I had waited for this show since it started filming. I was super excited that we would see Zeng Shunxi and Liu Yuning in a drama together again after Ultimate Note. As well, I am a huge fan of Liu Yuning and I LOVE the journey he has been going on with his acting.
Story: I-..do not have many words for this plot line. It was so all over the place sometimes that it left me confused. (if you know the Jackson Wang meme face from when JYP performed that was my face). The plot seemed simple in the start, three besties, encounter another bestie. And live a domestic life in the capital. When the show got dark...it got dark fast. And it remained that way. I knew nothing good was going to happen with the foreshadowing of the first scene with the storytelling in the show. I knew that Bai Choufei essentially is the villain. But that did not prepare me for the utter pain the show had. I am disappointed in the treatment of Lei Chun. I think that *scene* was a cheap way of making her a villain, even though she would be a villain with just the death of her father. I also did not like the cheap romance between WXS and WR. It felt rushed and just did not fit with the plot of the show. The show tried to force us to understand why BCF loved WSX so much, and why he hated SMZ so much but they focused so much on WXS and WR that it felt. Even in the last episode, WSX shows that he loved his brothers more then his wife. "I have nothing now" as he burns his two brothers and his sword while is wife stands behind him. I know she can not die because she was the daughter of the Wen family (by the way, a huge PLOT HOLE) but she was in a sense...useless.
Acting/Cast : I did not doubt the acting of ZSX before coming in at all. He is a fabulous actor and his wide, doe eyes really just played into the innocence of his character. I do not have enough words for LYN. I know he really downplays his acting skills since he was a singer first, but his acting towards the end of the show was insane. Not many people can do the crying while laughing while also appearing unhinged. He had so many pivotal scenes where he was alone and his acting made them amazing. I am proud of him. Chen Chuhe was someone I knew from Lost Tomb: Reunion and he did amazing in Heroes. His coughing felt so real, and you can just tell the emotions he was feeling with just his eyes. Yang Tong (Di Feijing) and Yu Bin (Yang Wuxie) were AMAZING. Every time they appeared on the screen I wanted to just hug them and give them love. They are stand out actors. Meng Ziyi in her role was effective. I am not a fan of her acting (I have never been since it feels one-note) but I did appreciate the scenes where she emoted more. But I also know this may have been a decision of the director to make her more one note, since she was the daughter of the leader. I was disappointed in Yang Chouyue. I did know anything of her before I watched the show, and I just could not handle her scenes. Her crying was not good, and I think I skipped over them a lot. She was very one note and acting wise it fell flat at times. I do know people said she was better in this role then in her past roles. The rest of the cast were great, and they pulled together the story. It was a large cast of people. But they all acted well.
Music : If you put Zeng Shunxi and Liu YuNing in a ost I will love it no matter what. The ending theme now makes me so upset because I am used to watching the show end with tears in my eyes and hearing the first couple of notes.
Rewatch : no. I will not do it. This is one of those shows that leaves you defeated. All shock value on who is who, and knowing who is still alive is gone. I might only rewatch for certain scenes but I can not see myself watching the entire show again.
Overall: It disappointed as a wuxia. With more glamour shots and cutting the fight scenes to one move. I was expecting strong fights but it did not happen. I really wanted to see the fight between Fang Yinkan and Di Feijing and I am so angry the show gave us stupid musical montages of WR and WSX all the time but not enough fight scenes. The plot was a bunch of twist and turns that let me disappointed in the end. The show is full of plot holes, and un-glamorous deaths. I know the show is called "heroes" and I think who is the hero in the end. I think only Su Mengzhen and Di Feijing are the only heroes in this story. I have thought a lot of about this show after it ended, and while I love the show, I also hate it.