Frost_edelweiss

It's also a bit like in The Eternal Love 1-2-3 with Qu Tan'er waking up in the body of a girl of same name in a not very historical past empire, to be married but wanting to flee, divorce, whatever. Always fun premise.

iQIYI

Lovely start! With a fun take on Wagner's Bridal march to open the revelries!
I'm already at episode 6, will perhaps binge the rest of the 12 released today.

Hah! In an earlier comment (where I admitted to wishful thinking), I expressed that he might wake up later, so we should not think the drama as it being with a sad end 😆. As long as he was not declared brain dead, there was hope for the future, even if the production did not treat us to the hoped for wedding.

I have reworked the part about the drama into a stand-alone "companion piece" with information about dates of filming, location, OST music, where to watch with direct links, many pictures and GIF with links to the videos, trailer, BTS... All organized into 7 shorter sections, grouping the 5 mazes from the actors/actress's Weibo, with added info, notably a GIF for the Avenue X review, which for once, is quite positive! (GIF linked to video, to view in full). and the 7.1 Douban opening rating that landed today September 25.

https://kisskh.at/discussions/the-first-shot/130515-the-first-shot-companion-piece

(That Douban rating is a bit low in my opinion, but Avenue X expressed which gripes some nitpicking reviewers had which caused them not to rate as glowingly as Escape: a gripe about platforms airing schedule, some who criticized the lacking Cantonese by part of cast, since that language was featured, some who have bias about actors, some who didn't like transitions, which they found abrupt, some who thought the hairstyles too modern : there is always something to criticize even when a drama is good enough to stay #1 in weekly viewership!)

Except for keeping watch on the weekly standing in viewership after 3 weeks (last two as #1 in China), I will probably leave this piece now, to enjoy other dramas, in other settings, with or without familiar leads (quite tempted to check more of the Johnny Huang and Zhang Yu filmography, since Wang Ziqi was already familiar to me from a handful of other dramas).

btw, please add a spoiler tag to your comment, as a courtesy for those who still have not got to that episode, ok ?

...my wish thinking. Yes, the last shots are Zheng Bei's wistful memories of the time when they set up the team, and shared the premonitory parting song.... But since Xiaoguang is not declared brain dead, he might wake up later. Can't kill all hopes, can we ?

Thanks for your input and correction that he is not what people think usually about idols. As you said in another message, he doesn't rely on fans to hype his works, hasn't had fan meetings for a long while, concentrates on improving his understanding of roles and his acting career.

To me "idol" is not a derogatory word, and there are many sort of "idols", it's complicated to find a specific word to express nuances: "celebrity" may seem more neutral but can be less positive than "idol" which means people who follow are admiring and liking the professional, not just in one role on screen, or as pin-up poster visual quality for commercials and brand ambassadorship.

From his debuts in a big brother role, to his roles as soldier and cop, he has been seen as a specialist actor of those "serving the people" roles of the "ordinary greatness", muscle man for some who just look at the strength needed to perform that, figurehead for patriotism and security for others. But he did not only act in this typecast and has had a reputed and remarked on diverse acting experience, including sentimental romance roles that are usually the playground of romance idols. This time, he brought a relatable human touch to his role with distinctive individuality traits and feelings beside his charisma as leader of squad and team.

It looks like Johnny Huang certainly aims to join the ranks of "great actors" who did not all go through acting school but refined their natural gifts through experience. With already 25+ screen works in his filmography, he certainly shouldn't be slighted. He does have a genuine presence that radiates through his acting, can move audiences to feel emotions, and the two testimonies you drew attention to (which provide access to adequate machine translation, although the mention "not relying on big IP" may puzzle; meaning I think "commercial hype for popularity" through events and ads) are indeed proving that this is the growing perception of him. Kudos to him to have embraced his chosen profession with dedication and to have chosen some quality over only fishing for popularity projects that can stay memorable, like this one!

I need to watch or rewatch more from his filmography. 😊

So, did you watch it? It's all out now, and worth the watch! Both a thriller and a quality drama.

and he will wake up. The drama has a happy end for the team.

joining the crowd to congratulate Bai Lu on her 30th birthday 🥳💖
and thanking for the link to the birthday talk snippet and translation on X:
she looked pretty and happy about her fans' cheers.
(thought i had already posted this, but perhaps did not click the right button)

So, actually I find Lucifer adequately puzzling as a name there, but have more trouble with the English title of the drama : The First Shot.

OK "shot" can mean a bullet into a target, like the ones featured in the drama and main leads' Weibo pages, to refer to a police themed drama, or to a "shot" of drugs, injected or drunk unawares or not with "shots" of alcohol. Or to the first shot, picture of the team in their then new office, which was reminded of in the last episode, in Zheng Bei's memory as the team moved on to new offices, and hung the picture on the wall.

But the original title was Snow Maze (not Snow Angel). If Snow Angel was not kept in translation for meth, then a more appropriate title, to stick with meanings, could have been simply : Ice maze.

Unless they were worried that it might be mistaken for an acronym like "Immigration and Customs Enforcement" and the drama would have been thought to be about something else 🤣

Not being a user, I've read in other sources that 雪天使 is the generally known vernacular name for methamphetamine in Chinese, not a particular upgraded version of it. The drama wants it to be a special type, with a "secret" recipe, for dramatic effect.

I have no idea whether the translators talked with the creators before getting Lucifer into it, but I am certain they were not unaware of the devilish connotation.

If the creators had an objection, they probably would have made it clear and asked to stick with "ice". Everybody knows about "ice" since the American series Breaking Bad, which has also been watched in China (all American series have been watched there, either officially or on bootlegged DVDs 😊). So if the creators didn't object, they probably approved or even suggested the "brand name".

Most people of western culture don't really know about the "lightbringer" Lucifer anyway, instead they only know about him being equated with another name for the Devil -- if they have a tinge of Christian culture, more pregnant in the Americas, in subsaharan Africa, some parts of Europe, Russia, and in the Philippines, now : target audiences for export of c-dramas.

Amicable banter between friends. Sure the guys wanted him to stay once he had proven his value as an expert needed for the team. Always good to have reliable colleagues, and be able to pride in it.

In love may be pushing it too far, but yes he becomes totally integrated as he strives to blend in through appreciating food and adopting some local ways of speech. So he becomes "part of the family".

Translations are sometimes difficult. I also saw Halan city becoming Harland... ;)
Perhaps it would have been better to just use the English nickname of the drug, "ice", but the translators found it more interesting to use the name of a fallen angel, enrolled in the demon hosts : Lucifer is the other name of Satan for the Latin Bible school educated. It does fit a bit with the theme of Mr Ma, who is a former victim turned vicious -but never touches the stuff except to make and market it.
Indeed the literal translation of 雪天使 is Snow Angel.
And yes, I know Lucifer was not the same as Satan who also was thought as Beelzebub and Moloch, in biblical inspired lores : but most people view them as one multiple aliased devil ;)

Perhaps; he was more or less forced to transport for the drug lords, but they were arrested. On the other hand it was not for making the slopes cleaner but for paving way to new drug lords who have already (the conference) agreed to share resources with Uncle Cai... So that may also be one reason why he let Shen Xing fly home - although since his guanxi tentacles reach far, that does not necessarily mean he couldn't enlist Shen Xing again. In actual real life, Shen Xingxing cooperated with the Chinese police to bring down a drugs ring after he escaped, so that could also happen.

But in actual real life, drug lords have been known to "change profession" on the surface and to live a comfortable retirement, backing the people in power at elections, and being protected in return, perhaps not really retired either. The political relationships are very convoluted and opaque, there, perhaps not only there: everywhere. I once discussed with some people in Europe who held that the drugs traffics yield indirect revenue for the states and is included in the GDP! But I am not into that sort of accountancy. ^-^

If you want to stay with drug dealer rings busting, head over to The First Shot. It is really good. Some actors from Escape also played in "Snow maze" (the name refers in fact to the Chinese name of methamphetamine : "Snow Angel", translated as "Lucifer" in the other drama.) QinJunJie is a surprise actor still not included by MDL in cast for murky reasons. The other celebs are first Johnny Huang, very nuanced acting there, no need to condescend to "bear with him", Wang Ziqi (no bromance, although some clamor for it, just good colleagues friendship) and Zhang Yu, who is very remarkable there; ladies include Lin Boyang (funny and sweet sister of the captain), and Xie Keyin ("mad dog Yao" fond of fighting at every occasion") alongside a handful other types. The drama has a lot of twists before final reveal of kingpin, that should not be spoiled too much: there is a choice between 3-5 candidates along the episodes!
It is like moving through a maze indeed, with dead ends, pitfalls, and mirrors!
Cheers for drama watching !

I have tried to add QJJ in cast, together with forgotten Li Wen Long, but MDL is very difficult to convince, when it is not already on dramawiki! I have added the two posters as reference and proof, let's see if they will accept it or wait until imDB has it. (fwiw I've noticed mistakes on imDB pages... so using that as official is --well, I won't elaborate....)

Last I posted a cast addition, I got rebuked that "machine translation" of the official Baidu cast list was not accepted... I almost decided never to try add cast elsewhere than in my companion pieces where you often can find a bigger selection from the total cast -- not for this drama, because I am a bit tired these days, and there are 112+ on the Baidu list, not even including (yet) the "surprise" guest, so I only added some chosen information and no character/cast gallery. Instead, there is the total 28 B&W poster collection as a GIF with added names and role names, and some other pictures with details of who is on them.

And as for your query : no, he won't ruin your experience. QJJ is very good, lots of micro-expressions and ease: a good choice for a "dark horse"!

I have really enjoyed this show, which is not just another run-of-the-mill gangster-cops story or copy of The Godfather. The details are really impressive and realistic, and the pace was good for me. I could feel Zhang Yimou's influence in both cinematography and choice of storyline/dialogues ; the director Lü Xing clearly is his disciple, both are attracted to fiction and to slice-of-life : LX already directed 2020 Ordinary Glory, a story about a suburban police station "public security office", just like ZYM filmed unforgettable movies such as To Live, Raise The Red Lantern, Ju Dou, Qiu Ju, Not One Less... I missed 2022 Snipers which features Zhang Yu; I'll be off to watch it on "cool", 马上, 立刻, 现在 lol

Actually Huang Jingyu is quite an idol with a good fan base... 23.319 million fans on Weibo.
The other ones in cast are perhaps less prominent as idols, but fine pros and for a few (Zhang Yu) already known to be top-rate. Not to forget rising star Wang Ziqi 7.72 million fans, who also has a fandom (name "Hot Air Balloon"!)
And.... did not you notice who played Mr Ma ?
Qin Jun Jie. Fandom name Qing Tian / 晴天 12.315 million fans on Weibo
I can't fathom why his name is still hidden from cast list, although he got a character poster which he added in his own Weibo page : https://weibo.com/u/1827234850.
That's perhaps a major mistake from production, not to have cashed in on his popularity even if it meant have to wait for long before seeing him appear.

Yes, it is more difficult to access, but possible on Youtube with English (and perhaps more languages) subtitles. Although Youku posts the episodes more slowly than on their original site, here is the link to the Youtube channel to watch it on, here : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIPiKkS-FpK_iveEy2xJ9hWjZCxqiMNGk

Episode 2 had 22k clicks and other episodes averaged 10-15k clicks on YouTube (so perhaps more views than recorded on the MDL drama page). For more info on popularity etc, I have compiled some here : https://kisskh.at/discussions/the-first-shot/130149-a-mazing-johnny-huang?pid=3137151&page=1#p3137151

It is also possible to find a subtitled version on kiss for those who look for a Youku unofficial mirror platform... Among other ones. Of course, best would be if those fine White Nights Theater dramas could be found on Viki.
I am sure they would appeal to more international audiences interested in c-dramas.