CKDramaddicts
Canada
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Great OTP chemistry and intriguing secondary couples/characters
This was an enjoyable period drama with a great OTP and intriguing secondary characters and couples. Execution and casting helped elevate an otherwise standard battle for the throne palace intrigue.
The chemistry between Zhang Wanyi and Wang Churan was great and their Mr & Mrs Smith dynamics were fun to watch. The romance could have been even swoonier and more passionate, however, had they not tried to inject as much romcom throughout.
CASTING THOUGHTS:
Wang Churan was ethereal when her character had amnesia and was not burdened by difficult memories, but also strong and formidable when Liu Miantang finally remembered those missing years. She was great as both types of characters but struggled a bit reconciling the two personalities into one.
While I enjoyed Zhang Wanyi's overall portrayal and acting, I found his rather distinctive voice and delivery very reminiscent of Luo Jin's style, which was somewhat distracting throughout.
I kept waiting for Shi Xueji to suddenly reveal herself as a scheming villainess and was thankfully proven wrong. Yuan Yuxuan and the writers did a lovely job with her character despite her relatively limited screen time. Some of my favourite scenes were the ones where she found such joy and delight in eating; and for a character with an uncomplicated mind and personality, she showed wisdom that was fitting for an Empress and partner to Zuyi -- who was a solid emperor, yet not quite worthy enough for Shi Xueji as a husband, in my view.
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I'd heard this was originally meant to be a two-parter like Lost You Forever, but the powers that be changed their minds given the requisite extended pause between Part 1 and 2. If more than a dozen episodes worth of material were indeed filmed and then cut, they did a pretty decent editing job with the overall story flow and importantly, they actually stuck the landing with a satisfying conclusion. (We've all seen how these things can be butchered, and even the most solid dramas have flailed at the ending.)
My overall 9/10 rating is perhaps somewhat inflated -- I would rate it higher than 8.5 but lower than 9 if I could, so for now, I have rounded up instead.
The chemistry between Zhang Wanyi and Wang Churan was great and their Mr & Mrs Smith dynamics were fun to watch. The romance could have been even swoonier and more passionate, however, had they not tried to inject as much romcom throughout.
CASTING THOUGHTS:
Wang Churan was ethereal when her character had amnesia and was not burdened by difficult memories, but also strong and formidable when Liu Miantang finally remembered those missing years. She was great as both types of characters but struggled a bit reconciling the two personalities into one.
While I enjoyed Zhang Wanyi's overall portrayal and acting, I found his rather distinctive voice and delivery very reminiscent of Luo Jin's style, which was somewhat distracting throughout.
I kept waiting for Shi Xueji to suddenly reveal herself as a scheming villainess and was thankfully proven wrong. Yuan Yuxuan and the writers did a lovely job with her character despite her relatively limited screen time. Some of my favourite scenes were the ones where she found such joy and delight in eating; and for a character with an uncomplicated mind and personality, she showed wisdom that was fitting for an Empress and partner to Zuyi -- who was a solid emperor, yet not quite worthy enough for Shi Xueji as a husband, in my view.
----
I'd heard this was originally meant to be a two-parter like Lost You Forever, but the powers that be changed their minds given the requisite extended pause between Part 1 and 2. If more than a dozen episodes worth of material were indeed filmed and then cut, they did a pretty decent editing job with the overall story flow and importantly, they actually stuck the landing with a satisfying conclusion. (We've all seen how these things can be butchered, and even the most solid dramas have flailed at the ending.)
My overall 9/10 rating is perhaps somewhat inflated -- I would rate it higher than 8.5 but lower than 9 if I could, so for now, I have rounded up instead.
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