Just today, one of Mediacorp's latest drama serial has just ended its run on the prime 9pm time slot. It is, in my opinion, one of the more successful serials that I have seen on the colored screen thus far- and thus I'm dedicated to making a drama review, on the pros and cons, and the exact, candid feelings I held when watching the drama. I shall be doing my post in duo languages, mainly being English and Chinese.

I shall begin with my English review of the drama now.

Unriddle is basically a drama that talks about intense detective work, suspense and crime. It tries to bring a deeper understanding to the way the cops work, though I suppose that was never the show's true intention as there had been many situations whereby the scriptwriter or the director had portrayed the other police officers- the side cast obviously, consisting of the female officer Xiaomei, Tiger and the last guy whose name I can't recall- as nimwits who could not handle situations. What are the chances of that in real life?

Allow me to break down the drama, starting with the cons. Please be reminded that it contains lots of spoilers, and you would be better off with background information of the show before reading the review because it is hard for me to constantly update on what I'm talking about.

Unriddle engulfed the entire series around adding suspense. It started viewers off with a lot of unanswered questions, bringing up several reminders to those unanswered questions as the show goes on, and eventually wrapping up everything in a nice, clean manner. However, I did not like how the show portrayed the rest of the police officers as basically, honestly- nimwits. It looked as if they did not have the potential to be a cop, honestly. They looked more like they were loyal dogs to Xiaoman, who was the genius in everything and they basically had to follow WHATEVER she said. If she never said it, they'd never do it. Everything is, "Yes, Boss!"

I was really vexed with that, for I felt that instead of roping in so much focus on how talented a detective and officer Xiaoman was, they should have also focused on the team she had. The team barely did anything. I really commiserated with them, they seemed as though they were on the team to listen to Xiaoman and say, "Yes, Boss!" They really did not have say in almost all the stuffs. I would have appreciated it a lot more if producers put in more effort in trying to highlight the rest of the police squad under Xiaoman, probably in some situations, trying to expand the focus not just on Xiaoman and Zheng Yi (the reluctant cop, more of an informant) but also on them. It is a TEAM effort. Not a one-man show, like the show has constantly painted.

Also, the lack of physical evidence. There was literally no forensic proof whatsoever. The most they actually mentioned was the bullet match, the autopsy report, toxic report and what have you. They were VERY, VERY insignificant. I was getting a little hyped up towards the end when they mentioned the footprints, though I still felt that it was never enough. They lacked delicate planning in this field, probably it was a little harder to weave a story together this way.

Also, Xiaoman's 'over' talent. I think that the show went a little overboard with how talented Xiaoman was. She was good at interrogating. She was good at suspecting. She was good at joining the dots. She was good at fighting, dealing with criminals, she was almost good at EVERYTHING. She was simply TOO perfect in real life situations. Sure, the show said that she was tricked into thinking that Yuze(cop, who went missing in the series after the first few episodes, Xiaoman's ideal.) was the main crook behind the ex-cops' deaths, but I mean actually all along she looked like she had her doubts and I never really believed she actually fell for that. She kind of just went along with it because everyone was mumbling the same words at her ears. That Yuze was the killer. Yuze was the killer.

Next, the series itself. It said that it was all around suspense and how it keeps you by the edge of your seat. To me, it rarely had that effect. Occasionally, it did. Especially at the START of a new mystery file, and near the end of the whole mystery file where everything seemed fired up. I always disliked how they gave you a LOT of hints. They start off leaving you wondering who it could be, but afterwards they kind of give it all away. Like in the case of the girls who were basically driven to deaths off the building by the psycopath who wanted to mourn over the death of his favorite tuition teacher. Initially I was all happy that I could recognize the face behind the mask, but afterwards it did not seem that much of a mystery as he showed up soon after.

It felt as if they served the appetiser, and then took it away and chased you out of the restaurant. I would have appreciated it more if they allowed the viewers to participate in the whole thing more. To constantly be guessing. To constantly be giving their own opinions, their own guesses. I think they'd be bewildered to know what kind of possibilities the VIEWERS can come up themselves, as objected to their own, and they would realize some of them have better creativity than the producers actually did. This is just a suggestion. They should have inculcated a similar fashion to how they masked the whole Chai Zhi Yong incident- did not reveal anything significant till the end. An approach similar to already renowned detective shows such as CSI, or even the anime Detective Conan. As said earlier, they could have planted more clues about- so that people can start joining the dots. They should have MORE twists, more unexpected scenarios that are both really credible and astonishing at the same time. They lacked that.

Of course, now I'm going to talk about realistic events and the plot. I mean come on, when I watched the episode of the frantic but actually is the real killer Mother and the psycopath man who wants to take revenge on other kids due to his own traumatic past- to how they solved it, I felt as though I had been dumped upon by a huge rock. The scenario basically went like this, Zheng Yi goes over to the Mother's hand and HOLA! She discovers a bag! And what is in the bag? A diary! HALLELUJAH, but hang on a second, what is the bag doing there? Isn't a little too... INCREDULOUS? Also, the show kept focusing their criminals as a little... psychopathic. Mentally deranged. The clown killer was actually a psycopath who had experienced a traumatic past and has thing with kids. The guy who kills girls by forcing to jump off the building is also another mentally deranged guy who wants to mourn over her dead teacher. Psycopathic. Making the girls dress up like his teacher used to be, read poems and then he pretends they are her.

What are the chances of them being psycopaths in real life, honestly? Why can't they actually have more... mysterious characters? People whom you just can't fathom would do it? They obviously did not watch enough of these crime shows, whereby they'd realize that most of the time CRIMINALS DO NOT REVEAL THAT THEY DID THE CRIME so easily! They'd have just asked for an attorney with much persistence that the cops can't do ANYTHING to them. And also, more than often, criminals are more normal than they expect. It can be out of anger. It can be out of money. Which was mentioned briefly in the show in the last mystery file. It can be out of love. Which was also mentioned, though it was in a psycopathic way in both files. I think there was over-generalization in the mystery files which left me really disenchanted. I think the happy endings was always made bothered me. What are the chances of that? They are stripping courts of their duties? Of their money?

If every criminal confessed, I guess the media would be out of job too. Everything would be, "Man murdered wife and confessed to it after being arrested by police." That would be really dreary and barely even counted interesting. However, that was exactly the case in the show. When the criminal is caught, Xiaoman would blabber on and the criminal would be, "Hey, she's right, they know it all, let me confess." Don't criminals have enough grey matter to know that if they keep their lips sealed, they could never be found GUILTY? Besides throughout the whole interrogation, it felt as though Xiaoman was giving insininuations she made up out of mid-air. She kept accusing. She kept explaining. But hell- where's the proof? You say I killed her. How do you know? Is there my fingerprint on her? What are you going to rely on to charge me effectively?

I also detested the last two episodes. Before that, in the few prior episodes, I felt as if the plot was really, really, lifting me up high. Closer and closer to the climax. Finally we are going to know who is the main killer. What is to make of the final mystery file? Who is Meilin? Who is Xiumei? I had such high expectations, but they literally just dropped me without a parachute from 1000 feet above ground and watched coldly as I crashed. Even as I writhed in agony they did not seem to care.

I thought the last mystery file was finally getting interesting. Identity theft. What is the motive behind it? What does Meilin want to achieve? I had such huge hopes. I thought everything was getting very exciting. Lots of characters seemed to have been brought into the picture. What is the link? What is the relationship? What happened?

I was asking all these questions as I watched yesterday's episode, but apparently, I got the biggest letdown in the entire series. Not only did the mystery file ended on a cold note, even the truth behind Xiaoman's dad disappearance was a letdown. Meilin was actually Meihui and she did it to help her Mother who lost Meilin, her sister, in a car accident. And HOLA she was sick of it and wanted a new life- and she found it after going to Thailand and by a chance encounter a weird girl decides that they should exchange identities and YAY she likes her new life and adamantly tries to stick with it. It tells us a lot about the immigration officers, doesn't it. They also claimed themselves they did not look alike. Then how did she enter Singapore grounds? Fingerprints? They matched?

The whole scenario was so cliched it was barely even interesting. Meihui was basically not even a criminal. After all, she was not the one who suggested it, her only crime was to have participated in the exchange of identities. Besides, she did not do anything bad with the identity like rob a bank or something, she basically TOOK CARE OF XIUMEI's father. Like HALLELUJAH you have a brand new identity and all you do is take care of someone who is not your Father just so you can get Father-ly love. Did not make sense in me. I would have appreciated it more if they can write a better explanation for the identity theft. Probably it could have been something love-related. You know? Jealousy. It is one of the seven sins. Who knows? She wanted something real bad from Xiumei. It would have added more drama than just pure... BLEH. Secondly, when they announced Xiumei was dead, I jumped. My Mum offered a conjecture that probably Xiumei was also another criminal of identity theft, and that she had previously also stolen another identity from another person, and the person now is after her dad's assets. That would make it more interesting in a certain sense. And lastly, Xiaoman's dad sexually abused a kid, got driven out of home, and END OF STORY. YAY.

Thus I would of appreciated more links between all the different mystery files. This person knew this person and all and how it eventually leads to the main person that everyone wants to know- basically Chai Zhi Yong. Or something like that. It is more suspense-filled in that manner.

The last episode was crap, honestly. Barely any suspense AT ALL. I basically guessed out EVERYTHING. Xiaoman interrogate 'Dewei' AKA Chai Zhi Yong, and then he breaks down when he learns his Father is not perfect. It's not that I'm good, it's because it's cliched. Sure I liked the whole idea of being the Father's son, it was good enough for me, but senseless revenge and eventually realizing he was wrong about the paragon he has always been seeing in his life and starts crying and what have you. Also, towards the last 10 minutes, I was blown away to realize they were having another case. I was thinking they were going to bring it over mildly, to show that life went on after they solved the case, but it turned out to be the opposite- IT WAS REALLY THE START OF ANOTHER CASE. I was almost gagging at my seat.

Basically it means there is a SECOND season. Well Mediacorp and their 'money-making' tactics. I really have to hand it to them.

Regarding the cast, they have been brilliantly selected, though I believe the side case of Xiaomei and the other guy had been wrong choices. Xiaomei has a voice that does not make her seem eligible as a cop, and she has constantly been getting cold feet and listening to others too much than having her own opinions. She is almost like a follower. She has a very soft exterior and a very cute, feminine voice unlike Rui En which causes people to think of her less of a cop but more of... I don't know.

I believe Tiger was an appropriate choice. He was the only one I felt had what it LOOKS to be in CID. He had fine muscles and a stern countenance. He seemed more capable than the rest but yet he was only a calefare. Barely any lines for him. He was either knocked out cold or just have one or two sentences at most in each episodes. OR even best, he doesn't appear. Of course I could be biased because he came to my school as a video editing teacher and stirred quite a bit of commotion in us to be seeing him.

I doubt Xiaoman and Zheng Yi really had the chemistry. To me, Rui En did not seem like she was really acting, she seemed to be doing what she was doing best- looking cold, strong female character, gutsy, nearly perfect. When she shedded tears after her Father's truth was disclosed- it seemed so fake. She kept crying but I was not moved by her. Xiang Yun had a few tears embedded in her eyes, making them watery and all but I was moved by her act.

Xiaoman and Zheng Yi were more of a comedic duo. They did not really seem... that... SISTER-ly. So to speak. Barely a real relationship.


This roughly sums up all. Of course, I have more criticisms, but of course I can't remember ALL of them. Though it is about all in the whole review.

Next, I shall talk about the pros of the series.

I must first congratulate the actors on their close-to brilliant work in the series. I thought many of them did fine work. I have always been convinced that the reason why Mediacorp was largely not THAT successful in creating a huge wave; sensation in Singapore was not that the actors were not capable- it was just that the script was barely considered good half the time. I think it should be an all-rounded effort. To have good actors but mediocre script, no matter how the actors act sometimes everything still seems so bleak.

I enjoyed some scenes of suspense. I also enjoyed how the producers always managed to add in several life aspects and a few touching scenes such as the one whereby Meihui met up with her Mother. A VERY good scene. Very touching. A clear indication of good acting skills, especially from the veteran female actress.

The producers made good effort in trying to make the crimes seem so... sensible. That it makes a lot of sense that he did it but sometimes there is just no explanation to a certain behavior.