A Review of Chinese TV Series: Preferences of a Drama Enthusiast
For those of us who are avid drama viewers, it's not just about the popularity of a show, but also whether it aligns with our personal tastes. Personally, I gravitate towards period dramas, crime thrillers, spy dramas, and modern warfare genres, and I'm not particularly interested in emotional or urban-themed dramas. After finishing a series, I started watching the period crime drama "The Forensic Examiner Song Ci." Although the plot was decent, the overall quality was not very high.
In comparison, I much prefer "The Three Squads" over other shows. I eagerly awaited the daily updates and the finale of "The Three Squads," wanting to know how Wang Dayong would be captured. Cheng Bing traveled thousands of kilometers in search of Wang Dayong, remaining true to his original purpose. The unexpected outcome kept me up until past three in the morning to finish watching.
As anticipated, the final conclusion was in line with everyone's expectations—Wang Dayong was ultimately captured. It turns out that the Northeast was the closest place to Wang Dayong, and all the clues originated from there. However, for me, regardless of the plot, the series didn't feel quite comfortable to watch, be it the tone or the pacing. Although I haven't lived in Shanghai, I had the opportunity to visit once, and while the skyscrapers were bustling, it wasn't dim and gloomy.
Initially, when "The Three Squads" premiered alongside "Painted Eyebrows," I had high hopes for it. After all, the cast of actors was something to take note of. However, after following it for a while, I decided to give up. After three days of quitting the series and having nothing else to watch, I picked it up again as a way to pass the time. For example, I have watched every installment of "Detective Di Renjie" and even rewatched some of them. I also watched every part of "The Song Dynasty's Chief Criminal Judge" starring He Bing.
As for "The Forensic Examiner Song Ci," I didn't initially follow it. On one hand, "The Three Squads" was airing, and on the other hand, the actors seemed too young, and there was too much emphasis on romantic storylines. Additionally, the character development was lacking. The protagonist, Song Ci, gave off an impression of being unstable, as if solving cases was mere child's play, constantly bickering and teasing with Li Zifang, Miss Shen's Second Young Lady, and Rui Wang.
They turned a period crime drama into a period romance drama. Overall, the sudden conclusion of "The Three Squads" indeed left me with no series to follow.