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Reset: Spoiler-Free Mini Review

Jul 26
3 min read

Updated: Sep 20

Bai Jingting and Zhao Jinmai in the C-Drama Reset

Title:

Reset (2022) 开端

Platform:

Youtube (free), WeTV, Viki

MDL & Douban Rating:

9.0 & 8.2

Genre:

Contemporary Thriller/ Sci Fi

Episode Count:

15

Parental Guidance Rating:

PG-13: Burn victims shown briefly, very minor swearing and violence, depictions of harassment.

Starring:

Bai Jing Ting (First Frost)

Zhao Jin Mai (Our Generation)

Liu Yi Jun (Nirvana in Fire)

Liu Tao (Nirvana in Fire)

RBTS Rating:

7/10 Stars: A time loop drama bogged down by repetition, but the themes and intensity make up the difference.


Cast From Left to Right: #BaiJingTing, #ZhaojinMai, #LiuYiJun, #LiuTao


Synopsis:

An unexplainable phenomena finds college-going student, Li Shi Qing, trapped in a never-ending time loop where she is always stuck on a public service bus which is due to explode, bringing death and destruction to not only herself but to all on board. Desperate to find a way to escape not only the time loop but her tragic fate, Shi Qing inadvertently drags fellow bus passenger Xiao He Yun into the time loop as well. Together they try to find a way to alter their fate by ensuring the bus arrives safely at its destination, but attempting to do so proves anything but easy. @MDL




Spoiler-Free Mini Review:

Reset had a stellar concept, but was plagued with lacking execution, repetition, and bland main leads.

That being said, it is leaps and bounds better than most contemporary C-dramas, and actually had some really intersting themes (which I will not dive into here, for the sake of avoiding spoilers). The drama is only 15 episodes with essentially no romance, where the characters are stuck in a time loop and must figure out how to free themselves from their perpetual groundhog day bus ride.


Bai Jingting as Xiao Heyun and Zhao Jinmai as Li Shiqing on the bus sleeping in the C-Drama Reset

The nature of time loops makes repetition unavoidable, but the same scenarios occurring again and again felt excessive after a certain point.


The leads were the least interesting characters in the drama, which was by design, but I wish we had gotten to know them better and that the audience could have been given a wider veiw of the two outside of their immediate circumstances. They did an okay job in the acting department, but even though I don't speak Chinese, I could tell Bai Jing Ting (ML) was mumbling. Enunciate, man! The dialogue felt a little unnatural and Old Zhang's apprentice was doing the most for reasons unknown.


C-Drama Reset Poster with entire cast

There is so much I want to say about this drama but I can't due to spoilers. Ugh. But once you have finished watching, I HIGHLY recommend you check out this thread exploring the themes of the drama, and why they are so impactful. It makes the finale so much cooler!


Reset was a decent watch made great once you understand the full context. It had genuinely tense moments that didn't quite balance out the repetitiveness a la time loops, but it was overall a worthwhile ride (pun intended).


The bus from the C-Drama Reset

Story=4 (interesting, but repetitive. Many frustrating actions by characters & some plot holes. Fascinating exploration of the bystander effect and growth of the FL), Acting =3 (bland, but Old Zhang’s apprentice was esp heinous), Production Quality=4.5, Rewatch Value=2.75 (Maybe), Ending=3 (some parts unexplained, might be due to censorship) , Enjoyability= 3.75 (Very repetitive)


Trailer:


Director: #SunMoLong (Nirvana in Fire 3 and Minning Town)

Screenwriter: #QiuYuJie (The Old Town Girls)


*Disclaimer: I do not own any of the images used on this blog. All images belong to their respective copyright holders and are used for commentary and review purposes. All reviews, opinions, and statements expressed on this blog are my own and are intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. They reflect my personal thoughts and interpretations and should not be considered as factual.




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