Final Episode of In Time With You Goes Out as the Ratings Champion
Ariel Lin and Bolin Chen stumbled their way to an expected and well-earned happy ending in today’s final episode of In Time With You. It was no surprise they will end up together, but viewers cared about the how, wanting their journey to feel complete. The production released these final batch of official stills for the fans to savor and save, including the adorable wedding picture from above. The drama has been hovering in the mid-3s in terms of ratings for the last few episodes, but episode 13 shot up past 4 and went to 5, hitting 5.51 for a spectacular conclusion (whereas Office Girls was second with 4.66, dropping below 5 for the first time in almost 10 episodes). I’m thrilled Ariel’s drama did so well, and the directing was genuinely exquisite and the drama worth watching just for that. While You Qing isn’t Ariel best acting, Bolin really shined in his role as Da Ren and all of Taiwan is loving him as some sort of ideal son-in-law and/or best guy friend.
Happy to hear the good news about the ratings! Thanks koala!
I watched the final episode unsubbed, with a stupid smile on my face the whole time. So adorable together and I was angry that we couldn’t get more of this before. I guess the long wait made it more satisfying but goodness gracious…
It’s been a very frustrating journey but Da Ren was the sweetest best friend/boyfriend and the perfect son-in-law material (even if at times, you just wanted him to open his freaking mouth and say ‘I like you”
koala-san and my friends reading it ;D
I’d like to watch that drama, do you guys know where can I get english subs or even watch it online?
thanks!
I’m always visiting that amazing blog!
You can watch it online w/ english subs at sugoideas.com and also jacinda1st.com 🙂
I’m secretly still watching drama for Bolin/DaRen alone. I’ve made peace with what I don’t like with it at half point (ie turning a blind eye/ear at Ariel’s OTT arias of line reading and her character YouChing and my absolute turned off of everything Ding Li Wei….and the writing)
Maybe it’s just me, but this story will make a better movie of <2 hrs than a 15 hr drama.
I think you’re right. I’m not even watching anymore, just no energy to deal with YQ whining about everything.
Plus I have Me Too, Flower! to keep me riveted to the screen now that OG has slowed to a crawl.
you should just watch the final. it felt so good that Da Ren and You Qing are FINALLY together.
@MsKoala
I’ve only read recaps from CouchKimchi because I was also getting too annoyed about how passive/stupid Da Ren was and how YQ did whine ALL THE TIME.
But I HAD to watch the finale, and it was soooo worth it. That finale reminded me of all the bestest parts of Lie To Me with ZERO angst. I know you’ll love it, too.
I am so happy that actually ockoala did some reviews of this drama. Honestly, I had never liked Ariel Lin until I saw In Time with You. PD Winnie and the script writer Maggie did not imagine that Ariel would even consider this role since Youqing is an extremely unfavorable heroine and she gets on everyone’s nerve– except Da ren.But I have to say that I simply adore Ariel’s performance. I don’t agree with what @mookie said about “Ariel’s OTT arias of line reading.” It’s part of Youqing’s personality. She is the queen of charts–she is a lion got caught up in her own principle. This is Ariel’s choice of delivering this character and I am fine with this choice. Off screen, Ariel actually speaks softly and I actually find her “faking” necessary. Because Youqing is indeed a person living in deception and layers of masks. In short, she is a drama queen.
On the contrary, sometimes I found Bolin’s enunciation “muddy” at times and almost too monotonous although he nails this role perfectly in all other aspects. Don’t get me wrong. I love Bolin from Blue Gate and he has always been a talented actor but I am worried about the fact that he is being typecast in similar roles.
Also, in a way, mookie is right that this is more like an extended version of a 2 hour film. Just imagine if Ariel delivers a natural performance in a way like Bolin does– I guarantee that NOBODY will even bother watch the drama since it won’t have any dramatic ups and downs. (Ariel is capable of an understated acting like Bolin if you watch her acting in the film “Love me, if You can”). For me, what matters the most in a TV drama is not one singular actor or actress. Especially in a drama like ITWY that focuses on OTP, the collaborative effect is more important than one individual actor/actress acting. And I really appreciate the chemistry between Bolin and Ariel. I do think they complement each other and together they still give us incredible performance.
In fact, without the neurotic Youqing, how could one even appreciate Daren? Ultimately, Daren is simply a boring good guy without youqing. I prefer to see them as a contrast and a tandem, instead of two individuals.
As for ockoala’s rant earlier, I read the original script and somehow I feel that Mag loves Daren too much that in order to sculpt a picture-perfect image of a “good friend” and a good man, she sacrifices the consistencies of ALL other characters. I actually resent the fact that she creates a saint of Daren through demonizing Ding Liwei as well as youqing.. That’s the biggest problem of this drama. ITWY purports to be a realistic slice-of-life drama, but like ockoala puts it pointedly, Youqing, Ding Liwei are all ridden with problems with characterization.
Anyway. I still love ITWY to pieces. At least, PD Winnie is just amazing in his execution and directing.
The finale was pretty much just a bunch of cute, which is fine by me. I enjoyed it and didn’t miss the angst of the three eps I skipped.
I love ITWY, love the ending, love Ariel & Bo-lin’s acting. Hats off to everybody behind this wonderful drama. 🙂
Bolin did a great Li Da Ren and I am sure all the girls around are dying to find a best friend just like him. Love the happy ending and both Bolin and Aerial did a great job. So happy for the high rating. Bravo!!!
If this is the ending drama for Ariel, I would wish for more. That said, it went out with the cute and a bang in ratings. 🙂
But really, don’t let this be your last drama, Ariel!
The ending was warm and fuzzy, and YQ actually starting thinking beyond herself for a change, which was nice. Their to and fro was a little cutesy for a while, but I ain’t complaining!
YQ’s very lucky with her very beautiful, totally supportive wise parents – so opposite of Lee Mi-sook in Thousand Days’ Promise! And lucked out even more with Da-ren who’s so patiently tolerant and understanding of her every demand, and mood change.
As for Ding Li-wei … too conveniently wrapped up and conveniently stereotyped for an easy fade-out … but ok — no complaints there either!
congratulation… Ariel & all ITWY team! ^^
finally… a good ending for our OTP.
Wow, that really is quite a high rating.
Wouldn’t have expected it to rise so much for the finale.
omg yay! for a while I was thinking the series may opt for a bittersweet “reality”-type ending and CYC and LDR won’t be together. *phew* gonna go home tonight and catch the finale!
Agree that the last couple of episodes got a little draggy/whiny. Episode 12 was kinda slow for a penultimate episode – totally wasn’t expecting that epi 13 is the finale, but I suppose there’s no way the series could have gone any longer (I mean, since there’s minimal plot development except for the OTP continuing to waltz around in circles around each other). But I guess the show’s more about slo-mo nuances, rather than plot movement.
I really enjoyed the series on the whole though. Ugh still wish AL is the lead in Skip Beat, or even Michelle Chen Yanxi (yes you gotta watch her in You’re the Apple of My Eye to appreciate why she’s the IT girl now – before the movie I totally didn’t understand the hype either).
Nvm I’m rambling…
I waited 12 episodes for this finale. And they finally gave me a kiss (and maybe some more) in the last half hour. I was giddy like a school girl over Li Da Ren. Seriously, is there a guy out there like him?
As I watched it without subs, I maybe didn’t pick up how they got together. It felt like we skipped over that point and we just went straight to kissing …. which I don’t mind, but I’m a little unimaginative so like to get things explained – in.detail. 😛
Where can I go buy this drama with good English subtitles? Anyone?
good song smile!!!!
Congrats ITWY cast on the finale ratings!!! 🙂 I will miss Ariel on the small screen very dearly. I didn’t really love ITWY even though I love her and the director – it’s just not quite my cup of tea even though I think it’s a good series overall.
OG has really slowed for me too. No modern dramas have managed to really grab me in the last few months. I will have to check out MTF when it finishes airing. I started PP.
I must admit that the episode 13 was the only episode that I watched from start to finish without skipping any moments. The other 12 episodes I only fast-fowarded through especially in the later episodes when I was tiring of the continuous repetitive of “You love me, you love me” not action between the leads and when You Qing whines. Episode 13 was like a fan-service to award fans for having put up with the first tiring 12 episodes (I’m not saying that the drama wasn’t great, just that they dragged the emotional status-quo of the leads for too long)
In 13, Ariel and Bolin were so cute together. They felt so natural and sweet. Bolin is a great actor and he excels in roles like this, playing the faithful lover suffering in silence role. His character in his last drama in China (Modern People) also had a similar love fate but character-wise very much different.
Maybe this character was not Ariel’s best acting but it has been great to see her playing a more adult role. The last drama of Love Bread I so did not like her style and character, although acting-wise ok.It is nice to see that they did not rush through how they got together and let us see them each step of the way. But they sure make up for all the kissing that they missed out on in the first 12 episodes. At least 7 kissing scenes interpersed within the 1-2 hour slot. Nice!!!.
The scriptwriter revealed that there were not that many kiss scenes originally in the final episode. For example, the proposal scene where Daren and Youqing were discussing about the job transfer, it was supposed to take place via video webchat on Skype. It was the director who instead suggested to change the scene, to satisfy the audience and to make up for lack of kiss scenes and how they put poor Daren through the wringer in the first 12 episodes.
love the acting of ariel and bolin …will surely miss their tandem and they also had an amazing chemistry…hope they do another project together…itwy deserves the leap in ratings for the finale episode…
Hi just came from ep 13 where I had a permanent grin watching it. Man that episode is cute
🙂 Didn’t follow the series downloaded it intending to marathon through but after so many remarks about it being so draggy- fast fw only from ep 7.
Ep 13 though fan service or not is a winner. Man it’s adorable the long distance relationship/courtship. It feels relaxed and realistic. Da Ren being happy definitely makes for an easier watch. The BTS for the wedding dinner had a real wedding vibe to it like it was a real wedding. Good drama happy I didn’t have to watch from ep 1.
I was expecting the ratings to soar past 4, but not past 5!! Nice one, nice one! Happy for everyone involved in the series. 🙂
Now after this great success perhaps Ariel reconsiders her decision of leaving TV *fingers crossed*
I totally started skipping out and only reading the Asian Fanatics recaps once YQ got with DLW but I’ve watch 4 of the 6 parts of the finale. Viki was only at 91% subbing last night so I’m waiting on the final two parts. I LOVE episode 13 so far and totally love that YQ felt so bad going to DLW to stop the wedding only to get the best out possible and not having to feel bad at all. Lucky break.
They are super cute together…it just makes me want to ship them in real life honestly but the ArJoe crowd is back in full force and it shipwars were never my thing.
I may go back and watch 12 since it’s all the final culmination of events happening.
So glad the show ended on such a high note. So happy for the cast and crew. It’s always great to hear that a solid drama gets the popularity it deserves. I’m not done with all the episodes quite, but I’m working to catch up. I know once I’m done I will miss You Qing and Da Ren.
Hello! ockoala and everyone.
I loved this drama very well, too.
So, I would like to translate above your information and opinion into Japanese at my blog page.
Is it OK??
Please allow me to do this.
Thank you for your cooperation!
I’m so happy that the ratings soared so high; ITWY totally deserved the high ratings at the end. I was glad that the ending was done beautifully without messing up the story or going off into Unbelievable Land. I know a lot of people felt the drama dwelt too much on the painful moments and that there wasn’t any movement or development for several episodes, but there was meaning in every part of the drama. ITWY’s officially my favorite TW romantic drama ever… actually, it might be my favorite drama ever. I’ve never felt so attached to characters in a drama. I love ITWY for making me cry and laugh so much and realize a lot of things about myself and how I see the people around me. I hope a lot of people can watch it and glean something good from it 🙂 Sheesh, I’m still giggling and feeling like my heart’s bursting because of the finale 😀
I love the ending. It’s worth the waits. Glad the director made changes to few scenes and add more kissing scenes. The finale was so good that made me grinned from ear to ear. ^____^
i’m excited to watch this series since it’s been a while since the last time ariel did drama show.
it is nice to know that it did well!