At the risk of providing too much information, this girl is PMS-ing right now. And what better cure can a girl have than a glass of cold milk, Lotus Biscoff biscuits, and a night of period drama? There was no pun intended, I promise. 

I’ve managed to watch two period pieces from HBO–one, a revisioning of a popular television series from Australia, and another, a Malaysian-English production. The first one is mainly light-hearted with some dramatic and sentimental lines, and the other, rather heavily charged. Hopefully I’ll be able to share as much as I can without providing any spoilers.

Miss S is the Chinese adaptation of the Australian Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Now, I’ve had the pleasure of being able to watch the original, so I have a point of comparison. But before I’ll deliver my verdict, I’ll tell you that Miss S has a pretty competent cast, including Yii Ma, as Su Wen Li, or the titular Miss S, Gao Weiguang as Inspector Luo (Inspector Jack Robinson’s Chinese counterpart), Haochen Wu as Police Officer Shen, and Bu Guanjin as Xiao Taozi.

The episodes were the same as that the Australian original, with some elements tweaked in to include Chinese traditions, places, events, fashion, and society. However, with Miss S, it is set in the 1930s, and not in the late 1920s as the original was. But it didn’t change the overall vibe of the series. Miss S, or Wen Li as she is called by her friends is as charming, witty, plucky, and spunky as the Honourable Phryne Fisher. They even have the same bob. Well, all right, only almost.

While a bit anachronistic at times, I must say that the costume designers did a very brilliant job. I would even go as far as to say that Su Wen Li was better dressed than her Australian counterpart. And it wasn’t just Su Wen Li. Everyone in the series were well kitted out. It was absolute eye candy. 

I’m only seven episodes into the series. I’m looking forward to watching more. 

Based on a novel, The Garden of Evening Mists is a Malaysian-English movie. Angelica Lee plays the younger Teoh Yun Ling, who travels to the Cameron Highlands in British Malaya (now Malaysia) after the Second World War to meet a mysterious gardener named Aritomo, as she wanted to enlist his help by asking him to design a garden for her, in the memory of her deceased sister. Tender feelings soon blossomed and it led to an emotional affair. 

While watching this movie, I realised that there was so much to unpack. It was, after all, not a light-hearted murder mystery slash romantic comedy, but rather, a historical drama full of death, war, and intrigue.

Watching these two period pieces have made me realise that I really should read again about how the West has colonised many parts of Asia, and how it affected them. That, and the atrocities the Japanese have caused during the Second World War.  Angelica Lee’s character, Teoh Yun Ling, has had many nightmares due to her memories from the Japanese internment camp she and her sister were in.

I’ve added the novel to my TBR list, and I am debating whether to watch it after reading the novel, or to not wait at all.

Hope you are all having good week so far. Happy hump day!

PS. As for my PMS, please pray for me. Vitamin C tablets or capsules are also accepted and will be very much appreciated.