Blossoms Shanghai

Even as the narrative tightens up towards the end of this stretch of episodes, you may find yourself wondering exactly how Wong plans to stretch it over the course of the next 18 episodes. For starters, anyone worrying about Wong having to sacrifice his usual cinematic approach in order to work within the parameters of the television world will be relieved that this is indeed a Wong vehicle through and through, one that feels of a piece with such classics as “Chungking Express,” “In the Mood for Love,” and “2046.”

In the end, while it can be tough to care about the financial wheelings and dealings of Mr. Bao on a micro level, it’s very easy to enjoy his story on a macro one. As crazy as it sounds, the details don’t matter as much as the mood.

It’s sly and funny, charming and fierce, even while the series may lack the subtle grace of the artist’s finest films (and feel, at times, like a capitulation to what TV used to be, back when the future César Award winner started out writing soap operas, more than what it’s become in the fading era of small-screen auteurism).

Between dense dialogue and inconsistencies in filming, Blossoms Shanghai is flawed. It's not a masterpiece, and, honestly, the project has caused more headaches for Wong than it's likely worth, but that doesn't mean it's bad. In fact, what makes it good, especially as it ramps up its plot and starts to bring all its players into the main narrative, far overshadows the problems permeating the series.