I pretty much guessed the identity of the Shadow Works' chief sometime during the second episode but what really surprised me was how early they revealed that person's identity. I'm supposing that's not really what the show is about but the cat and mouse game among the the royals. Let's hope they can sustain the tension for another 28 episodes. So far the people in this show are pretty savvy. As expected Liu Xueyi is fantastic in the lead role.
In a year of notable sequels, this is the best. It's almost shocking to say this but this is one of those rare sequels that's better than its predecessor in just about every way. It's as if they took into account all the criticisms of the first one and wrote a tighter better paced script with the same kinds of complex compelling cases. Now that all the head-butting has been left behind, everything just flows so much better.
The team work is so much better this time around. The Lu-Su Mystery Entourage is turning into a well-oiled machine. The biggest change is that Lu Lingfeng has become a lot more shrewd and flexible.
I've just started and this show is a hoot! I enjoy it more as a period piece than a police procedural. I was expecting this to be more serious but the laughs keep coming. It reminds me of the 80s US detective shows I grew up. I adore the Mancini style theme.
This is a show where the parts were better than the sum total. I knew after the first couple of episodes that this would require a great deal of suspension of disbelief. I didn't mind it as much of it was entertaining but some time after Episode 8, the show made less and less sense. And the pacing was off. It was also asking something of me the viewer that I couldn't accept. It's one of my least favourite plot devices -- characters refusing to 'fess up about their identity so as to prolong the big reveal. It's a delaying tactic which is used by a lot of Tik-Tok short dramas ad nauseum. To see it done in a high quality production like this is frustrating. For me the cracks that were evident in the first half were exacerbated in the second. The lack of cohesion being the biggest issue. This would have been better as a 10-12 episode. And someone should give Lee Jung-eun a medal for being the consummate professional.
15 episodes in and I'm enjoying Part 2 as much as Part 1. All's good and I don't even really notice the lack of fight scenes. It might be because I enjoy the notion of politics as theatre, the role of optics in governance and what makes for good leadership. What's also come under scrutiny is the purview of intelligence agencies -- who watches the watchmen, what are the checks and balances lest they become a law unto themselves. These are contemporaneous issues. I particularly enjoy Fan Xian relationships with his "fathers" -- that's always been the highlight of the series for me. I like what he brings out in each of them as much as what each bring out in him. The dynamics are unerringly fascinating. I am missing male centred shows so much and this one hits the spot.
That said I enjoyed Episode 12 for its humour but also for the layers of subtext as it pertains to marriage by decree. I also find the oldest prince and the Bei Qi princess quite adorable.
4 
As expected Liu Xueyi is fantastic in the lead role.
https://40somethingahjumma.substack.com/p/are-you-the-one-2024-review-and-ramblings
https://open.substack.com/pub/40somethingahjumma/p/are-you-the-one-2024-episodes-1-11?r=kq410&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
https://40somethingahjumma.substack.com/p/are-you-the-one-2024-talking-tropes
https://40somethingahjumma.substack.com/p/sweet-home-3-2024-ramblings
https://open.substack.com/pub/40somethingahjumma/p/kingdom-2019-20-reflections?r=kq410&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
https://40somethingahjumma.substack.com/p/my-week-with-dramas-12-aug-2024
I knew after the first couple of episodes that this would require a great deal of suspension of disbelief. I didn't mind it as much of it was entertaining but some time after Episode 8, the show made less and less sense. And the pacing was off. It was also asking something of me the viewer that I couldn't accept. It's one of my least favourite plot devices -- characters refusing to 'fess up about their identity so as to prolong the big reveal. It's a delaying tactic which is used by a lot of Tik-Tok short dramas ad nauseum. To see it done in a high quality production like this is frustrating. For me the cracks that were evident in the first half were exacerbated in the second. The lack of cohesion being the biggest issue.
This would have been better as a 10-12 episode. And someone should give Lee Jung-eun a medal for being the consummate professional.
That said I enjoyed Episode 12 for its humour but also for the layers of subtext as it pertains to marriage by decree. I also find the oldest prince and the Bei Qi princess quite adorable.
Nice to see the entire gang again.