Wrong Carriage (or Wrong Carriage, Right Groom) is one of those dramas that all actors have to go through at least once in order to move on to the next phase in their careers.
Why drama producers keep investing in these scripts, however, is something I don’t have an answer to.
EPISODE 1 RECAP
Two women from two different families are about to get married. Neither of them want to. While one of them accepts her fate with grace, the other one — you can guess it — protests.
But she gives in after her mom threatens to kneel in front of her. The win-guarantee card that drama parents love.
On their wedding day, the two possessions are supposed to go in opposite directions, but their paths cross for a brief period of time. It starts raining during this time so they decide to seek shelter in an old temple.
The two brides: graceful Lady Du and mischievous Lady Li greet each other and quickly become friends.
Just when the rain conveniently stops, a monk comes out to tell the servants of the two households that this temple has been visited by bandits before and it’s bound to happen again today so everyone should run for their lives.
The servants of the two households start to panic. Inside the temple, the graceful girl — Du — says that since the situation is unclear they should put their bridal veils back on and wait. Yes… that makes sense, when there’s a commotion and you don’t know what’s going to happen to you, cover up your eyes.
The two girls put their veils back on, but they accidentally take each other’s veils so when the maids and matchmakers come in to usher them out, they think Du is Li and Li is Du.
Realistically speaking…
You know what? I won’t even try.
So, it’s already too late when the matchmakers and maids of the two families find out they’ve got the wrong bride. Both sides convince the ladies to go with it because it’s too much trouble to switch back now.
Lady Li — who is now posing as Lady Du — meets her husband on their wedding day/night. This is supposed to be a sickly and fragile man whom everyone believes won’t live out the year.
COMMENTS
Regarding the male lead: besides the fact that this character is played by Ao Ruipeng from A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College and I like his humor in that drama, I have nothing to say about him yet. He seems like a nice guy and it doesn’t look like he’s plotting anything deadly. I’m sure he is not sick like everyone thinks, though; either that or this drama is about the girl curing his illness because this man is supposed to be so weak that he can’t even stand straight during his own wedding ceremony.
The female lead — the acting isn’t bad but I hope she’s more than just pouts.
If I continue with this drama, it would be for the matchmakers and the maids. One of them looks like a younger version of Ni Ni.
And the other ones are quite hilarious with their theatrics.
That’s it, guys. I have yet to find anything else to comment on in these first episodes. If I discuss what is wrong, I would just be repeating a lot of criticisms I have written about other dramas of the same genre. The bottom line is — it’s a bit redundant to point out all the consistencies, plot holes and unrealistic character behaviors here, because it’s obvious the scriptwriters did not care. So why should we?
And speaking of “wrong carriage”, the carriages are actually the best things about episode one.
Nice flower arrangement.