Unfortunately, some outstanding dramas like 'The Imperial Coroner' have slipped under the radar amidst other big-budget and star-studded ones. For those who have yet to see this show, it is a must-watch because this show is nothing short of stellar. Although crime mystery and political intrigue were the primary themes of this show, it had romance and comedy interwoven naturally and perfectly into it. Brilliant writing, excellent production, engaging characters, and well-chosen background music were among the many factors that make this show so golden.

*** Storyline
I truly enjoyed this drama for its entertaining mystery plot and where the detective part was genuinely well-done. The process of solving the cases was immersive for me, especially when the clues made sense and were not just red herrings to throw off the audience. I am impressed by the amount of research that went into the scriptwriting and how the individual cases all factored into the larger mystery. The overall plot was solid, and the ending was satisfactory, with no stones left unturned. However, I could not rate it a perfect 10 is because it did lose some steam towards the end with the main villain not being so smart in moments of panic. His actions were still understandable, but I felt that they lacked the usual thoughtfulness and strategic planning. Ultimately, I was left feeling that the writers wanted to wrap up the show nicely and hence went down that path.

The writers were thoughtful with the details introduced in the scenes. I greatly appreciated how the writers did not "dumb it down" for the audience. Many shows would have the characters explain the obvious details, wasting time and scenes. Not this one! Each element and dialogue moved the story along nicely, and the logic presented was coherent and sounded plausible. I liked the re-enactments by the FL and ML (and the skinship that usually came along with it). I thought that it was very creative with the illustrations during the autopsies, the visuals for the flashbacks, the code deciphering, and multiple interpretations of words and meanings.

For me, it is the cleverness of this show that makes it so likable for those in the mood for something thought-provoking.

Minor side note and spoiler: it was the first time I saw the tea brewing ceremony being performed by men. Perhaps I have not watched enough period dramas :-)

*** Characters & Cast
The storyline was not only well-written, but the characters were also relatable. No character was superfluous, and most characters thought, behaved and reacted like how we would in real life. The show devoted enough screen time to each character so that the audience could understand their intentions and actions. The execution and pacing were smooth and provided enough insight for us to connect the dots and predict upcoming events. That said, it was never predictable and certainly kept me entertained to the end.

Best of all, there was little use of cliches; no sibling rivalry over palace politics, no toxic behavior from the male leads, no tiresome love triangle, and annoying third parties. The romance was the icing on the cake, but it was not necessary to keep one engaged. Prince An/Xiao Jin Yu and Chu Chu were the main couple viewers followed, and it was a quirky but wonderful match. As Chu Chu's and Jin Yu's backgrounds were steadily revealed, the progression of their romance felt organic and suited the nature of their characters well. Despite romance being only a sub-plot, the show told their story well.

Other relationships were valued in this show and portrayed in a wholesome manner. Like the ML and his brother so protective of each other, the FL's family made up of all men being supportive of her, the secondary couple cutely and silently crushing on each other, and even the loving bickering between Minister Jing and his wife. One favourite quote: "Girls are supposed to protect girls". The sismance and bromance will grab your heart and endear you to the characters. I love the simplicity of these relationships. It seemed just right, juxtaposed against the complex political schemes and the power struggle between the eunuchs and ministers.

All five main characters were consistently intelligent and skilled in their ways. Together, they made a formidable team, and one can tell that the actors had a great rapport with each other. These actors were new to me, and their inexperience did show. In general, though, the acting was good, especially the main ML, Wang Zi Qi. His facial expressions were on-point, and he aptly displayed a myriad of emotions, especially in scenes with the FL, who evoked all sorts of feelings in his character. Su Xiao Tong as Chu Chu made me laugh whenever she displayed her wide-eyed expression during the WTF moments. However, she did carry this expression throughout the show, and there is room for improvement. Ultimately, Xiao Tong was still believable as a bright, talented, and observant person who was incredibly good at her job. Yet, she was still an innocent and naive girl who just came into age and got exposed to a world beyond her family and village. There was character development as Chu Chu displayed more maturity in the subsequent episodes. I like that, unlike other C-drama female leads, Chu Chu was always poking about or doing something useful instead of just standing around.

As far as villains go, Eunuch Qin had one of the best wicked auras that I have seen. Kudos to Mu Huai Hu for his portrayal. He was a complex and nuanced character - displaying signs of missing his masculinity, was as crazy-smart as the good guys, and was able to anticipate and react accordingly. I often waited for him to make his deductions and clear up my confusion :D For someone powerful whose intel was wide-reaching and first-class, he was undoubtedly surrounded by some pretty incompetent lackeys. A lot of the comic relief came from his bumbling minions.

*** Cinematography & Music
Overall, the show used its small budget efficiently to put together a great and unique story. The way the camera caught the facial expressions and gestures like a raised eyebrow or a paused hand, and the attention paid to small details like the way the candlelight fell on faces, the sweat on a character's face who was in pain, the tears and snot streaming down when one was truly crying - all of these added depth. The focus on other elements also made it feel stylistically different from other dramas, like the different opening credit scenes, the transition from one character to another when telling the epilogues, and the conservative use of actual songs to underscore poignant moments. It was only after the first 20 episodes when I heard an OST played during an emotional scene. Still, the background music and sound effects were fitting. The opening instrumental piece was nicely done and set the appropriate tone of seriousness. As for the featured songs which I liked a lot, I have listed them here for posterity.

- This Life Unfinished (此生未了) by Audio Monster , HITA (音频怪物/HITA)
- Parallel Worlds (平行世界) by Wang Ye (王野)
- Heart's Fate (心缘) by Wang Mo Han (王莫涵)
- The Rest of My Life (余生) by Chi Yue Han C.J (池约翰C.J)

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thzztiHVm0I

Side note: Having watched so many c-dramas, I am quite jaded to the dubbing choices for most shows, but I wished that they have picked a better voice for Chu Chu. The actress already looked appropriately innocent and naive, but her dubbed voice did not do her character any favour.

*** Romance
The sincere and straightforward romance between Jin Yu and Chu Chu totally captured my heart. Their love was adorably nerdy. Even their "love tokens" were practical and can be life-saving! Despite being new to love and still trying to work through their feelings, both did not shy away from sharing their thoughts with each other. Chu chu being guileless and pure was disarming to Jin Yu, who fell for her first. Jin Yu found his perfect half when they could speak anatomy and when Chu chu understood him even when no words were spoken. I found it charmingly funny that when one could not expect to squeeze an ounce of romance out of the most logical moments, Jin Yu can still be romantic.

I love how the drama used the supporting characters as devices to voice out the growing feelings of the leads. Little comments here and there helped the romance along for our fumbling main couple. Not only that, there were no grand gestures necessary; subtle acts like Jin Yu peeling grapes for Chu Chu or her unconsciously hanging onto his clothing for support were more effective in making my heart flutter.

The secondary couple, Jing Yi and Leng Yue were more emotionally knotted, secretly longing for each other but too proud to take the first serious step. Jing Yi was more obvious but assumed an air of rakishness so Leng Yue could not take him seriously. Fortunately, their roundabout way of getting together was not frustrating to watch and instead provided a nice contrast to our main couple.

It's been a good run with shows featuring non-toxic male leads, including this one. The men respected the women, and everyone appreciated each other for who they were and their talents. They have complete faith in one another, and their trust never wavered. I like that the characters did not do silly stuff, and they actually communicated openly. Jing Yu, for example, shared details with Chu Chu so that she became more cautious and more worldly. Instead of trying to keep her safe by separating from her, he kept her next to him, knowing that she was the safest being with him. Xiao Jin Li (Jing Yu's brother), Jing Yi, and Leng Yue tempered each other and kept each other from making rash decisions.

*** Overall
I do recommend this well-put-together show. It is seriously one of the most under-rated dramas on MDL, but hopefully, with an impressive Douban rating of 8.4 and through word of mouth/reviews on MDL, more fans will pick it up online and rave about it.