Ackery

Calming Waves is a hidden gem.
Unfortunately for the series, it got released in a rather "unlucky" period of time after the successful Coroner's Diary and a few days before the highly anticipated (and later overhyped) Legend of the Female General.

Even though it is not flawless, its shortcomings are rather insignificant for a series that unlike many others got better and better with each episode.

Cinematography and directing are fantastic. It is one of those cases where you end up taking multiple screenshots and filling up your gallery. Acting was good from everyone and OST was amazing, with the credits song "Rising Through the Night" (踏夜升明) by Liu Yuning being my favorite. But those are things that I don't want to focus on, cause they are characteristics that many series possess.

So what did this series excel at?


ℂℍ𝔸ℝ𝔸ℂ𝕋𝔼ℝ𝕊
One of the things that I dislike in most series with multiple characters, is that most of the times everyone feels less important comparing to the mains. In this case, all characters are equally significant. They all have their own stories and their own strengths and weaknesses and at no point I felt that anyone was unnecessary.

Even though Beiming (Wang Xing Yue) and Xueman (Julia Xiang) are considered the protagonists, all characters are complete individuals that are not there to serve them as aids or to make them look better in the eyes of the viewer.

If I'm being honest, this series is so well balanced when it comes to characters that all of them feel like they portray main roles.
Even though some characters were unusually smart, none of them felt unrealistic or one dimensional and more importantly they weren't almighty, cause every single one had their flaws. Everyone complemented one another and they ended up making the perfect team.


𝔽𝔼𝕄𝔸𝕃𝔼 ℂℍ𝔸ℝ𝔸ℂ𝕋𝔼ℝ𝕊
The reason why I have dropped many dramas in the past, is that many series portray female characters and especially female leads as weak, damsel in distress individuals that always wait for male leads to save them...
In Calming Waves the female characters are nearly perfect. They are capable, smart and their strengths make up for the shortcomings of the male characters.


ℝ𝕆𝕄𝔸ℕℂ𝔼
This is an aspect that worried me quite a lot when I started this series.
Thankfully romance was more of a subplot, that was delicately portrayed without overshadowing the main investigation plot of the series. It was natural, it was subtly beautiful and it also felt realistic and well-balanced.

The female characters didn't feel like decor, being there only as the love interests of the male leads. They were strong and intelligent characters and I deeply appreciated how male leads didn't work as saviors.

Everyone put the common goal of their team first. Even if someone got hurt, there was no overreacting, slow motions, sad songs in the background, cause they had to achieve their goal and there was no time for sentimentalities.


𝔸ℕ𝕋𝔸𝔾𝕆ℕ𝕀𝕊𝕋𝕊
I won't say much when it comes to this, cause I don't want to spoil anyone, but all antagonists in this series are phenomenally written and some of the best I have watched in recent years.


ℙ𝕃𝕆𝕋
Of course, nothing could work if the plot itself was not good. Even though it does contains some exaggerations here and there, the series is generally very well written and complex.
It felt both plot and character-centered, it was dialogue heavy, exciting and definitely entertaining.

It also has a bit of everything. It has mystery, action, drama and comedy. It has romance, bromance, sismance and multiple other fantastic relationships between different characters.
Everything is well-executed and thought-out.


All in all, this is a gem that deserves more attention.
Please don't be fooled by the terrible poster, cause Calming Waves is a series that offers quality in every aspect.

𝓖𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝓪 𝓽𝓻𝔂, 𝓮𝓼𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓲𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓯𝓪𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓮𝓷𝓻𝓮!