I've galloped past you, and am now somewhere in the 70s, with Liu Bei about to embark on his epic revenge war. Yes, Liu Bei does get a bit better once Kongming shows up, but Kongming himself doesn't really steal the show as much as I'd hoped. Cao Cao continues to be magnificent, right up until he croaks. His post Red Cliff pep-talk is his best moment. I wonder if there is a series of 'Good Guy Cao Cao' memes sharing his inspirational quotes, like they did for Joffrey. I was especially pleased at the characterization of Lu Su, who was portrayed as a joke in so many other versions. This version emphasizes his patience and compassion. Sima Yi and Lu Xun are also a hoot when they finally show up. Their cynicism in the face of everyone else's hysterics is hilarious. My main disappointment was Kuan Yu. From a high point when he was Cao Cao's captive, he spent the rest of his time being kind of annoying and stuck up.
From a technical perspective, two things stand out: The use of aging makeup is really inconsistent. Some people seem to age a lot faster, with Xun Yu being especially fast, and Zhao Yun essentially ageless. Also, Kuan Yu aged a zillion years in between being initially defeated and his death a few days later, though this was probably intentional. Second, while I don't really think this show is especially well shot, one scene really stood out. A game of Go between Cao Cao and Cao Pi, while Cao Cao is simultaneously trying to judge whether his son had betrayed him. Cao Cao, in black, with the black tiles, sits in shadow, while Cao Pi, in white with the white tiles sits next to the window, bathed in light. A beautiful scene, though the symbolism might be different to the Chinese.
