Guardian [tv] - first verdict

[akk]

After my reappearance on Dreamwidth (I've been gone for so long that I even forgot I've got a - now sadly silent - Reading Page for following feeds and friends!) I was introduced to the Chinese urban fantasy drama Guardian by rheasilvia and solo, the latter even went to the length of getting me decent subs because calling the German ones provided by Youtube "abysmal" would be flattering!

Yesterday, I managed to watch the first two eps. Enough to give a first verdict / classification:

Eps seen: 2/40

Likability: extremely high

binge-worthiness: very high
but depending on the availability of good subs, so absolute time consumption may be manageable for the time being

writing probability: low
so far; my writing is usually triggered by plot lines not by characters (think the unexplored connection between Cmdr. Walsh und Gooseman in Galaxy Rangers or the disappearance of the yin-yang principle from X/1999 that sparked the Decagram), and 2/40 eps is too soon for plot lines to be seen clearly and to be judged regarding "is there something I want to explore / expand / explain?". Plus, live action shows seldom trigger my writing, even in cases I love. I'm more prone to write to manga, anime, cartoons, and in rare occasions, books (thinking of you, Emperor's Edge!)

Thanks again to the ppl who introduced me to this show! :-)

Comments

[rheasilvia]

You're welcome! I'm not surprised it's your thing - and its addictability quotient has turned out to be extremely high. ;-)

[solo]

Ooh, I'm so glad you like it. Make sure you don't get spoiled, it's got quite a few surprises up its sleeve.

I'm making the good subs available as quickly as I can, yes yes! :DDD

[akk]

I'm about to watch ep 10. Still like it. :)

[solo]

I guess that means it is bingeable *g*

[akk]

Bingeability predictions are rarely wrong.
Except when they fade over eps, so far that didn't happen.

[solo]

I just made some changes in 11 & 12, btw, so you may want to get the new versions there.

[akk]

In that folder?
The ones labeled 3/29 ?

[solo]

yes, should be

[akk]

thanks. dl-ed.
am at ep 14 now, btw.

[solo]

Still liking it? What do you make of Zhao Yunlan? Shen WEi? The Black-Cloaked Envoy? Any faves? Tell me more!

[akk]

Currently disconnected impressions.
Zhao - the omni-present lolly reminds me of Kojak, and loud-mouthed characters aren't quite my thing. It takes time for me to warm up to them, if at all.
Shen - the combination of the next one on your list with that dorky professor is currently (pos 14/40) downright cute. That, and the Gestapo glimpses we got of the Dixian sphere make that character thread decidedly intriguing to me.

There are a couple hints and plot devices I wished were used more subtly, as they too often clued in the solution early on, but that might be to the similarities to many of the Korean urban fantasy dramas I watched. Once you know a trope, you spot its layout early on. But definitely not enough to take the fun out of the show so far.

About the only thing that bothered me so far is the portrayal of the head scientists throughout - a failed experiment is no reason to scream about and throw a tantrum. A failed experiment is data. Data is the source for improvement. That's basic science and they get it plain wrong.
Also, dorky professor not being capable of using "modern technology" like a beamer... dang, how does he work (or even just pretend to work) in his field when there is absolutely no genetics / microbiology tool that works without computers?

[solo]

Aaahhh the science thing. Useful background to know is that this is based on a webnovel with a supernatural background. For example, the Envoy is actually a Ghost King.

Because China doesn't allow the portrayal of 'superstition' in any shows post-cultural revolution, the supernatural stuff had to be retrofitted and replaced with space travel and 'science'.

But because everyone in China knows how that works, shows sometimes don't work very hard at making the science or scientists credible, they just bullshit or handwave it and rely on the audience to go 'ah, the censors, yeah'. There's one place, IDR where exactly, where Lin Jing gives a scientific explanation which makes no sense whatsoever, and to me that's basically the show going 'take that, censors'.

But I can see how to a real scientist this could be quite annoying.

There's a lot of speculation about how Shen Wei managed to get a science degree without being able to operate modern technology. :)

Give Zhao Yunlan time. He's deeper than he lets on. *g*

[akk]

Remember that I ascribe closer to Seishiro's thinking than to Subaru's - I care less about why something awful is done, but that something awful is done. The explanation makes sense, but that doesn't change anything for me. The art of "sticking it to the censors" would have been telling a functional plot anyway.

Re: Zhao's depth. I don't need time for that. I know that, but again, that doesn't make the attitude any nicer to me. The dynamic is rather DeeXRyo FAKE in that regard. And I'm a fan of FAKE (which doesn't keep me from wishing D to wear an inverted dustbin for a hat occasionally).

Re: science degree. They should have made him a history prof, or historical botany / zoology (that are real fields! The HOT shares the building with the Institut für Geobotanik, ffs.). The problem wouldn't exist then.

Current verdict:
binge-worthiness: unchanged
writing probability: unchanged or slightly lower.