Nirvana in Fire 《琅琊榜》 - Hu Ge, Liu Tao, Chen Long, Wang Kai

[H.Ge-C.Liu]

Beijing TV (Throwback to Chinese Paladin, and the "ten year promise")

[H.Ge-C.Liu]

Another preview:

[lenje]

Read rave reviews of the first two episodes, so I couldn't help to watch them despite the lack of English sub, my lack of Mandarin, and the fact that I never read the novel. Thanks though to the brief summary here and JoleCole's description of the characters (with their pictures). I have question(s), will put them in spoiler.

click to show/hide spoilers

Who plans the plot against the Lin family? Is it described in the earlier part of the novel, or later?
What's the relation between Lin Ge (the master of the Langya Hall?) and Lin Shu? Uncle or something?

[yannlc]

I got the first 2 episodes of this and OMG!!!!! It was well worth the wait! Does anyone know how many episodes are there in total? How often is it being aired?

[lenje]

There will be 54 episodes, of which 6 eps are already available on Viki. But the English sub is going reallyyyy slow

[IloveMimiLo]

Hu Ge the Disguise is #1 on QiYi at the moment, and Nirvana in Fire at #3 !!

[panda-pop]

Read rave reviews of the first two episodes, so I couldn't help to watch them despite the lack of English sub, my lack of Mandarin, and the fact that I never read the novel. Thanks though to the brief summary here and JoleCole's description of the characters (with their pictures). I have question(s), will put them in spoiler.

click to show/hide spoilers

Who plans the plot against the Lin family? Is it described in the earlier part of the novel, or later?
What's the relation between Lin Ge (the master of the Langya Hall?) and Lin Shu? Uncle or something?

I haven't read the book either, but from hoju's review here and the very spoiler-y long trailer, I thiiink these are the answers to your questions:

click to show/hide spoilers

One clear culprit behind the plot is Xiao Jingrui's "father," Xie Yu. Jingrui thinks his dad is the most upstanding guy ever, but it's pretty obvious that he's done some unsavory things (like forcing Princess Liyang to marry him with the date-rape wine..). What's implied in the trailers is that the Liang emperor himself probably set up the Lin family; he's paranoid about anyone with too much power and seems quick to turn on people.

Just realized I don't know the answer to your second question, haha. I thought Lin Ge was just the person who rescued Lin Shu, and that sharing a surname was a coincidence? Hopefully someone who's actually read the book can help us out!

Finished watching the first six episodes and they're all SO good! Fei Liu is a cutie and seems to be a fan fav, but I love Liu Tao as badass female general Nihuang. Is anyone blogging about this show? I need reading material to tide me over between new episodes..

[SkyWalker]

This series is visually beautiful and the tone is very sad. Every time I look at Hu Ge and his fragile body, I just want to give him a hug. I can't wait till he reveals his true identity. I also want to see the flashback of how he was saved from that deadly fall. So far, I love his interactions with all the other characters. Can't wait for more!!!

[lenje]

I haven't read the book either, but from hoju's review here and the very spoiler-y long trailer, I thiiink these are the answers to your questions:

click to show/hide spoilers

One clear culprit behind the plot is Xiao Jingrui's "father," Xie Yu. Jingrui thinks his dad is the most upstanding guy ever, but it's pretty obvious that he's done some unsavory things (like forcing Princess Liyang to marry him with the date-rape wine..). What's implied in the trailers is that the Liang emperor himself probably set up the Lin family; he's paranoid about anyone with too much power and seems quick to turn on people.

Just realized I don't know the answer to your second question, haha. I thought Lin Ge was just the person who rescued Lin Shu, and that sharing a surname was a coincidence? Hopefully someone who's actually read the book can help us out!

Finished watching the first six episodes and they're all SO good! Fei Liu is a cutie and seems to be a fan fav, but I love Liu Tao as badass female general Nihuang. Is anyone blogging about this show? I need reading material to tide me over between new episodes..

Thank you! Will definitely read the review you mentioned above.

So far I haven't found any blog that recaps Nirvana by episodes (ETA: OK, just found this), but the bloggers at Cfensi have made several discussion posts. The blog A Virtual Voyage has one post for Nirvana+The Disguiser, not a recap, but visitors make comments and discuss as well.

But then, why don't we also discuss it here? Especially those who have read the book -- it would be fun to see how the drama interprets or even differs from the original source

[yannlc]

I cant watch this on viki. Where is everyone watching theirs? There's nothing on YouTube 😯

For breakdown on characters which is really helpful is jole Cole blog bloghttp://jolecole.blogspot.sg/2015/02/nirvana-in-fire-character-profile.html?m=1

For the novel in english translation
https://junjuntianxia.wordpress.com/2014/10/04/琅琊榜-nirvana-in-fire-chapter-01-两姓之子/

For the audio
http://www.books.shushengbar.com/?s=琅&submit=Search

And if you read the reviews from the above link, someone gives comment on the different book versions

And FINALLY if you can read Chinese http://www.kuyv.cn/fashion/1768.html

The link provides synopsis on the TV drama...but no guarantees its the genuine version. off course I chicken out and read the last chapter for the ending.

This is an excellent production. It's gorgeously filmed and just like Changsha, I not only get invested in the characters I feel as I am in another world right from the start... am definitely addicted. 😄

[charbydis]

I am going to watch the whole series first without the novel so I don't get stuck between the two like what happened with TJOF. But so far, I like it. It has a good pace and nothing is over-exaggerated. I am watching "The Disguiser" as the same time and both are making me very happy.

[natuschan]

hi everyone!!

it's been a loooong time I've been active in any of the forum, but this series is just so awesome and I want to participate!!

I've been watching the versions with vietnamese subtitles. There's quite a few groups subbing it. It's all in Mandarin with subtitles... Are we allowed to share youtube and website links here? It's been a long time.

Can someone let me know - the old lady, is she the grandmother or the great-grandmother?

click to show/hide spoilers

Is she the one who served the rape-wine to the princess (not Liu Tao)? Or was that the king's previous emperess?

[panda-pop]

hi everyone!!

Can someone let me know - the old lady, is she the grandmother or the great-grandmother?

click to show/hide spoilers

Is she the one who served the rape-wine to the princess (not Liu Tao)? Or was that the king's previous emperess?

I think she's the great-grandmother?

click to show/hide spoilers

Either way, I'm fairly positive she's not the one who served the rape-wine to Princess Liyang. Lin Shu/Mei Chang Shu describes her as the sweetest, kindest old lady ever and that'd be a hard characterization to reconcile with the woman who did that terrible thing to the princess.

yannlc, just private messaged you the Youtube channel where I'm watching the drama!

lenje, thanks for the links! It sounds like (from jjunjun's blog) that the drama's sticking really close to the revised version of the book. Everything's progressing at a brisk pace, which is a refreshing change from the dragginess that usually comes from 50+ episode cdramas.

What do you all think of the little moments of humor? I'm thrown off by it because of the general mood/feel of the drama, but it's kind of adorable, too. My favorite one so far is when Meng Ji is showing Mei Chang Shu a potential new manor and says that it's the perfect place to "私会" with Jing Wang Hu Ge's face in that scene cracks me up:

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[le_amarant]

This series is INSANELY, almost shockingly good. Hu Ge is hitting it out of the park as Mei Changshu, and the rest of the cast is superb. The cinematography and visuals are top-notch, and makes me think that I'm watching a Zhang Yimou film translated onto the small screen. The opening scene where they showed a message getting delivered among a series of tunnels left me gobsmacked at the attention to detail and artistry.

Only complaint I have is that Liu Tao (the actress who plays Hu Ge's previous finacee) doesn't look compatible with him.

[IloveMimiLo]

I think Liu Tao suits well with her character so well!! The pairing Liu Tao and Hu Ge is so refreshing, and their little interaction with one another is cute! I think they actually pair well together!!

[lenje]

Liu Tao's performance is great, and I don't have a problem with her pairing with Hu Ge. I can't help but wondering, though, if it were Jiang Xin or Jia Qing in the role

[yanfeng]

Hey all, agreed that this is one of the best TV dramas I've seen in a long while.

I'd describe it as "powerful".

There’s a very fine layer of subtle that overlays a broiling, deep struggle which is fantastically effective in evoking power.

The elaborate, decorous language, the understated phrases, the solid wire/hand-to-hand combat work, the quiet voices that carry loud messages, the unspoken political scuffle, the languid movements to sit or sip tea or listen to music. Everything is classy, and yet clearly and firmly move towards a dramatic outcome.

And yet it succeeds best because in the middle of this is set touching moments.

Like when the slightly disoriented Grand Empress calls him “Xiao Shu” as if she knew exactly who he was even with his fake name (his fake surname is Shu which sounds exactly like his real name) and gives him something to eat as in the old days. Lin Shu was nearly moved to tears, and she even uncannily sets up the Princess Nihuang and him as in their old days.

That Lin Shu involuntarily clenches Nihuang’s hand at that moment is also tragic.

It's the contrast that makes for the drama, and it's complemented by the beautiful visuals- close-up's, the blurs, the lovingly selected angles- and, of course, the very understated acting- not only by the leads, but also by everyone down to the guards and maids who move slowly, deliberately and make every scene, every moment something you don't want to miss.

More from me another time about specific actors and characters, but I urge everyone to give this a try. I was hooked by Episode 1 and in love by Episode 2... I'm desperate for another dose!

PS Apologies to the non-Mandarin-enableds here who struggle to find a good sub'ed version, but what makes this is brilliant also makes it horrible to translate. I'm barely able to understand some of the poetic references and the remarks I do get need full sentences of explanation to make sense of, so I urge great patience and appreciation for the hard-working volunteers at Viki and other places who are working to bring you something better than google translate could hope to manage!

[natuschan]

I'm really enjoying the series so far. As everyone said, Hu Ge is doing a superb job as well as everyone else. I haven't read the novel, so I was surprised as the amount of action there is in the series so far, but it's been good. Finally, some impressive hand-to-hand choreography!

panda-pop: I'm enjoying the funny moments. Also, we better enjoy them because as the series progresses, I'm assuming there'll be less and less. That face from Hu Ge was cute. Also, when he walks away from Chen Long after Chen Long eats the sour apple

[Thuchen]

What do you all think of the little moments of humor? I'm thrown off by it because of the general mood/feel of the drama, but it's kind of adorable, too. My favorite one so far is when Meng Ji is showing Mei Chang Shu a potential new manor and says that it's the perfect place to "私会" with Jing Wang Hu Ge's face in that scene cracks me up:

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Loved that scene as well. Somehow it unconsciously reminds me of the bromance hu ge and Chen long had in young warriors as well.

Love the series so far as well. It has been awhile I've seen a drama which has so many layers. Usually it's more the ouxiang ju kind of thing. I got to admit it's harder to watch since you need to fully concentrate to get everything and since mandarin is not my mother tongue it makes it even harder. Still i love how the plot develops and all that underlying bromance, I love bromance more than anything in this kind of drama, so yeah, anticipating for the episodes to come.

[yannlc]

Panda pop

So frustrating! can't even see / figure where the PM is! Can you post the link here?