Endless Love Episode 3 Review:
This episode is kind of like watching a baby learning how to walk. It’s starting to find its legs and making a tentative foray into the world of walking. Thankfully the pacing has finally started to pick up. One thing that’s really helped is that the characters are finally starting to be honest with each other. Rather than hiding everything and not talking about it, they are finally communicating, and coming to understand each other. It’s quite a relief to find that there is a solid bridge that is being built between all the characters after 2 episodes.
One of the biggest differences about this particular episode is that Rui En has finally started to grow up. She decided to give up on her unrequited love for Min Shuo, and as a result, learn how to become her own person in his presence. In deciding that she wants to be treated as an adult, she also begins to act more like an adult. I liked how Sandrinne balanced this new budding maturity with her character’s playful nature.
Rui En’s budding friendship with Jing Hao is wonderful to watch. Of course, there are the requisite moments of meaningful gazes between the two of them in order to hint a future romantic relationship, which can get a little clichéd. But other than that, their playful banter so adorable. Their relationship reminds me of two children who can’t resist poking fun at each other. It’s like a breath of fresh air to watch Jing Hao enjoy himself since Jing Hao’s character has been so melancholic for so long. That is not to say that this episode is without melancholy but their relationship makes that sadness more bearable.
No-Q remains one of the most entertaining characters in the drama. Watching him leap to his friend’s defense was endearing but at the same time, watching him talk himself to tears with a self-drawn conclusion of what went on is adorable. The whole time I was watching this scene, part of me wished Rui En would just clap a hand over his mouth so he can get the truth of what’s going on but a bigger part of me just wanted to see where he would go with his tirade. And also, his face when the cops invaded their illegal street vending block is hilarious. You know you’ve been doing this for too long when the sight of cops inflicts feelings of exasperation rather than panic.
The more that is revealed of Jing Hao’s family situation, the more I feel for him. Watching him get torn apart by his drunk father is utterly heartbreaking. It’s bad enough for a child when your mother dies trying to save you, but to hear the words come out of your father’s mouth repeatedly like that must inflict some pretty deep psychological scars. It’s easy to see now why his character acts as if he has the weight of the world on his back, and why he takes responsibility for every fault. The writers offer a good explanation for his budding martyr complex. I think that Will Pan’s acting has shown a lot of improvement since the first episode. The first scene he had with his father in Episode 1 didn’t really make me feel much even though the audience was supposed to feel his pain. But this crying scene with his father’s yelling actually made me tear a little.
And of course, the huge plot device of Rui En’s father being the one who killed Jing Hao’s mother is introduced in this episode, even before the two title characters get together. This of course means that their relationship is doomed even before it begins. I’m interested in how this ends up playing out, since both Rui En and Jing Hao’s mothers died on the same day (still not sure if it’s the same year yet).
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