When searching for a new drama to watch, I’d often google recommendations, ratings and plot synopsis for different dramas.

However, what was rarely available was what kind of a drama you’re getting into. Will I cry? Will it leave me emotionally drained? How funny is it? How fast does the plot progress? Will I feel the need to eat my feelings straight after every episode cause I’m kinda on a diet right now?

This is why I created my own rating system, so you know EXACTLY what kind of a drama you’re investing in, along with an overall quality rating out of 10.

Without further ado, here is my rating system with explanation of each criteria:

• Feel-Good Factor: /5 – Can I watch this and not feel depressed and miserable afterwards? If the answer is yes, then it’s getting a high feel-good score. Feel good dramas may not tackle the biggest inequalities in life but they do portray kind hearted people pursuing happiness in its many different forms, and who wouldn’t feel great watching that? A high feel good score almost guarantees no major deaths and a happy ending for the characters.
• Humour: /5 – I love a funny drama, whether it be a funny side-character or the main genre of the entire show. Humour comes in so many different forms, you can find it in any genre of drama you want to watch. If a few moments of comic relief is what you need, this rating will let you know if this drama can deliver.
• Emotional Harrowing-ness: /5 – My personal favourite category. Sometimes I don’t have the emotional stability to handle watching a character grow for 10 hours and falling in love with their personality only for them to be killed off in the second to last episode. This also applies to second lead syndrome – School 2015 writers, I will find you and demand compensation!
• Pace: v.slow, slow, medium and Fast – Everyone has a preferred pace in life and it’s much the same in dramas. Some prefer to watch the characters slowly develop in a nuanced, subtle way and some prefer to jump quickly from obstacle to obstacle and see how everything rapidly unfolds. Whatever floats your boat!
• Chemistry: /5 – Chemistry between leads and supporting roles can make or break a drama for me. I’ve found dramas where I hate everything about the plot but the chemistry and bond between the characters is so strong I’ve completely overlooked the lack direction and story in favour of more fluffy friendships and romances.
• Overall Quality: /10 – The classic conventional score that has nothing to do with the emotional contents of the drama. At the end of the day a good drama is made from an excellent plot, beautiful directing and superb acting regardless of what genre it follows; happy or sad, horror or romance.

There we have it! Just a little background into how each drama is judged.

Remember, apart from the quality score /10, non of these criteria tell you how excellent or crap a drama is. They are simply a helpful tool to help you select which dramas you’d like and which are maybe not for you.

Until next time!

-The Drama Duchess