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Make a Wish chinese drama review
Completo
Make a Wish
0 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
by John Hart
giu 19, 2022
24 di 24 episodi visti
Completo
Generale 8.5
Storia 8.0
Attori/Cast 9.5
Musica 9.0
Valutazione del Rewatch 9.5
Questa recensione può contenere spoiler

PLEASE READ -- I'LL WARN YOU before I start SPOILING

This is my 5th Chinese series. RUYI'S ROYAL LOVE IN THE PALACE, MISSING PERSONS, REBEL PRINCESS and IMPERFECT LOVE preceded. This was my first 'junky' or 'bubblegummy' series, what we in America might call a 'CW' show aimed at teens or younger. I'm here to tell you it's far better than I expected -- a must watch if you want something lighter -- but they didn't quite stick the landing, as they say in Olympics.

Okay. What is this show without spoilers? It's kind of like the 60's classic I DREAM OF JEANNIE... but they change so much it takes a few episodes to realize how similar it is. In many ways it is an improvement because JEANNIE lacked a compelling romantic story whereas MAKE A WISH is all about our two leads. Not to mention other couples in the story as well.

THE REASON TO WATCH THIS SERIES are the standout performances:

#4 is Chen Hao Lan who plays a more serious young lady in the series, but as the story progresses you see her art is subtly and nuance. They pulled her pretty back a few notches (as to not compete with the lead) but it eventually peeked thru.
#3 is Wang Tian Yu, the 'Roger Healey' of this series and comic relief. This kid is FUNNY.
#2 is Zhu Min Xin, whose small role in this series stood out anyway. He is lead material for future projects!
#1 is the WOW and WONDER that is Gia Ge. This young lady SPARKLES. Her beauty is beyond belief. Her energy and charm is why you finish watching this series. Producers must be fighting tooth and nail to get her right now. I'll watch anything she shows up in next. And she must have the best hair on TV. Check out when Chi Yan lifts and spins her in the closing credits. WOW.

That list leaves out the male lead. Ren You Lun was terrific. Yet his perfectly under-stated performance doesn't make me wonder what he'll be in next, if you know what I mean. So no slur against him. He's the 'straight man' that makes Gia Ge shine all the more. I think young ladies drawn to cats and bookstores will adore him.

When I watch any show I rarely notice the hairstylist. You're kinda not supposed to notice their work. But when I realized Gia has the best hair on TV -- I noticed each cast member has interesting hair as well. And so I guess the stylist was showing off a bit and hoping nobody noticed. (I did!)

So before I start spoiling, I'll say this series was likely 4 episodes too long. I sensed everyone on the production was younger and less experienced, and this became clear in the writing towards the end. Before I pick it apart know the series is worth watching, rewatching, and recommending anyways.

SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Around episode 20 we get an extremely dramatic twist: cat girl awakes on an Earth that doesn't remember her. Her relationship with Chi Yan is erased, as well as the love affairs of their mutual friends. This is really REALLY dramatic and fascinating at first. But then it sends the story into an unnecessary spiral of trying to repair all the damage. This repair job is compressed into the final episodes and I started to feel... the entire idea... was stupid.

Perhaps they were planning a 2nd series... or second 'arc' with 24 more episodes. That would have made the 'everyone forgot her' a fantastic cliffhanger at the end of Season 1. Right? It's as if the following episodes were really supposed to be much longer and season of their own. But then someone said that was a stupid idea.

I'll share with you now what I think is a better cleaner way to end the series.

1. Xiao Xiu gets hit on the head with the pipe. Falls down like we saw. Chi Yan runs over to comfort her.
2. As her friends gather around her, her ears emerge. She cries. Panics in front of Chi Yan. Her tail emerges. Her friends are all WTF.
3. She transforms into a cat. Chi Yan picks her up, holds her close, but she disappears into a portal. Gone.
4. Xiao awakes in Meow World, an animated cat. There she meets Lin Mo and his friend, who are confused as to why she is there. Eventually her Dad finds her and, despite being happy to see her, knows where she really belongs: alongside Chi Yan. The problem is Xiao has no way to return to Earth.
5. Her Dad takes her to a temple and ask the elders for help. They say there is nothing they can do.
6. Chi Yan on Earth is distraught. Ruined. The friends can't believe she was a cat. But find it magical.
7. On Meow Planet, in the temple, Xiao's Dad won't stand for this. Since Lin Mo has learned who killed his GF and Xiao's sister. Xiao prays at the Temple... and her Sister appears as a Goddess. (Instead of that other lady who they forced into the story.) Xiao is told she can make a wish to return to Earth, but this time -- she'll never leave it. Her father insists.
8. If you've seen this series notice what is now no longer necessary. What was with the new bookstore and the new apartment? A total waste of time. We loved the old ones. What was with Chi Yan's grandfather being connected to the cat world? I mean I get it but it wasn't really necessary. Which means neither was the goddess character. And why OH WHY destroy 3 love affairs only to quickly force them back into existence? No no no. All we needed --
9. -- was our 'Scooby Doo' club going back to Earth and finalizing the Doctor story. Oh, and his entire angle on why he did what he did wasn't the slickest. That needed some focusing. I got this weird VIBE that the Doctor was in love with Chi Yan and somehow this confused about everything. (Did you feel that too?)

I want to add the Gia Ge had to sell this bumpy ending -- and gave it her all. There was absolutely nothing more heartbreaking than watching this bubbly innocent soul LOSE EVERYTHING. Many dramas make 'the girl' cry here -- but she was beyond crying. It was like that look a kid gets when they first learn a loved one has passed on. Gia was a MARVEL here.

Anyway, if the story had ended more cleanly -- it would have been a 9.2 in my book. Still worth seeing at it is, though.
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