The Autumn Ballad: Spoiler-Free Mini Review
- Aug 5
- 3 min read
Title: | The Autumn Ballad (2022) 嫣语赋 |
Platform: | Viki, Youtube (free), iQIYI, WeTV |
MDL Rating: | |
Genre: | Period Idol Romance |
Episode Count: | 34 |
Parental Guidance Rating: | PG-13: For a good chunk, the setting takes place in the Chinese Academy (essentially a brothel if you read between the lines), rape (nothing explicitly shown), minor violence and blood. |
Staring: | Jeremy Xu (Blossoms of Power) Qiao Xin (Nirvana in Fire 2) Liu Rui Lin (Eternal Love) Kabby Hui (Warm on a Cold Night) |
RBTS Rating: | 2.9/5 Stars (A grounded historical drama of self-determination that yeeted itself into space with soap opera "Idol" dramatics half way through, and was both hindered and made more complex by an unlikeable FL)  |
Synopsis:
It tells the story of Qiu Yan, a witty young girl, and Liang Yi, a cold-faced duke. They go from battling each other with wits and boldness to understanding and accompanying each other. Qiu Yan is the least favored eldest daughter of the Qiu Manor. She managed to reap happiness step by step relying on her own efforts and wisdom. @MDL
Stay Tuned: Full Review Still to Come!
Spoiler-Free Mini Review:
The Autumn Ballad had so much promise. The drama was more grounded than the usual Idol fare, with actual stakes, and the acting was passable. But then comes the Bermuda triangle of the halfway point and the drama turned into a soap opera where characters make illogical and very dramatic decisions. It reminded me of the way This Thriving Land had SUCH a great beginning, only to lose its grip on what made it special. (Although not in a communist way for TAB lol).
Qui Yan (FL) is a tricky character because the writers made her prickly and sometimes unlikeable on purpose, but I actually commend that. It's a huge gamble, and it paid off for the first half, but I felt too disconnected from her during the remainder of the drama. I admire the risk and vision, but I think the role would have benefitted from a more nuanced actress. Qiao Xin (FL Actress) didn't quite do it for me. She wasn't terrible, but bland enough that you feel like you're missing flavor when she's on screen. Jeremy Xu as Liang Yi did pretty good. Way to go, Jeremy! But he did have an offensive wig. His character is morally gray, but he pulls off the balance between "good" and "bad" in a much more intentioned way, due to his acting range. Qin Xuan (2ML) and Qui Min (2FL) turned into idol stereotypes and weakened the overall story.
My favorite aspect of the drama was learning about the 'Chinese Academy', of which this was my first introduction, but (of course) that's right when the show went off the rails.
A Note on the 'Chinese Academy':
The 'Chinese Academy' in the drama was actually called Jiafang. A closer translation in English would be 'Royal Academy'. It was a government bureau that managed entertainment for the royal court by means of government slaves. It didn't actually function like a brothel, although there were Guanji (Government Courtesans) who were expected to entertain guests, but in reality, they were banned from sleeping with government officials for fear of corruption and disease. Of course, who knows how strongly this ban was enforced...
The drama interweaves themes of self-determination and mutual respect with fascinating period specific issues, and that's where it shined. Alas, it lost the plot when it plunged into the Idol waters of the over dramatic and cliche. If you are interested in a drama that explores the themes of TAB, I think you'd be better off watching Dream of Splendor or Blossoms in Adversity. They also have very "Idol" vibes, but felt less over the top.
And here is where I make a confession: I didn't watch the last two episodes. People told me not to, so I didn't. And I regret nothing.
Story=3.75, Acting=2.5, Production Quality=4, Rewatch Value=2.5, Ending=2 (Boo? I dunno?), Enjoyability= 2.25
Trailer:
Director: Ding Ying Zhou (The Love You Give Me)
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