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Reviews
Bap Jal Sajuneun Yeppeun Nuna (2018)
Where are the good writers in Korea?
Another example of very skilled actors trying to make a ridiculous script work.
There are no clever plot twist here, just a complete lack of adhesion to the story line and character history for the sake of creating drama that has no continuity with the previously established scenarios.
The constant regurgitation of previous scenes repeated supposedly reflectively, and the obsession with scenes of eating and drinking, (three bottles of red wine between 2 petite females in one sitting), get old fast.
I cannot see the point in writing something that in no way resembles real life situations, while trying to present itself as a real life situation. The characters in this drama establish a personality, only to have them do a 180 degree change as they apparently realize their shortcomings, and then revert back to their spineless, or narcissistic selves. The mother in particular is one of the most awful characters I have come across in a KD and is just filled with hatred and selfishness, yet the daughter goes against all her principles to appease her after finally standing up for herself. This could have been good, but it was slow paced and badly written, and the two inappropriate songs in the sound track on high rotation, (10 times an episode), make it even worse.
I have read the low scoring reviews and they all have the same observations I have made, so I am not too far off the mark. If reviewers are scoring this abysmal excuse for a story 9-10, and are using review titles like, "best Korean drama ever", it will only perpetuate the Korean formula of highly skilled, highly paid actors, combined with writers and soundtracks that must have been sourced with a budget of the remaining $5.
I don't think I can stomach the last 4 episodes.
Eye Love You (2024)
This would fail as a story in any universe
This started off like a cutesy drama/love story with the fantasy premise that the FL can hear peoples thoughts after some meaningless accident. The problem with this whole story is that the writers create completely unrealistic situations such as she must break up with her boyfriend as he will die if she doesn't, because some lame story book that has no real relevance to anything was written by someone who also hears voices. Apparently, and it is never explained why, a person that can hear thoughts can never be in a relationship due to the extreme danger it will bring their partner, and eventually cause their death. Everyone goes into a panic and manage to convince the FL to break up with the guy she is totally in love with because of what is in some picture book. Yeah makes complete sense, (if you are on drugs).
Every character in this drama is over acted and worse than the story lines and acting in Nickelodeon, with only the ML having some redemptive qualities.
These plot lines are so ridiculous, that I am sure the writers must deliberately set out to destroy any possible sense of a believable or credible script, either that or there are two sets of writers, one who come up with a story outline and a second set where they are not allowed to know what the first writers intended for the story plot and have to pad out the last 25-50% of the episodes without any need to adhere to a logical or realistic progression from the previous episodes. This could have been good, not great but good, instead it leave the viewer feeling like they have been treated like a gullible fool for witching to the end.
Chugakusei Nikki (2018)
Only 5 episodes in and doubt I'll be able to stand any more
This started of promising, but started to decline fairly quickly. By episode 5 it was getting ridiculous and totally unbelievable.
Firstly I could understand a Teacher falling for a student in some circumstances, but their first encounter is when he slaps her in the face, then drags her into a sports storage area, then forcefully embraces her in another incident, then drags her onto a train at the station when she was supposed to be dropping him off and returning to her duties! Yeah, who could resist those kind of advances? ANY NORMAL PERSON!!! While all this is going on her fiance is being seduced by his sexual predator female boss, who apparently is some kind of guru who can see the future and already knows how their live are going to play out at first meeting, yet she herself, although being bi-sexual, cannot hold any kind long term relationship.
The young female teacher, has absolutely no sense of responsibility to her teaching duties and has allowed a fifteen year old student, (who looks 20), to physically manhandle and inappropriately touch her with no consequence at all. If this was written by a skilled writer who was conscious of the story being credible and believable, it may have worked, but every scene so far has me asking, "in what universe would something like this ever happen?"
Daily Dose of Sunshine (2023)
very strong acting and good story line
Most of the reviews I leave on IMDB are fairly scathing as I feel the need to vent after being subjected to script writing that assume the viewer is of such low intelligence as to believe story lines that make no sense, are unrealistic and have no thread of continuity to the previously presented events.
That said I felt Daily dose of sunshine, while quite depressing, was well written, really well cast and acted in a way that made the characters believable. Park Bo-young did an amazing job of portraying someone who had lost their mind and was convincing to the point where I felt a genuine empathy for her situation and how helpless she would have felt in an involuntary role reversal from nurse to patient. Not knowing first hand the Korean culture, I would hope that in reality the Koreans are more forgiving than they are made to appear in most K dramas. It was interesting how the family members of patients, refused to accept a well respected nurse who had suffered a (momentary) mental disorder and demanded her removal when she returned to duty. The first thing that came to my mind was, "Is that how you expect your family members to be treated when they try to re-integrate into society?" Fortunately, this was addressed in this light and the FL was vindicated and supported by the staff. It was a pleasant change to watch a KD that seamed to follow a planned plot line to a reasonably satisfying end. I do recommend this.
Strong Girl Nam-soon (2023)
This is a zero
As much as there are parts in the script of the original "Strong Girl" that I dislike, it was a bit of a comic masterpiece and it was hard not to fall in love with Bong Soon. Nam Soon is all over the place. The story is unbelievable even in accepting the fantasy of the premise. Nam Soon is a cross between Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo, (who's character was perfect for that drama), and someone on drugs. The time wasted on displaying the opulence of the grandmother and the mother are annoying and unnecessary. This is even worse that the Batman series that was deliberately cheesy and camped up. Nam Soon becoming involved in undercover work is totally unbelievable as she makes no attempt to be discrete or hide her super natural strength as Bing Soon did. When Bong Soon loses her power due to an act that saves the life of an innocent victim, because an innocent person gets injured in the process, it did not add up with the so called rules of conduct for the family power, yet in this story where the same rules apply, the grandmother can throw her husband across the floor in a busy airport, putting him in hospital and nothing happens to her power. Everything about this drama is annoying, the writing is abysmal, that acting is second rate and the story not entertaining on any level. I also find it hard to watch Kim Jung Eun, who's looks are way too artificial and fake. The over the top clothes that the mother and grandmother wear is nauseating to say the least.
And speaking of nauseating, what is the purpose of Nam Soon's brother consuming huge amounts of food in every scene, as if he is part of an Olympic eating team that he is training for. Is that supposed to be funny or entertaining in some universe. The only things that gets me through an episode is the fast forward button. Please Korea, get someone who can write a story!!!!!!!!!!!
Update! After completing this series, I am amazed at how much worse each episode was able to be. Surely someone on the production team is competing to produce the worst sequel to ever be made. It would seem the main priority was product placement and over acting. (Check!) The ending had no resolve and I know I could never stomach another episode, so please, no series 2!
All I can say about Strong Girl Nam-soon is, it is like a house that once completed needs to be immediately condemned and demolished!!!
Neoui Sigan Sogeuro (2023)
Another one where the writers have no accountablility
Since I had nearly finished this review and IMDB somehow wiped all my text before I could submit it. I will keep this short.
Started off with a good idea, but ended like a 1000km road trip with 800km worth of fuel for the journey.
Even with the story line being about time travel, where there is very little requirement for the story to make sense, it made zero sense with a million plot holes.
The ending was absolute rubbish and contradicted information in previous episodes. How Korea can produce so many good actors and almost no good writers should be addressed. Of course as long as viewers rate rubbish like this at 10/10, nothing will change.
Nooni Booshige (2019)
This has to be one of the worst
This started off showing some real promise, but very quickly became depressing and unsatisfying, that is until the 10th episode where it became so bad it was pretty much not worth watching the end. I cannot understand how the Koreans seem blessed with some of the best actors around, coupled with the worst writers on the planet. I watched through 10 episodes of building a story line, only to find that the episodes I had just watched had no relevance to the real story. The story line twist made no sense, did not work, and made me feel cheated like I just watched 10 episodes of a 12 episode drama, and then went straight to the 11th episode of a completely different story. There were so many story lines that had no explanation or resolve. The Mother becomes the daughter, the husband becomes the doctor, who strangely no one notices the resemblance when the husbands photo and the doctor are present on the same day. The father who is now the son, finally realizes after 60 years that his daughter who is now his mother actually did love him and after being totally expressionless for the whole 12 episode now cries like a baby. This was like watching a semi competent artist do a painting and then have the last 10% of it finished be a pre-school kid. I just hope someone will read my review and save themselves the pain of watching such a disappointing drama.
Mitaraike, Enjou Suru (2023)
Why the pointless and ridiculous twist
We watched this and although right from the start it was a pretty senseless plot, we persevered and were hoping for a satisfying ending.
The pace of the plot revelations were a bit off as well. For someone to wait 13 years for their revenge, only to confront the perpetrator with very few real facts, made no sense.
The final episode must have been given to another writer, (possibly a junior school student), who had no idea of the original plot and was told to just end it somehow.
So the main antagonist, who lies, gaslights, steals, is an attention seeking narcissist, and ruins her sons lives by controlling them and robbing them of their self esteem, is somehow painted as a sacrificial mother who just loves her kids in the final 5 minutes. The two daughters who were robbed of their mother, their father, and their home by the antagonist and her family, both end up in relationships with the two sons. The father was a horrible weak, and spinless character, who abuses his first wife, and is then convinced by the jealous so called friend of his wife's that his wife deliberately burned down the house. He then evicts his wife and two daughters, marries the jealous friend who is no where near as attractive or genuine as his wife, the goes 13 years without contacting his daughters. After all this, he just carries on with his life as if nothing happened, and the gaslighting ex wife becomes a hit on social media again. This is genius writing if your goal is to make the story as unbelievable as possible and make the viewer regret the time spent watching the series.
Je-3-ui Mae-ryeok (2018)
This was slow, badly written, and boring
This started out promising great things but quickly showed that it lacked a story line and was filled mostly with scenes of cooking preparation. Do the writers sit around and brainstorm, " how can we get as many cooking scenes into this drama? I know, we will make the lead character change his profession as a police chief to a chef"
There was no pace in this series, the decisions made be the characters made absolutely no sense, and the sub plots went nowhere. What little content there was to the story line was depressing and slow.
I have watched this with great pain to episode 15 and I am sure that episode 16 will be a major disappointment as many have already stated. I cannot understand why the great acting talent of Korean actors is so wasted on weak writing and ridiculous story lines.
I rarely find fault in Korean acting, but it is super rare to find a good well written story with a satisfying conclusion.
Doctor Cha (2023)
Another pointless story with horrible characters
I am not sure why, but it is appearing to be more and more obvious that although Korea seems to possess some of the best actors in the world, it is also home to the lowest possible standard of writing.
When it would seem the only plot development that the writer can come up does not suit the already established personally of a lead character, no problem, just get the character to change personality, no one will notice, and it seems that the viewers giving 10/10 ratings do not. There are some good plot ideas here, but they are ruined by no real reference to anything already established in the story. What is the point of watching/reading a story when most of what you now know about the story is no longer relevant. I would suggest just watching the last episode of Korean Dramas, as the last episode never makes sense after watching 16 episodes anyway, so save yourself some time.
Addendum:
After watching this till the end, I cannot understand how these Korean writers can stay working. There is totally no consistency with the characters, the many plot ideas go nowhere, and the characters that you grow to despise for their narcissistic behavior are still unchanged at the end and have not received any consequence for their despicable actions. The final scene where there is supposed to be some kind of "we all just love each other" moment, is ridiculous, and out of place given the previous 15 episodes. There were so many times I had to fast forward to continue watching as the scenes and characters were to painful to watch. This was a real dud!!
The Good Bad Mother (2023)
A very depressing Korean Drama
I am only at the third episode and have already considered moving on many times. The Korean formula for portraying the lead characters as honest, caring and valuable members of the community, only to have them suffer great tragedy, betrayal, and harm usually by those closest to them is becoming tiresome. This is made worse by the series conclusions where there is very little justice if any and is a very unsatisfying outcome for the viewer. (especially after 16 or more episodes) The highly corrupt police, prosecutors, and politicians, are working their way to greater career heights, while betraying the people they are supposed to serve and when caught, are given a very lenient punishment, give they have usually committed murder. I do not understand how viewers can suffer this kind of voyeurism into tragedy and call it 10 out of 10 entertainment.
Yeolyeodeolui Soongan (2019)
A refreshingly well writen and satisfying Korean drama
I thought i should write a review for this as so many of the Korean dramas I have watched recently are all 100% drama and 0% story line. While some of the characters actions were not really that believable, for the most part the story actually made sense and built to a conclusion as the episodes progressed. The acting was a very high standard and it was nice to see that although the main character was subject to bullying and disadvantages, he demonstrated a strength of character that gave the viewer hope he would triumph in the end. To many Korean story lines promote the idea that people of lower class deserve to be treated badly and the wealthy have every right to exploit the poor or those of lower status. At least I felt a sense of resolve at the end of Moment at Eighteen rather than the usual sense of outrage at wasting time on 14 episodes of frustration followed by 2 episodes that present like they had been written by a 4 year old.
The Interest of Love (2022)
Another one where they hand over the writing to the gardener
Like many of the K drams we have watched over the past few months, this had promise in the first episode, but turned to rubbish after that. What is it with these writers? Do they think it is some kind of badge of honor to have a story dragged out over 16 episodes with no plot? Is there some kind of credibility to never have a story line resolve, especially when it makes no sense from the first episode. When am I going to get to the end of a series and go, "that was great" instead of, "are you kidding me!!!!" While most Koreans are gifted actors and actresses, the writers are among the worlds worst and have absolutely no idea how to write a story that explains why you have just spent 16 episodes thinking that the writer had a reason in mind why the characters behave the way they do. The interest of love is down there with the worst and is evident in the amount of 1 out of 10 reviews.
Deo geullori (2022)
the second series will be the crowning or undoing of this drama
The Glory while having what I would classify as unnecessary violence and assault scenes, shows the perpetrators to be some of the worst and most callus villains portrayed in Korean drams so far.
It seems strange that such awful people can exist without being criminally charged for the violent attacks on the victims, leaving one dead and the other permanently and badly physically scarred for life. That said, I found the writing to be clever and leading towards a (hopefully) satisfying conclusion with a very complex plot line. The acting that makes the characters believable and sets a tone of tension and intrigue to the experience. The second season may make or break this series for me as in my previous experience with Korean dramas, the writers let the story down in the final episodes after building the expectation for 10 or more episodes. It is like watching someone make a mess for 8 hours, then sweeping the whole lot under a rug and going "look what I great job I did cleaning up" Lets hope this series does not end like that.
Hwan Hon (2022)
Rubbish. must have had a different writer for each episode
After investing in 30 episodes, I am stunned when i see viewers give this a 10/10 review. Continuity in the story line was such a low priority they even changed lead actress in season 2. (to the detriment of the series)
I get so frustrated with there being no adherence to the story line , the character's personalities, or the rules the writers created in previous episodes. The villains are never held accountable when their evil deeds are exposed and somehow seem to not only dodge punishment but appear in the following episode as holding a higher position of trust. By contrast the good guys agree to put themselves through unnecessary dangerous trials with nothing to gain and everything to loose.
The story lines were overly complicated and made no sense, (even in the fantasy world it was set in), and even though they went to great lengths to try and explain/justify the events, the rules did not apply when it suited the writers to forget them. Master Lee was portrayed in the first introduction as a true guru/master but was neutered to a weak unimportant and disposable part of the story. Nearly every major character dies and the writers somehow justify their return to the living. Unfortunately, in Korean dramas now, there seems to be a trend of starting with a great idea and then handing the writing over to the least skilled people they can find to finish the series. I feel sorry for the actors who always seem to do an admirable job with the poor material they have been handed.
Chungchungirok (2020)
One of the worst KD I have watched.
Record of youth had potential but went absolutely nowhere.
All the characters were annoying, self interested, and shallow.
Each episode was perpetuated by introducing drama that any normal person would have said enough, and changed path, but every single character in this except for Park BoGum and his grandfather were infuriating and did not develop or change for the better over the 16 episodes. Right till the final episode that resolved nothing, all the intolerable people were still the same and had not improved or got their just deserts.
If I want to see people behaving badly without consequence, I will watch the news rather than this poorly written excuse for entertainment.
There should be a penalty for Kdrama writers who drag out one episode of content over 16 episodes.
Dalriwa Gamjatang (2021)
Great for 15 episodes, final episode detroys everything
I won't go into the whole story, but it is basically 15 episodes of a few people of good character and the rest ranging from super entitled self centered selfish people, to devious criminal narcissists. Rather than the antagonists getting their just deserts in the final episode, they all got off scott free showing that evil wins in the end. The writing for the last episode is akin to asking a criminal to decide their own sentence, where every evil character is pretty much congratulated for their actions.
In contrast to the end, there was a nice build over the episodes of the characters and the humor built well with some genuinely funny moments.
The final episode ruined the experience of the previous 15 episodes and was extremely unsatisfying, it was almost as if the writers had all walked out and were replaced by juvenile illiterates. Really Really Bad!!!
Bombam (2019)
Started Ok ened one of the worst
Soundtrack was awful, 2 songs on high rotation and inappropriate for the mood of the scene. The outfits of the lead actress were revolting. It would seem that almost everyone in this series was narcissistic to the point of being extremely dangerous and yet the lead actress never tells her ex fiance that it is over because there is nothing good about him and the story drags on and on and the sound track drags on and on. We fast forwarded quite a bit of the last episodes as it was getting intolerable. My main criticism of this and a lot of Korean dramas is that you have to tolerate despicable characters and their actions, (usually against the innocent), only to find that they get a get out of jail free card in the last episode as was the case here. The utterly manipulative and vindictive ex after making his ex's life a misery, is seen in the last episode with a beautiful girl who want to marry him, so he ends up with position, power, wealth and a beautiful wife of convenience. This was written in the style of an office worker who wastes their whole day and then leaves when something important has to be done because it is their break. One Spring Night was 15.5 episodes of ridicules and unbelievable scenarios that were not resolved in the final half of the last episode, rather just dismissed. I am stunned that people would post that they would watch it again. Utter rubbish!!!!
Battleground Melbourne (2022)
An accurate acount of what we lived through in Melbourne
When I first saw the trailer it was hard to contain the emotion because it was not fiction, it was a snapshot of our lives. I watched the movie on the day of it's release and I was a little taken back by how much of the reality of what happened had been suppressed in my memory. To see filmed evidence of what the citizens of "The Most Livable City in The World" were subject to was very confronting. Topher Field has done an amazing job of producing a documentary that is showing the truth that was not only not reported by the mainstream media, but was deliberately distorted by MSM. The protests that clearly had 100,000 plus attendees were always reported as 10,000 at best. Having witnessed most of the events in this film first hand, I can vouch for it's accuracy and urge everyone to give it a view with an open mind. Those that ignore the past are destined to repeat it!
Sa-rang-ha-neun eun-dong-ah (2015)
Story line takes a nose dive toward the end.
If you would like an outline of the story "spasek" has a very well written review in the reviews here, but I would like to add my reasons for my intense dislike of how this drama played out.
First up I have to say that I am so frustrated by the union of such brilliant acting with such poor script writing.
Mostly the characters are thrust into such ridiculous scenarios with the actors doing their best to make it believable, but it just leaves me really dissatisfied following a story that has little realistic continuity.
My biggest problem with this K drama and many others is that evil is often rewarded or gets a free pass while good people suffer and are often only consolation prize winners, rather than "truth wins in the end" type conclusions.
My Love Eun Dong was one of the worst offenders I have seen so far.
Eun Dong is subject to pressure from uncaring foster parents and hopeful potential in-laws who despite her feelings to the contrary want her to marry a man she has zero interest in. She only goes out with him in the first place to avoid the angry beatings from her step father. The so called boyfriend is told by Eun Dong that she has reconnected with the love of her life, so he then deliberately drives his car at speed into a truck, disabling himself in the process, (that for the next 10 years he blames her for), and tricks her into marrying him as she now has lost her memory as a result of the accident. He then lies that the baby Eun Dong was carrying at the time was his, and spends the next 10 years raising him as his own.
The big problem here is that when he gets found out, instead of coming clean, the lies continue and he publicly ruins the reputation of all the innocent parties.
This is all pretty typical drama, but the lying scumbag boyfriend, suddenly becomes the hero because he was a good father to the boy while the real father was awol only due to the evil deeds the now husband has committed.
Almost every confidant from the real father's Dad to his sister sympathies with the evil husband because he has been such a great father. It is like someone who steals a car and gets caught with it 10 years later and the Police go, " well he kept it serviced and washed for the past 10 years he is now the rightful owner now, we can't take it from him.
Don't get me started on the evil "President" Who sleeps with the private detective who is recording every move of Hyunsoo, who she is obsessed with, but would happily destroy him completely rather than lose him to someone else. After destroying Hyunsoo's reputation, business and career, we are prompted to feel sympathy for her because she loved him so much.
Please do not waste time on what should be and could have been a real feel good drama, unless you find it satisfying to see evil prosper.
Gyeolhongyeyak (2016)
This is head and shoulders above most K Dramas
I love K dramas and they are now pretty much all my wife and I watch on TV, but I have been so disappointed with some of the series we have watched lately that I have left reviews attacking the poor and lazy writing that have made them almost unwatchable.
This is far from the case with Marriage contract.
The name and plot description are not really inviting, but we were pleasantly surprised by how well this series was put together. Firstly, the acting was excellent with the lead character and her 7 year old daughter being totally believable in every scene and all the other actors well cast and played.
The thing that set this apart from the typical K drama was that although it was 16 episodes, it was well paced with no artificial scenarios thrown in for the sake of stretching the story unnecessarily. Even though there were characters who were highly dis-likable, they were believable in their actions and responses.
The ending was not the desired outcome for the viewer but was still handled well and it seamed real and left the viewer with acceptable closure.
Everyone involved with this should be proud.
Cinderellawa Ne Myungui Gisa (2016)
Frustrating but I did enjoy it
The cast were really great in this even though I get very tired of the Korean stereotype "full of myself" rich boy.
The story line was original enough although still adheres to the typical K-drama format. The thing I always find difficult with these dramas is that all the horrible acts that are committed, usually to the protagonist, are trivialized in the final episode. As someone posted in their review, "it is all about forgiveness", is one way of judging the outcome, but really? Do you make up with the woman that just tried to get you removed from the leadership role in your own company while you are dying due to the need of a liver donor, and she claims she was looking for a donor while stealing everything from under you? The daughter that is abused, slapped in the face by her own father, before he evicts her from her family home after being treated worse than any hired help would tolerate by her step mom and sister, and then informs her that she is not even his real daughter. Then they all make up, it was just a misunderstanding. The rich boy who destroys the girl who loves him at every turn, why?, because he was there when her brother was killed. ??? Then confesses how much it hurt him to reject her and declares his undying love for her while still treating her like garbage. I just don't get the Korean attitude in so many of these dramas where the male is made out to be some kind of victim because he feels attracted to a girl so the girl should suffer. (well it's her fault after al!)
The Korean actors seem to me to be among the best in the world especially when it comes to emotion scenes. The writers main skill seems to be making a promising 3 episode story decompose over 16 episodes.
Naemsaereul Boneun Sonyeo (2015)
This could have been great
I won't go into too much detail here, but this started off looking really interesting and not as rigidly following the typical K-dramas formula that is starting to get a bit old.
My biggest problem was that it became more predictable as the episodes mounted up and the situations that were supposed to be nail biters, were so unnaturally manufactured for the sake of drama, I was beginning to hate having to finish watching an episode. The police were unconvincingly clumsy and incompetent, while the serial killer was depicted as being 10 steps ahead of everyone and was equally unbelievable. (the acting was actually first class, but the writing let it down totally). The supernatural ability to see smells is almost non existent during the 13 episodes I have watched so far, where the writers could have made some really interesting plot developments, but it just did not happen. I am at the end of episode 13 and not sure I have the stomach to persevere through the plot holes big enough to drive a house through, and combined with the fact that the last few K-dramas I have watched spend 15 episodes showing how evil the antagonists are only to have them slip away quietly with little or no consequence. While there are few K-dramas that I get to the end of and think, "That was really great", I usually persevere and just accept it for what it is, light entertainment, but frustration with the writing takes away any entertainment value. Don't waste your time.
Sikeurit Gadeun (2010)
1st Korean drama I have not liked
I was disappointed that the common theme here was that people could be bullied by others of power or status and there were no consequences, in fact the opposite.
How Gil Ra-im could fall for guy who felt like a victim because he fell for her and treated her like trash, insulting her all the time is beyond belief and only perpetuates misogyny. Kim Joo-won seemed to be depicted as the hero in spite of his total arrogance and bully tactics, yet the more likeable and honorable characters were portrayed as insignificant and unimportant. The secret garden itself seemed to have no real significance other than one scene. The whole class distinction rich kid/poor kid that is the common thread in most Korean dramas and is usually satisfyingly put right when the protagonists end up valuing each other as human beings was no resolved here at all in my opinion. The Mother who was an absolutely disgusting person continued on with no remorse,Yoon Seul never repented for her horrible treatment of those she considered beneath her or her enemies and yet they al lived happily ever after, I don't think so. Way too long, badly written, and story lines and characters not believable. "Crash landing on you" was everything this wasn't but wanted to be.
Major Crimes (2012)
How the great have fallen
My wife and I have watched every episode of the Closer at least 6 times now in succession and still love the way the writers and actors deliver an engaging story while having some genuine comic relief in serious and believable plot lines. Major Crimes on the other hand have stooped to the level of completely unbelievable story lines and scenarios due to what would seem just pure laziness from the writing team. The last episode I watched was pretty much the last straw for me.
A guy is found dead in a tree, who as it turns out was pushed out of a helicopter, yet somehow remains completely intact except for a wound where he was impaled on a branch. The rest of the episode is taken up with the Deputy Medical Examiner pretending to run Major crimes because his father, whom he has lied to about his status, is over from Italy and is conveniently allowed to tag along with a Police murder investigation and the whole squad wholeheartedly goes along with this farce. Detective Sanchez brings his foster son along to the crime scenes and police station because with all his free time as a detective who is single he is the best option for a foster father. Flynn then consults the totally superfluous Rusty, on how he should pop the question, (because Rusty would know so much about relationships), to Captain Sharron Raydor, (who in no way resembles anything of the character she was in The Closer). And somehow if all this is not stupid enough, they manage to randomly insert Camryn Manheim to create some much needed annoying friction, who has no relevance at all to the story line but they must figure that everyone hates her already so they they don't have to come up with a relevant reason for the "Bad Cop" character.
In the Closer the squad were committed to solving crime, in Major Crimes it would seem that the Police station is there as a community meeting place where people come and go as they feel, regardless if it has the slightest thing to do with police work , and they are consistently trying to divert the audiences attention away from hollow story lines with irrelevant reasons why characters like, Gus, Rusty, Mark, etc, can appear in the show.
If the writers could come up with gripping plots without the unnecessary meaningless filler that they are using to allow each episode to fill it's time slot, then maybe no one would notice Andy Flynn with his health problems and obvious distractions from doing his job by being an item with his boss, and Provenza, who's main claim to fame apart from being over 100 years old is that he has this huge list of the things he DOESN'T do, and the rest of the squad who also seem to have very few redeeming features.
It is always so sad when a series exists purely on it's past reputation and becomes a shadow of it's original conception. Chicago PD is a far better show in the genre and hopefully will stay on top, but given that Chicago fire is now struggling for ideas and repeating previous story lines I am not confidant there will be another show like the Closer that ran seven seasons and still finished strong.
I am afraid that if we keep accepting these once great shows when all they offer in their later seasons is poor and lazy writing, we will be paving the way for entertainment to consist solely of cheap reality shows where the host eventually becomes President of the USA. Now that would never happen..............
Thought I would add some comments after watching the first three episodes of series 6. Just when I thought they had gone pretty much as low as they could with this show, season 6 really dropped the bar in a big way. Rusty's role has become even more irrelevant with him appearing in scene just to hand DDA Hobbs a coffee. The dialogue between the characters has gone from verging on ridiculous to totally stupid, where no-one can complete a statement, it takes four people to finish one sentence. The new chief is hopeless and does not have 1% of the credibility or character depth of Will Pope, It would seem that the cast now is made up of people that someone owes a favor to, as most of the characters are superfluous to the story line, yet they keep bringing in more, (an expert in missing children who is now permanent, ??, the FBI agents who are portrayed as incompetent, DDA Hobbs) Why are they there?? The only thing worse than the acting is the writing. there is no humor, clever plot twists, or believable drama. The only redeeming factor will be if Philip Stoh returns and kills them all and becomes Rusty's new love interest. Oh and by the way, nice of them to explain why, (again) Provenza charges the Major Crimes team to use his printer, and the reason Brenda has no interest in Philip Stroh, is she is too busy. I bet the writers thought long and hard about those story line. I was overjoyed to hear the show has been axed and it would seem they are going out on the lowest note possible. Hopefully The Closer and Major crimes will never again be associated together in the same universe.