Go Ahead 以家人之名 [2020]

NiteWalker · September 11, 2020

Spoilers Alert

Story and Review

Go Ahead is a drama that explores family relationships and asks the question of what truly makes a family. Is it really just a matter of blood, or is there more than that in tying people together to make them a family. It tells the story using three protagonists, none of whom are related to each other.

Li JianJian is a little girl who is raised by her widower father who dotes on her.

Ling Xiao moves with his father into an apartment upstairs from JianJian and her father after his parents divorce and his mother abandons them, blaming Ling Xiao for the death of his younger sister.

He ZiQui was raised by his mother after his father abandoned them, and the mother had hoped to marry JJ's father, but instead, his mother abandons him and so he is raised by JianJian and her father.

Ling Xiao’s father, Father Ling, is more of the stereotypical father figure of this group since as a policeman, he is always busy and rarely at home. However, he gives money to JianJian’s father to help with household expenses as JianJian’s father also raises Ling Xiao. JianJian’s father, Father Li is the one who raises all three children as a caring, nurturing parent, and helps foster the sibling relationship amongst the three children.

While both boys are 9 years old, Ling Xiao is a few months older and so considered the older older brother to JianJian, while ZiQui is considered the younger older brother. JianJian is 7 years old when the boys come to live with them. JianJian has liked Ling Xiao since she first saw him, while she did not like ZiQui at first, but eventually grew to love him as a brother also.

The three children are all raised by JJ's father and loved by him as his children until the 2 boys finish high school. After they finish high school, though, they are returned to their own families where they struggle with their birth families.

Later on, the boys miss JianJian and their adoptive father, so they come back as adults to her and Father Li. But this time, JianJian and Ling Xiao fall in love with each other. There are some hints from their teenage years, though that Ling Xiao may have already started developing feelings for JianJian. ZiQui also confesses his love to JianJian, but it is only because he wants to be a real part of the family rather than because he truly loves her as a woman.

The three protagonists continue, however, to manage the various relationships with each other and their parents, both the ones who loved and raised them as well as the ones who abandoned them.

The best parts of this drama are when it shows the Trio of children (Ling Xiao, JianJian, and ZiQui) doing everything together, as well as the love and actions of Father Li who is a father who is also trying to be a mother. It is more typical to see a single mother trying to be both a mother and father to her children, so this was a refreshing change.

This story also feels very realistic in parts because life is never simple and clear cut. Just because the parents may abandon their children, the children cannot always just calmly move on. The children are affected, and the parents may have their reasons, even if they are not good reasons. It also tackles depression in youths through the protagonists and how it affects them and those around them.

My favorite scenes in this drama all involve the Trio, such as when JianJian announces to her family of 4 guys about how she has finally started menstruation, leaving all 4 guys speechless and uncertain of how to react. Shortly after that, she dumbfounds them again by showing off a lacy bra that Ling Xiao had bought for her.

There are also the scenes of the Trio eating together, automatically sharing the food out to the one who would most like a specific food. It demonstrates again how close these three are.

The most touching scene for me, though, is the reunion between ZiQui and Father Li after a 9 year separation. ZiQui was placing his order, and Father Li, recognizing ZiQui’s voice as well as the order that only the Trio would eat, came out from the kitchen. The cashier jokingly tells ZiQui to kneel to pay his respect to Father Li, but ZiQui immediately drops to his knees in front of Father Li to pay his respects. Father Li wasn’t standing for that, however, pulling ZiQui up to his feet and reprimanding the cashier for having even joked about doing that.

JianJian also serves as the narrator through various scenes, and leaves everyone with words to reflect on.

All in all, there were so many scenes that I loved through out this drama. The only ones I didn’t like were the ones where ChenTing were in them since she acts like a perfect “Green Tea Lady”. GTL is a very bad term indicating someone who is being nice but it is all just an act.

Ratings:

Plot/story: 8/10 - I love how the story evolved with no draggy parts. However, the ending felt a little choppy and rushed, especially with LingXiao's mother turning around 360 degrees very quickly. This ending issue is why I took a couple the points off.

Cast/acting: 10/10 - Good acting from all of the cast including the kid actors, they were all very relatable. Song WeiLong has improved, though there are still parts where he seemed a little awkward. The actress who played ChenTing was the best; I couldn’t stand to even watch her on the screen. Tan SongYun, a 30 years old woman, made you believe that she was 16. Zhang XinCheng made you cry with him. Both Father Li and Father Ling generated warmth that enfolded the Trio.

Production value: 9/10 - Overall good. Appreciated how they highlighted Ling Xiao's depression, how JianJian totally went out and said 'Ge, what is wrong with you, why no one realize you're sick!'

Re-watch value: 10/10 - I’m still re-watching everything, though skipping ChenTing's parts. hahahaha