Reviews

Gloom and doom from. Beginning to end! Just cry and talk a lot about their personal issues. Beautiful cinematography and good resolution on IQYJI (4k), which is all that is positive about this drama. The story has too many holes and not logical. Outsiders were accepted in groups while Dong family is afraid of spy infiltration? What a conflict !

The story is slow and dragging out without much action. I guess if you like people crying and keep talking about their own personal problems, then this is for you. For me, nope.

I did wish it sped up a bit and more actions but nope. It does have some investigation stories that were a bit interesting but again....it keeps going back to the cry and personal issue of one telling someone else, basically all throuout the whole drama episodes until the end!

Too bad.

Very well made drama, although a bit dragged out like any other Chinese dramas...i just don't understand why they all drag out too long..Must be for financial purposes. The costumes are gorgeous and so do the makeups. The scenes and filming were beautiful...watching this on my Sony OLED 77'' is a treat and showing all the detailed makeup on each actor. On the drama story, it is great story, just that some of the episodes could be cut out and still would not harm the story one bit. I wish more fighting scenes since they are also quite good and realistic. One thing that might be improved , but i don't know if it is because of the main female lead acting or the goal of the director, she is quite annoying and stupid at the same time, i just dont know why those men in this drama are so attracted to her....i can't stand stupidity.

Good production, good promise, but plagued with childish behavior, bad director, convoluted turns and dragging out too long. I got confused after a while, not knowing what was going on and watched it while i did other things...just wanted to see the ending goes. In other words, if you got nothing to do and are not afraid to waste your time, then watch it. Another thing is sometimes i felt like I'm watching a chinese opera on stage. The main characters have a strange love hate relationship that just does not make any sense like you would normally see. I think either the director or the write of this tries to make it an important point, but just did not look natural.

Too bad, again, not too many good Chinese period dramas anymore. There are a few better ones on prime.

Too dark most of the time so taking a toll on me eyes plus the story is no believable Not interesting to watch with same predictable plot like other thousands of movies or shows. Lame action and acting. Skip it and save your time.

First season was really really good! All was great, from plots, acting and directing. Second season, not so much, as most of the TV series and/or movies with follow ups. The second season, the main character, Alex, the actor is still very good, but the main female character was not too convincing and could be direction of the director, acted quite uninterested and logically ridiculous...I would fault the director for this.

Any way, i turned off this and watched something else after the 3rd episode.

Beautifully done...in everything. Strange that some rated this show low and complained that it IS SLOW...not sure what they expect, Star War movies or something?

Used to love all of the previous seasons prior to the 7th season...7th season was getting worse but still watchable. The 8th season was a mess...with plots that dont make sense and not logical. Too boring and predictable should I say? I skipped episode 4-7, and watch 8-10 just to get it over with. They should stop making it because it is basically an attempt to make $ instead of making a good show. Also, the main actors are looking tired like the have no more energy to work.

Not sure what the others who related this 1 star....you know not a lot of bad shows really deserved one star...so when someone rated something one star, you want to question their ability to know what is good or bad. This how does not have lots of useless and fake actions like Rambo or movies by someone like Steven Segal, but just something realistic and good story and good acting...no flashy, high level of special movie effect...

Just a good plot, good acting, and good interesting story to follow from beginning to end...that is all I can ask for.

Really like the first season, with the lead actress and the stories. A bit slow at first but the more you watch the more i was into it. However, I did not go thru the second season due to the change of the lead actress....not as involving nor as good acting.

The emperor is tricked one time after another. Is it a fault of the person who wrote this sorry? Would be unrealistic and annoying

Could have been a 9. I cut down a couple of stars due to its slowness and dragging out too much in some scenes in the middle. However, it is still a good show to binge-watch.

Just to see the filming locations is worth the watch. I've been to most of these locations so it is special for me to see them on the screen again. The acting, plots, direction, lighting, locations, story are all first rate. It is a treat to watch these series.

Well written, great acting, awesome plots and smarts. Highly recommended. I binge-watched this for a couple of days.