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

[veetvoojagig]

Watching the whole episode to catch up for this week's, so doing the first half here, LOL.

1. The opening slaps. I fucking love the theme song. I was hooked from the start the first time I watched. (slaps is a thing I've heard the kids say and I think I used it correctly)

2. I think I instantly forgot all this lore the first time I watched and did not realize they were supposed to be aliens, LOL. I think I just assumed they were people of the underworld, like it actually is in the book.

3. It took me a while to learn everyone's names, so Shen Wei was affectionately known as "Professor Sleeve Garters" for quite a time. Like who are you wearing those sleeve garters to impress? Other men?

4. Oh no, Changcheng's all alone on a dark street, he needs a strong man to protect him. Unfortunately they haven't met yet.

5. Yunlan just has to make a badass entrance.

6. Oh my GOD the lollipop thing. And then he just shoves him into the fray, LMAO.

7. It took me a while to warm up to Changcheng but he's now just about my favorite character.

8. I am a mere beginner in Mandarin, but I love when I can pick something out. "Shen Wei? Hao mingzi!"

9. Shen Wei just doesn't want to let go of that hand, huh?

10. "I am an ordinary person" Hmmm sounds exactly like something an ordinary person would say. Yes, indeed. Nothing to follow up with here.

[china_shop]

Ah yay, so glad you had time! :D

1. It's so good, isn't it?! And so earwormy. :D :D

2. Yeah, the opening was a blur for me the first time or two, too. I genuinely didn't notice the spaceship until someone pointed it out. It's a lot of information to absorb.

3. LOL! I was just all "scruffy guy" and "glasses guy". ;D

4. Hee! *pets Changcheng*

5 & 6. So much, lol! (I love him!!) And yes, ZYL is completely outrageous, hee!

7. He's amazing, isn't he? Terrified and brave and determined. *hearts*

8. That's so cool!

9 & 10. Genuine lol. :D :D :D But I think he's, like, comparing himself to the SID, so it's not ~quite~ as suspicious as it sounds out of context?

[veetvoojagig]

1. I need to look for an mp3 sometime.

3. I can't remember if I had a nickname for Yunlan, I may have figured out just Zhao pretty quickly.

7. He's my perfect baby boy. *hugs him tightly*

10. Oh that's a point, like I'm an ordinary person and you are a specialist organization.

[trobadora]

like I'm an ordinary person and you are a specialist organization

That reminds me of Xiao-Guo insisting that he's not special at all, he's especially ordinary! :D

ETA: Forgot to say - the opening song is on youtube here, if that helps.

[trobadora]

I genuinely didn't notice the spaceship until someone pointed it out.

LOLOLOL from someone who went "SPACESHIPS!!!!!!! :D :D :D" Honestly, I think the intro was pretty important for me to decide to actually watch this drama when I tentatively tried it out.

But I think he's, like, comparing himself to the SID, so it's not ~quite~ as suspicious as it sounds out of context?

Oh, yeah, that's an excellent point!

[china_shop]

Honestly, I think the intro was pretty important for me to decide to actually watch this drama when I tentatively tried it out.

I'm so glad it was there, then!!!! :D :D :D

[trobadora]

Woohoo!

The opening slaps. I fucking love the theme song. I was hooked from the start the first time I watched.

Seriously! It's fantastic, I love it to pieces. :D :D :D

I think I instantly forgot all this lore the first time I watched and did not realize they were supposed to be aliens, LOL.

Haha, as a sci-fi person my immediate reaction was "Spaceship! Aliens! Yay, sci-fi! \o/" *g*

Unfortunately they haven't met yet.

LOL!

It took me a while to warm up to Changcheng but he's now just about my favorite character.

For me, his intro hits my embarrassment squick, but thankfully that stops very quickly, and then he kept being so brave despite being terrified, so I quickly warmed up to him.

I am a mere beginner in Mandarin, but I love when I can pick something out. "Shen Wei? Hao mingzi!"

Yes, that's a fantastic feeling! I didn't know a single word of Chinese before Guardian, and it inspired me to learn, so I'm still always extra happy when I understand something. *g*