On the evening of January 29, the TV series "The King of the King" premiered on TVB Jade Channel. This TV series is written and directed by Lin Zicong, starring Wang Haoxin and Chen Haomin, and tells the story of King Song Shijie. Song Shijie's story also appeared in Stephen Chow's comedy "The Judge of the Dead". This "Song Shijie" is an important "IP" in Hong Kong film and television dramas.
Based on the content of the first episode of "The King of Kings", the play has a typical Hong Kong-style comedy flavor, and focuses on the satire of the Manchu court. This "King of the King" is a Hong Kong drama work that can be watched in the near future.
Among the plot content at the beginning, I think the most interesting one is that Song Shijie and another fat man participated in the imperial examination. The fat man played by Lin Zicong was ridiculed by the examiner because he was honest and honest, thinking that he should hurry up and buy straw sandals and go home to farm. Song Shijie was furious and changed his exam papers with the fat man. Then, Lin Zicong played the fat man Zhuangyuan High School.
This play, on the surface, is Song Shijie's witty humor and cynicism, but on a deeper level, it mocks the Manchus by laughing. Only when this Manchu Qing is ridiculous enough will there be a fact that the talents of the imperial examination have lost their fame. Song Shijie's exchange of his examination papers is itself a huge irony of the Manchu Qing Dynasty. And this kind of irony, presented in such a light-hearted and humorous way, "The King of Kings" can't help but be praised.
Of course, behind this drama is the change in the business environment of the Qing Dynasty. In a large number of Hong Kong drama works, the audience has seen a "business-oriented" idea, and more readers are willing to engage in business, make money in this way, and get the opportunity to settle down, but give up the "official-oriented" mode of thinking, and no longer seek any official position in the Manchu Dynasty. It is only when the economy is sufficiently developed that this kind of "business standard" will appear.
The TV series "The King of the King", in terms of creative concept, is actually a spicy mockery of the "business standard" against the "official standard". In terms of technique, Song Shijie's way of solving the case was adopted, which increased the story and interest of this TV series. Of course, in terms of fun, the play maintains the humorous characteristics of Hong Kong dramas, and at the same time, it also maintains the important characteristics of Hong Kong opera works "inseparable from Qinglou".
In the Hong Kong dramas and Hong Kong films of the 90s of the last century, Qinglou always likes to appear, and what about the girls in Yihong Courtyard at every turn. In "The King of Kings", this tradition is preserved. The actor and supporting actor also like to visit the green house. This kind of visit to the Qinglou is not to do things to express the needs of reason, but to do some elegant things. Song Shijie and others, in fact, are in this way to achieve their own elegance.
In the first case of the play, there is a spider spirit murder. This case does not seem to be difficult to solve. If you look at the show as a costume drama of criminal investigation, many viewers will definitely be disappointed. Because the real highlight of "The King of the King" is not in the case judgment and case solving, but in Song Shijie's way of existence, that is, in the spicy satire of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and how the idea of "business standard" exists in Hong Kong dramas.
In this "The King of Kings" directed by Lin Zicong, the audience can see the strong taste of old-fashioned Hong Kong dramas through these comedies, satires and business-oriented ideas. It should be more appropriate to say that this TV series is a tribute to the current Hong Kong dramas for the past Hong Kong dramas. Hong Kong drama works have regained their sense of satirical comedy.
Wang Haoxin's starring role is also full of the texture of Stephen Chow's "The Judge of the Dead". In other words, Wang Haoxin, an actor, does have some of the charm of Stephen Chow's youth. Maybe, the old editor thinks that Wang Haoxin has the charm of Stephen Chow, which is also the reason for the blessing of the plot of "The King of Kings". This kind of blessing on the background of the plot gives Wang Haoxin a sense of freedom and independence from the world. This kind of freedom is in itself a great irony for the Manchu court.
Based on the above, I think this "King of Kings" has a very good start, standing up for the characters, and making the play full of ridiculous and ridiculous content. If the show continues to maintain the quality of the first episode, it will definitely attract a lot of viewers. (Wen Ma Qingyun).