Saturday, September 14, 2019

What Shows Am I Watching This Week?

Hello everyone and welcome back! Let's dive right in shall we?

Astra Lost In Space Episode 11

Well shit this episode went a lot darker than I expected it to! I mean it's one thing to say that the whole point of this show is to kill the kids but it was another to watch Kanata actually lose his arm! This was the penultimate episode with the finale airing next week and I suppose it has pretty much wrapped everything up even though part of me thinks that one episode to solve everything back on Astra seems to be a little too hopeful. Maybe it'll be another hour long special like the premiere was? Every week when we learn about the background of our characters I'm constantly like okay so this one grew up the worst but I think truly Charce might have been the saddest. It's one thing to be ignored or hated but it's a whole other realm of horribleness to actually raise a child to know that he's nothing but a vessel meant to die in the end. I mean what kind of mental torture must they have inflicted for him to have no personal thoughts of his own and to want to die! We also finally figured out what Aries's deal was and it was simply that she was Seira's clone which just feels so weird to me cause why single her out in the opening song and everything if all our characters were clones? It also doesn't sit well with me cause I really feel like Charce and Aries should have spent more time together if Charce really did see her as his second chance at being something more than an empty vessel though that might be me shipping again. On second thought maybe not so much cause biologically Charce is Aries's dad. But like I said the biggest shock was that Kanata lost his arm and I assume that there must be a way to either grow it back or fit a cool prosthetic but it just felt so crazy to watch an anime where they pulled no punches! I gasped out loud when we saw his arm just randomly floating in space!

Titans Season 2 Episode 2

This episode was a ton of fun and man oh man was it leagues more interesting, better paced and better written than most of season 1! I had a feeling I was going to love this show once it settled and though there still are some kinks in the show, overall I'm feeling more positive about it. I do admit that I don't entirely understand why this show feels the need to constantly introduce new characters when we have plenty to play with but I guess that's just a part of being a DCTV show (looking at you Young Justice!) I was really glad we slowed things down in the Tower so that our kids could just have time to interact with each other cause all last season we were go go go and cause we barely saw them talk to each other it was hard to believe what the show was trying to sell us about them being a family. I love that Jason and Gar aren't the best of friends but Gar's such a sweetheart that he's trying and that he and Rachel are still really close. Dick telling Jason that the others look up to him as a way to get him to stop wanting to leave was hilarious too. We also met Slade's daughter Rose though from what I remember about her, she's a villain called Ravager and it's actually Slade's son Joey who becomes a hero so that makes me wonder if she'll end up being a spy in the Titans in the place of Terra or if the show will change it up and make her be a hero. I also have a feeling that the Titans ended up being the reason for one of Slade's sons dying whether that's Grant or Joey which is why he hates them so much. I love the way the show has split up our characters with Dick taking care of the kids, Kory and Donna working together and Dawn and Hank trying to quit the life cause it allows us to see our characters and give them something to do. I do think it's a bit too early to throw Kory's backstory into the mix cause seriously this show needs to stop throwing a hundred storylines at us each season but at the same time I got so excited when that random Tamaranian appeared. I wonder if the show will use Kory's comic backstory or mix it up.

Fruits Basket (2019) Season 1 Episode 24

Well I'm sobbing like a damn baby as I write this review. I was able to control my feelings for most of the episode until the closing song started playing and then suddenly it was nothing but tears! I really didn't expect the whole of Kyo's true form arc to happen in one episode cause this really would have been a beautiful end to the season. I have to be honest cause in my heart of hearts I never truly understood what kind of response Kyo wanted when others were confronted with his true form. Like part of me understands that because his mom pretended like nothing was wrong that he doesn't trust the words of others. She was actually terrified and horrified by it which is why she locked him up and made sure that he always wore his rosary but like at the same time you would think that someone like Kagura who knows his true form but stays around anyway would be what he wanted. I can't imagine that Tohru saying that she was scared but wants him in her life was so different than what he faced with the other zodiacs but it must be cause Tohru saying it was probably the only time that something snapped in him and made him want to start healing. Is it as simple as the fact that he is in love with her though he doesn't know it yet? Having said all that, it was still heartbreaking to see that all his bluster and intensity was hiding such a broken soul. All he wanted was to die but he didn't want to actually do it himself. It was even worse seeing all the Sohmas whisper about how he got his mother killed and ugh when Akito called him disgusting I wanted to punch the man! I do hope that during the rest of the season that he is able to truly come to terms with his true form and I really want to see how the other zodiacs feel about it cause if the show wants us to believe that Tohru is different, we need to see that the others aren't so accepting as well.

The finale for season 1 is airing next week and I'm already itching for season 2! I wish we knew when it was coming out and how many episodes it was cause you know your girl is going to be counting down the days! I've only seen the 2001 anime so after this everything will be brand new for me!

xoxo Allie

Friday, September 13, 2019

What Dramas Am I Watching This Week?

So here's what I'm watching this week! Of course the list is split by country and the amount of episodes I've seen so far are written below! There will be spoilers from now on so if you aren't caught to the episode number on list, you might want to go watch that episode and then come back! If you're interested in previous lists, click here and if you want to see a list of my favorite asian OTPs and ships, click here!

KDRAMA


Arthdal Chronicles Season 3 (2/6): Following Part I & II, Ta Gon has gotten what he wants as he sits atop his throne. However, now his life and throne are threatened when Eun Seom begins to gather power among the slaves and peasants of Arth as he starts to fight back against the elite. Although Ta Gon has so far kept his half-Neanthal heritage a secret from the world, his eyes shine purple, preparing to go all out in fighting Eun Seom. Meanwhile, Kim Ok Bin faces the threat of assassination from an unknown adversary, while Kim Ji Won struggles to adjust to her newfound power in Arthdal.

We're finally back with the last 6 episodes of this show and I don't know if this is a highlight of this show or not but I still have no idea how this show will end! When it first started all those episodes ago I figured that Eunseom taking the Arthdal throne and uniting all the tribes would be the ending and that's still possible tbh but like we only have four episodes left and I just can't see how everything will be wrapped up by then! The problem lies heavily in the second season in my opinion cause straight up while everyone else made progress, Eunseom sat in prison and though I assume that he'll now end up going to all the major tribes that live outside of Arthdal and uniting them, it just feels too rushed. I think we should have either skipped the slavery arc or have it take only an episode or two cause I was so bored during that time and I would have much rather preferred watching Eunseom learn about the Arthdal tribes! I also am sick and tired of seeing Tagon and Taealha take up all the screen-time. Like we get it already! Tagon had a sad childhood wah wah and oh wow Mihol is on his side and now he's not and oh look Asa Ron did something to stab him in the side again. Plot twist or what? Seriously it got old after season 1 and now I just want everyone to murder one another so when Eunseom shows up the people will flock to him and peace. I'm loving Karika though and like I said, I'm curious to know more like how many tribes are out in the wilds. Are they considered to be part of Arthdal like territories or are they sort of just in an alliance with them kind of like how countries are allied to one another? The Daekan Forces seemed to be afraid of the Momo Tribe so like I'd guess that it's probs more the second option in that if they harm the Momo then it's war otherwise they'd be like we're here on official Arthdal business. I'm also a little upset that the two remaining Neanthals didn't join Eunseom despite knowing who his parents are cause like I want them to have a bigger role and tbh with them Eunseom is even stronger. The saddest part though was how heartbroken he looked after they walked away like neither people in Arthdal or the Neanthals want him.
FINISHED Doctor John (32/32): In a refreshing take on the genre, “Doctor John” will portray the doctors’ search for the cause of their patients’ mysterious pain as a thrilling chase, almost like a detective hunting down the perpetrator behind an unsolved crime. Cha Yo Han is a genius anesthesiologist, who is also the youngest professor at his medical school. The brilliant doctor goes by the nickname “10 Seconds,” referring to his ability to figure out his patients in the 10 seconds that it takes for them to enter an examination room and walk to their seat. Kang Shi Young is a legendary anesthesiologist, who was always at the top of her class throughout medical school. The talented doctor inherited her skills from her cool-headed, rational mother, while she inherited her empathy, listening skills, and warm bedside manner from her father.

I honestly mixed about this ending cause I can't decide if I thought it was cute or super annoying but I'm leaning towards cute with some things I was pissed about. As I expected after the death of that CIPA patient, Yo Han pulled away from pretty much everything and I completely understood it cause it was like seeing his own mortality flash before his eyes so who wouldn't be scared! That scene where he mimed a ticking bomb was absolutely heartbreaking and like seriously I adore Ji Sung so much but it was low key downhill from here cause Yo Han kept doing stuff that Shi Young had no idea about until Yoo Joon told her. But like okay I could forgive him hiding his involvement in her father's surgery cause he was afraid to give her hope and even hiding the fact that he got extremely ill in the states cause he didn't want to scare her but it was the returning to Korea a year before he showed himself that bothered me. I'm trying not to mind it too much cause kdramas seem to have this thing for showing us that a love is real by separating the leads for an extended period of time but like in real life Shi Young would have moved on after being ghosted for 3 whole years. I wish that he was the one to tell her the truth with his own mouth instead of second hand and I'm furious that in the end she was the one to run to him again! I wanted to see some groveling on his part cause this whole show has been her chasing him and it's why I haven't been the biggest fan of this romance. Now having said all that, I did love every single kiss these two shared (cause Ji Sung!!!) and I'm happy they ended up together but I'm not sure how I feel about Yo Han becoming a terminally ill care doctor cause I always thought he enjoyed the diagnosing and caring for patients in hospitals but I guess after facing death it might change a person. Overall I'd give this show a 9 / 10 though cause I definitely enjoyed the medical aspect more than I have in any other medical drama!
I Wanna Hear Your Song (24/32): A murder takes place. Hong Yi Young, who is a timpanist, does not remember what happened on the day of the murder. She is simple-minded and suffers from insomnia. Hong Yi Young looks for a job. She happens to meet Jang Yoon. He is bad at singing but is a pianist in an orchestra. To help with Hong Yi Young's insomnia, Jang Yoon calls her every night. They try to find the truth about the murder. Meanwhile, Nam Joo Wan is an orchestra conductor. He has charisma and showmanship. Ha Eun Joo is a violinist in the orchestra. She is arrogant.

Slowly but surely we're unraveling this mystery and despite all my complaints it looks like Yi Young and Yoon are still chugging along blindly down this road and being the worst detectives that have ever existed. I'm still high key annoyed that every time Yoon has a clue that he runs straight to the person in question and alerts them to what he knows! Like damn boy play the game a little and lie! How else are you supposed to get the upper hand?? Can we also take a moment to just point out what a complete and utter moron Yi Young was for trusting that the thug? I get not telling Yoon even though if I was her I would have so that we could make a plan but at the very least she should have looked at the pen and found out what was in it before giving it to the thug! It's not like he would have had any proof that you lied. I still think it recorded something about Professor Kang but I don't know what could have warranted all this cause this show is too light for it to be something truly heinous! It's also interesting that though we know the main players of that night, we don't actually know who did the killing. Both Joo Wan and Kang claim they had no part in it and the thug claims he was also innocent and that it wasn't Yi Young even though she did actually stab Ian at some point. I'm low key worried that Yoon might be pinned as a murderer by Kang trying to get him off the board after Yoon played his cards too early especially since we know that the thug has photos of Yoon beating him up. On a similar note, who do we think has the pen now? I assumed that Joo Wan killed the thug cause of how torn up he was before the performance but not only does he claim to be innocent but he also doesn't know about the pen so if he did it, maybe it's at the police station otherwise Kang has it.
    Melo Is My Nature (10/16): Im Jin Joo, Lee Eun Jung, and Hwang Han Joo are best friends who are 30-years-old. Hwang Han Joo is the head of a marketing team for a drama production company. She is a single mother who struggles to balance her work and personal life as she is raising a kid. Im Jin Joo is a drama writer with a lot of emotional ups and downs. Her personality is unique, talking to a luxurious purse at times. Even though she is a drama writer, she tries to write her scripts in a literary style. Lee Eun Jung is a documentary director. She runs her own production company, although she's the only employee. One of her documentaries surprisingly becomes popular overnight.

    I wasn't feeling last week's episodes but this week punched me in the gut once again with emotions and now I'm a sobbing mess! Eun Jung realized that she wasn't dealing with her boyfriend's death in a healthy way after she could actually see what she looked like as she talked to an imaginary version of him. I was sobbing when she took that tour now memory lane but the worst was when she told her friends that she wasn't okay cause of all that it meant. She has been trying to deal with this pain all on her own and it's time she asked for some help! It also feels like she's finally moving from denial to acceptance in a sense and I think that's why we've met a new love interest for her which is something I wondered about at the start of the show. There was just something about the way that director reacted to her yelling at him that I was just like yeah no he just fell head over heels. We also met Han Joo's in-laws and man they're just as terrible as her ex. I really want her to slap him with her awesomeness and I'm just waiting for that moment in this show cause it has to come! I also low key wanted her son to stand up for her too because as funny as it is to have a child make fun of his mom, his mom is the one who stayed with him so he should feel a little protective! Jae Hoon finally broke up with his girlfriend which was a surprise cause I didn't think that they would find the courage already but I think it was definitely about time not only cause I want him with Han Joo. I still low key ship Jin Joo with her ex so I can't really get behind her romance with Beom Soo no matter how funny their interactions are but once again she did have the funniest moments and I'm curious as to whether Hwan Dong still likes her or is just feeling possessive like my ex can't be happier than me! I do wish the show would learn to balance their main leads better cause it always feels like we spend 70% of our time with Jin Joo.
    FINISHED The Girl Who Sees Scents (16/16): Officer Choi Moo Gak lost his younger sister to a barcode-murder case and lost his ability to taste, smell, and feel pain. He then meet a girl named Oh Cho Rim, who is the only witness to the murder case and possesses a special sixth sense, which is the ability to see smells.

    I started this drama cause I was in the mood for another police/investigation drama with romance mixed in but I was a bit hesitant cause I don't entirely love Shin Se Kyung as an actress and none of the three dramas I've seen her in so far have worked for me and though that was true for this drama as well I found myself pretty solidly enjoying myself. I really liked Moo Gak as a male lead cause he was that brand of earnest I love and he reminded me a lot of someone like Chun Jung Myung or Jo Jung Suk tbh especially given he was a cop like Jung Suk in Two Cops. Cho Rim was kinda annoying at the start of the drama cause it's like girl your comedy troupe is not more important than a serial killer but she quickly grew on me and I liked that though she was a bit bumbly, when it counted she knew how to play things off and was smart enough to either mislead the villain or leave clues for the heroes (I'm looking at you I Wanna Hear Your Song's Yi Young.) I loved the idea of using scents to solve crimes but I kind of wish it had a bigger part in the show and I was actually really surprised that Jae Hee never actually figured out her powers and used it against her somehow since usually the villains do. Why have an absolutely unbeatable superpower? That brings me to what might possibly be my favorite part of this drama and that was Jae Hee who was an incredible villain! He was so charming before we knew who he was though part of that might have been my bias for him but at the same time he played creepy amazingly as well and it goes to show what a complete genius he was cause without Cho Rim's powers he never would have been caught with how well he planned for everything. I also really loved the whole police group though I do have to admit that pretty much everyone in the police force were idiots and I don't know if that was on purpose to show how easily Jae Hee worked around them or if it was to highlight Moo Gak. Overall I'd give this show a 8 / 10!
      The Great Show (6/16): Wie Dae Han is an ex-lawmaker and is a materialistic kind of politician. He wants to get elected as lawmaker again. One day, 18-year-old girl Da Jung comes to him. She tells him that he is her real father. Her mother raised four children, including Da Jung, alone, but she died in a hit-and-run accident. Da Jung is the only one now taking care of her 3 younger siblings. Wie Dae Han accepts Da Jung and her 3 younger siblings. He carries out “The Great Show” to become a lawmaker again.

      Man oh man when I started this show I didn't expect it to be so heavy! Here I was thinking that this drama was totally a lighthearted romp through politics and instead we're debating abortion and teenage pregnancy. It was a struggle to get through cause Dae Han was acting like such an asshole for so long and I really hope that this is the turning point for him. Like be a politician but stop thinking of your kids as commodities and think about their wants and needs too! I'm not going to get into my opinions on pro-choice v pro-life but I do have to say that it was easier to watch the debate knowing that Dae Han really has no opinion either way and was only choosing what to say that would get the most press. Of course he then went on to try to force Da Jung to choose an abortion and I'd like to think that he had her future in mind like he said he did but it came across more like he was worried about his own future. It wasn't until he talked to Jung Woo's CEO that he fully came onto Da Jung's side and I loved his speech about how he'd stay by her side through it all. It definitely brought Da Jung to tears! I'm hardcore horrified by Assemblyman Kang though cause what kind of an asshole outs an 18 year old as being pregnant? And what's worse is that he was planning on holding onto the info until Da Jung got an abortion which ones of the reasons why I'm glad that Dae Han was able to swing the public to his side after everything. On another note, Soo Hyun might as well hook up with Dae Han now cause she's already acting like the mom. I do think that sketchy guy at the end will end up being their stepdad who's coming back to have his five seconds in the spotlight not Da Jung's biological father but I also wonder if Da Jung's biological father is actually a Kang whether that's the Assemblyman or Joon Ho. If I had to pick though I'd vote on the Assemblyman cause Joon Ho seems just as nice as Dae Han so if he was the dad, why would Da Jung's mom lie? I have a thought that Kang raped her or assaulted her making her pretend like her first love was the father to make it less horrifying.

      CDRAMA


      DROPPED Queen Dugu (28/50): After their family was wrongfully persecuted due to the machinations of a corrupt official, Dugu Jia Luo held strict expectations for herself to be independent and strong even at a young age. Her husband Yang Jian is a man of great spirit. He is a warrior, skilled in battle, who rises up the ranks to become the Emperor. With Dugu Jia Luo by his side, they succeed in uniting the country under the Sui Dynasty. The husband and wife stay in a monogamous relationship despite their imperial status and come to be revered by people as the two saints due to their extraordinary contributions to a new golden age.

      Remember when I talked about how much I get bored with political dramas? Well here I am a little past halfway through this drama and honestly so over all of it. It's not that I hate everything but the fact that I'm bored and like with so many dramas out there to check out, I don't want to spend time on something I'm not even 80% into. I wanted to watch this drama for Jialuo and Jian but other than being married and once in a while telling each other to be careful, there are no interactions between the two and everything they talk about is political and they're not even the Emperor and Empress yet so it's exhausting to watch. I wanted to stick through it cause I do low key want to see how they get to rule the country but at the same time I can't force myself to do it. It's obvious that somehow Yong will be convinced to hate Jian and think he's out to get him through evil machinations and I'm just not into it. Unfortunately that means that I'm going to drop this drama.
      Walk Into Your Memory (12/24): An Ning is a cook who can see other people's memories. When her boss Long Haoqian mysteriously loses memories from one year of his life, she starts to help him find the missing pieces. Initially at odds with each other, a series of amusing events bring them closer together.

      As I expected Haoqian's mom is very much against Ning dating her son but his dad is like if you love someone why not marry her cause I think his focus is on Haoqian's happiness and extending the family line. I will be straight heartbroken if it turns out to be a game of some kind on his part like a reverse psychology thing but I think with how light and fluffy this show is that I don't think that will happen. I do think we met some sort of second leads with those random rich siblings who I feel like will try to break our couple up in order to date the partner they want and I really just hope that Ning and Haoqian stay solid cause I'm still afraid that getting together so early in the show means that we've got so much breakup drama to deal with yet. I really love the quartet we've got with Ning and Haoqian's best friends also dating but I don't particularly care about them as a couple unless we're in a foursome and then it's just fun to see them all interact. It's interesting that now that Ning and Haoqian are a couple that Haoqian's whole memory loss thing feels so much less important. We did learn that he tried to save some girl from being raped and the guys who were attacking her attacked him but that doesn't explain why that girl told him she hated him and why she left him in the woods injured. I have a feeling that he was somehow related to that girl being attacked and ended up feeling bad about it or something but that also doesn't really work cause he's our male lead and if he's a complete asshole like that it'll be hard to root for him and Ning.

      xoxo Allie

      Saturday, September 7, 2019

      What Shows Am I Watching This Week?

      Hello everyone and welcome back! Let's dive right in shall we?

      Astra Lost In Space Episode 10

      Honestly I'm a little surprised that the traitor was Charce all along cause I had such a strong feeling that it was Aries though I debated whether it was under some sort of mind control where she didn't know what she was doing or out of her own free will. Her circumstances were just so different than the others that it was sketchy to me! It wasn't until the very end where Kanata talked to Charce and Zack about Ulgar being the traitor that I was like ah it's Charce after all cause I definitely didn't think it was Zack or Ulgar and I had a feeling that Charce being the exchange student meant something more than he talked about. Unfortunately we didn't get to find out what his reasoning was this episode but I have a feeling that it relates back to Seira again who I'm still thinking is connected to Aires somehow. Maybe he was told that if you do this then we'll save her life or something. I was also confused about what Kanata and Aires talked about the night before they landed on their final planet but I think it was just him asking her who was the last one into the sphere to figure out who the traitor was. I still low key ship Aires with Charce though but I think that ship has sailed long ago but now more so with Kanata seemingly realizing that he likes Aires too. On another note we also learned more about the whole Earth v Astra mystery. I want to give a shoutout to the show's amazing writing and how we went full circle with the ice planet that the kids first landed at being Earth! It's so crazy that all the people of Earth were transported to Astra but I have a feeling that the reason for the whole World War III story is that they were only able to transport half of the Earth's population and they needed a reason to pretend. Beyond that it seems crazy that every single adult in this world has kept quiet on the truth cause like Zack said, it's only been like 7 years or so since they immigrated so the majority of the public would still remember. It's also possible that the timing is wrong in general and like the general public was placed in stasis while a few built up Astra and then released onto Astra pretending like no time had passed.

      Titans Season 2 Episode 1

      I didn't want to particularly judge this episode cause I had a feeling that this season would be totally rebooted based on what worked and what didn't from last season and from Doom Patrol but in order for that reboot to take place, we needed to wrap up last season. This of course led to me not really particularly caring about what was happening for most of this episode and also being annoyed with the writing and the pacing. I'll never not be bitter than one of the biggest villains of Teen Titans was used in the first season and ended up being nowhere near as powerful or scary and defeated way too fast. I mean of course it had to be Rachel who beat Trigon cause she's the key to his destruction and formation but it just felt so meh. I don't want to harp on this too much though cause like I said soft reboot. I'm already thrilled that Gar turned into a snake so here's hoping that they can keep making him shift into more than just a tiger and I was glad we finally cast a Bruce cause it gets annoying to constantly work around him. He's not exactly what I picture as a Bruce or a Batman but I'm open to see what happens. I also for some reason never realized that there was a Titans team already which got disbanded only to be resurrected now with our new heroes but I love the idea especially with having Slade see their return on the news and have his hatred resurrected. I'm already ten times more interested in him than Trigon last season so that's a plus. I kind of hope that he'll be a recurring rather than a season long villain cause duh you can't do Titans without the Judas Contract but I will literally murder someone if we try it this season! Stop blowing your load before we're ready show! Also is anyone else low key disappointed that Titans Tower isn't in the shape of a T?

      Next week's episode is called Rose which means Rose Wilson will be appearing but really more than that I hope we're able to slow down a bit and stop throwing new characters into the mix when we don't even entirely know our cast yet! I'm still complaining about that and we're on season 2!

      Fruits Basket (2019) Season 1 Episode 23

      Can you hear my shrieking through the computer screen? Not only is Kyo my favorite Sohma member, Kyo's true form arc was the meatiest part of the 2001 version so I've been waiting and waiting to see how this version plays it! It's really interesting to watch this first season and see how much of it was Yuki-centric and how much time Tohru spent with him when we barely see Kyo on screen or hanging out with Tohru and it makes me wonder if that was because the second season will be focused on Kyo or if this true form arc will be most of the Kyo time we need? I enjoyed this episode of course but it was more of a setup to the heart break that will come. I was trying to remember if it rained at all this season cause I don't remember the whole sluggish Kyo thing happen other than in the 2001 episode. Despite that I really enjoyed that Kyo finally got to show his sweeter side by making porridge and comforting Tohru when she was upset about failing her exam and getting sick. He's such a tsundere with his warm heart that he tries to hide underneath all this acting like he couldn't care less though of course everyone in his life can see through it. I'm curious to know more about how Kagura reacted when she saw Kyo's true form cause I have a feeling that she didn't react in a positive manner otherwise Kyo wouldn't have distanced himself but part of me still really dislikes her so I'm like ugh not again. We also got a glimpse of Kyo's martial arts master who is a Sohma but if I remember correctly isn't a zodiac member. Also we returned to whatever that hat is and while I thought we figured out weeks ago that it was a Yuki thing, I wonder if it's a both thing cause the show went out it's way to hide it from Kyo and if he had no relation with it, why bother?

      Like I said next week should continue Kyo's true form arc so who else is pumped???

      xoxo Allie

      Friday, September 6, 2019

      What Dramas Am I Watching This Week?

      So here's what I'm watching this week! Of course the list is split by country and the amount of episodes I've seen so far are written below! There will be spoilers from now on so if you aren't caught to the episode number on list, you might want to go watch that episode and then come back! If you're interested in previous lists, click here and if you want to see a list of my favorite asian OTPs and ships, click here!

      KDRAMA


      Doctor John (28/32): In a refreshing take on the genre, “Doctor John” will portray the doctors’ search for the cause of their patients’ mysterious pain as a thrilling chase, almost like a detective hunting down the perpetrator behind an unsolved crime. Cha Yo Han is a genius anesthesiologist, who is also the youngest professor at his medical school. The brilliant doctor goes by the nickname “10 Seconds,” referring to his ability to figure out his patients in the 10 seconds that it takes for them to enter an examination room and walk to their seat. Kang Shi Young is a legendary anesthesiologist, who was always at the top of her class throughout medical school. The talented doctor inherited her skills from her cool-headed, rational mother, while she inherited her empathy, listening skills, and warm bedside manner from her father.

      Okay first and foremost I have to say that I couldn't connect emotionally with the problem this week of Yo Han being outed as a CIPA patient which is why I found myself emotionally disconnected from the show. I don't know if this is another Korean cultural difference that I can't connect to or if it's just a writing thing to up the stakes but I cannot figure out why in the hell Yo Han being unable to feel pain makes him an untrustworthy doctor or a liability. Regular doctors can't feel their patient's pain either! Everything is dependent on what they've learned is too much pain and how to treat it! It would be like saying a male doctor couldn't be a OBGYN cause they've never been pregnant so how could they understand a pregnant woman?? But whatever let's pretend it makes sense and move on. I really enjoyed seeing how everyone from the pain management doctors to all of their patients rallied around Yo Han and showed the disciplinary board that despite what those articles online were saying and what that nurse believed, the patients still believed in Yo Han and his ability to treat them. Having a public interview was definitely the smartest thing they could have done and it was clearly enough to get Yo Han back even if he may not stay long. I have a feeling that he'll end up going to the Cleveland Clinic in like the final episode next week and there will be a time jump but then he'll return in the last few minutes fully cured. It's also possible Shi Young might follow him to the states but I feel like he'd tell her to stay if she tried. I'm starting to cool on their romance tbh and I don't know what it is but I think it's that the two don't have romantic chemistry. They look good together but as friends and idk maybe a kiss next week might change my mind but who knows. I also really loved the stuff with Prosecutor Son and Kerobim. As I thought last week Yo Han was not for it and he is now working alongside Son to get rid of it which makes me happy cause I've really found myself enjoying Prosecutor Son as the season went on.
      FINISHED Heart To Heart (16/16): Cha Hong Do suffers from social phobia and has a problem with severe blushing. She does have a strong sense of curiosity and learns from books and the internet. One day, her grandmother, Cha Hong Do's only contact with the outside world, dies. She then begins doing housework as a maid, but disguises herself as an elderly woman. Through an incident, she meets a psychiatrist, Ko Yi Seok.

      My goodness but this was a dark horse of a drama that I honestly would have never watched and never expected to love as much as I did! I really enjoyed Chun Jung Myung in Fluttering Warning even if I ended up not finishing that drama cause he just had this strange kind of charm to him despite not being the most attractive actor out there. It was the same here. Yi Seok had this way of looking at Hong Do that just made me melt. It was funny cause at first I thought Yi Seok was kind of a terrible person and a really terrible psychiatrist cause he really didn't care about his patients but as the show went on it was clear that he had his reasons for what he did. Meanwhile Hong Do was extremely shy and scared to be out in public but at the same time she felt comfortable enough with Yi Seok in order to say what she meant. I really liked that though she was scared, she didn't struggle with her emotions or what she was feeling. It's what really worked for me about them as a couple cause they each helped the other overcome what they couldn't alone. Yi Seok taught Hong Do that it was okay to be brave and not fear the world while Hong Do showed Yi Seok that he was a great person without needing to pretend to be his brother and that someone could love him unconditionally. I didn't like the second male lead though and honestly his whole thing with Hong Do took way too many episodes cause I was much more fascinated by the storyline with Hong Do being Young Mi and I thought that they should have started that earlier in the show so that we could get maximum impact of the angst which surprisingly I adored for once. I loved how torn up Hong Do and Yi Seok were without each other and I cried for them so many times which is why I was honestly furious with how the show ended cause seriously the Ko family were probs the worst villains out there cause at least in other dramas the chaebol family does stuff cause they think it's right according to tradition or society but in this case they just ruined a poor girl's life just cause it was easy and they didn't want to deal with it! I seriously recommend checking this drama out if you haven't cause I'd give it a 10 / 10!
        FINISHED Hotel de Luna (16/16): Jang Man Wol is the CEO of Hotel del Luna. The hotel is situated in downtown in Seoul and has a very old appearance. She made a big error many years ago and, because of this, she has been stuck at Hotel del Luna. She is beautiful, but she is fickle, suspicious and greedy. Goo Chan Sung worked as the youngest assistant manager ever at a multinational hotel corporation. He is a sincere perfectionist. He looks level-headed, but he actually has a soft disposition. Due to an unexpected case, he begins to work as a manager at Hotel del Luna. The hotel's clientele consists of ghosts.

        The finale aired this week and I still to this day cannot figure out what didn't work for me about this drama. Everywhere I look on the internet I see that this has been a favorite drama of others and I'm over here like dude it's fine but nothing like how attached I got to A Korean Odyssey. Honestly I think it had something to do with me not feeling the chemistry between Man Wol and Chan Sung and not really finding their love story all that interesting which is no fault of the show's. Their love is supposed to be healing and gentle rather than all consuming and passionate and honestly it's a personal preference! I did like the way the final episode went with us slowly saying goodbye to every hotel employee and then Man Wol and I liked the hint of a happy ending too which I think the Hong Sisters probably learned after the intense backlash A Korean Odyssey got. It was always funny to me cause it was obvious how that show would have ended with Oh Gong stealing Seon Mi from the Underworld so they could be together but apparently that was too vague so in this instead of ending with Ma Go mentioning that Man Wol and Chan Sung were still tied by the red string of fate, we actually saw them in another life being together. For a second I actually thought that she had come back magically and I was going to be annoyed cause dramas need to stick with it when there's supposed to be a death but I liked that we saw everyone happy in their new life. I also didn't really love the sudden reveal that Chan Sung and Man Wol did know each other 1300 years ago cause I liked the idea of soulmates finding each other for the first time in this life. Overall I'd give this show a 7.5 / 10 cause it was fine but nothing that I'll probs watch over and over.
        I Wanna Hear Your Song (20/32): A murder takes place. Hong Yi Young, who is a timpanist, does not remember what happened on the day of the murder. She is simple-minded and suffers from insomnia. Hong Yi Young looks for a job. She happens to meet Jang Yoon. He is bad at singing but is a pianist in an orchestra. To help with Hong Yi Young's insomnia, Jang Yoon calls her every night. They try to find the truth about the murder. Meanwhile, Nam Joo Wan is an orchestra conductor. He has charisma and showmanship. Ha Eun Joo is a violinist in the orchestra. She is arrogant.

        The problem I'm feeling with this show is that it's starting to drag like crazy. I want to know what's going on but unlike a lot of other mystery shows, this one keeps spinning its wheels. We've pretty much pieced together everything that happened a year ago other through flashbacks and random discussions with the bad guys but the problem is that neither Yi Young or Yoon know any of it so they keep going the wrong way in their search which is annoying to watch. Like why couldn't Yi Young actually be seeing those flashbacks as memories slowly so that Yoon and her could piece it together? There's obviously some sort of cover up happening and there was definitely two people in her dream but like was she dreaming that or was that a flashback for us cause she didn't bring it up again! He at least is finally moving on from Yi Young to Joo Wan through a little help from Eun Joo but it's so hard cause he's way out of his depth and I feel like rather than playing the long game like he did with Yi Young, he's instead laying down his cards too early. Why in the hell would he ask Joo Wan if he followed Ian? Did he think that Joo Wan would be like oh thanks for asking I've been itching to tell the truth! I also have a feeling this week that though Chairman Jang doesn't seem like it, I do think he's been searching for the truth on the sly. I want to believe that he's more powerful than Professor Kang who's definitely behind Ian's death (accidental or not) but the fact that he called Eun Joo over to ask for dirt on Kang makes me think he knows more than he's letting on. I still don't know what that creepy guy is looking for or why it's important but I have a feeling that it'll end up being some sort of flash drive with some proof of Kang doing evil possibly that money laundering that Joo Wan mentioned and Ian was kidnapped in order to take the flash drive back only to end up running into traffic and that flash drive missing.
        FINISHED Justice (32/32): Lee Tae Kyung is a star lawyer with the best win rate. He is able to win cases by using his sharp logic and intelligent speeches. He amasses power and wealth by dealing with clients who are part of the elite class. His cases are usually referred from Song Woo Yong who is the owner of a construction company. Lee Tae Kyung gets these high class criminals acquitted or at minimum receive probation. He first became a lawyer to get revenge for his younger sister, but has since become focused on money. He changes when he deals with a series of cases involving missing actresses. Meanwhile, Song Woo Yong has grown his construction company by funneling criminal cases involving wealthy people to Lee Tae Kyung. For his family, he desires even more power. He comes into conflict with Lee Tae Kyung over the cases involving missing actresses.

        What a strange and oddly disappointing ending I just experienced. It sucks super hard cause I really enjoyed everything about this show until now. It's the problem with writing such smart and rich and powerful villains that the more you hype them up as these unbeatable forces, the harder it is to break them without it feeling ham-fisted in. Don't get me wrong, I liked the way Woo Yong was taken down cause from the start there was an emphasis on his two weaknesses: his son and Tae Kyung. Of course it would be his soft spot that prevented him from killing Tae Kyung and fixing his problem. Of course it would be his son that ultimately brought in the evidence to take Woo Yong to prison. After that though I didn't like how he ended up killing himself cause it defeats the whole point of everything we did all season! It was also high key ridiculous how they took down Tak. All of a sudden he lost his mind and decided to kidnap Yeon Ah which led to the police being able to search his house and find evidence but it was so so lame cause though Tak had impulse control issues, he wasn't a moron and on what planet did he think that grabbing Yeon Ah while they were in the middle of such a mess was a good idea? I also don't know why the video they found wasn't enough to take him down when it clearly showed him holding a hostage! It does suck that he ended up pleading mental insanity in order to not go to jail but honestly that was the most logical this finale was. I'm also a little upset that Yeon Ah and Tae Kyung didn't even hint at the possibility of something happening in the future but more than that I don't love that Tae Kyung's future was left so foggy. Like after everything will be join Yeon Ah in the prosecution or will he keep his law firm? Overall I'd give this show a 9 / 10 cause despite the messy finale, I really enjoyed the rest of this drama!
        FINISHED Kill Me, Heal Me (20/20): After a traumatic experience in his childhood, Cha Do Hyeon, a third-generation billionaire, suffers memory lapses and his personality then scattered into seven different identities. Wanting to regain control over his life he asks Oh Ri Jin, a first-year psychiatric resident, to try to help him secretly, but she eventually falls in love with one of his personalities. Meanwhile, Ri Jin’s twin brother, Oh Ri On, is a famous mystery novelist who investigates Do Hyeon and his family.

        This was a tough one to decide to watch cause you know I think Ji Sung is one of the sexiest men alive but I've never been a fan of Hwang Jung Eum cause though I think she pulls off dramatic well, she's a little too over the top in comedies so I usually try to avoid her stuff after experiencing her in The Undateables. Eventually I decided to take the plunge and I've never been more thankful that I did. This show is absolutely incredible. Beyond incredible! Every single moment is so well written, acted, and thought out that it's a true masterpiece. The mystery between Do Hyun's past was beautifully done and each piece of the puzzle was more heartbreaking than the last. I was beyond horrified with the Cha family (and I thought the Ko family over in Heart To Heart was bad!) and everything they not only put Ri Jin and Do Hyun through when they were children but everything they did to cover it up afterwards as well. The DID was portrayed so well and though parts of it was done for comedy, there was always an underlying thread that told us how truly horrible this whole thing was. Despite that, I never once thought that Ri Jin liked any of them better than Do Hyun himself and I found myself missing Do Hyun when he wasn't around which tells you how incredibly Ji Sung acted. I cried so many times for so many reasons whether they were happy tears or heartbreaking ones. I loved that Ri Jin and Do Hyun were so intertwined and for once a childhood friends trope worked for me cause unlike other dramas where it's just tacked on, Do Hyun and Ri Jin would not be the people they were without one another. Their romance was everything and my heart fluttered every time they chose each other from when Ri Jin was the first person to ever want to stay with Do Hyun after finding out he has DID to Do Hyun actually being the only one to remember young Ri Jin fondly to Ri Jin forgiving Do Hyun for the past to Do Hyun begging Ri Jin not to leave him. I loved how the show ended with saying goodbye to each personality but I was really surprised Ri Jin's identity was never outed. I'd definitely give this show a 10 / 10!
          Melo Is My Nature (8/16): Im Jin Joo, Lee Eun Jung, and Hwang Han Joo are best friends who are 30-years-old. Hwang Han Joo is the head of a marketing team for a drama production company. She is a single mother who struggles to balance her work and personal life as she is raising a kid. Im Jin Joo is a drama writer with a lot of emotional ups and downs. Her personality is unique, talking to a luxurious purse at times. Even though she is a drama writer, she tries to write her scripts in a literary style. Lee Eun Jung is a documentary director. She runs her own production company, although she's the only employee. One of her documentaries surprisingly becomes popular overnight.

          I want to say nothing really happened this week but I also want to say a lot did and that's honestly the charm of this show. It's really funny cause Jin Joo is writing a script that basically is this drama with a focus on characters that are interesting and multi-dimensional rather than a drama with a complicated plot and it was honestly a fascinating discussion cause I adore both kinds as evidenced by what I'm watching right now! Something like Justice is so much more plot driven than character driven but I like both. I think we're also supposed to assume that Jin Joo and Beom Soo are into each other now but neither really wants to talk about it cause there are bigger things to worry about. I do wish that we had dialed back their screen time a bit this week cause I missed seeing Han Joo and Eun Jung barely has that much time anyway. Like I said before I like Eun Jung's dry wit and personality but her documentary is kinda boring to follow tbh though I think this week we finally got some answers on her state of mind. I was wondering whether she knows if her boyfriend died or not and it seems like she does but she also didn't know that she goes into these fugues where she talks to him cause she honestly seemed shocking watching herself talk to the air in that video. The poor girl. Han Joo on the other hand didn't get to spend too much time with Jae Hoon which sucked but we got more of an insight into his relationship and I'm just sitting here like baby boy you need to man up and break up with your girlfriend. I know it's scary to leave such a big part of your life but neither of you are happy and while she's physically cheating, he's emotionally cheating and it brings up the age old question of what's worse.
          FINISHED Shine Or Go Crazy (24/24): Wang So, a Goryeo prince, was born with the name, “Shine.” Shin Yul is a woman hailing from the Balhae kingdom and believed to have the powers of an oracle. A prince who suffered vile remarks because of a cursed prophecy finds himself attracted to a former princess from a fallen kingdom who faces death because of her fate to become the light of another kingdom. Their love is at a point of either shining or flaming out.

          When I first started this drama I didn't realize that it was covering a similar plot to Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo but after I did I couldn't stop comparing the two which you know may or may not be a good thing. Overall I do have to admit that I think I enjoyed this version better cause it was more serious and the romance played out better but the story was still not my favorite. First of all I do have to say that I've never really been a fan of Jang Hyuk which meant that I really didn't like his portrayal of So who seemed to be more comedic than So in MLSHR who had a much more tragic life so I connected to him more and the whole cursed prince thing was way underused which was strange. I also didn't love that the royal brothers were barely in this drama but other than that I think this version depicted the story better. I loved Yool and what a complete badass she was. Not once did she lose her agency or sense of self like Hae Soo did and I loved that she believed in So and their love so she never wavered. I also thought Yeo Won was a better villain/antihero but I found myself torn though on whether or not I thought it was awful that So and Yool were basically having an affair cause So is married but I think it added to the whole tragic romance and I think having it set in a time period helps get the gross feeling of cheating appear less intense cause in those times men could marry multiple women. I also wasn't a huge fan of how long we dealt with the crossdressing story or Yool's random brother cause he literally added nothing to the story and once again the ending was a mess. Yool was never the kind of women who would want to be imprisoned in the palace for the rest of her life especially as a concubine cause So already had a queen but like after 24 episodes of the two of them refusing to leave each other's side it seems illogical to be well goodbye forever now. Overall I'd give this drama a 8 / 10!
          The Great Show (4/16): Wie Dae Han is an ex-lawmaker and is a materialistic kind of politician. He wants to get elected as lawmaker again. One day, 18-year-old girl Da Jung comes to him. She tells him that he is her real father. Her mother raised four children, including Da Jung, alone, but she died in a hit-and-run accident. Da Jung is the only one now taking care of her 3 younger siblings. Wie Dae Han accepts Da Jung and her 3 younger siblings. He carries out “The Great Show” to become a lawmaker again.

          Okay first thing I want to say is god kids are the worst aren't they? I'm enjoying the hijinks cause it's hilarious watching Dae Han have to struggle with what to do but at the same time I'm just picturing myself surrounding with out of control children like that and I'm cringing. I mean Dae Han literally said not to touch his fish tank as his one rule basically and the kids decide that throwing a golf club around is fun and then the same kid runs into the street and then his twin runs away at a park. They're honestly just accidents waiting to happen! I do have to admit though the walking away at a park isn't exactly Song Yi's fault cause she did think she saw her dad and it's really the parent's job to make sure their child isn't running away but at the same time how hard is it to stay put? Dae Han and Da Jung's relationship is the most interesting so far though cause the poor girl has no idea that he's not really her biological father and she's been looking up to him for almost 4 years and all she really wants despite acting tough is for her dad to love her. Dae Han I think is getting pretty attached to his charges though and honestly like I said last week I do think he has a heart of gold that he's hiding under all this cold cause that's the way he learned to thrive in this world. I wonder if he'll end up dropping out of this coming election cause he'll want to be a parent more. It's also high key awkward that he was going on and on about being anti-abortion (which for one is a little crazy that he's the progressive side but also like it's not his opinion but what he thinks will get views) while at the same time poor Da Jung is nauseous in the background leading to what I think will be pregnancy rumors next week. I also have to admit that Soo Hyun feels out of place tbh cause though I like her dynamic with Dae Han, she's always around to judge him as a parent and it's like girl unless you want to be the mom stop being there all the time.

          CDRAMA


            FINISHED Love Better Than Immortality (40/40): A woman from the future arrives at a fantasy-like universe to experience love for the first time. She goes by the name Chun Hua and falls into a complicated romance with two young men who are opposites like black and white.

            I'm honestly disappointed with how this show ended. I've said over and over that this show's strength is when Chun Hua and Qiu Yue are together which is why the middle section after Chun Hua left Xiao Bai was so well done and I was so excited to watch episode after episode. Unfortunately that devolved into a mess with the whole love poison and then Chun Hua being unable to trust Qiu Yue and then them being separated once again. Part of my problem was this love poison cause until almost the end I couldn't figure out how it worked but most of my problem was with Chun Hua and her inability to trust the man she loved. The random few episodes in which Qiu Yue hated Chun Hua were a little satisfying cause the girl has been using his affection against him even though she's still running around judging him for what he does but at the same time totally lame cause he still loved her and rushed to her when she was dying. I was so pissed that even after he almost killed himself for her at the drop of a hat, she still sat around Xiao Bai's home waiting for what felt like permission to leave! Where's your backbone girl??? It's why the romance didn't work for me! I felt like she should have been more stubborn or confident in her affections and I hate that it felt like she wouldn't do anything for him when he would always put her first. I still think Xiao Bai and the righteous track are a bunch of hypocrites cause even when the truth came out they still blamed the evil track for enticing the righteous with lies and it's like damn it if the righteous track is so righteous, they shouldn't have fallen for evil tricks! It's all just a bunch of lies and I'm exhausted by this show. Overall I'm just mostly disappointed with this drama and the way it was written cause like a lot of cdramas that aren't political, the writing seems to jump all over the place and nothing ever really has consequences. The main female lead was a bit of a moron from start to finish and the only reason I ended up even finishing this drama was Qiu Yue. I'd give it a 7 / 10.
            Queen Dugu (25/50): After their family was wrongfully persecuted due to the machinations of a corrupt official, Dugu Jia Luo held strict expectations for herself to be independent and strong even at a young age. Her husband Yang Jian is a man of great spirit. He is a warrior, skilled in battle, who rises up the ranks to become the Emperor. With Dugu Jia Luo by his side, they succeed in uniting the country under the Sui Dynasty. The husband and wife stay in a monogamous relationship despite their imperial status and come to be revered by people as the two saints due to their extraordinary contributions to a new golden age.

            Okay look you know me and my tendency to dislike shows with politics and courtly drama but something about this show just caught my attention. Maybe it was Joe Chen who I loved in other dramas or maybe it was the fact that the synopsis made Jialuo and Jian's love sound so romantic but whatever it was I decided to jump in and check this show out. So far I'm enjoying myself though I had many frustrations at the start but for some reason they didn't bother me enough to want to drop this drama. I love how much Jian loves Jialuo and what a kind and loyal person he is enough so that even Jialuo was moved repeatedly by his heart and his kindness to the degree where she was already in love with him despite not even being a quarter of the way through this drama when usually dramas with high episode counts and a first love that the female lead couldn't obtain tend to make us wait until at least halfway through the drama before the love is returned. I did think Jialuo was a bit of a moron in the start cause after everything her family went through, she kept throwing herself over and over into the fray and just continuously got innocent people hurt from the last remains of her family to even Jian's family. I was sitting her wondering at what point would the girl realize that the best revenge is slowly calculated not quickly done but I do have to admit that since she's gotten super smart in politics since with how she's working with the Emperor and now has the heart of the Empress too! I also kept wondering why in the hell Yuwen Hu was so powerful. Like dude he's just the prime minister and regardless of what's up behind the scenes, the Emperor is the one in charge so when he makes a command and the PM makes a command, the Emperor should be the one listened to but it might just be that I don't understand politics.
            FINISHED The King's Avatar (40/40): In the multiplayer online game Glory, Ye Xiu is well known as the textbook level expert and a top-tier player. Due to a series of circumstances he was forcefully expelled out of his professional team. After leaving the pro gaming scene he resides at an Internet Café employed as one of the managers. When Glory launches the tenth server he throws himself into the game once more equipped with ten years of gaming experience, memories of the past, and an incomplete self-made weapon. His journey back to the top begins.

            The finale for King's Avatar aired this week and I'm definitely going to miss this drama! It's been probably the best gaming drama I've watched (is three enough to say that lol?) because not only have I been totally able to understand the game and how to win but I love that the focus of the show was the game and that it wasn't just a side thing to distract from everything else. Yang Yang made this show with his amazing acting as Ye Xiu but I adored the whole cast and everyone in Xing Xin and all the other professional players. It was my favorite thing that each player was loyal to their own team but could see the strength and good characteristics of the other players so there was no backstabbing or evil villains other than Tao Xuan from Jiashu cause even Sun Xiang eventually grew from a selfish person to a man who found the love of Glory like every other professional player out there. The one thing the show didn't do amazingly was explain how the competition worked cause until a game is finished I had no idea how we did and it wasn't until this week that I finally realized that Xing Xin and Jiashu were actually in a preliminary competition in which the final winner would go on to join the professional league and play for a bigger prize. That's why we didn't see any of the major teams play like Lan Yu or Wei Cao which I was complaining about last week! I also low key wish that there had been a hint of a romance in this show. I don't need it to take over the show like in Love O2O but it would have been nice if we got anything though the end with Guo getting hit on by Wei Chan was funny. I do wonder if this show will end up getting another season cause I feel like the professional league championship could be a whole other season! Overall I'd give this show a 9 / 10!
            Walk Into Your Memory (8/24): An Ning is a cook who can see other people's memories. When her boss Long Haoqian mysteriously loses memories from one year of his life, she starts to help him find the missing pieces. Initially at odds with each other, a series of amusing events bring them closer together.

            This show has so much in it that I love and we're not even halfway through yet! An Ning is hilarious and quirky and awesome while Haoqian is smart and kind though he pretends not to be. I love scenarios in which the male lead thinks he's all suave and a badass but the female lead scares him a little cause he can't use his usual tricks on her leading her to have the upper hand. Since this isn't a 50 episode show, we're already moving past the hate each other stage and through the friendship phase to love which I adore. An Ning is so kind that she can't help but want to help Haoqian even though he's not so great with her all the time while he's just continually stunned with the kind of unapologetic person she is. I was surprised to find out that An Ning tells Haoqian the truth basically right off the bat and I was so thankful that she's helping him search for old memories rather than having him go through amnesia now and lose his current personality. You know I love shows with couples that know each other's secrets cause it gives them an us against the world feel but since I'm still early on in the show, I don't know what the world will be like. At first glance it felt like Haoqian's parents are really strict with him but the way they reacted to the idea that he's finally spending time with another girl make me think that his father just wants what's best for him while his mother is more about society and how the family looks which makes me feel like he's so scared of touching women cause it relates back to his mother. I was really not looking forward to the episodes in which the parents disapprove so I was high key surprised that at the very least his dad was cool with him being with An Qing cause he was straight talking about Haoqian marrying An Ning! The second couple is really boring so far but I like the group of chefs in the kitchen An Ning works in and I love whenever the show focuses on food too!

            JDRAMA


            FINISHED I Don't Love You Yet (16/16): Mitari Yo is a career woman who works for a shoemaker. She finds her work rewarding and has successfully advanced in her career. But she keeps having her heartbroken and her romantic life has not gone very well lately. Ishida Ren works for a developer and is Yo’s best friend. An ex-classmate from both high school and university days, he understands her the best and is the only person she pours her heart out to. On Yo’s 29th birthday, the two friends place a wager to give 300,000 yen as a congratulatory gift to the one who is the first to get married by the last day they are 30. Although they declare that it is impossible for them to fall in love with each other, this wager, as well as advances by Ren’s junior in the company and Yo’s reunion with her ex-boyfriend Mizusawa Ryusei, lead to gradual changes in the relationship of the two best friends.

            You know if it wasn't for the bitter middle section of this drama I would be raving about it more. The best thing this show did was the chemistry and the writing for Ren and Yo but for some reason they made both Ren and Yo morons in the face of their feelings which made it hard for me to enjoy. Like I knew that eventually Yo would pick Ren but it was just so annoying to watch her with Ryusei. I blamed Ren for never stepping up and confessing regardless of whether it was before or after she got with Ryusei. He would have ran away to Shanghai and their friendship wouldn't have been the same if she married Ryusei anyway so there really was nothing to lose! I also blamed Yo for taking some words that a high school kid said in the face of her anger as an unchangeable truth and for buckling down on her idea of Ryusei even though it was so obvious not only to her but the audience that he wasn't right. I mean seriously he was so damn controlling and I would have lost it a long time ago! If it's their wedding why in the hell would he pick the venue, the flowers and even the dress! Like damn dude. I was happy though that Ryusei wasn't actually cheating cause it really needed to be Yo to step away and I preferred it would be because she loved Ren rather than Ryusei gave up or something. I do have to admit the final episode was super cute with Ren and Yo finally getting together and I'm still low key bitter that we couldn't have gotten more of it before! I'd give this show a 7 / 10 tbh.

            xoxo Allie

            Saturday, August 31, 2019

            What Shows Am I Watching This Week?

            Hello everyone and welcome back! Let's dive right in shall we?

            FINISHED Poldark Season 5 Episode 7 and 8

            Wow for some reason Poldark decided to air it's penultimate and finale back to back so let's jump in and talk about not only the end of the season but the series in general! I have to admit I'm more saddened by the loss of this show than I thought I would be. I've always been on the fence about whether or not I enjoy this show cause I've always felt like unlike many period dramas, this one tended to showcase our main couple falling in and out of love which is honestly just sad to watch but looking back over the past five seasons it makes sense cause love is ever changing and it's not as easy as tv and movies make it out to be. It requires work and sacrifice and was there ever a couple that embedded this more than Ross and Demelza? The finale was hard to watch cause Ross continued to lie to Demelza about his working with the French and she thought he fell in love with Tess which was the worst person for Ross to pick after everything she did this season but the 180 turn after Demelza figured out the truth and saved Ross's ass was perfection. You could see the fear in his eyes when Demelza showed up at the house and the sheer relief later when she forgave him for everything. It was especially lovely seeing that George stepped up and actually helped cause despite everything, he's not the monster that the other two were and you could see it in his eyes every time one of them planned another murder. I still low key wish that he had given Trenwith back to Geoffrey Charles as it should have been his in the first place as the eldest son since George isn't planning on ever coming back since it is haunted by Elizabeth but that might be asking too much from George's heart. Caroline and Dwight also solved their problems and I'm so glad that Caroline explained her sudden bout of jealously about Kitty as a means for her to keep him at arms length cause I've been saying for weeks that he doesn't seem to be treating Kitty any special way and it was strange of Caroline to fear it but I'd like to imagine now that they've fixed their problems that they'll have a child too that can play with Ross and Demelza's newest! I will miss this insane show and the wonderful chemistry between Aidan and Eleanor and I can't wait to see what else they work in!

            FINISHED Young Justice Season 3 Episode 24, 25 and 26

            I really should pay attention to airdates cause, like Poldark, I had no idea that the final three episodes of season 3 were airing back to back this week but I'm not complaining cause more tv is great for me! Anyway let's dive in and talk about how season 3 ended! Let's start with the elephant in the room that was Wally West. Guys I cried and cried and cried thinking that this really was the end of Wally and Artemis cause like Artemis I believed that she had entered Limbo and met the spirit of Wally which is why I was heartbroken at the idea that he would never return! But in the end it turned out that M'gann and Zatana faked the whole thing so instead of giving me closure like the episode wanted, I'm still holding out hope but I'm also so so relieved that Artemis and Will didn't get together. Like I don't mind Artemis moving on (and hoping that as soon as she does Wally comes back so all the drama ensues) but Will is her brother-in-law and that's creepy! I loved the way Cyborg and Halo kicked ass and defeated Granny and it's kind of hilarious cause last week I really thought that it would be harder for our heroes to defeat Anti-Life but I totally forgot that Cyborg is a father-box so of course he'd be OP! As I also suspected we didn't get to Darkseid cause we focused back on Earth problems and the Light though as always, the heroes got a small win while behind-the-scenes, the Light won out in my opinion. I was stunned beyond measure when Brion suddenly went power-mad and was assuming that his advisor would be a Martian or some sort of telepath controlling Brion and the people but was confused as to why M'gann couldn't pick it up. I was right about the whole telepathy thing and I'm assuming M'gann didn't figure it out so we could get to this point. Lex was also ousted from the UN and the League, Batman Inc, Young Justice and the Outsiders are recombining under the authority of Black Lightning which isn't the biggest win but feels like a win to me. I'm assuming that Nightwing will lead Young Justice and Superboy will lead the Outsiders (still wishing it was called Teen Titans!) but part of me just dislikes this version of Black Lightning with his holier than thou attitude so I'm not thrilled he's in charge but I'll get over it.

            As we know from SDCC 2019, there will be a season 4 for Young Justice though we don't know anything about when or what it'll be about. Maybe we'll finally battle Darkseid? I assume we'll also have to deal with the Brion stuff but overall I'm just hoping that the next season will be much more simplified in terms of story. Though it all came together at the end, I felt like this season just had too many storylines to juggle and with the way it aired, I kept finding myself feeling like I was forgetting something so hopefully next season does better! It also doesn't help that there's a million characters now so I hope the show does better with balancing screen time for them.

            Astra Lost In Space Episode 9

            Well shit. That's all I could think of as this episode came to a close! We learned so much and so many reveals took place that my mind is straight up blown! Let's start at the top and work our way through. We finally figured out what the reasoning behind sending our whole crew to their deaths was and it was the fact that everyone on board was a clone of their so-called parents which is totally and completely insane! I said last week that the clues were all there but I couldn't figure out how they fit together and now that the cloning thing has been explained, suddenly everything is crystal clear. It explains why every person on this ship had a terrible relationship with their parents and why none of those parents were upset to lose their kid in space. The only thing this reveal didn't do was explain Aries who is still the outlier in the group cause her mom was the only parent to love her and the whole Seira thing. I wonder if maybe she was actually a clone of Seira who was given up for adoption without her adoptive mom knowing the truth and that it was a situation where she was created to give organs to a sick Seira. We never did get a proper timeline when Charce was explaining his backstory. It's possible Seira was always sick or that she fell when she was younger so it would give Aries time to grow up or that Seira was older than Charce making Aries and Charce the same age. On the other hand maybe Aries is still Seira with amnesia and replaced memories due to Zack's father as a beta test of a sort with or without the clone part. We also saw Quitterie and Zack announce their marriage to the crew and it was definitely a lighthearted moment we needed in between two major announcements and I loved how the whole crew was just as stunned as we all were to find out that Zack was in love with Quitterie this whole time. The other huge shock was the reveal that Polina is actually from Earth but our whole crew is from a planet called Astra. I knew there had to be more to Polina and what happened to her but she was only in ice for 12 years so maybe there just were two planets with humans on them cause otherwise 12 years is too short of a time to move everyone on Earth over to Astra or to make the people of Astra forget that their planet used to be called Earth before some big world changing event.

            Fruits Basket (2019) Season 1 Episode 22

            Surprisingly we got another episode for Hana this week that explained more of her backstory and though I know I said last week that the episode felt like filler and I didn't like Uo's backstory, I actually ended up really enjoying Hana's. I think it had to do with the fact that it was just so heartbreaking and sad! I mean poor Hana not only had to fight with being unable to control her wave power but she also got bullied practically her entire life. Children are honestly the worst and it was so hard to watch Hana think that she killed someone and that she needed to be punished for the rest of her life because of it! It was a much darker reason than I expected for why Hana wore black all the time and honestly it makes me appreciate her even more. I was also surprised to find out that her wave power was like legit mind reading rather than more of a comedic thing like in the 2001 anime. It was also the first time we met Hana's parents and I have to say, her whole family was honestly so sweet. They clearly love her so much despite everything and I don't know why but I totally expected her parents to dislike her and her powers but maybe that's just cause she reminds me of the Sohmas and all of their parents hate them so I just kind of expected it from Hana's too. Megumi is such a sweetheart too and it was so sweet of him to wear black all the time just to support Hana too. Tohru was once again basically an angel that appeared out of nowhere to show others that the world isn't as dark as it seems and it just makes her relationship with Yuki and Kyo all the more important cause where she has been a guiding light for others, they are one for her. 

            Honestly I don't even know what we'll get next week cause I expected Kyo's true form arc to start now but maybe it'll start next week? All I know is that we've only got 3 episodes remaining this season and I also don't know when the next season comes out!

            xoxo Allie