‘The Vendetta of An’ (2025) Netflix Series Review - A Well-Made Period Drama

I haven’t been a big fan of period dramas, but of late, I feel good ones are coming, and “The Vendetta of An” falls in that category. Set against the backdrop of Chang’an in the days of Wude's reign, the series gives us plenty of thrillers, vengeance, and political dramas. At the time of Wude's reign, the Huben Dark Guards were seen as an invisible authority that was feared due to the terror caused by them amongst people. However, their sudden disappearance due to a coup by the feudal lord Xiao Wu Yang creates an air of mystery within the dynasty. People are curious as to where the most feared guards have left, but no one finds a definite answer. To make things even more suspicious, the dethroned emperor vanishes too. The whole empire is now faced with rumors that Huben’s leader, Yan Feng Shan, is manipulating the fallen ruler to come back into power once and for all. It is because of this that a tense atmosphere is created all around the show.

At its core, the main character of the show is Xie Huai’an, who serves as an official from Huainan. Xiao Wu Yang ordered him to eradicate the remaining people from Huben.  The show further progresses when Yan Feng Shan murders his father, and for ten years, Xie Huai’an lived with this rage, wanting to look for an opportunity to take revenge. 
So this is a typical political drama involving the armies and revenge. The show is a good watch for those who like this genre. However, the only drawback that I encountered was the numerous subplots involved in it. With so many of them, it becomes hard to understand whose story we are now following. But this isn’t the problem with this show. I have seen many other shows of the same or similar genre undergoing this issue.

For those of you who don’t like history and revenge, you might not like this show much. But even with that, there is no harm in trying this one. The way the show has been executed it will make you want more. And thankfully, we do have a few episodes coming out soon to satisfy our craving. Other than that, the character development of the numerous plots involved in it is worth watching too. Right from the start to the present, the makers have given us a good background of each of the characters. It isn’t like we are seeing a character and wondering what could have led them to come to this stage. With that being said, the entire show becomes a great show to watch.

The pacing is even, hence it doesn’t become too problematic while watching. So many of the history-related dramas have issues with the pacing. From that front too, we are sorted as the makers don’t drag the show for no reason. And this is very evident from the overall run time of the episodes. None of them lasts for an hour or more. It gets wrapped up well in time, like in forty minutes or so. Hence, you won't have to bear too much of history.

Final Score- [7/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times