The Narcotics Operation 扫毒风暴 33 episodes 段奕宏、秦昊
To start us off is the modern day crime thriller The Narcotics Operation 扫毒风暴. This drama stars 段奕宏 Duan Yi Hong and 秦昊 Qin Hao, two actors who specialize in modern day crime dramas.
Here’s the plot synopsis: In 1995, black market smuggler 卢少骅 Lu Shaohua (played by Qin Hao) lost his whole fortune overnight. In this moment of darkness, he came across a new drug, methamphetamines and realized the enormous profits behind this drug. With nothing to lose, he turned to producing drugs, becoming a meth cook and dealer. At the same time, anti-narcotics officer 林强峰 Lin Qiangfeng (played by Duan Yihong) recently wrapped his undercover assignment. In order to follow the new leads, he is transferred to the anti-drug unit in 西港市 Xigang City. Years pass, Lin and his team continue the fight against drug trafficking while Lu has transformed into a notable drug lord both domestically and abroad. It’s a game of cat and mouse between the police and drug dealers.
This 33 episode drama was riding off the high from In the Name of Justices and got the primetime slot on CCTV 8. It was also heavily pushed by Tencent. While ratings were decent, it didn’t match the highs of In the Name of Justice. However, this still continues the trend that modern day dramas airing on CCTV 8 perform much better than period dramas.
The Coroner’s Diary 朝雪录 38 episodes 李兰迪、敖瑞鹏
This is a historical romance detective thriller that stars Li Lan Di and Ao Rui Peng. Li Lan Di plays Shen Wan, a young woman who was trained in the Medicine King’s Valley, witnessed the death of her parents before her eyes. Not only her parents, but also Mr. Qin, a close family friend. Though her parents didn’t want her to seek revenge, she cannot let her parents die in vain. She takes Mr. Qin’s daughter’s identity. They were together at the Medicine King’s Valley but Miss Qin died. Shen Wan assumes the identity of Qin Wan and joins the Qin family in order to gain the opportunity to return back to the Capital to investigate her parents death.
While acting as Qin Wan, she encounters a brutal murder. Using her exceptional medical skills to act as a coroner and help solve crimes. She encounters Yan Chi, ft Ao Rui Pung. The son of the Prince of Rui. He wants to overturn the conviction of the Prince of Jin which is tied to Shen Wan’s father’s death as well. The two work together to solve many crimes and head back to the capital where they uncover even more clues as to the mystery of the Prince of Jin that ties back to the Palace.
I am actively working on my review of this drama and it should be up this weekend. This drama actually did quite well on iQiYi’s popularity index, breaching 10,000. Sadly, I do not think it is a drama worthy of the coveted threshold. The first 2 cases of the show are decent enough but then it falls apart in some of the latter cases, particularly when the group enters the Capital. The drama also couldn’t figure out what type of drama it wanted to be. Detective, crime focused or romance focused. The detective work was fine and the romance part was fine but the mix was very jarring or at least not transitioned well. One moment you have all the momentum of solving a crime, the next half of the episode is the main leads going on a date. It just caused pacing to be rather off. Other dramas like Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty or the Imperial Coroner all did a better job with the mix of romance vs crime solving.
Funnily enough, people online were also quite displeased with this show doing so well on the popularity index and pummeled iQiYi the platform with questions on the veracity of the numbers. IQiYi actually came forward with a little infographic on their official weibo to explain how numbers are calculated as if to say no funny business was afoot for this show. In any case, I watched the entire thing but was not enamored by it.
Our Generation 樱桃琥珀 24 episodes 赵今麦、张凌赫
Y’all remember last year’s Princess Royal that starred Zhao Jin Mai and Zhang Ling He? I actually thought that drama was quite decent. After that drama aired, Zhao Jin Mai and Zhang Ling He were quickly paired up for another drama, this time a short modern day one.
Here’s the plot. Lin Qi Le ft Zhao Jin Mai nicknamed Ying Tao or Cherry grew up in a happy environment in a construction site where her parents were electrical construction workers. Young Jiang (qiao) Xi ft Zhang Ling He transferred schools and joined Cherry and her friends. They become close friends in their youth. As they grow up, the friends start to grow apart as the encounter a world beyond what their parents have to offer. The group reconnects as teenagers and help each other for 3 years. However, Jiang Qiao Xi leaves without saying goodbye to take care of a cousin injured in an accident. Cherry bravely goes to find him and the two work through various challenges to develop a deeper bond.
Guys. This drama TANKED during it’s online airing period. Averaging just over 10mm views per episode. Basically no one was watching this drama when it was airing against The Coroner’s Diary. I guess the modern day school romance just didn’t cut it for audiences? But there was just no buzz. I mean, I kinda understand. Based on that plot summary, I’m not getting a whole lot on why I want to watch the show. There wasn’t a lot of marketing either for it. Oh well.
Deep Affection Eyes 深情眼 26 episodes 张予曦、毕雯珺
Next is the modern day romance drama Deep Affection Eyes or 深情眼. This is a 26 episode drama that began airing on July 21 on Hunan television starring Zhang Yu Xi and Bi Wen Jun.
Here’s the plot summary: Facing career setbacks, 叶濛 Ye Meng played by Zhang Yuxi , a woman in her 30s decides to resign from her job, take her savings, and return to her village in the countryside. She has a chance encounter with Li JìnYu (played by Bi Wenjun) whose eyes are able to convey deep affection. She is drawn to his mysterious yet aloof demeanor. The two gradually become acquainted and Ye Meng learns of Li Jin Yu’s hardships in life. She offers him support and he in return opens his heart to her. A ring creates discord between the two. Ye Meng’s mother died due to illness a few years ago but Ye Meng discovers that her death could be connected with Li Jin Yu’s family. The two now must face their family secrets and decide how to proceed with their relationship.
This drama performed better than anyone expected on Hunan TV even though that’s not saying much. It averaged 0.4 on the KuYun ratings and a 0.2 on the CVB ratings. The reason it’s surprising is these viewership stats are only slightly lower than Yang Zi’s 锦绣芳华 or In the Name of Blossom which aired right before it. Zhang Yu Xi certainly has a fanbase but just doesn’t have the hits to back it up so the fact that she didn’t lose too many audience members is already a plus. Although again, 0.2 is pretty low no matter how you slice it. I just checked and Qian Yuan or Deep Undercover finished its run with .67 Ku Yun ratings and .49 CVB ratings which just goes to show how much people still like Huang Xiao Ming when he’s in a decent drama.
Back to Deep Affection Eyes – Critical review of the drama mainly focused on the beautiful cinematography and praise for the director. I didn’t hear much about the plot so I guess people just wanted to watch two beautiful people on screen.
Dual on Mount Hua 华山论剑 30 episodes 周一围、高伟光、陈都灵、何润东、哈妮克孜、明道、孟子义、何与
The next drama is a martial arts drama Dual on Mount Hua or 华山论剑. This 30 episode drama began airing on July 26 on Tencent. This drama was filmed back in 2022 together with last year’s 金庸武侠世界·铁血丹心 or the Legend of Heroes and is another retelling of the Jin Yong Martial Arts classic, Legend of the Condor Heroes.
The Dual on Mount Hua is a prequel to the Legend of the Condor Heroes. There is no book that covers this material but is mentioned heavily in the book Legend of the Condor Heroes. So producers thought, hey why don’t we make a prequel. Zhou Yi Wei signed on the project to play Doctor Huang to tell this new story but was then swindled into also acting in Legend of Heroes. He was quite vocal about his displeasure on the press circuit last year while doing promotions for Legend of Heroes.
Anyways – the drama is separated into 4 arcs. The first is 九阴真经 or the Nine Yin tome which features Zhou Yi Wei as Huang Yao Shi, Chen Du Ling as his wife Feng Heng, Meng Zi Yi as Mei Chao Feng, and He Yu as Chen Xuan Feng. This arc follows Mei Chao Feng, originally known as Mei Ruo Hua, who becomes a pupil of Huang Yao Shi and vows to seek revenge on those who killed her family. She develops feelings with fellow pupil Chen Xuan Feng. Huang Yao Shi is in possession of the powerful Nin Yin Tome but does not teach his pupils the secrets within. Mei Chao Feng and Chen Xuan Feng plot to steal the tome and learn its secrets. They become the fearful Double Black Wind Devils
《东邪西毒》 – The Eastern Heretic and Western Venom
The second arc follows the story between Huang Yao Shi and Ou Yang Feng played by Gao Wei Guang and how the two become known as The Eastern Heretic and Western Venom.
《南帝北丐》 – The Southern Emperor and Northern Beggar
The third arc follows the story between the Prince of the kingdom of Dali, played by He Ren Dong, who flees his engagement and encounters a fun beggar called Hong Qi Gong played by Ming Dao. These two become the famous Southern Emperor and Northern Beggar
《五绝争锋》 – The Clash of the Five Greats
Lastly, with the 4 great martial artists introduced. These 4 vow to head to mount hua to battle it out as two who is the most powerful in the land. The one addition is daoist priest Wang Chong Yang. Who will win the title as the best martial artist?
You know how sad this is, like this story is so engrained in my brain because I read the novel and watched versions of the story growing up that I didn’t even need to read the plot synopsis, I just knew what it was going to be about. Anyways, this drama has been a massive dud for Tencent. Literally no one is watching it. There’s been a lot of people ridiculing He Yu as Chen Xuan Feng so that’s turned a bunch of people off. With a packed slate this month of other dramas airing, I understand why people haven’t bothered with this drama. It is hilariously another drama where all my childhood idols (at least the men) all decide they want to fly around and pretend to be cool martial artists. I think they just wanted to fulfill their childhood dream.
The Immortal Ascension 凡人修仙传 30 episodes 杨洋、金晨
Such a cool name for a Chinese drama. One of the best this year I would say. This 30 episode drama is based on a book of the same name and follows a poor village boy Han Li. Under unique circumstances, he started his journey towards spiritual ascension. His plain background and only modest talent meant that he was often outcast or looked down upon. But, he never gave up and used his perseverance and intelligence to continue to grow and improve. In the end, he was able to defeat the demons and break through to the next level where he starts a new journey.
This drama is Yang Yang’s first drama to hit the small screen after 2023’s Fireworks of My Heart. I’ve been passively watching it and will write a review. My initial thoughts are, this is definitely an improvement for Yang Yang from Fireworks of My Heart. The “oiliness” that was discussed about his acting in that drama is toned down severely in this drama. He is in his comfort zone. I will be the 1st to say that right now in terms of historical costume dramas, he is among the most handsome.
For this show, it is evident a LOT of money and effort was spent on big set pieces for big fights. The big fight scenes are the most engaging parts of the show and most impressive. Yang Yang, and female lead Jin Chen, are fantastic in their battle scenes which is a breath a fresh air to watch vs many of the lackluster martial arts scenes we’ve seen from many other actors. Both Yang Yang and Jin Chen are classically trained dancers and you can just see how that core strength is used for flying around on screen. The fantastic fight scenes and filming on location are probably the 2 best things about the show.
It suffers heavily though, from poor CGI elsewhere. Like horrendously bad. The green screen is painfully obvious that I actually cringed at some points. Basically, it’s obvious where the money went and where the money did NOT go. CGI for certain scenes that weren’t big set pieces as well as costumes. I really dislike many of the costumes I’m seeing on screen which is a bummer because many other dramas of late have had stunning costumes.
I also am struggling with the plot which I’ll need to think a little more on how to articulate. There are instances where I feel like I’m watching a video game come to life. Han Li needs to earn complete tasks to earn money and to level up. Then he goes on a mission, beat up a bunch of monsters, and comes back leveled up. It often feels like we’re just going through the motions and the emotional connections just aren’t there. I’m not motivated to chase the show. Unfortunately, It’s not doing too well viewership numbers wise and is only middling at best.
Sword Rose 利剑·玫瑰 32 episodes 迪丽热巴、金世佳
The next drama is Sword Rose or 利剑·玫瑰. This 32 episode drama began airing on July 28 on CCTV 8 following The Narcotics Operation and stars Dilraba Dilmurat and Jin Shi Jia. This drama is also available on Tencent and iQiYi. This drama is the first drama focusing on human trafficking to air in China in 20 years.
Here’s the plot synopsis. Deng Yan, played by Dilraba, is a recent police transfer to the city. She offers to help walk a young girl home. She falls into a trap and is kidnapped by human traffickers. Due to her police training, she is able to rescue another captured woman and escape. Unfortunately in doing so, she unintentionally disrupts a sting operation planned by the local Anti-Trafficking Task Force. Shortly after, he is appointed as the new director of the task force. Chang Rui, played by Jin Shi Jia, is a former narcotics officer who specializes in undercover missions. He is somewhat skeptical of Deng Yan’s skills as she has had no field experience. Deng Yan immediately throws herself into solving cases and gradually earns the respect of the team. The Anti-Trafficking unit utilizes new ways of thinking and new technologies to solve new and old cases. Through this journey, everyone sees the desperation and anguish of families who have lost loved ones and their resilience to try and bring them home.
This has been an interesting drama as it has done surprisingly well. It now has the viewership market share, beating the likes of The Immortal Ascension. It’s taking the top spot on viewership of its time slot on CCTV8. It is also the best performing drama year to date for a drama that has split its viewership with iQiYI and Tencent. Typically for dramas that are split, it’s very tough for the drama to have high popularity on the platform’s popularity index. So far, it’s about to crack 27000 on tencent. It broke 7500 on iQiYi. For a drama that is mainly judged on its tv viewership, these are really good stats.
So the drama has got the viewership and it has also gotten great critical reception. Viewers are praising the acting, the brisk pacing, and overall plot. People are even saying that this drama should be submitted for awards next year. It seems like fans of some other stars are getting salty about this drama because there’s been a ton of review bombing on Douban.
I am chasing this drama as this is the first drama to air starring Dilraba in 2 years and I’ve been mightily impressed by the whole cast of actors. They are immersed in their roles to portray police trying to find trafficked children and women. This drama is also a very educational drama about the dangers of human trafficking. I didn’t realize how prevalent it was in China until this drama and people online began sharing their stories. They are harrowing and devastating. I’ll write up a full review but if people want to learn about this subject matter in China, definitely go watch this drama.
The Wanted Detective 定风波 36 episodes 王星越、向涵之
Following The Coroner’s Diary, we now have another costume detective romance drama. This is I think an original IP that stars Wang Xing Yue and Xiang Han Zhi.
Wang Xing Yue’s Xiao Bei Ming and Xiang Han Zhi’s Zhong Xue Man grew up together and are betrothed. They both work in the capital’s Detective Bureau. Xiao Bei Ming, in particular, is THE best detective in the kingdom. However, on the day of their wedding, Xiao Bei Ming is wrongly accused of being a murderer, the Night Fury, one that killed his own teacher and betrayed his country. This left Zhong Xue Man heartbroken. 3 years later, Xiao Bei Ming returns back to the capital and regains Zhong Xue Man’s trust. Along with several other friends/partners, they fight with the dark force behind gruesome murders and solve many crimes to uncover the truth behind the Night Fury and bring peace back to the land.
OK – I like Wang Xing Yue. He had a great performance last year with The Double. In this drama, he is literally carrying the entire show on his back. He is the one driving eyeballs and interest from general viewers to get people to check this drama out and he is basically the only one to keep viewers engaged. Despite being very similar in subject matter to The Coroner’s Diary, this drama only breached 8000 on IQiYi’s popularity index and that looks to be about as good as it’ll get. As an original IP, the script and the plot is not nearly as engaging as at least the first part of Coroner’s Diary. The show also suffers from the fact that female lead Xiang Han Zhi has basically no chemistry with Wang Xing Yue. Her acting is also quite wooden. Additionally, her character is written in such a way that she basically is ineffective compared to Wang Xing Yue’s Xiao Bei Ming. She, I guess is portrayed as the brawns of the relationship rather than the brains but that leaves her to be less interesting than Xiao Bei Ming.
I’ll continue to watch this passively, and I will write a review for it, but it’s not going to get a high rating.
Legend of the Female General 锦月如歌 36 episodes 周也、丞磊
Lastly, the most recent drama to air is 锦月如歌 or Legend of the Female General. This 36 episode drama was a highly anticipated period romance drama starring up and coming Zhou Ye and Cheng Lei. This began airing on Aug 6 on Hunan TV.
Here’s the plot synopsis: To save her family’s noble status, the eldest daughter of the He family, 何晏 He Yan played by Zhou Ye, must wear a mask and pose as her family’s eldest son 何如非 He Ru Fei. In her youth, she met the proud yet capable Xiao Jue (played by Cheng Lei) , at the Xian Chang academy. To escape the oppression she felt from her family, she abandons school and turns to the battlefield.
Years later, she returns home with military honors but is betrayed by her family who steals her honor for her brother. After a brush with death, she assumes the identify of 禾晏 He Yan, the daughter of a local gate officer and again joins the army. She vows to claim what is rightfully hers. She now encounters Xiao Jue with her new identity, who is immediately suspicious of her. After many harrowing encounters, the two develop a bond and vow to jointly combat their inner demons.
This is a highly anticipated drama because the original book is VERY popular. I read the original book and really enjoyed it so I am one of those who’s excited about this adaptation. However, I am also filled with trepidation because I’m hoping it’s a good drama. Based on the preliminary critical reviews, it doesn’t seem like it’s all that good, which is unfortunate. It seems like there’s a ton of changes to the backstory for He Yan. I will say, in the book, He Yan really works out and earns her status as a female general from the ground up. Like she’s in the mud with all the other soldiers. She’s fit and muscular. From what I’ve seen with Zhou Ye, she just seems small? I mean, it’s going to be hard to believe she can be a formidable general. I’ll start watching the drama so maybe i’ll change my mind.