This review may contain spoilers
The female lead doesn’t deserve the criticism she’s been getting.
My favorite drama this summer. The acting is solid, the production is polished, and while some may find the costumes a bit flashy, they actually fit the setting. The show delivers a clear message throughout. Some of the fight scenes are super cool, and the soundtrack is absolutely on point.I’ve seen a lot of comments about people dropping the drama because of the female lead, but I personally find her setup reasonable. She’s actually the most clear-headed female lead I’ve seen in a book-transmigration storyline. For an ordinary person suddenly thrown into a fictional world, you can’t really expect them to treat the characters as if they were real people.
That said, the male lead’s character is perhaps too well written — he’s often the one suffering, his inner struggles are well portrayed, and his tragic backstory is fleshed out, while the female lead’s past and inner world remain underdeveloped. This imbalance makes many viewers feel more sympathy for him and resent her.
One strong point of the drama is its supporting cast, especially the female lead’s father, whose character is well crafted.
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Good soundtracks
Those who once enjoyed Love Between Fairy and Devil will likely find this drama appealing, as the storyline is quite similar. Both feature a charismatic, all-powerful male lead and a lazy, somewhat silly female lead.It’s also understandable why the drama didn’t gain much popularity, even though the original novel was said to rank among the top in China. This type of storyline feels outdated. Viewers who prefer something simple, romance-focused, and not too deep will probably enjoy When Destiny Brings the Demon.
However, the weakness lies in the supporting cast. Just like in Love Between Fairy and Devil, the side characters are rather underwhelming. In fact, this drama handles them even worse — they lack depth and almost feel like NPCs whose sole purpose is to push the plot forward. At times, their actions come across as foolish and lacking any sense of humanity.
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This review may contain spoilers
For audiences who purely enjoy the detective/crime-solving genre.
The drama The Wanted Detective feels like a less remarkable version of Mysterious Lotus Casebook. The male lead investigates cases, gets poisoned, is skilled in martial arts, and is falsely accused.Although the production is fairly polished, it’s understandable why the drama didn’t gain much popularity in China. While both shows focus on solving cases and uncovering deeper conspiracies, Mysterious Lotus Casebook stands out because each case is independent, with its own storyline and foreshadowing that eventually tie into the final mystery. In contrast, The Wanted Detective essentially revolves around a single overarching case from beginning to end, with the smaller cases serving only to lead to the ultimate mastermind.
Another drawback lies in the chemistry between the male and female leads. Despite their supposed romantic relationship, their on-screen interaction feels weak.
One strength of the drama, especially for longtime viewers of Chinese series, is the supporting cast. Many of the roles are played by seasoned and familiar veteran actors, which elevates the overall acting quality.
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