Wednesday, 24 April 2024

TV Review: Guardian (2018) (BL Fantasy)

Guardian (镇魂)
2018
40 episodes
M
BL Fantasy
YouTube

Zhao Yunlan, a detective of supernatural phenomena, is tasked to investigate mysterious cases with expert professor, Shen Wei. As they uphold peace between creatures and humans, Yunlan realizes there is more to Shen Wei than meets the eye. (Synopsis)

I came to the TV series of Guardian after having read the first two books in the trilogy in the new English translations. Naturally, in adapting this series for TV, they had to cut out most of the more overt gayness in order to get it past the censors. That was to be expected; however, I was surprised by how much else they changed. I'm hoping that also applies to the ending, as I'll be sad if the book ends the same way the TV show did when the final volume releases in August. This was a web series and so the visual effects are not the best. Some of the dialogue too (albeit I was reading a translation) was a little cringy. But what made this show for me were the two leads actors. Their performances and interactions were absolutely spot on, and that carried the show despite it not being perfect in other ways. Take them out of the equation and the show would get about 3.5 stars, but thanks to them I am giving it 4.5 stars.

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