Slo-Mo Rewatch: Guardian episode 1, part 1

[china_shop]

Hi, and welcome to the Guardian drama Slo-Mo Rewatch! Join us to watch half an episode a week (at your leisure) and then come and chat about it here in comments. If you already know the drama, of course you can jump in without rewatching if you prefer!

Episode 1, up to 22:28

Summary
The prologue explains Haixing's history. Professor Shen Wei presents a public lecture and turns down a job offer. Guo Changcheng reports to the SID in the middle of the night, where Zhao Yunlan is outrageous and the rest of the team scares Changcheng into fainting. Twice. An unseen threat chases Li Qian through the night. Zhao Yunlan investigates a murder at the university, where he and Da Qing dangle Guo Changcheng out a window while they discuss the case. Guo Changcheng's cries draw Shen Wei's attention. Cat!Da Qing gets strokes. Shen Wei is very intense, and Zhao Yunlan notices. Afterwards, Zhao Yunlan interrogates Li Qian about the murder; Shen Wei comes to pick her up for class and further arouses Zhao Yunlan's suspicions in the process. Zhao Yunlan sends Guo Changcheng to tail Shen Wei.



Quote
ZYL: By the way, I'm Zhao. I'm handling this case. What's your name, sir?
SW: No "sir". I'm Shen. Shen Wei. I teach here.
ZYL: Shen Wei? A good name.

Detail
I love the contrast between:

Zhao Yunlan: Damn Fatty.
Li Qian: What a fat black cat!
Guo Changcheng: It can speak?! *faints*
Shen Wei: *strokes* This is a very intelligent cat.

:D :D :D

Questions
Do you have any thoughts or feelings about the prologue? What was your first impression of Shen Wei -- good guy or bad guy? First impression of Zhao Yunlan -- would you trust him? Do you empathise with Guo Changcheng's fear? (If someone turned into a cat in front of you, would you be terrified, delighted, or both?) When Guo Changcheng falls from the window, is he unhurt or does Shen Wei surreptitiously heal his ankle? From Zhao Yunlan's POV, what is the most suspicious thing about Shen Wei at this point?

Do you have a favourite scene or quote? If you're familiar with the novel, any thoughts about how the drama adaptation starts? The absolute perfection of the casting? :D :D :D Anything else?

(These are all just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like! You don't have to be keeping up with the rewatch to join in!)

And here is our schedule, where you can sign up to host a post!

Comments

[facethestrange]

Saaame. :D ♡♡♡ As someone who literally got into this fandom because of the previous rewatch (even though I was only around for about 2 posts before I fell behind), I'm so excited to be a part of it this time! :D

[trobadora]

So glad you get to experience a rewatch after all! :D

[salamandras]

I didn't know that, that's really cool! I started watching about April 2020 and couldn't stop singing the intro song for several weeks. :D

[facethestrange]

Yesss, even two episodes in the intro song was already playing in my head on repeat! :D :D I'm so grateful for the original rewatch because all I knew about Guardian at that point was the title, and it probably would have stayed that was to this day! But dreamwidth was so quiet when the rewatch was announced, and I went 'hell yeah, I'll watch something I know nothing about just for the group experience' (which then didn't even work out this way xD), and the rest is history. :D

[amedia]

I went 'hell yeah, I'll watch something I know nothing about just for the group experience' (which then didn't even work out this way xD), and the rest is history. :D

So glad you did!

[amedia]

I started watching about April 2020 and couldn't stop singing the intro song for several weeks. :D

That intro theme just burrows into one's soul, doesn't it???

I think I started watching a little later, because I finished it in early August 2020 (at roughly one episode per day). I had just finished The Untamed, which I enjoyed hugely, but didn't feel compelled to write for, and the collective wisdom of the fannish corner of the internet said, "Watch Guardian next" and my fannish heart just caught fire!!!