Picked this one up because I like natural disaster and rescue type of shows. I have seen only the actor who plays Xiong Fei in a small supporting role two years back and Janice Wu also in a guest role last year otherwise, relatively unfamiliar with the cast. Have heard good things about Leo Luo, so paid attention to what he could do. The rescues, ML, friendships, & 3rd couple were the show.
Pros: The rescues were pretty good for a regular series that didn't call itself a docuseries or documentary. If people were looking for something more realistic, then they should just watch the Discovery Channel. The only really unbelievable portion was the ML in the last episode, climbing through an entire mountain to find that magical doorway up above that somehow dumped him by a river far away. I loved the friendships of the crew; that was more pleasing to watch than the romance aspect.
Favorite character was LB or the ML; every emotion, every action was well placed. Started out as a kind of cocky know-it-all, but then just defrosted into a regular human being with faults. I really enjoyed Leo Luo's portrayal here and will look out for him in future dramas; I do however wish that he didn't look so gaunt, it's worrying. Other favorite characters included LB's sister LY who played a mute speaking in sign language quite well, XF and his kind heart who had a way to mediate even the gruffest of situations. He didn't let his past get in his way and his match up with LY was perfect; they were the main couple for me in this series. They complimented each other really well.
Other favorite characters were the captain, who as we all saw was a very flawed person but was trying his best to make up for all of his mistakes especially the life altering ones. The rest of the LCR crew were great, like Falcon who everyone lost and missed, even gruff Dapeng who grew on you. The OSTs, mild CGI, costumes, and scenarios (save the one mentioned above) all fit well.
Cons: This was one of those dramas where romance really should have been tapered down not given 3 couples, one of whom (I nicknamed them Ding Dong and Ming Mong) was annoying as nails, had to be ffw'd frequently, and really made the show take a hit. On top of that, the robotic FL and her total lack of chemistry with the ML just didn't do any favors. Yes, she was a doctor and had to deal with life and death all the time, plus the trauma of her childhood; she could have been portrayed way differently. I'm not sure the casting was done well here. From the beginning to end, I was waiting for there to be some form of connection between the two and I just didn't feel it. They could have been bickering cousins and it would have made more sense. She was always cold and stubborn and he was always apologizing for his feelings needing to justify them even when she was in the wrong. It didn't make any sense nor was it realistic for any form of relationship. The nasty mother of MM, Dr. Weasel, and Ai Rui'er, were all given nearly last minute redemptions from their idiotic portrayals but they were also the types of characters that really were unnecessary, because you had already so much going on.
The show had way too much propaganda given what they were trying to portray and more times then not in sensitive situations, it felt off. Like you need emotions here not flag and country; y'all aren't military but a non-profit organization, keep it that way. I never compare dramas but this show was trying way too hard to be "You Are My Hero" and it didn't come close. It needed its own formula not a repeat of someone else's.
Would I recommend it? I would have given it a lower score if it hadn't been for the rescues, friendships, ML, & 3rd couple. That said, some people actually like everything I disliked or vice versa, so decide on this one for yourselves.
Pros: The rescues were pretty good for a regular series that didn't call itself a docuseries or documentary. If people were looking for something more realistic, then they should just watch the Discovery Channel. The only really unbelievable portion was the ML in the last episode, climbing through an entire mountain to find that magical doorway up above that somehow dumped him by a river far away. I loved the friendships of the crew; that was more pleasing to watch than the romance aspect.
Favorite character was LB or the ML; every emotion, every action was well placed. Started out as a kind of cocky know-it-all, but then just defrosted into a regular human being with faults. I really enjoyed Leo Luo's portrayal here and will look out for him in future dramas; I do however wish that he didn't look so gaunt, it's worrying. Other favorite characters included LB's sister LY who played a mute speaking in sign language quite well, XF and his kind heart who had a way to mediate even the gruffest of situations. He didn't let his past get in his way and his match up with LY was perfect; they were the main couple for me in this series. They complimented each other really well.
Other favorite characters were the captain, who as we all saw was a very flawed person but was trying his best to make up for all of his mistakes especially the life altering ones. The rest of the LCR crew were great, like Falcon who everyone lost and missed, even gruff Dapeng who grew on you. The OSTs, mild CGI, costumes, and scenarios (save the one mentioned above) all fit well.
Cons: This was one of those dramas where romance really should have been tapered down not given 3 couples, one of whom (I nicknamed them Ding Dong and Ming Mong) was annoying as nails, had to be ffw'd frequently, and really made the show take a hit. On top of that, the robotic FL and her total lack of chemistry with the ML just didn't do any favors. Yes, she was a doctor and had to deal with life and death all the time, plus the trauma of her childhood; she could have been portrayed way differently. I'm not sure the casting was done well here. From the beginning to end, I was waiting for there to be some form of connection between the two and I just didn't feel it. They could have been bickering cousins and it would have made more sense. She was always cold and stubborn and he was always apologizing for his feelings needing to justify them even when she was in the wrong. It didn't make any sense nor was it realistic for any form of relationship. The nasty mother of MM, Dr. Weasel, and Ai Rui'er, were all given nearly last minute redemptions from their idiotic portrayals but they were also the types of characters that really were unnecessary, because you had already so much going on.
The show had way too much propaganda given what they were trying to portray and more times then not in sensitive situations, it felt off. Like you need emotions here not flag and country; y'all aren't military but a non-profit organization, keep it that way. I never compare dramas but this show was trying way too hard to be "You Are My Hero" and it didn't come close. It needed its own formula not a repeat of someone else's.
Would I recommend it? I would have given it a lower score if it hadn't been for the rescues, friendships, ML, & 3rd couple. That said, some people actually like everything I disliked or vice versa, so decide on this one for yourselves.
