Shuang Xi (2023)

Wow, I loved it!

This series is primarily about a woman who is betrayed by her husband, but it was how she responded to his betrayal that made the story such a satisfying one. Rather than watching a bitter and traumatic struggle...it felt as if we had a ringside seat to one woman's grand awakening. Watching her journey of personal growth was thrilling and those of us who watched it LIVE loved every episode. The writers gave this FL a phenomenal character role and she made this story a stand out for me.

Things I liked...
First, the FL.
Initially, her character appeared a bit subdued. She is beautiful, but she is not a bombshell. But as we watch her, her inherently graceful persona becomes captivating..and contrasts sharply with her husband and his crude and selfish parents.
She was portrayed as a woman who had married young, in a male dominated society, for whom love was of secondary importance. So when he cheated, it might've wrecked her world..but it did not destroy her. Her concern was only for her daughter, and money meant nothing if she could have her.
Her character was so authentically drawn that we believed in her. She was grace under fire and even when she yelled in agony when they took her daughter away and purposefully at the company dinner, she was never out of control. She mistreated no one..not even his cruel parents. She was also unexpectedly kind to both women who betrayed her, and because of that kindness...she gained a forever friend. Her grace not only endeared her to the SML...but also to her employees who would've followed her anywhere. And of course her daughter knew she was loved by her.
Interestingly, the only person who underestimated her was her ex-husband. But once she was backed into a corner..her confidence and determination combined with her keen brain made more her than his match. She was no less kick butt than any martial artist FL we have seen, sans the martial arts. Lol. And every time she succeeded we were elated.

Second, I Liked the SFL.
Her character was not simple nor one dimensional. She was young and a bit desperate ..and she foolishly trusted in lies. However, once she wakes up, she is smart enough to see her mistakes and to learn from them. It is a real and somewhat raw portrayal of the foolishness of women who fall for the machinations of powerful men. To give this woman credit, she is incredibly hard working and she fights hard to recover her self respect......earning mine in the process.

Third...I liked the SML.
This guy is everything her husband is not. He is decent, moral and brilliant. He is also to my surprise quite good looking..I didn't really notice until the scene where he met with the ML in his office and he was wearing this blue top and in the light of the window, his face looked so beautifully chiseled..with a sharp jawline and beautiful lips..... mummm...sorry...got a bit distracted there..lol ...but although he has been in love with the FL since his college days, neither he nor she ...know much about love.
So naturally, he isn't going to tell her how he feels..nope, absolutely not!! But there is no doubt that she has been under his skin from the beginning. There is a scene later on, where she is teasing him..and it makes him so angry that he furiously exits the car. Only she can make this guy that hot and bothered and...oh... it is so lovely watching a man unravel. Lol.

In conclusion, this was a story of contrasts.. love vs lust.. ethics vs corruption. Wrong was uncovered, truth was presented and justice was served. The ML had lived and played without virtue or consequence, until everything he had hidden was revealed.
And as for the FL and the SML ...they had lived as if they were waiting for each other... for them it was an epic new beginning and a brand new Alliance. This series was a joy to watch..don't miss it.. because I promise...you are gonna love it. ❤️

Happy Watching!

Citeste mai mult

Simply Enjoyable

How do I start describing this story to give it justice…

The story. Writers did a great job weaving this tale of greed. Sometimes you lose something to realize you had it good but it’s too late. Sometimes it takes one event to change your destiny that you didn’t look for. This is a well woven drama of a well orchestrated revenge by a strong female. It’s unlike other revenge dramas so it kept viewers very interested.

Twist. There’s a formidable sisterhood that develops that may shock you. Two women with different struggles met on the premise of betrayal. What’s endearing is that behind the layers of the initial conflict, is the discovery that even enemies can be the greatest of foes. You will see it when you watch. This friendship is undeniably cool.

Cast. ML (Huang Xiao/Gu Xu) doesn’t really come into play until later episodes. In fact, the female lead’s husband (Li Feng/Wei Ming)is just as well the main lead as he’s the focus pretty much. About that husband. The actor does a good job. His character is so shady though he’ll have you seething. FL ( Zhang Xiao/Lin Shuang) is new to me so I can’t say much about her acting. Her character is the kind that if you’re impatient, you wanna say, “let’s go, move it”. It’s about the best way I can describe her. It can frustrate you (as me) but I think she’s playing well to her character (meek, quiet, low key). The close friend to female lead (Jenny Zhang/Jiang Xi) could very well be 2nd female lead as her story becomes unexpectedly entangled with the other yet, her involvement without doubt adds to the strength of the story.
The romance is slow slow burn and in this drama, it fits in very nicely to the story. It’s very matured, and I like that a lot. There’s no obvious chasing, or silly tropes. These are very grown adults who are patient and allow their feelings to come naturally.

From beginning to end it kept me piqued to know the next and next. I am very happy with ending.

Citeste mai mult

Navigating a Betrayed Relationship: Empowering Steps for Women

While I typically steer clear of dramas centered around betrayed relationships, as I find them to be emotionally taxing, showcasing the turmoil of a straying husband and a beleaguered wife, this drama paints betrayal with a stark realism that hits close to home for many around us. Too often, the wife finds herself adrift, battling depression, and tragically, some even contemplate self-harm. However, tears and self-destruction need not be the path. The author offers a more empowering approach.

It's entirely natural for most women to desire knowledge about the other woman in such situations. This inclination is quite understandable. Therefore, the author suggests locating the other woman. This isn't to coerce her to sever ties with the husband, for continuing such a relationship with a cheating spouse is futile; divorce is inevitable. Before initiating divorce proceedings, there are precautionary measures a woman can take to safeguard her interests and secure the best outcome possible. Lin Shuang (Zhang Xiaofei) takes the initiative to identify her husband's lover, Jiang Xi (Jenny Zhang). She establishes a camaraderie, imparting the realization that their mutual adversary is the unfaithful husband, not each other. This bond blossoms into a genuine friendship, with both extending a helping hand in times of need.

Next, it's crucial to reevaluate one's life goals. Revisit those initial aspirations. Lin Shuang recalls her days as a top-tier student, even outperforming the best of her peers. Nurtured by supportive parents who instilled invaluable values, she possessed a resolute strength of character. Recognizing the need to rediscover herself becomes paramount.

Returning to the workforce after several years devoted to family is undeniably challenging, but far from insurmountable. Lin Shuang confronts rejection in her job interviews, grappling with either being deemed too mature for entry-level positions or lacking the experience for mid-tier roles. Starting with a modest role and progressing upward is a viable strategy. Lin Shuang opts to become a ride-hailing driver, meticulously selecting routes that afford her insights into the job market and potential employers.

Furthering one's education is pivotal. The pursuit of knowledge and honing of skills should be a perpetual endeavor. Lin Shuang embarks on this journey, juggling responsibilities as a mother, daughter-in-law, and caretaker of the household. Through tenacity and diligence, she attains the qualifications and skills requisite for employment. This marks the initial stride towards financial independence, a pivotal factor in securing custody of her child post-divorce.

Securing the services of a proficient divorce lawyer is essential. Lin Shuang's legal counsel imparts crucial advice on uncovering her husband's concealed assets, ensuring she receives her rightful share.

Initially beset by low self-esteem due to her circumstances, Lin Shuang receives a wake-up call from Gu Xu (Huang Xiaoming), a childhood acquaintance and academic rival. He admonishes her for failing to appreciate her privileged family background (her father being a professor) and her innate talents, which consequently led to a lack of respect. This revelation prompts Lin Shuang to understand that self-love precedes garnering respect.

Throughout her preparation for divorce, Lin Shuang grasps a fundamental truth: reliance on oneself, rather than others, is the linchpin to attaining one's desires. Placing hope in external sources is futile; true agency resides within one's own hands. There are no shortcuts in this world; success hinges on self-reliance. True security emanates from within; it's a gift one grants oneself. Once you've bestowed this sense of security upon yourself, none can wrest it away. Marriage isn't a sanctuary; it's imperative to first cultivate independence. Marriage isn't a panacea for life's troubles either; it, too, presents its own set of challenges. The onus to resolve these challenges invariably falls on us. Life mirrors the act of washing dishes: one washes, the other dries, achieving synchronicity.

My Verdict

This story weaves a tapestry of marriage, family, friendship, and work, resonating deeply with many women who've grappled with sacrificing their careers and ideals for the sake of family. Life, much like a game of cards, doesn't guarantee a winning hand every time. Yet, possessing the courage to play even the weakest cards can transform adversity into opportunity.

This drama serves as a guide for women facing similar circumstances, offering insights on protecting oneself from a cheating spouse, strategizing for divorce, and navigating the process.

As for the performances, the entire cast delivers commendable portrayals, with Zhang Xiaofei standing out for her portrayal of turmoil, struggle, shame, heartbreak, and vulnerability. Jenny Zhang's transformation from a clandestine lover to a soulmate is equally convincing. While Li Zefeng's portrayal of Wei Ming falls somewhat short, as he tends to maintain the same expressions regardless of circumstance, a touch of variety in his emotional range would have enhanced the portrayal. Huang Xiaoming playing Gu Xu, makes his first appearance on screen a few episodes later. Remarkably, he maintains a background presence even after Lin Shuang's divorce. I take pleasure in observing the authentic dynamic between Gu Xu and Lin Shuang. They share a genuine rapport, even though she becomes somewhat authoritative with him at times and he complains she bullies him. The overall performance is commendable.

This is a compelling watch, resonating with viewers who can empathize with the characters.

Great watch! Recommended!

Citeste mai mult

Alliance in truest Sense, Celebration of Sisterhood

I will give this show 8/ 10 just for showing STRONG women, not just FL in entire show. It depicts sisterhood, mistakes we made in our lives as humans, Not taking anything GRANTED in marriage.

Best thing about this show was Giving second chance to LOVE and Marriage,ML was textbook GREEN FLAG from start, with some hiccups like judging housewives, but he also got his character growth so it was fine with me. They both were EQUAL in personal relationship which was what matters

Women must take lesson from this show, be financially independent and not take anything for granted.

Citeste mai mult

Strong female lead

It is a breath of fresh air to watch a Chinese drama that has a strong female lead. Having say that, I am enjoying watching his drama. The drama is slow to develop, but once it starts you don't want to miss any of it. You may get frustrated, wondering when the evil ML will get his due, but wait karma is coming.

The evil male, plays a great role; because you will dislike the character, Wei Ming. The actor who plays him Li Ze Feng (She and Her Perfect Husband) was a somewhat of a person in that drama. Ming's parents are money greedy people, who you will dislike immensely.

FL is a strong , but unsure of herself person. You will be able to see her become more sure of herself. You will see the ire in her grow as she takes on the evil ML. I feel the last straw for her is when her In-Laws steal her child and the evil ML uses her as a bargaining chip. I guess people can go into a school and say this is my grandchils and I want to take them out and no-one questions the person. In many places in the world, if you are not on the list to remove a child or pick up a child from school, the teachers will not let you have that child, regardless of relationship to that child.

It is kind of a twist to see the wife and the former mistress become friends and take on the evil ML, I like it. It amazes me when everyone around you including your parents tell you that a person is bad and you don't believe them. It is never a good sign when the In-Laws fight at the wedding reception. Wei Ming's parents are the most money greedy people I know. You will hate the mother and the father is measured. It is interesting to see what people will do to obtain money and climb the social latter. You can see what they will do and how they will compromise thier morals to obtai it. FL continues to treat her IN-Laws good after the kidnapped her daughter and hid her. Why?

The scenery throughout the city was fantastic. It's nice to know everyone has traffic jams. You know what they say; The bigger you are, the harder you fall. It was so sweet to see Evil man go down. He demeaned every women he had a relationship with.

It was nice to see positive immaged FL women. My hero was Jiang Xi, you'll have to watch the drama to find out why. The musical score for the Drama went well with the story line. A person must have patients to watch this drama.Some folks will say that it oves to slow,. I will disagree with that, because it was just right in episodes. Sometimes it was frustrating, but latter you can see why they put that in. The storyline is worth watching again. I will watch it again.

Thank you for the English subtitles.

Citeste mai mult

People are Scary

I feel like this drama is so realistic and relatable on certain aspect to most people. It tells a story of the bitter sweetness of life, it tells a story of how a women life goes from being perfect to being a living hell. At first, the 1st male lead and the 1st female lead together with their child, on the outside looked like the perfect traditional family. I mean on one side you have the female lead who graduated from a top university and is now a stay at home mom, who takes real good care of their child, and the her in laws, on the other side you have the male lead who has a good job and appears to be a good father and husband. Well that until the female lead finds of that her husband is cheating on her. Then her whole world starts falling apart.

This drama also tells a story of friendship. The female lead finds out who her husband is dating and through a series of events befriends her. They develop a strong and beautiful friendship. Together they fight the injustice of this world and the injustices brought upon them by this man. Wait, this is not the only friendship that the female lead makes. She also befriends her husband colleague Wei, who is also being cheated on by her husband. This friendship too turns out to be beneficial later on in her career.

One of the biggest themes of this dram is betrayal. The 1st female lead is betrayed by the man she trusted the most, her husband. He cheats on her multiple times, then leaves her for a younger and richer girl. He leaves her and their daughter with no money and home. He even uses their daughter as a weapon, to get his wife to agree to his divorce terms. When they are finally divorced he gets remarried. You would think he would then leave her alone, that no he comes after her carrier, and she eventually has to leave her job. Not, only that he tries multiple times to to get the 2nd female lead fired too, but he is unsuccessful. The 1st female lead is also female lead is also betrayed by her in laws. The same in laws she catered for all this years, betrayed her within a blink of an eye. Because the new bide is wealthy, they kidnap the leads daughter so she can sign the divorce papers. The 2nd female is is betrayed by the male lead, who at first keeps the fact that he is married a secret, then tries to get her fired. She is also betrayed by her later on boyfriend, who happens to be her colleague. She is also betrayed by her mother, who fails to love her over and over again. This drama shows the very scary side of humans, who they can change over night. How people say this and do the complete opposite.

All is fair in love. The female lead has a new love interest after the divorce, an old childhood friend who adores her. The second her too moves on from the male lead and her colleague, to a tech guy. So far he seems like a real deal. The male lead 2nd marriage is miserable, his in laws dont rate him and his new wife is a spoiled rat. The new wife does not get along with the rotten in laws. The 2nd female lead cuts off her mom. At the end of the day everyone gets what they deserve.

Citeste mai mult

Look up “scumbag” in a dictionary

… and you’ll find a picture of Wei Ming.

(His parents deserve a footnote, too.)

“Alliance” is a story about unlikely friendships, perseverance, autonomy, and dysfunctional families. This drama is also a master class in show versus tell, making crystal clear which characters the viewers should like/despise via solid acting and in-depth looks into their lives. Li Zefeng plays Wei Ming--douchebag extraordinaire--a manipulative sleazebag without any redeeming qualities. Zhang Xiaofei plays Lin Shuang, a talented programmer turned mother/housewife who is forced to come to her senses, see his true colors, and subsequently redefine herself. Jenny Zhang plays Jiang Xi, a young woman dragged down by her family and seeks security and refuge from the wrong person: a married man.

The drama depicts its antagonists as exhaustively despicable and shameless. Wei Ming and his parents are hypocritical, greedy, and manipulative schemers. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Jiang Xi’s mother is another piece of work that deserves her fair share of karma. Does that make for compelling characters and good television? Depends on your taste and for me, at least, how well other elements are handled.

The alliance between Lin Shuang and Jiang Xi requires some initial suspension of disbelief. The writers do a great job of showing us how Lin Shuang realizes Wei Ming is the main problem and that she approaches Jiang Xi out of desperation to obtain leverage in a divorce. That said, it’s still a big ask for viewers to accept. It helps that viewers see Lin Shuang, through flashbacks to her past, as a pragmatic person with high standards who single-mindedly pursues and achieves her goals. More credibility is established when Jiang Xi wavers along the way and hiccups occur. The appearance of a new mistress also helps solidify their alliance. Once viewers move past that initial hurdle, their friendship, support, and positive influence on each other is a beautiful sight to behold.

I suspect many viewers will find their tolerance tested—as mine was—while waiting for Wei Ming’s comeuppance. The longer the wait, the bigger the payoff should be, and herein lies my main critique. Wei Ming’s downfall was disproportionate to the amount of his BS viewers had to stomach. That includes his parents, too. (Forgive me for thirsting for more schadenfreude.) That said, all story threads were resolved well—and that’s no easy feat, especially since so many shows mishandle endings. Lin Shuang took the high road, as befitting her character, to live her best life without him and her influence rubbed off on Jiang Xi, whose growth and transformation made her the show’s dark horse.

This drama offers insight and wisdom about women who persevere even when their families drag them down, the resilience it takes to overcome crises, the wonders of (unexpected) friendships, and the strength found in solidarity and sisterhood. Zhou Shen’s ending theme song—and especially the lyrics—deserves a special mention as well. (He rarely disappoints!)

Citeste mai mult

This is a great story of female friendship with an inauspicious beginning - between Lin Shuang our female lead and Jiang Xi. Two women from very different backgrounds find common ground and nurture a restorative and empowering relationship that carries the whole drama. The story could have had better flow and dramatic tension if it were shorter; honestly, half the number of episodes probably would have still worked. We know pretty soon on what a deadbeat jerk Wei Ming is, so dragging his dark deeds out was a bit tiresome to me. Acting overall was great. and the workplace scenarios were more realistic - still probably not completely realistic in areas - than many a workplace Chinese drama I have seen in recent years.

If you like modern workplace dramas with strong female characters, this is worth checking out.

Citeste mai mult

Great women bonding and empowerment; Several anger-inducing characters

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

Revenge seems to be a popular theme recently. However, in “Alliance”, it’s not a central plot or at least not the main reason for Lin Shuang (FL) when she started out her journey of re-discovering her former self and becoming independent again. We have two strong women who bonded because of an extramarital affair: the wife and the lover. Throughout the drama, we witness how they break free from the chains of men and families, and grow to be self-reliant and be the best person they could be.

What I Like:

1. Lin Shuang/Jiang Xi Unlikely Friendship - Most of us are probably drawn to this because of their friendship. From enemies to scheming partners, and finally becoming each other’s support system, their unlikely bond is front and center in this drama. It’s lovely to see how they support each other without sugar coating anything. They are there to provide encouragement, constructive criticisms and celebration of big and small accomplishments. They would not have become the person they are in the last episode without each other.

2. Jiang Xi - I especially like the story of Jiang Xi. Midway through the drama, I pray that she will have a VERY happy ending. Not only does she not have a happy childhood and loving parents, she also gave her heart for a man who is evil on all levels. If this is not a women-empowerment drama, I would love to see her be spoiled by a rich sugar daddy who loves her to death. But I will settle and wish her a guy who treats her right. Jenny Zhang plays the character so well. She has this beauty that is alluring and sexy, even if she’s not doing anything intentionally sexual. She has an aura that makes her very attractive just by the way she holds herself. Jenny is perfectly casted for her role as Jiang Xi.

3. Strong Women Cast - Although not all the women are lovely in this drama, there isn’t any weak damsel in distress in this drama. Women portrayed in this drama have a very independent and strong light shown on them, and not only for our leads. We have supporting characters who are opinionated with strong and explosive personalities, and even minor roles as computer engineers and programmers. However, most of the CEOs and executives are still men in the drama, except for Sister Wei (Ark CFO),

4. Acting - Strong acting from the four main leads. They are all experienced, so that does not come as a surprise. “Alliance” also has a very strong supporting cast of other veterans (parents and executives) and the younger cast also does not disappoint. I have no complaints with anyone’s acting performance.


What I have Mixed Feelings:

1. Little Apple (daughter) - This little girl is really cute and she speaks her lines very well. I adore most of the scenes she’s in, especially with her mother and Uncle Gu. But gosh, she screams so much that it hurts my ears. Every time she calls out her grandparents, her high-pitched scream would kill me. There’s an episode when she was crying for her mother at the top of her lungs and I had to fast-forward it. It’s a personal pet peeve. She does act really well and major props for her ice skating and ice hockey skills.

2. Lin Shuang - As the main lead of this drama, I empathize and sympathize with what she is going through. Afterall, she IS the drama. But for some reason, I am not connected with her emotionally. Do I feel bad? Yes. Does her experience move me to tears? No, not really. As mentioned above, I feel for Jiang Xi more, even though I can’t relate to her experience. With Lin Shuang, I can relate to her on a more rational level since I am a mother myself. But emotionally, something is missing. Is it Zhang Xiao Fei’s acting? The writing? Most likely, I am the problem.

3. Wei Ming/Li Ze Feng - I have a love-hate relationship with Wei Ming. I HATE everything he does and he makes my blood boil. But you can’t deny the writers did an amazing job in writing out his lines (or shall I say lies). You have to give him props for being cautious, detailed-oriented with a great memory. Li Ze Feng does such a fantastic job in playing this slimeball and he just spits out these ‘beautiful’ lies so convincingly. I love the acting but I hate the character.

4. Plot/Pacing - In theory, there’s a lot going on in these 36 episodes. We started from the happy family to the discovery of cheating. Oh, by the way, did I miss Lin Shuang feeling heartbroken because her husband cheated? Like she loved this man and now she’s sad because he doesn’t love her anymore? All I get is that she felt betrayed and she regrets her decision to give up her career. Then we have women bonding, fighting and growing. Don’t forget the family drama and child custody. We throw in a slow-burn romance and another side romance. Add to the drama is the business side of things, a start up, and corruption. It took Lin Shuang less than a year to discover the cheating to start her business. That seems really fast for anyone, let alone someone who hasn’t worked in years. All of this is covered in 36 episodes. YET, for some reason, it felt repetitive in the last 5-8 episodes for me. The scheming back-and-forth doesn’t end, the same lies are told and it’s no fun when you know who the villain is, and his tricks from the very beginning. The romance isn’t fun or angsty or fluffy. The drama loses my focus in the last few episodes (maybe the tech and coding talk) and I didn’t like the last episode either (especially the proposal). I like where the female leads end as a person, but I don’t like the writing of the last episode.


What I Don’t Like:

1. Frustrating Characters - One of the main reasons I did not watch this drama initially is because I heard of the frustrating characters. Gosh, there are so many and they make my blood boil. If I am only watching Wei Ming’s lies, I can deal with that. But his parents, Jiang Xi’s mother and the spoiled brat Joyce? They never go away and stay for the whole drama. I want to jump into the TV screen and beat them up so badly. If you do not like these frustrating and anger-inducing characters, don’t watch this drama.

2. Make-up - Who approves the make-up for these male characters? Huang Xiao Ming looks absolutely horrible with the white, cakey thick foundation on his handsome face. Has he aged that much that he needs such makeup to make him presentable? The other one with bad makeup is Zhao Shun Ran (Martin). He’s so handsome but he has uneven makeup on. At times, you see makeup on the face but not the neck. Huang Xiao Ming’s makeup distracts me whenever he comes on screen.

3. Lin Shuang/Gu Xu Romance - I hate to say this, but this slow burn romance is not working for me. I am not moved by Gu Xu’s dedication and I can see why he’s the perfect guy for Lin Shuang in my head. But the writing of the romance plot does not convince me that Lin Shuang feels the same way as Gu Xu. Did she like him when they were in high school? Or did she only see him as a rival this whole time? When did Lin Shuang fall in love with Gu Xu? Was it love or gratitude? Unfortunately, I am not feeling the chemistry between them.


Despite my rants, I do feel that “Alliance” has a lot to offer. I’ll recommend this for those who are looking for a women-centric, empowerment drama. As a working mother, I reflected on my personal experience while watching this. It’s hard to balance career and family, and you do need to give up some. If you are a working mother, you might be interested in this as well. However, if you can’t stand frustrating characters (those you want to punch their faces), it’s best to skip “Alliance”. You might get angry and it wouldn’t be fun, except, of course you are looking to be angry. LOL



Completed: 7/7/2024 - Review #457

Citeste mai mult

How to survive a broken marriage ?

PLOT: The FL, ex-elite in studies and professional field, became a housewife after the birth of her daughter. One day she realizes that her husband is cheating on her and has put all their assets in his name. She decides to join forces with the mistress to ensure she has custody of her daughter and gets back what is rightfully hers. She also needs to find a job...

PROS:
+ This woman's journey is intelligently written. Lots of divorcees (myself included) can identify with the character.
+ This drama is brought to life by excellent actors. Everyone, including the hateful husband.
+ Very nice sorority between wife and mistress

CONS:
- the narration is quite slow. [Divorce only happens in ep. 26].Okay, it's a long journey and a slow, complex process, but some of the arcs (kidnapping by the grandparents) go on way too long. I would have liked the reconstruction of FL's life to take up more space on the screen.
- the character of the husband (then ex-husband) takes up too much space in this drama. His behavior sometimes lacks subtlety: narcissistic perverts behave with more finesse, even if it is certainly difficult to translate into a series.
- the romance of CL is almost absent: only 1 kiss at the wedding, no hug or skinship = 0 chemistry ლ(ಠ_ಠლ)

=> Series mainly focused on the acceptance of the failure of a marriage, divorce, reconstruction. It's an intelligently written story, but the characters (mature yet also cold and calculating) are not really endearing.
******************************************************************************************
PLOT : La FL, ex-élite dans études et domaine professionnel, est devenue femme au foyer après la naissance de sa fille. Elle s'aperçoit un jour que son mari la trompe et a mis tous les biens à son nom. Elle décide de s'allier à la maîtresse pour s'assurer d'avoir la garde de sa fille & de récupérer ce qui lui revient. Elle doit aussi retrouver un travail...

PROS:
+ Ce parcours de femme est intelligemment écrit. Bcp de divorcées (moi compris) peuvent s'identifier au personnage.
+ Ce drama est mis en vie par d'excellents acteurs. Tous, y compris le mari détestable.
+ Très jolie sismance entre femme et maitresse

CONS:
- la narration est assez lente. [Le divorce n'arrive que dans l'ép. 26].Ok, il s'agit d'un long parcours et d'un processus lent et complexe, mais certains arcs (kidnapping par les grand-parents) durent vraiment trop longtemps. J'aurai aimé que la reconstruction de vie de la FL prenne plus de place à l'écran.
- le personnage du mari (puis ex-mari) prend trop de place dans ce drame. Son comportement manque parfois de subtilité : les pervers narcissiques jouent plus en finesse, même si c'est certainement difficile à traduire dans une série.
- la romance du CL est quasiment absente : 1 seul kiss lors du mariage, pas de hug ni de skinship = 0 chemistry ლ(ಠ_ಠლ)

=> Série surtout centrée sur l'acceptation de l'échec d'un mariage, le divorce, la reconstruction. C'est une histoire intelligemment écrite, mais les personnages, matures (OK) mais froids et calculateurs, ne sont pas vraiment attachants.

Citeste mai mult

A perfectly engineered drama for mass consumption

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed this show very much and I binge watched it from start to finish even though I have every intention to take it slow. That got me thinking, why did I do that?

It might be serendipity when I just saw a YouTube video about fast food and how they are created by science to give us dopamine and endorphin hits as quickly as possible. The amount of salt, sugar, fat, etc are precisely controlled. It even goes as far as using highly processed ingredients that requires minimum effort to digest so you don’t feel sluggish after a meal. You just feel good and want more . . with fries.

So, if we were to engineer a drama equivalent for the massive Chinese audience what would we need?

• A lead that is long suffering, but s/he has a strong, righteous personality, and a backbone of steel so that s/he can rise above.
• A romantic counterpart who is the rock for the main protagonist to shelter against the worst. S/he will do enough to make his/her intention clear, but it will be a slow burn.
• An antagonist who is despicable but not totally evil. Just bad enough that we look forward to his/her fall from grace.
• A bunch of one-note side characters who will do the dirty work of the antagonist or trigger events and move the plot along.
• The main theme shall be growth and redemption. Angst will be under a tight rein. Hope and despair will be in fine balance. The big payoff will be at the end.
• It should not be an all consuming revenge drama as that will corrupt the leads. However, wrongs will be righted, and the wrongdoers will get their comeuppance.
• Solid actors who can breathe life into their roles.
• Above average production.

To put it simply, this is Alliance in a nutshell.

There are minor deviations. For instance, the 2FL is a little surprise package as she flipped from the classic SFL to become the BFF of the FL. I liked that and it was good to watch her grow and mature. However, some of her subplots are contrived. More suffering for the sake of suffering.

The despicable antagonist is front and centre. The array of side characters are armed and ready. There are some social commentaries, but none are particularly hard hitting nor unique.

Add solid actors, a quality production and we have all the ingredients for a binge worthy drama and that is exactly what we got.

The story of Alliance is ageless and boils down to watching the FL struggle up a greasy slope. She will slip back down and skin her knees repeatedly. We all know that the reward is at the top of that hill so we wait in anticipation.

This is where a good script helps. There is despair but it is not soul destroying. Emotional scenes are well acted but mostly at 7/8th level with rare boil-overs. There are occasional sparks of joy to keep our hopes up and swoon worthy moments to let us know romance is not dead.

It ebbs and flows but the outcome is largely preordained. Plots are designed to hit us with the feels, and they get the job done.

Is that a bad thing? Absolutely not. As consumers of dramas, we crave those type of shows. Maybe they are formulaic, and leaves only a fleeting impression but we shall be hungry for more. Peace out.

Citeste mai mult