Aya

While I won't go as far as to call this drama flawless, it was definitely interesting, entertaining, captivating and fun to watch.

The story itself is well written. There are definitely some holes here and there and things that are glossed over either to save time or lack of a satisfying explanation, but overall, the cases are presented very nicely and everything is connected well. I really loved the overall eerie and creepy vibe.

The biggest flaw for me in terms of storytelling was the pacing. It's a bit uneven, but overall didn't impact my enjoyment of the drama all that much.

This drama is definitely elevated by the characters. Their chemistry and bonds are very endearing. Whoever cast the four Constables did an impeccable job.

Luo Yun Xi never disappoints, especially in this type of setting. Li Si is a very complicated character. He's intelligent and scheming and always seems to retain a bit of mischievous glow in his eyes. At the same time there's a lot of sadness buried right below the surface. There are so many instances in his life that could have buried him in darkness, but at the end of the day he always firmly holds on to light.

Fang Yi Lun's Meng Rui is another character steeped in sadness and similarly to Li Si he also stubbornly and with a lot of determination holds on to light. He's unwaveringly loyal and despite a cold appearance, his bond to his comrades is incredibly strong.

Shen Yu Jie has a very natural on screen presence. Bai Zhen Zhu is a very meticulous and intelligent character. I really loved her relationship with her father. He doesn't seem to fully approve of her choice to be a Constable, but he still supports her completely. This definitely shows in the way she carries herself. She's very confident and strong and doesn't hesitate to do what she thinks is right.

Wang Hai Xiang's Yan Cheng is the heart of the group. He's straightforward, honest and loyal with an undeniably strong moral compass. His character is definitely the easiest to like. Despite being the oldest of the four Constables, he often displays the cutest personality.

In terms of characters, the villains are not always portrayed well. It's a flaw most of case based dramas share, because the villains are either mostly in the background and only appear briefly or given less time to develop, because the cases are closed in a matter of a few episodes. The villain with the most screen time in this drama is Lou Tian Ming and unfortunately I wasn't impressed with Asher Ma's overly cartoony performance. It seems to be less an acting choice and more a writing choice, because Roy Wang's Zhao Shan Lei is also very cartoony. The only villain that makes this work is Qian Gong Ling Long. Her insanity, while also overtly present is somehow more naturally portrayed.

This drama is visually stunning, with beautiful costumes and sets. The music is fitting and memorable.

Overall, despite its flaws, I'm still compelled to give it a high rating, because I genuinely enjoyed watching this and was able to easily ignore the flaws.