Legend of Zang Hai
Top-tier cinematography, impeccable acting, and a story so well-written it's actually a bit scary :D
This show managed to be many things all at once, without losing its very essence - a deep study on human nature, with all the goodness and all the vices, through the eyes and heart of Zang Hai, who's on a path of vengeance but never manages to get rid of his kind heart completely (and good for him).
In that regard, the show chose a more hopeful approach with streaks of bright light piercing the murky waters of the whole premise. Actually, nothing in the beginning even hints that it will be a story about choosing good over evil in a setting that thrives on ambiguity, moral shadiness, and a well-thought-out revenge mission that is, first and foremost, that, and all other, less bleak, pieces of the puzzle follow much, much later, shedding some light in the darkness and even going as far as introducing (although carefully) the concept of love that can actually save a man's soul, if he's willing to let it.
I was actually thinking the story would go along that darker path, but wasn't disappointed when it didn't. For all the murders and awful things that Zang Hai's family endured, and all the sacrifices they and he himself made, the show brings up a very important question - what happens after that revenge takes place? Is there a life, a mere existence, or do you simply go out in style, give it your all, and cease to exist along with those enemies of yours?
It was interesting to see Zang Hai searching for that answer himself, and his teachers kind of encouraged him to have that broader perspective, because despite their mission, they grew to deeply care about him, and what family wouldn't want their boy to lead a better, healthier life, when all is finished? But that leads to another great point in the show - no one ever tries to stop Zang Hai from taking his revenge, even his newly acquired love interest, which nearly breaks free from the trope of 'love saves all' or 'I can fix him with my love'. But it does make him a better man, by giving him another meaning to life that isn't only revenge and all those darker things. So after everything is said and done, he can actually go on with his life - that's something not many characters on a path of vengeance can boast in Cdramaland.
Xiao Zhan is absolutely stunning as Zang Hai - his acting is off the charts in this show. The level of cinematography is striking, it's as if you're watching a very long, beautifully made movie. It feels grown-up, and very mature as far as production is concerned. The plot is just mad - that's how good it is. Impeccable writing with some delicious plot twists towards the end. The whole 'demon warrior' premise seemed a bit iffy at first, but it served its purpose as a plot instrument to highlight the various aspects of human nature and the choices people made when faced with supposedly immense power that could help them conquer the whole world. So I let it slide and just accepted it as that - something that fueled the whole story.
You rarely see such well-made gems come out in Cdramaland, with a main character so conflicted and with such depth that allows the actor to give it their all, and then some. Zhou Qi as Zhuang Zhi Xing was also spectacular. The whole arc with Zhuang Lu Yin was just gut-wrenching and nail-biting and striking in all aspects - and still it managed to depict the humanness of all those godawful people, as a sort of representatives of those upper circles of society who were shaped by their environment (on one hand, and on the other, they still made some horrendous choices and were horrifying people deep down inside).
It's a truly impressive show, and a bit of a joyless ride, but the story is compelling enough to keep you on the edge, eager to see more of it.
