DUKE OF MOUNT DEER (2000)

Another blogger who does recaps of wuxia episodes, JacJac, recommended I watch the 2000 TVB production of Duke of Mount Deer, starring Dicky Cheung and Patrick Tam. I started it yesterday and am really enjoying it so far. I like both new and older wuxia series but there is something about the once made from the 90s through the early 2000s when it comes to the fight choreography and tone that I really like. I'm only 6 episodes in but I highly recommend this one. The cast is great and they convey the athleticism that convinces the viewer of their kung fu skill. Dicky Cheung as Wei Xiaobao has a lot of charisma and wit (though they do change the character a bit from the books). 

One of the things I enjoy about these productions is the rapid shift in tone from humor to seriousness. You see that in a lot of the 90s martial arts films and you also see that in many of these series. You still see it in newer series too but I feel not as much. Some folks might not like that, but it is something I quite enjoy. To me that kind of tone shifting mirrors the abrupt movements of the fight scenes. A good fight scene feels almost plays like dialogue, and good dialogue almost plays like fight scene. 

I don't feel equipped to do recaps myself for these shows (there is just so much cultural information I wouldn't want to get wrong). So instead I will direct readers to JacJac's blog page where she does a lot of recaps. These are quite useful if you follow drama series because they can fill in gaps when the subs are inadequate, they can help clarify aspects of the shows you might not understand and they are great if you have to take a break on a series and need to review the plot before resuming. 

JacJac has a recap of the 1998 version of Duke of Mount Deer (not the 2000 version I am watching) but a host of other shows as well: HK-KOREAN DRAMA ISLAND

I should mention that not everyone enjoyed this particular version of the series (as a number of changes were made to the story). Personally I like it a lot so far, but here are some reviews of it so readers can get a better sense of the reaction it received: DUKE OF MOUNT DEER REVIEWS. 

However, I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a wuxia series to watch.