Summer Flings: When the new dramas just don't do it for you

Hi, y'all. DramaRookie here. Has anyone else been unenthused about the current drama crop? (Excluding the awesome I Remember You, of course.) What do you do when that happens? Switch back to American TV? Pffffft. Yeah, right. I'm not that desperate. No, this is the time of year I go combing through the Golden Oldies to see what I've missed. This week, I found To Get Her, a 12 episode Taiwanese offering from 2009. Just the right size for a mini-marathon.



Over the top? A little. Noble Idiocy and Angst? Too much for my liking in the second half. But cute chemistry, sweet situations, and some truly beautiful camera work made it worth watching.

Nutshell plot: Famous actor-singer, Mars (Jiro Wang), coasts through life on a wave of celebrity, content to be adored and ignoring the damaging lies the paparazzi print about him.

But it all comes crashing down when public opinion turns against him and his agency decides to exile him . . . to college. I can think of worse places, but to Mars this is the end of the world. He is forced to give up his luxury apartment and rent a room from the painfully awkward Chen Momo (Rainie Yang), who hides from the real world behind a pile of Prince Casaba Mangas.

Co-habitation. The drama trope that never gets old. The usual hijinks ensue: drunken confessions, walking in on someone in a towel, etc.

I know T-dramas aren't for everyone, but here are some high points to help you decide whether or not it's your cup of tea:

Unexpected Twists

The first kiss is in episode 1. That's a surprise right there. But even more shocking is the heroine's reaction when she punches Mars in the face, screams "Grosssssssssssss!!!!!" at the top of her lungs, and brushes her teeth with every kind of toothpaste she can find. He deserved it. She told him to back off.

I also love that misunderstandings aren't left lingering for half the show. Mars invites Momo to the premiere of his latest movie, with a VIP seat, no less. She manages to fight her agoraphobic, shut-in tendencies to dress up and attend, only to be accosted by jealous, mean girls from her school who lock her in the bathroom and dump water on her. In a K-drama, Mars might assume she ditched him and be mad at her for two or three episodes, but lo-and-behold he overhears them talking in the hallway and immediately rushes to find Momo.

The Murse

I know it's random, but this man-bag is almost like another character, it shows up so much. And the way Jiro Wang carries it just cracks me up. Usually, it's slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I suspect he isn't the purse type and tried to figure out the manliest way to drag it around. I wonder if he practiced in front of the mirror.

A different kind of 2nd Lead

Handsome. Adoring. Would do anything for the heroine. Sounds like a typical second lead so far. But Jia Sen (George Hu) is a little different than the cookie cutter, background guy we usually get. He's been Momo's friend since childhood. But, while she grew up, a disability keeps him at the mental level of around 8-years-old. He's content to share his lollipops and ride the bus with her every day, until Mars comes along. Jia Sen's epic meltdown causes serious relationship problems for the OTP, since Momo can't abandon the only real friend she's ever known. Not even for love. In a different drama, I would like to see Jia Sen get the girl. But I guess I can re-watch Joo Won's The Good Doctor for that.

The Second Best Relationship in the Drama

Mars and his manager are too cute. You would think a spoiled, self-absorbed pop star would treat his assistant like dirt, but these two openly call each other best friends, watch each others backs, and have a hilarious time when they go shopping for Momo (think cup sizes and things with wings, and you'll get the picture).

The first half of To Get Her tickled my funny bone, but it started to drag around episode 8 or 9 when Mars moved out. How dare they take away my fun that early! The noble idiocy hit sooner than expected. Although everything resolves with hearts and flowers in the end, it spent too long in the doom and gloom end of the drama pool. This T-drama is a short and sweet summer fling, but you might want to keep your finger on the cursor to fast-forward some of the later bits. Still, it made me laugh out loud and gave me some feelzies, so what more could you ask from a fling.

(All the images belong to CTV, GTV, or whichever company owns To Get Her and no infringement is intended. If you want to check out the drama you can find it on Viki.)