“The Confidant”

Cast: 

Wayne Lai as Li Lianying

 Michelle Yim as Empress Dowager Cixi

 Maggie Siu as Empress Dowager Ci’an

 Oscar Leung/Pako Au as Tongzhi Emperor

 KK Cheung as Prince Gong

 Raymond Wong as Yiu Sheung-hei

 Power Chan as Pang Sam Shun

 Raymond Cho as An Dehai

 Edwin Siu as Ling Tim Sau

 Nancy Wu as Sing Yung

 Aimee Chan as Princess Wo-shek 

Plot

You wont find this in your history books- this is solely TVB version of  what happened &

how Empress Dowager Cixi and Li Lianying come to rule over China. Nothing is familiar which makes this rather interesting. 

Review

 

The scenery was beautiful.  They went to Hengdian to film in the replica Forbidden City.  But what I don’t understand is why the formal meetings with all the officials & emperor is being held in a tiny crampy room? A little odd there. But in this way, they actually show us how Empress Dowager was the one who actually decides on things, sitting behind the young emperor, hidden by the curtain. Thought that was an interesting perspective.

In terms of plot, The Confidant is different from other palace dramas because it focuses on the life of being a eunuch, rather than political struggles or concubines fighting for the emperor’s affections. The beginning offers a glimpse of how life was for the different levels of  eunuch. The ambitious ones like Edwin Siu, peaceful ones like Wayne Lai, powerful ones like Raymond Cho & bullies like Power Chan.

The love story between Raymond Wong & Aimee Chan the princess, was I thought a waste of time.......... Didn’t like it one bit.......... draggy. Wayne and Nancy’s story was even worse because he can’t make up his mind on being with her, which really bugs me!