The First Shot (2024)

Cops and Robbers

The First Shot 雪迷宫 is a classic cops and robbers crime thriller featuring China's early efforts to combat drug trafficking in the late 1990s. It seamlessly fuses together proven themes of friendship, loyalty and betrayal, and good vs evil; all the elements that make this genre enduringly popular. It is set in a fictional city Halan in frigidly cold Northeast China and is about a newly established anti-narcotics team's early efforts to combat an influx of drugs into the region. Lacking basic knowledge of synthetic drug manufacturing, Zhang Bei is sent to Huazhou in Southern China to recruit Gu Yiran, an expert chemistry professor to join his team. Due to the initial influx of drugs into Southern China in the earlly 1990s, Gu Yiran's familiarity with the habits and tactics of the traffickers proves as invaluable as his knowledge of chemistry.

This is a well made drama if you can excuse the meagre, cheesy 1990s look and feel that gets a much needed boost by Jacky Cheung's top Cantopop and early Mandopop hits from the day. It is definitely not Zhang Yimou behind the camera but the camera angles are quite innovative and the spectacularly choreographed action scenes kept me on the edge of my seat. The crime plot unfolds at a decent cadence with a few really interesting and unpredictable twists and reveals. The bromances were deftly written with each relationship: Zhang Bei and Gu Yiran; Zhang Bei and Jiang Xiaohai and Jaing Xiaohai and Liang Jiaju; illuminating different facets of both Zhang Bei and Jiang Xiaohai.

The investigative unit's rapport resonates and carries the story from the get go with every member doing their own small but crucial part in this tightly knit team. The rabidly feisty Mad Dog Yao kicking butt in any brawl only to be too easily subdued by Zhang Bei cracked me up no end. While I appreciate the narrative taking the time to flesh out the important roles, this drama falls into the usual trap of these plot driven stories of digressing too far into too many personal stories of peripheral side characters. It comes at the cost of the momentum of the investigative plot and the narrative sags in the middle. While Lin Boyang is lovely, I wasn't invested in her sweet but trite romance which went on for so long it bored me silly. This would have been much tighter and more exciting as a 24 episode drama.

I was initially skeptical about Huang Jingyu in this kind of super masculine hero cop who carries the weight of his team and the world on his shoulders kind of role. He has done it too many times and indeed there is nothing about the way the character is written or portrayed that makes Zhang Bei stand out from this tired archetype. Yet maybe its his personal charisma or how he just looks the part so perfectly that his Zhang Bei just "works" in bringing all the other roles and performances together. As much as I like Wang Qizi, Gu Yiran is the character that at the end I liked and cared about the least. He is at surface easy going and amiable but in reality he is lonely and guarded and he has his own agenda. Unfortunately I found his obstinate and repeated Lone Ranger stunts so selfish and boring that it overwhelmed my sympathy for his personal trauma. Although he isn't at Zhao Xiaoguang's level of comically terrible, he is also too obviously not a native Cantonese speaker to successfully pass himself off as one. The role just didn't come to life onscreen in a convincing way and was overshadowed by vastly superior performances by Zhang Yu and Qin Junjie. The truth is fate is random and Lele could well have been any one of them and it is this character that stole the show and made me incredibly conflicted; sad, manipulated, scared, revolted and resigned. It is the best written and best acted role; one that stands out among other stellar performances.

As an avid and frequent consumer of the suspense thrillers, this drama has an excellent ending twist that shocked me and then gave me that aha! moment as all the details just clicked into place. I haven't been surprised like this in a long time and I enjoyed it thoroughly. That said, there is nothing that new or special about the story itself, the plot should have been tightened and there were just so many hidden identities that when you put it all together it looks quite implausible. I am happy to I rate this a very entertaining and enjoyable 8.0/10.0

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A-mazing thriller sublimated from ordinary greatness

This drama is part of the Youku White Nights Theatre series which, just before airing this one, garnered unexpected big success with “Escape from the Trilateral Slopes” set in the South East Asian Golden Triangle under the thin veil of fictional Bomo country name. If you want to stay with drug dealer rings busting, head over to The First Shot. It is really good. Some actors from Escape from Trilateral Slopes also appear briefly in "Snow maze"  雪迷宫 (the name is a symbol both of the seminal event that shaped two of the main characters, and of the investigation around metamphetamine, the Chinese name of the drug being "Snow Angel" 雪天使, translated as "Lucifer" in The First Shot.)

The drama combines both a classic detection linear plot and group portraits of characters, which could make it appear as scattered, but add to the human value in an interesting and original blend.

The official main cast revolved around Johnny Huang , Wang Ziqi 王子奇 and Zhang Yu 章宇, who was very remarkable there. Johnny Huang demonstrated a very nuanced acting there, no need to condescend to "bear with him": the trust shown by one producer who reputedly waited 4 years to see him in that role, was not misplaced.
QinJunJie 秦俊杰   was a surprise actor. His role as Liang Jiaju 粱嘉驹 came late into the story, but was not just anecdotal or only meant to attract audience by another "celeb name" (that's why he was not included in the original published cast, before over a week after airing started).

The drama did not feature much sentimentality, apart from good but ordinary colleagues friendship, and family ties, but felt very wholesome and engaging in the growth and evolution of the relationships (but don't look for romance, bromance, or BL in this story). Ladies included Lin Boyang 林博洋 (funny and sweet sister of the captain), and Xie Keyin 谢可寅 ("mad dog Yao" fond of fighting at every occasion") alongside a number of other distinctive types linked in the "extended families" including friends and acquaintances in residential complexes, restaurants, or on the alleys in the market place : one of the nodes of the city life in Halan, where cabs were not just a convenience for getting people from one place to another, such as the dodgy dancing halls, roller skating rinks, pharmacy, hotels, etc.

The drama had a lot of twists before final reveal of kingpin, that should not be spoiled too much: there is a choice between 3-5 candidates along the episodes!

Watching the drama was like moving through a maze, with dead ends, pitfalls, and mirrors!


*** (more details below; you can also look up the "chapter 4" / for the drama in the “mini profile” of Johnny Huang, hidden in Discussions part of the drama page)

The maze motif was shared with the round Chinese-style designs posted on the main leads’ and drama Weibo social media. These looked like a game of 9 linked blind boxes opening briefly to reveal some ultra micro short glimpses of the actors and actress, with three chosen snippets of dialogues to read and listen to. They aptly reflected the convoluted nature of the investigation! Among the other nuggets on the drama Weibo was a short selection of Dongbei accent and phrases from the drama: this one was set in “Halan” 岚市 : which might be thought to be a veiled fictional name for Harbin, a city which lies on the historical roads and railroads linking the south of China to the north of the country and beyond. Harbin is also one of the capitals of the “north-east”/Dongbei. That region suffered from pollution inherited from heavy industrialization which left many factories in ruins after a period of economic change and depression in the late 1980s and early 1990s. (Nevertheless, the actual main filming took place in 2023 in Changchun, a city with a long tradition of movie making, which let a Manchukuo building be used as the "Halan Public Security Bureau" where the policemen worked; another part was filmed in Changchun city film studios.)

As a node, “Halan” 岚市 was linked to “Huazhou” 花州 in “Yuedong” which was a thinly veiled reference to Guangzhou/Canton, and the “Yue” 粤 real life culture of the Cantonese part of China. The link was further emphasized by the professed love of the police captain’s sister for Cantopop (Chinese songs from Hongkong and the Cantonese speaking part of China). This love was shown in a few of the most hilarious comedic moments in the drama, which had not a few of those, in the portrayal of the cops life and family matters. One of the protagonists even recorded a version of a famous Jacky Cheung song, incorporated in the drama OST with the voice of Liu Runnan.

The timeline setting was around 1997, date of Hongkong returning to Chinese sovereignty after the 99 years “lease” to the British, who once introduced opium to China through that port of entry, among other ones. 1997 was a year for celebration, but some years earlier, when the story in the drama really starts (with Gu's father's disappearance), was when new drugs became an acute problem touching vulnerable people (workers, students, more well-heeled middle and upper class people looking for thrills in karaoke and dance saloons, in the opening society of the post-Deng Xiaoping era). Methamphetamine had been a new drug identified by authorities in the south of China in 1991 but difficult to get evidence for with the technical methods used by police at the time. Some years passed, before the authorities in Halan decided to set up a Special investigation team to nip the emerging drug deal reaching the North. A budding task force to tackle the problem was set up before China created a formal Narcotics Control Commission in August 1998. That’s how captain Zheng Bei, one year earlier in the drama was asked to recruit four specialists...

The drama is about the ordinary greatness of a team of cops who bond in a shared professional outlook: don’t look for romance, bromance, or BL in that context! It is plain colleagues friendship with no over-gushing sentimentality. The team is partly made up from old childhood friends who vowed to become a “steel guard” against evil. Although plain clothes for most of their missions, they were uniformed in mind. Which does not mean they were not human: they were living in a city where many people knew each other. They had parents, who wished to see them happily married and respected in their jobs : either wholesomely supportive, like Zheng Bei and Zheng Nan’s parents, or unreasonably harsh, like Ding Guozhu‘s parents. One of the members in the force was in love with a girl, although he was too bashful to express it clearly, which caused goofy and endearing moments, including a "facing backs mirrored confession", welcomed by the team which played Cupid to the pair.

More than just a chasing gangs thriller and lesson about the dangers of drugs (it does incorporate it, in the early episodes, when Gu Yiran, the specialist from the south, taught his colleagues about the making of those drugs and how to detect them) the drama is about human people and their choices, the heartbreak of abandonment and disappointments, of tragic partings, and of course the necessary choice of law and order over even close past brotherhood. Each of the actors portrayed a memorable and remarkable individuality :

Zhang Yu 章宇 was remarkable, as the mysterious character with a murky past who had the closest friendship with the captain. His character name as “Jiang Xiaohai” 姜小海 seemed bland enough... The actor, a surprisingly fit 41 years old already seasoned actor, who can seamlessly portray a man half his age, jumping over a rail and in one fell swoop delivering a Jackie Chan like kick, wowed audiences who became warily attached to the deceptively meek "good brother" character, despite suspecting he also had to be a gangster.

Johnny Huang / Huang Jingyu 黃景瑜, as captain “Shi Zheng Bei” 郑北 (Zheng was the generation name shared with his sister), was expected as the leader of uniformed men, but should not be dismissed because of his past as “king of soldiers” and muscle man. In fact, despite the T shirts showing his well developed triceps, and a couple of scenes where he demonstrated his known expertise as martial arts specialist (brown belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu in real life) and the vise-strength of his thighs, he did not rely only on brute force to deliver his performance. His acting was very nuanced, showing human warmth and understanding, wavering between tough choices, heartbroken when he had to give up hope.

Wang Ziqi 王子奇 was playing “Gu Yiran” 顾一燃, the “Southern” addition to the team, with a murky story of his own, causing his character to toe a sometimes unexpected line.

Xie Keyin / Chloe Xie 谢可寅 was “Mad dog Yao” (“Zhang Xueyao” 张雪瑶) always game for a fight, whose interest in Zhang Bei was funnily shown in her periodic challenges to fight the captain and outdo him in MMA. She was “one of the men” with zero sentimentality, but an effective fighter and at times funny addition.

Liu Runnan 刘润南 played as ordinary hero “Zhao Xiaoguang” 赵晓光, fearless and sometimes reckless younger member, with a sideline love interest expressed in goofy attempts at speaking and singing in Cantonese. His mangling of a Jacky Cheung song titled "Li Xianglan" was redeemed by his recording of the song in a not too bad imitation, included in the drama OST.

Zhao Yutong 赵昱童 was playing the less flashy, almost timid “Ding Guozhu” 丁国柱 “forensic expert” in the team, who at times heralded a twist in plot with his findings, and who also had a dream of becoming a hero.

Lin Boyang 林博洋, was “Zheng Nan”, the adorable, fashion conscious sister of Zheng Bei, professing a love of Cantonese language and music, wearing colorful clothes and impeccable make up and hair styles, but staying nonetheless down-to-earth even in raging winds.

The rest of cast also featured several well-known and remarkable actors and actresses in support or guest roles, with memorable and distinct personality traits, from “Jiang Yingzi” 姜迎紫 (played by LianLian 练练) to the monitor/director of the police corps, “Gao Linsheng” 高林声/director Gao (played by Lin Peng 林鹏) urging the team to deliver results in an unreasonably short time frame, under orders from higher ups. Those were shown notably in one of the last episodes with the brief arrival of beady-eyed and irritated military type director Zhao (played by Kong Lin 孔琳). This was the occasion for a funny but mild jab at “authorities”, when Guo happened to have alcohol spilled on his trousers and shoes at a birthday party although not touching otherwise the stuff, but was ruthlessly criticized as “drunkard” by his superior. The drama was otherwise mild in its portrayal of “elders” in the force : Liu Wei 刘威 played the avuncular “Xin Tiegang” 辛铁钢: semi-retired, self-appointed cook and nanny for the team, also with a “heroic streak”.

The story was written for TV by a team of two scriptwriters, and directed by Lü Xing 吕行 who formerly also directed a memorable slice-of-life drama about a suburban police station : 2020 Ordinary Greatness. Zhang Yimou 张艺谋 as executive producer certainly had an influence in the style and cinematography, and in the realistic approach to story and lighting, from his long experience as celebrated director of many famous movies.

From the fighting start to the end, despite uncertainties, the drama pace was like that of the train which stopped at some stations to get new passengers on board or discharge goods and people of different nature, but never stayed too long in one place. A train which travelled over a tunnel that was fateful for one of the protagonists.

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"Wherever we go, as long as we stay together, we are fearless."

I started watching this drama without high expectations, but after just a few episodes, I realized that I was completely captivated by the suspense of the criminal cases, but especially by the well-developed characters and the heartwarming friendships.

The First Shot is set in 1997 in a city called Halan. There, the police establish a Special Investigation Team to track down and finally put a large drug-dealing syndicate behind bars. Along the way, the team faces tough challenges and surprising twists. Some members also have to confront tragic events from their past, which suddenly become painfully relevant in the present.

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First, let me introduce the heart of the series, the five central members of the Special Investigation Team + one man who influenced them all.

Zheng Bei (played by Johnny Huang): He is the leader of the Special Investigation Team. He remains calm and keeps a clear head, even in difficult situations, because he takes responsibility for his team very seriously. He has a big heart and is always willing to listen to others' problems. He is very observant and can read between the lines.

Gu Yi Ran (played by Wang Zi Qi): He is the chemistry nerd of the team. What he lacks in combat skills, he makes up for with his intelligence and creative tricks. He’s a master at hiding his true feelings until they come out in an overly emotional moment and take over his rational thinking.

Zhao Xiao Guang (played by Liu Run Nan): He is the goofball and lovable dork of the team, always able to put a smile on everyone's face. On one hand, he is adorable and funny, and on the other, he strives to become a cool and capable hero.

Zhang Xue Yao (played by Chloe Xie): She is the strong fighter of the team. Often underestimated by others, she uses the element of surprise to show off her excellent combat skills to take down enemies. She is fearless and protective.

Ding Guo Zhu (played by Zhao Yu Tong): He is the cinnamon roll of the team. (He must be protected at all costs.) Although his shyness and insecurity often take over, and he sees himself as a coward, this doesn’t make him any less valuable to the investigations. In crucial moments, he knows exactly what’s at stake and can overcome his own fears to be of great help.

Jiang Xiao Hai (played by Zhang Yu): Although he isn’t part of the Special Investigation Team, he quickly comes into contact with them and gains special attention from Zheng Bei.

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The Teamwork:

The teamwork and interpersonal relationships of the main characters are the best part of this drama, in my opinion. I’ve grown really fond of the characters. They are designed to be three-dimensional and multifaceted, with interesting traits that are brought to life wonderfully by the acting talent of the cast.

I was especially impressed by the friendship between Bei and Yi Ran. The two of them learned to trust each other deeply. They understood and supported one another. There were so many emotional conversations between them that touched me deeply.

But also the moments with the whole team — whether during a shared meal or in the midst of a mission — worked beautifully. There were some initial difficulties, and it took a while for them to work well together, but once the ice was broken and trust prevailed, the blossoms of an indestructible camaraderie and friendship began to bloom.

They definitely became a big family. Together, they were stronger and unstoppable. Xiao Guang described this in one episode: “Special Investigation Team members are all in the same boat. Wherever we go, as long as we stay together, we are fearless.”

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The Atmosphere:

The entire setting of a city in the 90s, struggling with a drug crisis, was designed to be very immersive. We visit dark, smoky clubs full of partying people, alcohol, and illegal activities. We see shady alleys, bustling markets, old factory buildings, and cozy restaurants. We ride in old, cramped cars and live in small and charming apartments. There’s a pleasant and often suspenseful musical score, along with a very well-executed outro song that reminds me of retrowave and synthwave music. The characters wear simple, functional clothes. Overall, the atmosphere feels raw, oppressive, exciting, and realistic, pulling me in relentlessly.

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The Plot:

I don’t want to say too much about this because it would venture into spoiler territory. You really have to experience the story for yourself and let it surprise you. But I will say this much: alongside tension and action, there are many funny and wholesome team-bonding moments. We get to know the good guys better, and we also gain insight into the lives and criminal activities of the bad guys.

I really liked the pacing of the drama. The story flowed at just the right tempo, and I didn’t notice any filler moments. There were emotional twists at the right points and a well-thought-out script with gripping and profound dialogue. The final episodes are a real spectacle and absolutely cinematic.

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My Conclusion:

The First Shot made me think, laugh, get caught up in the action, and also brought out tears. It might sound exaggerated, but I can’t think of any major negative points — which, of course, doesn’t mean the drama is flawless. But I enjoyed the story from beginning to end and grew incredibly fond of the characters. I'm truly impressed with the entire production and recognize how much heart and passion went into this. I tip my hat and applaud the entire crew.

The First Shot is my highlight for 2024, and I give it a rating of 10/10.

[finished watching on 20 September 2024]

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I don't like police/crime series. And yet I LOVED THIS

So I'm gonna make it short and simple
I usually don't watch this kind of stuff. The kind of drama that includes only police, crime with very little romance is REALLY not my type : i'm not afraid to say it but I'm more into cheesy romance. It's not that I think that police and crime dramas are not good but I'm the type who watches dramas to cheer myself up from a boring reality, not to watch the harsh problems of reality.
But guess what ? Even I liked it. Even acknowledge the quality of this drama. I watched it initially to see Lin Bo Yang again, that I hadn't seen much since Blood of Youth, despite liking her very much.
But I still find myself sucking into, expecting next episode, being interested by the themes and the various characters.
Fighting scenes ? Awesome, not too present so they're obviously not here to compensate a lacking writing
We don't have just investigations about various but the characters have all their personal stories, with distinct personalities and psychologies. We see how their backgrounds intertwine with the cases and this is heartgrasping '(lol, i just invented a new word). We're touched with them, worried with them, and when they get into difficult situations, our heart breaks for them
There's never a dull moment. We always get some new event, new revelation, making us hold our breath, with a sense of mystery floating above all of this
Therefore, the writers succeeded into making this not only a story about crime and investigations but also about the human being and his psyche, and human relationships
And I think the best part about the writing is that it shows how think the line between bad and good can be : the "villains" or aren't stereotypical, one dimensional characters and criminals. Many of them found themselves sucked up into the underworld and therefore have no way to get out of it, as it is part of them now. They're not part of it because they wanted to or because they were greedy and they're not necessarily evil. I'd say the most striking example would be Jiang Xiaohai, who, despite first appearing as being of little importance, also became the most remarkable character of the show (great applaud to the actor's performance), as it was sometimes very unclear how much he was involved in all those crimes and conspiracies and yet, very often, he appeared as someone with principles

Edit : however, there is a thing that bothers. There is a character at the end to whom they did REALLY dirty by not even giving him a proper ending.
But I think the screenwriters were somehow trying to show some realism so I’ll let that pass. Nevertheless this felt both heartbreaking and frustrating, which makes me take out just one little half-point
So in short : really, even if you're not into this, give it a try for at least the first episodes. Just like I said, even I liked it

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I am MBTI nerd finally there is a show of NTs showdown

I wanted to share my thoughts on a series that really grabbed my attention. I hope you find my perspective helpful!

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I’ve noticed a trend in shows featuring “masterminds.” Characters like Tommy Shelby from *Peaky Blinders* and Walter White from *Breaking Bad* or Hannibal are often INTJs, playing the role of the brilliant strategist.

In contrast, series that focus on teamwork and leadership, like *Firefly*, usually spotlight ENTJs as the main characters.

As someone who's fascinated by personality types, I’ve always wanted to see a show that includes all the NTs—those intellectuals who thrive on strategy and deep thinking.

For me, the interplay between these different cognitive functions is particularly interesting.

For example, ENTJs operate with a Te-Ni-Se-Fi structure, which is quite different from the INTP's Ti-Ne-Si-Fe. This makes them “golden pairs,” complementing each other.

Similarly, INTJs, with their Ni-Te-Fi-Se, find a good match in ENTPs, who think in terms of Ne-Ti-Fe-Si. The potential for rich storytelling arises when these types face off or work together.

## Spoiler Alert

If you don’t want any spoilers, you might want to stop reading now!

## Character Dynamics

On the anti-drug team, we have:

- **Zheng Bei (ENTJ)**: A charismatic leader with a sharp strategic mind.
- **Gu Yi Ran (INTP)**: The thinker, whose analytical skills ground the team.
- **Zhang Xue Yao (ESTP)**: The action-oriented one, always ready to dive into the action.
- **Zhao Xiao Guang (ISFJ)**: His endurance suggests a strong Si function.
- **Ding Guo Zhu (INFP)**: A sensitive character, adding emotional depth.

On the drug cartel side:

- **Jiang Xiao Hai/Lele (INTJ)**: At first, I thought he was an INFP, as he hides his true self behind an Fi facade.
- **Jiang Ying Zi (ENTJ)**: The sister is formidable opponent
- **Wang Jia Min (INFP)**: Another emotionally driven character.
- **Lin Jiang (ESFP)**: The lively one, bringing a different energy to the mix.
- **Li Wen Long (ISTP)**: The practical realist.
- **Liang Jia Ju (ENTP)**: A wildcard whose true nature is revealed later in the series.

Zheng Bei and Gu Yi Ran demonstrate an immediate connection, their flaws balancing each other perfectly. However, when they clash, the tension is palpable and explosive.

On the criminal side, we don’t see Xiao Hai and Liang Jia Ju have argument like Zheng Bei and YiRan. But we do witness how Xiao Hai cleverly manipulates Jia Ju’s Si to foster loyalty.

##

I really enjoyed how the NTJ characters tried to outsmart each other. The tension and strategy kept me glued to the screen. It was thrilling to see how they navigated their intellectual battles.

##

But I have to mention one thing that bothered me: the music. Watching on YouKu VIP, I often felt the soundtrack didn’t match what was happening on screen. This disconnect took away from the overall experience...

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One aspect that rubbed me the wrong way was how the series approached the dangers of drugs and the competence of law enforcement.

At times, it felt a bit preachy. Maybe it’s just me, but in my country, police often act with impunity, and while there are certainly good officers, the series portrays them as almost morally perfect.

This kind of idealization can come off as propaganda, left a bad taste in my mouth.

In summary, this series offers a fascinating look at personality dynamics among intellectuals.

If you’re interested in watching NTs “golden pairs” face off, this series is a rare gem.

Despite some music missteps and the occasional preachiness, I found myself thoroughly entertained ✨

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A good action crime drama with many twists. Acting is okay not great but plot is good.

The First Shot starts with Johnny Huang and Wang Zi Qi as policemen in a Narcotics Control Bureau as they investigate, solve, and arrest the drug lords.

The plot is good, with many twists, but it is a typical role that Johnny Huang is good at. He has no range as an actor, and this type of genre best suits him. The bad guy was unexpected until the end.

Synopsis: Tells the story of Halan in the Northeast in 1997, before the establishment of the Narcotics Control Bureau. Faced with a sudden drug crisis, a makeshift elite team is assembled, each with their own strengths but clueless about the new drug... As they confront the ruthless drug trafficking syndicate and unravel their devious and bizarre drug trafficking schemes, they must also navigate the moral dilemmas of love and law and the tests of justice and humanity. They stand by each other and overcome all obstacles and challenges, forging a heroic legend of fighting evil and upholding justice.

My Reviews:
1. Good acting from the supporting cast; the two MLs did an okay job.
2. The story is good but needs to be clearer, and it takes too long to get to the bad guy.
3. There is good action and a storyline, but it would be better to do it in 24 episodes instead of 32. I watched in 1.5 speed
4. I give it a 7.5 rating.

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Surely a 1-time Watch ?

Definitely a one time watch for crime action/thriller lovers.

First and foremost I absolutely loved the 90s vibe throughout the drama…!

Secondly, every one acted quite well. There were no awkward characters who were unnecessarily annoying or illogical. The two leads were great in their characters.

At times the drama drags, but not long enough that we lose interest. I would say the drama overall has a good pace. From the plot perspective (and considering that this is a 90’s era POV), there are a few loopholes, though they are not major enough to bother you too much. Some incidents are per-shadowed so much that you don’t even need to guess about who’s gonna get hurt or who’s gonna die… 🤷‍♀️

There is not much rewatch value for the drama overall.

MY FAVOURITE PART:
The ending soundtrack…!
Every episode (all 32), I ended it after fully listening to the closing soundtrack. Great composition with a typical 90’s vibe! Made me so Nostalgic ❤️❤️

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1997 Detective retro bromance drama that has family aspects

I wasn't interested much in this drama as I don't like the male lead very much, it's just a matter of taste but somehow
the plot is engaging,, it kept popping up in front of me
a lot of friendship and Bromnance scenes just kept popping up in front of me on tiktok so I checked it out
the drama itself has a unique setting in the past and very accurate Props from 1997 ,, I was 11 at the time LOL
so it's very nostalgic also
the team of detectives is very likable and the male lead isn't arrogant nor cold , he's so much like big brother to all of them
it's more like a family drama that deals with drug gangs
I don't like much violence and here the violence is okay not gruesome nor gore, it's mild for this genere
the gangs are vicious and not like Korean dramas that have gangs cursing all the time and hitting each other LOL
they feel more dangerous here
it has a lot of realistic scenes from actual life, not fiction
has a lot of hilarious reactions to dangerous situations but somehow plausible not farce
Add to all of that cinematography and very good chemistry between the two male leads Bromance and friendship-like
The two male leads have diffirent personalities but somehow how they complete each other's shortcomings
one can fight and the other can't but has the brains for it so it's my favorite genre
It has that traumatic past and its effect on the male lead that's bromance 101 to have that friend comforting you all that time
the drama combines fun with seriousness in a very balanced way
I love that about it
I've watched 16 episodes by now and I'm totally hooked and obsessed by it

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Never liked drug crime dramas, but this one is AMAZING!!!

Amazing, captivating and fast-paced drama!!
The storyline, the amazing character, and the exciting emotion this drama gives you is worth the watch even if drug crime drama is not your thing.
I personally don't like drug crime dramas and only started this drama because of the bromance! I came for the bromance, but ended up staying for the amazing, gripping STORY!
Each character has a little background story. I really like this kind of character building.
Great acting!!!
Johnny was amazing as the lead character!!!
His character and Zi qi's character had such amazing chemistry!!!
Gu Ran and Zheng Bei their chemistry was lovely!!! I SHIP them all the way!!!!
Xiao Hai is Hot🔥.

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a suprising gem ive been looking for.

i was actually looking for a show like this and this was a happy suprise for me.
So going into the show i first thought it was going to be comedic mainly based on the poster and i thought id check it out mainly for the cast so the tone of the show came as a bit of a suprise. This is exactly the kind of show ive been trying to find and i was hooked from the first episode. The shows tone is pretty dark but there are a lots of heart warming scenes sprinkled through out that lightens the mood wihtout taking away from the emotional scenes.


My personal fayforite thing about this drama is the characther relationships. Theres not mutch romance ( only as a side plot) and i think it definitely works in the shows fayvor. It focuses mostly on the friendship between the investigation team and other platonic relatioships some of them quite complex. One of the main characthers kinda starts on the wrong foot with the team so it was interesting to see how their group dynamic evolved. The relationship between Johnny Huang and Zhang yus character was definitely a highlight of the show.

In general charachter writing was definitely one of the shows biggest strenghts. All the characthers have distinct personalities and they all feel like realistic people. Even though some of the characters are ment to be the "funny" ones its not over done and doesnt take a way from the characthers. Some of the main characthers have their own motives for doing certain things and their actions reflect their personalities so even in a conflict situation its easity to understand why theyre acting that way. Also, i like how the show writes its female characthers. I personally find the way female characters are written in chinese dramas often frustraitingly bad, but even though there isnt many female characthers in the show they are all well written and realistic.

The actors did a great job bringing these characters a life but Zhang Yu deserves a special mention. His characther is probably the most complex one and he nailed all the different aspects of the character.

The cinematogrhaphy is beautifully done and the overall feel of the show is despite the dark subject suprisingly warm in a good way that fits the tone. I enjoyed the setting in the 90s i feel like it adds to the shows over all appeal. Even though 90s isnt that long ago it really makes you think how different and how mutch harder crime solving was back in the day.

The main criminal case is interesting and keeps youre attention all the way to the end without being unneccearily drawn out or too complicated. The "villans" are also given quite a lot of backround that helps to understand how they ended up the way they are.

So over all if you enjoy crime solving and complex human relationships give this show a watch.

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