[Editor's Note] Let's help you watch the "first episode" of the drama. Are the recently aired dramas worth watching? Let's take a look at the good ones and the weird ones.
Some shows may gradually get better, while others may start strong but end badly, so this article only represents the author's opinion on the first few episodes, for reference only. If there are any subsequent disappointments, I will keep you posted.
The Chess Player
Broadcasting platform: Tencent Video, CCTV8
Start time: March 25
Poster of "Chess Player"
The crime suspense drama "The Chess Player" is co-directed by Fang Yuan and Gao Nini, starring Wang Baoqiang, Chen Minghao, Wang Zhi and others. It is set in a southern city at the beginning of the century and tells the story of an ordinary Go teacher Cui Ye (played by Wang Baoqiang) who was accidentally involved in a crime and gradually turned to crime.
On the fifth day of its premiere, the show's popularity on Tencent Video exceeded 26,000, successfully joining the Tencent Video favorites club. However, the show was once accused of plagiarism, and was accused of having many similarities with the classic American TV series "Breaking Bad". Some of the plots in the show were also questioned as not being able to withstand scrutiny, but the show's ratings remained stable after the controversy fermented. At present, it seems that the idea of combining Go thinking with crime suspense is a good one.
Wang Baoqiang as Cui Ye
Chen Minghao as Cui Wei
Wang Baoqiang plays the Go teacher Cui Ye , who was originally an ordinary person, but was accidentally involved in a case and gradually turned to crime, and staged a black-and-white contest with the police brother played by Chen Minghao. We must praise Brother Baoqiang, his acting skills have exploded, and he has completely bid farewell to the comedy image in everyone's mind. He interprets Cui Ye's early cowardice and helplessness very well. Chen Minghao , needless to say, has had many wonderful performances in film and television dramas in recent years, and his performance this time is still remarkable.
However, this drama also has its shortcomings. The plot rhythm is sometimes slow, the side plots are a bit redundant, and some of the logic is not very rigorous. But overall, its highlights in subject matter and performance are very outstanding. At present, it seems that this drama is worth investing in.
Sandstorm
Broadcast platform: Youku
Start time: March 28
The criminal investigation suspense drama "Sandstorm" is directed by Tan Jiayan, written by Zhao Dongling, supervised by Gao Qunshu, and starred by Duan Yihong, Wang Qiang, Zhang Jianing, and Zhang Yao. The drama is based on a murder case and is set in a sandy town in the northwest border. It tells the story of two criminal policemen, one old and one new, who reopened the investigation of a murder case eight years ago.
Duan Yihong as Chen Jianghe
At present, the drama has a good texture, with distinct regional and historical background characteristics, showing the human struggle and survival reality of a resource-depleted small city in the northwest, giving people an immersive documentary feeling. The narrative space constructed by the scenery of the northwest is also innovative enough, and audiences who like suspense dramas can wait and see.
"Nian Wushuang"
Broadcasting platform: iQiyi, Youku
Start time: March 27
Poster of "Nian Wushuang"
The ancient costume fairy tale drama "Nian Wushuang" is starred by Tang Yan and Liu Xueyi. It tells the story of tens of thousands of years ago, when gods and demons fought each other, and the War Ghost Clan rose up in the chaos. The goddess Wushuang was entrusted by the heaven to transform into a human girl and enter the cave of the fox clan of the servant family of the gods. She became the personal maid of the priest Yuan Zhong, planning to take back the left hand of the god that had been parasitic in his body for a long time...
Before the show started, there were rumors that the fans of the lead actor wanted to "bury" the show. After the show started, I watched a few episodes and I can only say that the fans are right. To be honest, this show is a "forgettable" type. It has no sense of existence and innovation among the fairy tales, and it is too tacky to be a show in 2025 (filmed in 2023). With all due respect, bury it. I suggest that Ms. Tang Yan be more cautious when accepting scripts in the future.
Stills from "Nian Wushuang"
"Hush! The King Is Hibernating" concluded on March 29th, with a Douban score of 6.1 (rated by 95,900 people), and the ratings also dropped sharply shortly after the broadcast.
To be honest, the main reason why this drama flopped is that the plot is bland, lacking in attractive conflicts and highlights, and it is difficult to catch the audience's attention. The characterization is not full enough, and the characters are relatively thin, making it difficult for the audience to resonate with them. And Yu Shuxin's one trick of being cute and adorable seems to have reached a point where it can no longer be used everywhere.
"When the Wild Geese Return" broke the record again and became the first drama to exceed 30,000 in Tencent Video's 2025 broadcast
"When the Wild Goose Returns" will be concluded on April 9, with a Douban score of 7.0 (58,600 people rated it), and it has unsurprisingly broken 30,000 popularity and joined Tencent Video's hit club, making it a small hit. Now it seems that although the show has obvious flaws, the reason for its "explosion" is nothing more than a relatively novel and fast-paced plot, which cleverly combines elements such as suspense, counterattack, revenge, and female friendship, with ups and downs in the plot, unexpected twists and turns, and full of reversals.
The first quarter of 2025 has passed quickly, but there has not been a hit drama like "The Boom" two years ago and "Flower" last year, which makes people worry about the performance of the TV drama market this year. Let's wait and see whether there will be a masterpiece that appeals to the whole people this summer.
