[SHORT REVIEWS] #27

NOVELS
CHN

(*QIDIAN)

快穿：女配又在疯狂打脸 by 蓁蓁妖妖

(mtl: Quick transmigration: female supporting role slaps faces again)

Very basic, very shallow transmigration story. I think I added this at times when I was in "I want some trash stories" era.

You An travels world to avenge poor souls.

The plots are very common ones with all the tropes you've seen many times. But also poor quality if I'm being honest. SInce a lot of it is just pure revenge with no sense of scale. You've wronged the person, now you will end up being hunted down for the rest of your life.

In later half it becomes repetitive (I skipped only two apocalyptic worlds, don't care for those) with a lot of similar scenarios and You An's actions. Lol, even the character have similar names.

Oh yeah there is one homophobic arc with the rare but still present storyline of a wife being cheated by her gay husband into marrying and giving birth and later making her into a live-in nanny. Also making her spend her entire life for her family but afterwards being thrown away.. The melodrama of such stories is leaking and seeping through.

Not recommended at all of course. I even find my own reaction weird, because I sometimes crave trash, but this is the copy-paste type that came from somewhere and I'd call it kiddy writing which is very shallow, better quit any logic, stale diologues and just have nothing good to say.

暗恋情敌 by 二月竹

(mtl: Unrequited love rival)

(*JJ)

I'm not sure about this title. I'm not really going to read this one though, even if it's the same author as Backtracking and Infernal which I loved, this one is a calmer type of story that describes Chu Ziyu who falls for Shen Huaiyu, but his feelings are not returned, this happens during their school days. But the two meet again 11 years later and now it's Huaiyu's turn to pursue Ziyu who became his only light.

I'm not a fan of such stories, despite loving this author, but if anyone gets attracted to such plots you can give it a try. At the moment of me posting this it is still in publishing stage.

漂亮替身玩转豪门修罗场 by 惗肆

(mtl: Beautiful substitute navigates cutthroat world of the wealthy)

(*JJ)

This comes from the author of many novels I've reviwed, they have a different range and recently they switched to more profound ones in emotional sense. But the preview of this one sounds like some of their previous ones with MC being a literal queen but who plays with people since he is now trapped in a body of a substitute after transmigrating into a melodramatic BL novel.

It's another on-going one, but I'll be waiting for it, because it sounds like fun. Le Yin will be playing those who used him as substitute, the only person who will find his true face is of course ML. You know how it goes~

edit:

I've read the first 20 chapters or so, will wait for full story from now on. It's really the typical story that is just for fun and a bit of melodrama. Nice characters overall.

KOR

That’s How I Became a Villainess / 그렇게 악녀가 되었다

I read spoilers for this one. I somehow found it interesting sounding, but was not in the mood for reading when I found it ahaha lol

But actually it sounded pretty interesting. The only thing that also stopped me from reading is I found this on a TL site that is more like MTL so it's really hard to read.

It tells a story of FMC who is reborn. Her husband cheated on her and after returning brings back his mistress. FMC does not go into hysterics but instead greets her "friend" who betrayed her with open arms and does everything to accomodate her. her husband was not her choice of a partner in the first place, she married only to help her family, which never treated her fairly and she had to syphon them money from time to time. Her husband was ambitious and married her for her title and had mistress for nothing but pleasure and child.

Now FMC navigates this situation to make both of cheaters look bad, but this is only the beginning. Her main target is the current ruler who was her past love, who thinks she betrayed him (which she didn't), but this story has supernatural element and FMC has purifying power which haunts the cursed ruler/king. So this is a bit of melodramatic love where she feels she does not deserve his forgiveness for what she did but still tries to save him despite everything, very dedicated love. While he will of course eventually uncover the truth.

The story also involves some political intrigue since the king is cursed and other waits for his slow demise to take his place etc. So it involves several families.

Having the enemy's baby / 원수의 아기를 가졌다

THIS IS INSANE HOW DIFFERENT MANHWA IS FROM THE BOOK

I started reading the manhwa version and then chapters were over but I was interested - is MMC really so unhinged?

And the answer is, the manhwa portrays him as someone different, when things are not like that in a book and the problem is in small details that happen.

Basically all the events are similar, but what people say and think is different and this is why manhwa makes you think he is some sort of psycho, although the book does him more justice, despite him still being quite cruel.

I think I was mostly so impressed by the change of perception due to details, so this is the one time when I say pick the book, instead of my usual pick any media you want, book or comics.

The story is about FMC who is sent by her biological uncle (who is not her adoptive father officially) to the enemy's family, this family and their had a feud lasting for more than a century, to the point where two territories hate each other, including people.

So her fate was predictably to be tough.

I hated that manhwa opened from an event that will happen much later in the story as if we need this misleading preview. I wished manhwa did a better job at portrayal.

She is also very ill with a sickness called Herzol which have not appeared for over a century and no one knows the cure (of course she will get one).

MMC of course is not happy with this marriage and does not treat her well, and even if he understand some mistakes he may have made, but he is stopped by his pride as a ruler of his territory and also because she is still his ebeny's daughter and he has no idea if she has any agenda or not.

I'd say the book took quite long to get to the point where she tries to open up to him, then he also started to have feelings for her, they try to work it out, but of course author had to do some crazy spin so she will leave him, staging her death and he will search for her anyway.

This was an okay story in general. I can't say for sure how I liked it because the translation was more like MTL and it was hard to judge style and such. But at some parts it was obvious the author had some misses when it came to the creation of this story.

But it has BEST MAID EVER. Who is also FMC's friend, she is truly the best, since FMC herself is quite weak-willed due to many past traumas of losing her parents and later being treated like an empty spot and being compared to her cousin all the time, so she lost any confidence or happiness in her life.

US

Murder by Moonrise by Patrice McDonough

IT'S FINALLY HERE~ I'm so reading this when I finish what I'm reading now. can't believe it's already March..

The third and final book in the story of Dr. Julia Lewis.

edit:

Completed. Ref. to review. It was GOOD.

The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening by Naomi Kuttner

I want to give a cozy mystery with a more mature main character another chance. This sounded interesting. You know how it goes, a person wants to find a cozy quiet place, but it doesn't end up so quietly after all.

Galvanism and Ghouls by Tilly Wallace

Because I liked the first book, I will happily continue with the series. The second promises the Frankenstein type of creature to appear.

Because I found such interesting type of story, it was also recommended to try Soulless by Gail Carriger, it should have the same vibe as this series.

I decided not to pack what I want to read next, though who am I kidding, it's always packed to the brim whenever I see my bookmarks.

MANHWA

I'm lazy to put out covers.

• Peony: Dreaming of a dangerous duke. Pretty short and nice. I really liked that it's short and doesn't dwell like many others. Story of a transmigrated girl who tried to fix her own fate, but was killed. She fell in love with her husband in arranged marriage. But after death she travels to the future and becomes a princess who is married to the same duke. She can't tell him that she is his deceased wife, but eventually the restriction is lifted. With time ppl recognize her and her husband falls in love with her for the second time, not because she is who she is.
• My husband was stolen twice. Pretty unsatisfying melodramatic plot. In modern times the girl is shocked how her friend stole her husband. They travel to a plot where she does the same thing, but what is different is their status. FMC starts a business and also meets a man who helps her several times. But instead of a confident personality we again have this mopey FMC who has no idea if the man likes her or not and she is not confident etc. Such cliche garbage.
• I became a level 999 Demon Queen. I thought it's going to be fun, but it's such a kiddy writing, honestly, I thought I was reading a story written by a kid. It's shallow, not interesting, FMC is boring, everything bored me to no end.

DONGHUA

Heaven Official's Blessing / Tian Guan Ci Fu / 天官赐福

I'm actually finaly watching it. Took me a while. But honestly I can't blame myself since the same with the Grandmaster I've read the novel and saw the manhua and usually I don't watch the same story so many times even if it's a different media.

Though let's admit, the manhua for TGCF is cunty, it's so gorgeous that it overwhelms you with how good it is.

Donghua is also looking really good and I'm loving it so far. It's interesting to revisit the story when time passes instead of chasing it.

The Lord of Mysteries / Guimi Zhi Zhu / 诡秘之主

OMG THIS IS GORGEOUS

I have no idea what they did for animation to be like that, but it feels like they use a lot of computer graphic, yet it feels more like an in-game feel instead of what we're used to.

The story is intriguing, lots of gore, blood and also steampunk vibe? heck yeah.

Some say the stry is all over the place, others say it's for those who dont like to be led and the plot to be fed to them. We'll see. But the animation is great.

DRAMA

SWEETPEA (2024)

And this is one I completed. 

Could be beter, could be worse. I think it's underwhelming in a way. I hope they don't produce a second season, the girl should be caught. She should not get her happy ending.

It's slow and the theme of overlooked invisible person is so exaggerated.

The FMC was bullied at school to the point where she developed a habit of ripping her hair out because of nerves. This haunted her to her adult life where she still continues to be invisible to others and she is overlooked. The only person she cared for dies and even her dog gets into accident because she was distracted to see her former bully on the billboard, having a great career.

She tries to sloppily navigate her own case to be promoted at her workplace.

Kinda reminded me of that movie with Jake Gyllenhaal where he was a reporter.. I'm getting distracted.

Anyway, she murders the first victim and any feeling of guilt was wiped out when she found out he was a bully. Second person was responsible for taking attention of medical personnel when her dad needed attention. Of course another prick and asshole who acts as if he deserves what is about to get him.

These two were more like a spur of a moment crimes.

While she planned for the third and wanted to off her school bully. But it didn't go as planned.

Eventually we find out that her former bully is now in a very toxic relationship and she was physically hurt many times and can't get away from him.

All med are bad if you didn't get it so far.

To the point where they plan to dump all the guilt on this guy.

I liked only one character, her former bully, not because of her sloppy story that she had a hard time, this is why she did what she did, but because she took off in time after the release. 

While FMC was caught in her own lies more and more and it came crashing down.

Because of her brilliant plan to shift blame she had to give away the knife she used, but forgot others saw her with the same knife as well.

There is another dumb moment when she lies about her time at the club where had her first victim. She could have told the truth, no one saw her anyway. But she chose to lie, which was suspicious af.

Sloppy person, sloppy writing. just nah. Good thing it was short, but it felt long tbh.

Honestly, at the end I felt sorry for wasting my time. I could have watched some dorama instead.

That's it. So far.

Happy Women's Day to everyone.

Read good books, watch good shows and be happy.

[CDrama] 罪嫁 / Sinful Marriage (2025)

I think I'm spiraling ahaha

THIS IS UNHINGED. FL is UNHINGED all capital letters. This is the case when someone steals the show for being crazy. By that I mean ML is quite crazy but FL is CRAZIER. True enemies-to-lovers story. Both have a deep grudge from the beginning and do things out of spite only to go through many adversaries and dangers together before their feelings changed.

It has a bit of old-school drama sadistic elements, but the story is quite gripping and my thoughts on FL are basically - oooh~ she's a spicy woman~

But in reality, the story is about a sudden marriage when ML's paramour is reported to be murdered by a carriage, the one at fault is a childhood sweetheart of FL. She is a daughter of a minister and he asked her to take the blame for him, his prostects in the future exam and his entire life will be otherwise over, blinded by love she agrees although fails to see the true nature of her lover and has no idea what accepting the charges as her own will bring her. ML forcefully marries her to make her "suffer", but she is not having any of it. Her schemes and actions, her change of face at the drop of a handkerchief leave no space to doubt that while ML is toxic, she is an acid subtsance too. Knowing the truth that she who always considered herself smart was a fool in the face of love, now she tries to prove her innocence, but it's a bit too late to extract yourself from many intrigues of this house.

One must know that this is not a healthiest relationship, while they reach for a better future they hurt each other plenty.

Since it's a short-form also there is no need to expect anything grand from the story, but hoenstly it perfectly portrays some of the moments in webnovels I would like to have a visual reference for, now I have it. If I read something like this I'm not sure if I'd like it on the same level as this drama.

Also of course production is on the level which is obvious, but some things made me openly laugh (especially the convoy that was leaving the city left on foot, no horses, no carriages, I think the one I saw before at least had a horse, they're not cheap).

And actress who plays FL is gorgeous but also good at it. 

Anyway, one reaction - oooh~ It's obvious I opened because of the poster and the title, after all it's daring to name a show this way, but boy it paid off.

Honestly, this actress was so good at her craft I wish the budget would be more abundant, nothing high class but at least will include some additional footage that will fill in the gaps. Like the ending is emotional but two characters appear that we thought were finally over. Also despite the villains being one-dimensional, I liked the idea overall. In spoilers~

[CDrama] 锦绣宅心 / Threads of Destiny (2025)

ahahaha lol what was that

This is a short form drama, so instead of basic 40 minutes we have 15 per episode. So production is obviously rather cheap and the plot is rushed as if it's a galloping horse. It's based on a webnovel and follows the story of two reborn sisters who switch places when they marry into the same house, Lu family. But one is full of petty tricks while other crushes the opponent with wit. Very melodrama, high-speed paced, everything happens with convenience and for the effect. Never watched these before, very random find on YT. I basically opened up any drama that attracted me and looked first few minutes. Before I found a couple of main actors who'd make me wanna watch them and also have at least some skills instead of being a wax face.

So the female lead here is gorgeous. Pity they have pretty heavy make-up which is too modern (like many details if you care to notice), but she is still gorgeous and fun to follow.

So I went to MDL and looked at her page, even if the girl films short form, it doesn't matter since sis is Working. I suppose Chinese entertainment industry is pretty harsh. But considering how many dramas I passed by they release some crazy amounts of it.

What bought me was not only her but the chemistry of the two, to me it worked, they were cute.

The plot itself isn't anything new, it's packed with tropes and main character don't have a second without someone plotting against them, this is why some epic soundtrack is always playing to showcase how great they are or the moment is simply epic and you need to pay attention.

But I'll be honest, that ending was lost on me a bit, because it was done for only one character redemption.

The English version is available on YT.

[TV] WEDNESDAY (Season 1, 2)

The comparison? You brought it upon yourself.

I bet you people who are fans of the Addams family and watched the previous installments would not make so many comparisons with the previous movies and shows, if the Wednesday series did not attach itself to such a big IP.

Those who had never watched the previous movies etc. (although, how dare you?) might find it quite an exciting watch, but to me this show denies everything that the Addams family represents, it wants to be The Addams family in spirit, but also does many opposite things all-together.

I bet I'm not the only one who thinks that.

The Addams family would not do many of the things that were done in this one for sure. or they would not react in a way that the characters in this one reacted.

And we're not talking about anything else, but THE SPIRIT of the Addams family. The eccentricity, the ability to see nothing outrageous in most bizarre things.

I was so surprised that Wednesday (talk about acting later) is simply some angsty teenage girl (with no provided evidence of why she should be like that towards her own mother or her family). What is that obvious dislike towards everyone? Her mother, Pugsley, Thing.

The Addams family are actually famously known for their unity and support of each other (the glaring example to me was with Pubert in Addams family Values when he turned into a blonde baby when feeling the disconnect between Gomez and Fester and returned to normal when family was reunited). They may be eccentric and absurd in the eyes of others, but who else is as united as them?

Here Wednesday for no apparent reason loathes this new school, which tbh felt weird, like Wednesday should be an intelligent and adaptable girl and she is among people who should be like her extended family members, she should be not new to the "weird" crowd. 

But then comes the sleuth detective line...

I mean Wednesday just became average FMC of a plot with paranormal. She is "special" because of her ability to glimpse at the future, she has TWO love interests (shouldn't she be in high school? Tyler should be older than her? what?), she solves the mystery. How can this be less tropey? Oh yeah, how could I forget that she is a queen of one liners. But honestly it is used too many times and she never stops using her one-liners and they get old soon.

Wednesday is also the classic example of tell, but don't show. She never engages in any activity that would mark her as the Addams, she only writes and plays cello. Wow *sarcastic*. She just wears more emo clothes. And treats everyone like shit tbh. With tiny glimpses of other feelings once in a blue moon.

Honestly, for the Addams family they all acted quite tame. And reacted more like an average person instead of being absolutely okay.

Just to compare how they handled that "secret" about Gomez being accused of murder. I mean. This is not direct quote from Values: 

- You're a lady killer.

- Acquitted.

Gomez would never shy away from this stuff. He almost flaunts every bit and piece of how they got to each other with Fester. he f**king laughed with the rest of them when they realized the girl got inside bachelor cake before baking. I was so disappointed with the guy they chose to play Gomez in Wednesday, I don't care about any representation you can include it or not is not my business, I don't live in US to care about this stuff, but you made him eat tacos in one of the scenes, then come and talk about stereotypes on the screen.

The guy can't play even if you torture him. ALWAYS WHISPERS. Like why it annoyed me so much that he just does not talk properly. Copy-paste delivery of every line. Always having exaggerated facial expressions, as if he wants to impress someone. Flat portrayal through and through.

I never thought I'd be grossed out by Morticia and Gomez, but they made me hate their romance, which is just sloppy. They couldn't grab the essence of what made their romance SO GREAT, they just copy-pasted some dialogues for distraction, but in general, I was devastated by their "romance". When I consider Gomez and Morticia's relationship one of the greatest on-screen couples of all time.

What makes me bring up the rest of them.

Pugsley. Should have been more joyous character, always ready for mischief, but we get a sloppy coward. I suppose his bubbly spirit was taken away by Enid, but it's not organic. I could have imagined him telling Wednesday that he liked being all roped up and then he would plan his revenge on the boy later or join Wednesday to release piranhas. But no, he is just some snotty boy. He proves it in the second season, has no development, made me dislike him almost.

Morticia. Is Catherine's face was so botoxed that she can't show feelings or is it a thing? Except for some wet eyes scenes, in general she is emotionally really shallow to me.

Fester, maybe the only one who could make this show better, at least he acts more like it. But in general he is also more tame.

Grandmother looks like aged bride of Frankenstein. I bet no one wants to look ugly anymore and their entire family looks posh. But honestly she is just there. And ironically she has the same relationship with Morticia, as Morticia has with Wednesday. Girl power yay. Or just mommy issues.

The rest of the cast.

My favorite tall woman, I felt sorry for her character, not for the demise, but that her character was built around Morticia and Gomez, like a mature woman who still remembers the past. I wish she had more development and involvement. Like why she wants to integrate "outcasts" into "normies". I feel like deja vu, maybe because Gwendoline in GoT, I wished she would grab that guy, what was his name, Jamie? Because they were better together. But tbh I liked seeing her more than Morticia...

Enid, bubbly cute girl with her own wolfy problems. Tbh I wish they had some distinction between families, because Wednesday is surrounded by outcasts, as a result she is not unique as she was before. It's not like Wednesday should be unique in every setting though.

Xavier, the broody artists. So cliche.

Tyler, another troubled young man with daddy issues.

Bianca, queen B. I have no idea why the first scene with fencing went that way. Like it was so weird that suddenly Wednesday strives for enmity and fight with the most popular girl.

Miss Thornhill. Also underdeveloped character who for some reason hates outcasts. Beats me why. I also find it weird she didn't do something to her students while being a teacher. Don't you find it weird she took such ellaborate path of resurrecting some ancient dude instead of just dealing with the students herself? Anyway.

And the boring plotline of finding the Hyde.

Oh god that clownish monster, who was the character designer? I mean, if you wanted to be more broody and serious instead of eccentric, why not make moster look the part? I laughed at the guy so many times. They could just ask some game designers who worked on several AAA games with elements of macabre. But from another point of view, this monster will be forever remembered because it's so ridiculous.

SEASON 2

Was better, I must admit I enjoyed it more. It was twistier. But also was quite convenient.

Because so it happened that Pugsley enters the Nevermore. Why they circle with different people with Wednesday beats me. He is now a loner and weepy, so he accidentally resurrect a zombie.

Zombie hapens to be a brother of Tyler's mother. Mother is also conveniently released when Wednesday found underground lab that tried to steal the "outcasts" power. Pretty neat storyline, pity it was over soon. And would you know it? Again to involve the Addams family the resurrected zombie is a genius inventor who used Gomez as a source of energy (making Gomez a normie?). Thus conveniently Pugsley is going through the same fate of being used, so this genius inventor will finally save his sister.

Honestly, Addams family was artifically brought into the scene it was painful, I mean the donation part.

The OG Addams family would not bat an eyelash to make a donation even if it was a poor decision to make, because OG were RICH. I have no idea why they made such a fuss over it.

The plot with Bianca is so... anyway, I was disappointed that they didn't show the true power of new principal to make me feel the real threat of him. because at first she stayed and followed orders because of her scholarship, I mean girl, for real? Is that a commentary on education? But she got deeper into this scheme and basically manipulated people. Before others just guessed something is not right and helped her. Though she could have actively asked for help.

The situation with Enid was also quite forced to me. Especially the scene where they saved Wednesday. You mean to tell me you don't know you'll need a shovel? Really? This is why to make things work faster when digging soil Enid transformed when she shouldn't have and now she may stay as wolf forever. But we must create drama somehow, right?

I'm not mad at how twisty it was, at least better than the first season in a way.

I'm simply sad that they make Wednesday so contradicting in her own spirit and actions. And yes comparison is on-going because there is a source material.

[TV] AnnE with an E (Seaons 1, 2, 3)

As a result I binged the whole show.

I have never read the books and not really going to. While I did see for a short summary and one details in it made me certain in my determination.

SEASON 1

I think this one is truly the most depressing. From initial problems to being not accepted at school or in general. The prejudice. The difficulties of their situation and how they overcame it. Interspersed with Anne's flashbacks of her life in orphanage, which was far from ideal. Even the current interest of Gilbert serves her poorly because so far it's a girl's code if one liked the boy earlier than others keep their hands of him. And Anne is scared to lose the friendship once again.

But the show does not allow you to sink in too deep (though I admit I weeped a lot) it still gives you the feeling of hope and you are touched by the feelings of this family.

Again, I'm happy they did not follow the book.

SEASON 2

The golden rush scam was something. It actually was a very real thing, but also allowed many scams to happen. It's a good lesson on greed, because Green Gables is the only place that did not invest, they only overcame their previous financial crisis and were content with what they have now.

Although Anne tried to inform others of the possible scam, but she is just a little girl who nobody listened to, before it became too late.

Because Gilbert's dad passed away in season 1, Gilbert decided to follow his heart and travel for now, where he befriends Bash. They follow to Trinidad and in a while they decide to go back to Avonlea, Gilbert takes Bash with him.

Unlike the first season this one is more tame on drama (the tormenting emotional one).

The ones that happened involved Cole, who is an aspiring artist at heart. He does not belong to Avonlea and you are happy for him to find home at aunt Josephine house.

Aunt Josephine is a remarkable character actually, she appears for the first time when Minny May is sick and Anne saves her. Anne finds Josephine as confidante and a friend later on. Jospehine is now alone and finds solace in helping young people.

I think this is one of the few examples where I didn't mind the topics of sexuality or race brought up.

Like the party that Josephine holds in the memory of her beloved, for young people it was a window to peek at the whole new world that is outside of Avonlea, which opened doors to possibilities for Cole and Anne and even Diane, who was shocked to figure out the truth about her aunt, but later accepted it and looked closer at her own life and future goals. After all her family is one of those who truly suffered in the gold rush scheme.

What was very satisfying is that their teacher and his ugly mustache disappeared from their school after he was left at the altar by Priscilla. Who I think saved herself from hellhole, as we know that teacher is the closet gay who denies himself. And also he acted so inappropriately with his own student that it was gross.

He is replaced with a female teacher who is a complete opposite, she strives to make her students more knowledgable and better. But she is also unconventional.

Their small team that thinks of a way to help her stay after an accident reminds me of another team of kids, a story was how they helped others.

SEASON 3

The final season starts when Anne approaches her 16th birthday. But now she has a family, yet she is mature enough to long for knowledge about her parents, which becomes one of the major plotlines. For that she asks Matthew and Marilla to help. Marilla is conflicted, because she is afraid of what the effect of this trip and knowledge might be, because Anne became so dear to her and she is afraid. This is why she acts more agressively, which pushes Anne away.

Anne fears stem from the meeting with the matron and witnessing two young kids being dropped at an orphanage because parents can't feed them, but in case kids grow up and ask where are the parents the orphanage can use an excuse that they died, it deeply hurt Anne to think her parents could have done the same, before she found proof of the opposite. She eventually was brought a book found by Marilla and Matthew which contained Anne's mother's writing. With that she had her own closure.

Gilbert has his own troubles, because of what happened in Trinidad he decided to become a doctor, he tried to study and visit the doctor for apprenticeship where he meets a young woman he feels attracted to, he is oblivious to his feelings for Anne (one of the tropes I dont like) and Anne and him follow a path of misunderstanding later on. Because she keeps up making her mind and later seeing him in the company of another young woman hits her hard. Anne really is prone to dramatics. Her love for him grows stronger, but her confidence is not.

But the actor playing Gilbert and his eyebrows, after all they went through it's a touching moment to see how he was enlightened in that exact second and looked so smitten.

But again Anne managed to spoil the moment and in the end it dragged their small misunderstanding for some time before being finally resolved. It's not like they would never see each other, but the idea of time separating them again was frightening.

While I started the season with a phrase "Gilbert, you're disappointing me" since he chose a woman who resembled Anne in her nature. But then I ended the season with "Gilbert, you've been redeemed" because he did not choose a "good for him" path of convenience, instead he stayed true to his heart. They would have united earlier is.. Anne was not prone to dramatics (tearing his letter in response to her letter being unanswered, which he never saw actually).

Actually many of the characters had their own storylines which brought up many topics for discussion. You could see many of them meeting with different obstacles and their own way of overcoming them.

One of the main was and stayed the friendship between Diane and Anne, which was so nice. 

The only line which stayed a mystery to me was the story of Ka'kwet. The way her line ended was more foreboding than hopeful. Maybe it was intentional, since you can't expect Anne to be some kind of superhero to free all the children from that fearful establishment. How could she know what that place would be when it was first brought up. The more I thought about it the more I thought it was meant to be intentional. Even the fact that Ka'kwet escaped and was returned.

But the overall ending I think was done great, it is not the usuall "and they lived happily ever after", but it gave me the feeling of - they are happy now and they have so many possibilities ahead of them.

It's hopeful.

[TV] AnnE with an E (2017) (S1E2-3)

This show can easily spiral me into being quite upset. Even if it uplifts you afterwards and gives you the feeling of walking hand in hand through dark till dawn. 

How hard it is to fit when you have no idea how.

Well, the second episode continues where the first left off and that is Anne being sent back to the orphanage or whatever you might call that establishment. And I must say, it takes guts and resourcefulness to do what she did. And even if she returned, she was still shunned by the local gentry let's call those snobs. I mean kids can be brutal, but the stigma of orphans is something. No one of those who express their utmost distaste have feelings of compassion whatsoever. They don't care if, for example, it's an orphan of someone worthy of respect or is it something unfortunate. Sympathy just walked out the door, end of story.

While the third episode shows Anne going to the local school for the first time.

And I mean... first of all they've seen the flirting between the teacher and the student, it won't be blamed on the man, it's a period drama and woman's reputation was as fragile as glass. Of course no one will go to the teacher to support the claim of inappropriate behavior (though you could just sack him and beat him up), but Anne for spreading what she saw, oh she'll take it all for it.

And isn't Matthew the sweetest and most awkward? Because I would feel angry too that a young girl has no idea about things she talks about, but she witnessed those things anyway. She has no boundries on what to share and what not. Who would teach her that when she was used as labor?

She might be intelligent and read a lot, but she can still be ignorant.

Around the area maybe Cuthberts are the only decently sympathetic people. Who do not scrape the ceilings with their raised snobish noses.

This is the result when you don't know the books, you sit and think - when will this get better, this is so...

[TV] AnnE with an E (2017)(S1E1)

S1EP1

I have not read the books, I heard this show is good. Looking at the choice of the girl for the main role I'm amazed, because she's so good at her craft. So engaging.

Honestly, I weeped. Not a good idea to watch something so emotional when your head aches half a day and crying certainly doesn't help. 

At first you find Anne's chattering quite annoying, because she doesn't take a clue she just keeps on going and she's a child (with an imagination like no other), but then you realize how scared and insecure the girl is and it breaks my heart, because when you are old enough to be someone's mother that just hits so hard.

And cinematography is insane.

[TV series] COLUMBO (Season 1)

(using this screenshot because I found it intriguing how his brain almost clicked the moment he knew the pre-recorded call could have been made from that machine)

Or - ONE MORE QUESTION.

I consider Columbo as one of the greatest TV shows of all times in the detective genre. Peter Falk and the entire team created this untidy and very persistent leutenant, who is easily underestimated.

It is actually interesting to watch Columbo at different ages. When I was younger I definitely cared more about theatrics and overall impression. Now that I'm older and watch it again, of course I pay more attention to details and analyze more. But isn't it intriguing, in many cases you don't know when Columbo actually is on the main culprit, you can guess his suspicions by his questions and sometimes by random things he talks about, but you can feel - he is onto something. And he came to that conclusion at some point earlier. He always acts in awe of things and maybe it feeds the ego of people who try to show off and say more than needed, but he is incredibly sharp. He will stick to details like a plaster. And will appear anywhere and anytime as if he's like a fairy godmother, but with silver handcuffs.

Also Columbo follows the path of we see the murder first and the intrigue instead of "whodunnit" is actually about "how we got them". Columbo says and repeats - there is no perfect murder. So we see the duel of wits between the culprit and Columbo.

I love the part that sometimes it is in the details. It's always in details.

Would like to note that I, like many others, prefer the earliest Columbo, like first 7 seasons or so. It is shot well, it's not bloody at all, yet it's dramatic.

But my poor ears, the soundtrack I think is great and unsettling, yet I always get my head on the verge of a headache when it comes to high-pitched sounds.

LIST OF EPISODES:

1. Prescription: Murder (pilot)
2. Ransom for a Dead Man (pilot)
3. Murder by the Book
4. Death lends a hand
5. Dead weight
6. Suitable for framing (I like the wordplay, because it is about a frame-up but also involves art and paitings)
7. Lady in waiting (surprised to see Leslie in here in a serious role)
8. Short Fuse (couldn't help making a joke how smoking is dangerous to health when watching)
9. Blueprint for murder (Will forever remember this episode, also the scale, I wonder which place they used for it)

TV shows of that period really differ, it's interesting how almost the entire cast are those who are older (and they look the part) and no one is botoxed to heaven.

[TV Series] The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

I found Golden Girls by accident. It's a pity when I watch YT videos about movies and shows I basically never saw anyone mentioning them, though it's such a funny and witty show. I finished Season 1 yesterday.

The basic premise of the show is we're in Miami and two women, Dorothy and Rose, find Blanche via advertismenet that she has an available room for rent. This is how they come together and become roommates and three women develop inseparable friendship. The three of them are soon joined by Dorothy's mother Sophia, because her retirement home burned down.

They go through different life situations together.

What I really like is that it's all-female cast with age ranging in 50-60'ss. First of all it's hard to see an older cast as main characters nowadays, don't correct me if I'm wrong. And we're talking about women who do not visibly try to look younger, they aged gracefully, unlike what Hollywood likes to push nowadays. And I'm glad not because there is some "girl boss" moment here, since they're single and thriving, on the contrary these three women are now independent, but it does not mean they do not welcome romance in their life, the thing is romance is not everything in their lives.

I don't know who says it jokingly and who means it, but a lot of time you hear from younger people how women reaching their 30's are considered ancient, which is such a toxic thing to say and it's actually sad, because this is how women treat women.

What I like about this show is that these women are no longer young, they share a strong friendship bond, they live and thrive despite their age. It's very uplifting. 

And I love the humor. The era of humor which is not some dumb nonsense or vulgarity. A lot of humor is actually played around and based on the characters themselves.

Dorothy is snarky, Blanche is flirty and Rose is a bit of an airhead. Sophia just says what's on her mind. So a lot of jokes are based on their characters, like Dorothy with her witty comebacks, Dorothy not getting what is meant and Blanche, well, she has a lot to say about men and her own beauty. The background about Sophia is that she had a stroke and now doesn't control herself at all.

(this compilation comes from different season)

Another point I love a lot is FASHION. This show makes me miss the fashion of 80-90's, when things were so colorful and fun. I heard not once the insult of someone not dressing well as "did you steal it from your grandma?" believe me when I say, your grandmas were more stylish than you who look like beggars, while wearing branded clothes.

Anyway, it's a fun show. Highly recommended.

RATE: 10/10 (Season 1).

[TV] Mr. BEAN

Mr Bean is a British sitcom that was broadcasted from '90 to '95. And Rowan Atkinson who plays the role of Mr Bean along with Richard Curtis took part in the creation of this show. The inspirational part is that Rowan Atkinson is a very intelligent person and could have become a scientist, but had a burning passion for play and acting and despite the many fails that met him on the way, the Mr Bean show became hugely successful. He never gave up and believed he had it in himself to make people laugh.

As a person who never lived in UK, we've watched broadcast back in the day. And nothing says about popularity as selling copyright abroad.

I love the simple naming behind Mr Bean and the story of show's creation. Because mostly it's a silent comedy with minimum dialogue. 

Mr Bean is a peculiar person. He is not truly likable, but he has a certain appeal to himself. He shows a lot of wit on a daily basis, but also has human shortcommings, he may be grumpy, but may also find a lot of fun for himself to do. What I also like is that his life despite not having companions (except the teddy bear though :) ) is full of adventure. He travels, goes to places. And even if he meets obstacles, it's always fun to watch how he deals with life.

The show only has 14 episodes. I know it feels like it has 14 seasons instead :) But indeed has only 14 episodes, each approx. 24 minutes long. With the emergence of YT Mr Bean actually has an official channel. And I have no idea who is behind it, but they made sure to edit and upload, so the channel will stay active, which is a great thing. The only thing is they cut sketches from different episodes. 

Official YT channel: Mr Bean

I have my own collection of Mr Bean and the following are the series and the screenshot of sketches from those episodes. The titles are not official, it's just to help myself to know which episode had which sketch.

1. Mr. Bean

Examination room

Changing on a beach

Church

2. The return of Mr. Bean
Shopping

Birthday dinner

Royal meeting

3. The curse of Mr. Bean

Swimming pool

Parking lot

Lunch at the park

Cinema

4. Mr. Bean goes to town

Buying TV

Camera thief

Stone in the shoe

Club (magic show and dance).

5. The trouble with Mr. Bean

On the way to dentist's appointment

Dentist appointment

Picnic

6. Mr. Bean rides again

Bus stop

Post

Getting ready for travelling

Airplane

7. Merry Christmas Mr. Bean

Mr. Bean having fun at the shop

Jazz band

8. Mr. Bean in room 426

Arrival

Shower

Shutting himself outside (btw drag :) )

9. Mind the baby Mr. Bean

Baby

Rides

All ends well

10. Do it yourself Mr. Bean

New Year party

New Year sales

New Year renovations

11. Back to school

Open day: exhibiotion, chemistry, drawing class and karate

12. Tee off Mr. Bean

Laundry

Golf

13. Goodnight Mr. Bean

Hospital

Photoshoot withe the guard

Goodnight

14. Hair by Mr. Bean

At the hairdresser

The fair

Passing the gate

In many ways Mr. Bean pioneered some comedy elements that I don't think I've seen anywhere else :)