Drama Rec: Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty

[rheasilvia]

Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty is a historical detective/action drama that revolves around three very different government officials. Together (mostly), they investigate a series of crimes and mysteries, and happen upon a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire.

Our three heroes meet when investigating the strange murder of a Marquis’ son – a case that is inexplicably connected to the disappearance of the Crown Prince’s best friend. They go on to bicker, eat lots of delicious food, build a lovely found family with an excellent batch of secondary characters, and try very hard (and with varying success) to stay on the emperor’s good side.



All three main characters are interesting and competent in their own way, and they complement each other well. The show is at its best when they all work together and spark off each other.



Tang Fan is a magistrate of the sixth rank, a brilliant and eccentric detective who sometimes lacks the pragmatism required to survive in the real world. He’s a foodie and glutton, and writes erotic novels to supplement his income. Sadly, we don’t find out much about his novels, but Wang Zhi claims to be a fan. ;-)



Sui Zhou is an officer in the imperial guard, a highly skilled martial arts expert who struggles with PTSD thanks to his time as a soldier. He’s driven, honorable and principled without being stupid, which is a far less common thing in dramas than it should be, IMO. He’s also an excellent cook.



Wang Zhi is the Commander of the Western Depot, an intelligence and enforcement agency that basically makes him the second most powerful man in the empire. Brilliant, ruthless, terrifyingly competent and a complete scene stealer. He starts out as something of a cypher, and appears more than a bit threatening; he then steadily becomes a more and more complex and awesome character as the series progresses. He’s a palace eunuch, and a master of court politics who constantly has to dodge the lethal intrigues of power-hungry and/or corrupt and scared officials.

Wang Zhi is the only main character based on a historical figure. The real Wang Zhi has gone down in history as one of the “four evil eunuchs” of imperial China (although it was actually a good deal more complicated than that epithet would suggest).



Sleuth is based on a m/m novel, like so many recent dramas, but in this case, I don’t think it’s worth watching for the book pairing. Tang Fan and Sui Zhou build a strong and interesting friendship in the series, but I don’t particularly ship them as a romantic couple; the chemistry just isn’t there for me. However. Add Wang Zhi to the mix and it’s a different story. This may be the first drama that gives me OT3 vibes.



Would I recommend it?

Absolutely! I must warn you that this drama does have a number of annoyance factors, including Tang Fan’s occasional over-the-top childishness (apparently intended to be funny?) and several very grating plot points. But even so, I find it entertaining, pretty, and a lot of fun – and it has Wang Zhi. ;-) It also does interesting and interestingly nuanced things with Chinese history, if that’s your kind of thing. So I would absolutely recommend you check it out.

Where can you find it?

The first four eps are subbed on YouTube. The entire series is available here, and also on Viki.

I found this drama thanks to maggie33 and just want to say: thank you, it's lovely! :-)

Comments

[undeadrobins]

Oooh, I think I already had this one in my Viki queue to watch, but this is great, thanks!

[rheasilvia]

Do tell me what you think if you decide to check it out! :-) It took a little while to grow on me, but stick with it for a bit if you can - I definitely think a lot of people will enjoy it.

[maggie33]

This a great rec post. And you like OT3. I like it, too. :)

and it has Wang Zhi. ;-)

Heh... A most compelling point. ;) I started with "hmmm, I like this guy", and ended with "you are my favorite and I love you to pieces ♥ ♥ ♥". :D

[rheasilvia]

I am all about the OT3! I was a bit disappointed in the beginning because there was no romantic chemistry between Tang Fan and Sui Zhou IMO, but then Wang Zhi became more of a presence, and I just thought - YES. He has SO MUCH chemistry with both of them. Aaaaaah.

I started with "hmmm, I like this guy", and ended with "you are my favorite and I love you to pieces

I knooooow. I want to watch ten more dramas with him. And read all the fanfic!

ETA: I really can't thank you enough. :-) And I think I need some Sleuth icons...

[maggie33]

I want to watch ten more dramas with him. And read all the fanfic!

Yes and yes. We can hope and dream for at least one more season together. :) I would love that. As for fics - there are a few that I already loved, but I want many, many more. Especially post-canon fics, I want all the post-canon fics.

[rheasilvia]

Is there a chance of a second season? That would be so great!

Especially post-canon fics, I want all the post-canon fics.

Yes, I second this motion!! Let there be *all* the post-canon fics. Long, epic post-canon fics with cases and domesticity and assassination attempts and lots of cooking and cunning and political intrigues and rescuing each other. :-)

[maggie33]

Is there a chance of a second season?

I don't know, I haven't heard anything about it. I just hope it could happen. :) But I don't know if the drama was popular enough for that.

And if not the 2nd season then I want to see Liu Yaoyuan in something else when he has the main part. His part in Ancient Detective was disappointingly small.

[rheasilvia]

You know, I just realized why we're both also watching Ancient Detective. I, at least, started watching that specifically because of Liu Yaoyuan. ;-) He is *so good* - hopefully people will take notice and cast him in lots of other roles, even if Sleuth remains a single-season drama.

[trobadora]

I watched the first four episodes of this a while back, and really liked it. Planning to watch the rest of it next month - I have a few days off, so binge-watching, here I come! Good to see more people getting into it.

[rheasilvia]

If you liked the first four eps, then I'd say it's almost certain you will love the rest of the series! It gets better as it goes on. With some hiccups, as mentioned. :-)

I look forward to hearing what you think!

[solo]

My first ever OT3, too! Really, it's just not the same with any two of them.

[rheasilvia]

It really isn't! They balance each other out so well. Any two would be missing something, and would just be sad.

(I need some Sleuth icons. *g*)

[daegaer]

Oooh! This is relevant to my interests! (So many episodes! I'm currently watching The Untamed, which is equally rich in episodes).

[rheasilvia]

Yes, I do think it might be just your thing! Let me know what you think if you decide to check it out - and when you get around to it. :-)

[riventhorn]

I'm about 7 eps into this (also thanks to maggie_33) and enjoying it very much. Looking forward to OT3 vibes and more Wang Zhi! Also digging the age difference relationship with the emperor and his consort.

[rheasilvia]

Maggie33 has done us a great favor, I would say. :-)

Yes! The emperor and consort are also among my favorite characters. We see relatively little of their relationship, but it still manages to be so rich and fascinating and multi-layered. Each of their relationships with Wang Zhi, too. Great stuff.

[riventhorn]

That's also very interesting that Wang Zhi is based on a real historical figure. I would like to learn more about eunuchs in Chinese history in general. The gender/sexuality stuff must he fascinating. I'm not sure if the derision some characters express toward him in the show related to his perceived lack of masculinity is more a reflection of modern attitudes or if it equates with how he would have been perceived in the Ming Dynasty. Certainly the idea of "the four evil eunuchs" reminds me strongly of female rulers who were typified as "evil".

[rheasilvia]

Unsurprisingly, I have been researching the topic of eunuchs in Chinese history a lot in the last few weeks... ;-)

It really is a fascinating and complex topic, complicated further by much of the information being conveyed through the lens of Western culture, and so of course irredeemably distorted. But as far as I have been able to glean so far, eunuchs did have to contend with some prejudices - though not necessarily the ones we'd expect today.

Certainly the idea of "the four evil eunuchs" reminds me strongly of female rulers who were typified as "evil".

That might have played into it to some extent... and there also seems to be a basic revulsion against the idea of anyone having more power than the emperor, or power *over* the emperor - which some eunuchs did have, at several points in Chinese history. And when something bad happened in such a time, it was of course because of the evil despicable eunuch, when - if there had been no eunuchs involved - it might have just been bad luck, or an unfortunate/short-sighted/whatever decision by a (non-evil) emperor. And in some times, as a result, the idea of any eunuch holding a lot of power ever seems to have become something alarming and somewhat revolting.

It's really fascinating. The historical Wang Zhi is, too. As is that entire period of history in general, really! Sleuth has brought me to learn a lot of Chinese history. :-)

[riventhorn]

Would you have any book recommendations on the subject? (Or the Ming Dynasty in general).

[rheasilvia]

Not so far, although I've been looking at several. I'll keep you posted! :-)

[riventhorn]

Thank you! I found a book called Eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty thst looks good, but unfortunately it's like $40 used. I miss having access to a university library, sigh.

[dancing_serpent]

So many interesting shows to watch! And so little time! *sigh*

[rheasilvia]

Oh, I know exactly what you mean... although there's also something reassuring about knowing that I have a lot of good things left to watch. :-)

We certainly won't run out any time soon!

[dancing_serpent]

*g* Yes, that's true. Not knowing what to watch (or read) next is never fun.

[lauand]

Oooooh, looks interesting! Thanks for the rec! :D

[rheasilvia]

It's definitely worth checking out if the description sounds at all interesting to you! It has a lot of things to recommend it (*cough*WangZhi*cough*).

If you do have a look at it, I'd love to know what you think. :-)

[xparrot]

Oh, this definitely sounds like something I want to check out when I get the chance, thanks for the rec!

[rheasilvia]

It has a lot of things to recommend it - including Wang Zhi (I know, you totally couldn't tell he is my favorite character, could you *g*).

If you do get the chance to check it out, I'd love to know what you think. I'm so curious! :-)

[no_detective]

oooo, this sounds interesting. will add to the list - thank you!

[rheasilvia]

I'm really enjoying it - I hope you do, too! :-) I'd be interested in your opinion if you do check it out.

[extempore]

Danke für das neue Gift. *g*

Zu Jackie Chan habe ich ein bisserl ein zwiegespaltenes Verhältnis, seit er offen für Freiheitsbeschränkungen von Gesellschaften und Menschen eingetreten ist, aber nun ja. Ich weiß nicht, in wie weit er als Produzent involviert war, aber ich meine, doch etwas von seinem Humor erkennen zu können.

[rheasilvia]

Da macht sich wohl mein grundsätzlicher Versuch bezahlt, nie mehr über die Schauspieler oder anderen involvierten Personen zu wissen als unbedingt nötig... oft verhagelt es einem nur den Spaß. Ich weiß jedenfalls nichts von Jackie Chan oder seinem Humor, von daher!

Hehe, bitte, gerne geschehen. :-)

[daegaer]

I'm on the last few episodes!!!

I full-on clapped and squeaked as Wang Zhi progressively started to lose his cool and actually raise his voice. And his horror at being pawed at by an overjoyed Tang Fan was beautiful. Beautiful. (And Ding Rong is very badass, especially in his all-black sekrit agent gear).

Thank you for introducing me to this wonder!

[rheasilvia]

Oooh, excellent! I am very glad you're enjoying it (and a little impressed at my pimping skills *g*). I have a few other dramas to pimp, just you wait... ;-)

his horror at being pawed at by an overjoyed Tang Fan was beautiful.

OMG, yes! I know!!! I love that entire scene. And incidentally, I personally believe Wang Zhi would not have minded being pawed by Tang Fan if the man hadn't evidently been kneading his face to check whether it was actually a face rather than, say, a rubber mask...

Learn some proper pawing skills, Tang Fan! Honestly.

I confess I have no memory of Ding Rong in his all-black gear, or indeed of him being badass, but I will have to keep an eye out for that on my (very slow) rewatch! And I would be interested on your take after having watched the last few eps...

(Personally, I was very impressed by the badass and moral bodyguard and his "Räuber Hotzenplotz" hat. *g* Please excuse the incomprehensible reference, it just cant be unseen...)

[daegaer]

I've watched the whole thing!

Wang Zhi needs to be pawed over quite a bit more. His hair all disarrayed, oh yes.

Ding Rong showed some impressive fighting skills when they were in the "Save the Abundant Waves" bit. Unlike Wang Zhi, whose fighting move is "hide behind others, pull out pistol" (which is pretty damn badass a move, in 1478!!)

THE LAST FEW EPS!!!!!!!!!!!

OK. My first thought is I am in fucking AWE of how EVERY loose end got tied together, even ones that had been long since lost and didn't seem all that loose. Like, right from Episode 1 loose ends! That big old multi-ethnic battle was incredible (so: Han Chinese, Oirat Mongolian, Japanese - any others?) and I loved Noble Consort Wan's all-woman brigade getting in there.

I also loved how every lucky event or reversal of fortune was actually EARNED by actions way back in previous episodes. Wang Zhi commits treason? Yep, we've actually been told all along that he's following Consort Wan's orders, and if she says "Drug and kidnap the emperor" he'll fucking do it. WANG ZHI DID THAT. And he did it in part because whily he reveres the emperor, I think he likes the MAN rather than the position. So when Princess Guan laid her "I've lost more than you" line on him, he definitely shifts from loyalty to the family to loyalty to at most two members of the family. (Fuck you, Guan! That was a hell of thing to say to someone mutilated as a child for their father's actions. He certainly didn't rush to stop her committing suicide, even though ordered to take her alive). The missing emperor needs a bolt hole - good job that Sui Zhou has a monk who owes him big time! And that the monk's sister is officially in the family's country estate and therefore can move around Beijing undetected in her mourning garb!

And the bad luck too: for ages it seemed like Dong'er's mistake wasn't going to bite them in the ass, until it did. And Ding Rong's betrayal - we SAW him tempted before and he stayed loyal, but Wang Zhi steadily treated him worse and worse. It didn't come out of nowhere.

I also loved any number of the other characters: Dr Pei and his horrific medical ethics, Tang Yu and his big sisterliness, Duo'erla and Wuyun - all fantastic. And the fact that Jackie Chan might have had to make it a bromance, but there are no actual love interests shoe-horned in for Sui Zhou and Tang Fan is incredible. (I did come across one review which moaned how obvious it was that Duo'erla and Sui Zhou's incipient fiancee were as love interests and just thought, hahaha, just you wait). I even loved the mini!monk, who surely would give even Genjo Sanzo a run for "Most Obnoxious Buddhist Child."

Phew.

And what I want NOW, given the very end of the last episode, is a crossover with the Korean drama Kingdom, if you know that ;-)