I've always had kind of a love hate relationship with Chinese historical BLs. Some are genuinely excellent, but then there are others that cram in so much plot that keeping track of all the layers of betrayal and scheming gets exhausting, and I end up checking out mentally. Part of the issue is also just how much content is out there in this space, so something really has to stand out to keep me hooked. In this case, the production value is genuinely impressive, top tier stuff, but story wise, I just couldn't bring myself to actually care about these characters. There's a ton of political scheming and backstage manipulation running throughout. Somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, a hostage ends up falling for his own Prince Charming. The show runs eight episodes, each around 50 to 60 minutes long. After spending three years guarding the border, Fifth Prince Yin Qi gets called back to the capital because of a secret letter, only to end up walking straight into a deadly...
Two main characters are Fahlan and Sher. They are both playboys. Fahlan has a so called boyfriend but he still flirts around with both boys and girls. Sher is a musician and one night after seeinghfm perform in a club, they both end up hooking up, but Sher makes it clear that it's just a one night stand. However, his rejection provokes Fahlan, who feels determined to sleep with him again. Fahlan aggressively pursues Sher, making his courtship public. Sher rejects him and maintains his no-dating policy. Eventually they agree to have a friends with benefits kind of relationship. Sher has a best friend Prince, who he jokes around to be his wife, but thy are strictly platonic and another classmate his very much interested in Prince. The couple's closeness doesn't go unnoticed by Fahlan's closest friend Ping and Tap. A girl in college, who takes secret pics of the supposed couple makes them popular. Meanwhile, when Tap finds out that Ping feels more for him and doesn't see him just as a friend. cause both of them to start building a wall in their hearts.
This series is atrocious in every aspect, from incoherent storytelling to pitiful acting. It's impossible to root for either protagonist, who are charmless scumbags. Their dysfunctional relationship drama is a vicious cycle of rage, jealousy, and disrespect. The narrative drains all the exciting energy from sex and replaces it with joyless relationship drama. Instead of flirting, the characters constantly whine, throw tantrums, or rehash the same arguments. And this goes on for like 12 episodes. It gets to the point that you don't care and stop paying attention to the main couple when they're onscreen until Fahlan has his shirt off. Their endless jealousy fight is so dull and repetitive that it would have been more entertaining to watch them argue over something more mundane. Both protagonists have rotten personalities and can't be taken seriously at all. All the rest of supporting characters do is obsessed with Fahlan and Sher's boring relationship. All the characters gossip, meddle, and offer inane love advice, making it seem like they have nothing better to do. Ping and Tap's relationship is equally shallow. This show isn't just bad, it's infuriating. It's a complete waste of time with no countervailing redeeming qualities to balance the endlessly toxic plot. I always wonder whether the makers never see the final product before they bring it out to public. The actors are bad (sure, they are good looking but that will take you only so far), probably their first gig and need to take some acting classes. Do yourself a favor and stay away. (2/10)
Comments
This series gave a little, but took more. Or... I don't know how to explain this, but there were miniature "yes!" moments in every episode. Like Pink saying "have you ever liked someone without wanting to own them?" or Prince's "be careful when you play with someone's feelings - the only person who's going to get hurt is you" or Gear's "unrequited love is like dry noodles... damn hard to swallow". The meet-cute with the falling phone. The stunt of the twins in the cafeteria. The sleeping scene in the classroom. Grocery shopping at the supermarket. I also have a thing for twins on screen and although James was rather amateurish in other scenes, the way he played two completely different personalities of Sher and Chertame was pretty good for a first-timer. Am I too forgiving - ?
What I was surprised to find was the main storyline of two alike "nail and bail" sluts falling for each other. Must be like falling for the karma you've created for yourself - knowing every shitty trick they can pull on you 'cause you've done it to someone else, probably more than once. It was like watching a circle of wounds healing and being torn open again - sort of like a metamorphosis process, really painful to watch. It must be my own metamorphosis (of a different kind, from victim to survivor) that made me feel for both Fahlan and Sher.
Then there were things that almost turned me into a human question mark. Like - have these young people ever been drunk? Probably not since their characters turned sober so effing fast. It's not humanly possible to down more than half a bottle of hard liquor, puke gracefully behind a bush and not only walk a line, but a slack line afterwards. The second thing that made me question their experiences with drinking was kissing right after one of them had JUST puked half-digested alcohol. Like - eww? And the absolutely artless first kiss of Ping and Tap had me close my eyes and cringe.
While I would praise the choice of the theme song (it still bothers me that I don't know what's the classical piece that was used in it!), I would also give a few Golden Raspberries. For the most shameless brand placement of all times! O.M.G. How many minutes did that Google-doesn't-know-facial-goo get? Quite a few, I'd say. Overall (having read a few hints about the book) the script was compiled quite well, but the directing was clearly half-assed and sadly it showed on screen a little too much.
I'm sorry if I didn't warn you against this one. I'll try to make up for this by joining Miisu in telling you to run away from "Love mechanics" and its parallel story "Future". Only 5 episodes, but I already want to kill myself after 3... I'll quote you again : " why the hell do we waste our time watching shit like this". Masochism should have a limit lol.
Sailor Maan - yes masochism has a limit and it can't come soon enough. I need to note down these names and just delete them from my hard drive, so that even by accident I can't watch them. :)
Indeed it's time to start a "never watch/read"-list to get some more time for decent stuff.