The Ingenious One (2023)

[mumblemumble]

I have the biggest trouble starting a new show, and I can't remember the last time I watched something that wasn't a tomb drama (or just YouTube). Might have been Parallel World?

But I had heard about The Ingenious One before (very vaguely), and I wanted to check it out for Mao Xiaotong, and then someone showed me this gif set and I was like, SOLD! A handful of episodes in, uh, The Horrors happened and I avoided YouTube and most social media, and this show became literally the only thing I turned on the TV for.

Soooooo. Some thoughts!

I LOVED IT SO MUCH. 😍

I got way too invested way too early on, and I tend to be a very anxious viewer, especially when already stressed (haha, current events), so all the normal plot proceedings of people being thrown in evil prisons or villains maybe escaping their righteous punishment or our heroes having to guard the silk transport through bandit-infested woods kept STRESSING ME OUT.

But I persevered! And I fell in love with the main couple and the little found family of orphaned misfits (SO MANY ORPHANS), and the bonkers fight scenes and the ROMANCE. This was my first actual wuxia drama, I think? Loved it. I understand many fans learned about sect politics and cultivation from The Untamed, but I went straight to Guardian, which had magical aliens, so. Baby's first jianghu experience!

THE ROMANCE WAS SO GOOD, the leads had such good chemistry, Mao Xiaotong was GREAT, the D/s vibes were OFF THE CHARTS, it was all very good for me personally. Her character reminded me a lot of Ye Liuxi, in that she starts out kind of a feral cat with toppy tendencies, who melts when her physically weaker, very smart, slightly bratty boyfriend tells her she's pretty. I'm pretty sure TPTB knew what they were doing with those scenes where she slaps him around a bit and he keeps coming back for more. They must have. It all looked so joyful.

I also enjoyed (in a way) the narrative structure of things escalating more and more from the very first minor villain and sad setbacks to the big boss fight and huge conspiracies and SUCH HIGH STAKES. See above, re: being easily stressed out, but at some point you just gotta believe it'll all turn out okay. Okay-ish. The big showdown was super satisfying!

Definitely recommend this! It's 36 episodes long and a second season is currently being filmed! \o/

Comments

[trobadora]

Ooh, I'd love to watch Mao Xiaotong again. And that sounds like a cool drama, thank you for the rec! I'm putting it on my list.

[mumblemumble]

She's super badass, adorable, conflicted, prettyyyyy in this one, and I loved her. And Chen Xiao, too! Pls watch it 🥹 and feel free to hit me up for spoilers when you do. <3

[trobadora]

That sounds great!

Actually, would you mind telling me how it ends? No need to vague things up, I like spoilers. :)

[mumblemumble]

Oh yeah, I remembered from Only the River Flows, and I can very much relate, I get anxious if things get too dicey. /o\

Spoilers:

The core found family survives (even if in episode 32 it very much looks like one of them dies, which I was super upset about), but two characters we like die, alas. A side character unexpectedly returns during the big showdown and it's great! I cheered! Our heroes prevail, but not without losses, and there's some loose ends to be tied up in season 2. I could give you details, but I think I'd have to explain all the silly plot first. 😅 There's definitely some setbacks and unpleasantness and sadness sprinkled in throughout, but in the end Yun Xiang usually ~wins. It's not a bleak show.

[trobadora]

Thank you! I like knowing things like that in advance; I find I can enjoy a drama a lot more that way, either because I know things turn out well, or because I know they don't. Otherwise I tend to be distracted by hopes and fears. Mostly fears. *g*

[mumblemumble]

Oh, very relatable! When I started watching, I kept asking for spoilers when things got tense, and the person I kept asking didn't seem to enjoy this, so I stopped. 😅 Just had to watch everything myself! And wait for the reveal! Ugh.

I will say that whenever you think, oh, that's our villain, I don't like him. Rest assured that he'll die and make room for someone worse. Especially if it's like, a horrible little man. He'll die.

Oh, do you want warnings? There's some sexual assault references, and harm to children, off the top of my head. Let me know if you want details!

[trobadora]

Aw, that's a shame! But yeah, this sort of reaction (and the worse one I got two or three times, which is, "no, I'm withholding this for your own benefit!") is why I really appreciate people who are happy to give spoilers. ♥ ♥ ♥

No worries about those warnings unless anything is especially graphic or harrowing, which I wouldn't expect from this genre?

[mumblemumble]

Oh yeah, nothing especially graphic. I assume this is genre-typical levels of "man, sure sucks to be poor (and also a woman) in this world!" 😬

Feel free to come back and ask for more spoilers when (🤞🤞) you start watching! <3