In the bright starry sky of Chinese TV dramas, "City in the City" was once pinned on high hopes, but it became the center of conversation because of the unsatisfactory performance of one character. The show aims to show an intricate urban emotional story, but there is controversy over casting, especially the character of Zhou Lin, played by Lonnie, whose performance has become the target of public criticism.
Zhou Lin is set up as a character with all kinds of charms and breathtakingly beautiful in the play. However, the audience generally believes that Lonnie's appearance and temperament do not conform to this setting. Between reality and expectations, Lonnie's acting skills have widened this gap. In the confrontation with veteran actor Yu Hewei, Lonnie's performance was significantly inferior. In a key drunken scene in the play, Yu Hewei's performance is full of emotional layers, but when it comes to Lonnie, her expression is stiff and unfeeling.
After the episode aired, viewers' dissatisfaction quickly spread on social platforms. Many viewers said they chose to switch channels whenever the screen shifted to Lonnie. A common view is that while the other characters in the show may have wonderful performances, Lonnie's parts greatly reduce the overall viewing value. This general feeling has dealt a big blow to the ratings and word-of-mouth of the series.
On the Internet, many viewers expressed their disappointment with the casting. Some netizens commented: "The selection of an inappropriate role is enough to greatly reduce the overall texture of a drama." At the same time, some TV drama production experts pointed out that casting should pay more attention to the overall compliance of actors, including the dual consideration of appearance and acting skills. Experts suggest that in the production of future dramas, actors who meet the role settings should be screened more strictly through auditions to avoid similar mistakes.
The case of "City within a City" is a reminder to the film and television production industry that proper casting is critical to the success of a TV series. Although Lonnie's acting problems have caused widespread dissatisfaction among the audience, it has also sparked deeper thinking and discussion about the production of the TV series. The discrepancy between what audiences expect from the characters and what the series actually offers exposes the industry's shortcomings in casting, training, and director guidance. This controversy, while seemingly a failure of the series in the short term, provides valuable lessons for future productions, helping to raise the bar and quality of the entire industry.
While Lonnie's acting skills have sparked widespread discussion, netizens' opinions are even more diverse and direct. Some viewers expressed their understanding of the overall direction of the series, believing that the production team may have had their own considerations when choosing the actors. More voices, however, expressed palpable disappointment and dissatisfaction.
"Seeing every shot of Zhou Lin, I was thinking, is this kind of interpretation really in line with the description of her in the script?" one netizen wrote on Weibo. Another viewer commented in Douban's discussion group: "If Zhou Lin's role is played by other actors who are both in line with appearance and acting skills, this drama will definitely be able to go to the next level." ”
Not only that, but some viewers put forward their expectations for future dramas: "I hope that the producer can be strict in casting in the future, especially for such a key role, not only to look at the appearance, but also to look at the acting skills." ”
This series of repercussions makes us realize that the audience has higher and higher requirements for the quality of TV dramas. What are your thoughts on this? Do you also think that Lonnie's acting skills are a failure of "City within a City"? or do you have any other opinions to share? Leave a comment in the comments section and let's discuss the importance and challenges of film and television dramas in the selection of actors.