[Weekly Update] If Only I'm "Accented Television".

If you are wondering why we didn't have a video last week, it's because I got sick again. Living in the body of an aging twink ravaged by hay fever is an experience.

Oh and Montreal saw some aurora, too. That was neat.

CHANNEL UPDATE

The next video is already finished editing. We are just adding the final touches like adjusting the subtitles. It should go live soon.

We have quite a few videos in the back burners in a half finished state, now. Research for our Maggie Cheung video is slowly progressing, while research for Ah Girl Go Army is... reluctantly moving forward. That movie is legit one of the hardest to watch in this channel's history. Sorry, Singapore.

Script for our next video is nearing completion. In part 3 of our Dynasties series, we'll be covering the Tang-Song period, which also includes the Sui dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Those smaller dynasties will be glanced over, however, as they don't have a lot of movies of their own. It's just hard to compete with the mesmerizing Tang dynasty.

We also couldn't fit in a discussion of Journey to the West into the video. Since it doesn't really reflect the dynasty's aesthetic directly, and most of the story happens outside of the reach of the Tang government anyway, we decided to not include that in the video. Maybe we'll make another video talking about which adaptations are the best to get into. However, Dominic Noble has already made a similar video, so I don't even know if it's necessary.

Finally, for this month's bonus video, I'm thinking of either the Planet of the Apes movies, or Deadpool movies. Let me know which one you prefer.

MEDIA TALK

In preparation for our next video, I went and revisited a bunch of Three Kingdoms TV shows. Not a complete binge, but just few episodes to refresh my memory. And, man, the Chinese TV industry is so much more prosperous than cinema.

I have always know that for a fact. Unlike the film industry, which had a very awkward transition from government funded cultural product to commercial blockbusters, Chinese TV had a healthy commercial side for as long as I remember. By the time state funded projects retreated back, there were already numerous TV stations and studios with endless talent in place to continue the development.

This feeling is especially strong when watching Advisor's Alliance, a Three Kingdoms adaptation told from the perspective of the strategist who worked for the antagonist of the original novel. It's reverse Three Kingdoms. A quick google search and you can get a hint at how good it is. From the costume, to the promotional materials, everything has class. It feels more like a film production than most film productions from in AND outside of China.

The stark difference between film and TV is obvious just from the format. Which Chinese films are still trying to compete with international productions, and still trying to find its niche, Chinese TV always has a stable viewership. This is perhaps best reflected by Its format of producing 40 episodes all in one go, broadcast every weekday, 5 episodes a week. It's an outlier in terms of production schedule, yet it remains confident it how unique it's approach is. Why? Because the industry has a target audience it appeals to. It doesn't need to mimic other industries. It's all the more amazing when such massive output can still be quality.

Currently, the only real rival for Chinese TV industry is the Korean TV industry, at least in terms of period drama. Both industry has similar looks, similar high quality in terms of sets and costumes. I'd say some Korean TV shows have more thought-out cinematography. But you also have to keep in mind that Joseon Attorney is only 16 episodes, while Advisor's alliance has 42, with an additional 44 if you count the second season that came out the following year.

As a dude who talks about cinema, this makes me very envious of those who are familiar with TV and Chinese history. My understanding on both subject matter is limited, so I always avoid bringing it up in an analytical way. With our upload schedule, we obviously can't get into individual serious in a bi-weekly basis either. All of this caused some Chinese audience to be understandably upset: Why aren't you talking about all the good stuff?

My friend, because all of your good stuff is on TV!

All that's to say, Advisor's Alliance is a really enjoyable watch. If you are somewhat familiar with the Three Kingdoms story, this is a must watch in my eye.

However, if you aren't familiar with Three Kingdoms, I have other recommendations as well! Stay tuned, because our next video is made just for you! See you soon!