There's a bit of a formula for these Asian historical epics. That's okay. There's a formula to Shakespeare, too; a formula to opera.
But that doesn't mean it's easy to get it right. Easier is to overdo one aspect, skimp on another. There's a recipe, but no measure for the ingredients.
My Country doesn't tell a brave new story. You've seen it before: ambition, love, honor, loyalty, and of course, the fickleness of fate. But MC consistently gets its genre's mix right. Characters have enough personality (as opposed to the too-typically bland, blank slates presented in fear of alienating any viewers). There's plenty of action, but not too much, and I never felt that its characters were swashbuckling just for the sake of swashbuckling; the action always has narrative meaning. And there's a love story here, maybe more than one, and of course tragedy, betrayal, but MC walks that tightrope of sentimentality carefully. Sure, there's melodrama-- you do know the genre, don't you?-- but it's contained.
Strongly recommended for any fans of the genre. For anyone who doesn't know if they're a fan yet, MC would be a great way to find out.
But that doesn't mean it's easy to get it right. Easier is to overdo one aspect, skimp on another. There's a recipe, but no measure for the ingredients.
My Country doesn't tell a brave new story. You've seen it before: ambition, love, honor, loyalty, and of course, the fickleness of fate. But MC consistently gets its genre's mix right. Characters have enough personality (as opposed to the too-typically bland, blank slates presented in fear of alienating any viewers). There's plenty of action, but not too much, and I never felt that its characters were swashbuckling just for the sake of swashbuckling; the action always has narrative meaning. And there's a love story here, maybe more than one, and of course tragedy, betrayal, but MC walks that tightrope of sentimentality carefully. Sure, there's melodrama-- you do know the genre, don't you?-- but it's contained.
Strongly recommended for any fans of the genre. For anyone who doesn't know if they're a fan yet, MC would be a great way to find out.