The Problematic of the Unproblematic

kakashi: Death and tears. Welcome to episode 37. JoAnne: Wait. She's really dead? Noooooo! She's the only person I actually liked in this show! SakiVI: She's in a coma of sorts.

Alright! And now the last! The interview with Kakashi, fearful leader of this blog. In case you were wondering about the name - Kakashi Sensei is her first Asian love. And you know, first loves are special. If you have any additional questions, just ask in the comments section below!

SakiVI: Bring on the Scary-Funny! It's to warm us up for straight out scariness later, so enjoy it while you can, muahahaha! kakashi: Even JoAnne admitted she was a bit scared. That means a lot. She's never scared. JoAnne: I watched all the episodes! I need more! Trotwood: I wasn't scared at all in this ep, but I was worried--more for our Ying Zi. She's exactly the kind of character that writers make us love and then kill off to show us how dangerous the big bad is in a show.

Next up in our series of interviews: Saki! When she loves, she loves intensely and when she hates, she hates intensely.

kakashi: Fo Ye and Xin Yue finally get married, but then, the drama decides to start a completely new storyline. Why. SakiVI: I'm happy they got married but totally annoyed we're not wrapping things up now. So, conflicted.

Dear Readers / Squeeglets, here comes the next in our series of "interviews" with the main bloggers on this blog. Trotwood is our maknae :) The guy you see plastered all over this interview is Weir, her ultimate bias. Also the Thai actor I most often see on my Twitter feed, without ever having seen him act. If you have any additional questions, just ask in the comments section below!

SakiVI: Fo Ye's back as Changsha's Royal-Duke-in-Residence. Huo Niang's storyline gets wrapped up. And the Dongbei Zhang Family is scary! kakashi: Do we know why we haven't met the Dongbei Zhang Family before, especially when we were at Dongbei and at the Zhang residence? Anyway, let's be glad there's enough Fo Ye in this episode, also in uniform and strotting, to give us pleasure, that Lu has to pay for his idiocy and that everything makes halfway sense.

SakiVI: We get a new side character, and we make some grave-robbing progress. This show develops its storyline nicely and neatly, making what could've been slow in a lesser writer's hands interesting for us.  kakashi: Someone in the comments section pointed out that this is a very slow show. I agree! It takes its time with everything, but that is part of its allure. It's slow, but definitely not boring. It draws you in and makes you curious for more!  JoAnne: I'm always sorry when it ends. Well, so far. Two episodes in. It has a different feel to it than the other 'supernatural' C-Dramas I have watched so far, which I admit is not many, but this is more to my liking . Trotwood: (*running in late. out of breath*) Sorry. I missed the first Tomb Recap train. I know people mentioned Bayi's bad hair, but I'm going to confess that I'm sorta fond of Fatty's hair. It's like he's auditioning for a Breck commercial.  

Next up in our series of interviews: Shukmeister! Inventor of the SqueeCaps and Lakorn Lover. She shares a love for heavy metal, just like me (Kakashi) and we are the nucleus of a PotUp band (lifegoal for our next lives, maybe?).

kakashi: Ye Zixi is dead and Ji Bai refuses to properly grieve for her. Instead, he wants to find her killer with such intensity, you can almost feel it through the screen. JoAnne: This works for me. Trotwood: Works for me, too (Getting heat protection for my computer by studying up on heat sink technology ) Eleanor: Works for me too, and well I'll be more than happy to be a shoulder to cry on Ji Bai. Shuk: I'm onboard as well. 

kakashi: Happy Holidays, everyone! I hope you all have full bellies and lots of time for dramas. :) And if not, then I hope you have full bellies and lots of fun with friends and family. Shuk: I'm still meeting friends for lunches and things. Good times! It's nice to catch up with people when our lives are so busy. JoAnne: Jin Dong with a big gun!

Dear Readers / Squeeglets (that's how you guys are called, didn't you know? 👊), we are doing a series of "interviews" with the main bloggers on this blog. It's all you never wanted to know about us and our drama watching activity :D The first one is with JoAnne, Queen of Puppies and Comments. If you have any additional questions, just ask in the comments section below! My poor wolf

kakashi: Something I never thought would happen happens, but then something else happens and it's pretty shitty. Fate's a bitch. This drama has a tale to tell about it. Saki: Good summary. JoAnne: She's our sensei for a reason, after all.

SakiVI: It's here, it's here, and for some horrible few days, I thought it wouldn't get subbed, but it's subbed! I lubs oo, Viki subbers ! And I thought I would watch first, but whatever, I'm diving right into recapping. The story is in the same tomb-robbing genre as The Lost Tomb , and has a Fatty and an evil foreigner, but it's written by someone else, not Uncle Three. So, although I'm linking to past Lost Tomb and Mystic Nine posts, it's not actually the same universe. kakashi: I'm not sure what pleases me more, this drama or SakiVI going crazy about the drama. Also, an aesthetic warning at the beginning. This is set in the 80s. The production company (Daylight) takes great care to make things authentic. The 80s weren't exactly, you know ... the high time of fashion. Beware of the hair! But in all seriousness, it's not as bad as some people make it. JoAnne: That acid-washed jean jacket, though. And the page-boy perm. Just, no. ...

kakashi: An arrest is made and a life is lost - but how are these things connected? The drama still leaves us in the dark about basically everything. It's in fact why I like it that much. Eleanor: Me too! Me too! Don't worry Ji Bai, we all look as confused and puzzled as you do.  JoAnne: Sadly, we do not look as hot as you do. Shuk: [sigh]

2016 was not only filled with good dramas. Oh no. Following the tradition from previous years, we also like to speak about the flops.

kakashi: The show turns considerably darker in this episode and the case evolves once again, into a direction we could not have foreseen. As things get much more serious, Ji Bai is finally ready to work with Xu Xu. He knows that she is talented and I think he knows exactly how to use her talents in the future. Eleanor: Can I just say that I love Wang Kai's little grey wingtips in his hair there. They are so distinguished. The case really is interesting and I do quite like that they aren't afraid to look at the darker aspects of crime.  JoAnne: He looks like a golfer lining up his putt :) Is that grey? I thought it was just thinner/shorter there, a very conservative fade . Shuk: I just want to smooth those forehead wrinkles...

Dear Readers - we watched a lot in 2016 ... individually and collectively. The end of the year is a wonderful time to do a bit of soulsearching. In general, but also with regards to Asian drama. Here is our "Best of 2016" list. Each of us got to select 5 Asian dramas they thought stood out. 

kakashi: We meet more people and realize that this kidnapping case isn't really just a kidnapping case. And what is going on in that Ye Corporation?! At least, Ji Bai gives Xu Xu another chance and she takes it very seriously. She wants to stay in that Major Crime Investigation Unit. And she has determination.  Trotwood: I felt for her here. I trained for six months to do an 8K, 23 obstacle, obstacle course race and still couldn't do those damn monkey bars. I do weigh probably 4 times her weight but still.  Eleanor: Trot, you are impressive. I am so unfit. I used to be super fit, like as in my tricep stuck out without flexing and I had great knee definition (yay for rowing)...now...I am ashamed *starts thinking about exercise routines* JoAnne: Just call me Tudou. Shuk: I lettered in Track in high school, but that was a looooooong time ago. Nowadays it's once a week at the pool and once a week at the gym, on average.

SakiVI: Okay, can we get out of this underground world/alternate reality already? On the plus side, the villains are unintentionally amusing here. And we meet Ryouko again. kakashi: There's an old Chinese saying that goes: "Be patient as a snail and you will reap the benefits a thousandfold".

Kakashi: Kasuo shows some determination in this episode and I must say, I like him much better with balls. Shi gets more emo in turn though. That I don't like a lot, because I get the feeling he is thinking about something stupid. As is Lan Shang. SakiVI: Shi has a lot of guilt to manage.  JoAnne: Uh, yeah, SHI. On the other hand, the only person who's actually responsible for Shuo Gang's bad behavior is Shou Gang.

kakashi: Wang Kai in something new! No, there never can be enough Wang Kai. Shuk: Hot man, hot kiss, Paris umbrella but no ET on it. I call this a winner!! Oh, and I started Novoland, where is the button that can make me stop watching?! JoAnne: Even the name sounds worse than Ice Fantasy. I love it. I'm glad the website or my computer or both crashed last night or I would have marathoned until this morning . SakiVI: Novoland is fun!

SakiVI: In which our gang, and Chen Pi, suffer some more under the meteorite's illusion-making. Read on. kakashi: I'm beginning to think that having a meteorite like this at home might actually be quite a bit of fun? If you have no demons of the heart, that is. Which I don't. I think.

kakashi: Ji Bai and Xu Xu meet, but if first impressions matter, then this is a rather ill-fated pairing. She does something really careless, which makes him very angry. That's not good, seeing how he doesn't want her to be there in the first place. JoAnne: Think how epic the romance will have to be then, to overcome TWO obstacles! Trotwood; I watched but did not enjoy this episode because it's the episode I hate: when one of the main leads makes a serious (but sorta dumb) mistake. I was cringing from the beginning because I had a bad feeling about the whole thing. Not because I'm smart and figured out the case, but because I know dramas, and it was time for this part of the the story. Shuk: I'm looking forward to the interactions! Oh and more Wang Kai in dark sunglasses . Eleanor: Wasn't it just a little while ago that you were telling me you didn't like Wang Kai Shuk? ;) Oh those lovely eyebrows of his!   

kakashi: What the .... Kasuo has found a rebound already?! That's scandalous! Actually, this episode is scandalous, but not because of Kasuo. Because of how Lan Shang is treated. I know I've hated on her, but she did not deserve this.   SakiVI: No, although I partially blame her amazing foolishness and greed for making it possible to treat her like this. Still, the actual fault of the wrong done lies with others. JoAnne: Agreed. Even idiots have rights.

Kakashi: Kasuo and Li Luo break up for good (or not) and Shi admits several times that he finds girls very annoying. He's being blackmailed though, the poor young Ice King, and it looks like he is going to do something very vile and stupid to get out of it. JoAnne: *sigh* SakiVI: Shi is still mentally a child in some ways. This is very disappointing for my Ice Fantasy.

SakiVI: I thought the origin of the Meteorite was outer space? Anyway, this episode is Hendry-heavy. Sorry, kakashi. kakashi: Yeah, no fun. It's not your fault, but he's really what I enjoy least about this show. I'll be short and grumpy.

kakashi: In episode 2, we start to wonder what this drama is actually about. We meet more people from the Ye family - these ones are unhappy too - and realize that it might very well be about them. But pay attention, people, just like Xu Xu, who observes everything and everyone in her quiet, analytical way. Eleanor: I really liked these shots of her and her perceptive observation. The Ye family seems rather like your stereotypical, really sad, rich family. Are rich families really all that unhappy? It would be nice if I could be super rich, and I could see if I could be a happy family haha XD  JoAnne: Apply for a grant to study whether being rich and being happy are mutually exclusive! Trotwood: I get the feeling most rich families are happy or at least as happy. Dramas just show all these unhappy people to make us feel better that we aren't rich. Shuk: I agree with Trot, although if you look at the history of anyone who has won the really big lottery jackpots, not many of...

kakashi: We're rushing towards the end of the year, who can feel the vortex? SakiVI: me.  JoAnne: This December is not as crazy as last December was. Maybe I'm just used to it, though. Shuk: There is just too much going on to comment much. Ack!

Shuk: I actually goofed up. I thought there were 14 episodes not 16. So this one is actually going to be 4 episodes long, and may contain ugly suits. Any complaints, though? Any? .... Okay, here we go then.

kakashi: When a Snail Falls in Love is a lovely "little" (meaning 21 relatively short episodes) police drama with Eleanor's husband in the main role and because we really cannot say no to Wang Kai on this blog, we will recap it. (It's also really good, so there). I'm always so excited when we start a new recapping project!! Shuk: I had not watched it before, but since we are recapping and I am not immune to the power of WangKai, I'm going to join in! JoAnne: Everybody scooch down! Eleanor: LOL now everyone is after my husband these days. Good thing I feel pretty secure about my love.  Trotwood: I do, too, which is why I've already bought a ginormous hat to wear at the wedding.

We end 2016 on a final grouping of  Eiffel Towers found throughout Asian entertainment during the second half of the year.  First, my chingeuls have sent me non-drama ones and their own happy ET's for my perusal: Trot's Bathroom Scale and Cherkell's Bastille Day Wallpaper:  

SakiVI: Omo, Fo Ye and Xin Yue finally get married! For Realz! Or do they? Er Ye persists in his delusions and Ya Tou persists in her Stepford Wife act. Xin Yue, on the other hand, persists in being cute. Squee! kakashi: This episode is both scary and sad.

Kakashi: A death and a rebirth ... and an order that causes more pain than joy. It's all very complicated. SakiVI: Should be right up Kasuo's Emo Alley, then. JoAnne: Maybe he can be happy about how sad he gets to be. Kid is breathtaking.

kakashi: Pacts are made and Fire Princes look pretty all of a sudden ... Shi is almost crowned, but not quite yet - and Kasuo mopes. A normal day in Ice City, really.  SakiVI: A possible Fire Prince looks gorgeous.   JoAnne: The silver eye thingie looks very dull next to his epaulets.

kakashi: We have a new heavyweight on our list this week! It's Goblin, of course. Shuk: Are we gonna do Best of / Worst of posts this year? I was thinking about this as I untangled Christmas lights and raked leaves. Of course!   SakiVI: After all the excitement, let's hope Goblin is good. JoAnne: Good? Pfft. Why aim so low? Goblin is gooooooodgoodgood. 1.5 hours each episode, though... Supposed to be only the first two that are super long but we'll see. Other than needing to make the time commitment though, the 90 minutes flies by. Trotwood: Finally getting caught up after traveling for business.Still not sure what new thing I'm going to take on right now with the craziness that is the end of semester.

Sparks of Ember: After that last episode, we deserve a cute interlude. But it wouldn't be ToGetHer if things didn't immediately dissolve into childish interactions, right? And also, unfortunately, the implode with Jia Sen we've all been expecting... kakashi: Damn, what color do I get in this recap?! This is creating identity problems for me. Let me just say that I don't like childish behavior in adults at all, but I'm making an exception for Mars, because he's so damn cute when childish. Shuk: The fact that his cuteness covers over the heavy things on his shoulders goes a long way for me. And those singlets help a lot. SakiVI: I didn't have time to watch this, so I'll just comment on the pictures. JoAnne: Fortunately there's always a lot to say about Jiro. Also, I've been laughing to myself because I recently learned that the Mandarin for chicken is jirou, which doesn't sound EXACTLY the same but close enough for Western ears, so now i...

Kakashi: Damn, after his little run in with Daddy Black Smoke, Shi develops heterochromia iridium , which really is a problem, considering how suspicious everyone is of him already. It's kinda cute though. It makes me think of puppies. JoAnne: He looks sort of lizard-y now. Yes, I know, wrong pupil shape and whatever. Still looks lizard-y. Still pretty to me.