The second half of the show kinda drags a bit - the way Korean shows add scenes that don't add much to the story, and you can tell the scriptwriter changed things to accommodate the TV ratings - but the first half of the story, and some of the side story lines (e.g. Lee Jaekyung conspiracy, and the detectives) make the show worth finishing to the end.
The premise is simple enough, but everything else is like an overly melodramatic soap opera. The script, the direction, the sounding editing, the soundtrack usage... Everything is bad. More often than not, scenes cut in and out without much connection between each other, and when the drama emphasizes important plot devices, the plot device doesn't end up being too featured or too talked about in the aftermath. It's a horribly cheesy, horribly melodramatic Taiwanese drama. I skipped 8 episodes in between (out of 14 total episodes - I watched the Taiwanese version, and not the Mainland version), and I still give this review. So all in all, watch at your own risk of wasting your precious time, lol.
This was OK. It's a pretty fun watch if you're looking for an easy romantic-comedy-ish TV show to watch (or movie, depending which version you're watching). My problems with it was that it was too modern at times. I felt it was absurd that the Bennet family took in Amanda Price so easily even though she first greeted them in a black leather jacket and jean pants, they didn't blink an eye or react to the fact that she looked completely different from the average girl in 19th-century England. In fact, all through the series, the other characters didn't question her at all! Even though she used words normally not used in that era. But even aside from the cultural inconsistency in the series, I also had problems with the last episode of the show. It didn't explain how or why Amanda Price was suddenly able to magically pop back into 21st-century London through a random door, when she wasn't able to open up the other door at Longbourn despite her dozen tries attempting to open it.
Other than the script problems I didn't like, I found Amanda Price (her character or her actress) really annoying. The way she complained all the time even after days in the new world. If she so loved the Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen world, then she should go with it, instead of whining all the time.
The finale bothered me as well. It felt too much of a happy-ending to be realistic. If the writers were able to write Jane and Mr. Bingley back together at the end, then I don't understand why they would dump Elizabeth Bennet to modern independency to stay consistent to the original story. I think Amanda Price ending up with Mr. Darcy at the end contradicted itself by not staying consistent with that theme.
Overall, I think the show is good for a fun easy romcom watch, especially for a modern fantasy take on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, but it could have used a more consistent script. I understand the events of the book were important to portray for the series, but still, some things needed to be explained to make it more realistic.
God fuck, Korean dramas are so fucking illogical. I started watching this under recommendation of a couple of friends, so even though I have my doubts about how good this drama is, I decided to give it a try. The first two episodes were OK. They were fast-paced enough that I could look past some of the stuff that I had problems with (e.g. the misplacement of idiotic jokes, some pacing inconsistencies etc.) But by the end of the second episode, I knew that I couldn't sit through all 11 episodes - even though they were only 11 episodes - so I skipped ahead to episode 10.
The first half of episode 10 is actually quite good. I enjoyed catching up what I had missed in the 7 episodes I skipped over, but when the second half of the episode rolled around, I just got more and more frustrated at the drama series. Why are Korean dramas so frustratingly illogical and coincidental?!
Korean dramas have a habit of prolonging even the most intense scenes and story plots, ironically making them less intense with characters staring at a point slightly off-camera. Or they'll blur out knives (!) but not guns (!) in a show about murderers. Or they'll have characters just sitting idly in cars while waiting for important phone calls. Or they'll have V.I.P. victims taking instructions from a stranger over the phone, even after he says "I can't... I can't trust any of you!" (but you're trusting a random stranger on the phone, bruh). Or they'll have a character about to shoot a guy's head off, but oh-so-conveniently, they'll have another guy enter the scene just in time to stop him, but even when that's convenient (and I look past that), when the character falls onto the ground during the attack, and the gun is still near his hand, he doesn't grab the gun to retaliate, he just gets up and allows himself to be punched again.
Stop stretching out these scenes! Stop treating audiences like dimwits and that we can't solve things by ourselves. These scriptwriters need to stop laying out the details of a murder plot line-by-line as if the audiences can't figure it out ourselves, and as if we need a constant reminder of what happened the previous episodes.
Also, I bet if Korean dramas could take this entire series and trimmed out all the camera shots of characters staring emptily slightly off camera, I bet each episode could probably be at least 10 minutes shorter. Thus, the entire drama maybe one or two episodes shorter. Instead, they could use these two episodes and fill it with actual character development and actual story development, instead of filling it with prolonged over-dramatic stares.
This drama had a lot of potential in the first half of the show, but it takes absolutely forever in getting down to the romance triangle. But when it does, the show becomes all sorts of melodramatic - hospital scenes start happening, people become super close to dying, parents disown children, people get fired at work, people get pregnant, etc. You know, the atypical Asian drama requirements. To top it all off, the TV direction becomes super lazy in the second half of the show. It's as if the director sort of gave up too. Wallace Chung does what he can with the script near the end, but even then, the show is still super tacky.
Keisha Castle-Hughes is amazing as one of the Sand Snakes. I can't wait to see her in action!
This season has been a lot slower than previous season, and I'm not sure if I like it. On one hand, character development is more intricate, but on the other hand, some scenes are completely unnecessary. Ser Barristan did not need to die though. It's as if he died just so the writers could keep the Grey Worm and Missandei romance side-plot alive. Ugh.
The first season is still the best season. Now, everything is far too complicated, with way too many characters to keep track of. I hope they don't add more clones, and just continue to kill people off instead.
Holy crap. Rachel McAdams just continues to impress in this series. That entire sketchy pimp house scene is absolutely intense.
This TV drama really shows how talented Bryant Chang (now Ray Chang) is, and how deserving he is of the Best Newcomer award he received some years ago at the Golden Horse Awards. It kinda sucks that his career didn't take off after that award win, because he's one of the few "idol" actors in Taiwan right now who can pull off such a geeky character so genuinely.
Well then, that took a really awkward and sexist turn. Maybe Taiwanese TV drama producers need to take notes from Canada and be all, "Because it's 2015." Also, I advise everyone to skip all the dumb sibling scenes because they really add nothing to the main plot, and they're just there as distractions.
The Cantonese accents of these Mandarin-speaking actors are sooo bad! Also, an eight-pack abs contest held in the middle of a supermarket? That's yet another unrealistic thing about Taiwanese dramas.
Man, the more I watch this drama, the more impressed I am with Ray Chang's acting. The way he handles the dual environments with the ghost and reality is just really amazing coming from a Taiwanese idol actor. I mean, he's not technically an "idol actor" since he has won a Golden Horse, but his acting is just so natural, genuine, and altogether charismatic, it's just really refreshing to watch a Taiwanese actor show this sort of performance, when typically most idol actors in Taiwan tend to overact in these TV dramas.
Annnd this is when the show gets cliché. It's only the second episode, and already we get scenes where: ugly siblings freak out over handsome guys; locals freak out over handsome guys; handsome guys lie to their parents; and handsome guys argue with ex-girlfriends without giving the audience any context beforehand.
Pivotal episode, where Hongpei finally discovers the truth of what transpired during the six years when he was dead. So sad.
Shuhai deserves a best friend that's actually human and isn't a manipulative two-sided ghost all the damn time. Mystic Dragon needs to step his game up and solve the mystery already!
The bromance is strong in this one. Also, FYI, the TV version of this drama only has 13 episodes, whereas the Line TV version aired the full 35 episodes.
I can't believe any scriptwriter would have the gall to write poor Lady Edith such a devastating plot twist. I mean, you'd think she has suffered enough.
The ending is completely wonderful yet completely horrid all at the same time. Also, Edna is a stupid plot device that shouldn't have happened because Tom Branson is a sad character as it is. Watching him cry is just depressing.
Well, damn, this episode has everything: 1) Alison and Donnie twerking; 2) An amazing flashback dream sequence featuring Beth that was very well-edited; 3) Delphine returns; 4) Felix fucks Rachel up; 5) Paul being an utter gentleman, "It was never Beth I loved" swoon; 6) Paul dying; 7) Helena returns. Holy effing shit.
Predictable resurrection, but I appreciate it nevertheless. I'm bummed out about Dorne (episode 1), and I wish Margaery can return to King's Landing soon - the priest guy is an ass - but I'm looking forward to what's gonna happen with Sansa Stark this season. She finally has an exciting story line! Yay!
So happy to see the Stark family coming to their power now, each in their own individual way: Sansa with Brienne, Arya with her new skills, Jon with his new freedom, Bran with his knowledge, and well, hopefully Rickon gets a lesson of his own too.
I really hope Rickon Stark won't get murdered or tortured by Ramsay Bolton now that he's back in Castle Black, or Osha will protect him until otherwise. Maybe Jon Snow will return and murder people. Also, so happy to see Olenna Tyrell back. I miss that wise old lady.
Allison and Donnie are my favourite TV couple.
"Donnie, my sister has a robot maggot in her face. You tell me what a solid plan is." "Exactly. Now go rent a jackhammer."
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not gonna let it slide."
Daniel Wu is so friggin' talented. It's so refreshing to see an actor who actually has a personal background in the martial arts perform his own stunts! It's just that much more realistic.
Ugh, who is this stupid River King. He's ruining everything. It was obvious right from the beginning that Quinn was gonna die eventually - and thank goodness too, because his Southern (?) drawl was awful - but god, the River King really fucked this up by splitting up the M.K. and Sunny storylines. How are they going to reunite now?! Although I guess the River King can't really be blamed, wheelchair Waldo is a traitor too.
M.K.'s voiceover at the end is super cheesy. I hope they remove all voiceover lines from the script next season. And I hope we get to see Tilda, M.K., and Veil form an alliance next season.
Poor Pierre. He deserves all the happiness in the world. I mean, I'm super happy for Prince Andrei too, but gosh, poor Pierre :( I hope this love triangle doesn't end up being this crazy intense murderous thing because I really like the other two characters too.
Poor Pierre, poor Andrei, and poor Natasha. When will they ever find their happiness? At least Maria seems to finally find herself. Hope she gets to marry Natasha's brother at the end, because they all deserve better. Except for Anatole. Hope that prick dies. I don't think his leg getting chopped off is enough.
My God, that ending was bittersweet. It sucks that Pierre and Natasha had to go through all that just to be happy. But I suppose that's reflective of life in general - one needs to suffer to appreciate happiness that much more.
Yara Greyjoy's plan to ally with Dany Targaryen was really predictable. How did she hear about the Queen of Dragons anyway? I don't remember anyone telling her that Dany was in Meereen.
Also, I wonder who Sansa wrote to.
Matthew Goode is the best part of this Christmas special episode. Also, I'm getting real tired of the Spratt/Denker conflict. Does anyone actually care about those two? The Carson and Mrs. Hughes romance is kinda boring too.
