There’s a lot of “Journey to the West” adaptations out there, but if you only have time to watch one, let it be this one. It is by far the best representation of the original classic and Chinese culture.

The show sticks pretty closely the novel, both in terms of plot and characters. Luxiao Lingtong is not just another actor in a monkey suit. He is a monkey who learns to act and behave like a human. Sun Wu Kong has very real human emotions, and you can see all that in Luxiao Lintong’s bright, expressive eyes.

The special effects are rough, so the director wisely keep those to a minimum. The production team rely more on practical effects, which are quite ingenious. I will never forget the underwater palace, the ginseng tree, and the spider demons shooting webs out of their belly buttons!

The video quality is far from HiDef, but the haziness lends a dreamlike, fantastical feel to the show. The costumes and character designs are beautiful and taken straight out of the Buddhist and Taoist pantheons.

This series is clearly made by people who love and respect the original work. They don’t seek to put their own mark on it or “update it for a whole new generation.” They don’t try to follow the latest trends, show off the latest technology, or cater to the whims of the audience. They honor the vision of the author. To me that’s what makes it a classic.