Eventhough MRIAD had many flaws I really enjoyed the show and so when I saw a 'companion' series was coming out with the same cast I was super excited. Surprisingly, it turns out that the two dramas were completely different in terms of mood and pacing. However I personally found that I enjoyed both about the same amount.

Checkmate most definitely had flaws, perhaps relying on the original Agatha Christie stories a bit too much and becoming a bit boring in parts. At first I found the characters dull compared to MRIAD but they eventually all grew on me and I like the subtle chemistry between them.

Zhou Mowan was possibly what made it good for me, I enjoyed her mysterious character and especially with the massive cliffhanger in the final episode I'm desperate to see what happens next between her and Situ. I hope that they actually make a second season and don't just leave it on a cliff hanger forever like they did with MRIAD.

Overall, its definitely not perfect but nonetheless I really enjoyed watching it and if they do release a second part I will definitely be tuning in to see what happens next.