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While the beginning seemed to come off as a bit campy, the investment into the series definitely paid off. This drama centers around the fragility of life under absolute monarchy in China's Ming dynasty. Because of this, the story-line almost needs to mix in a bit of humor to keep one from going into a deep depression at the magnitude of loss taking place (i.e. Entire families being annihilated/being wiped out). And the VERY intimate personal stories about relationships draw you in because they are so compelling; there is very little stiffness or room for guesswork as you begin to completely understand the characters' motivations and cause-and-effect at work. The plot-twists and surprises are amazingly written, specifically because the root of the story is so universal; no one is 100% good or evil, we all have flaws and strengths and it's how you DEAL with situations and the people around you who define who you are in life ultimately. I can't recommend this highly enough.

Set in 10th century Imperial China, this period piece mixes martial arts, history, drama and a hint of fantasy. Like most Mandarin series of the genre, this has a lot of predictable characters plotting for power and many seem 1-dimensional, motivated by blind duty or greed. But the plot twists, subtle clues and riveting action scenes captivate the viewer and bring them into the story. This is definitely one of the best Mandarin dramas in recent years with strong, intelligent female characters (but not exaggerated "super women" that Hollywood seems to need). There are some amazingly choreographed scenes that should be award-winning for their effects.

I know I'm not the first to equate Primo with the classic sit-com Malcolm in the Middle, but it is definitely appropriate on several levels. Primo is light-hearted, family-oriented and dead-pan humor that centers around the family of the main teen-age male character. While the family is Mexican (and someone should remind Lisa Vidal, since she is "Mexican" like Henry Winkler is "Italian") it literally could be any 2nd-generation Latin family, which is why it is so relatable. Aside from some inside jokes, peripheral tell-tales and food references (Psst...Lisa, it's "tamales", not "tamalies") most of the characters don't even portray any Mexican side, save one uncle who really plays up the whole "vato" character, but although comical, doesn't come off as too cliche' or over-the-top. The first episode was really slow-paced and the jokes were a little lame, but the subsequent episodes really made up for it. The show could do with a little tighter editing and a faster pace (some bed music might help the dead air that seems to permeate at times). For being such a low-budget offering, overall it is very well-written and really the best sit-com I've seen since the remake of "One Day at a Time" and I highly recommend it and hope it gets a second season...and possibly more mainstream.