Maiden Holmes came out about two years ago. For no particular reason I decided to click on the first episode, so here’s a recap. It does not make a strong impression so there isn’t much I can say except that I hope everyone who has seen this drama before me enjoyed it.
EPISODE 1 RECAP & THOUGHTS
A female officer named Su Ci (Chen Yao) is investing in an important case of a criminal called the hundred-faces man. She walks into a brothel and begins looking around. On-screen notes fade in and out to let us know that she is doing a thorough study of everyone present. Which is useful, because based on her outside appearance alone, I would have assumed she was just lost in this place.
You see, this girl has some serious deductive skills. She can tell who is who, what they do, how old they are, and most of their traits. Though when it comes to being grabbed by the shoulders by a stranger, she is clueless and petrified like every other female lead.
By the way, is that Changheng?
Su Ci throws the man’s ribbon back at him, he catches it with his right hand. Her genius deduction: He is right-handed.
Su Ci moves on to reveal the secret room that is connected to this one and finds the hundred-faces criminal there, who is currently disguised as a woman and seducing a wealthy customer. Su Ci marches in, exposes him and explains in detail to everyone how she knows what she knows.
When the criminal attempts to escape, Su Ci flies in to thwart him, though not before she gets kicked, trips and is caught by the man in red again.
Where are all the men on this mission with her we just saw earlier? Why aren’t they jumping in to help? Or help more?
Su Ci unmasks the criminal. Who goes from this…
To this.
Not a pretty sight.
Though I can’t decide if this or makeup-removal videos on Instagram are scarier.
The mission is successful. Su Ci is praised by her boss, who gifts her with a book she likes: The Legend of Prince Qi. Beneath her tremendous skills and her uncanny inability not to fall into strangers’ arms once in a while, she is still an innocent girl who enjoys quirky stories and all that.
Next, we are briefly introduced to a traveller, who is highly skilled in martial arts, but tends to brag a lot.
On a trip to a city, Su Ci finds that the citizens there are preparing to sacrifice a maiden to a so-called “Dragon King”, who has been displeased with them and sinking their ships lately, making them lose a lot of profits and also tax money. Su Ci knows right away that it’s a hoax and is determined to investigate.
But again she bumps into the man she met at the brothel. He detains her, implying that it isn’t a good idea to interfere yet. But Su Ci takes no orders from guys who go to brothels for fun. She pulls out her handcuffs and attempts to put the man under restraint.
They push and pull and this handsome dolt manages to handcuff them BOTH together AND make Su Ci’s pouch fall out of her pocket. Her money spills along with the key to the handcuff. The two of them freeze and stare at the ground for a few seconds before the beggars around flock to them and snatch everything away including the key. Yes, they STARE instead of bending down to grab that key. What to do now? Oh no, they are stuck together literally. I don’t think the name Holmes or any indication of sharp wit should be in the title of this drama.
Su Ci and the man dash to the riverbank together, hoping to stop the innocent maiden from being sacrificed.
The city people perform a ritual to pay their respect to the “Dragon King”. Though I would say it looks more like they’re trying to scare the Dragon King to death. There’s an old woman leading a voodoo dance and a lot of growling and grunting. It’s not a ritual that belongs in a developed city such as this one. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if this woman turns out to be the one behind this hoax.
The maiden is rescued at the last minute by a masked man. The couple — yes, I think I’ll go ahead and call them a couple — then get pursued by the voodoo people and fall down a trapping pit. The man comes up with a plan to get them out, something that involves Su Ci’s hairpin. He snatches it, her hair falls out and OH MY GOD, she’s a girl. Why, who would have thought?
