Finally! A good Wuxia Series!

This was such a great show! I definitely enjoyed the martial arts world arc more than the political drama in the latter part of the show, but it still kept my interest. TBH, it was a little overwhelming in the beginning because we were introduced to so many characters from a variety of sects & clans who carried magnificently named weapons! But luckily the writers allowed the plot & characters an opportunity to breathe after a few episodes so that we were able to enjoy the relationships & character arcs & plot development more. I appreciated that all the characters were smart, strong, or both; no one was useless in the show. I liked that they showed how strong the older generation were compared to the young bloods, and how hard the younger generation continued to work hard and get better. The main characters did not automatically become the best fighters but instead kept practicing their marital arts though their multiple loses.

I loved the relationships between the leads (males & females) and their dialogue & interactions. They all had natural chemistry, especially between Xiao se, Wuxin, and WuJie. There was romance but it was subtle & low-key. I know some folks didn’t care for the coupling or thought it was mismatched, but I disagree. I loved how Xiao Se & Qian Lou developed their relationship throughout the series, and how their personalities complemented each other. She was a strong woman! WuJie & Rouyi didn’t get as many screen time together but I did enjoy seeing them bond. He is such a silly chap!

This would have gotten a higher rating if they treated Wuxin better! He needed more screen time, especially w/his BFFs! And they did him dirty towards the end. I hated it. The ending w/Prince Chu was kinda anticlimactic too so that kept it from getting a higher rating. Finally, the bonus 5 mins saved the last 0.5 rating for me. If you know, you know!!

Overall, great show & definitely one I would go back to view over & over again. I would say it is on my Top 10 C-Drama of all time…maybe even cracking Top5!

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Good Start but Failed to Finish in All It's Glory

This show had so much potential! It started out interesting. The FL was a force to be reckoned with and the ML was interesting. Even with the plot contrivances to allow the leads to interact, I was ready to suspend my belief because I'm a sucker for court intrigue. The first 10-15 episodes were well-paced and kept my interest. However, after a certain development between their relationship at the latter part of the series, I thought the plot began to drag and I felt like it was going in circles. The palace intrigue no longer became intriguing but more like plot check-ins. Characters who were supposed to be smart weren't as smart as I thought. I felt some characters regressed as the story moved along. Even the plot twists did not feel earned because it sometimes came out of the left-field; there was no previous indication of such plans that made the viewer. I lost interest but forged on because I wanted to see the bad guys get their comeuppance, which literally took forever because apparently they were all made of Teflon. So many random things happened that honestly did not move the plot along or made much difference at the end, but was put there for drama's sake. And the ending was "no comment."

**Disclaimer: This review is my personal opinion. If you love the show, more power to you friend! I'm not a hater or a stan. I'm just a Xennial drama watcher who has watched too many dramas and have become too picky for my own good! Much love.

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More shows like this Please!

I LOVE this show. I enjoyed it very much and did not once FF it. It would have been perfect if the last few episodes didn't feel rushed or random to me, but C-dramas have been notoriously bad at sticking their landings!

The story line was engaging. The characters were dynamic and three-dimensional. I love the agencies the women had in this series. It was good to see a storyline where the women weren't catty with one another, but rather supportive to each other. This includes ALL the women in the series, not just the leads. The romance was void of dramatic spins, falls, and catches, and not too many slow-motion beauty shots, so that is always a PLUS in my book! It has been quite a while since I've enjoyed a C-drama this much (since the Imperial Coroner), especially after so many highly-anticipated ones which ended up be so disappointing to ME (Who Rules the World, Pearl Eclipse, The Long Ballad, Snow Sword Stride -- Don't come for me! If you love those shows, that's awesome!) To each her/his/their own! :-)

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YanHui is best girl!

I LOVE this show very much! It is def in my top 5 favorite C-Drama of the new era (80s & 90s will always be considered the golden era in my opinion). I needed a show to love after LBFAD & the Starry Love showed up! I needed another show to get me over the Starry Love, and Back from the Brink premiered!

I appreciated the growth of the characters individually as well as the growths shown in the different relationships. It was not love at first sight for the leads and they didn’t have an antagonistic relationship for the sake of tension or drama. The development of the relationship between the leads was gradual, organic, and mature. The choices they made made sense. The ML is great but honestly the FL in this story was what made it a top tier show. Yan Hui was such a good, well rounded female character. She was smart, strong, and kind. She was also not afraid to show emotions and let people know how she felt. Her communications skills were the best- I appreciated it so much because I hate miscommunication tropes that lead to misunderstandings. In this show, the leads, especially Yanhui, were pretty honest with each other. YanHui was always upfront with her love, her hate, and her fears. She is so far one of my favorite FL.

The supporting characters were interesting too and none of them outstayed their welcome. I was worried about the 2ML and how his story would play out but I am so glad that they didn’t do anything stupid with him. He didn’t automatically fall in love with the FL but when he did, I understood why. It made sense and I loved how their relationship also developed. And most importantly, the friendship between the women in the show was also the reason why I enjoyed this show so much. I HATE HATE HATE it when the FL have no women as friends. It doesn’t make sense to me when shows have women hating women due to jealousy or envy or whatever. I hate it even more when they’re sisters. They seldom ever do that with ML (unless it’s for the throne which I get). The storyline made sense and there was logic to the choices everyone made, even if it was on the obsessive toxic side. Adults actually acting like adults. What a concept! Anyways, this a fun show that made me laugh and cry. Highly recommend it!

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The Twin Flowers have my heart

Wow! This was an amazing show! It was funny, heartwarming, romantic, and emotional. The relationships in this series - family bonds, romantic partners, and friendships- are what helped to elevate this drama for me. I laughed & I cried throughout the series - they did a great job of balancing the comedy & the drama together in a seamless way that I didn’t feel any whiplash from the change of tone in the story. The 4 main leads all brought their A+ game (especially CXX who had to play 5 different characters!) & the supporting casts were also phenomenal (shout- out to our favorite paid supporting actor Hai Chao’s rolling eyes! Lol) . All the characters had depths & arcs. The pacing of the show helped keep the plot interesting & dynamic. There were minimal filler scenes (EVERY show has boring parts - even my #1 fav Nirvana in Fire) so that’s always a plus! Overall, one of my favorite C-Dramas in a looong time - def in my Top 5!

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So this is love ❤️

Wow!!! AMAZING from start to finish! I LOVE this show and it ranks in my top 3 of all time (Nirvana in Fire & Joy of Life). Was gist of the story new? Nope! Were their familiar tropes? Of course! But we’re they able to make it feel fresh?!? ABSOLUTELY!! DFQC & Orchid complemented each other well and were able to grow as a individuals and as a couple! Their acting was AMAZING! I felt every joy and heartache with them. The supporting casts were not one dimensional and all had reasons behind their actions. Everything made sense (for the most part).

I know many people (including myself) had major issues w/Orchid’s voice and some of the choices she made. However, after awhile, her voice no longer bothered me. As for her actions, she remained true to her character - she was kind, caring, and empathetic. That’s why she made the choices she made throughout the show. Some may see her as dumb or annoying, but I only saw her kindness and her wish for a peaceful world. Who wouldn’t want that?!? I loved Orchid & DFQC’s relationship. It was so nice to see adults who love each other communicate their wants and needs, and be able to accept each others choices. It was refreshing!

As for the 2nd ML Cheng Heng, wow, did I love him too! Oftentimes I feel that 2nd ML (and FL) are often at a disadvantage because they’re portrayed as less than compared to the ML so of course the FL would love the ML instead. However, Cheng Heng was a hero in his own right & in any other show, he would’ve gotten the girl. I loved his growth as a character too! But alas! Everything in life is fate- except love.

Lastly, the show was beautiful - music, design, CGI, and costumes. I loved how the three realms were distinct in culture and clothing. One of the most BEAUTIFUL shows I’ve seen in a looooong time!

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Intelligent Detective Story

I can't convey how much I love this show. It was a random show I found on YouTube and was hooked immediately because of the storyline, the dialogue, and the adorable young actors. I know they're green and need more experience to become better, but it didn't distract from the story. I appreciated that all the characters (good and bad) were smart, and made decisions that made sense to their position and character. I would have given it a 10 if not for the rushed ending. Like, WTH just happened? Bad editing made it so choppy. I wished we would have gotten a more complete ending. I heard their special episode left much to be desired so I will eventually watch it when it is subbed. PLEASE PLEASE have more seasons so that we can continue to follow this dynamic group of investigators.

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Worst but Fanciest Coroner ever

The first few episodes were good but after the character switch it went downhill. FL cannot act- she’s pretty but is so cringy to watch. She acts in one mode only- over dramatic. The ML started out smart & intriguing but then became stupider and stupider as the drama continued to make the FL look like the smartest person in the room. I especially hated when she did the autopsy w/her flowing hair and beautiful dress- who does that?? Hahaha. It’s not her fault but the director who wants to showcase her beauty - unless it’s in her contract to never have a bad shot? I FF to finish cuz I wanted to see how much more stupid it could get but I couple even do that- really skipped whole episodes to get to the end. Lame show.

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Tropes Galore

I realized that I watch and rank dramas on a curve. My expectations for high profile dramas with big budgets & and big stars are a lot higher than smaller budget dramas. I tend to not have high expectations for small budgeted dramas so it’s not disappointing when it’s not very good. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by smaller and non-hyped shows with 2nd & 3rd tiered actors like The Royal Coroner and Tales of Tang Dynasty. So I was once again pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Nancheng Banquet. Was it great? Nope. Did the story make sense? Not really. Did it bring anything new to the drama scene? Hell nah. But was it a fun watch? I think so! Sometimes I need quick palate cleansers and this was it. It’s amazing how many tropes one show can have and still manage to be decent if done right. Amnesia? Check! FL pretending to be a man? Check! Met as kids? Check! Love triangle? Check! Stoic ML & loud FL? Check! Noble idiocy? Check! I did appreciate how FL didn’t shy away and act coy about liking the ML. I enjoyed the camaraderie between the FL and the guards. I really liked the poor doctor. I wished the ending was better for the Empress. Overall, this show did its job to entertain me. It didn’t take itself too seriously and knew when to end w/out dragging it out. I’ll prob watch it eventually.

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