The Romance of the Condor Heroes <神鵰俠侶> - how bad is it?

[smurf120]

I know there is about 40+ page thread about this in the Mainland TV series section, but all the pictures and promotional material, and comments about the actors in real life were giving me a headache.

So is anyone watching this? How much of a departure is the story? Is it "so bad its good" territory or YZ needs to crawl in a hole and the film be buried in an avalanche?

[Trien Chieu]

I haven't watch the mainland version. If you haven't watch any ROCH, then try ROCH83 with Andy Lau and Idy Chan as YG and SLN, respectively. This is the best ROCH to these days.

[ernabc]

ROCH was my first wuxia which I have read/seen. A really must. There is a very good anime series too. Dont forget there is a second part too.(I liked ReturnOTCH more).

[smurf120]

I've seen all the TVB versions with the Andy Lau/Idy Chan one as my favorite. 2nd up is the Liu Yi Fei/Huang Xiaoming. 3rd is Louis Koo/Carmen Lee.

From what I have been reading about this new mainland production one it is ranking far below even the retched Taiwanese Richie Ren version.

[Ian Liew]

The Louis/Carmen version would be probably the most accurate to the second edition novel, and is a very entertaining watch. It can get a bit fast-paced, and Louis Koo as the young Yang Guo can get really irritating, but not as much as Huang Xiaoming...

The 2006 Huang Xiaoming/Liu Yifei version is a really good serial in its own right, but isn't the best in terms of doing the novel justice - just way too much focus on the two leads and not enough on the other interesting supporting characters. It does have the only instance so far of the 3rd edition changes to the end, where the Golden Wheel Monk redeems himself by sacrificing his life saving Guo Xiang.

The Andy/Idy version is also in the same boat, in that it is a good serial but isn't the best representation of the novel either. Similar to the other TVB Golden 80s serials, it also suffers from a lot of meaningless filler scenes where the actors can have a good time and expand upon the characterisation of their characters - some people like it, some people hate it - but on the overall it's still a good serial. It also cast a kid as the young Yang Guo rather than let Andy Lau play an immensely immature and dislikeable kid, so it scores mega points there.

I'm looking forward to this new version with Michelle Chen, but I wouldn't expect any particular loyalty to the original novel or anything. Just watch it with an open mind - the Ariel Lin/Hu Ge LOCH was horrible in terms of loyalty to the novel, but it somehow turned out to be a really entertaining watch... and had a great filler scene with Huang Rong and Li Ping.

[whiteskwirl]

I only watched like 10 minutes of it before I quit. The sets look too fake and clean, all the clothes look like they've never been worn, everything nowadays is just too clean and sterile, and acting is bad like these kinds of shows typically are (if you can't tell, I much prefer reading to watching). It starts off with XLN as a little kid and is supposedly not faithful to the original story, but I didn't watch any further so I don't know. From the comments I've read from others, looks like not too many people are happy with it.

[Mandred Skavenslayer]

Watched a few ep on youtube and some of the trailers.

Looks like they will try to merge some back story of the Greats and the Sword Devil into this one. Not sure it will work but I like to keep an open mind.

I must say I like the portray of Huang Rong. They seemed to have kept her cheekiness in this one.

[smurf120]

I'm okay with departures from the source novel as long as characterization is same. I heard they turned XLN into bubbly, starry eyed, teeny bopper and YG into reckless playboy. And Li Mo Chou is now a major character?

[wkeej]

Watched one episode. In the first place can someone enlighten me why is it called "Romance" instead of "Return"?

Possibly the "prettiest" woman in this series is Li Mochu. While she fought very well, I find it a bit strange that Jiang Nan First Freak seems to be on par with her. Is it true in the novel that both of them has the same level of fighting skills?

XLN looks chubby. Actually XLN's teacher looks better. :-)

YG slept with a few women?

[hirobo2]

Watched one episode. In the first place can someone enlighten me why is it called "Romance" instead of "Return"?

Possibly the "prettiest" woman in this series is Li Mochu. While she fought very well, I find it a bit strange that Jiang Nan First Freak seems to be on par with her. Is it true in the novel that both of them has the same level of fighting skills?

XLN looks chubby. Actually XLN's teacher looks better. :-)

YG slept with a few women?

Sure it wasn't YK, YG's dad? They got Chen Xiao to play both parts... just like the Richie Ren version.

[i_fotted]

from what ive seen so far, there is far too much LMC.

i like the casting of GJ an HR, hate almost everything else.

[i_fotted]

im actually mostly awaiting subs since my mandarin is so bad.

[MrWErD]

Fortunately for me, I can do some Mandarin. Despite my earlier intentions to boycott it, there's literally nothing else on TV that tickles my fancy, so here I reluctantly am.

As expected from the same man who spearheaded the most recent Swordsman adaption, Yu Zheng have apparently chosen to take the story in a whole new direction and added in some meat to spice up a story that's been milked more times than I can count with one hand. While I normally applaud creativity, I don't know whether I like the changes done to the story just yet. I'll accept them and see how all this ties together, but to be honest, yes I think LMC has too much screen time for a character who bites it in the middle.

As for the cast itself, that bothers me too. I really like Chen Xiao as an actor, but so far, I don't like him as Yang Guo. He struck me as someone dignified and serious, and the adolescent Yang Guo is not. Maybe I'll warm up to him later on. The other characters are unremarkable. And here comes the white elephant in the room. As many have stated, I also don't like the baby-faced actress who plays XLN. This bothers me most of all but not because XLN is supposed to be super duper beautiful in the book, but because the actress is being vastly overshadowed by the other more attractive actress in the story. In fact, I, despite my intimate knowledge of how the future will unfold between them, I am really starting to think that maybe Yang Guo should just forget about his Gugu and become the son-in-law of the Guo family. Sorry, I know, but have you seen the actress who plays Guo Fu? Cute as a button. Yes, I'm shallow, sue me. But come on, I shouldn't be rooting for Guo Fu of all people when I'm supposed to buy into the romance between Yang Guo and his Gugu, which I don't. Meh, at least Jinlun Fawang is played by a male actor this time.

I don't know, maybe I'll think differently when the subs come out. I'm Cantonese and not 100% in Mandarin so I might've missed some stuff that will make me a believer or whatever.

[Malevolent]

Yu Zheng likes to give more screen time to minor characters especially evil ones

I've to say that I like his version of LMC. She is sentimental yet cold blooded and ruthless. Kinda reminds me of his DFBB except that LMC is more on the extreme side

Xln in this version does not carry any of the xln described in the novel, cold and indifferent. She looks more like a normal average girl u can find anywhere.

Yu Zheng should have tried to match LMC and YG in this one. They might make a good couple.

[hirobo2]

I also don't like the baby-faced actress who plays XLN. This bothers me most of all but not because XLN is supposed to be super duper beautiful in the book, but because the actress is being vastly overshadowed by the other more attractive actress in the story.

Super duper beautiful doesn't work well for an actor like Chen Xiao, whom I would describe as bubbly cute, but rather for a ruggedly handsome actor like Wallace Huo. You saw Swordsman, and the best match for CX as LPZ was baby cute YLS. Hence, they chose a baby-faced actress to star opposite CX in ROCH...

[hirobo2]

Yu Zheng should have tried to match LMC and YG in this one. They might make a good couple.

I don't think Yu Zheng will disappoint. I heard Li MC will fall for YG just like DFBB fell for LHC. In Swordsman, the love between DFBB and LHC was mutual (ie. real love). I don't think YG will ever return the love to Li MC, so it will be more like one-sided love in ROCH.

[smurf120]

I don't think Yu Zheng will disappoint. I heard Li MC will fall for YG just like DFBB fell for LHC. In Swordsman, the love between DFBB and LHC was mutual (ie. real love). I don't think YG will ever return the love to Li MC, so it will be more like one-sided love in ROCH.

Doesn't having LMC fall in love with YG negate a whole bunch of plot points and at least one serious theme of "all consuming love"? XLN is already about 6 years YG senior, won't LMC be about 10 years older too?

Well here is how I would change the story:
scene where YG and XLN get married after trapping the Taoist under the bell, they actually have wedding night - so YG doesn't have to be 40 yr old virgin. XLN has baby which is real reason she keeps herself alive under the cliff for 8 years (instead of 16).

[Trien Chieu]

Doesn't having LMC fall in love with YG negate a whole bunch of plot points and at least one serious theme of "all consuming love"? XLN is already about 6 years YG senior, won't LMC be about 10 years older too?

Well here is how I would change the story:
scene where YG and XLN get married after trapping the Taoist under the bell, they actually have wedding night - so YG doesn't have to be 40 yr old virgin. XLN has baby which is real reason she keeps herself alive under the cliff for 8 years (instead of 16).

Not a bad change but I prefer a different change. There is no rape incident of SLN. Both Gwok Fu and SLN are nice and get along well. Even though Gwok Fu loves YG, she respects YG and SLN as a couple. However, YG somehow got the love poison from the passionless valley and he would die soon. The only way to save his life is by making love with 2 virgins and he must continue the sexual relation with both of them in order to live. If he stop the sexual relation with anyone of them, he will die. Only SLN and Kwok Fu are around during that time so both are willing to sacrifice for him.

[hirobo2]

Doesn't having LMC fall in love with YG negate a whole bunch of plot points and at least one serious theme of "all consuming love"? XLN is already about 6 years YG senior, won't LMC be about 10 years older too?

Well here is how I would change the story:
scene where YG and XLN get married after trapping the Taoist under the bell, they actually have wedding night - so YG doesn't have to be 40 yr old virgin. XLN has baby which is real reason she keeps herself alive under the cliff for 8 years (instead of 16).

Um, I see nothing wrong with a 30 y/o falling for a 20 y/o... I generally don't like praising people, but I think Yu Zheng is a genius. His version of Li MC, she actually has a real reason to kill, or at least try to, her rivals XLN and YG's other female friends, rather than chasing them down over some stupid book or mantra. I can already see it happening, Li MC in this adaptation will spare YG and actually try to save him several times...

As for XLN and YG consumating their marriage on the same night and having a baby... Well, this is YZ we're talking about. He's pretty faithful to the book, which is why LHC still ended up with RYY in Swordsman, even though DFBB was the better match for him, simply b/c the book said so. So no, the baby won't happen in YZ's version of ROCH...

[wkeej]

I will make XLN to be YG's teacher instead of lover.
I will prefer YG to marry GF so as to end the Guo-Yang saga [also in line with what their grandfathers said - the children will marry the other if they are different gender].
YG and GF will either retire from jianghu or better died defending xiangyang.