Old So What

 Is an epic Chinese fantasy drama that is larger that the three realms it inhabits. Friendship, betrayal, family, love; this drama has it all. The female lead is dealt a seemingly insurmountable fate, while the dreamy male lead tries to protect her from all dangers, even from herself. There is humor along the way and even quests. Paired with beautiful backgrounds and fantasy animals, demons and deities, it is like a video game come to life.  Highly recommend for anyone who loves fantasy. Just be prepared for a long emotional journey. I watched this on Amazon prime.

Many, that’s the word for this program:   This is many episodes of many shows, which occur in many languages, and many countries at this point. And, yes, this series has been on for many years. The plot is couples getting to know each other sight unseen, through conversations only, which occur in small isolated rooms known as “pods.” Don’t get your hopes up because the success rate for these couples is very low.   Usually just one couple (out of 5 to 7) makes it to the altar and then beyond, staying together. The reasons are easy to spot:   The couples are often made up of emotionally wounded people, waiting for something else bad to happen to them.   Plus, these are people who don’t know each other well. They are really almost complete strangers, so each stone in the road of their relationship becomes an insurmountable boulder. With little knowledge, with little trust, with no firm foundation to build on, and just the beginning feelings of love and commitmen...

  I have watched many of these shows wherein you have to check your humanity, taste, decency, morals, and values at the door first.   Really! The only exception that I found, during my research, was a Korean relationship-matching program called: Love After Divorce.   This was a good show with actual values, and participants looking for long-term relationships not just the carnal knowledge of overnight hook-ups. (It should be noted that I only watched one season of this show, which I think was Season Four.) At the other end of this sampling of dating shows is:   Perfect Match.   The only thing good about this show is the host, Nick Lachey. How he got pulled into this mess, well it could only be for one (monetary?) reason. Perfect Match, is, well, it’s pretty disgusting, and it’s not just the gratuitous nudity (which comes to desensitize you completely to the fact that these people are essentially always without most of their clothing), but rather, it’s the ...

  The Veil on Hulu. This is a very convoluted series of 6 episodes.   If like me you are left with questions, I suggest you go on-line and do a little research.   Or you can stress yourself out trying to figure all the plot twists and turns by yourself. Is it worth the effort? In a word: YES! This show is excellent. It’s sharp, it’s edgy. It’s keeps you off balance, not knowing what will happen next. It has an international cast, most of whom are extremely attractive, and more than that, they are talented. Elisabeth Moss is not one of my favorites, but the fact that she was one of the executive producers who put this show together, speaks well of her. It should be mentioned that the writer for this project and another executive producer is Steven Knight. If you like spy thrillers, interesting characters, and a production (except for the music which is peculiar at best and jarring at worst), that is well done on a professional level then this series is for ...

  I can’t say enough in praise of the new Netflix program, “Captivating the King.” An historical drama, set in Joseon times, that is simply incredible.   And it gets even more incredible as it goes on, especially when the love story begins. It may well be one of the best features to appear on any television anywhere…anytime. (Coming from someone who has watched TV since 1950). The cast is impeccable with Jo Jung-suk and Shin Se-kyung taking the two top leads.   But the cast and director have played this story so well, with ALL leads.   There are very few minor roles.   Everyone is at the top of their game. Bravo to writers, directors, producers, actors, musicians, set designers, and anyone else, happily for us, to be participating in this production! This lovely series captures your heart.   It truly does.

  Maybe I’m taking a proprietary view here in that this successful series, which ran on HBO, from June 1998 to February 2004, should remain part of its time, without an appearance in 2021. Talk about a fish out of water! This is not good. Leave Sex and the City alone.   You have tortured and abused the original enough. It was in, its time, for the viewers of that time, a very enjoyable show. As one of those viewers, now I can no longer look at it. It has been distorted beyond all meaning...beyond all redemption. What are you trying to achieve here? I think what you have created is an unrecognizable Frankenstein.   And an unlikeable one at that.  

  When it comes to disgusting TV commercials, BUT the all-body deodorant ads have supplanted everything else!   Yikes! Actors with screen size shots of their armpits, and spraying their nether regions by putting the product down their pants. Help, I’ve died and gone to the hell of bad taste! I don’t want to see your armpits, or bask in the splendor  of whatever you have that should be covered up. Spare me, please. Spray on your own time, in your own space.   I don’t need a demonstration.   I get the idea.   Keep your graphics to yourself! And I’m not so sure that all that spraying and rolling-on of deodorant product is so good for you. Try washing, and a discreet limiting of deodorant to the parts of your body that you know for sure from actual experience tend to smell without help from a deodorizing product. Think for yourself.

  If you read my book, A Quick Read: Short-Short Stories , then you have at least an idea. These dramas are addictive!  Really, maybe I should get a life, but I look forward to the story line, the actors, the sets, the costumes, the smallest details which have all been included just for me! And everything is more than well done, it’s almost, yes, almost, perfect.   All of which show: care, expense-not-spared, sensitivity to the viewers, extraordinary imagination, above- and-beyond writing, acting and directing. It's nice to think that there are still creative, bodies of pure talent in this world, at least in Korea. These dramas end with a “Thank you” to “our” audience. I rest my case. P.S. The one flaw and the only reason for the almost perfect score instead of perfect, is that in order to grant the viewers’ wish for a happy ending, sometimes the endings don’t really make sense, as when the heroine swallows poison, gushes up blood, but ends up just fine! How...

  For a week now I have been having a problem with my TV remote control. Every time I pressed the button for “Voice Control,” I would get a “Guide for Captions” and other things that I didn’t want! What’s going on? Turns out I was pressing the wrong button! So, check it out before stressing out: Is this the button I usually use? In case it’s not.