Popular Post simplet Posted October 29, 2011 at 05:50 PM Popular Post Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 at 05:50 PM A part of the Grand First Episode Project -- See this thread for more info. A tragicomedy set in modern times. Language Difficulty Level: Intermediate Hey everyone, I'm new to the site but it looks like a great find so far. Looks like you guys love your TV shows so I thought I'd make my first post here about a pretty good show that I just found out about. I did a search but I couldn't find anything about it on the forums so maybe you guys don't know it yet. It's called 男人帮 (be careful it looks like this is also the name of "men's magazine" FHM in chinese so if you search for it at work you might end up with some pretty NSFW results), and I've only watched the first episode so far, but it looks good to me. Basically it's some kind of sitcom about 3 male characters in their thirties and the relationsips they have between themselves and all the girls around them. The main character is your typical somewhat cynical asshole/loser, one of the other guys is his best friend that's a bit like him but less of an asshole and more of a loser and the third is some kind of businessman that the main character meets through an acquaintance and who turns out to be the father of the highschooler the loser friend is semi-dating. Maybe I'll do a full summary of the first episode later. What I like about this show is that it seems very un-chinese in a lot of (good) ways, but still feels chinese. I like how everyone is really mean to each other, and the show is genuinely funny in a sarcastic way. The humour even feels a bit american in the way the characters always end up in really awkward situations and use it to rip on each other. It fills a niche that I don't think I've encountered so far in chinese TV, like some kind of darker more awkward "friends". Plus it looks like there are loads of hot women in it. The show looks intermediate to me. A few cheng-yus, some slang, nothing too terrible. Looks like the show is still in production and they have only aired the first 15 episodes or so so far. Here's a link to a youtube channel with the episodes that have already aired, I'm not sure it's going to stay up too long but the quality is good : http://www.youtube.c.../43/Y8oYw3H1Si0 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted October 30, 2011 at 12:29 AM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 12:29 AM 孙红雷 is always good value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XiaoXi Posted October 30, 2011 at 07:33 AM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 07:33 AM Thanks for the recommendation, I watched the first episode and it looks good, not too hard to understand either. Its not in production though, you want watch all 30 episodes here in glorious 超清 http://www.qiyi.com/dianshiju/nrb.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplet Posted October 30, 2011 at 09:42 AM Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 09:42 AM Are you sure XiaoXi? I followed your link and it wouldn't let me watch anything outside of China anyway but all the episodes after number 16 were grayed out and it said "即将播出" instead of the titles of the episodes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted October 30, 2011 at 12:27 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 12:27 PM From the watermark on the youtube version it looks like it was ripped from tv.sohu.com. I'd try there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yersi Posted October 30, 2011 at 01:27 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 01:27 PM Wow, this show is actually pretty damn good. Might be the first Chinese TV show that I've really liked in any meaningful sense of the word. Will continue watching, thanks for bringing it to our attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feihong Posted October 30, 2011 at 02:01 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 02:01 PM Sohu lists 16 episodes, and claims that's all there is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted October 30, 2011 at 03:28 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 03:28 PM The style reminds me a lot of 《好想好想谈恋爱》in that depicts a kind of western style of living, yet is based in China, I mean drinking tea/coffee from a cup with a saucer? And a guy supposedly saving a deposit for a house, yet living in an apartment that would probably cost close to 10,000 RMB a month to rent? Well, suffice to say some suspension of disbelief is required Not that it takes away from the show, but it's just funny to watch these things. @renzhe, feel free to move this to the GFEP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted October 30, 2011 at 03:42 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 03:42 PM I've added it to the project, I'll add more stuff once I find the time. It looks interesting, and should fill the time before the next iPartment fix. Thanks for the recommendation! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplet Posted October 30, 2011 at 03:55 PM Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 03:55 PM Personnally I stopped paying attention to all these material contingencies in chinese shows the day I watched the 爱情公寓2 episode where the (apparently jobless) orphan studying to be a lawyer organized a charity event to raise money for his orphanage three nights running on his own dime, and on top of that payed for all the "big stars" contributions every night. I guess he could afford it though because it was in that magical private club in the middle of Shangai were they sell cocktails for 8 kuais a piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoff Posted October 30, 2011 at 04:52 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 04:52 PM Douban has it slated for 30 episodes and that the first was broadcast on 10/22. Seems like there will be more than 16, which makes me want to skip right to the 16th episode just to make sure it doesn't seem final. Edit: Sohu TV has placeholders up for episodes 19-35. This is getting interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feihong Posted October 30, 2011 at 07:16 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 07:16 PM Watched the first episode and agree that it was interesting and not very hard to understand. Not sure I would categorize this as a sitcom, though. It's certainly tragicomic, but not in a way that busts my gut. I'll continue on to episode 2, but I feel the hour-long format really hurts these types of shows. It's hard to maintain comedic momentum over such a long running time. This show reminds me a bit of how 媳妇儿的美好时代 was in its first few episodes. I hope the comparison ends there, though, because that show became really sad after a certain point and the latter half was nearly devoid of comedy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XiaoXi Posted October 31, 2011 at 02:53 AM Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 at 02:53 AM Yes you're right they are greyed out. There's currently only 18 watchable episodes so I guess it is in fact still in production. Sohu also appears to have 18. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feihong Posted November 1, 2011 at 05:22 PM Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 at 05:22 PM Up to episode 7 now. Episode 6 was pretty bad, and I thought about dropping this show then and there, but I had already downloaded episode 7 so I'm going to forge on for one more episode. The problem with this show is pretty much as I feared, the comedy just sort of dries up over such a long running time. There are a lot of characters, but unlike 爱情公寓, there aren't that many plot threads since not all the characters have to show up in any given episode. So if you don't like what's going on with the main character then you're out of luck because there's not much else going on. And for the most part, I don't find 顾小白 all that appealing for a main character. He's definitely a jerk, but not witty, charming, or hapless enough to make him interesting. UPDATE: Just finished watching episode 7. I won't be continuing with this show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplet Posted November 3, 2011 at 03:07 PM Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 at 03:07 PM Bah I'm up to episode 3 so far, and it does look as if it's not going to be as good as the first ep all the way but I still like it a lot. Ep2 was ok, episode 3 is awesome though, mainly because the childhood friend/ aspiring movie star is in it a lot and I love her. I do feel like the main character is going to start getting on my nerve at some point but I'll try to not watch too many episodes at a time, hopefully that'll delay it a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xiaoxiaocao Posted November 3, 2011 at 11:04 PM Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 at 11:04 PM For persons in China you can watch it on the 浙江 TV channel in the evenings. Looks like you guys are in luck as they were up to episode 26 last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gleaves Posted November 9, 2011 at 03:40 PM Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 at 03:40 PM I've watched 3 episodes. I don't love it, but I like it enough to carry on. When I get bored, I just count how many times they switch glasses. It's still not clear to me why 孙红雷 is not undercover. I'm holding out hope that this will be a major plot twist. He's just posing as a whiny curmudgeon, but is actually a fashion special agent trying to uncover a huge black market of scarves. I've been watching on qiyi (if you download their player, it usually lets you skirt the region restrictions). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feihong Posted November 9, 2011 at 03:56 PM Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 at 03:56 PM @Gleaves: You basically pointed out the major flaw of this series: 孙红雷 is totally miscast in the lead role. With his deep voice and serious demeanor, he would be perfect to play a writer with an intellectual bent. But an egocentric douchewad is a tougher sell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted November 12, 2011 at 11:05 PM Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 at 11:05 PM 来, 小朋友, 叫叔叔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted December 24, 2011 at 11:13 PM Report Share Posted December 24, 2011 at 11:13 PM 9 episodes into this and I don't see why everyone gave up on it. I think it's great, and plan to watch the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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