Detective L
Feb. 6th, 2023 03:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rogueslayer452So, I wanted to talk about Detective L.
Or, more specifically, two of my favorite characters from Detective L.
Ben Jieming = my precious cinnamon roll, must be protected at all costs
Huo Wensi = my poor little meow meow, my special little guy who has committed atrocities and who I enjoy seeing getting whumped and bloodied
Obviously, like with most who have watched the drama, I immediately adored Ben Jieming the moment he was introduced. He's just so awkwardly adorable, soft-spoken yet kind but also very much a troll like Luo Fei, it's impossible to resist that face. (It's also ironic because he's not only the tallest but is also the oldest of the entire cast, and yet he's totally babie in this role.) So yeah, it was a given that I would instantly love his character from the jump.
However, it's Huo Wensi that was a total surprise for me.
It didn't happen as immediate as it did with Ben Jieming, although I was definitely drawn to his character the more I watched, and then suddenly I was totally swept up with, well, everything involving him. It wasn't until the arson/diamond case that really kind of further by interest with Huo Wensi even more, which then grew from there. He's such a fascinating character, mainly because of the reveal in the end it made me really think about his motivations which, sadly, given that the reveal happened in the final episode with minimal information of wrapping things up, not to mention the cliffhanger that will never be resolved, it's made looking back at his episodes an interesting task at noticing the little things.
Although what really grabbed me by the throat was theunresolved sexual tension between Huo Wensi and Luo Fei. Their whole dynamic is just so fascinating to me. I mean, you'd think that they'd known each other previously just by how much bitter ex energy Luo Fei radiated due bitchy he was towards Huo Wensi when he was introduced, and yet that was their first time meeting each other, and it just continued on from there. It just made me so curious about that relationship, why Luo Fei was reacting that way, and what's even more interesting is how Huo Wensi doesn't at all seem offended, just amused, to the point where I truly think he wanted to get underneath the man's skin. I mean, the final episode reveal aside, there's so much going on beneath the surface that it makes me want to dissect everything about them. It's just all so, crunchy, I love it.
(Plus the fact that in the final episode during their confrontation Luo Fei not only beats him up, but how much Huo Wensi seems to like it? As if he was anticipating, expecting this confrontation between him and Luo Fei, wanting it even. Just, whew. Delicious.)
So yeah, Huo Wensi and Ben Jieming are my favorite characters in the drama, my blorbos, my beloveds. They're both just so my type, it's not even funny. Not just aesthetically but also their character types, as well. I just wish we had more time with them, I wanted to see more flashbacks to how Ben Jieming and Luo Fei ended up befriending each other and working together, I also wanted to see Huo Wensi be a little bit more unhinged because that last episode was such a delicious treat that it's a shame we didn't get more of that. Oh, and I also kind of wished that they had worked together at some point. Obviously Huo Wensi was zeroing in on Luo Fei specifically since he was essentially setup to be the Moriarty to Luo Fei's Sherlock in the end, but he was already on friendly terms with Xiao Man (again, mostly to get to Luo Fei) that I could also see him working and being friendly alongside Ben Jieming, as well. That would've been fun to see.
Also yes, I ship both Huo Wensi/Luo Fei and Ben Jieming/Luo Fei, with the possibility of Huo Wensi/Luo Fei/Ben Jieming.
In general, Detective L was a fun little detective cdrama. Visually and aesthetically, it was vibe. The cases, for the most part, where interesting and I liked the way things were handled and solved, I also liked that each case had three episodes (twenty-four episodes, eight cases total) so nothing went on longer or shorter than the others. I liked the way we get inside Luo Fei's "mind palace", if you will, whenever he's attempting to solve a case or figure out a problem, the filming for those moments are always a nice little treat. I mean, it wouldn't be a Sherlock-inspired story without something like that featured where we see his method of solving cases, getting inside his brain.
Unfortunately, with the drama ending on a massive cliffhanger with no possibility of there being a follow-up leads to a lot of understandable frustration. I know some desperately wish for a second season, but cdramas rarely get more than just one, which makes the decision to end things there even more baffling. It makes me wonder if they had intentionally planned on there being more episodes, but they were suddenly cut down for whatever reason (time, budget, other restrictions) so they had to rush the ending. It's clear that the finale was their version of "The Final Problem", the bridge confrontation to mirror Reichenbach Falls, and while I enjoyed watching Huo Wensi finally be stripped of his mask and be unhinged, they could have done a better job with setting that up. In fact, if they had just gotten an extended three more episodes that could've been their last case, unraveling the mystery that was Huo Wensi and getting a clearer answer to his motivation and involvement, the hows and whys and all of that.
On one hand, it is frustrating, on the other hand, the cliffhanger does leave things open-ended to where the audience can come up with their own conclusions to how things could potentially end up, since there are endless possibilities to explore.
With that being said however, I still enjoyed Detective L for what it was.
Or, more specifically, two of my favorite characters from Detective L.
Ben Jieming = my precious cinnamon roll, must be protected at all costs
Huo Wensi = my poor little meow meow, my special little guy who has committed atrocities and who I enjoy seeing getting whumped and bloodied
Obviously, like with most who have watched the drama, I immediately adored Ben Jieming the moment he was introduced. He's just so awkwardly adorable, soft-spoken yet kind but also very much a troll like Luo Fei, it's impossible to resist that face. (It's also ironic because he's not only the tallest but is also the oldest of the entire cast, and yet he's totally babie in this role.) So yeah, it was a given that I would instantly love his character from the jump.
However, it's Huo Wensi that was a total surprise for me.
It didn't happen as immediate as it did with Ben Jieming, although I was definitely drawn to his character the more I watched, and then suddenly I was totally swept up with, well, everything involving him. It wasn't until the arson/diamond case that really kind of further by interest with Huo Wensi even more, which then grew from there. He's such a fascinating character, mainly because of the reveal in the end it made me really think about his motivations which, sadly, given that the reveal happened in the final episode with minimal information of wrapping things up, not to mention the cliffhanger that will never be resolved, it's made looking back at his episodes an interesting task at noticing the little things.
Although what really grabbed me by the throat was the
(Plus the fact that in the final episode during their confrontation Luo Fei not only beats him up, but how much Huo Wensi seems to like it? As if he was anticipating, expecting this confrontation between him and Luo Fei, wanting it even. Just, whew. Delicious.)
So yeah, Huo Wensi and Ben Jieming are my favorite characters in the drama, my blorbos, my beloveds. They're both just so my type, it's not even funny. Not just aesthetically but also their character types, as well. I just wish we had more time with them, I wanted to see more flashbacks to how Ben Jieming and Luo Fei ended up befriending each other and working together, I also wanted to see Huo Wensi be a little bit more unhinged because that last episode was such a delicious treat that it's a shame we didn't get more of that. Oh, and I also kind of wished that they had worked together at some point. Obviously Huo Wensi was zeroing in on Luo Fei specifically since he was essentially setup to be the Moriarty to Luo Fei's Sherlock in the end, but he was already on friendly terms with Xiao Man (again, mostly to get to Luo Fei) that I could also see him working and being friendly alongside Ben Jieming, as well. That would've been fun to see.
Also yes, I ship both Huo Wensi/Luo Fei and Ben Jieming/Luo Fei, with the possibility of Huo Wensi/Luo Fei/Ben Jieming.
In general, Detective L was a fun little detective cdrama. Visually and aesthetically, it was vibe. The cases, for the most part, where interesting and I liked the way things were handled and solved, I also liked that each case had three episodes (twenty-four episodes, eight cases total) so nothing went on longer or shorter than the others. I liked the way we get inside Luo Fei's "mind palace", if you will, whenever he's attempting to solve a case or figure out a problem, the filming for those moments are always a nice little treat. I mean, it wouldn't be a Sherlock-inspired story without something like that featured where we see his method of solving cases, getting inside his brain.
Unfortunately, with the drama ending on a massive cliffhanger with no possibility of there being a follow-up leads to a lot of understandable frustration. I know some desperately wish for a second season, but cdramas rarely get more than just one, which makes the decision to end things there even more baffling. It makes me wonder if they had intentionally planned on there being more episodes, but they were suddenly cut down for whatever reason (time, budget, other restrictions) so they had to rush the ending. It's clear that the finale was their version of "The Final Problem", the bridge confrontation to mirror Reichenbach Falls, and while I enjoyed watching Huo Wensi finally be stripped of his mask and be unhinged, they could have done a better job with setting that up. In fact, if they had just gotten an extended three more episodes that could've been their last case, unraveling the mystery that was Huo Wensi and getting a clearer answer to his motivation and involvement, the hows and whys and all of that.
On one hand, it is frustrating, on the other hand, the cliffhanger does leave things open-ended to where the audience can come up with their own conclusions to how things could potentially end up, since there are endless possibilities to explore.
With that being said however, I still enjoyed Detective L for what it was.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-08 01:02 pm (UTC)Oh, definitely, especially in hindsight knowing that he deliberately wanted to be caught in order to get closer to Captain. That's something I enjoy going back and watching those episodes all over again, knowing that despite Luo Fei pretty much catching him red-handed he was always a few steps ahead of them the entire time. Also, I truly believe that he wanted Luo Fei to be the one to catch him, similar to how he most likely wanted that confrontation with him on the bridge in the final episode. He knows Luo Fei is a brilliant detective, has seen what he does and how he works, so he probably anticipated that he would figure it out and he prepared himself for that inevitability once it happened. It adds more layers to their equal obsessions with each other (and their obsessions with Captain) for different reasons. It's fascinating, and delicious.
Plus, I love seeing him getting whumped. Having him being beaten up three times in the drama? *chefs kiss*
(Of course, it makes me wonder what would've happened if he hadn't been caught? I mean, I'm sure he knew he would be, because obviously, but on the off-chance that he wasn't, would he just continue to commit more crimes to attract Luo Fei's attention? Would that be too much of a risk and he would find some other way of getting close to Captain?)
You don't just write, or act, something like that without having some theory about what's causing this dynamic, surely!
Seriously! It deeply intrigues me.
I mean, it could be as simple as "Luo Fei gets a bad vibe from the guy, decides he wants nothing to do with him", which makes sense considering that he is intuitive and his inability to get a read on Huo Wensi bothered him, but there's definitely more to it than just that. There's more going on underneath the surface. I wish there were some behind-the-scenes stuff where they kind of explain the dynamic, I mean I found a couple videos on Weibo (
because I've been desperate for any content from the drama) but sadly they're not subtitled so I don't know what is being said. But I know they were talking about Huo Wensi's role, so there might've been something in there, from the actor's perspective at least.Likewise! It's just so good to be able to share it. ♥ ♥ ♥
:D
no subject
Date: 2023-02-08 09:32 pm (UTC)Yes! I love it so much. Totally agreed, he did want Luo Fei to be the one who caught him - he's poking at him personally for a reason. They're both weird about each other, each in their own way, and it's excellent. And they understand each other on a level other people don't - I loved the paralleling between them early on, solving cases from the same clues and all that - but that also means Huo Wensi knows that if he let someone else catch him, Luo Fei would pick that apart in a moment and realise things weren't adding up. Because no matter how much he refuses to work with Huo Wensi, Luo Fei doesn't underestimate him. So making him think he'd solved something was the best way to make him miss (until the end!) the real reason Huo Wensi needed to end up in prison ...
Of course, it makes me wonder what would've happened if he hadn't been caught? I mean, I'm sure he knew he would be, because obviously, but on the off-chance that he wasn't, would he just continue to commit more crimes to attract Luo Fei's attention?
I think he'd have made sure more clues came Luo Fei's way until he figured out what he was supposed to figure out, but Huo Wensi surely would have been very disappointed if that had been necessary. *g*
I mean, it could be as simple as "Luo Fei gets a bad vibe from the guy, decides he wants nothing to do with him", which makes sense considering that he is intuitive and his inability to get a read on Huo Wensi bothered him, but there's definitely more to it than just that.
And also, when Huo Wensi asks his help courting Qin Xiaoman, Luo Fei is not happy but also doesn't refuse! And he does pass on the message, essentially asking her out for Huo Wensi. That's just not a "this guy is bad news" reaction, you know? It's "I personally can't stand being around him FOR REASONS, but in general he's okay, feel free to date him if you want" ...
I wish there were some behind-the-scenes stuff where they kind of explain the dynamic, I mean I found a couple videos on Weibo (because I've been desperate for any content from the drama) but sadly they're not subtitled so I don't know what is being said. But I know they were talking about Huo Wensi's role, so there might've been something in there, from the actor's perspective at least.
Ooh! Do you still have links? I've seen a few BTS bits (unsubbed, yeah, unfortunately), but it's been a while and I'm not sure if I saw them all.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-09 06:55 am (UTC)I loved seeing that, and I loved the connection they have with each other and how they're equally matched in that way.
Because no matter how much he refuses to work with Huo Wensi, Luo Fei doesn't underestimate him. So making him think he'd solved something was the best way to make him miss (until the end!) the real reason Huo Wensi needed to end up in prison ...
Very true, and that was so clever of him. I liked how calm he was during that whole interrogation moment at the bank, he wasn't giving too much or too little but just enough for Luo Fei to feel like he was finally catching him, that he solved something, giving him that kind of stimulus that he knows that Luo Fei needs, and although Luo Fei isn't entirely satisfied given how he still thinks that Huo Wensi is up to something despite being in prison (and he's right, he just doesn't have all the clues yet), he pretty much played right into Huo Wensi's hands in getting him where he wanted to be to carry out the next part of his plan.
I also love their little conversation when Luo Fei is visiting him at the prison. I believe that was the first time they were talking to each other alone, one-on-one.
That's just not a "this guy is bad news" reaction, you know? It's "I personally can't stand being around him FOR REASONS, but in general he's okay, feel free to date him if you want" ...
Yeah, exactly! If he truly felt like he wasn't bad news he would've warned Xiao Man about him, or not relayed the message to her at all and kept it to himself (like the petty bitch he is with Huo Wensi, lol), but I think that while his intuition was telling him something was off, he didn't have any further evidence to offer proof of that feeling. But even then, he still was questioning him in that scene in his office since he claims that to him anyone is suspicious (but very pointedly Huo Wensi at that moment), and he still went ahead of relayed that message to Xiao Man. It's weird and complicated and contradictory, and I'm just so intrigued on what was going on inside of his head, and the motivations of those particular choices that were, as you said, pretty consistent throughout the whole drama between Luo Fei and Huo Wensi. That we never got an answer to.
And this is a reason why I'm so drawn to them, the lack of explanation gives us so much to theorize.
Ooh! Do you still have links? I've seen a few BTS bits (unsubbed, yeah, unfortunately), but it's been a while and I'm not sure if I saw them all.
There's this one and this one, which are the only unsubbed interviews I've found outside of cast fashion one that is on YouTube, which is also unsubbed. I even found a preview that features Huo Wensi talking in regards to the next case, which is interesting because it's the case right after he's been arrested and also the shots are him sitting in the chair/set they have him in for the opening credits of the drama. I just found it neat. (I just wish I knew what he was saying.)
I've also seen some Luo Fei/Huo Wensi videos over there, such as this one which seems to be a bit more Huo Wensi-centric, and this one, and even this hilarious one which seems to be like a "showdown" between the two of them.
I hope the links work for you. I've found recently that when linking individual posts when there's a video it'll do some kind of thing where it'll turn gray like it's broken but all you gotta do is refresh and play the video immediately when it pops up and you'll be fine, also an annoying little pop-up will appear which I think is about getting the Weibo app (which I don't). You can just click away, but it'll continue to pop up which, again, annoying, but doable.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-09 07:18 pm (UTC)Yes, this! Luo Fei doesn't quite fall for it, and yet he does, in the way Huo Wensi needs him to - whatever he thinks Huo Wensi is up to, he definitely doesn't believe he got himself into prison on purpose. *g*
I also love their little conversation when Luo Fei is visiting him at the prison. I believe that was the first time they were talking to each other alone, one-on-one.
Oh, yes, that was excellent! :D
or not relayed the message to her at all and kept it to himself (like the petty bitch he is with Huo Wensi, lol)
Yeah, honestly, I was shocked that he didn't do that! AMAZING.
It's weird and complicated and contradictory, and I'm just so intrigued on what was going on inside of his head, and the motivations of those particular choices that were, as you said, pretty consistent throughout the whole drama between Luo Fei and Huo Wensi. That we never got an answer to.
Yes this! And I would read a million fanfics or meta posts or whatever about all of this, it's just endlessly fascinating!
I even found a preview that features Huo Wensi talking in regards to the next case, which is interesting because it's the case right after he's been arrested and also the shots are him sitting in the chair/set they have him in for the opening credits of the drama. I just found it neat. (I just wish I knew what he was saying.)
Yeah, that was really fascinating even understanding maybe one word in ten, LOL!
Many thanks for the Weibo links, seriously, these are all great, the vids included. I hadn't seen these before that I can remember. Damn, I wish I understood more Chinese.
(Weibo links sometimes randomly don't work for me at all; this time all of them worked without a hitch. Even Weibo supports my Huo Wensi obsession! *g*)
no subject
Date: 2023-02-11 12:01 am (UTC)Oh yes, same here. Everything about them is so meaty and juicy that I just want to sink my teeth into all the theories and analyses of their whole relationship and the possibilities of what could've been. There's tons of plotbunnies that can emerge from it.
And you're very welcome! :)
Yeah, Weibo can be quite weird sometimes, so I'm glad that it worked for you.