It's called love, get it?
I finished Mars. Yes, that means I watched the entire thing this weekend. You all aren't kidding, these shows are crack.
I really like that dramas don't feel episodic. I don’t find 45 minutes of filler like I might on American TV (only the 5 minutes of montage while one of three songs plays on rotation). A big reason I got into anime so many years ago was the script/story format, which is best followed by straight viewing, episodes 1-x. I tend to feel American TV so desperately looks to catch someone as they flip channels, that they sacrifice satisfying watchers who want the epic story.
dangermousie was right in wondering if this kind of show is my bag, Mars isn’t the type I normally seek out for entertainment. Boys over Flowers and Meteor Garden aren’t either, but I do have those Pride and Prejudice-Gossip Girl leanings which is how she got me. Then she lured me in with Vic Zhou and Barbie Hsu and “This is my third favorite drama ever.” She’s sneaky that way.
I think there’s something about the language as a filter that keeps me from immediately dismissing the show. Combine that with straight writing that I like, and the twisted mess the Japanese/Koreans can make of their characters, and I think my tolerance for love stories might go up a notch. (I know Mars is a Taiwanese drama, but it’s also based on a Japanese manga.)
Speaking of sick characters, Fan Tong Dao is one of the creepiest characters to have ever crossed my screen.
Fan Tong Dao is a lanky, effeminate boy who looks eerily like Uma Thurman. He transfers to Chen Ling’s school after following him through the mental hospital and stealing his file. But Tong Dao wasn’t just at the hospital to find out about Ling’s stay; he was committed because he killed a schoolmate with whom he’d had a sadomasochistic relationship. He got off for self-defense, claiming he was traumatized by the bullying. What’s not initially clear is that he gets off on the bullying.
When Tang Dao holds out an ashtray for Ling to put out a cigarette-one he picked up to threaten our little sicko-Tang Dao replaces it with his hand and nods at Ling to burn him.
Which Ling does, because he has his own violent tendencies that Tong Dao encourages.
After Ling almost kills him, Tong Dao rolls away, breathing hard because Ling nearly strangled him with one hand. But then he starts laughing and there’s an overt sense of them having just had sex. Ling’s horrified while Tong Dao is delighted that the streak of insanity in Ling’s blood just boiled to the surface.
I think my favorite was Da Ye asking Ling if he had a “strange relationship” with Tong Dao. Yes, my dear, just not the strange you meant.
Before Ling met Qi Luo, he was unstable and violent. As dangermousie pointed out, both he and Qi Luo are so damaged that they can only function together. She brings him happiness and calm while he gives her courage. Both Qing Mei and Da Ye tell Qi Luo that he’s a better person when he’s with her. When Qi Luo thinks they’re breaking up because he found out she was abused, he tells her they’re both abnormal so they might as well be together.
But this isn’t what Tong Dao wants. Tong Dao wants the violent Ling who saved him from the bullies and half-killed the guy Tong Dao later murdered. Ling inherited the psychology instability from his mother which is why he understands Tong Dao and can’t help but be drawn in.
As much as I liked the show and agree that the leads were pretty awesome, I think Tong Dao's the character that will stick with me the longest.
After I finish Mawang and re-start Legend, we'll see what's up next.
I really like that dramas don't feel episodic. I don’t find 45 minutes of filler like I might on American TV (only the 5 minutes of montage while one of three songs plays on rotation). A big reason I got into anime so many years ago was the script/story format, which is best followed by straight viewing, episodes 1-x. I tend to feel American TV so desperately looks to catch someone as they flip channels, that they sacrifice satisfying watchers who want the epic story.
dangermousie was right in wondering if this kind of show is my bag, Mars isn’t the type I normally seek out for entertainment. Boys over Flowers and Meteor Garden aren’t either, but I do have those Pride and Prejudice-Gossip Girl leanings which is how she got me. Then she lured me in with Vic Zhou and Barbie Hsu and “This is my third favorite drama ever.” She’s sneaky that way.
I think there’s something about the language as a filter that keeps me from immediately dismissing the show. Combine that with straight writing that I like, and the twisted mess the Japanese/Koreans can make of their characters, and I think my tolerance for love stories might go up a notch. (I know Mars is a Taiwanese drama, but it’s also based on a Japanese manga.)
Speaking of sick characters, Fan Tong Dao is one of the creepiest characters to have ever crossed my screen.
Fan Tong Dao is a lanky, effeminate boy who looks eerily like Uma Thurman. He transfers to Chen Ling’s school after following him through the mental hospital and stealing his file. But Tong Dao wasn’t just at the hospital to find out about Ling’s stay; he was committed because he killed a schoolmate with whom he’d had a sadomasochistic relationship. He got off for self-defense, claiming he was traumatized by the bullying. What’s not initially clear is that he gets off on the bullying.
When Tang Dao holds out an ashtray for Ling to put out a cigarette-one he picked up to threaten our little sicko-Tang Dao replaces it with his hand and nods at Ling to burn him.
Which Ling does, because he has his own violent tendencies that Tong Dao encourages.
After Ling almost kills him, Tong Dao rolls away, breathing hard because Ling nearly strangled him with one hand. But then he starts laughing and there’s an overt sense of them having just had sex. Ling’s horrified while Tong Dao is delighted that the streak of insanity in Ling’s blood just boiled to the surface.
I think my favorite was Da Ye asking Ling if he had a “strange relationship” with Tong Dao. Yes, my dear, just not the strange you meant.
Before Ling met Qi Luo, he was unstable and violent. As dangermousie pointed out, both he and Qi Luo are so damaged that they can only function together. She brings him happiness and calm while he gives her courage. Both Qing Mei and Da Ye tell Qi Luo that he’s a better person when he’s with her. When Qi Luo thinks they’re breaking up because he found out she was abused, he tells her they’re both abnormal so they might as well be together.
But this isn’t what Tong Dao wants. Tong Dao wants the violent Ling who saved him from the bullies and half-killed the guy Tong Dao later murdered. Ling inherited the psychology instability from his mother which is why he understands Tong Dao and can’t help but be drawn in.
As much as I liked the show and agree that the leads were pretty awesome, I think Tong Dao's the character that will stick with me the longest.
After I finish Mawang and re-start Legend, we'll see what's up next.