Post by ajk on Jan 30, 2008 13:01:42 GMT -5
I thought #127 was one of the best episodes of the series, or at least of the latter part of the series. Very entertaining, and you really didn’t know how things would unfold so it kept you interested. The writers set up a fairly complex battle situation, which was fun, and there was some good adrenaline stuff too. It was so great to see DJY take down Zhao Renshi—enough of that guy already. DJY just can’t talk trash like Heuk Sedol could, but the way he systematically carved the guy up, you had to admire it. (It was a little like the scene in that Monty Python movie where the obnoxious knight keeps getting limbs severed and still keeps trying to fight!) And let’s face it, any episode with a head in a box is better than an episode with no head in a box, right? And the cliffhanger was a real doozy; it looked like we were finally going to see that final DJY/Kaigu confrontation after all. So I was REALLY looking forward to #128.
And then #128 comes, and it’s a dud. The cliffhanger? Never happened. DJY is just sitting at the table and gets up and leaves. Not the first time the series has blown a cliffhanger, but this one was just disgraceful. And after spending multiple episodes setting up the whole three-path battle scenario, the whole thing immediately evaporates just like that. And we’re supposed to believe that it’s all because Shin Hong had a five-minute conversation with one Khitan, who knows Shin is a traitor and called him one upfront. AAAAUUUGH. The episode wasn’t even put together very well—some of the background music seemed out of place, and there was sloppy editing between several scenes. Even Geumlan’s death should have been better. It was very sad, especially coming right after the kiss scene, but it just seemed so forced. All of those Tang soldiers just stood there; no one ran after them to capture Gulsabiwu? It was like they just made up something quickly to get her out of the way.
There was so much momentum from the good episodes #126 and #127 that I was really hoping the series would keep it up and finish strong. But it’s been so up-and-down that maybe it will rebound again for the last six episodes.
And then #128 comes, and it’s a dud. The cliffhanger? Never happened. DJY is just sitting at the table and gets up and leaves. Not the first time the series has blown a cliffhanger, but this one was just disgraceful. And after spending multiple episodes setting up the whole three-path battle scenario, the whole thing immediately evaporates just like that. And we’re supposed to believe that it’s all because Shin Hong had a five-minute conversation with one Khitan, who knows Shin is a traitor and called him one upfront. AAAAUUUGH. The episode wasn’t even put together very well—some of the background music seemed out of place, and there was sloppy editing between several scenes. Even Geumlan’s death should have been better. It was very sad, especially coming right after the kiss scene, but it just seemed so forced. All of those Tang soldiers just stood there; no one ran after them to capture Gulsabiwu? It was like they just made up something quickly to get her out of the way.
There was so much momentum from the good episodes #126 and #127 that I was really hoping the series would keep it up and finish strong. But it’s been so up-and-down that maybe it will rebound again for the last six episodes.
