as they would be top tier.
This is not intended in any way to be an attack. I actually appreciate your rigorous review of shows, unlike the prevailing trend on this site of overrating every garbage drama.
5 
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1 
It doesn't even need a coherent plot. Though so far (ep8) underneath all the silliness, there actually is a consistent plot line.
Both of these excel at depicting a fleshed-out world with dimensional and intriguing characters. The plot twists are revealed in a way that's even more integral to the story and with the proper buildup and pacing. And best of all, there is plenty of humor (especially JOL) delivered by veteran actors.
Though unlike YB, where the story revolves around a team of main characters, SSS and JoL is much more focused on the journey of the ML. Though if you liked Yuan Zhongxin, the MLs dials up the 'good-hearted rogue' character even more. And there is still camaraderie between the ML and his team of funny/intriguing support characters.
There was also many perfectly reasonable ways to end the shows on a happier note that still preserves the theme of the story (letting go, etc.) and resolves the tensions (emperor issue, poison issue, quitting Jianghu issue, etc.).
There's still manipulation and upvoting/downvoting campaigns, but generally I find it a much better indicator than MDL. Where there is significant overrating on Douban is actually for foreign (US) dramas. It mirrors the overrating situation on MDL--because Chinese audiences also like the novelty of foreign shows and have less cultural acumen to be very stringent on quality. So a you have the likes of 2 Broke Girls rated 9.1, the same level as Breaking Bad, and much higher than most Chinese shows.
In many ways the lack of cultural fluency is also a gift, as it allows MDLers to enjoy many shows that natives find bland or trope-filled. Though that creates a situation where even the worst shows get avg rating of 7+ here. Older shows and culturally inaccessible shows are underrated, and there's little numerical differentiation between shows of varying quality in the top range.
Makes me kinda wonder about the Longest Day in Chang'an ending and whether this played a role.
If you want to get really political about it, a far more reasonable reading would be that Liu Cixin wrote his magma opus on the anniversary of Cultural Revolution, and indicted CR for the destruction of humanity. And in the sequels, he repeated reflects on the destructive capacity of being too authoritarian alongside the sobering reminder that in desperate times some authoritarianism is needed for survival. So much for being a groveling misanthrope.
Does that mean his political views will completely align with yours? Or that he will go out of his way to put himself in political crosshairs? Of course not. But by having the courage to enshrine the Cultural Revolution in the Three Body Problem he will have already have done infinitely more for humanity and justice than a hate review on a book you didn't read, about a human being you don't know, regarding subjects you don't understand, using the time/effort you didn't invest.
If anything, your moral grandstanding is just perfect for authoritarianism. Go join the cultural revolution, you will feel right at home.
Correction, a bit of romance, but it takes a backseat to a lot of other things.
If you are nostalgic about the funny moments from early S1, it's not there yet but rumored to be coming in later episodes. If you finished S1 recently and is a little hesitant due to the limping finish in S1, definitely give this a shot.
IMO the best thing for me in S2 is that they quickly put the story back on solid footing.
CDL should get best supporting actress award for minimizing her own appearances in the show--addition by subtraction. I kid, I kid, she wasn't awful but also didn't bring much dimension or presence with her role.
From the start, the screenwriter Wang Juan is telling you in his signature humor style to not take it too seriously, this is not NIF nor intended to be. The plot twists and political stratagems are there for variety, depth, and excitement. But make no mistake about it, it's the humor that provides the lubricant to keep the whole show running.
Sword Snow Stride is another example, where the humor is the essential component of the show.
Now if you are Chinese speaker, then I'd actually be curious about your comedy list, as they would be top tier.
This is not intended in any way to be an attack. I actually appreciate your rigorous review of shows, unlike the prevailing trend on this site of overrating every garbage drama.