Since launching barely a week ago, Li Yifeng and Yukee Chen Yuqi’s Mirror: A Tale of Twin Cities 镜双城 has been at the receiving end of some not so nice comments from disappointed viewers. From the plot to the acting, things don’t seem to be boding well for the series so much so that viewership has reportedly dropped. Nonetheless, the team behind Mirror: A Tale of Twin Cities still has a few tricks up their sleeve, rolling out a new filter in the hopes of improving the overall tone and feel of the show.
For the most part, the series has pretty much been performing below viewer’s expectations, and the comments online criticised everything not just the drama’s storyline and the acting, but also the actors’ appearance which didn’t escape the brunt of the critiques coming in. Why, poor Li Yifeng in particular was even called “fat”. Of course the colour filters used by the production also didn’t help to set the mood right, what with the slightly greyish tint making everyone look wan and a little bit “off”.
Whether it’s enough to boost the show’s ratings, we’ve yet to see. But the adjustments to the show’s colour filter is definitely a step in the right direction towards resetting the tone for the remaining episodes and making everyone look a touch more vibrant and less cold.
Source: 1
Daniela Prandini
Haters.
Chris
I’ll admit, the drama is not as good as I was expecting it to be based on the trailers, but it’s not that bad either. I think Li Yifeng is doing a good job and Yukee is the same as she usually is. The blue filter does make the show look overall more somber and less vibrant, but I assumed that was intentional. It kind of reminds me of the animated version. LOL. While I think the new filter looks nice, I don’t think it’ll be enough to boost ratings since those who dropped the drama probably didn’t drop it just because of the colours.
Anon
I dropped it, not because of the colors. But because of the ridiculous plot and script and the poor story telling – these are the director’s fault. LYF looks perfectly fine. Acting by the leads is competent enough. Maybe if I was not anticipating this one so much, I wouldn’t feel so disappointed.
Daniela Prandini
They did not criticize the drama, but LYF. Is body shaming.
Applefish
I tried to watch the first episode, however, the first 15mins was ridiculous: to get into the prisoner cart, all you need to do is commit the crime? Or pretend to be? Or with the ppl on the time of the crime? It likes the guard didn’t notice 1 extra person? Right >_> like if there were 100 prisoners, sure! But it’s like 3???? Also it was kinda boring, need something to grab me and stay a bit longer I think. I possibly wouldn’t bother even if it finishes.
Daniela Prandini
I think the problem is a censorship. they had cut scenes of the drama, with a bad effect on plot of story.
Ash
Don’t be ridiculous. Blaming everything on censorship. This kind of fantasy dramas hardly have anything controversial to censor. It is one of so many produced every year. It is just a badly made drama and that’s all there is to it. No need to make excuses for it just because you like it. And on your other comment that the bad comments are only about body shaming LYF, no, they are not. Yes, some comments are about LYF’s appearance but many fans come out to rebut it. Those are the people who seem to prefer stick thin, white face, feminine looking actors.
Thoughfulcookie
I agree, to pass censorship, many dramas butcher their scenes and it really spoils the flow of the drama. I’ve learned to live with it and try to fill in the gaps with my own conjectures so it doesn’t ruin the drama for me. I just think it’s a huge shame, though. Another reason for butchering the scenes is to cut dramas that were filmed with many episodes fit into fewer episodes for viewing. It’s affected many dramas negatively, especially when very important scenes are skipped or shown as flashbacks. Smh.
Daniela Prandini
The censorship is a problem.
Applefish
@daniela Prandini, I haven’t read the book, so idk what kind of censorship they are dodging, but certainly they can make it a lot better than cramped in a bunch of kingdoms in like 1min (or less!) intro, so fast I’m like I don’t even remember half of the names, and I couldn’t even read the sub because it was so fast and so long lol, and not only that it didn’t say much either, rather here’s the 3 kingdoms and one of them has this thing. I don’t even know what this thing is, apart from it sounds like the title of the drama lol. I don’t like drawn out introductions, but I certainly don’t like cramp one either lol.
And story that suffer a lot from censorship is legend (with Bai Lu and Xu Kai), but they managed to fix it for the first part, it’s the second half of the drama that was suffered, I think mainly due to budget lol, and the script didn’t manage to get written out before they film lol.
Ash
So, how come others are able to stitch their story together and make wonderful dramas and this one could not? They all know the film and drama industry rules. None in the industry can say they didn’t know. Others can write their scripts and produce wonderful dramas around the rules. Why this one could not? It all boiled down to poor script, poor directing and poor post-production editing. When a drama fails, everyone just conveniently blames “censorship.”
Applefish
I have to agree. I jumped to ep20 just to check it out, as I did the same with TMOPB and love it and decided to watch it. However for this one, the editing was so bad… at the blossom fair, she was dreaming about chasing/catch up with him in the fair, but it didn’t give any indication that’s not real, instead it cuts to the side character, then it went back to the moment where she was on the bridge alone. Not only that, the chemistry between the leads are indeed flat, they delivered their lines, I can see that LYF tried to connect with her, but can’t do much if the female lead just flat face, no micro expression. There were also awkward pauses when they talk to each other, this one is due to the script and directing. Little gestures, little concerns here and there will make the audiences feel they truly love each other. However, here I have the ML literally declared his undying love (and based on her “dream” she knew about it), but the girl is like meh 😒 not just the main couple, the young side character’s relationship is just so bad. The awkward pauses are even worse there. I know they meant to be fillers, and to introduce young actors to audiences and stuffs, but gosh, I haven’t seen such bad acting in ages! Overall, if every time I check the little clips here and there, and I see nothing great, which is how ppl at home view it (turn on the tv check it out a bit to see whether you should continue), and all I see is crap, it’s not going to make anyone stuck, sorry. Compare to say bright as the moon or something (YouTube keeps feeding me their mini clips), bright as the moon has better chemistry lol, as I can’t help but keep checking it out 😅
Chris
LOL! Yeah, I thought that scene was pretty ridiculous. A lot of the scenes are, actually, and pretty cliche. Fine to watch casually and maybe on fast forward, but definitely not a must see.
MargarethaIndahKomalasari
I really like this drama. I finished episode 22. Everyting going better every episode. Love it
Daniela Prandini
Your are not ready weibo comment. Many comment are body shaming. The problem of censorship is true.
d
Yuki… I just skip her dramas
ABCpanada
I thought this series was going to be better than 雪中悍刀行 based on its trailer. But after watch the first two episodes I just can’t continue to watch any more of it.
The pilot/story line was interesting or engaging at all.
The actors/actress seem are like one-dimentional with very basic forced emotions.
The scenes/backgrounds are nice in color but sterile in atmosphere.
And color filters is not going to help at all.
ABCpanada
I meant to say “The pilot/story line wasn’t interesting or engaging at all”
Daniela Prandini
The drama is very fast, becouse had to cut a lot parts of plot. The Tencent producers is not stupid. Read the Thoughfulfookie. My comment concern the plot of the drama, not, the acting.
Applefish
@daniela prandini again you and thoughtful cookie have yet to show us what sort of censorship issue they are trying to dodge :/? So far, all I’m seeing is we all agree the editing is bad, you guys arguing the editing is bad due to censorship but no evidence to what issue they tried to dodge. Whereas me and other are arguing the plot is terrible because 1 – the editing is bad, 2 – the plot or the story development is bad/uninteresting. Apart from all the problems with the plot, there is also problem with the chemistry? And hence why the drama is bad and losing its viewers?
Sakurako
I’ve watch all episodes up until ep 36 and i never skip any ep.. i think its a good drama, both leading characters have given a strong impact but the only thing tht keep bothering me is the rushed scene/plot while some were hella slow.. the main problem is the writer! Li yifeng did a good job at potraying su mo i can’t imagine anyone else to play su mo.. how tf a skinny/feminine looking actor can act as the king of the sea?? LYF physical suit this character the most, he’s not fat but fit.. im so mad rn😩 if u guys didnt watch the drama properly then don’t jump on the conclusion and randomly saying its a failed work :/
Una
It may be successful commercially. There are more than enough die-hard fans. But it has failed totally as a wonderful piece of work. Yep, I am speaking as someone who has watched half of it. It is a crap piece.
If some people like it, then just like it. Nothing wrong whatsoever. No need to justify or try to defend it (blame on censorship etc, etc) .