Post by mugwump on Jun 6, 2013 18:02:19 GMT -5
I am re-posting my original final thoughts on GQS as well as the Mugwump Awards. After watching this show through a second time, I don't think I would change any of them. I still love this show, and still give it an A+. Especially considering some of the more recent drivel we are being served. (Think King Gwanggaeto, Great King's Dream...)
I'm looking forward to others' reviews.
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Final wrap-up:
Well, well, well. I'm still not sure what to make of the last 12 episodes. For sure, the first 49 were outstanding. However, I found the manner of Mishal's demise to be a let-down. I think the show lost its focus after Mishal died. It seems like the writers just didn't know what to do with Bidam. First we had a time jump and he was portrayed as the head of the local gestapo, chipped way at his rival Yushin, enjoying being cruel and manipulative. Then he decided to give up everything for love, and suddenly Seonduk wanted his love and decided to marry him. And they both got kind of sappy. Then they were being set up as star-crossed lovers.
Bidam is shown with his tragic flaw (spelled out in minute detail by Misaeng and Yeomjong) and dies trying to get back to SD (killing a lot of extras along the way). At least we were spared a contrived double death in each other's arms.
Don't get me wrong, I loved Bidam's complex character, but the last episodes seemed disjointed and flip-floppy.
A nice unexpected touch of the dead SD visiting the young SD.
And I'm glad Yushin got a final scene with SD. He never had any trust issues, did he?
Too bad we didn't get a final real fight between Bidam and Yushin.
Too bad we didn't get to see more bad guys lose their heads.
Speaking of bad guys, what happened to Bojong? He was not accounted for.
Kind of surprising that Chunchu was mostly absent from the final episode.
I was wondering, if they were going to take the show up to her death, how they would deal with Chunchu not being the next king. They got around this by not showing the succession aftermath at all.
I loved all the creativity and surprises in this show and the way they hardly ever resorted to easy formulas. The quality was on such a high level with very little filler. Wonderfully imagined and well-acted characters. Good music. This show gets an A+.
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I’m pretty sure you won’t be seeing these awards on MBC…
Most Flexible Face – Mishil. Never before has so much been conveyed with such subtle body language.
Most Entertaining Character – Mishil, of course. Second place goes to Bidam in his Psycho-Boy era.
The Li Haigu Foundling Award goes to Bidam. A candidate for therapy if ever there was one.
Coolest Character – Munno. We lost him too soon.
Most Missed Character –Cheungmyung. Like Munno, she made her exit much too soon.
The Sacrificial Lamb Award goes to Cheungmyung’s husband. His fate was sealed as soon as he was nominated to be Crown Prince.
Cutest Little Nose – ChunChu.
The Pepsident Award goes to Bidam for having the whitest teeth in Shilla.
The Let’s Go For a Swim Award goes to Deokman for going over a cliff into a body of water 3 times and surviving. Having grown up in the dessert, she apparently didn’t know how to swim. Fortunately there was always someone else there to resuscitate her.
The Pepto Bismol Award goes to Deokman for swallowing 1) a jade die, 2) a letter, and surviving.
Character Most in Need of a Good Smack – Baby Face (the Hwarang who went down with Chilsuk). Second place – Santak.
The Village Idiot Award goes to Hajong. Come to think of it, he could use a good smack too.
The Most Superfluous Character Award goes to Yushin’s wife (I can’t even remember her name, poor woman). I believe she was in all of 4 scenes. She existed only to create drama in one episode, and eliminate Yushin from the royal marriage sweepstakes.
The Spine of Jelly Award goes to King Jipyeung (sp?) He had mass and occupied space, and that was about all.
The Two Left Feet Award goes to Solhwa. Not much in the dexterity or brains department, but plenty of love and loyalty.
The National Geographic Award goes to Munno for putting the Korean peninsula on the map.
The Bill Nye the Science Guy Award goes to Misaeng for his creative use of scientific principles in helping his sister swim to the top of the food chain.
The Chulin Flip-Flop Award goes to the writers. For 40+ episodes Deokman loved Yushin, then in the final 6 it was all Bidam. Huh?
Most Disappointing Death Award goes to Mishil. After 49 episodes of sparring, she goes out with neither a bang nor a whimper. Where’s the catharsis?
Character with the most underused potential –Chilsuk.
The Prell Award goes to ChunChu for his pretty hair.
Best Beard in the Post-Mishil Era – Bojong
Worst Beard – Yushin, poor guy. Bidam is a close second.
The Slimeball Award goes to Yeomjong. Bidam should have killed him much sooner.
The Iron Man Award goes to Yushin for all the beatings he took for the woman he loved.
The See, I’m Not Such a Bad Guy After All Award goes to Seolwan for genuinely loving Mishil.
The Rendezvous with Destiny Award goes to Yushin and ChunChu. Can we have a show, please, showing the unification efforts?
The Incredulity Award goes to Deokman for living in the barracks with a bunch of men for umpteen years without anyone noticing she was a girl. “Hey, lets all go for a pee.” “No thanks, I’m good”.
Best storyline – the solar eclipse.
Worst storyline – no nominees.
Most Annoying Character – no nominees. Thank goodness.
Sappy Music Award – no nominees. Again, thank goodness.
I'm looking forward to others' reviews.
.
.
.
.
Final wrap-up:
Well, well, well. I'm still not sure what to make of the last 12 episodes. For sure, the first 49 were outstanding. However, I found the manner of Mishal's demise to be a let-down. I think the show lost its focus after Mishal died. It seems like the writers just didn't know what to do with Bidam. First we had a time jump and he was portrayed as the head of the local gestapo, chipped way at his rival Yushin, enjoying being cruel and manipulative. Then he decided to give up everything for love, and suddenly Seonduk wanted his love and decided to marry him. And they both got kind of sappy. Then they were being set up as star-crossed lovers.
Bidam is shown with his tragic flaw (spelled out in minute detail by Misaeng and Yeomjong) and dies trying to get back to SD (killing a lot of extras along the way). At least we were spared a contrived double death in each other's arms.
Don't get me wrong, I loved Bidam's complex character, but the last episodes seemed disjointed and flip-floppy.
A nice unexpected touch of the dead SD visiting the young SD.
And I'm glad Yushin got a final scene with SD. He never had any trust issues, did he?
Too bad we didn't get a final real fight between Bidam and Yushin.
Too bad we didn't get to see more bad guys lose their heads.
Speaking of bad guys, what happened to Bojong? He was not accounted for.
Kind of surprising that Chunchu was mostly absent from the final episode.
I was wondering, if they were going to take the show up to her death, how they would deal with Chunchu not being the next king. They got around this by not showing the succession aftermath at all.
I loved all the creativity and surprises in this show and the way they hardly ever resorted to easy formulas. The quality was on such a high level with very little filler. Wonderfully imagined and well-acted characters. Good music. This show gets an A+.
.
.
.
.
I’m pretty sure you won’t be seeing these awards on MBC…
Most Flexible Face – Mishil. Never before has so much been conveyed with such subtle body language.
Most Entertaining Character – Mishil, of course. Second place goes to Bidam in his Psycho-Boy era.
The Li Haigu Foundling Award goes to Bidam. A candidate for therapy if ever there was one.
Coolest Character – Munno. We lost him too soon.
Most Missed Character –Cheungmyung. Like Munno, she made her exit much too soon.
The Sacrificial Lamb Award goes to Cheungmyung’s husband. His fate was sealed as soon as he was nominated to be Crown Prince.
Cutest Little Nose – ChunChu.
The Pepsident Award goes to Bidam for having the whitest teeth in Shilla.
The Let’s Go For a Swim Award goes to Deokman for going over a cliff into a body of water 3 times and surviving. Having grown up in the dessert, she apparently didn’t know how to swim. Fortunately there was always someone else there to resuscitate her.
The Pepto Bismol Award goes to Deokman for swallowing 1) a jade die, 2) a letter, and surviving.
Character Most in Need of a Good Smack – Baby Face (the Hwarang who went down with Chilsuk). Second place – Santak.
The Village Idiot Award goes to Hajong. Come to think of it, he could use a good smack too.
The Most Superfluous Character Award goes to Yushin’s wife (I can’t even remember her name, poor woman). I believe she was in all of 4 scenes. She existed only to create drama in one episode, and eliminate Yushin from the royal marriage sweepstakes.
The Spine of Jelly Award goes to King Jipyeung (sp?) He had mass and occupied space, and that was about all.
The Two Left Feet Award goes to Solhwa. Not much in the dexterity or brains department, but plenty of love and loyalty.
The National Geographic Award goes to Munno for putting the Korean peninsula on the map.
The Bill Nye the Science Guy Award goes to Misaeng for his creative use of scientific principles in helping his sister swim to the top of the food chain.
The Chulin Flip-Flop Award goes to the writers. For 40+ episodes Deokman loved Yushin, then in the final 6 it was all Bidam. Huh?
Most Disappointing Death Award goes to Mishil. After 49 episodes of sparring, she goes out with neither a bang nor a whimper. Where’s the catharsis?
Character with the most underused potential –Chilsuk.
The Prell Award goes to ChunChu for his pretty hair.
Best Beard in the Post-Mishil Era – Bojong
Worst Beard – Yushin, poor guy. Bidam is a close second.
The Slimeball Award goes to Yeomjong. Bidam should have killed him much sooner.
The Iron Man Award goes to Yushin for all the beatings he took for the woman he loved.
The See, I’m Not Such a Bad Guy After All Award goes to Seolwan for genuinely loving Mishil.
The Rendezvous with Destiny Award goes to Yushin and ChunChu. Can we have a show, please, showing the unification efforts?
The Incredulity Award goes to Deokman for living in the barracks with a bunch of men for umpteen years without anyone noticing she was a girl. “Hey, lets all go for a pee.” “No thanks, I’m good”.
Best storyline – the solar eclipse.
Worst storyline – no nominees.
Most Annoying Character – no nominees. Thank goodness.
Sappy Music Award – no nominees. Again, thank goodness.