Review: Ode to Joy (2016 TV Series)

Monday, August 8, 2016
I have been scouting for a story from Mainland China, and I just happened to be craving something based on young women, and luckily a friend recommended this fabulous series that I couldn’t stop watching!

“Grit your teeth ‘til you make it through…
Dreams and love, they all belong to you… ”

The Rundown
Behind the name: The name of the apartment complex that brings the girls together
Country: China, 2016
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Metropolitan, Drama
Network: Dragon TV, Zhejiang TV
Director: Kong Sheng, Jian Chuan Su
Writer: Yuan Zi Dan
                  Cast: Liu Tao (as An Di), Jiang Xin (as Fang Sheng Mei), Wang Zi Wen (as Qu Xiao Xiao), Qiao Xin  (as Guan Ju Er), Yang Zi (as Qiu Ying Ying), Zu Feng 祖峰 (as Qi Dian), Wang Kai (as Doctor Zhao), Zhang Lu (as Wang Bai Chuan), Zhang Xiao Qian (as Yao Bin), Jin Dong (as Tan Zong Ming)
                   
                  Compare to: Age of Youth

                  Hate it or Love it?  Love it!

Synopsis in a Sentence: Five womens' lives cross paths on an apartment floor in the Ode to Joy building, and we watch them navigate work, love and life from the perspectives of a rich spoiled-brat turned business tycoon, a timid new-entrant employee, a (kind) social climber, a finance guru and math genius, and a clueless, happy-go-lucky small-town girl trying to make it in the big city—can they all get along?


On Writing: The Plot
The story is fun and didactic and entertaining and fabulous!  It gives us a unique, modern window into the lives of different young Chinese women working to make it in Shanghai and we don’t quite get this perspective often. It also offers different perspectives and the nuances into the lives of different people.
The plot is layered and we get to see the viewpoints of people from different walks of life—rich and poor, ambitious and unmotivated, privileged and not-so-privileged, and everything in between. It gives us a little think about the clashes between social class and age and opportunity. A great one!
(4.5/5)

On Acting: The Cast
The actresses and actors are very well cast! I hear some of them are some of the best from the Mainland so there’s no surprise here! So we have, from left to right:
L-R: Wang Zi Wen (as Qu Xiao Xiao), Liu Tao (as An Di), Jiang Xin (as Fang Sheng Mei), Yang Zi (as Qiu Ying Ying), Qiao Xin  (as Guan Ju Er)

(4/5)

On Production: The Creativity
Production is the weakest link n this one. It’s all right but needs to up its cliff-hanger game. These are some of the weakest cliff-hangers I’ve seen since I cannot even remember! Other than that the techniques are quite routine standard so they quite needed some creativity, and the opening music was… blah. The interesting thing is that I
(3.5/5)                                             

On Resolution: The Conclusion
The conclusion is quite the star! The first season ends wonderfully and we can’t wait to get more of these girls! By the ending, looks like production learned how to deliver—the end has the best cliff-hanger!
(4.5/5)

The Verdict: A fun, meaningful, entertaining watch!

Overall Score = 16.5/20


The Complete Main Cast