The Queen of News Reviews

The industry rivalry in this Hong Kong drama is a perfect backdrop, showcasing the core and mental state at a next level. The two major camps in the journalism field engage in fierce battles, with every detail scrutinized and power plays in full swing.
The pacing is strong, with conflicts, cliffhangers, plot twists, and intense storylines that intertwine. From the news wars, it explores the complexities of right and wrong, good and evil, and beauty and ugliness. She Shi Man exudes a powerful presence, reminiscent of Jin Nan Zhu from the Korean drama "The Mist." Hong Kong dramas have their own version of the formidable High Wai-Lun.

Our domestic dramas really need to learn from TVB when it comes to producing workplace dramas. This statement has been repeated so many times, not to mention the countless classic workplace dramas that came before.

Let's talk about the recent "News Queen." It definitely has flaws. But! So far, it has aired 7 episodes, and every minute and every second is filled with the hustle and bustle of the workplace!
How to fight for news, how to use any means necessary to climb the ladder, how to go all out to obtain firsthand information from the frontlines, how bosses manipulate and provoke to avoid being suppressed by capable subordinates...

After 7 episodes, there are barely any romantic scenes.

When it comes to TVB, it's all about office politics, just like "Beyond the Realm of Conscience." If we're talking about portraying media professionals, "Newsroom" is the real deal. Right from the first episode, this series mimicked the opening of Season 1 Episode 1 of "Newsroom" during the press conference.
Even the layout of the circular office is the same. The hierarchy within the television station is also similar. What's even more ridiculous is that your Hong Kong news programs don't even have the host as the core, and yet you copied that too...
I'm curious to know which television station sends their daytime anchors to do field reporting as journalists, and which daytime anchor becomes an assistant to a prime-time anchor. It's just absurd... The character design and appearance of the female lead also resemble Jin Nan Zhu from "The Mist.

TVB used to be my true love, and seeing so many positive reviews, I had high hopes and started watching the drama. After a few episodes, it made my blood pressure rise. If this is what they call "cool" and a "strong leading lady," then I hope your future leaders are like that too, constantly belittling you, not valuing your life as a human being.
Is this what they call "girl power"? Using one's body to gain power? Stupidity? Constant bickering? Blatantly displaying the competition between females?

As a journalist, I never deny the conflict between truth and viewership.
However, during live broadcasts, disregarding the bigger picture, fighting for personal gain without any consideration, even controlling microphones and editing teleprompters at will, isn't that an insult to the audience's intelligence?
Seeing all the positive reviews on various platforms, it feels like media literacy should be included in basic education... It's really garbage. Don't even mention comparing it to mainland dramas, it falls far short. Why can't we aim for something good instead of something terrible?

After watching ten episodes, I would give it three and a half stars. When I lowered my expectations for Hong Kong dramas, this one unexpectedly turned out to be enjoyable. She Shi Man was predictably good, her acting as solid as ever.
From being a delicate white rabbit in early 2000s Hong Kong dramas, she has now transformed into a fierce and dominant villainess, slaying with her powerful aura. The former leading ladies of TVB have all faded away, leaving only her standing tall.

Li Shi Yun was a pleasant surprise, or rather, a perfect complement to the other characters. Zhang Jia Yan is the role that has made me lean towards her the most. Jia Yan possesses remarkable business skills but has no interest in or intention of getting involved in workplace politics.
I always see a reflection of myself in such individuals/characters who are "not seeking advancement" but "only seeking inner fulfillment." Although such people are destined to face more obstacles and have limited career growth, they find contentment within themselves.

Queen She has such a commanding presence, but as someone mentioned in a comment, it lacks the charm of Hong Kong dramas. Every person's schemes and tricks are simply spoken out loud without any clever twists.
It doesn't require the audience to use their brains at all... It completely lacks the sophistication of Hong Kong dramas and feels more like a TikTok-trending drama acted by Hong Kong artists...
It's a fusion of American drama's narrative structure and Korean feel-good drama's cinematography. In terms of values, it caters to the preferences of the domestic entertainment industry and is carefully calculated...
It's all about open conspiracies and power struggles, afraid that you won't understand, so everything is presented blatantly. It's not very realistic.

*E1- It feels like everyone is trying too hard, extremely exaggerated.../ Gao Hai Ning wearing high heels and running to the scene of the accident for an interview, really?.../ In just 23 minutes, Li Shihua only had minor superficial injuries. Even when a child falls to that extent, they might not necessarily cry.
Do they need to be in such extreme pain? And using a bottle of water to wash the wound on the foot and then wrapping it with so many layers of gauze? Really?.../ At the 30-minute mark, was it necessary to have a slow-motion shot of Tan Jun Yan's appearance?
It was quite greasy, thank you./ Oh my, in order to get the car's dashcam, they actually smashed the windshield and stole it, claiming that no one would know. Miss, are you sure there are no cameras on the road? Can you be certain there were no witnesses?
That's a seriously foolish move./ And for the sake of advertising, that Fei Ge (Brother Fei) almost always appears with a large cup of full milk tea. Really?

*E2- The host takes out a phone and makes a phone call during the live news broadcast? And in the studio, there are two anchors, one male and one female.
The male anchor doesn't say a word throughout, just sitting there with a dark face and clenched teeth. Really?

*E3- How does She Shi Man's suit jacket magically stay draped over her shoulders without falling off? It's so amazing.

Give it five shining stars! It's been a long time since I've seen a TVB drama with such a strong presence. I binge-watched eight episodes in one go and still wanted to keep watching.
In a nutshell: it's a period drama filled with fashion and palace intrigue! There are no perfect good guys inside. You could say they're all villains. To put it in WB's words, the entertainment industry insults you by saying, "No one wants you, you deserve it," while TVB insults you by saying, "Go find a man to marry." --- That's quite audacious.
I heard they even made references to TVB... Typical, digging my own material and insulting myself.

It's been a long time since I've been so engrossed in watching TVB dramas. Of course, the presence of Ada Choi and Kenneth Ma, the two main actors, is a contributing factor, but the storyline holds a larger proportion.
If the Korean drama "Pinocchio" is a workplace drama disguised as an idol drama, then "News Queen" is truly a reenactment of TVB's expertise in palace intrigue dramas and the intense power struggles seen in "Heart of Greed," all within the backdrop of a workplace drama.
Although it may have a taste of "old wine in a new bottle," I can't resist its allure.

I found the latest Episode 19 to be completely baffling. Shiqing was originally a character I really liked, but why does she have to become a news anchor because of her father?
Can't a woman have ambitions and desires without being tied to family loyalty and filial piety? Is vomiting always a sign of pregnancy? And is it okay for someone to make such blunt remarks about it right next to her?
Is the solution to combating rumors to arrange for a man to step in as her official boyfriend? I don't understand the purpose of this storyline. Isn't this guy just taking advantage of the situation?
What's it to him anyway? And Shiqing has to coyly accept it, speechless!

Fang Tai's intention is quite clear. As long as she gives up on reform and obediently plays her role as the chess piece queen, she can stay. Taking the initiative to leave was her own choice, not a forced one.
Xiao Wei and Shi Qing, as representatives of the lower ranks on the chessboard, with their rooks, knights, and bishops, Shi Qing is the cleverest one. She chooses a good position to settle.
Xiao Wei is fortunate yet unfortunate, like a reflection of an ordinary person, being pushed step by step, each step carrying a heavy price. Fortunately, Wen Jie, although strict, is indeed a good superior who genuinely cares about her.
She noticed that her psychological problems were becoming more severe and found her a decent place to go. When a leader goes to such lengths, it is truly commendable. The endings for the two younger generations are quite good.
Liu Yan is like a young Wen Jie who didn't have her trajectory altered, and Wen He and Jie smoothly resigned, which is quite impressive. Looking forward to the second season. Human nature is complex, not simply black or white.

By now (21 episodes in), this drama can be fairly evaluated. When the source is corrupt, the flow becomes murky. It's a palace drama disguised as a newsroom setting, but its essence lies in the incompetence of the leaders.

Fang Tai: Thinks he's a master of imperial power play, but in reality, he's a foolish emperor of the Ming Dynasty, creating a rotten empire that only understands power struggles.

Fei Ye: The eunuch of the Eastern Factory. George: The little eunuch of the Eastern Factory. Wen Hui Xin: A foolish Wang Anshi who believes the emperor has the ambition to govern, but in a realm of foolish emperors and an officialdom focused solely on power struggles, his reform measures can only end in failure.

Zhang Jia Yi: Similar to Wen Hui Xin, she also believes the emperor has the ambition to govern, but she's even more naive because she still thinks the emperor has ideals.

There's a saying that suits both female leads: "Working is like selling oneself in a brothel.
It's meant for you to redeem yourself quickly, not to become the top courtesan. Most importantly, recognize that you are selling yourself in a brothel, not the brothel owner.

Many people say that "News Queen" had a disappointing ending, but I don't think so. The story of Jiajia and her father in the final episode was touching, "My dad is just a little special." Huang Zongze's appearance wasn't exactly a surprise, nor were the anchors' successful endings.
What truly stood out was the line "Lu Xun never said it." In a world full of criticisms, it makes you wonder why they love their jobs so much, why there are so many unprofessional bugs, why everyone has to fight tooth and nail, and why Jia Yan, whom we liked the most, ended up like that, betraying her own soul...
But at least this drama has a message, it's about career women, it's about a broader perspective on news.

Started off strong but ended up disappointing. Wen Jie had a strong presence in the early episodes, but after the live fire incident, things got confusing. "Showing you what real live broadcasting is all about" – well, I didn't see anything particularly impressive about your live broadcasts...
It was a promising start but a lackluster finish. Jia Yan is the same. She wants to be a true journalist, but every time, she gives off the impression of being all talk and no substance (although her abilities are evident).
I understand that the writers wanted to portray a professional and independent female character, but there are always some strange elements. As for the male characters, they're just uninteresting.

The first 10 episodes were great and deserving of five stars. After the workplace power struggles began, it wasn't as good, but still worth 4 stars.

It's the first time I'm actively following a Hong Kong drama in real-time.
Five stars for the encouragement. Finally, someone is writing a woman like they write a man. She goes to great lengths, stops at nothing, is ambitious, can't stand losing even a little bit, is driven by self-interest, loves one man but sleeps with another.
And the screenwriter doesn't judge this kind of woman. She may have her lows, but she always bounces back. She has ideals, and she also has tenderness. I only wish for her to obtain everything she desires.

It's outrageous! I couldn't see much responsibility towards work in this workplace drama. The live stream anchors constantly interrupt each other, and the information is not transparent.
It's basically like a live streaming disaster. The office politics are terrifyingly intense, with a low glass ceiling. The real news queen must be Mrs. Fang, right? The other female characters are like mentally unstable individuals.
Their character development falls apart towards the end, all of them seem like figments of imagination. While it's true that people have multiple facets, it doesn't mean that characters should be portrayed as having multiple personalities just to create conflicts.

Just finished watching the first 20 episodes, to be honest, the characterization of the other characters is pretty good, but isn't Zhang Jia Yan's character a bit flawed? It's fine to stick to her principles, but is it necessary for her to go against the current and always put herself first as a reason?
She has a lawyer boyfriend who loves her so much, but she doesn't cherish him or show affection. If she doesn't want to be a housewife, she should communicate openly instead of being silent all the time. Women should strive to be independent and strong, but definitely not in the way she portrays it.

Wen Jie always seems very confident. The kiss in Episode 9 after drinking felt impactful. It's charming to see such an assertive woman and a gentle man. However, the ex-boyfriend still had a bit of a "daddy" vibe, and George's performance had a touch of gentleness.
It's becoming less interesting when it continues with the same power struggles as before, and it seems like there's more and more focus on romance. It feels like Liu Yan's character is just lucky. Xu Shi Qing's storyline feels forced and overly sentimental.
Overall, it's becoming more and more underwhelming. It doesn't live up to the marketing hype, so there's no need to praise it too highly.

Starting with a five-star rating, gradually dropping to three stars, all I can say is if it wasn't for the contrast provided by fellow colleagues, this Chinese drama would be so bad that I could curse at it???????? The editing is done poorly without considering smooth transitions.
Suddenly, short segments are inserted just to provide information and push the plot forward. Not to mention the exaggerated camera angles and language. How did they manage to find so many strange angles that distort the face shapes of the actors who were originally quite good-looking?
And oh, all the women have to fall in love with one man, right????????

The pacing was good in the first ten episodes, although there were many plot inconsistencies. But it was enjoyable to watch, with that classic TVB vibe, bringing backstage power struggles of the millennium era to the forefront.
However, it became more and more absurd after the tenth episode, and the character development became increasingly inconsistent. If a female antagonist is meant to be one, can't they just remain as such instead of whitewashing and redeeming them one by one?
In a news station, who has the time to engage in constant power struggles? And fighting for the title of top anchor won't increase your salary anyway... And those who work tirelessly, ignoring their own depression and even risking their lives, is it really necessary?
Without a monthly salary of a hundred thousand, no job is worth it at all.