The Untamed

At first, I almost gave up after the first few episodes, but I'm so glad I gave this series a chance. Fifty episodes later, I'm still obsessing over not only the two lead characters but also the actors who embodied them. I haven't read the novel nor seen the anime version, so there were no expectations going in. I won't go into the story as so many others have already done so. I'll just provide my opinion only.

The various plot lines held no big secrets--predictable and routine for a xianxia story with often long drawn scenes which didn't make sense nor push the plot through. The CGI was under par but did the job. What held it together and won me over was the ever so strong chemistry between the two leads, supported by a very talented supporting cast. The BL arc didn't hit me until I did my research. I initially interpreted it simply as brotherhood love, strong friendship and bonding between soulmates (not in the romantic sense) that has been written in so many wuxia novels that came before this one. Then after reading reviews and other info, I had to go back and rewatch episodes to pick up on what really was happening. The longing gazes, the tortured internal conflicts, the array of emotions unspoken but seen through the slightest smile or nod or simple act...these little crumbs spoke volumes if you understand what's going on. Rematching and looking for these clues were Eureka! moments for me. I actually really appreciated the fact that, due to censorship or not, the production portrayed this aspect of BL so subtlety and poetically, unlike the in-your-face presentations that would leave nothing to the imagination. Bravo! The actor who portrayed the "ultimate villain and mastermind" behind the plot deserved his own shout-out...his acting was at once convincing yet heartrending! The emotions in which his portrayal evoked literally gave me a vertigo spin.

Here's wishing much success to the two leads in their professional and private lives!! I can't get enough of seeing them together. Don't let the haters win.

I was looking for some Mandarin-language TV show to improve my Chinese, and I stumbled across the Untamed. The actors seemed okay, the scenography was cool and I started watching. However, after just a few episodes, I was so into the story. The relationships between the characters are beautiful, and the story keeps on getting more and more sad but I couldn't stop watching. I really liked the Lan Zhan and Wei Ying relationship. The way Wei WuXian says "Lan Zhan" in the beginning is so enthusiastic and kind of annoying, however - at the end of the series it becomes so gentle and caring. Ironically, the reason I started watching this TV show was just to improve my Chinese. But now I want to improve my Chinese BECAUSE of this series.

Trust me when I say this series is the most perfect blend of fantasy, subtle romance and family drama. Everything about this series has me wanting to rewatch it more than a few times. From the actors Xiao Zhan and Wang YiBo to the cinematography, the costumes, the sets and amazing soundtracks. This series brings me so much joy to watch!

Would highly recommend this series to anyone that wants to appreciate a good Chinese drama.

It's a 9 out of 10 but only because it breaks my heart due to content regulations it can be exactly like the original source. I still think they did and amazing job adapting the script to make it GP friendly. I started the series, and once I started it was really hard to stop. The acting by both main actors, really reflects the original characters, Wang Yi bo totally nailed Lang Wangji, and Xiao Zan left me speechless, he delivered.

I'll admit that I've never read the original story, or seen the animated series, so I was going into this completely blind (basically; all I knew about the series before I watched it was all the guys have long, luxurious hair and fight each other graceful with swords whilst flying through the air... Oh, that and the fact the main two characters are in love...), but I have to say it really exceeded my expectations in many aspects!

I don't think I'm the only one who'll say that the first few episodes are a bit confusing to get into (especially when you're not familiar with the source material) which makes them drag just a little bit. But I'd say if you're feeling this way at the start, definitely try to stick with it! The story continues to get more interesting and intense, as well as things get explained as it goes on! And the characters all go through some really great development through the 50 episodes, which makes them more relatable!

As far as complaints go; my main issue is with some of the ways scenes are filmed and framed, particularly in very emotional scenes... It wasn't necessarily bad or too jarring, but it did pull you away from the immersion a little bit! The cgi isn't the best, but that's to be expected considering this didn't have a massive budget... It wasn't too bad to pull you out of the story, though, so I'd say it wasn't too big of an issue!

The biggest thing I'll commend the series on is something I imagine everyone has already said: that being the handling of the relationship between characters, particularly the main two! It's no secret that this is based on an lgbt ('bl') novel, and that China have strict censorship laws that don't allow depictions of that on screen. However, the producers and scriptwriters really were able to develop a believable and touching dynamic between the two main characters throughout the span of the series in subtle and well done ways! And more than that, the other friendships and relationships of the series were made believable and touching too!

Overall; it's an emotionally invested and well made drama, with some pretty decent acting on the most part and a bunch of really engaging and interesting characters!