thefangirlverdict

thefangirlverdict

Drama Exchange: Deep-dive zone (March 2023)

Added 2023-02-28 23:45:01 +0000 UTC

Hi everyone!

Here's your Deep Dive zone for March!

Thanks to Trent for suggesting and implementing the new SPOILER convention, where you announce your spoiler in a first level comment, then write your actual spoiler (while still announcing it's a spoiler) in a reply to your first level comment.

This makes it much easier for folks to browse the Deep Dive, without necessarily having to scroll through walls of text that they're trying not to read. 😅

Have fun chatting dramas, everyone!

For spoiler-free discussions, you can go here!

KFG ❤️

Comments

Hey Uyen, we really think along the same lines! I totally agree on Ouyang Xu, I didn’t find him that bad at the start, just weak-willed and a bit weaselly. His conflict with Pan’Er seemed to grow like a mountain out of a molehill, from misunderstanding to grievance to hatred. So not a compelling villain arc to me, and Qi Mu was also meh. I think the writing was super strong when centred on the OTP. Their conversations together were so nuanced and generally healthy as they shared their hopes and fears and vulnerabilities. I feel like I seldom see a male lead so confident in his capability to kick ass yet also willing to be so open and honest with his FL (except of course when he went through that phase of noble idiocy sigh). The first few episodes of ADoS seemed movie-intense to me, as there was a very clear conflict - corrupt folks out to get Qianfan over the painting - and Pan Er helping him was like catnip to me. Their bickering was so fun! Qianfan being deadpan and you’re not sure if he’s seriously insulting. I still remember their banter on the boat when they escaped Pan Er’s hometown. Part of Pan Er’s improvised ruse is that they were running away together cos Qianfan got her pregnant, and Qianfan deadpanned that he had a baby that he didn’t know about or something like that. Can’t remember the line exactly but I was very tickled! Unfortunately besides the annoying villains I super loathed Chi Pan for most of my watch. He was really going out of his way to be an asshole to the FLs. I guess it was to embody the chauvinism of the times? But too hammy and annoying for me. Got better later when he became an ally to the FLs. Shen Ruzhuo was suitably slimy. It’s a trope I’ve seen in Chinese period dramas before, the seducer. But I really enjoyed how Yinzhang didn’t need to be rescued, and totally got one over him in the end! That flipped the trope for me kinda.

2023-03-29 22:46:49 +0000 UTC

Finished A Dream of Splendor :') overall I loved watching it. The big draws were the flirty banter/chemistry between OTP esp in the beginning, and watching our three ladies support each other. The show got rocky at the points when these two things were missing. I didn't love some of the side characters like Chi Pan and Ouyang Xu for much of the show and I never cared that much about the politics. I found myself actually liking more of the slice of life moments like the ladies navigating their business, but I can see how this could seem more boring. But things ended on a good note for me and I smiled saying goodbye to our characters A Dream of Splendor Ending SPOILERS ******* Jennifer, I was kinda reminded of you and AoS bc for me and ADoS, the bank note/noble idiocy was the bells for me and Ouyang Xu was my guy who I was wondering why he's still alive 😂 His character was hard for me to wrap around since in the beginning he seems weak, but not too bad, and then in the end, I guess bc of all his experiences, he really gets kinda evil. I didn't care too much about him as an antagonist, but the ending worked for me simply bc I liked seeing Pan'er and our crew win. I liked that the ending stuck to the theme, that was all about how our women fought for themselves. I liked the little concession the Emperor made, that he couldn't completely abolish the outcast system, but he got a little workaround and Yinzhang immediately benefited from it. I would have been interested to see Empress have a larger role. I think it's interesting how her background is similar to Pan'er and Yinzhang and while nice that she kinda has solidarity with them in the end, I was a lot more interested in her character than we were watching the power struggle between the two old men Qi Mu and Minister Xiao. My favorite moments were seeing the community rally around Pan'er. I loved seeing the ladies move from being outsiders, to having loyal customers who rooted for them, and that's why I really liked watching their business scenes. They gave us some nice scenes at the end to remind us of OTP's highlights, and while I wish we got more of them together in the latter half, they are totally strong contenders for romantic OTP of the year for me!

2023-03-29 15:08:06 +0000 UTC

A Dream of Splendor through ep 32 SPOILERS ******** It's a terrible case of noble idiocy. It just does not fit with their characters for me. Logically, I can see Qianfan's thinking, that he feels a lot of guilt that his dad was responsible for, what Pan'er has said herself, were some of the worst years of her life. But I hate it for a few reasons. This whole time, Qianfan has been adamant about not recognizing Minister Xiao as his dad. Sure, he saved him that one time but I think it was more a sense of not agreeing with Qi Mu's underhanded schemes, rather than affection for the guy. Pan'er has given no indication that she would blame Qianfan's dad's actions on him. I also felt like this doesn't track with Qianfan's up until now, pretty good read of Pan'er. I get that this is a big situation since it affected Pan'er's family and her, but after that one fight I was so hoping they would be better at communicating with each other since they're both pretty level headed. In full shipper mode, my first thoughts were, why was Pan'er so quick to think Qianfan left her?? Especially looking at their whole history of all his actions and everything he's done for her. Like, she knows the Capital Security Office is dangerous work and saw him bleeding out before. And remembers how he rushed to her multiple times the soonest he could see her bc he knew she would worry. It doesn't track for me how Pan'er would forget all this and not wonder if there was another reason, esp since Chen Lian wasn't around too. To be fair, I remembered how Ouyang Xu (shakes fist at him, why is he still here) really hurt her, so it does make some sense how this just made her jump back to that time. We know Qianfan's different, but I can see how for her, it's opening fresh wounds and just reaffirming her lack of trust in men, lol. BUT, I still think her reactions felt very premature bc his radio silence just seemed so out of character. I'm so upset because I am rooting for them so much LOL! I'm glad Chen Lian is a blabbermouth and revealed that uh, Qianfan was in a coma this whole time. But that still doesn't excuse his silence and his distancing himself away from Pan'er even before that. Sigh. I know. On brighter notes, I wanted to yell at a bunch of men during the past eps when Chi Pan made Pan'er dance for him and Shen Ruzuo (THAT SLEAZY SCUMBAG INSERT A LOT OF BAD WORDS THAT I WON'T SAY OUT OF RESPECT FOR KFG AND THIS SPACE I knew there was a reason he wasn't in the title sequence) drugged Yinzhang -- but then ofc these ladies stood their ground and fought their own battles against these men. I did love the moment when Yinzhang showed up to speak up for Pan'er and Sanniang when they got into the beef with the river guy and almost got arrested. That look of relief and love on Sanniang and esp Pan'er's faces was everything. Love that Chi Pan finally becomes less annoying so that I don't have to fast forward through his scenes anymore. It's nice to see the ladies jumping into the restaurant business (somehow I don't get tired of them starting these ventures). Hopefully I get my fav couple back soon...otherwise you will hear more grumbling...

2023-03-27 06:18:01 +0000 UTC

ok the obligatory angst era is here in A Dream of Splendor, and I'm here to be cranky and grumble about it 😂

2023-03-27 06:16:20 +0000 UTC

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