‒Overview‒

Interlaced scenes is a short, engaging crime thriller that pulls you in with a deceptively straightforward murder mystery in the first episodes, then methodically reveals the the larger contours of the crime piece by puzzle piece. As a viewer you will first be drawn in by the mystery, then the characters, and later on the social commentaries on Chinese society and human nature. As with most dramas I rate above 8, this show has excellent acting, production, and an unique story.

‒Review (minor spoilers)‒

The show opens with the murder of a young woman. And flash forward almost a year to the present day, we are shown a successful author, Gu Jiming, receiving accolades for his thriller novel that contain passages eerily similar to the crime. Gu Jiming looks every bit the shady character, and even one of the detectives becomes convinced that Gu is the murderer. Open and shut case Watson, as I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the lame setup. But please don't drop the show based on the initial evidence as we are quickly shown additional clues about how the murder is much more complicated than it first appears. Along the way, our initial impression and assumptions about characters are continuously questioned, tempered, and even reversed multiple times.

We follow the footsteps of a brusque, incisive female lead detective Jiang Guangming, played by the always excellent Ma Yili, and her protege Shi Luo, played by Gao Zhiting. On the list of potential suspects and witnesses, are Gu Yiming, played by an excellent Tong Dawei, his wife Su Zhenzhen, skillfully portrayed by Lan Yingying, Jiang Na, Tang Xun, and others. I should first preface that I generally do not enjoy mystery dramas. This is mainly because too many mystery dramas are what I consider the 'gotcha' category, where the story deliberately throws out multiple bait to manufacture suspense, then toss in some convoluted explanation at the end, often based on some trivial or arcane detail that only the detective would pick up on. This is the other type of mystery drama that I do enjoy. The difference is that this one is much more of an organic mystery and suspense, we are right there with the main leads, be presented with the same details, and following the same thought process as they are. The mystery and suspense, come from the complexity of the crime and the appeal of the characters.

What I liked the most about this show is that the second half is mostly devoted to fleshing out different aspects of the key characters and social commentary. The most intriguing aspect of the story was about Gu Jiming and his former girlfriend Jiang Na, and his current fiancee Su Zhenzhen. The parallel and contrast between the two women, GJM's approach to both, and the metaphorical significance was riveting and profound. While I ended up lamenting the injustice to the victims and the depravity of the perpetrators, I was even more intrigued by what the show says about contemporary Chinese society, its problems, and values.

What were the circumstances that turned a decent man turn into a killer? Was it just him, human nature, or something about society? How much did the social inequalities and attitudes contribute to the tragedies? What is the price for innocence and dreams, especially for those of average material and social resources? I was actually surprised that the show offered pedestrian message at the end, even though all the narrative in the second half pointed to much more incriminating criticisms of society. And unfortunately, if I don't return with more writeup, I will only leave with those questions.

--Category Ratings--

- Overall - 8.3
- Plot - 8
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 8.5
- Acting - 9
- Visuals - 8.5
- Audio / Music - 8
- Rewatch - 8
- Accessibility - 7.5
- Subtitle quality - 8