The Legend of White Snake

This is the first Chinese series I've watched. I was on YouTube looking for the trailer for the animated film "White Snake" and I stumbled upon this series. That's how the great adventure in watching Chinese fantasy series began for me. For me it was an extraordinarily pleasant and relaxing series. The actors were chosen extraordinarily well. It is an enchanting series with a story that surely reaches everyone's heart.

The Legend of the White Snake has been motive to a handful of movies and tv shows already, but the fact that this one is available on western streaming platforms with decent subtitles finally makes this story accessible to non-Chinese audience. And it does a good job. The recurring music theme of the characters is fitting, character attires and scenery support the immersion and the character development is, to most extent, convincing. The dramaturgy might seem somewhat cliché and seem overboard from time to time ("I save you!" - "No, I save you!" etc.), but then again, this is also the case with many modern US shows where we're just more used to it. A basic knowledge of Chinese culture helps to understand certain characters' reactions and behaviour, mythology and Buddhism play a significant role as the story develops.

The stern facial expressions of most of the main characters struck me dull from time to time although it probably fits the expected behaviour of "middle-class" characters at that time. The CGI is not exactly state-of-the-art, but it's sufficient to deliver the message. Xiao Yan though delivers an outstanding performance in her role as Xiao Qing. She delivers her character an authentic way, displaying a range of expressions and emotions probably wider than the rest of the cast combined.

One can easily binge-watch this show as a kind of Chinese version of "Charmed". Took me longer than one week-end to finish it, but it was very enjoyable.

The filming is strikingly beautiful and all actors and actresses are so well chosen and act with sincerity. There is plenty of emotions going through the whole venture. A well versed martial monk with 2 ingenuous snakes to contend with looking so beautiful in their women form and the ever pragmatic main subject always calm and plenty of reverence throughout. Spectacular in so many ways and it should be viewed again and again.

Parts of this series re just really funny and I love the mix of drama, mystery, Buddhism nd Chinese mythology, The effects are good - though Chinese CGI still hasn't got animals quite right. The two leads do their jobs but don't have much chemustry but Green Snake - Xiao Yan steals the scenes in eveeything she is in. Several other actors are really good with a few like Monk and the four Immortals a bit iffy. Production values and the costumes are really good, the photography a bit strange at times. Good to see "middle class" life and rge workings of medecine at the period. The story zips along well, never got bored, but perhaps a more focus on one main villain would have been better, Anyway very enjoyable and worth binge watching as I did on Netflix.

I've seen several iterations of this 'Legend', most well known is the version starring Jet Li, which was a pretty big budget movie. A tale of forbidden love, between humans and Demons, and the obstacles both Heaven and Earth put in the way of two love birds.

This Legend of White Snake is a 36 part made for TV series featuring three not-so-well-known actors: 'Meglong Yu' as Dr. Xu Xian and TWO stand outs IMO, both ladies - 'Jingyi Ju' as the White Snake (Lady Bai) and her trusty sidekick The Green Snake (Qing) played by Xiao Yan. Lady Bai is both smart and beautiful, Qing is cute and hilarious. The Dr. and supporting cast all do a commendable job also.

Expect to laugh, cry, boo, cheer and be entertained. I've binge-watched TLOWS - twice - and so might you. Highly recommended.