Brilliant show and a fantastic first season

(NB. I have never read the novel or seen any of the anime adaptation so my review is based solely on this live-action adaptation.)

I have *just* finished watching the entire season and I am just blown away. I mean, where to begin? The story is just beautiful and even more beautifully realized visually. (The SFX are really spectacular without falling into the Hollywood trap of being overwhelming and chaotic.) But most importantly, the character building, the growth of our seven heroes and, of course, the arc of 唐三 and 小舞 is just really fantastic and satisfying.

肖战 is, of course, more than capable of shouldering the responsibilities of being the lead but his portrayal as really top-notch here. (And I say this as a die-hard fan of 《陈情令》where his portrayal of 魏无羡 is just peerless.) His nuances and range has grown tremendously and I can’t wait to see what his future work brings. 吴宣仪’s portrayal of 小舞 is equally nuanced and sensitive. Her innocence and fierce loyalty are endearing and the reason for why she is the way she is becomes clear as the series progresses with hints being dropped all the way from the first episode before she even appears. And a special shout out to all the supporting cast for being a fantastic ensemble, whether it’s the 史兰客 team (both students and teachers) or the various Soul Masters or, really, even the most minor of characters. It really is such a richly fleshed-out world on all fronts.

Kudos, also, to the show’s writer who, in consultation with the author, brilliantly charts the course of the various character developments so that they always stay in the forefront of things even amidst the visual feasts, the unfolding of the in-universe mythology, and all the dramatic turns and twists.

I honestly don’t know if a second season is going to be in the works but it is so clear that this season was written *as* an expository season with its unanswered questions and unresolved threads. So please bear this in mind while you’re watching it.

Two things I want to address:

- The score/music is wonderful! I am a professional musician and I am ACUTELY attuned to the soundtrack of anything I am watching, whether I like it or not. And it is absolutely fantastic! There are specific motifs and pieces that are written for specific moods or characters or situations and they capture them very well. Every scene’s emotional impact is immediately enhanced by its particular score at any particular juncture. Kudos to the composer(s).

I honestly don’t know what ANY of the complaints are with the score but I can honestly say that this is one of the best TV series soundtracks I have heard. (And I have heard/seen plenty.) Do not let *any* of the negative reviews affect you.

- The ending is BRILLIANT. I won’t spoil it for anyone but I will say that it is not what you might be expecting in terms of fireworks on the surface but it is very deep, very personal, and very much in keeping with the writer’s vision for this series. As I have said before, there are definitely lots of open-ended plot points and questions, all of which point to another season. And if there isn’t a second season, well... you can still fully enjoy the great journey which this series takes you right up to the very end.

I am re-watching the whole season now to catch anything that I might have missed the first time around.

GO WATCH THIS SHOW NOW. It is THAT good.

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