Platinum Fox

I am so glad Tubi TV has brought these wonderful Hong Kong dramas to viewers. Even though some of the cases dragged in places the romance of the first couple was wonderful. I love Tavia. Hope more people will watch this wonderful drama.

I understand where you are coming from. However, people plead all the time for their relatives if they get in trouble. In these dramas, sons often take the blame or punishment for their fathers and vice versa. The great uncle is lucky he got exiled to the frontier as his crime was punishable by death. The whole Cheng family could have been wiped out because they are related to the uncle. By NN turning him in, she actually saved the family.

As for mom, remember she is a general. She gathers intelligence and forms a plan. When she sees that her daughter is not this dutiful, obedient girl, she has to change strategies to get to know her daughter. Niao Niao is about law, order, and justice. Mom and dad do everything in their power to get justice for NN, this includes turning in the uncle. Also, mom does talk with NN about things. Mom doesn't punish NN on a whim like LBY does with his sidekicks. For the time, the mother character is as she should be, but viewers and even the writers kinda vilify her. Plus, I would not consider NN an adult, even though she is of age to get married. She is too immature.

This drama has several running themes about parenting, love, justice, favoritism, nepotism, etc.

Thanks for the discussion and happy drama watching.

Thank you for this insight. As someone who does not watch dramas for entertainment purposes, but as cultural enlightenment, I have to ask what elements make a Chinese story a good story? In my yard are two peony plants and my neighbor has a whole row of them. It has been interesting to watch the history of the peony. Also, the metaphor of the peony and Mu Dan (all women really) is wonderful. So I can understand why the story would be a cultural treasure for the topics covered (the treatment of women and peonies).

However, even though I have watched numerous Chinese dramas, I am still baffled by what Chinese people consider a good story. There is more to a drama then just the plot itself, especially when the drama is being carried over two seasons. The two seasons must contain a sense of continuity. Love Like the Galaxy (even though the second season felt very different), all the elements from the first season carried over really well. Here I feel like I am watching an entirely different drama (not a continuation) with only the names of the characters being the same. Every element from the first season has disappeared. The male and female leads have been turned into juveniles. The "misunderstandings"arise out of silly scenarios, for example, the broken hairpin. This was a gift from Mu Dan to JCY as a thank you for saving the flowers. She stated that she gave a lot of thought to this gift, yet she entrusted it to a "servant" to deliver it? This is really juvenile writing. In the process, the hairpin gets broken creating an entirely different meaning in its giving. Again, with the relationship that the two of them have, this conversation should have taken place immediately, not forgotten about in the next episode.

Another example of juvenile writing is the death of the mother. No where in the first season is it hinted at that the mother has been poisoned. It is stated that she has been sick for long time and that only the tribute medicine will save her. Now, this guy who runs the orphanage and was JCY's servant kills the mother just because she is rich and his family died. Seriously! Just these two examples alone make the story juvenile after we had such a rich powerful story in Flourished Peony. jmo

Yes, the source is right in the drama itself, the book The End of Eternity (TEoE)by Isaac Asimov. The drama's structure follows that of TEoE. TEoE explains DJX"s job; the age gap; why the story jumps from past, to present, to future; mom and dad's way of disciplining their daughter, DJX's letter to her; etc. This novel is not in the source material. It is distinct to the drama itself. TEoE is a social commentary on the use of nuclear energy. It doesn't come right and say nuclear energy is right or wrong but cautions us to be careful with it. This drama is a very well done social commentary as it does not come right and say, the age of consent law is bad, but it gives reasons as to why 14 and 19 year olds should not be together (height and maturity level). Also, it gives reasons why 17 and 22 year olds should not be together (maturity level). When she turns 19 everything is okay as now she is considered an adult with the age of majority being 18.

There is so much more going on in this drama than just a fluffy, simple love story. Read The End of Eternity and you will understand.

I understand. Most viewers see it that way. I felt that way at first as well, but it was her acting like a child when she is 14 and 17 that made me question what they were trying to do in this drama. The scene you are referring to is actually a part of that. He begins to hide his interactions with her from her brother, why? It is a modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Love O2O is a very simple, fluffy love story. This drama goes way beyond that. jmo

I understand where you are coming from, but his character here is not the same character who was presented in Flourish Peony. In Flourished Peony he played the male version of Mu Dan. He wanted to be successful through his own merits. What does that mean? When he tried to make it on his own, his efforts were tossed aside like nothing (much like Mu Dan's). It is only when she falls under the Flower Envoy's protection is she able to flourish. Now, LC is under the protection of Prince Ning, he could spend his time making a name for himself and turning his "villain" persona around, but instead he spends his time trying to take down JCY who is also someone on Prince Ning's side. Prince Ning can't control his own faction as he has three leaders fighting among themselves. One we know is doing it to help the king, two are doing it for girls which makes each of them cliche 2nd male leads.

For me, the second season has turned into one big cliche, which is a disappoint after a wonderful season 1. I will watch the rest to see if LC's character completes his objective, but I am not hopeful.

You are not the only one to notice this about Sang Zhi. It is very intentional on the writer and director's part. I also found him going to school and pretending to be her brother strange as well. However, I saw it done in another drama and figured it was a cultural thing. Also, she is a minor when it comes to the age of majority (18), but not when it comes to the age of consent law which is 14. This drama is a social commentary on the age of consent law in China. It is not the fluffy, simple love story like Love O2O. jmo

You and many others have felt this way, but her "infantile" behavior is very intentional. Also, DJX is an adult at 19. To cast him as himself at that age is correct as most people are fully grown at that age.

For me if they hadn't turned him into a cliche 2nd male lead, especially after promising something different in Flourished Peony, his acting skills would have definitely stood out. Also, for me, even the other actors seem like they are just going through the motions as well. None of them really seem like they enjoy their characters much. Not like in Flourished Peony. I really do feel like I am watching an entirely different drama instead of a continuation of the previous season. jmo

Since this is the first and only thing that I have seen him in, I can't compare his acting to anything else. After watching Flourished Peony, I wanted to see him in other things, but now I don't really care if I watch him or not as the writers and director have turned him into a big cliche which for me kills the acting. jmo

Yes, and that bothers me as well. Something that important is completely forgotten within the next episodes. Sad.

Yes, I felt the same way. For him saving the flowers that gift of the hairpin should have been delivered in person instead of through a "servant". It was just a silly way to "break up" their relationship.

I have to agree. I feel like I am watching an entirely different drama. The wonderful themes they set up in Flourished Peony just disappeared. For me, it has turned into one great big cliche. I am waiting for Liu Chang's redemption arc, but sadly he has been turned into another 2nd male lead villain for the sake of having a villain.

Yes, and that is just one illogical scene. However, I think the wearing of the bracelet was to show JCY that MD really does care about him. Ha, ha!

I don't know where you are watching this, but it depends on the translations as to what the mother is actually saying. On Youtube mom says that she didn't have the chance to mold NN into what she should be, but instead has to discipline her to make her a productive member of society as Niao Niao is of marriageable age. We may not like how mom treats her daughter, but it is very historically accurate and even quite progressive.

Niao Niao (NN) turns in her great uncle (he is the grandmother's brother), so he is a direct family member. NN's grandmother asks her oldest son to save him because he is family. However, the uncle helped steal military weapons and then replaced them with faulty ones. The faulty military weapons were used to attempt to protect the Lone City residents from the rebels.

Blood relatives are always given first priority. However, the oldest son and his wife, being generals themselves, understand that the great uncle must pay for his crime.

Also, there are many viewers who have said that the mother is very cold towards her daughter. The mom left her in the care of Aunt Ge and the grandmother for 15 years. The two of them vowed to not discipline her or show her any love. When the mom returns, she realizes that Niao Niao is unruly, illiterate, and a schemer, just like her Aunt Ge. The best way she can show her love is to discipline her. Many people have not been happy with how she does that, but in historical times showing love to your kid was making sure they grew up to be productive members of society. In these dramas, I do not see parents hugging or kissing their grown children. They might young children, but not older ones. So this makes her appear to be cold and heartless, but in reality she is doing what is best for Niao Niao during this time period. Remember mom and NN have never met until the parents come back from the war. The mom doesn't know NN and NN doesn't know her mother very well either. They are trying to figure each other out.

Despite it's heaviness, it is such a wonderful drama. Loved every actor in it. Sis eight was the cutest.

Despite it's choppiness, I loved this drama. Full of action, romance, comedy, and life lessons.

Yes, a redemptive arc would have been nice. He did feel remorse and would have taken responsibility for his actions. However, like all the parents and teachers in this drama the only solution was transferring students.

Moving him overseas was intentional because if the father would have allowed BS to take responsibility for his actions, then it would have come out that the dad was physically abusing him. And his dad, being a congressman, couldn't have this tainting his political career. The dad does pay for Suho's medical expenses as compensation. But the larger question remains, how do you stop this type of bullying? Change the mindset of the people by having students take responsibility for their actions. jmo

Glad you enjoyed this drama and thank you for your thoughts. I understand where you are coming from and agree mom definitely felt guilty about leaving Niao Niao at home. For me, the weakest part of the drama was mom knew that grandmother and Aunt Ge favored boys. That's why Yang Yang was taken away from her and raised by her aunt. Why would she leave her daughter at home instead of the son. Also, I do wonder if mom blamed the dad for not standing up to his mother back then as well. This drama puts the blame on her, but where was the dad in all this?

Also, did you get the feeling that it was the mom who encouraged (pushed) the dad to go into the army? I caught that the last time I watched it (two weeks ago). Which for me is also very interesting.

Thank you for the discussion. Happy drama watching.