The Ghost Bride

The Ghost Bride, launched on Netflix in 2020, is a compelling supernatural series that artfully combines elements of mystery, romance, and horror that resonate with audiences. The series takes its name from the ancient Chinese tradition in which a family resorts to marrying off a woman to a deceased man to appease his spirit.

Originating from Malaysia, the Ghost Bride breaks new ground as Netflix's first Mandarin-Original series from the country. The show is based on the popular novel penned by the Malaysian author, Yangsze Choo, and is set in 1890's Colonial Malacca.

The narrative is propelled by a captivating story about Li Lan, a young and independent woman from an impoverished family, who is offered a peculiar marriage proposal. The wealthy Lim family—her father's old-time friend—approaches Li Lan with a proposition for a ghost marriage to Lim Tian Ching, their heir who passed away under mysterious circumstances. The financially strained family views this as an opportunity to regain their footing in society and to settle old debts. However, for Li Lan, this is far from an ideal situation, and she's opposed to this abnormal prospect.

Proving its worth as a rhyming storyteller, the series unravels as Li Lan's dreams and reality merge. She is haunted in her dreams by the spectral Lim Tian Ching, who is clingy, obsessed, and restless in the afterlife. His appearance introduces her to the intricate web of mysteries, death, forbidden love, affection, greed and corruption that thrives within the Lim family. As Li Lan navigates this dream realm, she also encounters a heavenly official whose true intentions remain unclear. Therefore, she faces a constant battle against the world of the living and the dead. Simultaneously, on the earthly plane, she harbors feelings for the handsome Lim Tian Bai, the cousin of her ghost fiancé.

This six-part miniseries captures an array of brilliant performances that bring life to the characters sketched in the novel. Huang Pei-jia who potrays Li Lan delivers a compelling portrayal of a woman caught between two worlds. Wu Kang-jen, plays her ghostly suitor Lim Tian Ching, striking a perfect balance between a melancholic lover and a vengeful spirit. Tian Bai, portrayed by Ludi Lin, charmingly captures the essence of the noble gentleman from the era.

Diverse in its portrayal of the cultural amalgamation of colonial Malaya, the series is visually appealing, well-directed and offers a glimpse into the Chinese-Peranakan life in Melaka at the turn of the century. It's a well-coordinated chorus between traditional and contemporary, earthy and other-worldly attributes that make it a visual treat. The production successfully executes elements of fantasy with bright oriental hues of the underworld versus the subdued warm tones of the earthly realm which adds to the overall appeal of the series.

The melodrama is complemented by well-timed comic relief and intrinsic traditions, making it an engaging watch throughout its journey. The writers have done a commendable job of maintaining a balance between the existence of the supernatural realm and the human world, preventing viewers from being completely swamped by one or the other through the series.

In addition to its entertaining content, The Ghost Bride retains strong thematic threads weaving their way through the series, highlighting themes of love, loyalty, family and duty, binding together the larger narrative arc. It is also particularly celebrated for its depiction of strong and independent female characters, who fight their own battles and make their own decisions.

Overall, The Ghost Bride is a binge-worthy, unconventional love-triangle set against a unique historical and cultural backdrop that squires viewers on an otherworldly journey of intrigue and enchantment. Whether you crave a clever mystery, a haunting romance, or a delve into the world of the supernatural, this series promises to feed your curiosity. It contains all the right elements to keep you hooked, and the fluid storyline ensures that the ending is anything but predictable, making for a show that's worth being added to your Netflix watchlist.