Guardian (2018)

One of the best summer dramas with top notch acting. Despite the loopholes and divergences from the source material, the drama is worth watching thanks to the acting of two main leads especially Zhu Yi Long, who knows how to subtly convey the micro changes on his face and a great range of emotions. Moreover, its opening song is epic. Despite the fact that most people on youtube do not find the ending satisfactory, I believe it is good/satisfactory as it insinuates that love will go on even after death and for those who believe in reincarnation, it is a promising end.

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The first Chinese drama ever that I forced my Mandarin fluent friend to read the book and watched all episodes and summarize it for me. And mind you he wasn't a fan of Yaoi.

The trailer was in my Youtube's recommendation and I was glad I clicked it. The first episode captured my heart; the moment Shen Wei (Zhu Yi Long) saw Zhao Yun Lan (Bai Yu) at the university. The look alone was a testament that there was something more about their relationship. With China's ban on certain things, what should have been a reunion between soul-mates had to be tone down to soul-brothers. But, Zhu Yi Long and Bai Yu managed to convey the gist of the book (which is Yaoi) with subtle things via facial expression and the way they look at each other. The plot was there but with limited budget, not much can be done. There were some part which made no sense because of the editing, like there should be something more but was cut short. If you cannot stand flaw in small details, then there's plenty in it. Just focus on Zhao Yun Lan and his lollipop and you'll know. One moment it was in his mouth, then his hand and the next thing it's back in his mouth.

The two main lead (Zhu Yi Long and Bai Yu) saved the drama from going down the drain; and to think the initial cast was supposed to be Bai Yu and an un-named actor. Bai Yu in fact mentioned he was uncomfortable taking the part once he read the book. I don't think it's because it was Yaoi but Zhao Yun Lan in the book was flirtier and reminded me of Sun Wukong. The supporting cast were brilliant as well. The entire SID team seemed like they walked out of the book; of course with minor changes to some characters to fit the ban. Some extra characters left an impact with the way they carried their role, for example, the guy who play the new king and the guy who have the fire ability.

The opening theme was epic. It promised of a grand scale drama even though the drama did not deliver much. And it was in English which was rare for China to have for an opening theme; maybe for interlude, but definitely not opening or ending theme.

Heck yeah you'll wanted to rewatch it. Maybe skipped most part and just stick with the main lead. In fact, someone should edit the entire 40 episodes and make it a movie just with the two of them.

Overall, it was the best Chinese drama I watched so far for 2018. Do not watch it for the logic, watch it for the main lead.

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When I found Guardian I was totally amazed by this Chinese series and I've never really seen much of Chinese shows before because it just wasn't my thing. Well Guardian changed that.

Story: I can tell you that the story itself may take 1-2 episodes to grow on you but it will. Mostly the show relies on the chemistry between the two main characters/actors though. The story is quite fantasy like and supernatural and definitely something different than the usual rom-com stuff you get everywhere. And over its 40 episode run there is not a single minute that does not fit into the storyline and atmosphere of Guardian. You get drama, action, comedy, sweetness, pretty much all of it!

Acting: The casting for the drama was done perfectly and the chemistry between the main leads is over the top. 80% of the shows awesomeness comes from them. The rest of the cast was superb too and you really forget that these characters do not actually exist somewhere.

Music: memorable, recommendable and I'm totally into it. One awesome fantasy song and one touching ending song will especially stay in your mind.

Rewatch: definitely when I have time.

Overall: for everyone who watches Chinese shows, check this out. For everyone who hasn't tried any or many Chinese shows, this is a great show to start.

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This was a pretty enjoyable drama to watch overall, although it is very flawed and therefore I really can't give it a very high rating. I adore both main characters, but the production quality is poor and the writing is often sloppy. The acting varies; sometimes it's quite good, sometimes it theatrical to the point of being slightly ridiculous. Since the actors do prove their skill in some scenes, I'm guessing that in other scenes it is the direction they were given that I didn't care for.

I'd probably only recommend this because of the two main characters – Zhao Yun Lan and Shen Wei – and their relationship... which is kind of ironic, since it is overtly romantic in the source material, but comparatively subtle in this drama. It looks identical to queerbaiting in western television, but in this case it seems that they probably tried to retain as much of the essence of the relationship as they could given the restrictions placed upon it by Chinese censorship.

Perhaps it is because they are so different that they are so drawn to each other. Shen Wei is a distinguished but modest, mild-mannered professor. Zhao Yun Lan is unrefined, messy, and brazen. In the process of working on cases together, they seem to naturally counterbalance one another and quickly become an integral part of each other's lives. They're referred to as friends and they're characterized as a "bromance" in the synopsis, but that is misleading in my opinion. Yun Lan shows zero romantic interest in any other character, and it's indicated that he doesn't really have an interest in relationships generally; he's been single his entire life. He doesn't flirt with other characters – but he is frequently flirtatious with Shen Wei. He is quick to deny having feelings for another character, but when insinuating comments are made about his relationship with or feelings for Shen Wei, he never denies it. Moreover, despite only knowing Shen Wei a few months, there is a clear distinction between how he regards him and how he regards his other close allies he's known for years. It is even more quickly apparent that Zhao Yun Lan is the most important person to Shen Wei. There is an intensity to their dynamic that just doesn't seem platonic to me. It's a censored romance, not a bromance. (Nothing against close platonic friendships, I just don't see this as one.)

There's a secondary "bromance" in another odd couple, Chu Shu Zhi and Guo Chang Cheng. The dynamic between most of the Special Investigation Department co-workers are quite sibling-like in that they enjoy teasing each other and there's clearly some affection there, but they don't seem especially close. Therefore, the time spent on developing the intimate relationship between these two characters makes them stand out. Chang Cheng reminds Shu Zhi of the brother he lost and that surely accounts for a lot of his affection towards him; he wants someone to fill the void that his brother's death left him. But by the end of the story, it doesn't seem to me that Chang Cheng is just a placeholder for his deceased brother. Rather, Shu Zhi comes to genuinely admire him for his own strengths – and Chang Cheng, for his part, is unwavering in his adoration of Shu Zhi, even when Shu Zhi tries to scare him off for his own safety. The lines of this relationship are more blurred to me than the one between Zhao Yun Lan and Shen Wei. The intimacy and implied commitment seems decidedly less brotherly and more romantic, but there is still an element of brotherhood there. I guess it doesn't matter much whether it is one or the other or both; they're a cute duo regardless.

The other characters who work at the Special Investigation Department are enjoyable enough, but a little more forgettable for me. (Especially Wang Zheng and Sang Zan, who seem the most under utilized.) Zhu Hong is probably my favorite of them overall, although watching her struggle with her one-sided crush on a co-worker was a bit painful to watch. Da Qing and Lin Jing both sort of have romances with minor characters, but they matter so little that I wasn't able to feel particularly invested in them. The minor characters who fall into the "monster of the week" category were also pretty forgettable overall. Many of them make reappearances, but I found myself struggling to recall which one was which – a problem I don't typically have even with large casts of characters.

As far as acting goes, Zhu Yi Long stands out the most to me given that his roles are the most diverse. In addition to portraying the various sides of Shen Wei – the awkward professor, the Batman-esque masked hero, and the naïf he was 10,000 years before the present – he also portrays his villainous twin brother with dramatic flair. He is really able to showcase his versatility in this drama. Bai Yu also does an excellent job at conveying the multifaceted nature of Zhao Yun Lan. Aside from the two main actors, Jiang Ming Yang has some standout moments as Chu Shu Zhi. Although the character is generally very gruff, the actor really went all out during a humorous "personality changing" episode, and his more serious moments were some of the most emotional parts of the drama for me.

The OST is quite lovely overall. The opening theme is catchy and I'm afraid I'm going to have it stuck in my head for a while. I don't typically bother watching the opening or ending credits of dramas, but I often watched the opening of this one. The soundtrack really drives home the bittersweet sentimentality of the story.

Which brings me to the weakest part of the drama. The premise of the story is reasonably good, but it is not executed well. The plot is messy and the pacing is uneven. Even taking into account that I'm mostly reliant on English subtitles, the dialogue is very awkward at times (mainly between secondary/minor characters). Fortunately, the main relationships and characters are able to carry the show (at least, for me); had it not been for that, I would have dropped it because calling the rest of it mediocre would probably be generous. The CGI isn't particularly good, but I honestly don't expect a whole lot from Chinese dramas in that regard, so that doesn't really factor into my evaluation of it. Probably the most perplexing flaw is that there were many occasions where the audio switched between the actual voice of various supporting characters and the voiceover. It's a relatively minor detail, but it makes the drama seem unprofessional.

In spite of its flaws, I do consider Guardian worth watching because I think many viewers are like me - if you make me fall in love with your characters and their relationships, I'll be wiling to overlook a lot. Indeed, I did become quite attached, so I will definitely be giving the novel a shot.

tl;dr:

- the two main characters are multifaceted and portrayed well
- the main relationship is the highlight of the show, despite being played down due to censorship
- some of the supporting characters are good, many are forgettable
- the plot isn't particularly great, the dialogue is sometimes awkward
- production quality is poor

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Where to even begin...

When I first heard of this drama I did a little bit of digging, and found out that it is based off a BL Chinese web novel. I then learned a little bit about Chinese censorship laws and found out that they do not allow gay romances on screen. This knowledge made me hesitant to watch the show, but I gave it a go and HOLY SHIT this show tugs at my heartstrings in ways that shouldn't be possible!

The heart of the show, and the reason you should watch it is the the relationship between our two main leading men, Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei. In this case I have to give serious props to the actors because they did an amazing job portraying the love and intimacy between these two characters. In the end it didn't even matter that the Chinese censorship laws didn't allow for outright romances. The two main leads communicated the love between these two guys by the way they held hands. That is some serious fucking talent. Needless to say, I will be watching everything they are in for the rest of my life.

So...the two leads are fantastic, but so is basically everyone else in the show really, character wise there wasn't a weak link anywhere. The relationship between Little Gao and Old Chu will leave you squealing in glee, the assorted hilarious side characters are entertaining, and doesn't leave you wanting to skip ahead to the main characters.

The OST was amazing, you can tell that the show invested the money into producing an amazing soundtrack, one that I have listened to, over and over and over again.

The plot has some weak points, but it doesn't really matter because what makes the show amazing are the characters, and the characters are on point.

Parting thoughts, this is definitely a show that you should watch, the time is worth it. Actually, I'm going to go and rewatch it right now.

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Oh boy, where do I even begin to unpack this mess?

First off, the premise was great. Due to China's censorship about supernatural themes, the writing crew smartly decided to go down the science-fiction path: a spaceship with aliens, a different planet with three main race/species, war between the three - all in all makings of a great science-fiction show, while keeping to the original novel's intentions and message.

And yet.

Right off the bat, what could have been a great entertaining show felt more like a B-grade science fiction movie. The writing was all over the place and it was like the writers couldn't decide what to focus on with so many plotlines and cases running ahead of them. The characters, including Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan, felt more like empty puppets with a headless chicken controlling them - mechanical and soulless (if not for the two actors' brilliant acting) which is starkly different to the characters in the original novel.

The cast though were so good! Bai Yu especially was able to deliver the inner loneliness of Zhao Yunlan: the way his eyes dimmed every time Zhao meets his father, the way he stares (lovingly) at Shen Wei and the fear pursing his lips in the last two episodes. Zhu Yilong was commendable too for the way he handled two drastically different roles, though sometimes it did seem that there was no difference between the two (I blame that on the writing, to be honest.) Can I just say that the chemistry between Bai and Zhu was just beautiful? It took a few episodes to get the chemistry going and that's a good thing because it's great to watch the blossoming chemistry take center-stage.

It's such a shame that such a good cast was wasted on this cringe-worthy show though.

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Great first half, meh second half, fantastic CP

This show most strongly reminds me of Doctor Who, which (back when it was good!) would lead us on a lot of ridiculous adventures - some epic, some absurd, maybe even straight up silly. But no matter how nonsensical the writing got, there was always the emotional throughline of the Doctor's character (and maybe his relationship with his companions) to keep you invested and engaged with the story.

So that's kind of like Guardian - Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan's relationship is the emotional throughline that keeps you invested in this show. The writing really does go off the rails after episode 20 or so. After that I was basically watching for Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan's CP moments - I guess that was kind of the point? They were basically the ones who injected all the feelings and intensity into all the silliness of that plot. This isn't a new insight or anything, but Bai Yu and Zhu Yilong's chemistry and their dialogue with each other saved this show. The whole show basically rides on these two men's excellent acting chops.

(As an aside, I think Zhu Yilong's Shen Wei is stronger than his Ye Zun. His portrayal of Ye Zun isn't bad by any means, but he did have these cartoon villain moments where he would yell some lines randomly or do that villain laugh that made me not take him as seriously. Maybe that's down to the writing or directing though? I can't say for sure.)

I think the show is really at its strongest when it has that episodic format, with relatively self-contained stories around different paranormal crime investigations. I was absolutely hooked during that part of the show, and if the rest of the show had that quality of writing throughout I would have rated this at least an 8, maybe even a 9. Those episodes introduced some really interesting concepts and narratives, and generally had very satisfying emotional pay-offs. Li Qian's story with her grandmother? Brought me to tears. That episode with the mirror girl and her boyfriend? Heartbreaking. Some episodes were genuinely creepy and gave me chills - see: the mirror girl episode. The performances from the one-off actors in those episodes weren't anything to write home about but it didn't matter that much to me because I liked the stories they were in. Even the Purple Hair Guy was properly creepy and intriguing until he started appearing a lot more - at that point he basically became a cartoon villain and I really couldn't take him seriously as an antagonist.

The latter half of the show is where I think censorship really impacted this production. I know something of the original setup in the novel as well as the original ending, and I think it's a real shame that such an epic-sounding story was de-fanged like this. The censorship-friendly re-work of the concept wasn't in itself a bad idea - a sci-fi paranormal setup with aliens, superpowered people, and altered genetics actually sounds kind of cool. And when the show was very episodic, that was probably quite easy to work with. But when the writers had to rework the more epic fantasy parts from the novel into the latter half of the show... that's when they ran into some problems. Based on what I know, the latter half of that story draws *a lot* on the Chinese fantasy setups of the main characters and story - you know, the censored parts. And I can tell the writers really struggled to work these plot points into their sci-fi/paranormal rework. I don't think it was impossible to do at all, and I think they should have given all these writing decisions a lot more thought. But I do sympathize with how difficult a writing task like that probably is. There were some bright spots here and there, like the episode where everyone's personality gets messed up by that mind-altering substance which was super hilarious. But ultimately the result is a second act that is convoluted, unevenly paced, and generally doesn't make sense plot-wise. I actually felt bad about how uninvested I was in the plot, but I only really wanted to see the main CP. I will say that the bromance between Xiao Guo and Lao Chu was fun and touching at times though.

The other secondary characters were fine, although I feel like I'd prefer them in their original book context. I like Da Qing, but I don't like a lot of things the writers did with him. They half-heartedly tried to give him a romance and a father figure but I wasn't very invested in those relationships because they just didn't seem to go anywhere. Zhu Hong started out interesting, but so much of her character arc was consumed by her one-sided crush on Zhao Yunlan, which was cringey and made me lose interest in her. That cute librarian couple - I always forget their names, dammit - talk about two people who deserved better. (Also why did the guy have a stutter? Is that really what happens when you're imprisoned in a crystal column for thousands of years? I mean, this person led a whole rebellion against the elites in his society - was the trauma he went through afterwards enough to make him develop a stutter?)

As for the technical issues, the most glaring one is the dubbing quality. You have these weird moments where a character will be talking and all of a sudden the acoustics of their voice will be different, like they suddenly went into a different room, switched microphones, or maybe moved away from the microphone. Super distracting. Also there's the bad CGI... but that's just kind of par for the course in Chinese dramas. It's not that much worse than the early days of the Doctor Who reboot, if you ask me.

I probably wouldn't rewatch this entire show, but just the episodes with my favorite Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan moments. However, I might be interested in a rewatch after reading the novel, which sounds really intriguing to me. Maybe it would help recontextualize a lot of things for me?

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Although there are so many bromance and boys love dramas and movies out there, one thing unique about Guardian is that the chemistry between the two male lead pull you into their love story. Weirdly enough, from my tryout of just 5 episodes I finished the whole 40 episodes in just 3 days like I literally called in sick to work on Monday just to finish the whole 40 episodes. The acting between the two male lead were so intriguing and the story that developed between the two make it all worth it to rewatch it over and over again. I can't recall how many times I repeated this drama over the course of this summer 2018. The ost complements the story a lot and some episodes bring me so much tears.

Since episode 1, the meeting between the two will pull the watchers into the world of Guardian. The eyes contact, the hand shakes, and the small details in the acting are gold.

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why do i still put a 6.5?

CRITICISM: the story and pacing was hilarious. same things happen repeatedly and barely has connection to the main story. and all those mystery that SID had to solve was ridiculously simple. each time some new support character would show up and eventually disapper. can you believe a brother hating his own brother/ girl ignoring her best friend for thousands of years just because of an unproven misunderstanding?
the villain with purple blue hair, i couldn't even take him seriously. not sure if the director was confused or what. the CGI sucks. clearly shows the cheap production.

SUPPORT: tell me how's this possible to scream I LOVE YOU TO DEATH without uttering a word?
i feel like Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan DID give us and DID NOT give us the thing we need at the same time.
they make me feel a strong mutual bond, an extreme expression of love through their eyes. (they literally satisfied us, at the same time the viewers and the China censorship!!!)
idk why people call it a BL drama . its clearly a love story. who shall keep your lollipop pack you left 10000 years ago in his locket? who shall wait for someone to reincarnate for 10000 years? who shall look at someone with intense unverbal words in his eyes? a friend? a brother? or a Lover?


(I've only talked about SW and ZYL pardon me. im following my heart instead of brain)

ACTING: i cant babble enough about HOW THE HELL OF A GOOD ACTOR ZHU YI LONG (shen Wei) is! how could he blob up thousands of words inside my head with some limited expression?
ZYL did nice too. an extrovert cutie. i bet SW wanted to kiss him everytime ZYL is smiling and being himself.
im not satisfied with the support characters. there were too much "acting" in their "acting" .

OST: love that bro

FANGIRL WORDS: i seriously cannot move on from it. i have a hollowed feeling inside my chest. a diffrent emptiness which is beyond control. i dont know what should i say but i wholeheartedly fell in love with Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan.

rating: the 6.5 whole, deserves our two main leads. its for them onlyyyyy.

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Low-budget production that affects my viewing enjoyment - watch for the male leads

10/15/2021

As one of the first mainstream BL adaptations, I am sure it has paved the way for future BL hits (e.g. The Untamed and Word of Honor). I have not read the novel, so my review is based solely on the drama itself. Unfortunately, I do not share the same positive experience as most reviewers here. I failed to see why it has garnered so many positive reviews. Is it because it's a BL adaptation? The low production value of this drama greatly affected my enjoyment. I've watched other low-budget dramas in the past, but for some reason, this one bothered me the most and did not keep my focus throughout the drama.

What I like:
1) Main Lead's acting/chemistry: Without a doubt, the best part of this drama are Johnny Bai and Zhu Yi Long. This is my first Johnny Bai drama and my second of Zhu Yi Long (I've seen him in "The Story of Ming Lan"). Their acting is great and I would have dropped this drama long time ago if not for them. I believe in the deep affection when they look at each other. I love how their characters' personalities complement each other as well. It is definitely a love story, and not a bromance. I will be looking out for more of their dramas in the future.

2) Opening/Ending Theme songs: It says a lot about a drama when the only other positive thing I can write about are the opening and ending theme songs. It's interesting to have an English song in the opening. But the melody sets the mood and the tone for the drama. I also enjoy the ending theme, and also the behind-the-scene footage as well. I wish more dramas would do the same, instead of giving us spoilers.

What I don't like:
1) Low Production - Unfortunately, all of my complaints stem from the low-budget production value. As I've said before, I've watched other dramas that are low budget, but this one really bugs me.
* Sound/Voice dubbing - I watched this drama both on YouTube and on Viki, so I am sure it's not because of the platform, but the drama itself. The volume of the dialog fluctuates in each episode. The worst is that when the actors are speaking, you can hear the change from one voice to a dubbed voice. This happens ALL THE TIME for all the characters. Sometimes, the sound effects are louder than the dialogs.
*CGI/Sets - The special effects are quite bad in this drama. This is a 2018, so it's not like it's made in 2015. The set designs all look very fake to my eyes. The only acceptable sets are the leads apartments. Every other place gives a very "cheap" look. Maybe it's the director's fault in not knowing how to take better shots?

2) Acting - Aside from Johnny Bai and Zhu Yi Long, the rest of the supporting cast's acting is just OK. I am referring to the Investigation team. The other extras and other cast members for the shorter storylines, their acting is not good at all. Some are wooden and bland, others overact and exaggerate. It was really not enjoyable at all.

3) Plot/Stories - I feel that the plot lines of the shorter crime stories were too simple and not sophisticated enough. They are so easily solved and not creating enough mysteries to tie back to the bigger plot. As much as I love the leads to have this star-crossed romance, I don't think having just one deep conversation 10,000 years justifies the deep love that Shen Wei has for Zhao Yun Lan. I want more of their stories 10,000 years ago and there aren't enough scenes of them together. The minor love triangle plot is somewhat weak as well. The drama tells us how much Zhu Hong loves Zhao Yun Lan, but it's not showing us throughout the drama. I enjoy the dream scene when she finally confessed, but I want to see more of this unrequited love before this, so that that dream scene has a bigger impact. There are also a few head-scratching plot holes but they are minor in this case.

Overall, watch this drama for our two male leads. They are indeed great and they have great costumes (one thing I couldn't fault because of the low budget).

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