This review may contain spoilers
A slow burn into magic and meaning
I liked this one from the start — not super-loved, but definitely liked. I wasn’t 100% sold on the demons or the FL at the beginning, but the story quickly pulled me in as both the world-building and the characters grew stronger. Everything starts to make this kind of magical sense, and the intertwining story arcs are clever, twisty takes on some classic themes.There are some great supporting actors in this one too — for example at least two familiar faces from Guardians of the Dafeng, a recent favorite of mine. Fan Shuai Qi plays Sima Ling Ying — she was one of the Gold Gongs in Guardians, and honestly, she’d make a fantastic female general. Hope she goes far. And Vinnie Yao, who played the hilarious alchemist, is a great addition to this cast as well.
Character development is a big win here, especially in how the leads get to know and slowly accept each other. There are definitely some dark clouds on the horizon for their relationship right now, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a happy ending. Will post an update once the drama finishes. Anyway, highly recommended.
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Deserves better than 7.6
I enjoyed this drama and I liked all the characters and how they were portrayed. Not the greatest drama for sure but pretty much all the criticism that was voiced in other reviews applies to all recent Chinese historical dramas.I'd say if you were attracted by the tags attached to this drama (Strong Female Lead, Disguised As A Man, Orphan Female Lead, Revenge, ... ) you may very well find, as I did, that this drama delivers some welcome little twists to what you've come to expect from similarly tagged dramas.
I particularly enjoyed the interactions between the FL and SML and would love to see the two actors paired up again in another drama. After finishing this drama I also feel inspired enough to check out some of Zhang Tian Ai's and Wang Rui Chang's other dramas in the near future.
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Loved by someone who this year also loved The Double, Joy of Life, Are You the One, ...
Judge Dee’s Mystery is a refreshing surprise. It’s not perfect, but it’s compelling enough that I watched it all the way through without any fast-forwarding—and now I’m planning to rewatch it with my wife. She’s not usually into C-dramas, but I’m pretty sure even she’ll get hooked on this one. If not, well, more Judge Dee for me :)Zhou Yi Wei as Judge Dee is a total standout. He’s not your typical “pretty boy” lead, but that’s precisely why he works so well. His layered performance—steady, sharp, and compassionate—makes him a protagonist you can’t help but root for. Plus, his fight scenes are surprisingly believable, which is rare enough to deserve a shoutout.
Now, about Ma Rong (Zi Ling)—why does everyone hate her? She’s chaotic, hilarious, and one of my favorite side characters. The whole team, including Inspector Hong and Qiao Tai, brings a lot of heart to the series. That said, I wish Cao An (Wang Li Kun), Dee’s love interest and confidant, had been given more to do. Well, maybe in part 2. Yes, there will be a part 2!
Production-wise, this show delivers. The costumes and sets are stunning, and the close-ups are rich with detail. Again, some of the fight scenes were AMAZING. The music? I can’t remember much of it, it just quietly did its job in the background.
The cases are what keep you hooked. Judge Dee tackles nine mysteries, each blending intrigue with moral questions like whether the ends justify the means. Early episodes feel more like “watch Dee be brilliant” sessions, but later ones hit a good balance between showcasing his genius and keeping the audience engaged in the process. Bonus points for a story that (mostly) makes sense—something you can’t always say about C-dramas.
This is a slow-burn drama that’s all about the journey, not quick thrills. But if you’re into historical intrigue, gorgeous visuals, and clever storytelling, Judge Dee’s Mystery is absolutely worth your time. Highly recommended!
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In my opinion underrated
Not among my top 5, but then I never felt the need to share some of my thoughts about my top 5 or pretty much any of the other 150+ c-/k-dramas I've watched.What I REALLY liked about this one:
1. The father-daughter relationship.
2. The father himself was so much fun and the daughter was pretty close to perfectly played.
3. The assassin girl was super cool and so was her grandfather and the relationship between the two of them.
4. The main villain was great and very different from other villains I've seen.
5. The story was full of twists and turns and surprises and in many ways was a story very much unlike any other I've seen.
6. The flying fish boats ...
7. No crazy censorship slash and hack.
8. The writers did not run out of ideas midway through.
9. Good ending, hinting at a possible second part (I definitely would not mind).
10. Some of the CGI was pretty spectacular.
So, so:
1. The acting of the two MLs.
2. Some unnecessarily drawn out dialogues towards the end (I skipped a bit).
Overall, a bit underrated I think. Just in case you are wondering what my top 5 are, I am not absolutely sure myself. Story of Yangxi palace and Love like the galaxy, definitely. The blessed girl is nothing like these, very different really. Still just in case just like me you are wired to like these two very popular dramas, your wiring may also be conducive to you liking The blessed girl.
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