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...
The story centers on Noah, a grad student who’s been struggling for years to wrap up his PhD. He’s been with his husband, Dan, for nine years, and they’ve recently gotten married and moved to Palm Springs. While they're trying to figure out how to start a family and have a baby, they decide to shake things up by inviting a third person into their bed and their lives—a charismatic go-go dancer named Adam. Meanwhile, Noah’s sister, Margot, and her wife, Eliza, are going through their own rough patches while trying to get pregnant. They ask Noah to donate his sperm so Eliza can conceive, which she eventually does. The nine episodes actually represent the nine months of her pregnancy. The show spends a lot of time on mental health because Margot has been dealing with bipolar disorder and suicidal thoughts for a long time. Noah has his own problems, specifically with drinking, and both siblings are carrying a ton of childhood trauma that messes with their current relationships. It stands out even more because Dan seems almost perfect, with a great job and his life totally together. To top it off, the siblings' eccentric mother eventually shows up and adds even more chaos to the mix.
The whole point of the show is to capture that feeling of being a "gay mess" in your 30s when you're suddenly forced to figure out where your life is actually going. It’s about the family you choose, the family you're born with, and all the individual baggage you carry. Margot feels like she’s being ignored because of Eliza’s pregnancy and doesn't feel like her wife supports her art enough, and her father’s death just makes things harder. Noah and Dan have a major communication problem, and you have to wonder if bringing Adam in is just a way to hide their issues instead of fixing them. The acting is really top-notch; everyone adds so much emotion to their roles that you end up rooting for them even when they're acting totally out of line. I thought the writing was the best part. Dan’s perspective was really interesting too—as a Black man, he feels like he’s always being judged and has to be perfect, even though his husband is far from it. Honestly, seeing how messy Margot and Noah are, I can’t imagine the stress their partners go through; I don’t think I could handle it myself! Eliza and Dan clearly love them, but things get ugly fast when emotions run high. Adam, the third guy in the relationship, didn't feel quite as fleshed out as the others; he mostly just did whatever the plot needed to move Noah and Dan’s story forward, eventually acting like a therapist to help them get back on track.
I’m honestly shocked that more people aren't talking about this show. It’s a fast, emotionally heavy, and darkly funny series where the writing really carries the day. (7/10)
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