Slo-Mo Rewatch: Guardian episode 8, part 1

[china_shop]

Hi, and welcome back to the Guardian drama Slo-Mo Rewatch. Watch half an episode a week, at your leisure, and then come and chat about it here in comments. Or you can just jump into the comments without rewatching, of course!

Here are the previous weeks' rewatch posts.

Episode 8, up to 22:19

Summary
The SID enthusiastically welcomes Guo Changcheng as an official employee, and Lin Jing gives him the fear baton. ♥ Zhao Yunlan arranges to buy some old books and then calls Shen Wei to offer them as a gift, while Zhu Hong and Da Qing gossip about his black-heartedness and obsession with Shen Wei. Zhao Yunlan and Da Qing meet a student in the street to buy the books, then sit around and talk about recruiting Shen Wei to the SID. Zhao Yunlan is openly smitten. ♥ But presenting the gift to Shen Wei does not go as planned: Zhao Yunlan gives a fake provenance for the books, Shen Wei leaves, and Zhao Yunlan slinks off to recover his dignity in private drink tea and talk about new SID premises. A mysterious letter gives Wang Zheng flashbacks. Changcheng and Chu Shuzhi run into Ding Dun in the street juuuust before receiving an APB about him. The Envoy comes to the SID to request help tracking him down, but Da Qing is hesitant to proceed without their fearless leader. Chu Shuzhi sets to work anyway and takes Changcheng with him. Meanwhile, Zhu Jiu murders Ding Dun, whose body the others find and take back to the SID? (Or pass on to the Envoy?) On the university campus that night, Shen Wei confides in Ying Chun while wearing an ascot. Zhu Jiu shows up, and fisticuffs ensue (Ying Chun helps Shen Wei), but Zhu Jiu escapes. Ying Chun points out the dangers in Shen Wei's plan to go after a missing item, but Shen Wei is resolved.



Quote
Lin Jing: This is my newest invention. It can transform fear into electricity. The more fear, the more electricity. In other words, I made it especially as the perfect, most powerful weapon you could have.
Guo Changcheng: E...electricity? I'm also afraid of electricity.

Detail
When Zhao Yunlan calls Shen Wei about the old books, the original subs say, "What a coincidence! I have a lot of old books," and the VIKI subs say, "You are so lucky as I have some in my home!" while Solo's subs have "As it happens, regarding this, the two of us were brought together by fate." The last is closest to the Chinese subs: 巧了 咱俩在这个事上 太有缘了 ("What a coincidence! We're so destined to meet on this matter." according to Google Translate).

Poll #33955 Subtitles

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 9

View Respondents

Which subtitles are you using? (Tick all that apply.)

View Answers

original fansubs
3 (33.3%)

Solo's subs
8 (88.9%)

VIKI subs
2 (22.2%)

Chinese hard subs
3 (33.3%)

other
2 (22.2%)

Questions
Do you have a stand-out favourite scene or quote from the first half of episode 8? Is everyone genuinely glad to have Guo Changcheng onboard? Does Shen Wei as the Envoy already have a red stamp, and if so, when/how did he get it? On a scale of 1 to 10, how smitten is Zhao Yunlan with Shen Wei? On a scale of 1 to 10, how sympathetic is Da Qing to this smittenness? Who sends the APB on Ding Dun? (Presumably not the Envoy!) How do you feel about ascots? How great is the fight with Zhu Jiu?

Did you see any parallels in these scenes with other parts of the drama? If you're familiar with the novel, any thoughts about how the drama adaptation compares, if at all?

(As usual, 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. We'd love to hear your thoughts!)

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Comments

[china_shop]

I'm so confused about the order of events now, but your argument is persuasive (except for GCC's bags and the not-really-looking-ness of that scene ;-p).

Not immediately recognising people from photos makes perfect sense to me.

Oh, me too! But it rarely happens on TV, you know? Similarly, on TV no one has face blindness or aphantasia, unless it's a specific character trait/note.

1. Lin Jing invents the shield, sends report to the Inspectorate. "But don't worry, our Yashou members can still get in via this stamp!"
2. Zhao Xinci: *reads report* I need that stamp, otherwise if If I ever have to go in there I will be exposed. How do I explain humans needing to be stamped, too? Uh ... *sends memo* "Make sure all SID members receive a stamp; there is historical precedent of humans sometimes ending up carrying other energies."
3. Wang Zheng: "Sounds cool! *incorporates it into stamping procedure*

Yes? No? Maybe? *g*

Yes, maybe? (Though it would have to be the Xingdu Bureau rather than/instead of the Inspectorate.) I feel like ZYL would want to know about that historical precedent, though, you know? Anything his dad suggests/requests would stir him up a bit, I'd have thought, because he'd take it as criticism.

But then the phone call was entirely redundant.

I feel like this is another TV thing. Rather than giving addresses, they're always, "I'll text you the address." Presumably it makes the location easier to refer to later, too. Maybe she drops him a pin or whatever the kids do these days. *g*

Oh, I love that! Headcanon accepted! *g*

\o/!

Yeah, he makes sure to get his bare hand into Xiao-Guo's bag and all, when he's otherwise walking aruond wearing gloves.

Oh, great point. Okay, so either he doesn't know they're looking for him, or he's very risk-taking. Or both.

Good relations with the Envoy should be important

Yes, but that's well above their pay-grade, as is taking on cases that aren't sanctioned by the Inspectorate or the police. With the possible exception of Da Qing. I think it makes perfect sense for them to hesitate, without having official authorisation. They're not an arm of Dixing law enforcement, after all!

hesitating this visibly over something the Envoy asks for doesn't seem like it would be great for their relationship with him if he were anyone other than Shen Wei.

Yes, but coming directly to the SID team rather than going through official channels is potentially not great for their relationship either (if it were a regular government agency). You know?

I still can't make much sense of Ding Dun's story. One day I'll develop a coherent theory!

I think the Regent either arranged for his resurrection (using someone else's power) or did it himself.

[trobadora]

I'm so confused about the order of events now, but your argument is persuasive (except for GCC's bags and the not-really-looking-ness of that scene ;-p).

You and me both! I wasn't even trying to convince you (because I do see the issues), just explaining how I always interpreted it. :D

(Though it would have to be the Xingdu Bureau rather than/instead of the Inspectorate.)

Well, the SID reports to the Inspectorate, but the Xingdu Bureau oversees the Inspectorate, and I figure Zhao Xinci is paying special attention to the SID, at least early on during Zhao Yunlan's tenure. (He might not be looking as closely after years of nothing major happening.)

I feel like ZYL would want to know about that historical precedent, though, you know? Anything his dad suggests/requests would stir him up a bit, I'd have thought, because he'd take it as criticism.

Oh yeah. I mean, there's no reason to think he didn't ask, and then read up on whatever case that might have been.

I feel like this is another TV thing.

I guess that would work. *grumbles*

With the possible exception of Da Qing. I think it makes perfect sense for them to hesitate, without having official authorisation.

You're not wrong, but Da Qing is the one I most wish had reacted differently. *g*

I think the Regent either arranged for his resurrection (using someone else's power) or did it himself.

Oh, good theory! Yes, I could see that. It's just fascinating to me that if resurrection is a Dixing power someone has, that it gets used exactly this once, in the background, for a character whose story is muddled at best ...

Though now that I'm saying that, I wonder if that's due to censorship because actual resurrection hit the censors' "supernatural" DNW in a way other mutant powers don't ...

[china_shop]

and I figure Zhao Xinci is paying special attention to the SID, at least early on during Zhao Yunlan's tenure. (He might not be looking as closely after years of nothing major happening.)

True! (And true, though the Envoy requesting a SID file must have sent up a plethora of red flags!!)

but Da Qing is the one I most wish had reacted differently. *g*

DQ really doesn't like taking on responsibility when he doesn't have to. *skritches him* He does get better as time goes on, I think?

Though now that I'm saying that, I wonder if that's due to censorship because actual resurrection hit the censors' "supernatural" DNW in a way other mutant powers don't ...

That's possible! But then, they could have just avoided the whole murder/resurrection plot to start with? I guess they wanted SW to show up at the SID looking for ZYL on urgent business.

[trobadora]

He does get better as time goes on, I think?

I think so too, but I'll be paying special attention this rewatch!

But then, they could have just avoided the whole murder/resurrection plot to start with?

Yeah, but the censors' requirements/criteria changed (and keep changing, of course) - I think when Guardian started filming, it wasn't nearly as clear-cut or as strict. I don't remember for certain, but I think the crackdown on modern-day supernatural stuff didn't even happen until shortly before Guardian aired.

[china_shop]

I remember Da Qing speaking up when Zhao Xinci visits, to explain where ZYL is, and again at the end of the case to ask if ZXC really shot Bao Laosan on purpose. Even that much is a step up from this. <3

Yeah, but the censors' requirements/criteria changed (and keep changing, of course) - I think when Guardian started filming, it wasn't nearly as clear-cut or as strict.

Oh, that makes sense. I didn't know that. (Ughhh.)

[trobadora]

I remember Da Qing speaking up when Zhao Xinci visits, to explain where ZYL is, and again at the end of the case to ask if ZXC really shot Bao Laosan on purpose. Even that much is a step up from this. <3

That's true! I guess I see more of a throughline between the early episode where he pushed ZYL to contact the Envoy and this, so his reaction in the Ding Dun case stood out more to me. But that was between him and ZYL, which probably makes it a different thing to him!

[china_shop]

Yes, when ZYL is in charge, DQ can suggest all kinds of out-there things without taking any responsibility. ;D