Stone Pony

it's the reason I check out the message boards - can't go through the pain!

a big factor on why I haven't finished many of them.

that's fine - we all have those we like or don't. ;)

For me, The Prisoner of Beauty pulled that off. JMO.

Agree. I don't want to rag on historical C-dramas but they don't seem to know how to plot a story over time and achieve a satisfying payoff. It's rare to see a series end and you go "wow, so satisfying!"

Even The Double flubbed that up with the last minute war, death, is he really alive? time jump malarkey in the last ep.

We're seeing it in this drama - what a compelling backstory the FL had! What a spooky mystery! And here we are with superfluous characters coming in halfway just to add 'drama' to the story with "are they dead or are they not dead?" storylines.

The over the top scenarios you described is exactly what A Dream Within a Dream mocked/satirized and some viewers who didn't get it were "wHeRe Is tHE rOmAnCE? WHy iS FL sUspIcOUs oF ML?" I was shaking my head.

I just compiled a list of my fav vertical dramas so I'd have a list I could go back to that don't have the things you mention because 90% of them do (grape drug, non consensual, SA, workplace violence) that I simply don't want to watch.

haha agree! Interestingly enough Wang Xing Yue was so hot as Duke Su, but when I saw him later in The Wanted Detective he didn't do it for me. Which really speaks of how a director can get a performance from an actor.

Bringing in someone halfway and killing them off so quickly was at worst, confusing, and at best, senseless.

so it's Noble Idiocy.

I agree. I think the ML is doing well; FL is okay. But when together. while I feel the caring I don't feel the passion. This is no Duke Su and Xue Fang Fei (the Double) fire happening here where one look across the room and you wonder if the FL just got pregnant LOL

For me the biggest strike against him is that he has learned nothing. He didn't listen to FL and what SHE wanted (typical male C-drama character). He seems to have no regret for the deaths that happened bc of signing the paper and has done nothing to atone for what he did. For example, FL goes to every household that helped pay for the bodies of the seven and rewards them. He's not become a better person from his experiences and is still ME-ME-ME!

It's a cheap trick. Character introduced and within 5 (?) eps killed by an enemy you could see a mile away? The strength of the show is in the female lead's journey and mystery; the political stuff is typical C-drama and doesn't break any new ground.

Lingyun would have had a maid 100% loyal to her not some stray girl kicked out of a kingdom who needed a job.

Unfortunately I've noticed that at 20 eps, too many C-dramas suddenly stop making sense. I've put the show on viewing hiatus until it wraps up. I think the mountain mystery and the female character is fascinating, and I respect that they at least didn't cure male lead's legs in one episode, but the last 8 eps have been scattershot.

Agree. None of that arc made sense.

70 episodes! :crying:

just a guess but it sounds like a chatgpt app thing.

If you are US using IQ you'll only find it when watching on your phone. Look for it under Vertical Dramas. That option is not available on the TV app.

well, I guess you haven't read my reviews. I stated this had to do with the plot, not the actress. If the plot sucks, well it sucks. Don't blame me.

It's like they stick the label on and expect us to ignore all their dumb moves.

thank you so much!