Lukewarm Rom Com

Not much romance, but a lot of friendships and scoring points for the good guys. No senseless deaths or sacrificing a character just for drama sake. The leads were actors I like, and even the secondary characters were also likeable. Wish the writers had developed a few more personal relationships along the way too. The soulful expressions on the faces of the ML & FL were endearing. I love Song Wei Long and Chen Yi Long.

The storyline was pretty simple, no dramatic twists or WTH (what-the-heck) moments. Just good, light-hearted fun and light watching to pass the time. This is why I watch these dramas, to escape everyday life and all that chaos. So, if you're looking for something entertaining and light, this is a pretty good choice.

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The Characters from Hell

If there was a prize for the series with the most irritating, disgusting characters, this would be it hands down! That would indicate that the acting was pretty good since they were so convincing. The storyline was pretty clear, no glaring loose ends, but 46 episodes was a bit drawn out and I found myself fast-forwarding through a lot of scenes with the characters who were just downright disgusting, especially with the constant bickering.

The Women: Unfortunately, the women in this drama didn't come across in a very positive light - with the exception of Jingyi, Dr. Gu's wife. The matriarch of the Gu family, the grandmother was vicious and hateful. She said the most offensive, awful things (and got away with it) and did some pretty ugly things (and got away with it). The Wife of the Chen Pharmacy was particularly annoying and shrewish and nagging as hell! Substitute daughter Qingwei was whiny and your typical spoilt brat, but she was so arrogant and childish so that got old real fast. The FL was a disappointment. There was such promise for this character - a strong, smart woman rising from adversity and from one bad break to the next - but she just came across as a pushover - too 'good' to be true and annoyingly naive. But the female character who deserved the most disgust and disdain was the shallow, selfish, greedy mother He Xiu - the one that had me screaming at the screen and fast-forwarding out of disgust. Great job by that actress, by the way!

The Men: The villain Fang Cheng was unconscionable and childishly spiteful and vindictive. The two ML Zhen Ding & Han Chong were weak and neither one really lived up to the title of hero. Zhen Ding was too passive, and Han Chong was childish and impulsive. Patriarch Dr. Gu was so gullible and stubborn - that character too, could have been such a strong force, but he came across as noble but weak and wishy-washy. Pharmacy owner Chen Fu Gui was an all-round good guy, and I liked his character a lot too. But the definitely the star of the entire series was the adopted dad Wang Yao - who started out to be pretty harsh but turned out to be the kind of dad you can look up to (except for being hen-pecked by that shrew of a wife). I really hoped for a better ending for him though.

So overall, I kept watching to see the bad people get their Karma - and kept coming back until it was done. I think they wrapped it up pretty well in the last two episodes, which these days is rare. You find that in the last episode everything tends to get rushed through to complete in the time slot, but this one didn't feel that way.

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Made me laugh out loud

A simple story with a cute couple. There was definitely chemistry between the ML & FL, and their 'staff'. I liked the SML and wish he could have gotten a better deal, but it was rewarding that he turned out to be a gracious loser, although a happy ending is hinted at for him.

Did not like the Doctor or the twit he ended up with, and it seems like she got off very easy (as did Nanny Liu) for all the trouble they caused. Likewise, the SML's mother - she just faded into a side wing somewhere.

This story was not super complicated, had very light moments which really did make me laugh out loud. The FL was cute but not irritating, she didn't over-act and she came across as very loveable. The ML did a great job as her foil - you could see the differences between them and watch as she grew on him.

If you're looking for light rom-com, I'd say give this one a chance. It won't win any awards, but don't expect it to, and enjoy the fluff!

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Story where all the bad guys get happy endings

As a story goes, it held my interest despite moments of yelling at the screen in frustration and disgust. I liked many of the characters, but many of them died off, and only a few deservedly so.

I read from the reviews that people liked the couple Qing Lan/Jia Ruo and Ye Huo/Ming He, liked their 'love story'. He was really not an evil villain as such, but he did some pretty terrible things. SHE on the other hand, was a selfish, vicious, evil, wicked... well, you get the idea. She was the devil and she made him do all those terrible things. And? They got love and ended up 'together'. Chi Xiao Tai - another selfish, evil bitch - came out smelling like a rose - too sorry too late! And worst of all, the little weasel Shi Ming Yan - not only gets away with her evil deeds but gets rewarded too!

And what's with killing off so many good guys!

The ending was a little odd for me - I kinda knew they were keeping something back, but they could have spent a little more time developing it instead of the long goodbyes and crap.

56 episodes is a long haul, but I kept wanting to go back for more to see what happens next, so it was worth it for me. Have to admit I fast-forwarded through a lot of the fight scenes and some of the scenes with the evil bitches. But the stone-faced ML grew on me (although his selflessness and righteousness kinda got old real fast) and I didn't care for the FL - she just seemed pouty and bullheaded all the time. There was more chemistry between the secondary couples (and there were quite a number of them).

Can I just say for the record - that the best character for me was Nan Chu - and he deserved much, much more than he got for being such a loyal, stand-up guy! But, as I said in the title - mostly the bad guys got it good in the end.

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A Family That Rules Together...

I loved the family dynamic in this story. I am really invested in seeing how it plays out in Season Two. I liked the characters (even the ones I didn't like weren't completely hateful). Mom Xu certainly helped enough people to pay it forward to her family. I didn't mind the slo-mo fight scenes, even when they were a little over-the-top. Amusing in places, very sad in other places. I can't wait for Season Two, and I really hope the producers won't let us down.

BUT! I'm a romance junkie, and there was NO. ROMANCE. AT. ALL!! I was bitterly disappointed about that and that's why it got an 8 from me. I already have my dream couples all paired up. ML & FL (although I was disappointed in this actress - hope she either warms up or gets re-cast). Ning E Mei (Army guy bodyguard) & Qing Niao (ML bodyguard). Chen Zhi Bao (Army guy) & Xu Wei Xiong (ML sister). Xu Zhi Hu (ML elder sister) & the Taoist guy. If Season Two doesn't heat up with some PDA and romance, I'll be even more disappointed.

Overall, this was a good series and I pretty much enjoyed it much better than Joy of Life (since everybody else is comparing the two).

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At last - a drama that merited a perfect 10 BUT...

Just finished watching this series. What excellent story telling. Superior acting - the ML, FL, just about every actor in the production. The chemistry was great, the interactions so well-done. Every episode drew the audience deeper into the intrigue, and I couldn't wait for the next episode to air. One or two minor holes in the plot, but not enough to take away from the excellence of this drama. Started out a little slow, but I persisted and am glad I did.

Can I just say again how stellar the performances of the actors were? Every single actor made you believe their role - you loved the ones who were good, you hated the ones who were evil. The expressions on the ML were priceless and without saying a word, you knew what emotion he was feeling. That he did his own dialog too - love his voice. I wasn't as impressed with the FL, but have to say that her dialog had all the emotion that she needed for that role, and although at times she could be headstrong and almost arrogant, she came to be the perfect match for the ML and their romance was powerful and believable.

So why only an 8?
(SPOILER ALERT) 3 main reasons: First, and most important, killing off Song Jin. No matter how his demise supposedly contributed to the story (I couldn't see it), that was hurtful. Second, Yuan Lang got away with all his evil deeds and didn't get enough retribution for me. (Sorry doesn't make it right). Third, Qiu Min got a happy ending - and that one was the hardest to swallow (mean bitches don't deserve a handsome prince).

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I Tried Hard to Like This Drama

Loved the ML, but was underwhelmed by the FL. I kept hoping for more chemistry between them. Some of the other characters were ok too, but something was just off with the whole lot of them. I found myself fast-forwarding through parts of the episodes too. I really wanted to like this drama, but it was just so-so for me. I couldn't figure out that Emperor too - he was likeable enough, but is that what emperors did? Loved on everybody and punished the people they loved with no proof? And what happened in the end? Did he keep the concubines?
The sound editing was awful - kept cutting in and out, and sometimes sounded like it was coming from the bottom of a well, so the dialogue was distorted a lot. Thank goodness for the captioning.

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Great Ending? Depends on who you ask...

The story was pretty strong, and the plots were not confusing. The actors did a great job in their roles. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough chemistry for me between some of the couples, and all around, there was just so much tragedy. I suppose many viewers liked the outcome of the ML & FL - and I suppose that makes the 58 episodes worth it. However, the ending counts as a tragedy for me - because there was so much sacrifice and love that brought us to that point, and for me that just overshadowed the happy ending. A couple of loopholes in the storylines - but I guess the viewer just had to figure out what was going on, but it didn't spoil the overall story.
I admit I skipped through a lot of scenes - I couldn't take the sadness and the deaths. I can't say I would rewatch this series again. Once is enough. But it was worth the effort once I was prepared for how the story would end.

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No illusions about the ending

I was prepared not to rate this drama because of the hype I read about the ending. It was pretty clear to me, and it told the story how it should have been told. Not everybody has a happy ending, but it was gratifying to see the various relationships built and grow.

Some of the characters were annoying (without redemption) - and that Emperor was evil (as was his mother). It's amazing how conniving and vicious people were in those times, and yet the society was built on honor and reverence of elders and ancestors.

The story was well-told and well-acted. Despite the validity of the ending, I would have liked to see them get some happiness, but that's why I watch these dramas - for the things that don't happen in real life. Still, I think it's worth watching, and I enjoyed the series.

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Loved This

This was the second drama I watched, and I am saving it to watch again and again. I pretty much liked the story line, but the ML made the movie for me. The chemistry between him and the FL was delightful. However, admittedly, I just loved watching this guy. He smoldered in every scene and I am mesmerized! I am going to watch it again just to look at him.

That being said, it was a passable story, but I didn't care for the indiscriminate killing off of so many of the characters (especially the good ones that I liked). The costumes were fantastic. The cinematography was great. Realistic. All in all I really liked this piece.

And I'll say it once again - Zhou Yi Wei : hot!

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This story had potential - the screenwriting & directing ruined it

Another drama I wanted to love and place firmly on my 'rewatch' list. I adore Wu Lei. Zhao Lusi, not so much, but when she finds a role that suits her, she does a fine job. The ensemble cast is the reason (and especially Wu Lei) that I rated this drama as highly as I did. For once, even the absence of smoking hot chemistry between the main leads didn't deter me.

There were aspects of Part I which were slightly better than the disorganized mess that was Part II - but the second part also underwhelmed and disappointed.

I had trouble keeping track of who was who - so many princes, so many princesses, so many ministers, evil and not evil, so many random characters popping up when a plot needed justification... it became tedious trying to remember them all and what their story was. Hence, the holes in the stories. So much time was wasted on slow-motion shots, repetitious angle shots, and pushing the revenge and petty spitefulness to the max. I get that FL was wronged in her childhood. I get that ML was traumatized and also suffered. Those points were played out so much that it got tiresome to watch it. So much so, that when it came to wrapping up the storylines, in that last episode, the viewers really got sold out. Even mid-stream, in the years FL was in the palace - one group scene with everybody in red was supposed to indicate the couples and marriages. Press 'pause' to see who got married to who... disappointing! And that last scene in the last episode - supremely disappointing!

We waited so long for this series and so much hype went into it. Fans of the ML & FL watched, and many may praise it because of their loyalty to these two actors. My opinion might not be popular, but it is just that - my opinion. I was disappointed and underwhelmed with the way the story was told and with the performance of the screen writers and the director. They ruined the piece.

Can I just add my admiration for the great job that Tong Lei did as the Empress? She evoked the only tears I shed in this drama. Her gentle, generous spirit was truly brought out in this actor's performance. I really loved so many of the characters in this series because they did such a great job of bringing their roles to life, and that is the reason I could give this show the rating I did. I also have to mention Wu Lei's fight scenes - and how magnificent he looks on a horse! I look forward to his next historical drama.

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Love & Revenge

A nicely-played drama about love and revenge. The chemistry between the lead couple carried this whole drama. The secondary characters were well played by the supporting actors, and the story came together well (for a mini episode drama). I enjoyed the players so much that I would have loved to see this as a regular length series so that the writers/director could develop the characters a little more.

Best to watch all episodes together, so as not to lose continuity. It was hard to break up the episodes (they are so short), but if you are looking for something short and sweet, this one is surely a contender. I wish they had invested a little more time and depth for the ending and explained some of the relationships a little more, but all's well that end happily - and this one did.

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It started well, but...

This started well, and I was really getting invested in the characters. Once I established who the ML was, I liked the pairing immediately - great chemistry between the FL & ML. The villainess is predictably disgusting, and all I want is for her and her cronies to get Karma. Good Karma.

The story took a turn into confusion after the lightning tribulation bit. Did they both die? What's with the resurrection arc? How do they end up meeting again and why, if they only just end up in a hurried cliffhanger that we don't even know will be resolved since there is no indication or information about a season two!? I hope there will be. I can't stand these WTH endings.

These short-episode format dramas really need to have a tight storyline that doesn't stray from the main point. It started out ok, but somewhere around the middle got a bit confusing and repetitious (the villainess can only obsess on killing the FL so many times) and then the end feels like they ran out of time, so just cut the scene. Bam! What the heck!?!?

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