Rants and Weekly Raves #323 (RAWR)

kakashi: I watched the Zoom horror movie "Host", which is kind of ridiculous, and thought that Zoom meetings are horror enough without vengeful spirits. Over and out.

Trotwood: I didn't get to start any of the Chinese dramas that were recommended, partly because of time and partly because when I had time, I just wanted to rewatch something comforting that I knew instead. What are some of your go to comfort rewatch shows or episodes if you have them? I included episodes because I have some show episodes that I watch when I need uplift like episode 14 of My Name is Kim Samsoon. In case Samsoon fans don't remember, it's the karaoke episode.

KOREA

My Wonderful Life

Tables were flipped all over the daily drama watching universe during last week's episodes of this show. I didn't even make it through the full week of episodes because I was so mad. Really, show? You are going to give one of the main leads leukemia at this late stage? Hasn't she suffered enough? Isn't this the time when we are supposed to be setting up the conclusion of the series? Pfft. I probably will not watch anymore until the last week of this series, and watch those episodes to see how it ends before investing anymore time.

Get Revenge/Goddess of Revenge/Hera: the Goddess of Revenge

I had no time to watch this show, but I should have time to catch up and decide if it's a keeper this week sine I'm temporarily dropping My Wonderful Life. Is anyone else watching?

The Uncanny Counter

I love this show. Of course there is the action, and you guys know how much I LOVE when bullies get an excellent beat down, but it's So Mun's support network that I love and not just So Mun's found family. Usually, we get a super hero origin story about a person who is broken. However, despite So Mun's tragic loss of his parents and his grandmother's dementia, he isn't. His grandparents and his friends have surrounded him with so much love and loyalty, that he is probably the most well adjusted hero I have ever seen. It's his loyalty and love for people in general that gets him into trouble but also makes him a great counter. Mae Ok sees this potential when she defends him in front of the council. When he shows his friends he can walk? Their joy was as great as when his grandparents find out. I love them, too.

I loved it when Ju-Yeon says, "We had cake when I got my first period!" That's friendship right there.

Cheat on Me If You Can

This show is interesting enough for me to want to know what is going to happen, but I'm not sure if it is interesting enough for me to watch. It's the kind of show that I'd drop and read recaps if someone was doing them. The mystery of the disappearance of the mistress and the heroine's enemy seems to all point to the heroine (or is she?), but it also seems too obvious. I also don't really like anyone, although I don't want the FL to be a murderer just because her husband isn't worth any of it. At this point, the only person I really like is the housekeeper.

JAPAN

30sai made Dotei dato Mahoutsukai ni Narerorashii/Cherry Magic! 30 Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard

This show continues to delight. So much so that when My Wonderful Life pissed me off this weekend, I went and rewatched all the episodes at once. We, of course, gets lots of lovely scenes of Adachi and Kurosawa's growing romance, but we get the major progression of Adachi's friend Tsuge's relationship with the dancing delivery boy, Minato. Some people have ben annoyed by Tsuge's (and by extension Adachi's) serious anxiety and just want him to speak up, but Asaki Kodai, the actor playing Tsuge, really manages to manifest the real debilitating nature of someone who suffers from serious anxiety--the inability to act, the overthinking, the physical pain. I've seen people with no patience for the fact that he develops a crush on someone and doesn't know his name? Really? What others dramas have some of these people watched? I have patience with Tsuge because he's unfailingly kind, and what gets him out of his shell is his desire to support Minato's dream. I'm happy for him Minato falls for him because of this kindness. 

Marry Me!

I'd like to read something about Japan's relationship to its press because in every Japanese show I've seen that involves people working at newspapers, even the one I watched where the heroine was a reporter herself, the whole news business seems very shady as if all the newspapers really want are scandalous stories rather than news. At least the reporter in this week's episodes feels guilty about the fake story that comes out about our couple who get caught up in the paper's need to make an exciting story out of their rather regular existence. Shin is definitely going to be upping his game to protect Himari, especially now that we are all guessing that she might be pregnant. I hope it's that and not some serious illness. Don't do that to us, show! (me side-eying My Wonderful Life in my bitterness).

Neechan no Koibito/Our Sister's Soulmate

I knew that Manato's back story had to be sad because he's clearly closed himself off from the world and from joy since in addition to the fact that he had a parole officer, but I was still surprised at how sad, horrific, and how gruesome the story is. Plus the levels of trauma not just from the violent incident but the betrayal would be devastating. I can see why his girlfriend wouldn't want to say anything, but to leave Manato to have to deal with such repercussions . . . I wish Japanese shows had descriptors like "healing drama" the Korean shows do because I'm hoping that this is what this show continues to be. There will be lots of tears before any of this is over. I don't think Momoko is going to pull away when she hears the story, but her brothers, uncle, and even Manato's mom will probably encourage her to.

Shichinin no Hisho/Seven Secretaries

The show continues to deliver, and I'm liking how each episode not only gives us a case of the week, but also focuses on one of the secretaries and how she became a member of the group. There are six episodes subbed, and I just finished episode 4, so I'm going to try to make sure I say which episode I am on in case anyone is ahead of me in watching. Episode 4 focuses Nanao character, who is the secretary to a police chief. Her beauty clearly hurt her chances to rise in police ranks and a bad choice when was between a rock and a hard place gets her transferred. It shows why she is so angry about the schoolgirl getting bullied into not reporting the sleezy police office who took pictures up her skirt. 

THAILAND

Manner of Death

This show is the much awaited reunion of the MaxTul pair, actors Max Nattapol and Tul Pakorn from the Together With Me franchise. I began the novel two years ago I think and never finished because translations stopped. When the announcement was made that a company was going to make it into a series with an established couple, everyone I knew could only think of MaxTul who could do these roles since unlike most Thai dramas focused on homosexual couples as main characters, this book was not the traditional BL, i.e. focusing on students. It's also a mystery where you aren't really sure (and even as far as I got in the novel I wasn't) who the real killer is. Fans of the two actors felt like they got the shaft in their last show, so were really looking forward to this one. First episode didn't impress me like I hoped, but the mystery is intriguing enough even if the presentation is a little uneven. They've also changed the novel enough that I don't think people who have it will be able to predict everything but not so much that people who loved the novel will be mad.

PHILIPPINES

Pearl Next Door

No episode this week.

WESTERN

The Mandalorian

Oh shit, thanks, Trot, for including this category - I completely forgot to watch it.