Nepeta 22

A new face? Maybe on XHS. This actor is no spring chicken. He's been around and I'm a bit surprised to see him pop up here.

In China he is known to be a good actor. Here he is playing a stock 2 dimensional role and it's really not that special.

I gave my reason further up but I don't want to keep repeating it as it will not be fair to ML and his supporters. Knowing how rabid some are, it's best to only say it once. The issue is the overuse of similar set up on ML's character, and his interpretation of it.

Also a section of watchers have seen many of these tropes with ML characters, so they want to paint an alternative fantasy due to this. It's really not deep. They don't necessarily watch a drama as a whole. They just pick off bits to cut & rave on about.

It's just a form of fantasy and escapism. Therefore they just use certain types of characters and just insert themselves in and FL is just a vessel.

This silly storyline is dreamt up by the novel writers. As you say who does that? Probably no one. She's probably fantasising too much or read too many crime stories about morbid trophies of past crimes. This type of storyline goes too far into the ridiculous. It's done to create fear and tension for watchers, but it's inadvertently glamourised obsession and a section of watchers want this sort of love. It's a kind of sick fantasy.

I will say something controversial here. In my opinion, the ML's acting is just not up to standard to convey those trapped emotions. His blank eyes devoid of depth and his stiff posture makes him very self aware in a negative way. Often he comes across like a mopey naval gazing self pitying teenager. His reactions around FL seems cold more than affectionate. When he is affectionate, those eyes still seem blank and lacklustre.

Up against a bubbly and caring FL, this is quite taxing to watch. It is a difficult role he is playing but he has not shown a depth needed, and when you see this, you feel deeply sorry for the FL because you feel she deserves better. The SML doesn't need to even do much. That is how I see it.

Some sections of watchers want to fantasise, and they want confident assertive people because they want to be swept off their feet. They are not really watching the drama 'whole' which is why they end up doing all kinds of CPs. Morals are out of the window so no point in telling them how he's all evil, they don't care about that...

You still don't get it. That is how you stretch a simple story out. He'll be buzzing around to annoy & stress you.

It's a tried and tested formula. Usually a springboard for new or emerging actor. Not sure how or why Dai Xu ended up here though. Maybe the theme is architecture & they need some credible more maturer male characters.

As someone says it's just superficial looks. Nothing deep. Really. Wait till you see My Queen, My Rules, it's going to be even worse there. The ML & SML roles reverse compared with this drama & the story will cause viewers to ship like mad. The ML will be the hard rich CEO. SML will be the pauper brother with nothing...that's idol romance for you!

And the whole idea is to to that. Get engagement. In China, CPs is an industry within itself & the promotions on this drama on stage plays up to that. It's not that deep. People love subverting things. In Fireworks of your heart, a massive group pushed Wei Da Xun's character with FL, and BTW he is her step brother!

Stop doing the whys? The writer clearly did that to showcase the clear difference between a ML & SML. It's simple. It's now just a case of blurring the lines like being trapped or lashing out but unable to know why. It's done like that to make FL look more confused but in this drama the gap is clear.

These people exit. I know someone who has hidden their own divorce from their parents. Even going so far including their child to conceal this lie to her parents. The reasoning is to not hurt her parents because she doesn't want to face their reaction and the worry.. I don't agree with it but what can you do? I just wanted you to know pressures and low self confidence can do this too you. Especially so if society pressures expect a picture perfect façade.

Something must have gone wrong whilst watching. The story is meant to steer you towards SML😉?

Hello, I just want to let you know apparently in the book it was even worst. This storyline had been dialled down. But yes very painful to watch.

Do you know what? Your review is more entertaining than the drama itself. It confirmed what knew all along. Lazy uninventive writing just uses classic tittle tattle dressed up in historic costume to drag a drama past 30 episodes. The writers are just borrowing what they read and see on Weibo in any given day and transported all that bitching and back biting into a historic romance except they get so carried away they forget it's a romance drama after all. Everyone is evil or has an ulterior motive. They forgot realism and think every historic household or royal family can ever have nice people. It's just a soap opera in the worst possible way.

I haven't seen those 2 dramas yet. Too many dramas for me to watch!

He he... Thanks. Just to warn you it's not a strong romance drama but there are elements of romance in there. Has a very decent Douban rating of 7.9. I personally loved it.

If you like that sort of thing I recommend Spy Game. It's a really good drama and may even get a second season.

I think you need to get off Weibo. Comments like yours make fandoms look bad. It's time to just watch a drama and minimise all the noise outside. You make it more miserable for yourself.

It's because of 2 things. They are driven by hormones and no longer watching a drama for what it is. This happens a lot. A core portion watch dramas with emotional baggage, and that's not unusual.

Secondly, there has been a big drive to reverse decades of equality with many rightwing views creeping into all areas such as women's roles and the growing voice of women speaking out.

In mainstream (often western) media and films we suddenly see female characters lifted from the past and re-made to let others know women want to stay at home, have babies and do the housework only. They don't want go to work. It's no longer interesting or inspirational. An example of this is the glamourisation of the mini series Mrs America.

Then the slow drip drip effect of re-using the word 'woke' and turning it into something negative when the original usage was for a far different reason. Women have been the best useful tool. It's always better women judge women rather than men judge women. The band of 'acceptance' of women grows narrower by the day. But note one thing, the judgement of men is not so narrow.

This Thriving Land is very watchable and never draggy. Minning Town has parts I felt dwelled on too long and areas I felt should have shown more of never happened. I guess no drama is super perfect. But both in my opinion worth the watch. Unfortunately some of the latest dramas seem to all merge into a similar plots and similar set up. Let's hope the standards pick up later on in the year!

I have only watched 3 episodes of this and have put it on hold. I'm not sure about the dynamics and the over-the-top antics of the ML's character. The comedy is too much and seldom settles down. It's very frenetic and busy.

This drama is very much similar to Minning Town set up whereas This Thriving Land is just about a village in Shandong and is spanning a long period that covers the period of republican through the civil war to communist China.

I personally recommend This Thriving Land. It's like a long soap opera but deals with a lot of subjects. A lot of care had been researched into farming practice and the folklore passed down through generations. Gives a glimpse into the structure of rural life and the hierarchy system within the village, such as land control and sale. But it depends on what you like. If you like reform & planning and retro stuff, then Minning Town is the one.

I fear this whole drama may be set on this island! I'm not completely complaining though. I love the architecture, the light levels, the plants... Even sadly against such horrible oppression.