[Drama Review] 'Scarlet Heart: Ryeo' - Episode 10

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Posted by eric_r_wirsing Tuesday, September 27, 2016

SCARLET HEART: RYEO -- EPISODE 10

"It was me. I let the dogs out."

This episode actually included some recapping, which I didn't need. The other episodes jumped right into the action, so I had to check to make sure I was watching the new one. I hope this doesn't become a regular thing -- nothing throws me off more than watching footage that I remember, and then requiring that I watch carefully as they insert details that weren't there before.

Today's installment is a prime example of why obedience to and respect for your elders shouldn't be given blindly. Queen Sinmyeongsunseong, in James Bond bad guy fashion, reveals her grand plan to poison the Crown Prince. Instead of Prince So saying, "Don't drink this! It's poisoned!" he opts to drink it himself. All to protect his mom? The woman who has disavowed him time after time? Take her down, reveal her for the evil witch she is, and earn yourself some self-respect in the process! On the other hand, Hae Soo might be implicated since she was serving the tea...

- "Here she comes! Are my ears clean?"
- "Please don't make me look."

Speaking of Prince So, his relationship with Hae Soo is just weird. He admits his social skills need some work, but it's almost like he sees her as a thing to be possessed rather than as a person with her own thoughts and feelings. He even threatens to kill the people she's in love with, so he doesn't have competition. I can't tell you if that was standard practice 1,000 years ago, but it's a different approach from tender Prince Wook. He's the kind of loving, devoted boyfriend that a sensible girl might want, but he might be too safe. We have two boyfriends for our Hae Soo, and neither of them are ideal?

It seems like they've replaced action with court intrigue. It's too bad�because they filmed the action sequences so well. It's never a dull moment, but sometimes it feels like a bait-and-switch. Because the show kept offering up one scene after another of delicious conflict, you instantly formed an opinion about it. I've noticed the�ratings declining, too, which might have something to do with that. It's not a bad thing, but it's not the same show I started watching.

"Red rover, red rover let Prince Wook come over!"

We didn't see too much of the modern day woman in this episode. Hae Soo seemed very much blown by the wind, content to do what others ask of her.� I'm sure this is the fault of the script, but she almost becomes irrelevant, a set piece, if she's not in control of her destiny. Maybe they're trying to convey that she has accepted her place in that society, but I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more defiance.

All in all, not a bad show. In a lot of ways, it manages to surprise me with what they come up with, and that keeps my interest in ways that the tepid romance can't. I'm still waiting for some juicy action, even if it's just a chase scene. What do you guys think?