Playing Ep 01

What people are saying

• jollynatalie

  Overall 5

  Story 5,  Acting 7,  Music 6,  Rewatch Value 4

  So, I just finished watching this drama and I wanted to share my thoughts. It falls into the ICAC kind of dramas category, you know, the ones with all the corruption and grittiness. It's got that signature dark and gray style we've come to expect from Youku dramas. Overall, it's pretty good.
  
  The story starts with a building collapse during an ICAC investigation, which affects a group of childhood friends. As time passes, they all grow up and go their separate ways, but their paths eventually...

  intertwine again because of the building collapse in their past. The writing is solid, although it does start off a bit slow. But once the bad guys step up their game a few episodes in, things really start to get interesting.
  
  The only drawback of this drama is the sheer number of protagonists. They just don't bounce off each other as effectively as they could have. Vincent Wong, Bosco Wong, and Ron Ng all play serious characters with contemplative moments, but they feel a bit too similar. There isn't an upbeat member in their crew, so it can get quite depressing, especially when Nancy Wu and Mandy Wong share the screen with them. The only uplifting character is Sisley Choi, but she's not part of the main crew. It's quite predictable, to be honest.
  
  The real highlight of the drama is the portrayal of the bad guys. Ben Wong and Derek Kwok play complete and utter bastards who are willing to do anything for money. They bring a certain intensity and make the drama worth watching. Without them, it would probably be just average.
  
  Update: I finally completed the entire series and I have to say, the ending was such a disappointment. It was abrupt and ridiculous to the point that it gave me whiplash. Throughout the series, we see Nancy Wu's character trying to take down Ben Wong, but all her plans fail. Then, out of nowhere, in just one episode near the end, she decides to kidnap Ben's wife and kid and forces him into a confrontation where he reveals all his crimes on a secret livestream. It felt like lazy writing and it annoyed me so much.
  
  Oh, and I forgot to mention earlier that many of the scenes are dubbed over. The native Cantonese speakers have to dub over their lines, and unfortunately, the lip syncing is not good at all. It looks totally out of place. They should invest in a better boom mic or something, it would make a significant difference.
  
  All things considered, this drama had its moments, but it fell short in a few areas. It's worth a watch if you're into ICAC dramas, but don't expect a groundbreaking series.