It is estimated that even many authentic "American TV series fans" do not know what American TV series is currently popular. "CLS"? Yes, it's that one, a variety show! Is it a sister production of the popular American TV series "CSI" ("Crime Scene Investigation")? No. Is it a new drama launched by a famous big-name director? Also no. If you don't know, then you're out of touch.
Let me tell you, this is the nickname given by self-proclaimed critic netizen "Dongdong Qiang" to a certain domestic TV drama. Yes, it's that rural comedy with the longest lifespan, still popular, and expected to continue - the "Village Love" series. "Dongdong Qiang" also gave each character in the drama a very catchy English name, comparing its production and character relationships with many popular American TV dramas. This "new interpretation" has achieved unexpected results. Under the leadership of "Dongdong Qiang", chasing "CLS" is becoming a "very stylish" thing among younger internet users: "Find time to watch the famous 'CLS'. Benson plans to enter Hollywood!" Such dialogue is hilarious.
The "American version" of "Village Love"
Plot Introduction:
"The full name of the TV series is 'Countryside Love Story', produced by our country's famous comedy master Benson. It tells the story of various extremely funny and laugh-out-loud stories happening within the 5 seasons and over 170 episodes, featuring Joyce and Lennon as representatives of the rural residents." In the above nickname, Benson is the producer Zhao Benshan, Joyce is the expressionless and twitching Zhao Si, and Lennon is the most beloved audience member Liu Neng. Netizens have also accordingly called Xie Dajiao "Shellda Jo" and Wang Dana "Von Dannor". Have you chased the famous "CLS" today? It has become the latest "trend" on the Internet.
In the already aired "CLS Seasons 1-4", this drama fully exhibits some characteristics comparable to pure American TV series.
Production -
Self-consistent, ever-changing
Comparable to: "Sex and the City"
Do you remember the "finale" of "Sex and the City"? When Big confessed his love to Carrie, he used the phrase "I want you," rather than the commonly used "Will you marry me?" Thus, the relationship between Big and Carrie can change instantly. If there's ever a sequel, no matter how the characters' relationships change, the plot can immediately make sense. The same goes for "CLS." For example, whether Simmon Wong (Wang Xiaomeng) can give Tse (Xie) family a grandson might become the storyline for the next season, and the screenwriters will modify according to audience opinions.
Characters -
New characters join at any time
Comparable to: "Prison Break"
Main characters represented by Lennon and Joyce have extreme and distinct personalities that are unforgettable, much like Sheldon (Xie Erdou) from "The Big Bang Theory"; main characters build relatively stable relationships within the drama, with new characters joining or disappearing every season; it's more accurate to say that audiences love watching these characters themselves rather than just the play. This easily reminds people of the endless stream of new characters added in "Prison Break," and each character forms an unimaginable relationship with the protagonists.
Plot -
Trivial matters telling stories
Comparable to: "Friends," "The Big Bang Theory"
"CLS" follows the American TV series style of telling trivial stories, building a comedic life, much like "Friends" and "The Big Bang Theory" which are also collections of fragmented lives. "Dongdong Qiang" evaluates that the current 170 episodes of "CLS" across 5 seasons respectively tell the stories of "I'm not with you anymore," "I want to be with him," "We got married," "I want a grandson," "Even with a grandson, it's not peaceful"... The cross-storylines between characters are like those in American TV series such as "Desperate Housewives," where pairs are arranged and matched in each season: A and B are good, B and C are good, C falls in love with A.
Watching -
Soap opera, light and effortless
Not only did "Dongdong Qiang" notice the similarity between the "Village Love" series and American TV series, but drama critic Li Xingwen also commented when reviewing this series: "Village Love is China's rural soap opera. Soap operas are a type of drama pioneered by foreigners, for housewives who have nothing to do." Since it's a soap opera, the "Village Love" series naturally fits the characteristic of being light and effortless to watch, with viewers expecting each season, loving the characters more than the plot, no suspense about the ending, and ratings becoming an important factor in deciding whether to continue filming.
Effect -
Netizens rewrite "Village Love"
In addition, netizens have begun to imitate American TV series outlines to rewrite "Village Love." Netizen "Wang Tao_ Football Commentator" wrote: "If the 'Village Love' series were written by American TV series writers, probably in this season, Zhang Gui marries Wang Xiaomeng, Xie Dajiao becomes a nun, Wang Tianlai is actually gay and gets together with Zhao Yugan, Xie Guangkun kills Liu Danna and ends up in prison, escapes successfully with Wang Dana's help, but accidentally triggers a village mechanism. The grand finale reveals that Liu Neng is from the National Security Bureau, undercover in Xiangyashan, investigating hidden nuclear facilities in the village, the nuclear weapon is accidentally activated, and the big boss Yongqiang is arrested." This arrangement seems more interesting than watching TV itself, instantly sparking more netizen follow-ups.
Netizen Hot Discussions -
@ "Red Bean Las": "The 'Village Love' can also be watched this way, all characters in the drama have foreign names, too much fun. Haha."
@ "Li Xiaohao": "I haven't watched TV for a week, how hasn't this 'Village Love' ended yet? The screenwriter of 'Village Love' must have studied in America, it must be so!"