Detective Chinatown Season 2 Reviews

I always feel like the screenwriter has changed. The quality of the cases has significantly declined compared to the first season. They're simple and outlandish, and the culprits are usually easily guessable.
The pacing has a heavy commercial flavor, and it feels more like a farce than a detective story. The only interesting aspects are the cameo appearances of a few characters from the previous installment and the film.
The focus of this detective work has shifted from the cases to selling nostalgia, which seems to indicate a certain danger for the audience. I hope this speculation doesn't come true in the upcoming episodes.
Based on the current performance, I can only give it a passing grade.

This is too hilarious. Some people in the comments say it's a cure for drama drought... I suspect Chen Sicheng hired a screenwriter from Southeast Asia to make this drama just to launder money.
Every plausible plot point is filled with logic flaws that even internet novels wouldn't have.

Just because it's a detective drama doesn't mean it has to collectively dumb down the characters...
The niece can give up visiting because she doesn't have proof of kinship, and when the uncle is injured, the first thing he does is not urgently seek medical attention, but rather throw a tantrum...
The full makeup nurse squad that appears in the early morning... In the first season, Lin Mo, besides maintaining his detective genes, is repeatedly dumbed down. When he tries to escape from the hospital, there are viewers in the bullet comments fantasizing that he is intentionally pretending to want to escape...
I feel sorry for this viewer, overestimating such a foolish screenwriter. It's a pity for the behind-the-scenes team who are still somewhat competent...

If you want a piece of shit to direct, I'd rather you hire Bi Zhifei...
From the opening credits to the promotion, the emphasis on the "Detective Tang Universe" is like reminiscing about the time when they didn't even pull down their pants after taking a dump...
Do you really not feel ashamed to make it like this? All the points go to the fight scenes.

1.5/10

The strengths and weaknesses are evident. The production quality and cast are impressive. However, the suspense of the story falls short. The guest appearances by Wang Bao Qiang, Tuo Ni Jia, and Xiao Yang bring a lot of humor, but at times it feels out of place.
From that perspective, the opening case doesn't resemble the first season, but rather feels more like "Detective Chinatown 3." This story pays homage to "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "A Clockwork Orange," especially in later parts, particularly the scene where Lin Mo gets stabbed in the nose.

Oh my goodness, after watching the first story of this drama, I couldn't find a single highlight. Awkward attempts at humor disrupt the normal investigative process. And the overused dilemma of the mental hospital, which the great detective didn't even consider at first?
The mentally weak security guards at the hospital, can they really keep the patients under control, or are they just plot devices? The entire cast seems to have lowered their intelligence. The boring plot and the easily predictable decryption process truly make me feel like I've wasted my time.
This detective drama steps on so many landmines. If the whole season is at this level, I think it's better not to waste the investors' money on a "Detective Tang" universe.

The first case, which was so simple that it wouldn't even appear in a murder mystery script, ended up involving several detectives running in circles.

At first, I thought all of Lin Mo's dumb actions were intentional, but it turns out he's just really foolish.

And true to its male creator, this "masterpiece" has the classic trope of two women fighting over one man with Little Love and Sasha, followed by a nurse actively seducing him.

Cherry Blossom's self-sacrifice and the male lead's definition of a girlfriend being limited to takeout and a washing machine are just the fantasies of a middle-aged man before his death, it seems.

Melody of Angels" is a story with no suspense at all. It's predictable from the beginning. I couldn't stand it when they threw the psychopathic psychiatrist onto the streets and he confessed so easily.
It's reasonable, but it also feels too easy. Who understands the demon's breath? I've been waiting for Chen Guilin to show up. This cult... At first, I didn't even recognize that Huang Po was played by Sweetie Teacher.
The crazy fan was so infuriating, dragging the anchor to his grave. The anchor truly fell from heaven to hell. Kiko investigating for her sister at the amusement park.
The concept of the story is good, but the filming techniques are lackluster. The final episode was the most exciting, the closer they got to the truth, the more interesting it became.
"Golden City." The story in the drama version is really too easy, it's a plot that can be seen through at a glance.

The 24th CRIMASTER Detective Ranking has been reshuffled, and "Tang Detective 2" begins. In "Melody of Angels," there's organ trafficking in the insane asylum. Lin Heiquan solves cases by questioning and "seducing" the young nurse, while also relying on the help of two beautiful women to save his life.

In "Breath of the Devil," the leader of the Shoe Sect becomes a pervert, establishes a harem, and brainwashes the unfortunate. A struggling office worker borrows money to reward a female streamer, and even in death, he insists on dragging others down.
It's pitiful and despicable.

A poor mother raises her daughter, who has a terminal illness. The daughter gives up treatment, saying, "My mom earns 100,000 a year, but it costs 1 million to treat the illness. Even if she lives for another 10 years after being cured, it's not cost-effective.

What to do when your husband cheats? Sleep with your best friend's husband for revenge, and sleep with the leader of the sect for career advancement. It's like a compilation of social news. The Shoe Sect's theme clashes with "Zhou Chu Eliminates Three Troubles.

Amusement Park" features the MASK Club, which is like a loli island. The lolis attract the attention of rich and talented single men who approach them, compliment them, help them, and make them feel like they've won the lottery.
The pie tastes good.

Golden City" hasn't aired yet. Overall, for fans of suspense, the story's direction can be guessed quite accurately, and the element of deduction is almost nonexistent. It's a good choice for light entertainment.

[Tang Detective Season 2]

1. Melody of an Angel: The protagonist's intelligence is lowered, and when his fate is completely controlled by others, he confronts the dean with a face-off.
Xiaoxin didn't even visit Lin Mo and just left. The mastermind behind the scenes wasn't suspenseful at all.

2. Breath of the Devil: The first three episodes were okay, but the last episode forcefully dumbs down the police, making them seem intellectually challenged.

3. Amusement Park: KIKO didn't have much involvement, and it felt like the clues all conveniently came to them. The deductions were all made up, and the real culprit appeared just to fill four episodes.
The plot twist was forced. KIKO inexplicably revealed all the details of Rong Zishan's experience without any basis. Does that mean even if I sneeze, it will be recorded on the internet?

4. Golden City: This one was alright. It enriched KIKO's character and to some extent changed her role from being a tool in the Tang Detective movies. It had a family-friendly ending, not much to say about it.

(The series is becoming more like a comedy movie style, which I don't like. I still prefer the supernatural elements. Having a "real culprit" segment after each story is also a flaw.
Villains don't need to repent.)

I'll give the IP four stars, hoping that the movie won't decline further. In the first segment, Lin Mo's behavior in the psychiatric hospital seemed particularly illogical.
The third segment, perhaps due to recently watching "The Deadline Approaches," lacked freshness in terms of its theme, and the callback to Fanan's artwork also felt predictable.
The fourth segment was slightly better compared to the previous ones, but I dislike the chuunibyou antagonist who has hopes of reducing poverty but lacks any understanding of economic logic.

However, the supporting roles in this web series are diverse and display some acting skills.

What happened this season??? It's a complete dumbing down and formulaic approach... Lin Mo's capabilities have been greatly diminished, the detective aspect has weakened in terms of deduction, and the suspense part feels forced.
The first case was average, I thought it was just an appetizer, but it turned out to be even worse later on... Lin Mo, who had an impressive performance in the first season, is now just a supporting character.
There's too much unnecessary emotional entanglement... Is this supposed to be a drama or a romance film... If it's just a setup for the movie... Please, at least maintain the quality of the first season...

There's absolutely no taste of deduction or mystery in this drama. Catching the culprit was not based on evidence but on throwing him into the street. Having ten people kill one person is simply absurd. I guess someone was aiming for a plot similar to Murder on the Orient Express, but after watching it, I can only say that there was no real deduction involved.

The most bizarre thing is the so-called "world's number one detective organization" that recruits a love-struck child. The writer seemed to want to create a plot twist similar to Detective Dee, where the child turns out to be the mastermind.
However, the child's intelligence is nowhere near that level. In the last case, it was just a blatant imitation of Conan. Q is basically the Black Organization. The Detective Dee series was best when there was no Q, but it started to decline after Q was introduced.
If you're looking for mystery and deduction, then it's better not to continue watching.

Angel's Melody: It's evident that they're paying tribute, but the protagonist's sudden intellectual decline is somewhat perplexing. It's like their nose got metaphorically stabbed, and it's painful to watch.

Breath of the Demon: Overall, it's decent, and the plot twists are good. Amusement Park: Is it based on a real-life case? I won't delve into commenting on such social events, but it's impactful to see the girls collectively stepping out of the darkness and accusing.

Golden City: The overall pace and storyline are good, and the suspense keeps building up.

The visuals have a film-like quality, and there are beautiful women everywhere. Both the main and supporting actors have solid acting skills, and you can tell that there's sufficient funding behind it.
In terms of detective skills, it's better than "Detective Di Renjie" but not particularly outstanding. It's at a level where you can guess the outcome because the suspects are quite obvious.
The narrative and the interconnectedness of the plot fall slightly short compared to "The Young Official of Dali Temple." I would definitely continue watching because of the excellent production value, but it lacks a certain something.
Upon further reflection, it's the captivating protagonist and the deep, moving emotions that are missing.

The Angel Sanatorium," both in name and setup, feels like a blatant copy of a game. It tries to portray a psychiatric hospital with mysterious secrets, but ends up with a bunch of pretentious doctors and nurses (Xiong Dai Lin's performance is simply disastrous).
It's reminiscent of a poorly made version of the characters from Season 2 of "American Horror Story: Asylum." Even Lin Mo, along with her fluctuating intelligence and attempts at being intriguing, becomes an inconsistent character.
The filming technique of having the seemingly dead speak humorously to create an eerie atmosphere was already well-executed in the film "Hide and Seek" from a few years ago.

Tang Ren's Detective" is a highly acclaimed detective comedy film, featuring main characters Tang Ren, Qin Feng, and Liu Haoran. This film has gained great popularity in mainland China, Hong Kong, and other regions, and has received high praise.

The success of this film lies not only in its entertaining detective comedy genre but also in its incorporation of suspense and thriller elements, creating a tense atmosphere for the audience. Additionally, the film's production is outstanding, with well-executed scenes, costumes, and music.

Although some viewers have pointed out certain flaws in the plot and character development, noting that some parts could have been handled more smoothly, overall, "Tang Ren's Detective" is a highly recommended film. Whether you enjoy detective comedies or are a fan of suspense and thriller genres, you can find elements to enjoy in this movie.

I can only give it 3 stars for the first three episodes. The detective, undercover in a mental hospital without knowing who's who, immediately reveals their identity and cards...
It's incredibly stupid. I thought having just one awkward romance was bad enough, but in the third episode, they kept adding a bunch of internet-famous faces like Sasha, Kiko, Miss Cat...
to form Chen Sicheng's dream team of four women and one man. None of these women are as beautiful as Zhang Jun Ning with just one captivating look. Starting from the fifth episode, they finally focus on the cases, which was good at first, but in the seventh episode, Lin Mo goes to the crime scene and once again reveals their identity...
What the heck! Every time, this detective shows all their cards to the villains, giving them ample time to retaliate, assassinate, or destroy evidence. What a big flaw!
Minus one star. I patiently watched the part with Lin Mo, but I dropped the drama after that.

Initially wanted to give it three stars, but upon further thought, I'll give it two stars. So disappointed, so disappointed! Who said this drama was good after watching it? Let's have something nice to eat. In the first episode, they forcefully made the protagonist dumb, and in each episode, they fabricate a classic tragic background for the main character, wrapping it in a shell of social issues and mystery.
Learn from the scriptwriter of the first season, Chen Sicheng, I beg you, don't just focus on commercial elements. Find a good scriptwriter to develop the core of the story. Right now, I'm only watching it out of nostalgia.

Here we go again with the buy one, get one free deal? Lin Mo is still in two separate storylines, with Kiko as the protagonist. I can only say that it's slightly better than the first season's mess of supernatural creatures, but it still lacks immersion.
The mental hospital setting is classic, and the atmosphere is well done, but the plot is too simple and the protagonist's intelligence is downgraded again. Without outside help, they would be doomed. Jie Ke Jia's appearance is exciting, and Tuo Ni Jia's cameo adds some humor.
In "Little Love 1," they even feed the cat, adding a bit of plot, but it's still just one storyline. Little Love (Deng Enxi), Sasha (Zhang Yishang), and Miss Cat (He Nan) are all attractive among the younger generation. When the three of them analyze the case together, it's pleasing to the eye, and even the male lead looks good in the background.
The second storyline should have had some novelty, but it falls flat when compared to Zhou Chu. I reached the ninth episode and lost interest. No motivation to continue watching.

Overall, I feel that the latter eight episodes are slightly better than the first eight. The first eight episodes are more like a continuation of "Tang Detective 1," maintaining the style of playful humor and chaotic plot.
The latter eight episodes are more like a live-action version of "Detective Conan," with less comedy and more deduction. However, the biggest impression I had while watching is that the group of middle-aged men led by Zhong Zhentao still look so handsome.
Lv Songxian even feels more handsome than when he was young. I guess I've truly become a pseudo-mystery drama enthusiast.

The overall experience is pretty good. "Angel Sanatorium" can be considered the least compelling among the four cases, both in terms of the deduction process and the underlying truth, as they are quite straightforward.
The second case is interesting. I was slightly shocked when I first saw the crime scene, and the intertwined appearances of various informants were particularly thrilling. However, it had some ups and downs, and the later part of the case was too simple.
This case also collided with the central idea of "Zhou Chu's Extermination of Three Evils," but it was thought-provoking enough, and it finally revealed Lin Mo's father's identity.

Next is Kiko's time. The drama depicted Kiko's background and other aspects for the first time. The amusement park case wasn't particularly impressive, and it even made me feel a bit stretched towards the end.
However, the character portrayal, in my opinion, was quite accurate. In the end, the fourth case had a relatively simple deduction difficulty due to the hacker's nature, but obtaining information was quite challenging.
It was like a carefully designed case for Kiko, where a basic consideration of the entire case would lead to a clear solution. It should serve as a groundwork for the future decisive battle between the main characters and the Q organization.

The first case feels a bit dumbing down, but as I continued watching, I got used to the style of Tang Detective again. The opening of the second case was decent. It didn't require much thinking, but it had some interesting aspects.
The director and screenwriter really seem to like incorporating elements of mental illness and charlatanism. After finishing it, it turns out that Lin Mo has nothing to do with the last eight episodes, but of course, the story of Kiko in this season is better than the previous one.
It kept me interested, even though it was a bit confusing at times and I didn't know what it was trying to convey. Some actors' performances were also a bit hard to bear. The plot development regarding the big boss behind the scenes still remains as a code name appearance.
However, if there's a third season, I'll still find time to watch it.