6
52
3
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Lost in Dramaland
Let's Celebrate Everyday Ordinary Greatness and Heroes
Completed - 6/28/2022
Subjective Rating - 8.5
Objective Rating - could be 9.0+
Watching "Ordinary Greatness" reminds me of two other very realistic dramas, "The Bond" and "Because of Love". Even though these three dramas are very different plot-wise, they depict real life struggles of everyday citizens in China. Here, we follow the journey of four rookie intern cops and their mentors, as they grow and learn from each other, while helping citizens with their everyday problems.
Plot:
There is nothing fancy about this drama. We see real life struggles and somewhat minor crimes (compared to other crime shows). And this is the beauty of the show. Each case that our rookie cops encounter, you see them in your daily lives as well. We know of people who fight because of silly arguments, missing children, sexual harassment, internet scams, burglaries, noisy neighbors, stolen bikes, etc. None of these are big time crimes, and they are probably what each police officer deals with every day in any city, not just in China. I really enjoy the pairing of the mentor/mentee and how they could be so different yet they slowly bond and learn from each other. The pacing of the drama is decent. This is slice-of-life, so it's to be expected that there are slower parts within these 38 episodes. I did lose my focus a little bit towards the second half, but the drama ends on an emotional high note. I do think there are some cases that were resolved by informing the audience instead of showing us.
Similarly to my viewing experience of "The Bond", I came to the conclusion that I cannot fully enjoy dramas with annoying characters that I can't stand. The 8.5 rating is purely based on my enjoyment. Technically speaking, I could see many rate this 9.0+. I am sure there are many unreasonable people complaining to the police about very small things. And I am sure there are mothers out there who are just as annoying as the three in the drama. What I am unsure, is whether this drama over-exaggerates their annoying and despicable factors to create and prolong drama and chaos. Those three mothers (except for Zhang Run Yun/Li Da Wei's mother) drive me up the frigging wall!!!
Acting:
I watch this drama because of Bai Lu and Zhang Ruo Yun, but I am blown away by the veteran actors. Among the younger cast, I think only Zhang Ruo Yun came close to the level of the veterans, and it's probably because his character provided him with ample opportunities to showcase his acting chops. The other three rookies have lesser screen time, even Bai Lu who was listed as part of the main cast. I was expecting to see her more but not a whole lot happened with her. Bai Lu is Bai Lu, so her acting is never bad, but her character is somewhat quiet and her stories have too much of a focus on her mother and not her cases. I'm happy to see Xu Kai Cheng after "Pearl Eclipse" and to see a very different side of him. But big props to veteran actors Wang Jin Chun as the Police Chief, Ning Li as Zhang Ruo Yun's mentor and Zhao Yang as Xu Kai Cheng's mentor. These three veteran actors are amazing and they really help elevate this drama to a different level.
Friendship:
No, there is no romance in this drama. But the friendship between the four rookies is lovely and a breath of fresh air. It's really nice to see honest appreciation of each other without jealousy and rivalry. I was worried that it's going to be another drama where they will be in competition all the time and ended up hating each other. Instead, we get some comic relief and heartwarming moments of them helping each other out in their personal and professional lives.
Production value:
I echo the same sentiments in my review of "Because of Love" - realistic and appropriate sets, costumes and props. There isn't any fancy wardrobe, makeup or apartment. We see realistic portrayal of normal people living within their means. As the drama takes place in a small city, hospitals and accommodations are appropriately designed. We don't see high tech offices or modern-looking hospitals. It's the little things that put you in the right mood. Additionally, I really like the title theme song, "A Little" (一点) sung by Jason Zhang. The perfect song for heartwarming+heartbreaking moments and also the characters busy work life. The best part, no dubbing. All actors use their real voice with a combination of live and studio recordings.
Subjective Rating - 8.5
Objective Rating - could be 9.0+
Watching "Ordinary Greatness" reminds me of two other very realistic dramas, "The Bond" and "Because of Love". Even though these three dramas are very different plot-wise, they depict real life struggles of everyday citizens in China. Here, we follow the journey of four rookie intern cops and their mentors, as they grow and learn from each other, while helping citizens with their everyday problems.
Plot:
There is nothing fancy about this drama. We see real life struggles and somewhat minor crimes (compared to other crime shows). And this is the beauty of the show. Each case that our rookie cops encounter, you see them in your daily lives as well. We know of people who fight because of silly arguments, missing children, sexual harassment, internet scams, burglaries, noisy neighbors, stolen bikes, etc. None of these are big time crimes, and they are probably what each police officer deals with every day in any city, not just in China. I really enjoy the pairing of the mentor/mentee and how they could be so different yet they slowly bond and learn from each other. The pacing of the drama is decent. This is slice-of-life, so it's to be expected that there are slower parts within these 38 episodes. I did lose my focus a little bit towards the second half, but the drama ends on an emotional high note. I do think there are some cases that were resolved by informing the audience instead of showing us.
Similarly to my viewing experience of "The Bond", I came to the conclusion that I cannot fully enjoy dramas with annoying characters that I can't stand. The 8.5 rating is purely based on my enjoyment. Technically speaking, I could see many rate this 9.0+. I am sure there are many unreasonable people complaining to the police about very small things. And I am sure there are mothers out there who are just as annoying as the three in the drama. What I am unsure, is whether this drama over-exaggerates their annoying and despicable factors to create and prolong drama and chaos. Those three mothers (except for Zhang Run Yun/Li Da Wei's mother) drive me up the frigging wall!!!
Acting:
I watch this drama because of Bai Lu and Zhang Ruo Yun, but I am blown away by the veteran actors. Among the younger cast, I think only Zhang Ruo Yun came close to the level of the veterans, and it's probably because his character provided him with ample opportunities to showcase his acting chops. The other three rookies have lesser screen time, even Bai Lu who was listed as part of the main cast. I was expecting to see her more but not a whole lot happened with her. Bai Lu is Bai Lu, so her acting is never bad, but her character is somewhat quiet and her stories have too much of a focus on her mother and not her cases. I'm happy to see Xu Kai Cheng after "Pearl Eclipse" and to see a very different side of him. But big props to veteran actors Wang Jin Chun as the Police Chief, Ning Li as Zhang Ruo Yun's mentor and Zhao Yang as Xu Kai Cheng's mentor. These three veteran actors are amazing and they really help elevate this drama to a different level.
Friendship:
No, there is no romance in this drama. But the friendship between the four rookies is lovely and a breath of fresh air. It's really nice to see honest appreciation of each other without jealousy and rivalry. I was worried that it's going to be another drama where they will be in competition all the time and ended up hating each other. Instead, we get some comic relief and heartwarming moments of them helping each other out in their personal and professional lives.
Production value:
I echo the same sentiments in my review of "Because of Love" - realistic and appropriate sets, costumes and props. There isn't any fancy wardrobe, makeup or apartment. We see realistic portrayal of normal people living within their means. As the drama takes place in a small city, hospitals and accommodations are appropriately designed. We don't see high tech offices or modern-looking hospitals. It's the little things that put you in the right mood. Additionally, I really like the title theme song, "A Little" (一点) sung by Jason Zhang. The perfect song for heartwarming+heartbreaking moments and also the characters busy work life. The best part, no dubbing. All actors use their real voice with a combination of live and studio recordings.
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