[Editor's Note] The "First Episode" series is here to help you watch TV shows. Are the recently aired series 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 disappointments, I will keep you posted.
"Northward"
Broadcast platform: iQiyi
Start time: March 3
Poster of "Northward"
The highly anticipated TV series "Go North" was recently launched. The drama is adapted from Xu Zechen's novel "Go North". The original work takes the abolition of the canal transport in 1901 and the successful application of the Grand Canal for World Heritage in 2014 as key time nodes. One clue is that in 1901, Italian travel adventurer Paolo Dimarco came to China to find his brother, and went north along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal with translator Xie Pingyao and Chinese grassroots people on an academic investigation, reflection and root-seeking journey; another clue is that around 2014, Xie Pingyao's descendant Xie Wanghe reunited with his ancestors and descendants to piece together a complete story. The novel won the 10th Mao Dun Literature Award, the 15th Spiritual Civilization Construction "Five One Project" Outstanding Work Award, etc.
The drama series "Northward" tells the stories of six families along the canal
The series starts in 2000 and tells the story of six friends, Xia Fenghua, Xie Wanghe, Shao Xingchi, Zhou Haikuo, Ma Siyi and Chen Rui, who grew up together in a small courtyard on Huajie by the canal. The Beijing-Shanghai Expressway is about to be fully opened, and the shipping depression has put the six families in a difficult situation. When the boys grow up, they go north from Huajie to Beijing, fighting for opportunities and ideals during their days in Beijing. But the reality is cruel, and they get lost in the city. With the successful application of the Grand Canal for World Heritage status, the children who left home return to Huajie and devote themselves to the new social development with their love for the canal.
Stills from "Northward"
The costumes, props, photography and editing of "Northward" are all top-notch. The two directors have put a lot of thought into it, and the performances of the veteran actors in the play are also remarkable. The canal theme is also quite innovative in period dramas. However, in the field of film and television creation, the examination and discussion of the quality of works has always been the key to promoting the progress of the industry. Therefore, we also need to face some of the current problems of the play.
Compared with excellent dramas of the same period such as "People in the Alley" and "The World", "Northward" still has a clear gap. "People in the Alley" and "The World" accurately capture the real details of family and neighborhood life. Every scene and every character are solidly and vividly portrayed, allowing the audience to truly feel the fireworks and emotional temperature of that era. In contrast, "Northward", judging from the first few episodes alone, although it creates a lively atmosphere, neither the characterization nor the arrangement of events can generate enough emotional resonance.
Stills from "Northward"
Even if we put aside the canal storyline in the 1900s in the original work and judge "Northward" as a youth growth drama of the era, the portrayal of several young people in the play fails to accurately grasp the spiritual characteristics and contemporary style of the post-90s generation. Grasping cultural symbols of the times such as Li Yuchun, Jay Chou, and online shopping models is not the same as creating a credible image of the post-90s generation. In this regard, "Hello, Old Times", "The Best of Us", and even the recent "A Red House Under the Tree" have provided more successful examples for the creation of youth-themed works. Their writing of the youth of the post-90s generation is more delicate and real, which is worth learning from for creators.
Realistic life dramas have always been an important type of domestic dramas, but at the same time, they are also the most difficult type to create and produce. The greatest difficulty lies in the script level: the shaping of characters from different eras, the control of real life details, and the capture of the spirit of the times. Those who can do one of these well are considered excellent screenwriters, and those who can do all of them are considered leaders in the industry. Some of the problems currently shown in "Northward" are still understandable, and it is worth continuing to wait and see how its subsequent plot and characters advance.
