Offbeat and witty, but tight and well executed plot

This was one of the best dramas I have ever watched (and at this current point in time, my highest rated). I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did but once I had reached episode 10, I binge-watched the rest of the episodes in five days.

The plot is fascinating and keeps you guessing and almost all characters are likeable, intelligent and memorable with realistic motivations. Protagonists and antagonists are not black or white and it is easy to feel sympathy for the villains at certain times. In one case I almost had to go back to remind myself why I disliked the character so much in the first place! Emotional moments in the show were well expressed and easily touched the viewer. I loved how Fan Xian was supported and guided by many of his seniors as father-figures, which is a great contrast to so many other dramas I have seen where the MC has an excessive amount of adversaries. Because of this, it feels logical that Fan Xian was able to emerge unscathed in so many situations (although I presume that stakes will be much higher in future seasons).

Visually, the fight scenes were beautifully choreographed and edited, making it impossible for the viewer to tear their eyes away from the screen, lest they miss any of the fast-paced action. Also, whilst Fan Xian was presented as a great fighter, I liked that he was definitely not “the best”, as there were plenty of other stronger characters in the show.

A point of contention between viewers is the music. Personally, the score worked very well for me and it complemented the quirky sci-fi aspect of the show. The music that interjected some fight scenes was hilarious. The opening and ending songs were also beautiful, and extremely hard to skip even after 40 episodes!

A downside for me was an irritating misunderstanding in the early episodes between Fan Xian and Wan'er. The romance between them was not to my taste (especially as I am not a fan of love at first sight romances). I much preferred the chemistry between Fan Xian and other female characters. Hopefully season 2 will be able to flesh out the character of Wan’er if she is going to continue as the FL.

I also think it is quite unfortunate that as a non-Mandarin speaker, some of the language-use and puns are lost on me, which English subtitles just do not capture perfectly. In particular, a certain poetry scene would probably have been a LOT more impressive if I could understand the intricacies of the language.

Overall, an almost flawless drama with a very tight plot. A definite must-watch!

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