An Engaging Second Season That Doesn't Quite Live Up To Expectations
I am going to echo what others have said about this drama's second season, it's not as good as the first. But that's not to say that it isn't good because it is, it's still gripping and it kept me hooked from start to finish. It just doesn't quite reach the level that the first season did in terms of writing, emotional impact, and character development.
This season centers more around Shen Yi's exploration of human emotions and basest instincts, arrogantly aiming to predict crimes and even prevent them like some all-knowing god. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that they decided to delve deeper into Shen Yi's psyche. But by doing so, they forgot that there's another character they should focus on as well, leaving Du Cheng out like some recurring guest character in his own show. Sure, he's always there, but only as a supporting character to Shen Yi, which doesn't quite align with how things were in the first season and how they promoted the series.
Story-wise, they did present some fairly interesting and unique cases, which I found thought-provoking to say the least. Contrary to what most viewers have said, the cases skillfully display the darkest parts of human nature and the lengths people would go through to achieve their deepest desires. I found that utterly compelling. I agree that the writing this season is not as solid as the first and there are considerably more suspend-your-disbelief circumstances that leave you either marveling or mocking the intrepid imagination of these writers. But having said that, I also appreciate their willingness to bring something new to the table. And I'm glad they took the time to develop some of the supporting characters as well like Jiang Feng and Li Han. I did enjoy seeing a different side to them.
This season is not, in any way, boring, at least not to me. It is still as engaging as the first. But like I said, it felt lacking, especially in how they wrote Du Cheng. This felt more like a Shen Yi show than a buddy cop show about a burly idealistic cop and an intellectual forensic artist. A season three is on the way and with that cliffhanger of an ending, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be there as soon as it hits.
This season centers more around Shen Yi's exploration of human emotions and basest instincts, arrogantly aiming to predict crimes and even prevent them like some all-knowing god. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that they decided to delve deeper into Shen Yi's psyche. But by doing so, they forgot that there's another character they should focus on as well, leaving Du Cheng out like some recurring guest character in his own show. Sure, he's always there, but only as a supporting character to Shen Yi, which doesn't quite align with how things were in the first season and how they promoted the series.
Story-wise, they did present some fairly interesting and unique cases, which I found thought-provoking to say the least. Contrary to what most viewers have said, the cases skillfully display the darkest parts of human nature and the lengths people would go through to achieve their deepest desires. I found that utterly compelling. I agree that the writing this season is not as solid as the first and there are considerably more suspend-your-disbelief circumstances that leave you either marveling or mocking the intrepid imagination of these writers. But having said that, I also appreciate their willingness to bring something new to the table. And I'm glad they took the time to develop some of the supporting characters as well like Jiang Feng and Li Han. I did enjoy seeing a different side to them.
This season is not, in any way, boring, at least not to me. It is still as engaging as the first. But like I said, it felt lacking, especially in how they wrote Du Cheng. This felt more like a Shen Yi show than a buddy cop show about a burly idealistic cop and an intellectual forensic artist. A season three is on the way and with that cliffhanger of an ending, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be there as soon as it hits.
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