Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Season 2 (2024)

Still binge-worthy but...

Very happy to state that season two was done well enough to remain binge-worthy for those who enjoyed season one.

However, there are some reductions in quality that I'm hoping doesn't get carried forward into the next season.

- The charisma between the team is starting to lose its appeal. There has been absolutely zero character growth and everyone's personality is growing a little stale. There is also a subtle feeling of trying to force upon the importance of each member in the crew. After so many episodes, I get it already. Pei Xi is great at drawing and Ying Tao is a backup bodyguard who is just average in comparison to Lu Li Feng, and Fei is a miracle healer. How many times does Su Wu Ming need to complement them for doing exactly what they've always done? The worst part is when they tried to suddenly get the whole crew to play detective in the last arc and Ying Tao is hinted at being Su Wu Ming's apprentice? The best character in the series was Su Wu Ming and all of this has really diluted him.
- While the overall mysteries are still quite interesting, the actual investigation and autopsies are no longer given as much detail and emphasis anymore. On multiple occasions, apparently despite Su Wu Ming having conducted his autopsies, he misses relatively key areas for some reason that required multiple additional autopsies. This again, takes a lot away from his character and his character's abilities.
- And while I'm not a big fan of any heavy-handedness on romance, the interactions between the couples (particularly in this season) has no charisma and the occasional reminder of them being a couple really adds no value.

Hoping in the next season, they try to implement more character growth. Also hope they don't continue to try to muddle the dynamic by getting everyone on the team to suddenly become master detectives. It would be like trying to suddenly turn Su Wu Ming into a master swordsman. Nevertheless, season two was still worth the watch despite the slight trailing off near the end.

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Well written mystery drama

I'm surprised this isn't rated much higher because it is solidly written. This is one of those 'supernatural incidents turns out to have human causes' mystery dramas. Those dramas tend to have endings that seem pretty anti climatic but this drama gives its mysteries really satisfying endings. It's a nice balance between character driven and logic driven. Definitely one of the best mystery dramas I've watched in a while.

The drama's also segmented into separate mysteries with the same few main characters carrying throughout the plot. I really like this because I hated sitting through 40-eps of constant build up, but also didn't like watching short dramas. This is like the best of both worlds.

Onto the acting: this is I think some of the most natural and organic acting I've seen across the board. However some of the characters seem a bit dull. Lu Ling Feng is the serious righteous guy and Su Wu Ming the chill guy who always seems like he sees two steps ahead, so they're both kind of boring to listen to in their own way. I wish they had a bit more flair like other detective characters I've watched since we need to see them talk *a lot*. SWM especially gets long long speeches and has a much slower speaking speed than I'm used to and I sometimes feel tempted to put him at 1.5x speed. There's nothing wrong with them as characters: like..they portray realistic human beings, often much better than other shows I've seen, but I don't think they are interesting enough to carry such a dialogue heavy drama. However the comments I've seen elsewhere showed that this is a pretty unpopular opinion, and people especially loved to watch SWM.

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A drama where everything is in the right place

This is a drama where the director knows what he's doing and why, the scriptwriters know how to write good scripts, the scenography department knows how to design the set, the CGI team knows how to avoid making it cringy and fake-looking, and the actors can actually act. It should be obvious, but this is really rare nowadays. This is the second season of SToTD, which is even better than the first one. I stronglly recommend it for ones who like well written detective story with good acting and great visuals.

PLOT
After the first case ends with Lu Lingfeng unintentionally admitting to a certain familial connection, Su Wuming saves him in a way that, at first glance, seems somewhat controversial. LLF is exiled to the distant West. Su Wuming also has to leave the capital. After some time, the entire team, whether by chance or not, reunites to continue their journey to the West, solving more criminal cases along the way. The cases are unique, intresting and not obvious. One of the most surprising cases is when, due to a fortuitous set of circumstances, our team is forced to conceal a murder that took place in a mysterious guesthouse from the other guests. Hiding their true identities, the team, trapped in the guesthouse during a snowstorm, must find the murderer, who is one of the guests. What I particularly appreciate is that the subsequent cases are not merely used to advance the main characters' storyline or showcase their extraordinary abilities. In this series, the victims and perpetrators are as important as the main characters. They have clearly defined, memorable personalities and motives. The perpetrators are not cartoonish, one-dimensional embodiments of evil; on the contrary, they are often complex, and in some cases, the lines between who is actually the perpetrator and who is the victim become blurred. This deserves special mention and appreciation. The plot is intriguing from start to finish, and the pace is consistently maintained.
There are some complaints about lack of romance - both SWM and LLF have women who are the objects of their romantic interest, but the romance is not the most important theme of this series. The series primarily focuses on solving cases, as well as the growth and development of the characters during their journey, and their interpersonal relationships - co-operation, friendship, trust. This bit of romance adds depth to the portrayal of the main characters, makes them flesh-and-blood people. For me it is just perfect as it is and I am glad that this series isn’t trying to be everything and nothing at once by cramming in every film genre.

ACTING/CAST
Not just the main cast, but all supporting and guest roles are well performed. The performances of protagonists or antagonists in a few cases are truly remarkable and leave a lasting impression (for example, the Coroner's mother). The main team has great chemistry, and they truly make us believe in their bonds. The fight scenes are excellent, and I especially appreciate the male lead's scenes and his commanding general’s aura. He’s also a perfect choice for this type of character. In many dramas, the male lead is supposed to be a well-trained general, officer, or martial artist, but their physique tells a different story—often too skinny or lacking muscle. However, this ML is well-built and trained, making his role as Lu Lingfeng much more believable.

MUSIC
I focus on the visual aspects of films; they are more important to me then music, unless it is unique or annoying. Here all is good. As well as the quality of recorded sound .

VISUALS
Visually, it is a feast for the eyes. Some scenes are stunning and memorable. The costumes are beautiful and diverse. What I particularly appreciate is the choice of wigs—the hairlines that can make or break even the most attractive faces of the actors. What I particularly appreciate is the depiction of cultural richness, similar or even better to what was shown in the first season.

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