My Roommate is a Detective (2020)

Watch the first 12 episodes to enjoy charming detective comedy with great male leads and then drop it like a hot potato.


"My Roommate is a Detective" is a Chinese detective comedy done right. It has all of the ingredients: funny charming (and hot) characters who always look sharp in their impeccable period get-ups, genuinely funny slapstick humour, engaging banter, and fresh cases (especially for those unaccustomed to Republican era dramas). Most importantly, the story is very consistent and fast-paced so occasional silliness of the cases is easy to forgive.

The titular roommate-detective Lu Yao is particularly delightful as the story never lets him get out of any situation with his dignity intact. One moment he's a genius Sherlock Holmes wannabe / arrogant Oxford alumni and the next he shamelessly stuffs his face with free food, gets his thin lies (and pickpocketing habit) exposed, and runs away at the slightest sign of danger.

Inspector Qiao, on the other hand, is a stern no-nonsense official who can bark orders like any other quasi-military personnel but who is actually very patient and easy-going. His street-smarts allow him to spot and hire Lu Yao while his patience allows him to tolerate the genius detective's antics. Inspector Qiao's perpetual dry amusement and air of contentedness is a a balm for the viewer's soul.

It goes without saying that both characters are played by gorgeous actors.

The female lead Ms. Bai does grate on one's nerves at the beginning of the drama. She gets away with some really outrageous actions and her struggles are hard to sympathise with. I wouldn't agree with those who say she isn't necessary for the plot because she does provide case details and occasional funny banter. Moreover, her scenes become less and less eye-roll worthy as the show progresses.

The cases themselves are a bit on a sillier side but quite inventive. They lean more towards Conan Doyle than Agatha Christie with the focus on forensic analysis and gathering of the clues. None of that 'let's all meet at the ballroom in our evening best to dramatically reveal who is the murderer among us' stuff. On the other hand, the time period means that police brutality, nepotism, and dealings with mafia are the norm.

Moreover, C-dramas ostensibly can't portray good people being killed so every other victim turns out to be a person who has committed severe crimes. That makes culprits more sympathetic than the victims which is a weird dynamic for a lighthearted show where the viewer is supposed to root for the detectives.

Some problematic stuff appears here and there, not to mention that Inspector Qiao is a gangster but a honourable one?? The viewers aren't supposed to take any of that seriously but some cases really push their luck.

The opening and ending music themes are really nice.

All of the above concerns the first 12 episodes of the show. The 13th episode makes it clear that there will be no meaningful character development or dramatic story-line in the rest of the show. The heroes begin to act out of character and the focus of the story shifts to romance and family drama. This makes it harder to tolerate the silliness of the cases with their at times truly atrocious resolutions. The super-obvious fanservice and in-your-face romantic scenes are also nothing to celebrate.

If you aren't put off by any of that the drama continues to be quite watchable. I believe, though, that even as light-hearted as the drama is it should have taken itself seriously at least some of the time. Too many questions beg for answers (Will Lu Yao find the courage to stand for what he believes in? Will Inspector Qiao fight for real justice or remain a mafia lackey? Will Ms. Bai gain real independence? Will she get awareness of her own privilege?) while it becomes increasingly clear that the answers will not be in any way satisfying.

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SUPER ULTRA MEGA SPOILER BECAUSE I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED!

Yes, I dropped this because I was massively disappointed on how the events turned into! This was supposed to be a BL or even just a BROMANCE but they let Lu Yao marry Bain You Ning and just left Qiao Chu Sheng in the end! THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BROMANCE! Uuuuugggh! They could just have them buddy-buddy until the end and no marriage at all.

Yes, the story is interesting and not new but it was fun along the way. I like the interaction between the two male leads but I was disappointed on their story, like frickin’ disappointed to the core I can’t even describe it.

The casts visuals are really stunning, especially Yi Tian (I love him). As for their acting, tgey really did well in portraying theor roles. They did great in every episode. I think I would like to commend the female lead because she really annoyed me, always bugginv the two male leads, even snatching Lu Yao from Chu Sheng!


I was really disappointed to the reboot of this story.

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Chinese Republican Era

I've never like Chinese Republican era. I don't know for sure but usually setting was too dark and this was the example - during that era where people struggled to live; poverty, war, politic and ideology division, starvation, darkest era for human's history. But I love the 2nd lead actors, Leon Zhang, saw him from different dramas and his funny side, Leon Zhang wasn't afraid for being silly, in here though his character was pretty serious - a cop who helped 1st ML to round up mystery. The land lady acted better than Shane Xiao - she nothing special. Different mysteries brought in different solutions just need to keep up what and when...there where I lost it....couldn't remember which mystery case when I had to pause or absent. I decided, after postpone it, to drop it. It wasn't interesting enough for me to get excited to watch it, curious enough want to finish the drama.

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This one is a tough one. Right from the first episode, the atmosphere was just ever so slightly overly dramatic which set the tone on what to expect from this series: a lighthearted drama with comedic tones. This would be great if done well.

So if you're expecting to see any serious crime solving, this isn't it. It is almost like an attempt to do a live-action version of the anime Detective Conan by solving each case fairly quickly. However, unlike the anime, the cases here don't stimulate much emotions or empathy toward any of the players.

The two male leads do have a pretty fun dynamic (particularly Leon Zhang). Unfortunately, the female lead is just the standard irritating type and instead of adding any value, she pulls it down. The series had the potential to really be pretty good if they managed to do a better job at switching up that underlying comedic tone during what should have been more somber moments. The three leads are pretty monotone no matter what situation they are in and because of this, it ends up emphasizing the fact that they are just a bunch of wealthy kids with zero empathy who are playing detective. The attempted hint at a sob story for the lead female to explain her bratty personality really does nothing for me either. But if you're one who likes these type of characters, you'll find her adorable.

I do appreciate the respect of the multiple languages, where it isn't spoken in one of those nonsensical ways. It's also always nice to hear the Shanghainese language in more mainstream media. The heavy incorporation of foreigners in the plots, however, just doesn't work well here.

This is a series where you don't really need to pay much attention to and the cliffhangers are easy to walk away from. Since I don't hate it, I've been going back and forth on whether to drop it. There is the curiosity on seeing more of the background of the male leads but not much else.

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I Just Want to Watch this Because of Luyao And Qiao Chu Sheng, they have that Great Chemistry...I Love Both of Them....
But after watching the ending that Lu Yao and Youning will be together...I stop Watching...
I find Youning very Irritating and They don't match with Lu Yao....I Just don't understand why they end up together....they Are unbearable to watch specially when they kiss...I feel like throwing my phone...I feel so sorry for Qiao Chu Sheng... That's Why I couldn't anymore bear to watch all the episode...
I will just watch the MV of Lu Yao and Qiao Chu Sheng to make me feel better...
I'm dropping this because of Youning...I really don't want her to end up with Lu Yao...
I know all of the people who watch this feel the same as me...

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Pure content warnings: Torture. That's the big one. Not on-screen (so far), but casually implied, mentionned and never addressed as a bad thing, because, y'know. CHINA. Bullying, boundaries violation, blood and murders obviously, manipulations. A few examples: threatening to accuse a man of rape if he doesn't obey her, making people do all the work while they sleeps, stealing shit from the house of a witness, insulting and belittling of basically everyone, etc. This show is so wholesome! =_=
I'm going to be honest: I dropped that show and intend to never finish it, if only because the casual use and mentions of torture upset me. Who would've known?
Now, the summary is actually very misleading. What truly happens is that one of the male main leads is arrested by the second male lead for murder and the female lead bullies her way in because of "plot reasons". That's not a task force, and it wasn't planned.
The main characters are all dicks in their own ways, so together they fill up a full Asshole Bingo card. Lu Yao is especially infuriating, what with how entitled, sniveling and manipulating he is. The guy who tortures people is somehow more honorable and respectable than the man who doesn't.
The opening is dope, tho!
Now that you've been appropriately warned, enjoy ! (I guess)

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After watching just the first episode, the first thing I do was to come here and read reviews about the love-line. Lots of people dropped the drama cause of the love-line. I seriously prefer no love line than having Lu Yao and Bai Youning together, cutting out the BL scenes doesn't mean you must still have a love-line to attract viewers. I actually was looking forward to the drama entirely just for my interest in watching detective/solving genre shows. Luckily I came here first to get my heart prepared.

Btw, I really like the opening song. That rapper is good.

Okay I'm on the second episode, soon, I won't be able to take this woman anymore... Any kindhearted person who can edit out all the scenes with that woman and let me watch peacefully.

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