Holy three-peats what is this? I’ve been purposely avoiding news about Nicky Wu and Liu Shi Shi’s upcoming Bu Bu Jing Xin reunion sequel Bu Bu Jing Qing, which has finished filming already and is in post-production aiming for a 2014 release. The whole reincarnation and face twins and not the entire cast back bits have me simmering with frustration already, I figured staying news free is a good way to keep my annoyance from boiling over. Turns out I missed the newsflash that Shi Shi and Nicky are already reuniting for the third time in an upcoming period school yard idol drama called Incisive Great Teacher (犀利仁師). The drama has been filming since June and this week released the first character stills of the main leads and I was both amused and baffled. Granted that Nicky and Shi Shi had phenomenal chemistry in BBJX but I’m not certain that would carry over into a comedic caper period drama. China seems pretty enamored with the slapstick period dramas, which can be quite amusing in that non sequitur way like the current witty-it-drama du jour Longmen Express.

Incisive Great Teacher is about a Ming dynasty edict by the Emperor to grant educational equality to the genders and allow girls to attend schools. This move is hampered by opposition from the old guard scholars and Ming special agent Liu Ao Tian played by Nicky infiltrates an institution of higher learning to become a teacher and ensure the edict is carried out. There he butts heads with spinster teacher Lu Yun Fei played by Shi Shi. Together they educate and counsel the students as comedy abounds, and of course end up falling in love. C-actor Huo Zheng Yen plays another teacher and forms the love triangle with the main OTP. 10th Prince from BBJX Ye Zhu Xin joins this drama as a student and he’s paired with Gui Gui (We Ying Jie) who plays his fellow student and romantic nemesis. Apparently Wallace Huo is making a cameo appearance which is totally welcome he’s always a treat in period dramas, plus he co-starred with Shi Shi in both Chinese Paladin 3 and Strange Hero Yi Zhi Mei. I have no expectations about this drama other than a mild curiosity. The official stills are pretty darn cute with a bit of the Sungkyunkwan Scandal vibe except with the teachers being the leads. Continue reading →