Low budget, high impact

开年神剧《太子妃升职记》，就是这样“穷得坦荡，污得销魂”

If you haven’t already heard of Go Princess Go (《太子妃升职记》), get out of your cave immediately, otherwise you’ll miss the first Internet frenzy of 2016.

如果你还没听说过《太子妃升职记》，赶快走出你的小天地吧，不然你可要错过2016年第一部爆款网剧啦。

The Web-only series has become the most talked-about show recently. Its strange aesthetic and mind-boggling plot has intoxicated some viewers, while others simply deem it “toxic”.

这部网剧最近成了大家谈论最多的话题。它奇葩的审美和奇大无比的脑洞让不少观众欲罢不能，还有人直接说这部剧有毒……

The story revolves around Zhang Peng, a modern-day womanizer who hits his head and wakes up to find that his soul has been transported back in time. Worse still, he discovers that his soul is now housed in the body of a young woman, who also happens to be a crown princess.

主人公张鹏是一个现代的花花公子，他头部受伤，醒来却发现自己的灵魂穿越到了古代。更糟糕的是，他发现自己变性了，还是当朝太子妃。

You may wonder, “How’s that possible?” Be careful, because that thought may just draw you into the frenzy as well.

你也许会问“这怎么可能?”当心，因为也许正是这种想法让你中了这部剧的毒。

The show’s allure might come from what Chen Xiaoyun calls “satirical psychology”. Chen is the director of the New Media Image Research Center at Beijing Normal University. He told TNT News that some shows strive to be so outrageous that people watch them only to satirize them. Many of today’s entertainment programs use this strategy, he added.

此剧吸引观众的魔力或许正来自于陈晓云所说的“吐槽心理学”。陈晓云是北京师范大学新媒体影像研究中心主任。他告诉畅言TNT，有些节目努力制造槽点，而吐槽也成了观众看剧的主要原因。近年来许多娱乐节目采用了这种策略，他补充道。

Go Princess Go draws on this tactic as well. How far can its plot go? And how much more absurd can it be? Before you have realized it, you’ve already watched a couple of episodes and discussed them with your friends.

《太子妃升职记》也不例外。它的剧情会如何发展?它还能多奇葩?在你意识到这些之前，你已经不知不觉刷了好几集，还和朋友一起讨论这些话题。

The show’s cheesy backdrops and Taobao-style costumes have been the primary source of satire. Every aspect of the series screams, “We can’t afford anything other than a wind machine for our actors’ hair.” And by the way, that wind machine really gets a thorough workout.

简陋的布景和淘宝款服装成为该剧最主要的槽点。该剧的每个细胞都在吼叫：“除了鼓风机，我们买不起任何东西打造演员的发型。”值得一提的是，鼓风机完全撑起了该剧的半壁江山。

Crown Prince Qi Sheng is the only character in the series to get proper clothes that are long enough to cover his legs. And that’s only after he becomes the emperor, as the series unfolds. Other characters have to “flaunt” their bare legs throughout the entire show.

全剧唯一有能遮住腿的戏服的人就是太子齐晟。剧情显示，这还是在他当上皇上以后。其他演员则不得不全程光着腿演戏。

Despite its low production value, its cast still delivers convincing performances. For instance, Zhang Tian’ai, who plays the crown princess, switches deftly between male and female personas. She walks with her toes turned outwards, just like men do. She truly makes you believe that she has a masculine soul trapped inside her female body.

虽然是小成本网剧，可是演员们并没有自暴自弃，卖力出演。比如，太子妃的饰演者张天爱，她男女角色切换自如。她走路八字脚，简直就是个纯爷们，她的表演让观众相信在这具女性身体里真的装了一颗男人心。

After the success of Go Princess Go, some media experts forecast an outbreak of similar TV series in 2016. Absurdity will be their common theme, Xian Yongjing, a director and commentator, told entertainment portal NetEase.com.

《太子妃升职记》爆红后，一些媒体专家预测，2016年将会有许多类似的电视剧出现。导演，娱乐评论人缐永京(网名非我非非我)告诉网易娱乐，奇葩是它们共同的主题。

“Though Go Princess Go shot to fame by accident, it has motivated more TV series to cater to the taste of young people. And most importantly, it proves that a good show isn’t necessarily a costly one,” he said.

他说：“尽管《太子妃升职记》网络剧的成功纯属偶然，但它却激发更多电视剧迎合年轻观众的口味。最重要的是，它证明低成本剧也能很好看。”