Detective L (2019)

This is the best executed C-drama that I have watched in the last 2 1/2 years. The production values are excellent, with an excellent cast, director, film editor, scriptwriter, music supervisor, wardrobe supervisor, stage design supervisor, location supervisor and all the diligent crew members. The caterers might have been excellent as well.

Bai Yu is the best C-detective, Lou Fei, who is charismatic, upper class, and well-dressed, and he possesses a sharp intellect and an analytical mind. Una You as Xiao Man is the perfect assisting police detective, with fighting skills and a sharp mind to complement Lou Fei's. Jeffrey Ji as Ben Jie Ming is the very handsome and tall coroner with a sharp mind and excellent inter-communication skills. Captain Savoy is the perfect boss and team leader, who leads, supports and respects his staff members. Their loyalty to him is shown in the final episode, when the police officers stand with him, against the raging director of the municipality.

Acting: 9.5
Directing: 9
Casting 9
Editing 9
Music 10
Costumes 9
Sets 10
Script 8.5

This is the first Chinese drama that I am willing to rewatch. The 24-episode length and the tight scripts are perfect for viewers with a short attention span.

ATTENTION: This drama contains NONE of the following drama flaws to disrupt the viewer's concentration;

(a) flashback and repetitive flashback filler,
(b) story filler,
(c) useless flashbacking,
(d) pattern-mad or garish wardrobe,
(e) obtrusive loud singing and loud incidental music score overlapping the characters' dialogs and scenes.

Final episode comment; The ending is the beginning.
From the structure and pace of the cases, the ending was designed to continue in a second season. Bai Yu and Una You comprise the best detective team, Lou Fei and Qin Xiao Man, since Inspector Earl Lynley and Detective Havers, Sherlock and Watson, Morse and Lewis. If Detective L had been launched as a 50 episode drama, we would have been bombarded with fillers and flashbacks, loud, repetitive singing and draggy incidental music.

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Overall, it's not an astounding drama, however, it's one of the best online dramas i can find these days. Love the drama, many thanks to the director, actors and actresses as well as the whole production crew, who work with devotion and expertise.
Alert: don't expect too much on the first half, this serial gets better as it progresses.
First half:
Plot:7,5
Actors: 9
Production: 8,5 ( great cinematography )

Second half
Plot: 8,75 ( getting better as the drama progresses)
Actors: 9 ( both on talent and appearance)
Production: 9( great angle, some tasteful cinematographically scenes that worth gif-making, good after effect, lovely and aesthetic background)

A special detail i want to add is that the loveline between XM and LF. It's not developed much but enough. It's cute and it adds different feelings along with the excitement of the film pace.

Some people complain about the OE , yet i love it, i don't want it to end so soon:(((.

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The Adventures of Shanghai Holmes

This drama unabashedly sets out to create a Chinese Sherlock Holmes that is an upgrade from the original. I wish they had not done that but that changes nothing about how awesome this drama is. Set in the lavish sophisticated glitter of 1930s Shanghai, the glamorous surface visuals stand in sharp contrast to the darker and more ominous undertone of its citizens' dark side. The production borrows heavily from recent popular Sherlock Holmes movies and dramas. This is most notable with the OST which sounds uncannily like parts of the OST from both the movie and the BBC hit drama but has the audacity of being well... just better!

This fun and engaging drama follows gifted police consultant Luo Fei (Bai Yu) and his sidekick rookie female detective Qin Xiaoman's crime solving adventures. They are aided by forensic doctor Ben Jieming and criminal psychologist Dr. Huo Wensi under the eagle eye of Detective Supt. Shawei. Despite the overt allusions to Sherlock Holmes, this is really a crime solving team that is a bit of Elementary in the two leads combined with a bit of CSI and a bit of Criminal Minds. Despite the requisite sharp intellect and deductive talent, Bai Yu's Luo Fei is far too sociable, too stylish, too charismatic and way too relate-able to qualify as an iconic Chinese Sherlock Holmes. His interpretation lacks a defining obsessive eccentricity and that dispassionate deductive logic that is the quintessential Sherlock Holmes.

Nonetheless, the humorous antics of the all too human Detective Luo as he falls for his gamin and plucky young sidekick are simply delightful. Xiaomin is a strong, smart and tenacious female character who can kick ass but is also not afraid on occasion to just be a girl. I really like that about her. What I like less is how condescending Luo Fei is when explaining certain deductions to Xiaomin - all that "Elementary my dear Watson" crap is such an overused and passe preamble to a "this is how it went down" walk-through in this genre. In general, all of the lead roles are colorful characters that were well written, well developed and well acted.

What impresses me most about this drama are how well written the cases are and how they come together in an overarching larger plot. I devoured the Complete Sherlock Holmes when I was twelve and have probably read every critically acclaimed detective out there since. I am not that easily wowed by just any old whodunit. These cases are intriguing, cleverly crafted, largely original with cheeky allusions to many of Holmes cases, both famous and lesser well known. They were mostly crimes of passion, where we end up feeling rather sorry for the perpetrators following the great reveal. In this sense, the cases are much more Agatha Christie than Arthur Conan Doyle.

The approximate three-episode per case format is just the right length to properly develop the backstory to each crime and the potential suspects. However, the production rushes through some key interactions, as if they don't really want the viewer to have enough time register what happened and think things through carefully. A really good whodunit lingers to the point of actually rubbing it in your face. The casting is also a bit off in the cases. For example, if there is to be a femme fatale in a case, she has to look the part. It is like saying Mrs Peacock seduced Professor Plum in the Conservatory - all you get is a big fat eye roll and yeah, right. Replace that with Miss Scarlet and then its oh yes, of course she did, that tramp! I suspect that the producers just don't understand that part of the big hook in this genre is the audience really does want to have a fair shot at more or less figuring it out. And between the rushing (every episode is really only about 30 mins) and the misleading casting, they are kind of cheating a little bit. But its not a big issue, just don't hesitate to rewind if you think you missed something.



[MILD SPOILER - PROCEED WITH CAUTION]




The way the cases converge towards the end is marvelous (and original) and builds towards a Reichenbach Falls like moment as a final homage towards Sherlock Holmes. Arthur Conan Doyle was bored with his creation and had intended to kill off Sherlock Holmes. I don't think that is the intent here - I think it this is clearly angling for a second season but even if that doesn't happen, I think the ending is excellent and can stand as it is.

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I love mystery/crime romances and I also love republican dramas so needless to say, I was ecstatic to see this drama to fit all my favourite genres!

Story:
Good setup, nice and fast paced straight off the bat. We have emotional baggage from the male lead and female lead that could have contributed well into the main mystery underlying all the cases (Captain). The cases were actually enjoyable to watch and I had a lot of fun guessing who the criminals were. Other characters such as Benjamin added a nice comedic element into the story, and also some bromance! The chemistry between Xiao Man and Luo Fei rrally made me squeal! They are so adorable and their banter really mixed well with their case solving. A lovely dynamic pair where there strengths complimented one another.

But as with many Chinese web dramas, the plotline suffered terribly from the number of episodes it needed to have. I thought from the fast pace that we would have addressed the main issues by episode 23, but nothing was ever solved in the end. A 'no ending' ending, you might say. I'm not even sure if everyone survived by the end because the ending was essentially the beginning to the real story. I don't even know how the mastermind criminal managed to do all the evil things he did from prison? I don't know who killed Xiao Lu? I liked the twist with Huo Wen Si, but that twist LITERALLY happened in the last minute of the last episode. C'mon? The characters could have done with a lot more developing in terms of background- Luo Fei's background especially. I wanted to see more of his relationship with Captain and his younger sister, but nothing. Overall, good story in terms of case solving but a horrible ending if there is no season 2 to follow.

Actors:
Cannot fault! Bai Yu was really hot as Luo Fei, YRJ is adrorable as Xiao Man and Jeffery made a really compassionate Benjamin. And the psychologist did an unexpectedly good job too! Costumes and camera work were beautifully done and the aesthetic was definitely there. The cinematography could convey messages without the actors saying anything (e.g. the scene where XM and LF were at the river side and walks over to her). The chemistry between LF and XM was sizzling with the characters bouncing off each other in the most wonderful ways.

Music:
Music did really well to create suspense. Lots of strings to really set the more tense scenes. Nice piano music for the endearing scenes. Only two actual songs released as OST but I don't recall these songs ever being actually used in the drama which I actually prefer.

Rewatch value:
Bro.... after that ending, I ain't touching this series again unless they have a second season to justify that abrupt ending. So unless they do release a second season, I will not be watching this again.

Romance:

A BIG FAT 11/10. A strong female lead? A strong male lead? Leads that support each other emotionally? XM and LF have it all. What strengths one have, the other one doesn't and so they fit like perfect puzzle pieces together. Those endearing looks Luo Fei gives to Xiao Man when she isn't looking, oh my! Just get married already. Biggest shame and waste of potential that their relationship was never resolved or explored deeply. They both clearly harbour feelings for one another with everyone noticing their special relationship and essentially pushing the pair together, so would have loved to see an acknowledgement to each other about the way they feel.

Overall:
Good watch if you love mystery with a sprinkle of romance. A quirky detective with a witty police detective. But do not expect an answer to your questions by the end because it's an open ending.
Please come out with a second season so I can stop feeling so salty lol

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It's rare for me to watch a cdrama, I don't like them much, but this one surprised me for the positive.
I give it a try because of the male lead that was very good in '' memory lost ", that was one of the few cdramas that I enjoyed watching.
Speaking of the drama now:
¬the cinematography was amazing, BREATHTAKING ;
¬the music fitted very well with the theme of the drama;
¬the story was not BAD (it wasn't perfect just because there are still many things to uncover);
¬the acting was good, one of the best in all Chinese dramas, the main leads were very good (no need to say that the ML looked very handsome with that kind of mustache and those clothes);
I think It's worthy to re-watch it in order to catch all the little details about the crimes (maybe when we ear about a possible second season);
Now most important:
WE NEED A SECOND SEASON
I whant awsers, there are so much to uncover and we need to know what will happen to the characters, and of course we need to see more of those sweet moments between the main leads.
In conclusion, I liked very much of this drama, if you didn't watch it, YOU SHOULD .

P. S. If anyone knows something about the second season please tell me, I appreciate it.

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The fame of My Roommate is a Detective seems to exceed that of this series, which is set in a similar era. However, as a detective series, this series actually surpasses My Roommate, with more interesting stories that are solved by a more believable detective, who has good deductive powers without being ridiculously intelligent and knowledgeable. My Roommate is a Detective may have better characterisation and more interesting relationships between characters, but I find the stories in Detective L to be better stories in he whodunit genre.

Detective L consists of stories of disparate cases with something something related to a criminal known as Captain connecting quite a few of the cases. Many of the cases have interesting twists that keep the viewer guessing. I particularly like the penultimate case involving a wealthy man who is rumored to have a valuable painting. The case of the serial killer on the loose is also interesting even though the twists may be overdone (the twists for this case seem to be written in without a care for being realistic because the writers think that the viewer can only be impressed by an outcome that s/he cannot guess correctly). Overall, I find the mysteries with simpler solutions to have a more classic whodunit charm. Apart from the case of the wealthy man with a valuable painting, the case of how a numbers of diamonds go missing from a safe are a case in point.

The biggest problem with the series is that it builds up and promises a story connecting at least some of the cases, but doesn't complete it. I'm OK with cliffhangers and Season 2 teases, but this one goes overboard, promises too much before basically saying in the last episode, "Hah, but we haven't written what you've been waiting to see for the last 20 episodes!" (This also hints at how the writers actually work -- there can be any number of twists and any kind of unpredictable outcomes as long as they feel like writing them into the series. Anyone could have done it in the whodunnits of this series, so the person who has done it may not be really convincingly the one that must have done it.)

Most of the individual cases are engaging on their own to make this series an interesting watch. But reviewing it is like reviewing an incomplete series. If there is a Season 2 that gives the story a sense of completion, it should probably be seen as a part of this season of this series.

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A fun, Holmes-esque detective drama - just don't expect too much.

I really did enjoy this drama overall. I had a real fondness for the back-and-forth, bickering relationship between the two main characters, and think each of the recurring side characters had great characterisation in their own way, particularly the lodging owner (Wang Su Su) who I wish would've had more screen time!

However, as a real lover of detective fiction I personally found some of the cases a little hard to follow, before eventually realising that Detective L should be treated a little like Murder She Wrote. By this I mean the charm of the series isn't necessarily in the mysteries themselves, but in the characters we're watching solve them.

You see, one of my favourite things to do with a detective story is to try and solve the mystery alongside the detective. The problem is, in Detective L you are often given clues at the same time as, or even after the detective has already solved whatever mystery it would have helped you piece together. For example: in one case there's a clue in a ventilation pipe which helps explains something that's happened. However, we only find this clue after the detective asks his assistant to fetch it, and explains why he knows it's there (essentially "solving" the clue before we've even seen it).

Murder She Wrote suffers from the same issue, where the crucial clue is often explained to the audience at the end when Jessica Fletcher has already solved the case. You don't get the opportunity to figure the mystery out for yourself, but that's okay - because the warmth of that show comes from its lovable cast of characters, not the gritty realism of the case. And that's the same with Detective L.

TL;DR - If you're starting this show looking for interesting cases you can solve alongside the detective, you might be a little disappointed. However if you approach this more as a typical drama with the setting of a crime or detective show, you'll get a lot more enjoyment out of the series overall. I definitely did in the end. :)

(P.S. Be prepared for some blood/gore - particularly during the autopsy scenes.)

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Good detective drama

I am a fan of Sherlock Holmes and Elementary, and spent my high school years reading all the Japanese detective manga and some Agatha Christie.... So this drama is a bit boring for me. The title song already hint that it is copying elements from other detective stories ;) But I watch this serial for Bai Yu, and it is only 24 episodes, not a bad show when you have time. If you have not watched the Holmes dramas of UK and US, and not familiar with Japanese detective stories (eg: Kindaichi), you would enjoy this drama! It segments the detective cases into 3 episodes per case, and there's extra scenes (slice of life tidbits) at the end of every 3 episodes, reminded me of Japanese manga ;p But this stopped after 10+ episodes, not sure why? Overall experience is above average! Good acting and good cinematography. Quite an enjoyable ride ^_^

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Amazing storyline. Great acting. Superb twists and fun cases. I actually did not see that storyline with the psychologist coming and I love how they built so many intriguing cases on top of each other. I love the open-ended ending that made my imagination run wild. I also love the attention to detail and how complicated some of the mysteries were. There's always a deeper twist and I enjoyed the show a lot.

What lowers my opinion of the show is the baffling female lead with unnecessary attempt at romance. I really don't like how they made a strong, masculine female who is so good at fighting/doing manly things and dresses mostly in male clothes, emphasized multiple times that she's such so strong... and then flip to emphasize how pretty/girly she is, make her squeal/scream/cry at the sight of corpses, and make her act like a dumb, innocent little girl. I know many people thought there was sizzling chemistry, but personally, I found those unnecessary romance scenes to be pretty cringe-worthy. Can't she just stay strong, fierce and manly?

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I started it just to watch Bai Yu,stayed because it's an amazing drama.I love the aesthetics,acting,costumes,music ,mysteries.Initially I obviously thought it would be kind of a Sherlock Holmes/BBC Sherlock type of show (major Sherlock fan here) but I was pleasantly surprised as the characters and a lot of the stories are quite different.The music and very Sherlocky of course but so it is for many detective shows.The female lead is very good,instead of a damsel in distress or a heroic Mary-Sue,we get a police woman whose actual duty is to catch dangerous criminals and she performs it successfully.I also love Luo Fei,the detective,and the head of the police but it's better to discover those caracters by watching.The cases are also interesting ,allowing you to make guesses about the murderer and the their motives,many detective shows don't offer this experiance anymore.What no one liked about this drama for sure is the ending ,and this is because one can barely even call it an open ending,nothing seems to actually...end.It's obvious that episode 24 was not meant to be the finalewho knows what happened and made them end it there.,I can't begin to tell you how much of a shame this is since,had this show had a good budget for good cgi,it would be top of the top.

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Mixed bag, but more good than bad, and worth a watch if you enjoy Sherlock stories

Another Sherlock pastiche--even the opening theme recalls the BBC SHERLOCK opening theme. ML is gentleman super-sleuth in question, FL is his Watson, a female cop with awesome fighting skills.

First half is somewhere between 6.5 and 7. Chemistry between characters are exaggerated yet awkward; crimes are unrealistic, the solving of which requires some leaps in logic disguised as "deduction."

Second half is 7.5. The cast relaxes into their roles and interactions now seem natural, humorous, warm. The stories, while silly, have an undercurrent of intensity and genuine emotionality.

Sadly, the last three episodes seems randomly tacked on, with a new Moriarty, a new comrade, and a cliffhanger ending revealing ANOTHER Moriarty (!!)--all efforts trying to entice a season 2. Unfortunately, there is no season 2, this one season is it.

I enjoyed this show because there is no drag nor filler. Any C-drama that doesn't prompt me to skip skip skip forward will always be a plus in my books!

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