So… this is something new and something I should’ve posted during the holiday. But hey, there’s still Chinese New Year, so what are you talking about? This post isn’t late.
Anyway, I watched a bunch of shows in 2021, and I want to give a special shoutout to those that I really enjoyed last year for a variety of reasons. I’m calling this the triple A awards which stands for Annie’s Academy Awards. So creative, I know.
Love is True
Realistic female empowerment and rivalry? Yes, please. I gushed about this show enough in my Love is True review, but this one is truly the best show I watched last year. The story is so simple, but it’s incredibly compelling. Everything about this show deserves a standing ovation, and no one can convince me otherwise.
Alice in Borderland
I do not regret binging this in one weekend. I talked about the show’s main strengths in my Alice in Borderland review, and I couldn’t get over this show for weeks. While I haven’t read the manga or watched the anime, I think this adaptation does the original source material justice, something that’s rare when it comes to adaptations. Season two when Netflix?
Bump Off Lover
Instead of a Bump Off Lover review, I highlighted this drama in my Drama Spotlight series last year. While this isn’t a new show I watched, it aged really well. Bump Off Lover is a prime example that nothing will ever beat great writing.
The Rational Life
I was debating between The Rational Life and Close Your Eyes Before It’s Dark, but the latter dropped points for me with its cheesy dialogue execution.
I only did a midway Rational Life review, but I eventually finished the show. While I’m not a huge fan of slow-burn romances, this show would be a goner without it. The appeal is the slow-burn romance, and the execution is spot on. While it does get a tad cheesy at the end, I can overlook it in the overall context of the show.
I realized that I’m getting more and more into Chinese dramas, and I’m not complaining. I’ve been missing out on a lot of great content.
This was a fun post to write, and I’ll likely do this again at the end of 2022. It’ll be interesting to see if my preferences change.
evening tea musings 