This drama promised so much at the outset, but delivered so little by the end.
While Liu Shishi/Cecilia Liu's acting cannot be faulted - the point her character was trying to put across utterly baffles me. If she was trying to portray a strong minded, intelligent and forceful woman - indeed a woman ahead of her time - why then after 25/26 episodes does she revert to a doormat that everyone can step on?
And as for romance - what romance?? The two male leads are hardly glowing adverts as far as romance is concerned. One - the Emperor - is already married to a saint of a wife, yet is quite prepared to forget his wife and chase after another woman. The other lead professes his undying love and then marries someone else..
All in all, this drama fails miserably as far as the romance part is supposed to go. The most telling line in the whole drama for me - and this just about sums up the utter contempt for other peoples' lives and feelings that is a constant theme in this drama - is in the last episode, after all the pain and suffering that has been caused to Yunxian (our female lead character) - the Emperor states that although he only cares for her - he has a country and an Empress to look after...!!!
To cap it all - he then later abdicates the throne and goes off to look for our heroine - and the audience is asked to believe that right at the end they both reconcile - so that's that then - supposed true love conquers all....
It could have been so much better. Why not continue the medical theme and cut out the melodrama.. why such a slow pace - so many unanswered questions.
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cheviotclose2 April 2019
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IMPERIAL DOCTRESS was a very enjoyable Chinese drama set in the era of the Ming Dynasty. This series had great plot and characters and really left a lasting impression.
Yun Xian is a determined young woman with a lifelong dream to become a female medical practitioner or "doctress" in a era exclusively dominated by male physicians. I really appreciated the theme, both of medical history as well as the female absence in practices that were much needed. Due to injustice towards her family, Yun Xian is striving to right the wrongs of the past by saving lives.
This was an excellent historical medical drama. The cast was superb and very memorable. I'm a huge fan of both leads, Lui Shi Shi (Cecelia Liu) and Wallace Huo, and they both have a chance to exceptionally shine here. The premise, story, costumes and settings were are very fascinating. The music was great as well. This was a very memorable and rewatchable show. I love historical dramas, especially ones with medicine as a theme. Ancient medicine is so fascinating to me. It may seem a bit slow in the beginning but if you give the show a full chance it will grow on you deeply by the end. Loved it. -
mpid22090230 April 2021Poor acting.. the kings shown here as most stupid kings have ever existed.. so easily deceived by evil people around without going through a thorough investigation, but hardly believe in good people's words.. cant even think for a sec to first digest all their words carefully then decide to believe or investigate furthermore.. too easily believe in rumours, truly shows how stupid the kings are.. yet the doctress was so strong in the beginning, kept standing & fighting for her will but getting much weaker starting from the middle eps to the end instead of getting stronger after so many obstacles happened.. non-sense romance story.. the writer should really learn to make a better story.. I better watch another chinese drama with good story and smart people..