#changbai mountain tape

[tapeskingdom]

countryside village landscape washi tape

https://tapeskingdom.etsy.com/listing/634832100

[yue-muffin]

Ultimate Note (2020)

Episode 1

I put off watching this one for long enough, but I am back with my wildly inconsistent dmbj watch-blogging adventures! Gosh, do I miss this series.

I honestly love how barely anyone reprises their role in this franchise, and if you’ve been in for a few seasons worth of dramas, it barely even fazes you anymore. The cast this time includes Zeng Shunxi as Wu Xie, and his name did not ring a bell until I looked at his profile - he was Zhang Wuji from the 2019 Heaven Sword Dragon Sabre! Not sure what popular consensus is, but I liked his performance there. Then, we have Xiao Yuliang who is actually reprising his role as Zhang Qiling from the flashbacks in Tomb of the Sea. He doesn’t 100% fit my image of Zhang Qiling, but I thought that about Cheng Yi and ended up loving him, so. Cheng Fangxu is a new addition as Pangzi. Haven’t heard of him or seen any of his works.

Aside from the main cast, there’s Liu Yuning who is playing Hei Yan Jing??? I honestly would have pinned him more of a Xie Yuchen and I also forgot he is also an actor haha (I know him from Our Song/我们的歌).

That’s all the speculation from me, time to get into the episode itself!

Serious talk for a moment.

One of the reasons that this series is so appealing to me is the slow integration of the overarching conspiracies behind the mysterious places our main characters have visited, and the fact that the mysteries begin to tie into the characters’ histories and pasts is the motivation to keep watching. The character relationships are the glue that binds all of the zany events together.

This series is one where I seriously wondered why I was still watching it well into TLT2, because it isn’t the type of genre I usually watch. It just has a lot of charm, strong enough to endure the multiple cast changes and out of sequence timelines.

Anyways, episode 1, here I come.

I loved the opening sequence, as it gives you a mysterious vibe - the sort of wonder you get when you look at an abandoned building and try to imagine the lives that once inhabited it. I also appreciated the recap. It’s much needed at this point, especially given the timeline of the dramas’ release dates, the change in casts, and the absence of the heavenly palace arc.

The episode opens with a scene that will very soon become the bane of Wu Xie’s existence: Wu Sanxing running off without a word, leaving Wu Xie to chase after him looking for crumbs of the truth and possibly uncovering even MORE trouble than if his uncle simply told him what was up in the first place.

Then, of course, the highlight of my day was seeing Wu Xie so damn possessive of ANYTHING that involves Xiaoge. He snatched that box up so fast as soon as Pangzi said “Zhang Qiling” lol.

There’s also something hilarious about Pangzi being fed up with the empty tape and kind of joking about a hidden code in the static, only for Wu Xie and his uncle to take it seriously and take a closer look. Love the family resemblance lol.

I am definitely missing context with the whole heavenly palace/Changbai Mountain segment of the story but the great thing about dmbj is that I’ve long gotten used to missing parts of the story but can still enjoy what I’ve got right in front of me at the moment. Anyways, apparently Xiaoge is supposed to be elsewhere but he is actually once again stalking Wu Xie lol. Wu Sanxing was right, without his friends, Wu Xie probably would’ve died several times over at this point haha...

Ah Ning shows up again! Less antagonistic this time, and I really like how she is portrayed across the shows honestly. Definitely a sort of frenemy haha. It’s going to take me a bit to get used to this actress, I still prefer TLT2 Ah Ning the most out of all the ones who have played her I think?

Also lol at Hei Yan Jing following Xiaoge around.

??? Wu Xie doppelganger! Or is it the other way around? Now that’s not something I expected. Nor do I recall reading about it in a spoiler, which is pretty amazing given all the events I’ve spoiled for myself. Also has something to do with the missing women who were part of Wu Sanxing’s archeological expedition team...

Oh no, Wu Xie is going off alone on this one. He’s lucky that Xiaoge is following him, otherwise he’d probably end up being monster chow or something.

Really going for horror movie vibes with this one, haha. That creepy hand reaching for him under the bed and the accompanying soundtrack...

I love how he’s self-aware about his habit of waking the dead with his prodding around tombs and coffins lol...

Eeey, Xie Yuchen! Seems more straightforward than he was portrayed in TLT2, though perhaps that’s due to the situation/subject. 

And it looks like this notebook is starting to tie everything together.

Yes, Xiaoge, come save Wu Xie! He doesn’t even realize he’s got a creepy thing stalking him lol.

Ooh, blooper reel in the credits! I love bloopers haha.

Anyways, first episode done, and I look forward to seeing what the rest of the season has in store!