I watched this drama because of Zhang Ruo Yun. In the beginning, Joy of Life did not WOW me, but as the episodes dropped every week, I became riveted to the monitor. This is the first C-drama that did not drag, or contain extraneous filler. The fleeting flashbacks were the only unnecessary nuance.

Overall, the production values were top notch. This Director knew how to supervise his departments; Wardrobe, Set Design, Music, Martial Arts Choreography, Cinematography, and Editing (...more or less), to produce a clean, efficient drama work. The Film Editor did a decent job 80% of the time, but he got carried away with some impossible scene splicing (known as scene intercut) toward the end of the drama.

Zhang Ruo Yun carried the weight of the drama on his shoulders. Modern thinker Fan Xian was a fish out of "historical" water, but he blended well into the fabric of the imperial dynasty. The other cast members did a very good job with their character portrayals. Fan Xian's handlers, Uncle Wu Zhu, Wang Qinian and Teng Zi Jing, were the most intriguing and well liked characters.

Generally, I would be irate if a C-drama had a cold ending, hinting at a follow-up season. Joy of Life is the only drama that I am eagerly awaiting Season 2, which I hope, does not drag on for two years. An extended interval between Seasons 1 and 2 would disrupt the momentum and continuity, and the Producers should know that they "should strike while the iron is hot".