Princess Returning Pearl III

Cast:
Xiao Yan Zi: Huang Yi
Yong Qi: Leo Ku
Zi Wei: Ma Li Yi
Er Kang: Zhou Jie
Xiao Jian: Huang Xiao Ming
Qing Er: Wang Yan
Emperor Qian Long: Di Long
Shui Ling: Ying Ying

Background:
Huan Zhu Ge Ge III, Tian Shang Ren Jian, is the third instalment in the Huan Zhu Ge Ge series. It features several new actors for the main roles, and therefore has met with some unfair criticism. Frankly, I think that it is irrational and unfair to be biased towards an actress/actor just because she/he is not Vicky Zhao, or Alec Su, etc. But that is off topic...

Introduction:
Tian Shang Ren Jian picks up a few years after Huan Zhu Ge Ge II ended. Zi Wei and Er Kang have a child named Dong Er, but Xiao Yan Zi and Yong Qi are childless. You see, Xiao Yan Zi experienced a miscarriage while drying books, and she and Yong Qi have been unable to conceive ever since. The Lao Fo Ye is displeased at this, for Yong Qi has a chance of becoming the next emperor, and he can't be without a son. Much to Yong Qi and Xiao Yan Zi's dismay, Lao Fo Ye is set on finding Yong Qi a second wife. Meanwhile, Qing Er and Xiao Jian have grown to know and love eachother, but Lao Fo Ye does not approve of Xiao Jian, and Qing Er does not wish to displease her. The storyline becomes further complicated when the Emperor takes Xiao Yan Zi and Co., the Empress, Lao Fo Ye, and Ling Fei out on another tour of China. There they uncover scandals, meet a beautiful artist that the Lao Fo Ye takes a liking to (for Yong Qi), meet a mysterious prostitute..... I'll stop here, for that is enough of an intro.

My Opinion:
Frankly, I thought that Tian Shang Ren Jian was not very good. I think it overkilled the whole Xiao Yan Zi factor. Don't get me wrong, she was my favorite in the first two series, but it does get boring to watch her make the same mistakes with etiquette, arrogance, reading, etc. In fact, almost every scene in the first few episodes went like this: Xiao Yan Zi does something slightly funny or slightly interesting; XYZ gives a girlish giggle; everybody around her laughs (one at a time, however, for the camera has to focus on each person laughing). It gets on your nerves after a while. The story does pick up though, and gets somewhat interesting, with new problems for the couples, new characters, problems for Er Kang (he gets in trouble later on in the series), etc. This series does eventually see character development, people grow more mature and less naive. Also, this instalment has a very depressing ending, though I won't say what. Overall, this story overplays the elements in the first Huan Zhu Ge Ge, and in my opinion, just milks the original story for financial gain (much like Huan Zhu Ge Ge II, which I am also not a fan of).

The Actors:

I thought that the cast was okay in this series, it was the script which killed it. Huang Yi did just as good a job as Vicky Zhao playing Xiao Yan Zi, managing to convey the bubbly/fiery character with her own flair. In fact, she played a similar character in another series, called "Shang Cuo Le Hua Jiao Jia Dui Le Lang". She overacted a bit though, and went too far in her facial expressions sometimes; however, Vicky Zhao also made some of the same mistakes. Leo Ku wasn't as good as Alec Su, in my opinion. His acting is a little wooden, and it doesn't help that he looks chronically depressed. Ma Li Yi did a good job as Zi Wei, expressing the character's gentle intelligence very well. Di Long did not do a good job as the emperor, however, being way too dull of an actor. However, it seemed that the character himself also changed, becoming a sulky, easily angered man. One last comment on the cast, Shui Ling plays a small role as a prostitute who only sells her musical/dancing talent. Strangely enough, some people feel insulted (or something to that effect) that Shui Ling is more beautiful than the main actresses. I just find this bizarre. What kind of a reason is that? Xiao Yan Zi and Zi Wei weren't even supposed to be great beauties; they were unique because of their personalities.

Best part of the series:
The cast, they really did try, and it wasn't due to their lack of effort that the show failed (in my opinion).

Worst part of the series:
A tie between the script and the background music (which was neither gratuitously cheerful or dramatic, there was no happy medium, it really failed to enhance the dialogue).

Screenshots:
http://tvcity.tvb.com/drama/heavenly_earth/story/index.html