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baoshan-sanren · 4 years

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Best dramas I’ve watched in 2020 so far (and some not so good ones) Part II

part 1 here

Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain - based on Once Upon A Time, There Was A Spirit Sword Mountain by 国王陛下 (translation dropped at chapter 50 out of 884 back in 2017). A combination of satire/comedy with complex themes. The emotional investment sneaks up on you out of nowhere and hits you like a sack of bricks. An interesting twist on the master/disciple relationship. Meh on the special effects. Excellent female characters. Solid plot, endless fanfic potential, all the found family your heart desires. Much more gay than you’d think. Needs Season 2, but Season 1 can be watched over and over again. 9/10

Handsome Siblings - based on Twin Heroes by Gu Long. Feel good ending. A decent amount of angst. The most heartwarming drama I’ve watched all year. Funny and insightful and a joy to experience. Meh on the special effects. They don’t know they’re brothers. Plot drags only in a few places, and not for very long. A variety of female characters, but mediocre on their portrayals. A sect comprised of only female disciples - I would like to see it. Contains one of the three het couples whose happiness mattered to me in the entirety of 2020. An endless well of hilarity and angst. Can be watched over and over again. 8/10

Love and Redemption - based on The Glass Maiden by Shi Si Lang (translation ongoing). A wild ride from beginning to end. Intentionally and unintentionally funny. Gay subtext. Contains one of the three het couples whose happiness mattered to me in the entirety of 2020. A plethora of excellent and complex side characters. A feral bottom snake god. A merman who gets kidnapped once a week. Buckets of angst and frustration and misunderstandings. Gorgeous aesthetics. The male lead is tortured more often than all the other characters combined, but he looks hot while going through it. A+ for the sheer wildness of the plot, C- for all the misunderstandings; there has to be a limit somewhere. 7.5/10

The Rise of Phoenixes - based on The Rise of Phoenixes by 天下归元 (translation ongoing). Contains one of the three het couples whose happiness mattered to me in the entirety of 2020. If you judge the seriousness of the drama by the relative hotness of the Emperor, casting Ni DaHong should tell you everything you need to know. An abundance of court intrigue, suspense, and humor. Complex themes, steady plot progression, no scene time wasted. Costumes and set design out of this world. Smart and witty. The most thought provoking drama I’ve watched all year. Ni Ni is a goddamn goddess and should be worshipped daily. 10/10

Legend of Two Sisters In the Chaos - based on a novel I can’t seem to track down anywhere. Meng ZiYi must have some serious back pain from carrying all forty episodes on her shoulders. Interesting premise, shaky execution at best. Main het relationship did not excite, nor were the acting skills comparable; Meng ZiYi deserved better. Wang ZhuoCheng gives a decent performance. The drama does pack an emotional punch if you stick around long enough to get invested. Forty episodes long, but sometimes seemed twice that. Definitely entertaining, but not engaging. 6/10

The Wolf - also based on a novel I can’t track down. Too much romance, then angst, then romance. The dreaded love triangle. Dropped the drama three times, then went back because Xiao Zhan. Darren Wang gives decent performance, but does not have much to work with. Li Qin’s skills utterly wasted on this role. If you’re not invested in the love story, you’ll get bored. If you’re invested, you’ll be emotionally numb half-way through. Good fight scenes. Not so good special effects. 5/10 for the actors doing their best with what they had.

Dance of the Phoenix - based on Dragons Flies Phoenix Dances by 明月听风 (translation dropped at chapter 27 out fo 85 in May of 2020). Yu Mingye deserved better. Female main character + mostly female side characters. Excellent + complex villains, also female. Judging by the costumes + special effects, not much of a budget to work with. Cop-out in the last few episodes to neatly tie up the plot that was... not very intricate to begin with. Vastly entertaining but not that deep. Buckets of angst, but plenty of humor to ease the pain. Lan JingYi fights with a fan. Good fanfic potential. Godawful ending. 7/10 for the best villain I’ve encountered all year.

Legend of Fei - based on Bandits by Priest (translation ongoing). Zhao Liying slays. A variety of compelling female characters. Excellent fight choreography. Interesting premise, steadily progressing plot. Potential for many disaster bisexuals. May contain the fourth het romance I’m invested in this year, but it's still too early to tell. Wang Yibo in his element as Xie Yun, may even produce a better performance than his role in The Untamed. The drama is still only 7 episodes in, will give ranking when finished. ?/10

Looking forward to:

Immortality - based on danmei novel The Husky and His White Cat Shizun by 肉包不吃肉 starring Chen Feiyu and Luo Yunxi

Winner Is King - based on the danmei novel Sha Po Lang by Priest starring Tan Jianci and Chen Zheyuan

A Tale of The Wanderers - based on danmei novel Faraway Wanderers by Priest starring Zhang Zhehan and Gong Jun

Douluo Continent - based on xuanhuan novel Soul Land by 唐家三少 starring Xiao Zhan and Wu Xuanyi

Step By Step Lotus - based on historical novel Return to Ming Dynasty as Prince by 月关 starring Zhang Binbin and Luo Yunxi

Feng Qi Long Xi - based on historical novel of the same name by Ma Bo Yong starring Zhu Yilong and Deng Lun

Sword Snow Stride - based on the xuanhuan novel The Snowy Path of the Heroic Blade by 烽火戏诸侯 starring Zhang Ruoyun and Hu Jun

Heaven Official's Blessing - based on danmei novel of the same name by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu - cast unknown

Thousand Autumns - based on danmei novel of the same name by Meng Xi Shi - cast unknown

Joy Of Life Season 2 - based on wuxia novel of the same name by 猫腻 starring Zhang Ruoyun and Li Qin

A League of Nobleman - based on danmei novel The Society of Four Leaves by Da Feng Gua Guo starring Song Weilong and Jing Boran

Flying Phoenix - based on danmei novel of the same name by 風弄 starring Dai Jingyao and Shu Yaxin

#cdrama #cdrama recs #long post #m

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