Loved by someone who this year also loved The Double, Joy of Life, Are You the One, ...
Judge Dee’s Mystery is a refreshing surprise. It’s not perfect, but it’s compelling enough that I watched it all the way through without any fast-forwarding—and now I’m planning to rewatch it with my wife. She’s not usually into C-dramas, but I’m pretty sure even she’ll get hooked on this one. If not, well, more Judge Dee for me :)Zhou Yi Wei as Judge Dee is a total standout. He’s not your typical “pretty boy” lead, but that’s precisely why he works so well. His layered performance—steady, sharp, and compassionate—makes him a protagonist you can’t help but root for. Plus, his fight scenes are surprisingly believable, which is rare enough to deserve a shoutout.
Now, about Ma Rong (Zi Ling)—why does everyone hate her? She’s chaotic, hilarious, and one of my favorite side characters. The whole team, including Inspector Hong and Qiao Tai, brings a lot of heart to the series. That said, I wish Cao An (Wang Li Kun), Dee’s love interest and confidant, had been given more to do. Well, maybe in part 2. Yes, there will be a part 2!
Production-wise, this show delivers. The costumes and sets are stunning, and the close-ups are rich with detail. Again, some of the fight scenes were AMAZING. The music? I can’t remember much of it, it just quietly did its job in the background.
The cases are what keep you hooked. Judge Dee tackles nine mysteries, each blending intrigue with moral questions like whether the ends justify the means. Early episodes feel more like “watch Dee be brilliant” sessions, but later ones hit a good balance between showcasing his genius and keeping the audience engaged in the process. Bonus points for a story that (mostly) makes sense—something you can’t always say about C-dramas.
This is a slow-burn drama that’s all about the journey, not quick thrills. But if you’re into historical intrigue, gorgeous visuals, and clever storytelling, Judge Dee’s Mystery is absolutely worth your time. Highly recommended!
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Nice detective drama.
This was a good drama, not great, but not bad either, i enjoyed it.I really liked that there were several different cases, so that kept the story interesting. I am always a fan of good detective story's.
The visuals were beautifull and the acting was good.
I probably won't watch it again.
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This review may contain spoilers
Interesting, but Confusing?
This is absolutely remarkable! The myriad adaptations of Judge Dee are nothing short of captivating, yet I can’t shake the feeling that, after just a few minutes, the narrative threads start to intertwine in a dizzying array. The complex plots and ever-evolving cast of characters can swiftly plunge you into a labyrinth of confusion, leaving your mind swirling in a delightful, yet bewildering, dance of intrigue and mystery.Was this review helpful to you?
Solid Direction and Acting
The directing and acting are superb in this drama. I like that the director takes their time developing the story and the actors are able hold interest in the mysteries presented. Chinese dramas have some of the best writers, actors, and directors. This drama has an air of mystery and foreboding that gives it gravitas. However, there are light-hearted moments, action, and subtle romance. I like the characters that have been created, especially Judge Dee. Hopefully there will be anothe season of this mystery series.Was this review helpful to you?
Memorable fight scenes but unengaging story
As a fan of Detective Dee movies, Zhou Yi Wei did not work for me. Thinking back to some of the Detective Dee actors:Andy Lau
Yiheng Du (Who worked as Andy Lau's body double prior so Andy 2nd)
Mark Chao
The ideal image of Detective Dee is far from Zhou Yi Wei's. Not that he isn't a great actor, after all he was so good in Rebel Princess & Longest Day in Chang An.
It started out as a promising series with quality production and many familiar actors. Set, costume, lighting, makeup, all so good & the fight scenes were the best! Less (special effects) is more when you can see continuous sequence (if you like classic kung fu). Ep 24 where he fought 1:1 against the female was one of my favorite scenes.
The promising series quickly got killed by the storyline after 4 episodes. It was hard to stay engaged after the Empress was no longer part of the subsequent cases. I've watched it through for the fight scenes, but the cases were blah.....
Also, Zhang Ruo Yun listed as "Main" was not even a main actor. He was only a part of one case, and I don't even understand why the character was written that way. Totally didn't make sense to me, completely anticlimactic.
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Surprisingly not horrible!
As a rule I'm not a fan of C-anything because of crap dubbing, horrible scripts, cliche everything and some really poor acting, but this series only left me mildly annoyed. I will watch it until the end, on purpose.Zhou Yi Wei: I'm watching this on Netflix, Netflix doesn't let you leave reviews so I went hunting for a place to start leaving them, so here I am. I read some reviews because they were there. After a reasonably enjoyable 9 episodes I'm surprised at how many people were displeased with Zhou Yi Wei being the ML. His acting in this is spot on, even his fight scenes are believable...when does that ever happen??? I didn't once role my eyes or groan at him for any reason thus far...if you know me, you know that it's a rare thing for me to be so not critical of anything. It seems he isn't pretty enough for a lot of the reviewers...that's a bit shallow isn't it kids? One of the things I love about British productions, the person that can do the job best gets the job...whether they fit into the ridiculous 'pretty' box or not.
Writing: Well, for the most part, not too shabby. I'm a lot disappointed with the female sidekick, full on annoying cliche character. Di's love interest...wow...I've had better dialog with cardboard cutouts. The empress, seriously! After all those episodes of Di doing his job for her and doing it well, she sends him a note saying he has a month to solve a case or he will be as guilty as the perpetrators....whaaaat? Who wrote that crap?
Production: The close up scenes were well done, the ones at a distance were obviously CGI with the same clips used over and over again throughout. Dubbing for the most part was good, there were a few places where it was very cringy, but not as bad as the typical C-anything.
Acting: All actors did well, even the annoying cliche because I will never make an actor shoulder the weight for poor writing.
Music: Honestly had a hard time deciding how to grade it. I'm sitting here trying to remember any of it, I can't, it's like there was no music. So either there wasn't any, or it was calm enough to stay under my radar. I'm a musician, this rarely happens, I am confused. I opted for 8/10 to show respect for the stealth of tunes.
Story: Generally, so far, so good.
Watch again: Yes. I can't give any production higher respect than my will to watch it again...I don't do it often.
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The story did not lure me in after 8 episodes. Too bad it loaded with good stars.
Judge Dee's Mystery is a historical crime drama loaded with good stars (Elaine Zhong, Wang Li Kun, Zhang Ruo Yun, and Zhou Yi Wei). Still, it did not lure me in because the script was bad, and Zhou Yi Wei did not do well as the main character in this drama.Zhou Yi Wei acted better in The Rebel Princess than in this drama.
The Synopsis:
It tells the legendary story of Di Renjie, known for his crime-solving abilities. Di Renjie has conquered the imperial examinations and awaits his official appointment in Chang'an. However, he was suddenly dispatched by Empress Wu Zetian to a border town where he encounters many mysteries. Di Renjie stands up to the challenge of upholding the duty of the higher judiciary to bring peace and prosperity to the people.
My Reviews:
1. I like Zhou Yi Wei's acting in The Rebel Princess than in this drama.
2. The script is so bad and disappointing when loaded with good stars.
3. I am dropping this drama after 8 episodes.
I give it a 5.0 rating for a horrible script. It is my opinion so don't get angry.
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Sherlock Holmes chez les Tang !
C'est une très bonne adaptation des livres de Robert Van Gulik, les aventures du juge Ti.Ce juge a vraiment existé, et était vraiment connu, Van Gulik a brodé de beaux récits d'enquêtes dans ses livres, dont certains sont restitués ici.
Le juge est magnifiquement joué par Zhou Yi Wei, il est taciturne et passe son temps à observer et réfléchir.
Il a une présence qui remplit l'écran, qui laisse en retrait les autres personnages, moins intéressants.
La production est énorme, on voit qu'il y a de l'argent : les costumes, les combats, les agencements sont superbes.
On ne s'ennuie pas une seconde, et on se dit vivement la saison 2 (qui est filmée).
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