another point of view.... clearly written, well said... a repost.
bluebinnie asked: so like on a o 1 to 10 scale how much would you suggest the drama pinocchio?
boonies:
Well, it’s on episode 14 out of 20 so I can’t really give it a final grade yet, and I’ve been burnt by series finales before (looking at you, My Love From Another Letdown), but:
Pinocchio: 9/10—when it wants to be cute, it’s so cute you’ll claw at your face in despair; when it wants to be sad, it’s so sad you’ll try to suck electrolytes out of potatoes. Narratively, it’s solid, compelling, and impeccably-paced, even when it feels noticeably segmented. It’s told in ~chaptered stages that seemingly bring closure but are actually central, connected parts of the overarching theme, so not only is the plot relevant, it’s also truly clever.
Plus, refreshingly, the character interactions are structured in a way that shatters a great deal of annoying kdrama cliches, like the OTP not communicating with each other—I mean, Inha and Dalpo literally tell each other everything (pretty much instantly)—and notably, there’s no obnoxious parent drama (the dad actually ships them even though it’s technically incest). There’s also no standard hateful backstabbing bullshit that comes with love squares—the girls like and respect each other; the boys like and respect each other—and all the rookie puppies are absolutely on the same page idealistically, even though they’re essentially rivals.
And the ‘villainous’ masterminds are WOMEN?? But not in a one-dimensional, frivolous way?? They’re brutal and complex and the show doesn’t pigeonhole them into justifying themselves on account of their sex; it treats female characters the way other shows treat male characters—there’s no distinction or prejudice, like, “She can’t do this because she’s a woman.” It’s more like, “She can’t do this because she’s a Pinocchio.” And then the show just goes, “Never mind, she can totally do this.”
I know there’s some criticism because the writer’s forcing ~too many coincidences, but the show was introduced with the whole concept of six degrees of separation, so to me, the coincidences feel organic. The whole show feels organic.
Basically, Pinocchio is so competently written and directed and acted, but I’d honestly rec it just for the family dynamic alone, and also Lee Pil-mo who is, um, very pretty.
cr: andtheyfightcrime