darvng
Nostalgic watch for fans of the series
Ugh so many things to say about this drama and I've been putting off this review for far too long.
First off, I'm a fan of the first season, so it's sad to see how the sequels haven't done as well as the first one did. It just lacks something no matter what it tries to do. One thing we see obvious improvement in though, is the CGI. The production value also seems to be a lot better than it was before. So yay to advancements in tech!
Onto the plot... where to begin? I think the biggest issue is it's poor control of the pace? Too little things seem to be happening in one episode and the plot isn't engaging enough to keep me invested in the story, and the abysmal placement of music certainly makes this problem a lot more evident than it should be. (More on this later) I also don't quite understand the actions and thoughts of the characters? There are some reactions I find puzzling coming from certain characters even when a big event has happened, like, that shouldn't be the reaction of a normal person? Also, the demon hunting aspect of it seemed not as exciting as before and feels very subdued and watered down.
And what's with the night time dark filter that makes everything sooo much harder to see? It removes so much clarity and it became such an unpleasant watching experience.
Characters/Cast
Oh how I miss the original cast, things just feel so empty now. The relationship between each character and their chemistry was what took season one to the next level, and sadly, none of that cast chemistry is left. Realistically speaking, it's ridiculous to expect characters that have moved on to appear in this season, but what a dream it would be to see the orignal cast again.
Wu Xin this season is wayyyy better than the Wu Xin we saw in S2. This season, he's humourous, caring, decisive, smart... basically everything S2 WX isn't lol. Han Dongjun is charming as per usual and I like how he changes his portrayal of WX each season according to WX's "age" at the time the dramas are set. And how does he look the same he did 5 years ago?? Its the complete opposite for Chen Yao lol, she changes so much every season I swear it's so hard keeping up with her. I thought she did pretty well in giving the twins distinct personalities, by the end I could tell who was who just by the slightest change in expression, but I also thought the connection with Yue QiLuo and the twins was done a bit forcefully. As for their chemistry, I don't think it's the best, especially not when I keep comparing them to their S1 pairings hahahha, but I buy their romance so that's good. And Ding Qiao's Bai Liuli was surprisingly fitting! Mike's portrayal of Bai Liuli served more as comic relief with his animated expressions, but S3's Bai Liuli was a lot darker and I liked it a lot too!
Music
Undoubtedly the worst aspect of this show. The standalone songs are really nice to listen to, but the BGM placement was a mess! At times when the scene was supposed to be lighthearted and humourous, sombre music would play. When the scene has a solemn and dark atmosphere, the bgm would be upbeat and playful. Just why? It just stuck out like a sore thumb. The drama lost so much of its appeal because of this and it's such a major problem that is easy to spot. What a pity.
All in all, you might want to check this out if you like historical dramas and have an attachment to S1's characters. The plot moves slowly, so please be patient while watching this. The actors also do their characters justice so that made it more enjoyable to watch.
First off, I'm a fan of the first season, so it's sad to see how the sequels haven't done as well as the first one did. It just lacks something no matter what it tries to do. One thing we see obvious improvement in though, is the CGI. The production value also seems to be a lot better than it was before. So yay to advancements in tech!
Onto the plot... where to begin? I think the biggest issue is it's poor control of the pace? Too little things seem to be happening in one episode and the plot isn't engaging enough to keep me invested in the story, and the abysmal placement of music certainly makes this problem a lot more evident than it should be. (More on this later) I also don't quite understand the actions and thoughts of the characters? There are some reactions I find puzzling coming from certain characters even when a big event has happened, like, that shouldn't be the reaction of a normal person? Also, the demon hunting aspect of it seemed not as exciting as before and feels very subdued and watered down.
And what's with the night time dark filter that makes everything sooo much harder to see? It removes so much clarity and it became such an unpleasant watching experience.
Characters/Cast
Oh how I miss the original cast, things just feel so empty now. The relationship between each character and their chemistry was what took season one to the next level, and sadly, none of that cast chemistry is left. Realistically speaking, it's ridiculous to expect characters that have moved on to appear in this season, but what a dream it would be to see the orignal cast again.
Wu Xin this season is wayyyy better than the Wu Xin we saw in S2. This season, he's humourous, caring, decisive, smart... basically everything S2 WX isn't lol. Han Dongjun is charming as per usual and I like how he changes his portrayal of WX each season according to WX's "age" at the time the dramas are set. And how does he look the same he did 5 years ago?? Its the complete opposite for Chen Yao lol, she changes so much every season I swear it's so hard keeping up with her. I thought she did pretty well in giving the twins distinct personalities, by the end I could tell who was who just by the slightest change in expression, but I also thought the connection with Yue QiLuo and the twins was done a bit forcefully. As for their chemistry, I don't think it's the best, especially not when I keep comparing them to their S1 pairings hahahha, but I buy their romance so that's good. And Ding Qiao's Bai Liuli was surprisingly fitting! Mike's portrayal of Bai Liuli served more as comic relief with his animated expressions, but S3's Bai Liuli was a lot darker and I liked it a lot too!
Music
Undoubtedly the worst aspect of this show. The standalone songs are really nice to listen to, but the BGM placement was a mess! At times when the scene was supposed to be lighthearted and humourous, sombre music would play. When the scene has a solemn and dark atmosphere, the bgm would be upbeat and playful. Just why? It just stuck out like a sore thumb. The drama lost so much of its appeal because of this and it's such a major problem that is easy to spot. What a pity.
All in all, you might want to check this out if you like historical dramas and have an attachment to S1's characters. The plot moves slowly, so please be patient while watching this. The actors also do their characters justice so that made it more enjoyable to watch.
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