Must Watch - Indiana Jones meets Game of Thrones in Republican Era China

I was told The Lost Caverns is an archaeological drama, and after doing some research Candle In the Tomb : The Wrath of Time is the first in the series, chronologically, so I started watching it with zero expectations, and was instantly hooked. I was surprised at how good the sets, scenery, production, action and acting were. The sets and scenery, in particular, are breath-taking. The death toll has to be seen to be believed.

This show pretty much has everything entertainment wise:-
* History of 4 "Tomb Robbing" Clans in the Opening Credits
* Each clan's specialty - geomancy, traps, lock picking, animal affinity
* Super Expensive Sets for the Tombs. They look realistic!
* Traps. Lots of Traps! All Kinds! Poor Stunt Guys must have worked HARD.
* Dangerous bug critters. Numerous small ones and one Giant One. * Special "mythical" animals including "Super Chicken Phoenix" and Dig Dug Pangolins
* Zombies and a Zombie King
* Excessive dynamite use, including in "suicide vests" (not in a terrorist way).
* Michael Bay level of indiscriminate blowing up stuff before using brains and considering maybe don't blow up stuff before getting your own people out first?
* Brotherhood, followed by Game of Thrones level Betrayals, Backstabbing and lots of Death ... and viewers rooting for some people to die because we're bloodthirsty by nature, we hate them and we want them dead like mob spectators.

What I learned from the characters:-
* Handsome ML (*swoon* Vengo as Zhe Gu Shao) with skills and a tragic backstory, will eventually, slowly and surely, win over Xin Zhi Lei (Hua Ling) who is supposed to be the fierce man hater.
* Chen Yu Lou (Pan Yue Ming) acted brilliantly as the Xieling Sect leader who's trying to do the best he can for his men and his "people", yet nothing is good enough for his daddy until loads of blood has been shed.
* Luo Lao Wai (Cao Wei Yu) wow I HATED his character and was actively hoping this paragon of creating a hostile work environment and #1 sexual harasser would die so I could stop hearing his "laugh acting". Except, when he did ... I felt kind of sad.
* I won't name the other characters because it was like Game of Thrones, as SOON as I got attached to them, BAM out of nowhere, they die!! If this were a Korean drama they might have mysteriously survived but no, those types of wounds should be fatal, and the realism is appreciated.

Moral of the story: Tomb raiding is lucrative, BUT dangerous as all heck. Over 200 people must have died to the traps, the critters, the wildlife, the curse(s), the undead and the backstabbing humans infected by the deadly selfishness "treasure fever" who lose all sense of conscience and think killing other humans means a bigger share. Personally I don't think it's worth it, and maybe the high risk is WHY those tomb robbing clans are going extinct.

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Derivative script for a so-so movie that put all their budget into the action scenes.

This is one of those movies where it's best to go in and turn off your brain so you can enjoy the ride. If you don't turn off your brain, you'll realize it is one of those stories where there are super powered genetically engineered "special" kids who have been experimented on and thus have violent tendencies. One of them escapes being killed and grows up, then things happen when "the Company" finds her. This is the same old plot done many times in many other movies, like the whole Bourne Series, Hanna, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Unfortunately it fails to add anything new to it or stand out in any way so the story wasn't great.

There are 3 other places this film fails. First, it has GAPING plot holes. Many of them. Unrealistically stupid "doctors/researchers" plus ridiculously Overpowered Main Lead plus unforgivably bad employee security / army guys who are nothing more than cannon fodder. If done well, this may have worked (see Jason Bourne series). But somehow it kind of went overboard and strained all bounds of credibility. This is a pity because I really wanted to like it. Maybe it's because Korean cinema is normally so great I guess I was expecting better and ended up disappointed by the excessive Mary Sue nature of the heroine and a deus ex machina plot that leaves everything wide open for a sequel. I mean, as if the words "Part 1: Subversion" in the title weren't obvious enough.

The solution - try to turn off your brain, you'll somewhat enjoy the heroine's story and acting ... and her parents. The secondary male antagonist speaks English wonderfully, he must have had a lot of fun playing the douche bag second best experiment result. His interactions with the heroine are among the best in this movie. The action scenes are very, very well done. There's a ton of blood, a few parts seemed more like CGI video gamey, but the rest of it was hyper violent. I have no complaints about the quality of these scenes and to be honest they're the best reason to watch this movie because the rest is kind of insert "meh" emoji.

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Cute Guys, Cats and Cocktails

The headline pretty much says it all. This is a very short, fluffy, light drama with a very interesting premise. The owner of a bar has had his body switched with a cat, the same as 2 others. The cat guys run the bar while slowly trying to solve human issues from some troubled patrons, using semi super-natural means which are never fully explained.

The 3 man / cats are seriously amazingly beautiful looking human beings - I'm not sure if it's because the contact lenses give them an other-worldly look or perhaps it is just the perfection of their features and the silkiness of their skin that is undeniable. They may look human but they act like cats. This is one of the most unbelievably gorgeous male casts I've ever seen on a K-drama. Cute guys, check!

And then there's the obligatory cat scenes. Some are "fake" cat paws, but occasionally you get a real cat sitting there just looking all cute. Not sure how they managed to train the cats to act, but even sitting still cats look cute. I wanted to snuggle them all, they look warm, furry and pet able. Cats, check!

Finally there's the cocktails. They "make" them in slow motion, listing the ingredients. I don't know how they taste, but those are some gorgeous looking cocktails in terms of color and decoration. I would happily drink them. Cocktails, check!

Overall, after I finished this short drama, I picked up my cat to cuddle and was happily fantasizing that someday, some crazily handsome bartender would serve me drinks while listening to my problems. It's not groundbreaking, but I was very satisfied.

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Something different, unique and great

Discovered this series off a recommendation from AvenueX, a youtuber who blogs about C-drama. It lived up to its reputation. This is based on the true story of a woman who has decided to make a bucket list and enjoy life before her body succumbs to a hereditary degenerative disease. An old classmate who has always had a crush on her because of her prior kindness decides to join her on her journey to see China. Part slice of life and part travel blog, the story is totally unpredictable as the couple meets various people during their journey, some who help them and some who are burdens. The acting, story, cinematography and music are all stellar.

The protagonist is probably the bravest person I know for actually having the guts to put YOLO (You only live once) into action. Most of us think of this but never do it, and she did, even if she was overwhelmed and at times has no idea what she's doing. The man who accompanies her shows the meaning of being Selfless. He's pretty much that 1 in 100 million or more who would dedicate his life and efforts to helping someone he loves through thick and thin no matter what it costs him, even if he knows it will end in tragedy. Most real people could never do what either of them did. There are many themes explored that touched my heart so I would definitely recommend this short series to anyone.

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Must Watch: Awesome Game/Sports Drama Manga/Anime Live Action Adaptation

This incarnation of Hikaru No Go is the Chinese Live Action Adaptation of the wildly successful Japanese Manga and Anime of the same name. The anime was a masterpiece that pulled all my feelings out and left me emotionally gutted, so I had high expectations for the Drama and the producers succeeded beyond my wildest expectations. Let's quickly preface that I know little to nothing about Go, but lack of knowledge about the game will not impact your ability to enjoy this drama one bit.

The characters have been slightly changed from the anime and all of the changes have been improvements. The acting by the younger and older versions of our 2 rivals, Shi Guang (Hu Xian Xu) and Yu Liang (Hao Fu Shen) is fantastic. Juck Zhang who played Chu Ying (Sai in the Anime) disappears into his role, and manages to retain Chu Ying/Sai's childlike innocence, fun and adorableness which accounts for why Chu Ying/Sai was such a fan favorite, he's just kawaii/cute beyond all imagining and I know if I were a kid I would not mind having (and hugging) a friend like him. The extremely realistic special effects constantly remind us that Chu Ying is a ghostly figure not real.

This Drama gives a richness and depth to all who interacted with Shi Guang during the time of his "go" journey. His classmates and the people who helped start the Go club at his school. The teachers and other students at his Go Academy. The fat guy who messed with him at the Go Grading Preliminary qualifiers. Brush graffiti guy! The bath house masseuse! The Go Factory guys and boss! The crazy Monks! The struggles and friendships. All of those just leaped off the page and were just likeable and relatable.

The story also had themes of times changing, and the necessity to adapt and change with the times or get left behind. They showed the slow decline of Go's popularity waning over a decade as the public lost interest in a difficult game to learn or play, less tuition centers, gaming centers closing and without the new blood or something to spark interest it will become an even smaller niche hobby than chess. For the game to continue flourishing, there needs to be new blood, which needs to be trained. The baton needs to be passed on. People choose to play or quit for all kinds of real life reasons, that are fully explored in a direct yet sensitive manner.

I can't say enough good things about this show except you should watch it. The story, characters, acting, VFX, OST (listened to the ending song all the way through every episode) all are impeccably done. At the ending I understood why the original mangaka (manga author) posted that he approved of the live action adaptation, high praise indeed coming from what is probably the world's harshest critic on this topic. He was satisfied, and having finished this, I'm also satisfied that I've watched and enjoyed this masterpiece.

P.S. I would not turn down more episodes but alas the live action ended where the manga story ends so there's no more content to adapt.

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Watch it. Who wouldn't want a chance to "do-over" their life?

18 Again is based on the Zac Efron movie 17 again where a man gives up his dreams of becoming a basketball star when his high school girlfriend tells him she is pregnant with his twins. Like in the Western Movie, Hong Dae Young the main character gets a chance to become young again, (using a different plot device of some magic tea) and enrolls in his old school where his kids are studying. Unlike in the Western movie, this is a series so we get a LOT more backstory of how the parents met and what their relationship was like, also the emotional stakes are higher as revenge is less of a factor. Story wise, and acting wise, in all respects this series is way better than the movie which is its inspiration.

Hong Dae Young, the main character, does not seem like a bad man. In fact, how his customers treat him, a "mere" man who fixes their washing machines, is was downright depressing. Nobody offered him "water" except for one "special" old man who after berating him to fix a radio (which is not his job) offers to "fix" his life for him, leading to the body change. His kids lie to him all the time, he spends more time drinking than talking to his wife and that's why she wants a divorce. In the meantime his career is going nowhere since his company promotes based on nepotism, not performance. You could say when he is given the chance for a do-over, he decides to live the life he COULD have had if he had not gotten married young. Who can blame him for making that decision?

Jung Da Jung, the wife, wants to divorce him because there is no more love in their marriage. It seems time does that to people. Also she was depressed in her career as there is a lot of ageism, sexism and even discrimination against working mothers and divorced people especially in broadcast TV. Clearly she is the most skilled but it's still an issue, even in 2020. The kids also have their issues bullying, ambitions not in line with parental expectations or unstated goals. The best friend Go Deok Jin is HILARIOUS, and this series is worth it alone for the big, epic, hilarious fight scene in episode 1 featuring Mjolnir and Captain America's shield.

This is a brave series that deals with a lot of modern issues. It has its sweet moments, balanced with comedy, mega dramatic scenes and wistful profound realizations. This series is one of the best when it comes to using flashbacks as a story telling device, I've rarely seen any series employ them as beautifully. The soundtrack is wonderful and overall I enjoyed this series very much and you will too.

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Must Watch - Quality Slice of Life Coming of Age Drama with an organic love story and great acting.

This interesting drama depicts one of the most natural high school romances I've ever seen on screen. The leads have chemistry and the way their relationship develops through the high school portion feels organic and their falling in love plays out slowly and naturally. The last time I saw a relationship portrayed so honestly it felt like watching 2 real people was in the Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight Trilogy. So in this aspect the show succeeds.

The dialogue feels like it was lifted from real students. The pressure to study, get good grades, get into a good university to secure a bright future, all that is real, and all that is what every parent wants for their Child to do in order to "succeed' in life. This is how the culture in Asia really is, academic pressure, parental expectations, kids rebelling, others like He Luo (Bu Guan Jin) being frustrated at their inability to keep up and "escaping" from life using various means (Comics for FL). But then she meets the Zhang Yuan (Johnny Bai) and everything changes. He is smart, but tends to mess up his life by sacrificing himself to help complete strangers. I want to be angry at him, but I can't even ... because deep down he is a GOOD man who will stand up for justice no matter what it costs him. Such men are "keepers". His flaws and pride get worse later which leads to misunderstandings, without which there would be no drama!

The story follows a group of 6 friends, who are made up of 3 "couples". The best thing about this drama is the friendships depicted are real. They grow up together, starting in high school and we see them struggling and helping each other through tough times in life, through university and then on to the world of working for a living after. They visit each other, dvice is given whether it is needed or not, and the friend's advice usually contains shockingly profound insights. This is the kind of advice a REAL friend would give you if they really KNEW you that well. These types of scenes are so well done I ended up crying multiple times throughout this drama. Good script plus good acting means emotional resonance with the viewer.

As someone who has lived through over half the situations portrayed in this drama, I can relate maybe too well, as scenes would actually transport me to my past. The good memories have a golden glowing "summer" halo around them, and yet they are bittersweet because you can't go back to re-live them no matter how hard you try, the best you can do is see them play out in your head when you visit the places they happened, just like how this show portrays it! Everyone has experienced this to some extent. I'm guessing the ratings aren't as high as the younger people who haven't been through the stresses of "working" life probably gave the drama a lower rating for the last third, but it's extremely realistic how things played out and this left me with "the feels".

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A nice visit in a comfortable surroundings with great food and reliable friends.

This isn't going to be your normal review because the title is the feeling I get when I watch any Midnight Diner shows. Like I'm headed to somewhere nice. I wish there were a diner like this near me, where I could go indulge in midnight snack-meals, while drinking and having conversations with my friends in a comfortable, relatively safe, setting. And everyone has problems, even all the patrons at the Midnight Diner. Some are simple, others are horribly complicated or painful, sometimes both. So bad that a patron left a funeral urn at the Diner!

Throughout the movie, that urn is mentioned and becomes a sort of common thread touching on each of the personal stories featured in this movie. And there were some truly heavy issues explored. Should things get too difficult, Master is always there to provide the right kind of advice in a way that is unique, even to Japan. It's like he aced all the Psychology tests in College without even trying. He'll advise you better than a true friend could, and tell you what you NEED to hear, not what you want to hear. I wish I had a Master and Midnight Diner in my life. I cling to that hope the same way I watch the credits all the way up to the end, just to "keep" some of that Midnight Diner comforting feeling around as long as I can, because I want to, and it's such a gem of a show.

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3 reasons to watch Midnight Diner - (1) People watching (2) food porn (3) touching stories

Midnight diner Tokyo Stories Season 2 is a continuation of a people watching food porn series. Consisting of 10 episodes of roughly 20 minutes each, every week we are introduced to specific patrons of Master's Midnight Diner, each with a favorite dish, and each with their own story. This is the 5th season of the show and the emotional stakes seem to have been really stepped up this time!

I've stated to a few people that Midnight Diner is the Feels with Food show, as it seemed the goal of every episode is to make me cry. This season might have been the best at tugging at my heart strings. So many feels. It started with the game designer who was left at an orphanage ... meeting his mother at the Diner, the frustration of the horoscope (ouch, you'd be crazy not to sympathize with the guy), Marilyn's old teacher with old age problems, the adult model episode made me MAD enough to throw a cushion at the guy on the TV Screen, Kimono Instructor with sexy mystique (you can't TEACH that skill, whatever it is she has it).

The most touching story was probably the one about the film director as it gave one of the Diner's regulars a fantastic back story (pass the tissues), AND it also had a cameo by one of the recurring characters in his continuing adventures, a character who already has his own tragic back story, but I hope to see more of his story further fleshed out in future episodes. The acting in that episode is spectacular, it actually transported me back to my youth as those kind of movies were what I grew up on. Ah, Nostalgia achieved!

The food as usual, is mouth-wateringly spectacular. The look good enough to make me drool in real life, and CRAVE the food. Especially the Fried Chicken Wings, Curry Ramen and Crab Soba. More than once I started looking up where to order the dishes that Master cooks. Some are easier to find than others, but KFC is not exactly going to taste like the fried chicken wings that Master prepares. Alas, none of my nearby stores even have the more exotic ones on the menu!! After browsing a few recipes online I realized I might not be a good enough cook to attempt those (no way is hand made Soba or Udon happening and I don't know if I could do the cheese chicken cutlet), although I have succeeded in some of the simpler dishes from previous seasons (potato salad, karaage, egg sandwiches).

Watch this show for emotional catharsis, and to further your food cravings and perhaps future food preparation adventures. Oyah!

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Covens, Cabals, Conspiracy, Costumes and Compelling Characters.

If you want to watch a series that looks like it was shot with the cinematography and production values of a big budget movie, this is the one. A supernatural drama with 4 main leads (2 males and 2 females), Tientsin mystic starts with some dead bodies being fished out of a river, which becomes a huge conspiracy to kill / convert many many people even resulting in an international incident! So the plot starts slow and when it gets going there are revelations everywhere!

The acting by all 4 leads is stellar. Li Xian's portrayal of Guo De You is so convincing I became a fan instantly. Similarly the other 3 leads also embody their characters. What I loved the most is how they all interacted with each other naturally, and the women aren't stupid or hiding in the background. In fact, Gu Ying (Cici Wang) is the best fighter among them all, and kicks a lot of ass. Xiao Lan Lan (Charlene Chen) is as smart as both male leads even though Ding Mao (Zhang Ming En) has had the advantage of having studied overseas.

As previously mentioned, the production values are stellar. There are very interesting shots, and very well done underwater scenes. The way the camera pans drawing in the viewer is phenomenal. The costumes are gorgeous and unique to each character, even the supporting roles. Also, shout out to the action choreographer for the many many well shot action scenes of mass battles and underwater shenanigans.

This drama really ups the standard of what is possible even with a low budget and a short filming time. Thoroughly enjoyed it and looking forward to the sequel. Note: Tientsin Mystic Season 1 was the winner of Best Visual Effect & Best Direction at the 2018 New York Festival World Best TV & Films Competition

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Iffy casting, wonderful Tombs

The Lost Tombs is a well written installment of the Candle In the Tombs series. It starts with Fatty (Jiang Chao) and his greed embroiling Hu Ba Yi (Pang Yue Ming) in another get rich quick scheme involving possible tomb robbing in a town near the Longling Maze Grottos. Except it is a trap set by thieves and the two and gold tooth (Marc Ma) are soon in trouble until they get semi rescued by Chen Xia Zi (Wang Kui Rong). Some misadventures later they eventually cross paths with Shirley Yang (Zhang Yu Qi) and this is when the story kicks into high gear and the REAL tomb exploring starts.

The Bad. The pacing of this series is all over the place. Some parts seriously dragged and too much time was spent on inconsequential things. The CGI is a mixed bag with many totally "unconvincing" explosions.

Casting - I didn't like how they kept changing the actors playing the characters. Hu Ba Yi with mustache looks old and pudgy in this series. Thankfully his brain is still good because the body is far gone and unconvincing. Shirley was pretty but seemed coldly efficient, not feisty like the Shirley in Candle In The Tomb Jingjue. Fatty, Gold Tooth, the gangsters and the Blind Fortune teller inhabited their roles.

The Good. First, Vengo Gao as Zhe Gu Shao appears in a flashback. It is the best part of the series, getting to see a REAL tomb raider with REAL skills raiding a seriously hard tomb. That segment alone elevated this whole series as it ties back to what happened to him after the Wrath of Time and reveals his lineage. Second, when they get into the real tomb, the tomb, feng shui and traps are brilliantly written. The action is exciting and the spiders were done well.

Conclusion. If you can get past the slow beginning, and hold on until Vengo appears, you'll enjoy the rest of this good installment of the Candle In The Tomb series.

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Pliant, Floppy Cat is so chill and adorable she steals everyone's heart

I was searching for Dramas with cats and this popped up, AND it was available free on Amazon Prime. Quickly decided I'm IN. The premise is simple and straightforward but where this entire series excels is in the execution, which is beautifully done. Some parts seem like slapstick but others are beautiful, the cinematography of the steps to the mountain shrine is particularly exquisite. The music is short, and reused very often in the 20 minute slice of life episodes. Each episode ends with a 5 line Japanese Poem.

The Hero has the male version of resting bitch face, his in between eyebrow frown has him looking like he is an uber grumpy man. In nearly every scene he goes around looking like he's in a bad mood and about to pick a fight with anyone. The fact that he's jobless, poor and starving probably contribute to it. Donut lady, Cat lady, devoted servant, Master, adversary, investigator and even the mail man all do credible jobs. But the real star of the show is that cat. Not a CGI cat, it is probably one or more cats.

The cat playing Tamanajo needs an animal Oscar, NOW! She (according to the show) is an all white domestic short hair cat with pink toe beans, pink nose leather and the most gorgeous roundish almond shaped gooseberry green eyes. Sort of like the short haired version of the Fancy Feast Chinchilla Persian. Aside from the stellar looks, the cat is pliant and floppy. In many scenes, She's being held by various cast members and doesn't struggle or seem to be tense, she seems to be saying "okay human, you picked me up, that's fine, I'm just gonna chill here in your arms / lap / held in the air". It's very comforting to watch. Reminded me of my poor departed Persian who also was all DGAF about being held like a baby. Damn I miss her.

Even if one were not a cat lover, there was a scene where the cat straight crawled to the Samurai and put her head in his lap. His expression softened as this reviewer's heart just melted into a puddle of "aww, that's so sweet". There is no way, and I mean ZERO way to resist that kitty's charms. I epic failed as much as the characters in the show. I mean, I want her, or a cat with her personality. If only I could read Japanese and ask the Production team whether the kitty from the series has been adopted yet or not, because I would take really good care of that irresistible cat. Gimme!!

This series is short, and will be finished in no time. It looks like I'll have to start with Season 2 since I need more Samurai with that cat.

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The end was so good I couldn't help but rate this a 10/10 for capturing Nostalgia perfectly.

We all have that time in our lives when we had great friends that we saw all the time and thought we knew REALLY well. Friends you could tease, talk seriously with, who would cheer you up, support you and help you through the hard times. The ones who understand you well enough to drink with you without saying much else, just because they know that's what you need at that time. Reply 1988 has not one but TWO such friend groups - one involving the parents and the other consisting of their kids.

Initially it moved slowly and took its time developing the characters, outlining the situation and letting things come to a boil. Once it got moving, it was great. It's a mantra to parenting, pressure, has a healthy dose of pop culture and music. At the very first episode I burst out laughing because I had Deok Sun's hairstyle when I was a teenager, and my mom had the amma's perm hairstyle. That was 1988 all right. Slowly we got invested in all the characters. I hated the goat sounds for the funny bits, I felt that wasn't needed.

All was on pace for a 9.5 rating until the final 2 episodes reduced me to a pile of blubbering happy-sad tears and then I couldn't help giving this 10/10. It's pretty much flawless in evoking the feelings and sentiments. Now I have a heartfelt wish to go back to my teenage years and visit my friends from those days, friends I can no longer locate or get in contact with because of geographical and other issues.

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Come contemplate Cute Guys, Cats, Compelling Stories, Cocktails and Catherapy

This is the second season follow up to Taste of Cat, the 4 episodes that started this. It follows three cats transformed into humans. They live with their new Butler, a man who has taken over the bar from the previous butler, but is drowning in debt. The cat guys decide to run the bar, offering cocktail Catherapy to troubled patrons. It has everything season 1 had, but bigger AND better.

Cute guys, check! The same actors return to play 3 man / cats, why replace those amazingly beautiful looking men? Looking at them makes me all languid and I feel like if they petted me I would start purring. Mrrroowwww. Let's face it, if anyone that good looking wanted to date me, I would be ALL IN. Alas, I'm already taken.

Cats and Compelling Stories, Check! Relationships seem to be a main theme in Season 2 - all the stories are MUCH better with higher emotional stakes as we get the backstory of each of the 3 cats. This time you get to SEE the actual cats. My god the fluffy white one is to die for!! How can anyone get anything done with those cute fluffy kitties around them? I'd be petting and playing with them for hours. In some episodes, the kitties meet their previous humans. I may have teared up a few times as some were situations most of us can relate to. There's one of jealousy, one featuring unrequited love and a person's self worth, a third about the loss of a "spark" after many years of being together. Familiar, sad and very common. All the stories were dealt with very well.

Cocktails, Check! They seem to have upped the stake on cocktails. As a real aficionado, I had not heard of Aviation or Blue Moon from Season 1. However I HAVE had Irish Coffee and Rusty Nail from Season 2! I am also looking forward to trying the Velvet Hammer. It does sound like a drink that tastes good and will get you "hammered" drunk. Beware!

Finally, Catherapy, Check! There are various human to cat interactions portrayed in this show. They demonstrate how much cats are a part of the owner's life, and what happens when a cat goes missing. We take it for granted, but if we've had a bad day and kitty comes over to stare at you, and make muffins on your body, things DO get better. Cats are therapeutic, even when seen on a screen. That's probably why Cat Videos are so popular. Catherapy!

Overall, I loved this more than Taste of Cat. If you do watch it, make sure to watch the credits as they show cartoons of the cats in their previous life, which adds to the story. There are unresolved stories, and more stories to tell so please, give us Season 3!

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Return to form, better stories with higher stakes.

In Midnight Diner Tokyo stories, we continue to watch Master and how he interacts with the patrons of his diner while serving them delicious food, as they go through their lives. This season is better than Season 3 of Midnight Diner, as they seem to have ramped up the plot and stakes, storytelling wise.

We get to take a look at possible adultery, adult films (with fan favorite Mr. "Erect" Oki!!), government redevelopment for the Olympics, cross country romance, career slumps and how 2 characters deal with them differently and hope with sweaters. Even with the feel good fantastically tasty looking food factor to comfort us, some of these were hard on the heart.

Not going to lie, the sweater episode destroyed me a little inside, because there ARE people who will pour their hearts into crafts that are then given away to others who don't appreciate the craft (or the person). It kills a piece of you when that happens. I'm glad this was explored in the episode, and this episode alone justifies the 8.5 rating. It's not perfect, but it's a series worth watching.

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