solid & clever descends into cliches: warning spoilers ahead

Let me start this off by saying that I REALLY enjoyed this drama for the first 16 of 24 episodes. Its layers were well-crafted: historic romance, present deluded CEO, present CEO conspiring to unearth homicidal board members. Even the transitions between past and present were smooth with written pages turning either forwards or backwards to demonstrate the passage of time. The tension between the FL and ML was palpable and the FL's struggle to balance professional and personal integrity was shown well. I enjoyed watching the two side couples as they jockeyed back and forth into possibility. And I was assailed by some serious SML syndrome.

Then at the moment when the story felt like it was finally resolving, the less desirable bits began to emerge. After the FL spurned the ML for betraying her trust, the drama began to drag. One entire episode was mostly devoted to showing how miserable each of the characters was. I mean how many crying jags and flashbacks do we really need to be convinced of their despair? And as that disconnect was finally being resolved, suddenly another major business crisis rears its ugly head with the SML showing a jealous bent to undermine the ML. Simultaneously, the FL is faced with a hitherto unrecalled childhood trauma--which, of course, was connected to the ML, the only one who could truly help her. Then once everything was almost resolved, I was particularly annoyed by the FL faux extension of her 1-year study abroad. Seriously, who plays that sort of trick on someone they love?

I wish that everything could have wound down before these final crises/challenges occurred. I would have rated this a solid '8' then. Was the last third truly horrible? No, it had its moments (brother presents FL friend with all the birthday gifts he had prepared but been too afraid to give for 7 years; ML assistant meeting his partner's family who believe he is unemployed and poor; the resonance of the dead mother's story and its revitalized ending). I just hated watching the same actors who sensitively enacted this well-written script forced to portray overdone cliches. It was like I'd been savoring a delectable confection, but then after I was full I devoured a reduced-price, mass produced, store-bought cake. I'm left feeling uncomfortably over-stuffed with pleasant memories of the initial pastry and only regret for the bland sugary dessert I shoved in after.

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profound without the fanfare: an understated exploration of identity and love

Watching this was like savoring a warm cup of tea. I didn't realize that I needed or wanted it, but the rich, sweet comfort that it infused me with leaves me content. Rather than being entertained, I've had something substantive shared with me.

Unlike some of the other BL films/dramas I've watched, this one didn't brazenly shout "love transcends gender." Instead it was a tender exploration of identity, love, forgiveness, prejudice and community centered around the custody battle for a bubbly, head-strong 6-year-old girl. Gender-preference did play a big role in plot and character development, but the underlying themes felt more universal. And while generational differences impacted perspectives, they were not solely determined by age. This easily could have been shown as one of those polarizing situations with good and bad, but it did a beautiful job of exploring layers, intentions and desires to reveal worlds of gray.

And the language was sparse yet brimming with meaning, the dialogue percolated with surprising gems. For example, someone asked Shun if he knew why the elderly talked so much. The response was that they've lived so long they have so much wisdom and experience to share. I could share several others, but some of my favorite lines came from a gruff older man who was a dog owner/hunter in the rural community. He was full of wise perspective without being didactic. At one point (when the 2 MLs each say the other catalyzed his interest in reading) he noted that "meeting someone and being influenced by him is one of life’s great treasures." Basically, it didn't matter who influenced whom, rather the gift was in the symbiosis of the relationship.

Disclaimer: my ratings are fairly stringent, so an 8.5 is REALLY good. I don't pay attention to the OST (I know, oh the horror, for some of you) unless it grates on my nerves and I rarely want to watch dramas/movies again.

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schizophrenic roller coaster - but WOW what a ride

Watching this felt like getting to know someone going through an identity crisis. At its foundational level, this is a romance with some comedic elements. But over the course of the drama the surface elements and the tropes shifted multiple times. I felt like I was getting whiplash as everything kept changing.

1 - melodrama with criminal element [FL's school crush, the gangster's wife abuse, the murder attempt, the forced wedding and cohabitation]
2 - industrial espionage [corporate takeover places ML & FL in same workplace with him as supervisor, a bidding war for a project and multiple hacking incidents]
3 - melodrama in another country with criminal element and workplace context [Burmese building project, gangster's revenge, the legal wife seeking romantic moments with her husband before their separation, ML late revelation that he loves FL then taking a bullet for her]
4 - medical melodrama [disappearance, hidden pregnancy, ML pursuit of FL to prove love, pre-eclampsia, kidney failure and transplant]
5 - happily ever after

So you're probably wondering why I kept watching if this was so inconsistent. There are a few reasons, but the strongest is the chemistry between the leads and serious affinity/admiration/pity for the FL. Frankly it was fun to watch. The ML's best friends were a sort of bumbling three stooges who occasionally showed a tender side but mostly kept me laughing. The 2ML was a good man who created tension but didn't overstep. He honored the FL's wishes even when it saddened him. And the side romances were exactly that--not overwhelming the central relationship but fun to watch.

At a time when I've been oddly disaffected by a lot of recent dramas, I blazed through this one. It kept my attention, made me laugh and piqued my curiosity to find out what would happen next. After thinking the FL was something of a masochist, I began to admire her audacity. And at the moment when she could have "had her man," she showed the most maturity. She gently distinguished between his selfish "love" that didn't truly know her and her love for him. She pointed out the imbalance and refused to capitulate for an uneven relationship that left her constantly doing whatever he wanted. There was some genuine exploration of what it means to love someone.

I didn't mind the craziness of this drama, in fact I liked it. Beyond the usual disgust with assault and rape (attempted or referenced) in lakorns, I only had 2 minor annoyances at the end. 1st: after the transplant operation, they deliberately and coyly made it appear that the ML died with references to a cremation and not showing him at all. 2nd: the ML confessing that he had a crush on the FL in school. It just didn't feel viable at all. I love moments that show multiple perspectives and misunderstandings but I had a lot of trouble swallowing this one. For a guy so direct, popular and aggressive, hiding a crush felt very antithetical.

Just let me emphasize, these were minor annoyances in an improbably delightful and engrossing drama that is well worth watching.

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I really wanted to stop watching this. I didn't want to understand why these kids were acting so abominably. But I kept thinking...just one more episode. Then by episode 5 I was hooked. This isn't a fast tale of youthful debauchery, in fact it is just the opposite. As the story backtracks to its initial roots, I was completely entranced. In addition to exploring that space between virtual and real world experience and meandering through parent-child relationships, it incisively peels back societal expectations with revelations about the supposed keepers of propriety. It was like watching a car wreck about to happen that I could do nothing to stop. That agony was somewhat staunched by its Bollywood-like finale and the ridiculously delightful dancing (which has no relation to how the story itself ends).

Some might contend that the drama's characterization is a bit off/extreme. But I believe it is spot on with its illustration of how people treat the "other" and what bad actions (or inactions) jealousy can prompt. Yes, the lead is a strange combination of genuine naivety and gregarious, bubbly wisdom. But I have known a few iconoclasts like her; they are rare. They often serve like zeitgeists catalyzing radical changes to prevailing systems.

So is it a believable story? sure...in the same way Breakfast Club was believable. It highlights the cracks in the social order while providing teachable moments for those who pay attention. And frankly, I'm not sure if the believability even matters. I'm fairly stingy in my ratings, so bear in mind that this is a drama worth viewing.

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"Ghost Whisperer" meets "Cheers" with a dash of "Dead Like Me" and "Fantasy Island"

Netflix has been hit or miss for me this year. But this drama was engaging and entrancing. I liked it so much that I slowed down my usual binge watching so I wouldn't finish it quickly. By my rating system, the overall drama was excellent. Last year I only rated 1 out of every 25 dramas at 9 or higher. This one was a 9 for me. ENJOY!

What made it so good?
1) PACING: the episodic nature gave each show its own twist and yet each episode built on the previous one to see the main characters' pasts more clearly.

2) PLOT: None of the plot lines dragged. I ended up on the edge of my seat every episode. I even cried some during the final episode. But best of all, I didn't immediately guess all of the back stories. I was actually surprised a couple times.

3) SETTING: we observe four universes: the historic real world, the present real world, dreamland and the afterlife which has many different types of hell. Each universe has its own set of rules. Every time I thought I had a handle on the system, some strange exception occurred.

Everyone forgets their past lives before reincarnation? oops, someone bypassed the shower of oblivion or fell into a coma and woke up remembering the past.

Your reincarnation is determined by what you do in the real world? oh, someone violates a rule in the afterlife, barters her good deeds or escapes from hell and then everything changes.

4) TONE: everything wasn't black and white, good vs. evil. We saw shades of gray: good intentions that deeply hurt others, betrayal that converts the naive into a misanthrope, malevolent actions (using someone like a tool) and then recognizing their humanity. Despite the misery of many characters, there was still hope. Even if a person made bad choices in real life, he might be able to repent and be redeemed in this strange (alternately mundane and ethereal) afterlife.

Got Alzheimers? Don't worry your family will remember.

Leave your family in generational poverty? Compete in an ancestral ghost pseudo olympics so your offspring can win the lottery.

Commit suicide by hanging yourself on a sacred tree? Spend 500 years to help humans settle 100,000 grudges.

I had to stretch to come up with some less desirable aspects. So what detracted?
1) the ending felt a bit too "cherry on top" with everything wrapped up sweetly

2) the first date movie was far too similar to the characters' challenges, even their reactions felt super obvious; it wasn't foreshadowing so much as beating me over the head with their struggles

So what's the take-away? These were minor issues in a gloriously crafted, mystical story.

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So, yes, this drama had some of the stereotypical elements: the spoiled, rich and arrogant ML with a tragic backstory; the hard-working, virtuous FL; the love triangle with ML, 2ML & FL as well as another with ML, FL and 2FL; the scheming underhanded business competitor; a scheming co-worker fixated on the good FL success, the extreme scenarios (kidnapping, complete business failure, massive neurological disease with hospitalization, etc.). But the character and relationship development, dialogue and overarching structure allowed for a richer storyline with complex situations. How so?

character development: several characters underwent transformations over the course of the show. Many moved beyond their selfish viewpoints to acknowledge multiple perspectives and focus on the good things around them. While the transformations sometimes stretched believability, I loved the way kindness could catalyze the smallest hearts to grow. From a slandering colleague to a relentlessly selfish 2FL and co-worker prioritizing ambition over his girlfriend, each became a better, more open-minded, generous and sensitive person.

Deng Lun was a big draw for me to start watching this, but I found myself impressed with each of the actors who played in roles that stretched across the series. Director Mu (Tan Kevin) and Hui Men (Li Xiao Feng) were surprise favorites. Zhu Yi Long as the 2ML gave a richly multi-faceted performance. And even Mei Mei (Li Xin Yi) and Zuh-er Luo (Xu Has) were scintillating by the end.

relationship development: the writers are fairly transparent as they show even the most idealized or long-term relationship might develop tension between people with very different life dreams. We observe the tensions as each longs for their intended lifestyle with their loved one. Characters are not villainized when their expectations don't align with reality of the other person. For some compromise is possible and for others, they sadly part ways. And unlike other dramas, this story shows how people can go on together after that parting. Even the executive of 20 years who abandons his company during a crisis finds a way to reconcile with the CEO. And the overbearing parent acknowledges their contributions to relational rifts. We get to see more substantively founded relationships where forgiveness can occur. This is between parents and children, spouses, in-laws, bosses, colleagues and subordinates as well as boyfriends and girlfriends.

dialogue: one of my favorite lines was when the FL asked the 2ML to stop trying to manipulate her with love. I could look back on my own relationships and think about times when I acquiesced to that sort of machination, when I let the other person's dreams take precedence over my own. I also appreciated the FL's parents who came and observed. Without denigrating anyone or trying to make choices for their daughter, they shared thoughtful words of caution. Then later, there is great talk laced throughout the movie to explore what it means to have a home rather than a building to live in.

overarching structure: with a realtor shop as the context, viewers get to watch other people's stories as they seek a new home. Very little is obscured. We see the overly-expectant pushy parents with a young child; a family of 6 adults (spouses, maternal parents, paternal parents) that wants a home in Shanghai; a couple attempting to defraud potential buyers out of an intentional contract; a relative afraid of ghosts who seeks a full refund and many more. Inevitably tensions emerge as resources and timelines do not always align.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed watching this. It was both more edifying and more emotionally multi-faceted than the standard drama. Without moralizing or being preachy, My True Friend facilitated reflection on my previous relationships and even made me want to be a better person.

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The Good, The Bad, The Not-so-Ugly

Well this was definitely a mixed bag. I can't say it's the best thing I've watched this year, but it was slightly better than the average contemporary C-drama with its reconstitution of many standard tropes. Unlike many series of late, I actually watched the entire drama. Of course, caveat, I am already biased toward shows that examine the relationship of technology and people. Still, let me tell you what I thought. What did I...

LIKE?
*some actually meaningful content exploring what it means to be alive through hospital case scenarios as well as AI vs. human tension
*showing the challenges of parent & adult child relationships from both sides rather than black and white, right & wrong
*the FL's natural altruism and kindness that wasn't ridiculously extreme, just thoughtful; her earnestness that wasn't ridiculous and naive--she was actually clever sometimes
*the lack of a malicious 2FL intent on ill will for the FL

DISLIKE?
*polarized characterization of corporation(s) seeking profit without morals or care for individuals
*underlying encouragement of stalker-ish tendencies....when someone says they don't like you, pursue them relentlessly in the name of love & just ignore what they say
*glorification of excessive drinking with FL not remembering previous night and frequently over-drinking
*trite and overly relevant moralizing hospital cases (man unable to choose, brother living for brother)
*and yes, this is completely about me, but the AI expert's desktop computer screen mis-spelled UPLOAD as UPLAOD. It drove me a bit nutty to see it repeatedly.

FIND NOT SO UGLY?
*the coldness of ML was moderated by genuine, broader expressions as his character developed
*the FL's blunt insistence on not taking advantage of the 2ML's obvious affection and multiple offerings
*the scenery with travel to rural villages, a glacier, the sea, a resort and even just the city skyline
*the relationships of colleagues at the hospital (depth and not just caricaturized extremes)

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a sweet Taiwanese drama thoughtfully grapples with serious issues

If I were at a party, I would automatically assume that these three main characters flitted within social circles that never overlapped. Their differing values and life choices shaped them into three distinct women: (1) married, fierce career-minded mother going through a divorce, (2) free-spirited orphan who only worked part-time jobs in order to fund her travels and (3) awkward, timid book editor who is unceasingly kind. Yet as childhood friends, their deep bonds held into adulthood .

Of course, this series revolves around relationships—not just friendships, but also workplace colleagues and romance. And throughout this slow-burn, slice-of-life drama, these women were unified by shared space and love for one another. They held disparate perspectives that only helped each other grow more. They consistently supported one another without restraint, listened deeply and spoke difficult truths.

All three faced what felt like very real challenges:
• Struggle with viciously judgmental mother-in-law causing divorce
• Reconcile with daughter who has not been a priority
• Confront trauma of parental “abandonment”
• Explore how to love someone whose health is imperiled
• Muster enough courage to speak up for oneself
• Avoid the Cinderella version of romance to engage with someone who appreciates the daily, usual self

Obviously I enjoyed watching this, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t have its problems. Like many Taiwanese dramas,
• Some of the cute background songs lodged in my head for days
• The leads started with painfully extreme, stereotypical characterizations that softened over time but some of the side characters (mostly family members) remained over-the-top throughout
• Flashbacks were incorporated A LOT
• The drama was fairly long with 76 episodes
• I had little cultural context to understand some situations
o Is having a landlord-imposed curfew and punishments like writing pages for rule violations a normal practice when renting an apartment?
o Is it common for young adult children to make choices solely based on parental preferences?

So, overall, I would recommend this. But know what you’re getting into when you start. And be willing to accept the extreme characterizations in the first 5-10 episodes with the understanding that they will be seasoned and settled over time.

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BL goes to the dark side

Today was one of those times that I REALLY wish I had read MDL comments before watching something. Several issues that I struggle with in Thai dramas were in the forefront here. It felt like an anti-BL story that started off sort of cute (like "Until We Meet Again,"). But then it spiraled down/ mutated into a cautionary tale that explored the serious ramifications of unclear sexual preference, general self-focus/entitlement, social media bullying, faux friendships, self-blaming (wrongly claiming responsibility), denial and ultimately even rape.

I'm not sure how/why I continued viewing this painful story. Watching it felt like a sort of penance for enjoying other Thai shows. As someone who gravitates toward happy endings (and yes I know that's not realistic, but this is my cathartic preference), this was the antithesis of that. Rather than the light, fun and slightly titillating dramas that I've enjoyed, this was heavy with only one redeeming quality: friendship. It did explore what a true friend was (Keng's relationship with Man lacked mutual respect while the friendship with/between Bright and Pramote with Shin was marked by earnest respect and loyalty despite the circumstances).

If I had to summarize everything simply, I'd say that the fantasy of young love was cruelly juxtaposed with plausible reactions and mass hysteria. So many people were focused on Keng and what they wanted him to be rather than accepting his interest/disinterest. That very public fixation transformed what could have been a beautiful friendship into a tragedy. As Bright said "what you think might happen in a drama...but in real life it's not that easy."

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warning: bashing of sadistic writers and spoilers ahead

After watching so many mediocre dramas recently, I decided to watch an older, high rated one. Scarlet Heart had me laughing, crying, and occasionally grinning like a fool. So when I finished, I immediately began season 2. The shift to the modern world wasn't an issue for me; I was curious to see the princes in more contemporary garb and watch the story play out.

I should have been suspicious when the secret twin and the selective amnesia emerged early on, but I was still curious about the leads' story. So I kept watching, albeit less enthusiastically. Despite cliched trope after trope, I continued. I was determined to see what happened. Then in the final episode, the writers were sadistically cruel. They played out 2 or 3 tragic endings; each seemed extreme but plausible. Just as I was accepting one finale sequence, it would be cruelly replaced by another possible ending. It was like flipping through a rolodex of crappy endings.

After 40+ minutes of being jerked around, the last 3 minutes showed the "real" finale. But I had trouble making sense of it: ML asks FL being released from hospital to meet where they first met. Then after reuniting, their friends and family come out to watch and applaud as they kiss. If it had been a proposal scene, all the other actors' appearances would have made sense to me. As a general, long-awaited reunion with your beloved, why invite everyone else to watch???? I don't want my mom and siblings watching me kiss my husband after he's been hospitalized or out of town for a while.

How in the world did the same writer pen both Scarlet Heart and Scarlet Heart 2???? There was a second writer for season 2, but I would have expected these to be more equitable.

Finally, a brief note about the music: In general, I don't really pay attention to music and background tunes. But this drama had different versions and variations of Amazing Grace playing instrumentally at random times to emphasize emotions. It created some very strange mental dissonance for me. I sort of liked the wistful track that played at the close of each episode.

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brevity may be its best quality

I picked this up because it was short, included Dori Sakurada and seemed like a fun premise with an unusual setting. All three of those details remained true from the beginning to the end. Unfortunately that didn't really make the series better. Why?

*characters - filled with flat, stereotyped characters that were acted as written with a couple minor glimpses of depth...on the bright side, no one was completely evil and devious and scheming for the lead(s) to fail; they didn't need assistance to create their own problems

*plot - predictable: how many times can a crew be punished with extra cleaning? apparently almost every episode.

*morals - though heavy-handed, I appreciated the emphasis on
1 - collective responsibility and the importance of teamwork and camaraderie, of valuing each individual and working together.
2 - hard work that allowed them to complete their training and continue their career paths
3 - trauma that shouldn't be ignored but faced
4 - idea that regardless of motivation for doing something, honoring commitments well is important

I imagine within its context, the directorial choices make sense. Another review said this story reflects previous anime in a similar vein. I don't have that exposure so I cannot be sure. All in all, this was disappointing--from really bad effects for storms to the random details [like presumed lesbians and the intervening navigator] left unexplored. But I can't say I hated it.

BTW: I don't really pay attention to the music, but it didn't stand out as terrible so it must have been ok

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surprisingly cute: a welcome bit of entertaining rom-com fantasy

if this were a book I would label it a beach read. It was quick, light and quirky. And unlike a lot of web dramas which feel undeveloped with weird plot line jumps, the storyline wasn't overly ambitious. It didn't try to incorporate too much. It adhered to a semblance of real emotional and relational development with a ML, FL and 2 FL in the midst of its fantastical context.

I'm stunned by how low this has been rated. For me a 7.5 is reasonably good and entertaining. But in general my ratings tend to be lower than the averages. I don't think I've ever rated something 1.5 points higher. So I'm really grateful that I made the rare omission of not checking MDL before I watched. If I had, I wouldn't have bothered with it. Then I would have missed out on this refreshingly pleasant series.

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So if you're looking for a character-intensive movie with action, look elsewhere. This slice-of-life, coming-of-age story centers on a naive, accident-prone college student working at a fish farm/research center before hitting the job market. Despite lots of complaining early on and a livestream catastrophe, she begins to fall in love with Pacific blue-fin tuna and the process of raising them. And over the course of the film I learned a lot about the challenges of raising a fish from egg to adulthood; the tensions between publicly funded and privately funded research organizations; the tuna which never sleeps during its entire life--it must move to breathe; how fish survival rates can impact the global economy and world hunger as well as the discrepancy in popularity (which translates to funding, personnel and development) between "cute" mammals like pandas and other creatures.

Even though this felt a teeny bit like a commercial/documentary (let's call it edu-drama), I enjoyed it. The FL and the backstories of the other characters felt real and true. I was actually frustrated when the movie ended because I wanted to see/know what happened next. I can imagine this as a good way to introduce suburban pre-teens with short attention spans to the ecological challenges and benefits of fish farming. Heck, who am I kidding? This is a good way to introduce anyone to fish farming, even gray-haired folks like me. It's a light-hearted movie with some moral fiber. It explores the realities (translation=hard and often unglamorous) of research and fish farming while showing the importance of owning your mistakes and looking past initial, surface appearances to learn about a person's context, motivations, strengths and weaknesses.

While I am glad I decided to watch this, I had trouble rating its individual parts.
*The music because it left no absolutely zero impression on me -- neither good nor bad.
*The acting since the movie felt like it was examining faculty and research in the raw more than a dramatization.
*The story because even though I didn't want it to be over, I couldn't really identify the "climax" or even the primary conflict (is it person vs. nature? person vs. herself? person vs. person?). The traditional ML role is incredibly understated to the point that I wasn't sure there was a ML until the final scenes.

So what's the takeaway here? this is not your standard, everyday movie fare, but it was a delightful way to pass 90 minutes of my life. I'm saddened, but not surprised, by the low MDL rating. If you're expecting a typical movie/drama with romance and the usual plot sequence, you'll be disappointed. But if you hold your expectations loosely, you'll find room to be charmed by what unfolds.

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Now I'm a big fan of a good pygmalion story, but despite the great trailer this was anything but. Let's call this a time where expectations didn't align with actual product. I was anticipating a Cinderella and the Four Knights-Birth of a Beauty smash up. What I saw was an infomercial colliding with a B-grade movie. I'm sort of shocked that I actually watched the entire thing.

This felt like a formula gone wrong. All the elements were in place--an interesting premise, a setting with potential and beautiful actors, But all the good ingredients rendered was an extended and mildly confusing commercial. The storyline was a bit like a bumper car ride with each jolt spinning me in another direction. Transitions were non-existent. The characters were strange, wispy, and dreamlike...like Alice in Wonderland/Edward Scissorhands/Warehouse 13 odd with unfleshed motivations.

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I can't believe that I watched all 60 episodes of this. It had every single drama cliché (and several more than once). Think car accidents, near drownings, fatal illnesses, amnesia, dictatorial parents, "not good enough" syndrome in a couple, rich guy/poor girl, male lead in upper management (General Manager of hotel, CEO of company), attempted business coups, fake pregnancy, sibling rivalry, stalker obsession and then some...

So what was good about it?
(1) I really liked the female lead's role and her acting as Qing Ling. I loved her perseverance, her respect and filial care for elders, her passion for fragrance and the ways she used her gift to help others. Although her repeated gullibility was less appealing.
(2) The supporting actors Duan Tian Lang's sister, Xue Qing, and her husband Ding Hai were both really pleasing to watch/easy on the eye. Their characters were caricatured extremes that annoyed the heck out of me, but I did enjoy looking at the actors.
(3) the 'feel good' ending and the attempt at inserting a semi-serious message about mental illness.
(3) and yes, even though I mocked all the trite tropes, I still watched every single episode!

What was less good?
(1) The role of the male lead, Duan Tian Lang, drove me nuts. I'd oscillate between finding him and his dedication to Qing Ling attractive. Then in the next scene he would throw something like a temper tantrum when something didn't go his way. He wanted to be protective but his overly trusting nature left him looking like an idiot most of the time. I mean how can you not notice after 3 months that your wife isn't really pregnant?
(2) the insanely over-dramatic orchestral background music that amped up the emotion in every scene
(3) after watching so many ridiculously short-sighted and selfish people for 55+ episodes, I struggled with their "conversion" for the happily ending. Can enemies really become friends that quickly? And who moves so readily from treating people like tools to relating with them as fellow humans and respecting them?

If I watched this again it would be for the same reason I watch campy B-level movies. It's so painful it's good...

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