The Romance of the Condor Heroes 《神雕侠侣》 - Chen Xiao, Michelle Chen

[aiYRong]

[shrang]

I think the best way for me to describe this series is what my dad used to call my essays - a good mess. There are lots of good scenes and lots of good things in general about it. Personally I liked it. However, there were also so many floppy moments in between. All the good stuff are in there, it's just never presented in a consistently good manner. Most of the time, I see a scene which I think is done really well and I start liking the series, then they bomb out with a stinker (happened quite often with the flashbacks), making me dislike it, then come out with another brilliant scene and make me like it again. Best example would be when YG had his arm cut off + XLN finding out about the rapist, which was probably one of the highlights of this series, and then we cut to DGQB's silly concocted love story which ruined all the momentum of the actual plot. It's just one of those things you don't do.

tl;dr - This series is good, but just so inconsistent

[wuxiarocks]

Oddly enough I've enjoyed this from the start, and it ended quite nicely. All in all, not too bad for a YZ adaptation. It could have been worse. This is a definitely a step up.

[krabs]

I really like the last episode .... 10/10 rating , same crying impact on me as BBJX ending.

[Yongxiu]

So, it ended. I would miss it. I always enjoy watching ROCH, it's my favourite novel and I really really love this version. A lot of scenes are really touching. Thank you for all of production team and the actors especially Chen xiao and Michelle chen, I really love you guys---Guo er and Long er --always have you guys with me for these past three months, now have to say goodbye.

Until we meet again.
神雕侠侣

[Whatisthis]

I think the best way for me to describe this series is what my dad used to call my essays - a good mess. There are lots of good scenes and lots of good things in general about it. Personally I liked it. However, there were also so many floppy moments in between. All the good stuff are in there, it's just never presented in a consistently good manner. Most of the time, I see a scene which I think is done really well and I start liking the series, then they bomb out with a stinker (happened quite often with the flashbacks), making me dislike it, then come out with another brilliant scene and make me like it again. Best example would be when YG had his arm cut off + XLN finding out about the rapist, which was probably one of the highlights of this series, and then we cut to DGQB's silly concocted love story which ruined all the momentum of the actual plot. It's just one of those things you don't do.

tl;dr - This series is good, but just so inconsistent

I have to agree with you. With better editing this drama could have been a more polished product. It went off on tangent way too many times, such that the actual storyline was lost in the process.

[luna_lucid]

I think the best way for me to describe this series is what my dad used to call my essays - a good mess. There are lots of good scenes and lots of good things in general about it. Personally I liked it. However, there were also so many floppy moments in between. All the good stuff are in there, it's just never presented in a consistently good manner. Most of the time, I see a scene which I think is done really well and I start liking the series, then they bomb out with a stinker (happened quite often with the flashbacks), making me dislike it, then come out with another brilliant scene and make me like it again. Best example would be when YG had his arm cut off + XLN finding out about the rapist, which was probably one of the highlights of this series, and then we cut to DGQB's silly concocted love story which ruined all the momentum of the actual plot. It's just one of those things you don't do.

tl;dr - This series is good, but just so inconsistent

I couldn't agree morw with this.
Honestly, I have many problems with this show, such as accepting MC as XLN, YG-XLN's chemistry , several secondary characters like the Mongolian heroes and ZBT, etc2. I also really dont like how YZ represented YG's bratty, cunning, and playboy sides. There are many times when I wanted to drop the show, and I finally did it when we reached the Loveless Valley part (the flashback). But then, I read people's comments that it went better, so I watched it again at the part when Xiangyang was attacked and YG got poisoned. Yes, it did get better..but then I dropped it again at DQB's flashback and XLN+ZBT's part. And so on and so on.

Just like shrang said, this series is inconsistent. There are parts that are done well while there are some that are really annoying (and it's not just the additional part who is not in the novel). Just when you expect it turned good, it became disappointing, but then it became better again. I think the problem is mostly in directing and script.

Personally, it was Chen Xiao that had kept me watching. I skipped the part when his YG was too bratty or too weird for me to watch, and the rest is really good. I really wish to watch him again someday with better script and directing. Other than him, there are secondary characters that I really like, such as Guo Xiang, YG's teenage acquintances (such as LWs, CY, YLC etc), Jinlun Fawang, Guo Jing.

[Steven Chen]

I am going to miss the 30's YG and his gu gu. I have to say that the final few episodes were very good (after he separated with XLN). YZ did not butcher the novel in a bad way and ended it with class. I have to say that Chen Xiao did impress me and he had good chemistry with Michelle Chen.

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[krabs]

I appreciate the background music selection and the little details .... such as the fake snow pellets blowing on the ground at closeup shots to make the filming set "alive".

[DuguBB]

Really a good one they made this time.. The SIDE LOVE stories really gave us all a good view of the personality and feelings of every Villain and heroes we normally don't see.. To my surprise they even gave DUGU QuiBai a Side story.. really awesome.. I must say i really enjoyed it and will miss it because it's over.. Really wondering if they will make a DUGU QUIBAI wuxia story.. to continue Louis Cha's legacy in sake for every Wuxia Lovers.. =)

[Xi Men Chui Xue]

guys, i am confused. according to the book, which hand did Yangguo lost? Was it left or right? thanks

[krabs]

guys, i am confused. according to the book, which hand did Yangguo lost? Was it left or right? thanks

opposite arm of what is depicted in TV drama ...... because the right handed actors can't do fight scenes with their left hand

[luna_lucid]

guys, i am confused. according to the book, which hand did Yangguo lost? Was it left or right? thanks

It was the right arm. If I'm not mistaken, only HXM's version (2006) that portrayed this correctly.

[MrWErD]

As I've always like to say, if half an apple is rotten, is it a good apple or a bad one? This is a series I tried really hard to like, but now that we're at the end, I have to admit that this was a bad apple.

For a normal vanilla series, this was passable, I guess, but for an adaption, this was terrible. Wasn't this supposed to be a wuxia drama. I'm here for the action, thank you very much, not to be beaten blatantly over the head with some angsty message about love and social ties and all that jazz.

There were way too many flashbacks, a majority of the battles were short and unengaging, the female lead was overshadowed, plot points were invented and added and went absolutely nowhere... This series seems to be showing us stuff just for the sake of it, not because it made sense or added to the story in any way. In the end, it's all just dead weight.

Honestly, what made this series even a little bit enjoyable was the cast.

My God, the cast for this year was really good. I'm really wish they had a proper script and a proper direction so they could actually make a proper show. I have to repeat my love for the man who played Guo Jing in this version. You've won me over. I'm a fan. But unfortunately, even they couldn't turn shit into gold.

The problem lies in the execution. They did well with what they had, but even so, most of their dialogues are essentially expositions and a lot of their stuff felt rushed. I also think that too many characters (most obviously Guo Fu) got too attention. While this may help flesh them out, it was at the expense of the main storyline, which was already bare-boned thanks to all those flashbacks. In the end, just about every named character is touched upon a little, but few are actually developed to any notable degree. This is very annoying. And I love Chen Xiao as an actor, but I don't really like him here as Yang Guo. I prayed and hoped that he'll mature since his first appearance, but even at the end, I never really felt that Chen Xiao could pull off a dignified and cool Yang Guo. He's a little more serious and don't talk as much anymore, but that's about it.

I can understand why some people seems to love this series, but for myself, I prefer a more condensed narrative that unfolds naturally, something with a little more focus on the essentials and doesn't have to rely completely on expositions to move the story forward. As the almighty rule went, show me don't tell me.

I hope the next adaption will be done more properly, cause I am very disappointed in this one.

[Xi Men Chui Xue]

As I've always like to say, if half an apple is rotten, is it a good apple or a bad one? This is a series I tried really hard to like, but now that we're at the end, I have to admit that this was a bad apple.

For a normal vanilla series, this was passable, I guess, but for an adaption, this was terrible. Wasn't this supposed to be a wuxia drama. I'm here for the action, thank you very much, not to be beaten blatantly over the head with some angsty message about love and social ties and all that jazz.

There were way too many flashbacks, a majority of the battles were short and unengaging, the female lead was overshadowed, plot points were invented and added and went absolutely nowhere... This series seems to be showing us stuff just for the sake of it, not because it made sense or added to the story in any way. In the end, it's all just dead weight.

Honestly, what made this series even a little bit enjoyable was the cast.

My God, the cast for this year was really good. I'm really wish they had a proper script and a proper direction so they could actually make a proper show. I have to repeat my love for the man who played Guo Jing in this version. You've won me over. I'm a fan. But unfortunately, even they couldn't turn shit into gold.

The problem lies in the execution. They did well with what they had, but even so, most of their dialogues are essentially expositions and a lot of their stuff felt rushed. I also think that too many characters (most obviously Guo Fu) got too attention. While this may help flesh them out, it was at the expense of the main storyline, which was already bare-boned thanks to all those flashbacks. In the end, just about every named character is touched upon a little, but few are actually developed to any notable degree. This is very annoying. And I love Chen Xiao as an actor, but I don't really like him here as Yang Guo. I prayed and hoped that he'll mature since his first appearance, but even at the end, I never really felt that Chen Xiao could pull off a dignified and cool Yang Guo. He's a little more serious and don't talk as much anymore, but that's about it.

I can understand why some people seems to love this series, but for myself, I prefer a more condensed narrative that unfolds naturally, something with a little more focus on the essentials and doesn't have to rely completely on expositions to move the story forward. As the almighty rule went, show me don't tell me.

I hope the next adaption will be done more properly, cause I am very disappointed in this one.

couldn't agree more with you.

[Xi Men Chui Xue]

HXM must be left-handed or he is ambidextrous

[Eastern Heretic]

Considering this is a YZ production I would have to say it was not too bad, way much better than swordsman for sure. He should have castes Chen Xiao as Linghu Chong instead of Huallace Chong. The ending of ROCH was satisfying.

[luna_lucid]

As I've always like to say, if half an apple is rotten, is it a good apple or a bad one? This is a series I tried really hard to like, but now that we're at the end, I have to admit that this was a bad apple.

For a normal vanilla series, this was passable, I guess, but for an adaption, this was terrible. Wasn't this supposed to be a wuxia drama. I'm here for the action, thank you very much, not to be beaten blatantly over the head with some angsty message about love and social ties and all that jazz.

There were way too many flashbacks, a majority of the battles were short and unengaging, the female lead was overshadowed, plot points were invented and added and went absolutely nowhere... This series seems to be showing us stuff just for the sake of it, not because it made sense or added to the story in any way. In the end, it's all just dead weight.

Honestly, what made this series even a little bit enjoyable was the cast.

My God, the cast for this year was really good. I'm really wish they had a proper script and a proper direction so they could actually make a proper show. I have to repeat my love for the man who played Guo Jing in this version. You've won me over. I'm a fan. But unfortunately, even they couldn't turn shit into gold.

The problem lies in the execution. They did well with what they had, but even so, most of their dialogues are essentially expositions and a lot of their stuff felt rushed. I also think that too many characters (most obviously Guo Fu) got too attention. While this may help flesh them out, it was at the expense of the main storyline, which was already bare-boned thanks to all those flashbacks. In the end, just about every named character is touched upon a little, but few are actually developed to any notable degree. This is very annoying. And I love Chen Xiao as an actor, but I don't really like him here as Yang Guo. I prayed and hoped that he'll mature since his first appearance, but even at the end, I never really felt that Chen Xiao could pull off a dignified and cool Yang Guo. He's a little more serious and don't talk as much anymore, but that's about it.

I can understand why some people seems to love this series, but for myself, I prefer a more condensed narrative that unfolds naturally, something with a little more focus on the essentials and doesn't have to rely completely on expositions to move the story forward. As the almighty rule went, show me don't tell me.

I hope the next adaption will be done more properly, cause I am very disappointed in this one.

There are things that I agree on this opinion too.

Recently, I watched several wuxias from previous adaptations ( DGSD, ROCH, HSDS) . They have the things that I found lacking in recent adaptations : great action/ martial art moves and the 'epic' feeling (dunno how to describe this). Watching recent wuxias felt like watching a different kind of romantic dramas. They are good in the romances (bickering, jealousy, kisses) and other melodramatic aspects, but when it comes to action, internal conflict/character developments (and sometimes heroism, bromance, family love), it felt lacking. In my case, one of the examples is the part when YG was hurt and being with LWS and CY. In the story, they had a threat from LMC, and they finally waited for LMC to come. For me, that part felt plain, just like that, without any tension at all and even felt kinda ridiculous (instead of showing the tension on how to deal with LMC, they spoke so quickly like crazy). The part when YG-GJ were escaping from the Mongolian camp was also not impressive enough, while it should show the internal conflict in YG's mind and became an important point on how and why he decided to help GJ. On the other hand, they gave so much attention on the melodramatic parts (some are indeed really impressive and memorable), such as when YG's hand was cut, YG-XLN lovey-dovey scenes, LMC's death, and the additional love stories.

I am one of the people who love wuxias not just for the romance, although I reaaaallly really love the romance of ROCH. That is one of the reasons why I watch this version on and off. I pick the ones that I love and I drop the rest.Considering Swordsman 2013, I think this one is better. It does have plus points and impressive parts. Still, I'm also hoping for another great adaptation.

[suetkei]

Hmm still catching up but did they make the connection that HTQ's wife was the golden wheel monk martial arts sister?

[Mido-Ban]

Hmm still catching up but did they make the connection that HTQ's wife was the golden wheel monk martial arts sister?

I think so. But it doesnt make sense since the gwm isnt old as she is.

All the love story shouldve been just like introduced in beginning of story , cause it really ruins flow of the main story.

Also imo i think 2006 remake is so far best wuxia remake up to a date.