Editor's Note: This article is just a preview of the first episodes of recently aired series. Are they worth jumping into? Some shows may gradually gain momentum, while others may start strong but then falter. This article only reviews the first few episodes for your reference. If there are any subsequent disappointments, I'll keep you posted.
The Song of the Brocade Moon
Start date: August 6
Broadcasting platforms: Hunan Satellite TV, Tencent Video, Mango TV
Part of the "Female Generals 101" series, Zhou Ye + Cheng Lei, a "transfer love" between a 95-year-old girl and a 90-year-old boy.
The original author Qianshan Chake had good luck with adaptations before. "Mo Yu Yun Jian" and "When the Wild Geese Return" were both successful cases of making a big profit with a small investment. Unfortunately, when it comes to "Jin Yue Ru Ge", his luck seems to be a bit off.
The original novel tells the story of the former female general He Yan who "reborn" and returned to join the Yezhou Guard, joining hands with the Jade-faced Governor Xiao Jue to wield swords to wipe out the treacherous villains, and they promised each other their true love in the midst of swords and shadows and joined hands to defend their country.
On August 7, the popularity value of "Jin Yue Ru Ge" on Tencent Video exceeded 24,000.
First, the original novel is a "rebirth story," in which a female general, after death, is reborn as a fragile young woman, returning to the barracks and fighting under a new identity, vowing to reclaim everything. The TV adaptation removed the rebirth, replacing it with a female protagonist whose old injuries haven't healed, and who deliberately hides her strength, appearing frail and weak. If this understatement had been tempered with a touch of "stealth," perhaps with some light comedy, it might have been more interesting. However, the female protagonist insists on asserting her authority through archery and combat, forming her own small group, and drawing the male protagonist's attention. The resulting performance is confusing, with her alternating between weak and strong.
Zhou Ye as He Yan
Secondly, many viewers complained about the heroine's constant mask-wearing. Forget about wearing a mask to meet the emperor, and the emperor not punishing her for disrespect—a sign of good nature. But the heroine also wears a mask while eating, drinking, and defecating at home, which is a bit illogical. Even stranger, when the heroine's brother also dons a mask and switches back to the same persona, his height, voice, and gait—anyone could tell he's different—no one in the show noticed this flaw, as if everyone was acting like NPCs. The screenwriter says yes, and you are, "I don't care what you think, I care what I think."
Furthermore, previous film and television productions have produced many exemplary portrayals of female generals, such as Anita Yuen's Hua Mulan, whose every detail, from her facial features to her accent, her posture to her aura, and even her shyness when switching back into women's clothing, is perfectly executed. Crossdressing isn't about looking like a man, but rather about "how can you tell if I'm male or female?" This demands more than just the actor's makeup.
When filming of "Jin Yue Ru Ge" started, I was delighted and looking forward to hearing that the female lead was Zhou Ye, because she has a unique temperament that combines the feelings of girlishness and boyishness, and is a "lively puppy" in the eyes of fans.
But after watching the first few episodes, to be honest, this heroine dressed as a man is still too girly, both in terms of body language and facial expressions. She has a kind of naivety, but this naivety is a bit too cute in the military camp, and instead loses the heroic spirit that a general should have.
On the contrary, the part where he dressed up as a woman and danced with a sword gave people a stunning and bright feeling.
Zhou Ye's sword dance look in women's clothing
The most captivating part of the female-disguised-as-male plot is undoubtedly the "falling out" moment, when the male protagonist discovers the female protagonist's true identity. From an artistic perspective, the intimate flirtation between the male and female protagonist before that revealing moment is often the most worthy element of a historical drama, worth savoring and revisiting. In the original novel, the female protagonist's revealing identity isn't revealed until later in the story, making the early stages of her relationship with the male protagonist, more than friends but less than lovers, a deeply engaging and captivating part.
Unfortunately, not long into the show, the male lead discovers the female lead's identity during a horseback riding scene, and thus begins his heart-pounding, unknowing crush. He even becomes jealous at the second male lead's provocation. Putting aside the female lead's small, understated figure, how could she truly feel anything by leaning on her back? How could they have seen each other eight hundred times before, and then suddenly realize it with just a simple lean? And how could the second male lead recognize her so instantly from a distance? Could it be that the screenwriter has gifted him with unique clairvoyance?
Horseback riding scenes between the male and female protagonists
Dear screenwriters in the Chinese entertainment industry, when will you realize that no one wants to be a "Hard Candy Girl" anymore? Audiences don't want a love story that develops naturally and gradually, but rather a gradual and natural love story.
The fundamental reason why long dramas can still stand out is precisely their delicate control of emotions and the rigorous logic throughout the entire story. If you really want to see illogical love at first sight or enemies go their separate ways, just open a short drama and you will find them everywhere, right?
A true heroine relies on her independent thinking to soar into the sky and gallop across the battlefield, instead of hiding behind the hero and acting coquettishly, relying on the "heroine will be rescued by the heroine when she is in danger" that is complained about in the next drama, and then "getting away with it cutely".
Stills from "The Song of the Golden Moon"
Once it enters the stage of arbitrary changes, no matter how good the IP is, it will be difficult to save it. Only by respecting the audience's IQ can the number of views of long-running dramas be maintained.
