ToGetHer episode 1 recap

[dramasoliloquy]

If ToGetHer (2009) was a movie, it would be the quirky indie title rather than a mainstream romantic comedy. It's not a movie, but a Taiwanese idol drama. And based on my previous experience of dramas (see here for details), it's a pretty unique Taiwanese drama.

There's some exaggeration, sure, but for an idol drama, there's also a lot of quiet and touching moments where the camera pauses on a scene and lingers and little or nothing is said. Restraint, I think, is the word I'm looking for, in the direction, the acting. And a really nice love story. With some yummy kisses.

 

Basic Details
English Title:ToGetHer/Superstar Express
Episodes: 12
Director: Lin Zi Ping
Screenwriter: Qi Yng Pin
Subbed by Billasubs, credits for pictures, quotes are from their subs.

Main characters: Rainie Yang as Chen Momo - A college student, Momo lives and breathes the world and words of Prince Kasaba, the title character of a manga she reads from constantly. Their parents died when Momo was young, and since then she's lived with her sister Chu Chu.

Jiro Wang as Mars - Mars was once a popular star, but due to a number of scandals, now finds himself a has been at the age of twenty-four. His main desire is to regain his popularity.

George Hu as Jia Sen - Momo is Jia Sen's only friend and vice versa. He excels at swimming, but has the developmental age of a child.

Ji Qin as Ke Yi Zhi - Mars' manager, he is also Mars' best friend and confidant.

Linda Liao as Chen Chu Chu - Momo's sister is very different from Momo, she's into fashion and fun, but it is her money troubles that changes their lives.

(Manga-like Momo walking home, Momo protecting her Prince Kasaba)

In an obvious ode to manga and the Prince Kasaba manga our main character Momo loves, we start off with our heroine Momo struggling with a huge cardboard cutout of her favorite character from her favorite manga, both called Prince Kasaba.

Momo is determined enough to do anything and everything to save her Prince Kasaba cutout, from taking him from the store, to rescuing him from all sorts of obstacles on her way home. She is polite, but reserved with other people, glancing away to avoid eye contact. Momo safely gets her prized possession home, only to have a last minute accident off Prince Kasaba's head.

(Prince Kasaba's birthday cake, Sleeping Mars and Mumu)

Next, we see Momo in full cos-play as a character from the Prince Kasaba manga, celebrating Prince Kasaba's 22^nd birthday with a cake, Prince Kasaba cutout and bobbleheads. Her sister can't understand this obsession, and instead points out to Momo the fact that a celebrity, Mars, is supposed to be starting at her school, but Momo's indifferent to the news.

Immersed in dreams of stardom, Mars is awakened by his manager. Mars seems to be self-centered and extremely narcissistic. But he can't be all bad, since he's sleeping next to a stuffed animal. He and the manager goes over the events that lead to the loss of his popularity such as news articles on him:

1. Scoffing at the clothes a top designer made for him,
2. Given to groping women,
3. And assaulting a reporter.

Mars is finally emboldened to go school when his manager Yi Zhi tells him lots of reporters and his fans are waiting for him. Mars arrive to see some fans, and even his own personal fan club consisting of four members, but no reporters. He staggers to class, oozing self importance and plops down near Momo, who ignores him.

(A forgotten Momo, Prince Kasaba autographed by Mars)

When Momo is picked at random to show Mars around campus, the teacher asks her who she is and Momo flashes back to all the other times she was ignored and forgotten by others. She takes her duty seriously though, pointing out the different places to Mars who has become surrounded by a small group of girl fans.

Momo recalls one of Prince Kasaba's quotes as she watches Mars and his fawning fangirls,

"People who are self-absorbed are like those who step on dog poo, and shout,
"Why is it so smelly?"and won't admit it no matter what.
They never know how much people hate them."
(Prince Kasaba, Vol. 5, page 26)

She's glad to leave him to his fangirls and settles down for a quiet lunch, only Mars sees her sitting alone and comes to thank her. He's got this air of benevolence about him, like a prince giving a token to his retainers, as Mars thanks her and scribbles his autograph on her book.

Naturally, Momo goes berserk, for her at least. She starts talking in a low, but fierce tone, deriding Mars as being full of himself, and thinking only of himself so that he doesn't even know people don't like him. It's as effective a rebuke as Makino's attack on Domyoji is in Hana Yori Dango. As she talks, her voice rises and rises, until it catches everyone's attention. Momo can't believe she said what she was thinking out loud, and scurries off, leaving a none too pleased Mars.

Later on, Momo learns that her sister who has credit card debts wants to have a boarder in their house and has already accepted money for it.

What Mars doesn't know? Could fill a house, but Yi Zhi hasn't told him that Mars' company has taken back his house to give to someone else and Mars needs to find another place to live. What a coincidence that Momo needs a boarder!

(Momo pulling her desk, Mars and Yi Zhi discussing his finances.)

The next day, Momo goes to class, only to find her desk is gone, retaliation from Mars fanclub members for Momo dissing Mars. There's some beautiful music in one of those quiet moments I talked about in the intro, as we see Momo struggling with the desk. Mars comes along and offers to help, but Momo shrugs off his help.

Mars learns that he has to move out when the new owner Ben comes. He's basically an upcoming star, Mars' replacement and that the two don't like each other is obvious. We later learn that Mars isn't exactly penniless, but he's been clearing his dead father's debts for years and that left him less than plump in the pocket.

Mars is unimpressed by his new digs when he arrives. His manager comes with his stuff and the unwelcome news that Mars' mom is on her way down to visit Mars. Upon leaving the house, Mars find his car has been towed away. He gets a call from his mom, who luckily can't visit him after all, and tells her he'll send her money.

("Dance off, dance off," Poor Mars, they're all staring and hating on you!)

Mars and Yi Zhi head to the train station, where he's recognized by some street dancers. The dancers want a dance off (what, like you've never been challenged to a dance off?), sneering at Mars for being a loser.

Unable to bear it anymore, first dissed by a girl and now some street punks, Mars starts to throw a punch, only his manager stops him. Yi Zhi sends Mars on ahead, telling him he can't afford to get into any more trouble, and Yi Zhi apologizes, and asks the group not to spread this around.

Mars goes back to class, a changed person. It's like his view of the world has suddenly shifted, and whereas before he was wearing rose colored glasses, now they're pitch black. He sees slander and derision everywhere he looks. It's a very powerful moment.

Mars remembers what Momo told him at lunch, that not everybody likes him and goes to find her.

(Accidental Nudity? = Classic Taiwanese (TW) Drama Moment)

He demands Momo tell him why she doesn't like him, so Momo finally tells him how could anyone like him with him behaving like this? So he steals a kiss, cuz that will make her like him right? It does make Momo . . . punch him. In a classic TW drama moment, she lets out a long “GROSS”.

Mars goes out and gets dead drunk. When he arrives home, anxious to pee, he interrupts Momo in the bathroom and she knocks him out. Again.

Final Thoughts: I like the way the characters are just a little bit different or in Momo's case, a lot from the norm. Momo isn't the spunky heroine or the goody two shoes you've seen before. She's quiet and retiring and absorbed in a fantasy world. Mars comes off as self-absorbed star, but we also see him as a dutiful son, and willing to set aside his differences with Momo to help her.

And can I just say, a kiss in the first episode? What's not to like?