16
108
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
Excellent writing in executing a great mystery investigation and redemption from Start to Finish
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.75
I cannot believe I am typing this out. “The Wanted Detective” is an underrated drama starring Wang Xing Yue!!! Wang Xing Yue!! Can you believe that? There are less than 8000 watchers at the time of this review. Why? Possibly because viewers were alerted that there’s only a ‘slight romance’ tag, and it was airing when the highly anticipated “The Legend of the Female General” was airing at the same time. Maybe many just finished watching “The Coroner’s Diary” and had enough of crime investigation. Ok, that poster is awful, too.
However, if you are a fan of mystery, thriller and crime investigation, this is a rare, well-written drama from start to finish. Each case/subplot and death is tightly connected back to the original mystery in episode 1. The drama never loses its focus, and as you watch episode after episode, you get little clues here and there. You try to find out what really happened on that boat and who was the villain. The journey was full of thrills and plot twists. I had no idea who the real villain was until it was revealed.
Wang Xing Yue played our wanted detective, Xiao Bei Ming. This is a great role for him as he navigated the different stages of Xiao Bei Ming. Starting out as the genius, beloved and a little arrogant detective, WXY shows off a more animated side of the character. But as his character goes through injustices and life-threatening events, we see a different side of WXY. I also really enjoy Julia Xiang’s portrayal of the fierce and badass heroine, Zhong Xue Man. It’s refreshing to see her character development from a young detective wanting to prove her worth, to suffering through the death of a family member and needing to grow up fast. Zhong Xue Man can hold her own in front of all the men, and for the most part, kicks their butts. She never lost that quality until the very end when she was the one who made a crucial and dangerous decision to save everyone.
The supporting cast is also likable and well-acted. Each has their unique skills and advantages that complement this 5-person group in uncovering the mystery. I like that the drama showcases how each of them contributes to the success, and is given sufficient screen time for us to know them on a personal level. I also really like the veteran cast and many guest roles. There are so many intelligent characters with interesting backstories.
If I have to pick on the drama, unsurprisingly, it is the romance. I totally understand that romance is just a small part of the drama. As much as I like the couples, I just needed a little more, given how they navigate many life-threatening events. Wang Xing Yue/Xiao Bei Ming and Julia Xiang/Zhong Xue Man give me a very strong sibling or friendship bond, but not as lovers. The secondary romance is also very light with a few scenes here and there to show that feelings are mutual. There aren't any secret gazes or longing for each other, nor do the actors convey a deep romantic love for each other.
But on another positive note, I really like the action scenes. Despite a few slow-motion moves, I really like the fight choreography. I was especially impressed with Julian Xiang. She looks amazing as the badass detective. The drama poster is so bad that it gives off a low budget vibe. But in reality, the sets, the costumes and production quality is pretty good. I even enjoy the cult dance and the non-skin smoothing (just need to tone down Wang Xing Yue’s white powder a tiny bit here and there). I think except for Julia, the main cast all dubbed their own voices. Props to Wang Xing Yue who does that quite often.
I definitely would recommend this drama, especially if you enjoy mystery, thriller and crime investigation. It’s rare to find a well-written drama that keeps the mystery going from ep 1 all the way to the end. Despite my minor criticism of the romance, I am giving this drama a high 8.75. I was going to round it down, but decided to round it up to 9.0 to give the rating a little boost. It deserves more attention, especially when acting, writing and execution are good.
Completed: 8/20/2025 Review #615
I cannot believe I am typing this out. “The Wanted Detective” is an underrated drama starring Wang Xing Yue!!! Wang Xing Yue!! Can you believe that? There are less than 8000 watchers at the time of this review. Why? Possibly because viewers were alerted that there’s only a ‘slight romance’ tag, and it was airing when the highly anticipated “The Legend of the Female General” was airing at the same time. Maybe many just finished watching “The Coroner’s Diary” and had enough of crime investigation. Ok, that poster is awful, too.
However, if you are a fan of mystery, thriller and crime investigation, this is a rare, well-written drama from start to finish. Each case/subplot and death is tightly connected back to the original mystery in episode 1. The drama never loses its focus, and as you watch episode after episode, you get little clues here and there. You try to find out what really happened on that boat and who was the villain. The journey was full of thrills and plot twists. I had no idea who the real villain was until it was revealed.
Wang Xing Yue played our wanted detective, Xiao Bei Ming. This is a great role for him as he navigated the different stages of Xiao Bei Ming. Starting out as the genius, beloved and a little arrogant detective, WXY shows off a more animated side of the character. But as his character goes through injustices and life-threatening events, we see a different side of WXY. I also really enjoy Julia Xiang’s portrayal of the fierce and badass heroine, Zhong Xue Man. It’s refreshing to see her character development from a young detective wanting to prove her worth, to suffering through the death of a family member and needing to grow up fast. Zhong Xue Man can hold her own in front of all the men, and for the most part, kicks their butts. She never lost that quality until the very end when she was the one who made a crucial and dangerous decision to save everyone.
The supporting cast is also likable and well-acted. Each has their unique skills and advantages that complement this 5-person group in uncovering the mystery. I like that the drama showcases how each of them contributes to the success, and is given sufficient screen time for us to know them on a personal level. I also really like the veteran cast and many guest roles. There are so many intelligent characters with interesting backstories.
If I have to pick on the drama, unsurprisingly, it is the romance. I totally understand that romance is just a small part of the drama. As much as I like the couples, I just needed a little more, given how they navigate many life-threatening events. Wang Xing Yue/Xiao Bei Ming and Julia Xiang/Zhong Xue Man give me a very strong sibling or friendship bond, but not as lovers. The secondary romance is also very light with a few scenes here and there to show that feelings are mutual. There aren't any secret gazes or longing for each other, nor do the actors convey a deep romantic love for each other.
But on another positive note, I really like the action scenes. Despite a few slow-motion moves, I really like the fight choreography. I was especially impressed with Julian Xiang. She looks amazing as the badass detective. The drama poster is so bad that it gives off a low budget vibe. But in reality, the sets, the costumes and production quality is pretty good. I even enjoy the cult dance and the non-skin smoothing (just need to tone down Wang Xing Yue’s white powder a tiny bit here and there). I think except for Julia, the main cast all dubbed their own voices. Props to Wang Xing Yue who does that quite often.
I definitely would recommend this drama, especially if you enjoy mystery, thriller and crime investigation. It’s rare to find a well-written drama that keeps the mystery going from ep 1 all the way to the end. Despite my minor criticism of the romance, I am giving this drama a high 8.75. I was going to round it down, but decided to round it up to 9.0 to give the rating a little boost. It deserves more attention, especially when acting, writing and execution are good.
Completed: 8/20/2025 Review #615
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