I loved Go Ahead and its focus on family and friendship. This show is so emotional, and frequently had me laughing out loud and tearing up in the same episode. Every episode was so good and I liked the pace of this show, until the very last episode, which offered a rushed and tidy conclusion. I generally like that c-dramas don't have multiple seasons, but would absolutely watch a second season of this show!

Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and Ziqiu's bond is sweet and moving. Normally I'm eager for the characters to age up, but the childhood and high school episodes are so impactful and well-paced. I love Jianjian's silliness, her love of sweets, and her career as an artist! It's so rare to see a main character who is happily living as an artist. Despite her silliness she's not naive, she's used to diffusing tension and easing pain with humor, and she's a loyal friend who stands up to bullies. I'm a big fan of Tan Songyun, and even more so after this drama, because she excelled at both the humor and the emotional moments. Everyone's favorite character is Jianjian's dad, Li Haichao, who is a big-hearted softie, possibly the most patient, supportive, and understanding parent I've ever seen in a c-drama. Ling Xiao and Ziqiu both suffer from emotional trauma (it'll break your heart), but are able to find joy and love from growing up with Jianjian and her dad. Song Weilong and Steven Zhang both played their roles so well. (I've seen other dramas in which they played the leads, but they had me totally absorbed in their characters here.) I loved the supporting characters, too: Jianjian's friends, Ziqiu's friend, Jianjian's colleague.

Before I started this drama, I was worried about a love triangle, but I was relieved—although there are some unrequited feelings and some misplaced feelings, there's nothing truly frustrating here. The characters are human, so of course there are some emotional outbursts and awkwardness, but everyone reflects over their feelings and actions and faces them maturely. (Definitely no annoying I-won't-give-up/evil-schemer second leads here!) There isn't a strong focus on the romance, but I appreciate that they talked about mental health. I actually would've liked to see more of that storyline, to dig deeper into their relationship. (I am being intentionally vague so as not to spoil who the relationship is between, but I personally think it is pretty obvious from early on in the show.)

The most frustrating aspect of this show? The moms. It's the moms either abandon their children or are too controlling or are never satisfied. This is such a stark contrast to Li Haichao, who, like I said before, is so kind and supportive. Ling Xiao's dad is a workaholic who isn't around but he's upbeat when he's around, so it gets downplayed. (I am skeptical about him unable to take ANY time off during those nine years.) Fortunately, I did feel like some nuance with the moms was explored towards the end. One of the moms has a really heartbreaking character arc and I would've loved to see more of her scenes at the end. There's also a storyline towards the end about another mom that offers a layered, thoughtful reflection. But there's one mom who is truly self-centered and emotionally manipulative, and she was allowed to continue with her behavior for far too long. I can absolutely believe that there are people like her in the world, but it's tough to watch and I dreaded her scenes.

Although this drama is more slice-of-life and relatable, the pivotal moments are really dramatic. A lot occurs in rapid succession and it truly felt like an emotional rollercoaster during those episodes—but Jianjian, Ziqiu, and Ling Xiao are so likable and relatable that I felt invested in their lives. Despite some flaws and missed opportunities (if only there were MORE episodes), I truly loved this show, the cast, characters, and the melancholy but soothing OST.