Panda Impressions #3: Rush to the Dead Summer, Advisors Alliance and A Life Time Love

DramaPanda Taiwan
I came in with low to medium to high expectations for each of the three shows and was pleasantly surprised to find them to be enjoyable in their own way. I really wouldn’t mind watching the rest of the episodes if I have the time but if I had to pick one, it’ll have to be Advisors Alliance

 
On another note, I am back! I went to Taiwan and immersed in the complete tourist experience (pictured above). Truth is, it was raining too hard for the lanterns to get very far but you can’t tell, right? Without further ado, below are our first impressions of Rush to the Dead Summer, Advisors Alliance and A Life Time Love.

Rush to the Dead Summer

Panda Impressions Rush to the Dead Summer
Awww, the drama packs on the good vibes without being too cheery, which seems fitting for a story with a nostalgic feel to it. The show lingers on simple moments that we can all relate to and reminds us of their significance in our lives, and the lantern was a nice touch. 
 
From the looks of it, I’m probably going to be hit with a terrible case of second lead syndrome because Bai Jing Ting is coming across as ten times more likeable than Cheney Chen’s stoic main lead. Zheng Shuang is endearing as the typical schoolgirl and even her role as the protagonist/narrator brings back memories of Just One Smile is Very Alluring

Advisors Alliance

Panda Impressions Advisors Alliance

Watching this feels as though I just opened a big fat history book and started reading through endless prose between people whose names or faces I couldn’t remember. I almost gave up trying to decipher the dialogue especially in the absence of pretty idols who typically serve as a good motivator. However, if you somehow manage to make it to the second episode, the story gets so much easier to follow and it turns intensely gripping as you would expect from a large scale historical epic. I literally hung onto every word because it’s the kind of show where you need your thinking cap on. 


A Life Time Love

Panda Impressions A Life Time Love
The pacing is a double-edged sword. I love that it breezes through plot points but I also get the sense that I’m watching a hastily edited version of a drama that was cutdown so much that it has lost all the transitions required to make the story flow.
 
That aside, I actually enjoy the story in spite of the cringeworthy moments. Huang Xiaoming is such an exaggerated Tarzan with tacky special effects to match, but I find his overwhelming confidence and dedication towards the heroine irresistible charming. Truth be told, he has been playing the same alpha male throughout his career and yet I fall for it every time. Furthermore, there’s enough mystery between the two lovers and the amnesia from ten years ago to keep us guessing as well as plenty of fantasy and action to go around. And really, all of the above is enough to keep me hooked.
Lastly, I just wanted to add a quick note that I’m still catching up on posts after my vacation, so please watch for the c-drama ratings post tomorrow (usually I’d have it up by today but sleep beckons). Sorry for the delay.
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11 Comments

  1. Lady Jaye

    June 26, 2017 4:23 PM
  2. Anonymous

    June 26, 2017 4:29 PM
  3. Anne J

    June 27, 2017 12:16 PM
  4. Anne J

    June 27, 2017 12:24 PM
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    June 27, 2017 5:35 PM
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    June 27, 2017 9:01 PM
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    June 27, 2017 9:06 PM
  8. Sunny

    June 27, 2017 10:28 PM
  9. Anne J

    June 28, 2017 1:53 AM
  10. Anonymous

    June 30, 2017 3:05 PM
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    July 2, 2017 1:04 AM

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