karyuu

I haven't watched very many dramas, let alone completed most of them, so I wanted to write a review on A Love So Beautiful after having finished it (and recently rewatched it since I saw it in 2018) and this show is for me still remains one of my favorites! The story follows teenager Chen Xiaoxi and her crush on classmate Jiang Chen, who lives in the same building but nonetheless acts cool and pretty much indifferent towards her. Typically, I'm not a fan of the Cold-Hearted Guy trope, but here it's done so well I found myself empathizing with Chen Xiaoxi's feelings about Jiang Chen, and his aloofness isn't ignored by the other characters, but genuinely adds a dimension to the story and poses challenges. Which is one of the strongest points of this show: the characterization. Each character has motives and flaws, but most of all, their personality and actions seem to genuinely affect the course of events or other characters, without feeling overly dramatic or soapy. This is in part due to a decent script along with some great actors, who all do a great job. The romance is sweet and cute; if you're a fan of cheesy romance dramas this show will definitely deliver, while also being surprisingly real in some of its later plot points (I won't spoil it but all I'll say is I actually really enjoyed how this show also portrayed growing up and how it affects your relationships/friendships as well). And even though a lot of its tropes or dynamics have been done in other forms of media, I think the actors and show itself really come together and make it feel actually fresh, and I was mostly just happy to see likable characters that I could empathize with. The only downside is the show does start off a little slow in that I don't think the earliest episodes compare to the strength of the later half, but once you get past the first four episodes (which mainly just build on character and tell smaller stories) I think it is definitely worth it. Especially since it's on Netflix! Don't miss out if you have the chance.

There are always a few television shows that seem to "define" a genre every decade or so, and considering Parks and Recreation finished its final run several months ago, I feel it important to revisit the show and the impact it left. Many times it was spurned as "The Office Rip-Off" in its starting days, despite it being more of a brainchild of the writers than anything. It seems safe to say, that after more than seven years on the air, Parks and Recreation has carved its own spot amongst the quirky and well-loved comedies that are hard to come across today.

The show stars hard-working public servant Leslie Knope (played by the amazing Amy Poehler) and a cast of humorous and memorable characters that navigate through bureaucracy and red tape in the local city government to complete projects. The most notable--and perhaps most powerful--asset of this show is its lovable and unforgettable characters, some that will leave you rolling your eyes and chuckling while others will simply make you smile in the most joyous kind of way. The cast has obvious chemistry amongst one another, and this certainly breaks through into the characters in ways that will make a viewer grow more attached to them.

The humor of the show itself also sets Parks and Rec apart from other television shows. While it's apparent the first season struggled to differentiate itself from The Office's "awkward humor", Parks found its stride in the simple "cute humor", the kind that is so innocuous and dumb and simply "cute" that it becomes hard not to laugh at the bumbling antics of the Parks and Recreation branch of the city of Pawnee. The episodes are mixed with the right amount of comedy, wit, and actual drama and storytelling; each character is crafted with the perfect amount of depth, that really separates from other comedy shows that rely on cardboard characters with running jokes to spew the funny. Even in its heartfelt moments, there is always room for laughs, but it never pushes aside the rest of the characters or their development. If you find yourself immersed in Parks and Recreation, it is almost certain you will find yourself immersed with one, more, or maybe all characters.

The simple genius, the style and passion this show was borne of, really marks it as a one-of-a-kind show, one that may not have had all the high ratings or prime-time slots or huge important newspaper reviews, but it became its own, and that's really what mattered in the end. After struggling in the shadow of The Office, and finding its stride in later seasons, Parks and Recreation became its own kind of wonderful recipe, one that delivered its own style of warmth and humor not found in many television shows. It may even define the style of comedy itself; after all, both Parks and The Office made famous the "mockumentary", "talking heads" sort of humor that others are sure to try and replicate. What gave Parks and Recreation a "name" per say, is the fact that the characters were so much larger-than-life, the stories so innocuous and believable, that the avid viewer can begin to believe them too, and find that this show is as heartfelt, funny, and enjoyable as I found it. 10/10