After watching all the 36 episodes, I can understand why Overlord has its fair share of negative reviews. I think it starts off well with a refreshing storyline but the screenwriters failed to carry that through to the end. So, from Episode 21 onwards, the plot moves back to the usual palace power plays and jealous third parties. Whether that could retain your interest would really depend on your appetite for evil schemes of palace officials, concubines, and love rivals.

Plot Lost Its Shine (Spoilers Alert!)
Personally, the second half of the drama is a letdown as it reverts back to being the usual fare. There is some surprise in the unmasking of the real mastermind behind all the bad deeds but apart from that, there is nothing inspiring in the later plot. Certain things are also not properly explained such as Qing Liu’s dizzy spells with the opposite sex and Ao Yi’s father’s death.

I think the revelation that Qing Liu is a prince is where the whole plot starts to lose its shine. The drama starts off with him being a merchant and to suddenly transform him into a prince just leads viewers down a predictable path of palace politics. Furthermore, with only half of the story left to be told, the palace power plays doesn’t have a strong plot development to give it more depth. Hence, viewers are given a superficial tale of the royal court affairs compared to dramas with a focus on palace intrigues.

The ending itself is acceptable but it doesn’t leave me with a truly satisfying feeling either. The way the bad guy is defeated feels like an anti-climax. The time jump towards the very end just seems like a lazy way to finish up the drama. It feels forced as they wrap things up for the required happy ending. Well, the good thing is, at least, there is no ambiguity whatsoever unlike the ending in Dance Of The Phoenix and Love Of Thousand Years.

Slow Burn Romance
Overlord is not a romance-heavy drama which means it could be really boring for those who want more skinship and romantic moments. By the time they are sure of their feelings for each other and express them, they already have to separate due to unforeseen circumstances. Well, the love is there and the viewers know it. But the couple also tends to bicker especially in the initial stages of the relationship. It takes a while for them to acknowledge their feelings for each other which is very different from dramas like General’s Lady whereby the love is recognized early.

I guess whether you would enjoy Qing Liu and Ao Yi’s love story would depend on your liking for slow burn type of romance with under the surface feelings. So, if you expect a more expressive male lead and an intense romance, Overlord is not the right drama to watch.

Can’t Feel The Chemistry
To be honest, I can’t feel the lover’s vibe between the two leads. Perhaps I’m spoilt after watching Bai Lu with Leo Luo in Love Is Sweet whereby their chemistry is off-the-charts. It is not that Bai Lu’s and Leon Lai’s acting is bad in Overlord as they do fit their roles well enough. Bai Lu gives Ao Yi a thuggish look with the right amount of swag as a gang leader. Leon Lai’s portrayal of Qing Liu is also right on the dot for me as a reserved and stoic man.

I think where the 2 leads fail in the romance department is that their chemistry remains stuck in the bickering stage and they couldn’t raise the bar as their relationship progresses. It has nothing to do with the lack of smooches although some viewers might think more skinship will give off better chemistry between the leads. It is not necessarily so as Allen Ren and Seven Tan pulled it off very well in Under The Power which is a 55-episode drama with hardly any kisses. In Overlord, something is just missing in the couple that I can’t feel the sizzles.

In fact, some viewers think Alen Fang should have been the male lead instead. But Alen Fang has such a warm and pretty boy look that makes him more suited to rom-coms like the role he played in The Love By Hypnotic. It will indeed be interesting to see how he will stack up if he is told to portray a cold and emotionless Qing Liu.

My Verdict – Is It Really That Bad?
Well, Overlord is not really unwatchable despite the weaknesses that I have highlighted above. Perhaps 36 episodes is too short for a historical drama that wants to feature a slow burn romance, palace politics, and investigations all rolled into one. The result is a drama that couldn’t make me feel totally invested in the story. But the positive side to it is it doesn’t get dragged out and that should please viewers who prefer a shorter drama. There are no complicated subplots here. While the royal court facet doesn’t have a strong story development, it should delight those who hate long drawn out evil schemes that tend to exist in palace dramas.

Watchable But Forgettable
Furthermore, the cast did a good job in portraying their roles. At the very least, you don’t have to cringe at their acting. Although I feel that the chemistry between the leads is lacking as a romantic couple, the upside is Overlord is not meant to be a heavy romance drama just like The Blooms At Ruyi Pavilion. In other words, a sizzling chemistry would be a bonus but the lack of it would not really take away much from the story that also focuses on the investigation and corruption aspects. This is very different from a modern rom-com like Perfect And Casual whereby the chemistry is what drives the drama.

For this Jiu Liu Overlord review, I wouldn’t say it is unwatchable but neither would you miss much if you skip it. If you are a diehard Bai Lu or Leon Lai fan, then go ahead and watch it. Their acting shouldn’t disappoint you. Also watch it if you like a gutsy and unconventional female character and an uncomplicated plot. Other than that, it is a forgettable drama that wouldn’t linger on your mind once you are done.