Aya

Just finished episode 9 and I just have to say that Chen Du Ling and Tang Xiao Tian have a lot of on screen chemistry. Chen Du Ling and Zhou Yi Ran's chemistry is sweet and warm and I can't help but smile at their interactions together, but her chemistry with Tang Xiao Tian is electric. And that's just from a few scenes that they share together. I would definitely watch a drama with the two of them as main leads.

This was definitely entertaining. It's dark and sinister, but not outright horror. It's visually impressive and the story stays focused. The character development does suffer a bit from the shorter number of episodes, but that was to be expected when you only have 8 episodes to tell a story. Overall, I really enjoyed it.

I was really looking forward to watching this and I ended up really enjoying it. While it has its slow moments and some seemingly unnecessary characters, overall the story is interesting and so are the characters.

I always enjoy the performance of Bai Lu and Cheng Lei, because I find that they are both very good at making their characters endearing. It doesn't take long for you to care about their characters. And this drama is no exception. Within the first few episodes, I was already fully invested in their story and interested in how their characters were going to develop.

Admittedly, there were also plenty of characters where that didn't happen. Most notably, Mo Jing Li. I'm not sure if it was the performance or the way the character was written, but I was completely uninterested in him. Sadly, the character did have potential, but it was just never realized. Ye Ying also ended up a disappointing character, while arguably she probably had the most potential for growth.

This drama is definitely fittingly darker, both in terms of story and visuals than TBOY and DY. While I liked the story, it did have a bit of a repetitive aspect. I wasn't bothered by that too much, because it seemed logical that Dark River would encounter a lot of obstacles on their way to the other shore, but it did impact the pacing.

There are a lot of likable characters. Personally, Su Chang He and Su Zhe stole the show for me. The characters themselves were interesting, but the actors also did a very good job portraying the characters. Chang Hua Sen and Qiao Zhen Yu also had the strongest screen presence and caught my eye whenever either of them were on screen. In comparison Gong Jun doesn't have a very strong screen presence. Su Mu Yu is also a very straightforward character who could have benefited from a more charismatic actor. I'm not going to go as far as to say that he did a horrible job, but he did seem miscast. I liked Bai He Huai as a character, but the romance with Su Mu Yu seemed kind of unnecessary. On top of that, the two didn't share a shred of chemistry, so a lot of their scenes seemed boring rather than heartwarming. I did like the relationships between all the younger members of Dark River. They seemed more like an actual family than the old Dark River and understandably wanted to change the fate of their sect.

All in all, I did enjoy this drama. It's a nice addition to the existing stories.

That's too bad, but endings are important and 40 episodes is a lot if you're sure that you won't be able to enjoy it because of the ending.

Episode 40 ends with a hopeful OE. There's an additional 6 minute episode with an alternate HE.

It's really going to depend on what you expect. There were definitely some slower moments along the way in the last 20 episodes. There are two endings. Episode 40 is a hopeful OE. Episode 41 is an alternate HE.

This drama definitely didn't disappoint. There was something very moving about it that I initially didn't anticipate. He Si Mu is the standout character for me in this drama. Dilraba portrayed the strong and proud sovereign and the lonely and weary woman perfectly. The contrast between He Si Mu and Duan Xu was one of the most interesting aspects in this drama. He Si Mu lives her life as if time has stopped and basically has no meaning for her. She exists, but is not really living. Duan Xu on the other hand is blazing through life as if he's in a hurry to finish it, but at the same time he's trying his hardest to live it. Together, they both make the world a much more wonderful place to live in for the other after all the misfortunes they both have endured in the past.

I really enjoyed this drama.

He Si Mu should have gotten rid of Yan Ke a long time ago. Everyone, including her, has been aware of his feelings for her for 300 years. On top of that, she's fully aware that his feelings for her are not love, but another manifestation of the obsession that gave birth to him, which is an unquenchable thirst for power. Seeing as all spirits can never fully suppress or control their obsessions, no matter how firmly she rejected him over and over again, it would only deepen his obsession. It's actually a wonder that he didn't go berserk sooner.

Chen Ying is going to grow up into a romantic soul, isn't he? The way he lights up every time either Si Mu or Duan Xu says they like the other is just too precious for words.

This is a drama that went on my PTW list as soon as it was announced, because I love this director's aesthetic sense and the darker edge of the stories he likes to craft.

So obviously, visually there are no complaints. It's a gorgeous drama all around: beautiful costumes and sets, nice CGI, gorgeous OST and a visually pleasing cast.

The core of the story is simple and while some twists and turns make it a bit more mysterious and complicated, it's not very difficult to follow. Admittedly, once time travel is involved to solve issues, you sometimes end up creating more problems than you solve. That being said, I had no problems with the result. I actually liked the ending. It was an emotional roller coaster, but there was something beautifully calming about that ending.

The thing I liked the most about this drama are the characters. GJM crafts beautiful worlds and populates them with a multitude of interesting characters. This drama is no exception. There were so many interesting and memorable characters to follow and each had a story of their own to tell.

All in all, I really enjoyed watching this.

I have also always thought she's much better at villain roles.

I'm skipping TH's scenes. Going through it once was enough. I was never able to watch her again in any of the rewatches.

It's always funny to me how LSS gives advice to PR about love while being oblivious herself.

The chemistry between the characters in this drama is amazing and not only the FL and ML, but all types of relationships. This episode is the start of the friendship between LSS and PR and I'm loving the sibling dynamic.

Another memorable episode.

I'd say she did not. I wouldn't wish that kind of fate on my worst enemy.

Everyone seems to expect TTJ to just accept humiliation and bullying with a smile on his face. The moment he fights back, he's branded a monster. LSS is guilty of this as well, but she's the only one with a justifiable reason, because the moment he shows his claws, she flashes back to all the trauma she has suffered at his hands 500 years in the future.

A lot of memorable scenes in this episode.

YQY acts all strict and tough, but turns into a puddle when he sees PR.