First Impressions: Divorce Lawyers (Chinese Drama)

After an extremely hectic 3 months, I'm gradually getting back into my drama and variety show game in terms of both watching and blogging. I'll be updating in the next week with some quick thoughts on some shows I've recently picked up (Divorce Lawyers in this post, Orange Marmalade, The Girl Who Sees Smells, Warm & Cozy) and some closing thoughts on Healer and Roommate.

If there ever was a pop culture oxymoron, here it is: Divorce Lawyers is a good mainland Chinese romantic comedy. (Not to be confused with the Korean drama, Divorce Lawyers in Love, which I have never watched and haven't heard about much either, but as far as I can tell, the two are not related.) I know! It's crazy! But it's true! And not only is it a good drama, it's a very good drama. I first chanced on this show on my recent trip back to China. Because there's nothing for me do at my grandparents' house, my mom and I often kick back to whatever we can find on TV, which are extremely rare moments, so I treasure times like this even when there's nothing but insipid war dramas on TV. But this time, we happened to find a show - this show - that was actually really funny, endearing, and enjoyed by both my mom and I.

The show is about two divorce lawyers, LUO LI (the female lead played by Yao Chen) and CHI HAI DONG (the male lead played by Wu Xiubo), who start out leading completely separate lives but get entangled with each other when Luo Li comes to represent Hai Dong's ex-wife in his divorce case in court. The overall rom-com plot-line seems to be simple - Hai Dong and Luo Li start the show as disillusioned rather bitter players in the game of love (it's almost a given right? being what they are - divorce lawyers, ha), become invariably involved with each others' lives, and fall for each other. But what makes this drama not only bearable for me but actually stand out are the memorable characters and the smart biting social commentary on dating, marriage, and, of course, divorce in modern China. Luo Li is not your typical traditional Chinese girl. She thinks for herself, she's sassy and fun, but best of all, Yao Chen plays her equally brave and vulnerable making her an incredibly endearing character. Think Lawyer Jang from I Hear Your Voice - if you liked her in all her imperfections, you'll most likely love Luo Li - or "Li Li" as her close friends and parents call her. Hai Dong easily holds up his end of the neverending and thoroughly entertaining witty banters with Li Li, but I also love that Wu Xiubo is able to convey so much with his facial expressions - when it's serious, and when it's ridiculous.

That's something else I love about this drama - the great comedic timing that both Yao Chen and Wu Xiubo possess and masterfully play up to their utmost hilarity. As I write this, I realize that the show is equal parts comedic and dramatic (almost to the point of melodrama), and while the transitions can be so sharp sometimes as to give you whiplash, the material does warrant such a mix and range of moods. The material meaning love, relationships, and divorce in modern day China. While love and relationships do work out in China, there are more than enough stories that are tragic to the point of hilarity as China goes through rapid change not only in its economy but in its society and social norms. Sometimes, to move on, you have to just laugh at it and sit back with a bag of popcorn, even if it is your own story. But sometimes, to move on, you also have to look at it at face value and accept all the pain and hurt. I think so far the show has done the subject justice. I love that this show actually exists because it's a perfect medium for social commentary, even satire at points. It unflinchingly displays the shallowness of it all but at the same time infuses earnest desire for a meaningful relationship for the show's main couple - who we are meant to relate with in a crazy, confusing world.

As far as the execution goes, it's so great to see this script in the hands of two such great actors. Yao Chen and Wu Xiubo really own their characters, and I don't believe this drama would be as enjoyable in the hands of anyone else.

I'm going to stop telling so much and do a bit of showing now - here's a taste of Li Li's sass vs. deadpan humor vs. pessimistic realism from episode 2:

[Hai Dong's wife, Yan Yan, crying obnoxiously non-stop.]
[Li Li and her friend/ex-law partner, Mei Yu, listens to her on speakerphone with bored expressions.]
[Li Li finally manages to cut in, console her sufficiently to end the conversation, then complains to Mei Yu that she needs to help pay for her phone bills because Mei Yu is the one that dragged her into this mess.]
Mei Yu: Who will pay for my phone bill? She also talks forever whenever she calls me.
Li Li: And you still haven't learned your lesson... (Note: Mei Yu is leaving the law firm to marry and settle down. Very common in China.)
Mei Yu: What lesson?
Li Li: Jiao Yan Yan is a perfect cautionary tale. Why did she become a full-time wife? Because of Chi Hai Dong's romantic sweet talk back in the day. And now? Divorce. Before her marriage, she didn't earn a cent, and after her marriage, she still doesn't earn a cent. She doesn't even know how much money he has. He just gives her whatever she wants. What's the use of crying now? It's too late.

[Mei Yu reaches into her bag and takes out a stack of papers.]
Mei Yu: Look at this. Cao Qian Kun (Mei Yu's fiance) drafted this prenuptial agreement for me. He said, if he ever breaks our agreement, then he'll give up everything. All his assets, whether from before or after our marriage, will belong to me.
Li Li: Cao Qian Kun has finally gained some respect from me. You two have true love. Go and have this notarized in court immediately.

I was really excited to come back to the States and discover that DramaFever recently uploaded the entire series subtitled and ready to go. So one can watch it there. I do have to warn that if you're not fluent in Chinese, there are sadly a lot of puns and jokes that get lost in translation and would otherwise make the show that much more enjoyable. But regardless, it's still a fun watch. The episodes are also pretty quick at 45 min each. There are a total of 40-something episodes, so some episodes are bound to drag, but doesn't detract from the show overall - so far. I'm not even close to finishing, so perhaps some final thoughts later on.