Rants & Weekly Raves #180 (RAWR)
Trotwood: Back from a conference to drive into blizzard, so have some drama watching time! Not much but more than last week. March is not playing around anywhere it seems. There's snow storms all over the northern hemisphere. Jo, are you really going to watch all of these new dramas? It's like they are procreating.
JoAnne: Hell, no. Here's the process: I list all the ones I either think someone might watch or that I know someone is watching, from Mon-Tues shows right on through to the weekend. I like them to be in order. Anything without an entry under it gets deleted before posting. If it becomes clear that no one is watching, I don't even include anymore. And then you guys will add things that you're watching that I didn't put already. (So readers, what she means is that there are a lot of dramas on this draft post. Even more than what you see in the final version.)
kakashi: I had this genius idea what to write here, but I seem to have forgotten completely... oh well.
panda: Watching Money Flower and wow. Holy Jang Hyuk sexy as heck in this role.
I started commenting on this week's Rawr during a blizzard, and I'm finishing my week's commentary bracing for another. I've decided that March hates us. Or at least hates me and Jo. Or maybe March loves us and knows that we just want to sit at home watching dramas, so is giving us extra snow days to watch dramas. Rereading my comments made me realize that I spent a lot of time walking around my apartment this week because of various emotional responses to dramas. What I didn't say was also how much pie I ate.
Go ahead, give me snow days...but I don't get to sit home and watch dramas, I get to sit home and do the same thing I was doing at the office, just in more comfortable clothing.
Soo Jin and Hye Na are separated now, with Hye Na at an orphanage and doing well enough, it's a nice place - but she misses Soo Jin. The very end of last week's episodes more than hint that she'll run away...but what will Soo Jin do when Hye Na appears?
LMAO
JoAnne: Hell, no. Here's the process: I list all the ones I either think someone might watch or that I know someone is watching, from Mon-Tues shows right on through to the weekend. I like them to be in order. Anything without an entry under it gets deleted before posting. If it becomes clear that no one is watching, I don't even include anymore. And then you guys will add things that you're watching that I didn't put already. (So readers, what she means is that there are a lot of dramas on this draft post. Even more than what you see in the final version.)
kakashi: I had this genius idea what to write here, but I seem to have forgotten completely... oh well.
panda: Watching Money Flower and wow. Holy Jang Hyuk sexy as heck in this role.
I started commenting on this week's Rawr during a blizzard, and I'm finishing my week's commentary bracing for another. I've decided that March hates us. Or at least hates me and Jo. Or maybe March loves us and knows that we just want to sit at home watching dramas, so is giving us extra snow days to watch dramas. Rereading my comments made me realize that I spent a lot of time walking around my apartment this week because of various emotional responses to dramas. What I didn't say was also how much pie I ate.
Go ahead, give me snow days...but I don't get to sit home and watch dramas, I get to sit home and do the same thing I was doing at the office, just in more comfortable clothing.
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| This is not Jang Hyuk |
KOREA
Radio Romance
I am so proud of the progress that Soo Ho is making, and I love the looks that Ha Joon gives him when he is making these strides. He clearly is a very proud hyung. I cheered out loud when Soo Ho just told Tae Ri to release the sound recording. I was actually hoping she would do it because, as SH says, it would release him from the lie and actually do him a favor. I don't think she will though because that is really the only thing she had over his mother. It's so interesting to me that they all seem at a loss about what to do now that SH is asserting himself. I still can't make out Jason. He is still reporting to SH's mom, but it doesn't seem like he knows everything either. I also don't know what to make of SH's mom's response to his decision to leave the company. Does she just really believe that he won't or can't? I felt so sorry for SH during the family argument. Of course, he would fall for Geu Rim and love her still; she provides him the only comfort that's been consistent.
I also thought it would be a relief to Soo Ho to have the family secret out. It's not his secret, it's theirs. It's clear he has some compassion for his stepmother; I think he's kept it this long at least in part because it's so important to her that people not know. As for Jason, I feel pretty certain he's not writing the cards. What do you think the odds are that Soo Ho is?
I also thought it would be a relief to Soo Ho to have the family secret out. It's not his secret, it's theirs. It's clear he has some compassion for his stepmother; I think he's kept it this long at least in part because it's so important to her that people not know. As for Jason, I feel pretty certain he's not writing the cards. What do you think the odds are that Soo Ho is?
Laughter in Waikiki
Confessions all over the place! But I hope Handsome Stranger is still in play for a little bit, don't you?
Extension! Oh no!
Extension! Oh no!
Should We Kiss First?
They're sleeping together, but not 'sleeping together.' Ex-husband and second wife had the expected fight about the apartment he bought, but all seems to be lovey-dovey now that wifey has found out about the 'boyfriend.' I just feel tired, I think.
That Man Oh Soo
From what I gather, Oh Soo's family has a mystical talent to encourage love, and one man in each generation takes on that role. Oh Soo is that man, but reluctantly. It seems that there's a price to pay for the talent, and it looks like it means they won't have love themselves...but Dad sure seemed happy before he died, and he had a family...anyway, Oh Soo makes a mistake and now he keeps getting thrown together with the person who bore the brunt of it. Of course they'll fall in love. I like the actors and it's okay enough, but I could drop it easily.
Mother
No jail time for Soo Jin, but jail time for Ja Young because she is a horrible, horrible woman. That moment when Hye Na said she didn't want to answer a bunch of questions, she just wanted to tell everyone what happened her last night with her mother...watching Ja Young realize she was done for was fantastic, but she still thinks everyone would have done the same as her in the same situation. She's just a hopeless case.
Soo Jin and Hye Na are separated now, with Hye Na at an orphanage and doing well enough, it's a nice place - but she misses Soo Jin. The very end of last week's episodes more than hint that she'll run away...but what will Soo Jin do when Hye Na appears?
Return
And now we know why Lawyer Lady hates the Freaky Four and why she's crazy and I have to tell you, I'd probably be crazy, too. They killed her daughter without blinking an eye and then when she made a fuss about the results of the trial, they had her house burned down with her IN it. We also know why Partner is so suspicious - it was his brother that got the blame for the death while the other four went free. And we knew why Doc was part of the trio...
I am absolutely fine that In Ho's marriage is over for good, you? Mostly what I'm wondering now is if it's just me that thinks they almost WANT to get caught at the revenge plot, so that all the terrible behavior of the others would come to light.
The only thing that got me through this week's eps is the fact that I read what Jo said above and wanted to see her leave that "cretin trying to be the best one of the bunch of cretin" husband of hers. I was mad that the writers threw in a pregnancy to make her second guess her initial instinct to leave. I didn't like his control over her life in the first place. No. He isn't as bad as Tae Suk or Hak Bum--who have to be two of the most vile characters I've seen on television--but the fact that he tried to act all pitiful around her and then only thought about keeping his family intact and the wrong that was done him just made me want to smack him. The only person worth any redemption is Druggie, who clearly has felt this guilt and is ready to pay for his crimes. I have to say, it took me a long time to get through these four parts because I was so angry at the end of each half hour that I needed to walk around my apartment for a bit.
The only thing that got me through this week's eps is the fact that I read what Jo said above and wanted to see her leave that "cretin trying to be the best one of the bunch of cretin" husband of hers. I was mad that the writers threw in a pregnancy to make her second guess her initial instinct to leave. I didn't like his control over her life in the first place. No. He isn't as bad as Tae Suk or Hak Bum--who have to be two of the most vile characters I've seen on television--but the fact that he tried to act all pitiful around her and then only thought about keeping his family intact and the wrong that was done him just made me want to smack him. The only person worth any redemption is Druggie, who clearly has felt this guilt and is ready to pay for his crimes. I have to say, it took me a long time to get through these four parts because I was so angry at the end of each half hour that I needed to walk around my apartment for a bit.
Mystery Queen 2
Well that took an especially dark turn. Our couple is still adorably cute. I love how he thinks she is coming to his bed to . . . and he's like a teenage boy all bashfully excited, and then she just says she knows who the arson is. HA. I'm bugged by the whole misunderstanding about the ring because the audience was never let in on the real story either. But the arson story--how creepy and sad was that kid and his parents? What I don't get is the scene where there is fire in his school and he looks out the window. Was that his father he was looking at? Was that fake and his imagination? Those parents need some help. They felt nothing about their son almost burning someone alive until he felt sad that the girl might not forgive him?!?! Pfft. (where's my slapping suit?)
When the reveal at the end of episode 3 rolled in, I was stunned. Wow. That little boy was a psycho. Trot, that was not his dad but the original arsonist. The fire called to him and that's why he moved closer to it instead of running away. Our lovebirds sleepover was sooo cute! Ahhhh. *cheeses*
I also don't understand the ring trouble and it grates.
When the reveal at the end of episode 3 rolled in, I was stunned. Wow. That little boy was a psycho. Trot, that was not his dad but the original arsonist. The fire called to him and that's why he moved closer to it instead of running away. Our lovebirds sleepover was sooo cute! Ahhhh. *cheeses*
I also don't understand the ring trouble and it grates.
Misty
Are we supposed to believe Tae Wook did it, now?
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| By 'did it' I meant murder, not sex...but thank you for this |
Happy Sisters
HoeJo is a villain for the ages. She is super crazed and greedy and petty. I hate her, and I like the fact that these writers, unlike other writers of dailies, are making her consistently hateful, so I can enjoy hating her without any complications. We need her because the horrible ex family-in-laws need to be put in their place, and no one nice or good would really treat them like they deserve. It is hilarious though how the ex-husband has been hit by nearly every character in the show to the point where in the last ep for this week, he actually asks why everyone hits him. This was after his ex mother-in-law calmy approached him in a restaurant, asked how he was doing, and then proceeded to head but him--twice! I was laughing out loud. When he shouted at her that she was crazy, she replied very calmly and politely, "No. If I were crazy, you'd be dead now." Still, I'm starting to want to ff through the marriage contract sister. Are they going to go through another 60 episodes with them in a misunderstanding that the other is in love with someone else? Sigh. I do love my Shojo manga loving ex-con. His story arc with chicken sister is fun.
Good Witch
I watched all the available episodes of this over the weekend - eight, I think - and what a dumb show, seriously. And yet, I did watch all eight. I'd say that my dumb show quota is filled by Waikiki, but I can't swear I won't watch more episodes of this if they appear on my computer screen...
CHINA and TAIWAN
Untouchable Lovers
Aka "A Tale of Two Phoenixes". Now on Viki, giving us one episode a day. Yes, this is "Sorry, I can't act" from Novoland (Guan Xiao Tong)! She still can't act even though she's acted almost all her life. No, I won't watch it.LMAO
See You in Time
We finally have our couple working together, and it's great because they are going to need it to fight against the machinations of Mr. and Ms. Twisted. I'm going to be honest, the very bestest part was seeing Feng Ying's grin when he realized that Zi Qi was jealous. That man's smile is like the burning sun; it make bubbles of lava happiness start in your insides. Anyway, I was warned by Jo that Mr. Twisted would do something surprising, and I was surprised. He really needs some psychological counseling, and it makes me sad knowing that alternative future with him being healthy and happy with Zi Qi isn't going to pan out. I'm surprised at his calm reaction when he learns that Zi Qi likes someone else. He is going to completely lose it though when he realizes that the one person who makes him feel whole is FQ, the person he wishes to erase completely from the planet.
Lion Pride
I watched another few episodes of this and I'm quite fond of our little crime-fighting cram-school teaching duo. The drama plot is kind of like ordering curry in a restaurant (pick one from column A and two from column B) but the characters are appealing and I'm entertained enough that when the cram school boss (a schlubby worry wart) turns out to have been an antiquities-robbing, safe-cracking criminal who was part of a gang of thieves that destroyed both our leads lives as children, I just kinda roll with it and think 'oh, yeah, that's why he's so anxious to get rid of the painting in his office - it really WAS painted by her father!' Plus they're cute, though not as cute as The Lovelies, and his buddy the prosecutor is a a real peach.
My Dear Boy
Subs are slowing rolling in for this show, and I fall deeper in love with Ruby Lin's character with each beautifully shot episode. I even looked up the Hualien City Coastal Bikeway after a desperate plea to twitter about where they were biking in this episode because it looked so gorgeous. We have moved on from what she thought was her true love getting married and now are onto the other supposedly perfect guy. He really is the epitome of the 2nd lead, so nice and kind and supportive, but that last date, as I said before was boring. He could tell she was bored. We are now on this great graduation trip with our boy from the title, and she is having so much fun in contrast that the audience has to know that the perfect guy is a major fail as well.
Our boy, however, had every right to complain when she invites said (good but boring) boyfriend along later. He's jealous because he is clearly falling for her, but he is still right that she is going to ruin his graduation trip by making him the third wheel. She needs to realize that if she has to try to hard to fall in love with this perfect guy then it isn't going to work. I was wondering if she'd realize how fond she is of our boy because he's going to do four months in military, but she is planning to leave for 6 months to Beijing. Hmm.
Our boy, however, had every right to complain when she invites said (good but boring) boyfriend along later. He's jealous because he is clearly falling for her, but he is still right that she is going to ruin his graduation trip by making him the third wheel. She needs to realize that if she has to try to hard to fall in love with this perfect guy then it isn't going to work. I was wondering if she'd realize how fond she is of our boy because he's going to do four months in military, but she is planning to leave for 6 months to Beijing. Hmm.
JAPAN
Final Cut
Kame is so tantalizing to look at that I literally had to stop and walk around the room when he was trying to have a serious conversation with the female lead when we all know that he was nekkid under those sheet. I include this gif for all of you who love Kame but don't have time to watch this show now, especially Jo since she's watching every other drama on the planet.
Things are really heating up with the rope getting tighter around his character but also around the real perpetrator of that crime 12 years ago. I thought he was going to take the offer from the media group that is his enemy. They did, too, but he played them and laughed in their faces. I wonder what they are up to or if they don't care as long as they get a good story. They all seem sincere except for Momose. I think Momose likes being on the right side of justice even if he has to fabricate it, but I also think he wasn't lying when he talked about his son. The previews are a humdinger. The finale is going to be a two-hour special, and I'm already wondering if I should take a personal day to watch it.
Things are really heating up with the rope getting tighter around his character but also around the real perpetrator of that crime 12 years ago. I thought he was going to take the offer from the media group that is his enemy. They did, too, but he played them and laughed in their faces. I wonder what they are up to or if they don't care as long as they get a good story. They all seem sincere except for Momose. I think Momose likes being on the right side of justice even if he has to fabricate it, but I also think he wasn't lying when he talked about his son. The previews are a humdinger. The finale is going to be a two-hour special, and I'm already wondering if I should take a personal day to watch it.
Another one of Kame's disguises.
Repeat
More excitement and more complications. Now that there is a pregnancy in the mix, will doing Repeat change things? I mean if you went back in time, you could still get pregnant, right? I'm not sure that this is a wise move on Ayumi's part. I can't believe that Omuri so easily broke up the trio, but throwing up blood does tend to make people think you are a victim. Not me. I would suspect the person throwing up blood the most because I'd think they would have nothing to lose--but I don't like most people. Her lack of time left doesn't excuse her for trying to use Tendo, and I'm convinced that she is framing him. She lied about Tsuboi, so . . .
In all my years of Agatha Christie reading, it's the person who almost dies that ends up being the perpetrator so yeah, Omuri is shady AF. I was also shocked as to how she broke them up! In fact, for about half of the episode I thought it was a planned separation between Keisuke and Tendo. Sigh.
The baby changes everything though. How are they going to resolve this?!!!! And the detective is sniffing around too...
In all my years of Agatha Christie reading, it's the person who almost dies that ends up being the perpetrator so yeah, Omuri is shady AF. I was also shocked as to how she broke them up! In fact, for about half of the episode I thought it was a planned separation between Keisuke and Tendo. Sigh.
The baby changes everything though. How are they going to resolve this?!!!! And the detective is sniffing around too...
The Trio
I call the guy on the left Angry Chicken
Unnatural
This is just a lovely show that surprises me. I figured that there would be potentially heart wrenching bits in a show about professional pathologists, but much of this has to do with this show's clear mission to make the profession and practice of autopsy more prevalent in Japan. DEspite the obvious sadness, the show has turned out to be very heartwarming and ironically life affirming. This week's episode was sad because of how they emphasize the feelings and responsibilities a person has about and to family, how family is defined, and how we choose to take responsibility for (or not) family. I knew Kube's growing fondness for the team was going to make his "spy" work a problem, but I didn't expect his father to react in any of the ways he did. I love how the subcase of the week brought him closer to Kamikura and to a recognition that this team could be the accepting family that he so craves. Of course, this will be put to the test when his secret comes out, but I don't have any worries that they will all get through it.
Another stellar and sad episode. Kube's spying business had been doomed since ep2. Why do we only have 2 more eps :(
Another stellar and sad episode. Kube's spying business had been doomed since ep2. Why do we only have 2 more eps :(
Ashi Girl
It's been awhile since an episode of this show has been subbed, but this episode didn't disappoint. We come back where we left off with Hayakawa not knowing that there is only one trip left on the time machine and that the Prince has promised her family that he will send her back. In her determination to help him, he misunderstand, they bicker, but merely because they both are pretending that they are not falling for each other and are only Prince and faithful servant. Thank goodness that doesn't last for long since their time is running short. It's so sad that the Prince is taking everything in as his last while she keep blithely saying "I'll be back in three minutes!" The issue with his step brother is heating up; don't know about his plan (hmm). Everything is still a bit light in this show, so it's still surprising how sad it was to see her shock when she finds out that she can't go back to him.
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| Is this a guy? He's so pretty! |
WESTERN
Lucifer
A few funny moments in this week's episode... the Cane and Abel storyline is quite entertaining. The series is still not going anywhere, but I guess it's also not trying to, ha.MTV Shuga
During the week I binge watched a YouTube show called MTV Shuga set in various countries in Africa highlighting the scourge of HIV amongst the youth. The first season is notable in that it's Lupita Nyong'o's first acting work and she was indeed luminous here. IMO The best seasons were the 1st and the 5th. The 5th was especially heartbreaking because it mostly dealt with teenagers and I was quite wracked by it. It's an easy watch as all episodes are a maximum of 22 minutes and season 1 for instance only has 3 episodes.