This week’s accomplishments

[maggie33]

I started to learn Chinese!!! I have been thinking about it for a while and two weeks ago I signed up for the course organized by a local university. I had my first lesson on Friday and it was great. The group is small – just 7 people, and the teacher is nice and competent. I’m very excited about it. :)


I finally got VIKI Standard Pass. Mostly because of Because Of You 2020. The new episodes are available right away only for people with Standard Pass. The rest has to wait two weeks. I decided that I was too impatient for waiting, so I have the account now and I can watch what I want with no commercials. It’s nice.


My 3rd MODC fic is almost finished, it just needs the last scene. It’s a super self-indulgent iddy PWP and it was fun to write. And I wrote 700 words of the 4th MODC fic this week.


And now the week in watching:


Because Of You 2020 - episodes 3 and 4

Still so much fun. But poor Lin Xun – he gets kidnapped and manhandled a lot by some maniac that keeps insisting that Lin Xun is his brother. :) Both secondary couples have a few cute moments, too. And yes, I was wrong and they are definitely not established couples yet.


The Untamed – episodes 1, 2 and 3

The first two episodes were rather meh, the 3rd one was a bit more interesting. My main problem is that I don’t like Wei Wuxian. It’s not a big problem. I watched and liked show before when I didn’t care for the main character, but then I liked a lot of other things in such shows. Here ehhhh... I don’t really care for anyone yet. Lan Sizhui is a sweetheart, but that’s it.

Well, ok, Lan Zhan is fine, too, I guess. I usually prefer seemingly calm, repressed characters to immature, bratty ones. And, on the more shallow level, I find Wang Yibo so much prettier than Xiao Zhan. :) So knowing myself, if I will continue watching Lan Zhan will probably become my favorite character. But also knowing my fannish fascinations lately I will probably also fall in love with some secondary pairing. And what will I do then in a fandom so focused only on the main one? ;)


Gentefied – a new Netflix show about Mexican American family in Los Angeles’ Boyle Heights neighborhood. I watched the first episode and I like it a lot. It’s charming and warm and funny, even when it deals with very serious issues. This is a good review on IndieWire about it.

Comments

[trobadora]

I started to learn Chinese!!!

Oh, that's awesome! Totally envying you.

The first two episodes were rather meh, the 3rd one was a bit more interesting.

Ha, we are complete opposites there! I liked the first two episodes but then found the third (and the next few) unappealing. But on the "Wei Wuxian being bratty" front, he does get better over the course of the show.

But also knowing my fannish fascinations lately I will probably also fall in love with some secondary pairing.

FWIW, the fandom is big enough that some of the minor pairings get decent attention.

[maggie33]

But on the "Wei Wuxian being bratty" front, he does get better over the course of the show.

It's good to know. :) I am interested enough to keep watching for now, so it's possible I will change my mind about him in the future.

[rheasilvia]

I started to learn Chinese!!!

Oooh, neat! So many people are learning Chinese! I am very impressed! :-)

The Untamed

I think you are the first person I know who's said they dislike Wei Wuxian! :-) I think I can see where you're coming from, though - although AFAIR I didn't get a bratty, immature impression of him from the first eps (pre-flashback) at all. He does certainly have his moments, however...

But also knowing my fannish fascinations lately I will probably also fall in love with some secondary pairing. And what will I do then in a fandom so focused only on the main one?

I suspect you will find other people who love that pairing! :-) But yeah, finding stories to read probvably won't be easy.

Personally I enjoyed The Untamed, but am not fannish about it, and am completely uninterested in the main pairing. Which I actually regret, because there is so much lovely fic and all, but... can't be helped!

[maggie33]

Yes, my "immature and bratty" comment was more about the 3rd episode and not the first two. And I know Wei Wuxian is the fandom's beloved. :) But he just doesn't click for me. For me it's like the narrative says 'look how great and talented and adorable he is', but it doesn't really show me any of this. I don't hate him or anything like that, and it is possible I will change my mind. I definitely plan to watch the whole drama. I know there will be tragedy later, but for now it's such a pleasant thing to watch after hard day at work - a lot of beautiful people in pretty clothes and those highly entertaining fighting scenes. :)

[reshiel]

MAGGIE YOU'RE WATCHING THE UNTAMED OMG Lan Zhan is gorgeous isn't he! I hope you continue even though WWX isn't your cup of tea, there are lots of other interesting characters and the plot ramps up quickly. And yes Sizhui is a sweetheart ♡

Gentefied sounds like a great show. And all the best with learning Chinese, too!

[maggie33]

Hey, hey, so nice to have you here. :D

As for The Untamed I plan to watch the whole drama. There are many things I am interested in, but mainly Lan sect. Lan Zhan is so, so gorgeous, I could stare at him for hours. I watched the 6th episode yesterday (ahh, that scene with Lan Zhan's forehead ribbon in the cave - they don't even try to be subtle, are they? :)). And as I predicted Lan Zhan is already my favorite. His brother is great, too. And also a very beautiful man. :)

[tinny]

And yes, I was wrong and they are definitely not established couples yet.

Oooh, they're not? Okay, then! This increases my motivation to continue it.

[maggie33]

They're definitely not established. I've just watched episodes 5 and 6 and it was glorious. Yuan brothers have one thing in common - they are totally oblivious about their own feelings and the feelings of their future boyfriends. And it's so amusing to watch. :)