A delightful story about making peace with the hand that has been dealt + some detective drama

When you have a show that treats its supporting characters with dignity, respect and decent characterization, you know you got a good show in your hands.

Mysterious lotus casebook does this pretty well - not always, but the smaller characters when come for a 2-3 episode arc, do get enough plot to be impactful in that arc. There are some moments, characterizations, arcs that stood out for me, personally. I don't care much about music, CGI, fight choreography or even production quality. As long as there is good story, good acting and chemistry between the leads.

1. Director Di / A-Fei - He wants to beat LLH honestly and honorably. Even though LLH has extreme poison coursing through him, A-Fei wants to fix him, make him better so that one day they can finish the fight they started a decade ago. He goes to great lengths to get elixirs, potions, herbs, syrups - just for the cause. The eventual friendship is just a byproduct. A great enemies to friends trope.

2. FDB's mom - She took me by surprise. She really kicks ass in final arc, holds respect, and is quite honest with her son about his past. The entire family share a loving relationship and its clear why FDB is the way he is - he has great parents who have loved him unconditionally and have provided for him. The revelation has no impact on her relationship with her son and it continues the way it always has been. She is a great ally for LLH and FDB when in trouble.

3. A-Mian - She could have been easily brushed off as the "love interest". I am however mildly disappointed that she didn't get more exposure because she basically calls her fiancée on his bullshit multiple times. At one time calls him jealous and petty for holding a grudge where the involved parties have moved past.

4. The Villain - (Keeping it vague cause spoilers) This show takes various levels of pettiness, jealousy, anger at others, childhood traumas, childhood in general and builds adult behavior on their experiences. While FDB is easy going and is a bit gullible, A-Fei is the exact opposite with his persona. LLH is a great balance - perfect on paper but quite flawed in his execution as a young sect leader. LLH knows a lot of things and it can seem like its a plot-blessing however LLH ends up explaining (in most cases) how he came about the information.

5. Saintess (IDK, its a weird title) - I wanted to see a much prolonged battle between her and A-Fei. She has been a driving force for the opposite side for majority of the series and its a bit disappointing that it ended the way it did. She was a great antagonist, a good strategist and probably never guessed that friendships would be formed along the way.

6. The cases - Once you realize they are all connected and its one big story, especially when things start to fall in place, the whole drama becomes more fun. There is personal growth for the characters themselves, they grow as people and see the world a little differently; LLH is little less lonely, FDB grows to be stronger in martial arts, A-Fei re-evaluates his methods, and adjusts to the changed world. The camaraderie is the biggest take away - the people they meet, forge new friendships, expose corruption and evil, and get a little closer to the truth.

7. FDB-LLH friendship - It would be so easy for FDB to go through a misunderstanding arc and harbor angst. Even when it happens it lasts for a hot minute. He ends up talking to LLH, and though LLH doesn't tell him everything immediately, FDB accepts it, makes peace with it and fights him when he is hurt. It happens, they acknowledge, they finish the fight, and move on. Its surprisingly refreshing to see this.

8. LLH-A-Fei friendship - It starts as antagonism and not being in martial world has given LLH a different perspective on life. Its obvious A-Fei still has ambition and at the start its seen that LLH and him are enemies. Its a slow road to being friends, to be trusted and A-Fei realizing that LLH was probably his only equal - in terms of trust and respect. Its a beautiful journey.

9. Li Lian Hua - The entire show works because Cheng Yi has chemistry with everyone. He mumbles the way an exhausted man in his place would, respond carelessly knowing he has 0 chance to win a fight and has glib answers when he has half baked plan to escape whatever predicament he is in. As the series progresses, it becomes blatantly clear that we have to make peace with him disappearing from Jiang Hu again. Its impossible to not feel sad at the ending but this was coming. This was coming from the very first episode but it's still heartbreaking.

The ending was spot on, and LLH became one of my favorite characters in Chinese dramas.

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