Editor’s Note

The "First Episode" series is here to help you watch the drama. Are the recently aired dramas worth watching? Let's take a look at the good ones and the weird ones.

Some shows may gradually get better, while others may start strong but end badly, so this article only represents the author's opinion on the first few episodes, for reference only. If there are any subsequent slaps, I will keep you posted.

Spring for Lovers

Broadcasting platform: CCTV-8, Tencent Video

Premiere date: April 22

Adapted from the Douban Reading novel "Lover", similar to "Go Where the Wind Is", it combines local customs and regional characteristics, and this time it is Quanzhou's turn.

The setting of the male and female protagonists is quite unique, one is a mortician and the other is a salesperson, which adds a sense of conflict to the relationship between the two that is expected. The casting of Li Xian and Zhou Yutong is also more in line with the characteristics of the characters.

Poster of Spring for Lovers

The series gives people a comfortable feeling. It is not limited to the framework of idol dramas. It is not in a hurry to create so-called sweet moments, but allows the intersection of the two parties to happen in the events slowly and steadily. This is more grounded and realistic than many idol dramas. No one is in love. It is fate and common experiences again and again that bind two people tightly. It is the emotional pull of adults.

The life stories of the two characters are also worth watching. Liu Lin once again plays an impressive mother who is talkative and has a bad temper, but sincerely protects her three children at home. On the other hand, the grumpy grandmother who worries about her grandchildren every day is also very cute.

However, many viewers believe that this drama is not as addictive as "The Pretentious Revelation", which is also adapted from a Douban Reading novel. First, the male protagonist's indifference is always a bit stereotyped and not humane enough, and he has fallen into the routine of idol drama characters. The character of the undertaker is not three-dimensional enough, and the heroine's enthusiasm and tolerance are a bit excessive. She can be easily forgiven for being deleted from WeChat and being scolded for being frivolous; second, some plots still have "golden fingers" to create dramatic conflicts. The stepfather's accidental death and the sister running away from home are all serving the relationship between the male and female protagonists.

But overall, the actors' performances and the plot rhythm can reach 70 or 80 points, making people want to continue following.

The Young Lady Who Overcame All Obstacles

Broadcast platform: Tencent Video

Premiere date: April 26

If some dramas should focus on whether the logic and conflicts are smooth, some dramas are used to relieve stress, such as this one. It sounds as ordinary as the names of many ancient idol dramas, but it is still quite addictive to watch.

Xu Lu and Liu Xening "swap faces"

The story mainly tells about the three daughters of the wine-making Luo family. The eldest daughter Luo Ailian is smart, capable and beautiful, and is loved by her father and the rich man, which arouses the jealousy of her stepmother and sister. In an accident, the rich man and her father died one after another. Luo Ailian was framed as a murderer and was almost burned to death. Luo Ailian was rescued by the boss of the escort agency and her face was replaced by his dead sister. From then on, she began to investigate the case and take revenge.

The plot is a short drama with many climaxes and a fast pace. In five or six episodes, Luo Ailian's life experience and face-changing process are explained. After the face-changing, Luo Ailian also focused on investigating the case and soon used her escort duties to return to the Luo family to seek revenge. Netizens jokingly called it "effective face-changing."

From the overall makeup to the casting of actors, it can be seen that the cost is not high, but fortunately the creators focus on the big and let go of the small, know what the audience wants to see, and use the cost and model of a long drama to pursue the effect of a short drama in essence. Although we don’t know how the subsequent episodes will perform, the performance of the first few episodes shows that the creators have a clear mind, using one emotion and event after another to catch the audience's attention. As long as there are no obvious bugs in the overall logic, the protagonist can always be at the center of the event, the running time is not wasted, the actors can perform basic emotions without being out of character, and there are enough conflicts, the audience can be retained.

After get off work, relax, look at Xu Lu's beauty, and see how Luo Ailian takes revenge. It's quite relaxing.

Pale Fire

Broadcasting platform: CCTV-8, Youku Video

Premiere date: April 27

Adapted from Jiu Yuexi's novel, the original novel is still embroiled in lawsuits, so the film and television drama was aired first to "save its life."

The quality of the series is good. Compared with the suspense drama theaters of the other two platforms, at least Youku has put in enough effort this time. The overall rhythm, performance, lighting, etc. all make people feel the intentions of the main creators. It is an excellent suspense drama.

The story itself has a good setting. One is a beautiful woman who has been rumored for many years in a small town, and the other is a stereotypical academic boy. They are from different classes, different ages, and different living environments. They intersect in a murder case. This kind of character setting gives enough relationship tension, and the so-called "crazy woman" and "charming small town woman" who committed murder is a realistic and eye-catching character setting.

The setting of a beautiful wife involved in the murder of her husband and a top student boy who witnessed the case is very attractive

Only three episodes have been aired, and the case is viewed more from the perspective of Lin Fanglue, who is investigating the case. The protagonists of the story also have a sense of story. The creators also use the humanistic environment of the small town to create a sense of mystery and complexity in the case. The rhythm is a bit slow, and the plot arrangement between the police and the parties involved in the incident is slightly unbalanced. Sometimes people want to fast forward, and sometimes people feel attractive. From the third episode, the case gradually gets better.

It is not difficult to shoot the first three episodes of a current suspense drama well, but it is difficult to make it not end badly. There have been several precedents where the beginning was surprising but the ending was swearing. Audiences who like this kind of drama can wait for the subsequent word of mouth.