Tag Archives: Historical Drama

TBR Challenge Discussion: (Bananapants!) The Double

Hi friends! So this isn’t a review since the series hasn’t finished airing yet – but like I said in my previous post – I live here now (thanks).

Seriously even if you have no plans of watching this drama YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE TRAILER! IT’S SO GOOD!

The prompt for June is “bananapants” and In a way, the drama is even more bananapants than the book. (Which is a transmigration revenge romance. I’ve heard rumors/people have said transmigration is banned in dramas, someone said because Taoism … but I’m pretty sure that isn’t true because Taoists believe in rebirth/reincarnation, I think? So …) ANYWAY.

In the first episode we have this asshole dude – and his asshole family. She’s this asshole’s wife! His mother and sister (so her mother-in-law and sister-in-law) drug her, and set her up to be found in an “adulterous affair.” In the time and culture that would ruin your life and reputation. (A family might be justified in killing you.) Dude – I call him the “trash ass ex (TAE)” pretends to save her, takes her to a remote mountain, clonks her over the head with a shovel, and buries her alive. *blinks.* I’m also not calling this a spoiler because all this happens in like the first ten minutes of the drama. (I saw someone say technically they’re still married and … my summer child, no. I don’t know who broke you, but if someone tries to murder you by ruining your life and BURIES YOU ALIVE … you’re over. You get to be free now.)

As expected, our heroine makes it out alive, and takes over the identity of another tragic girl. In the book it’s a bit “easier” for her to make a comeback because it’s “just” her soul in an entirely different body. In the drama … heh it’s literally the same person. The girl she “becomes” was abandoned by her family in this remote place for over a decade, with nobody visiting her, so it’s believable they have no idea what she looks like now. If course there are a few loose ends and either the people who notice don’t matter, or they’re addressed later.

We have a poisons expert (loved her character in the book, loathe the actress and the changes in her story line), fake pregnancies, murder – so much murder – illegal salt trades and gold mining, treason, rebellions, fake priests and possessions, along with comedy and sweetness. Great actors too. One of the initial villains – I hated her so much -SO MUCH- and even as I wanted her to die a horrible death I thought “damn she’s good at bringing her character to life.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Novy Ponggele (@novyponggele)

I mean come oonnnnn. I do have a few minor complaints but those can be addressed later if I get to it. And as always – you can watch on Youku (which requires a subscription), or Viki (I think if you pay it’s ad free), or Youtube! Which is definitely free!

COME JOIN US! ONE OF US!

I Live Here Now, Thanks (Talking Up The Double)

Hi all! Since I’ve been convincing people left and right to watch The Double, a currently airing Cdrama, I was like “wait how could I ignore this whole ass site I own?” [I mean >.> answer is “pretty damn easily,” considering *gestures* – BUT ANYWAY.]

I’ve mostly been talking about it on Bluesky which is where I hang out most on the socials now … but I know not everyone is there (JOIN US!) And especially watch The Double!

I mean come ONNNNNN. 😻🤩🥰

You can watch up to episode 11 today … Youku keeps adding them. Live/if you pay for the Youku access the series is up to episode 21 with 2 more to be released at midnight. There will be 40 episodes in total so 😱 we’re more than halfway through! That means you can binge!

If you have Viki you can watch it there too. https://www.viki.com/tv/40573c-the-double

The English subs … *sigh* sadly I’ve noticed a trend where they’re not wrong in dramas, but they’re not right either exactly. Just, you kinda miss a lot. (And 😱😅 sometimes they are straight up wrong – on Viki at least that tends to get fixed. Maybe YouTube too.)

It’s such an excellent story and has fantastic actors! I’ve said watching this makes me want to re-read the book. But my second time around I’d want to wait for the book to be fully translated. Which … if they continue on at the same pace, already taking five years, will take another five. 🫠)

SHM APAHM: Empresses in the Palace

This is my attempt to get you all to WATCH. THIS. SERIES!!!!!!!!! (Also for the Amazon/series image they decided to use … I kinda feel like someone there doesn’t like Susan Sun because that is like … the least flattering image I’ve ever seen of her ever. So. Empresses in the Palace. 後宮·甄嬛傳.

Empresses in the Palace PosterSet in 1722 during the Qing Dynasty, sweeping drama Empresses in the Palace is an epic tale of love, betrayal and scandal told from inside the Imperial Harem – the story of one emperor and his countless women. In a world filled with treachery and corruption, who will truly win the Emperor’s heart and reign supreme? In Mandarin with English subtitles.*

So. Empresses in the Palace. While not as big in the Western world (at least not in the states), this period drama exploded in Asia. It started out as what I’d say is original fanfic. (Remember that section of ff.net back in the day and the like?) It became a television series that first aired in November of 2011. I want to say it showed up on Amazon some time in 2016. There had been word that HBO bought the American rights and was going to distribute it in 2014, and was set to air in December of 2015. I have no idea what happened with studio drama but … here we are. You can either buy the episodes or “series” on Amazon, or watch it free if you have a Prime membership.

First of all, it’s an amazing series. The costuming, the acting, the set … it’s all gorgeous. As you can see.