Ordinary Greatness (2022)

The sum of ordinary is great.

Wow. I did not expect to enjoy this drama so much. In fact I didn't expect to get past the first episode. But I just had to check it out for the spectacular cast. And I am well chuffed that I did. It is the most eloquent and engaging low concept drama made in years.

Wang Shouyi is chief of the chronically short staffed Bailihe People's Police station. With a 93.4pct community satisfaction rate, they rank 144 out of 163 in the district. These are not elite cops trying to solve major crimes. They are just ordinary cops that grapple with mundane, daily cases from petty crimes to heated community spats. The denizens of their community are a loud, colorful, chaotic, demanding, often ignorant, unreasonable and utterly exasperating lot. This is written authentically with a strong dose of humor and irony that garners big laughs from small things such as an absurdly moving case of diaper theft. It is an intricate, intimate account of the broad array of everyday social pressures experienced by Chinese society. This brilliant, unglamorous drama that feels like a shared coming-of-age experience traverses the bleakest, most flawed to the greatest, most compassionate aspects of humanity.

Wang Jingchun's canny Chief Wang is the star of the show. He badgers his director into assigning four new recruits with diverse abilities and backgrounds to his station. With wisdom and perspicacity, he assigns an experienced mentor to each of the bright eyed and bushy tailed young recruits. This excess of greenness and enthusiasm is met with a mixture of annoyance and trepidation by the battle hardened veterans. Prodded along wisely past hiccups by Chief Wang, adjustments are needed on both sides to make these seemingly random pairings work out. Over time, their shared trials and triumphs end up being a catalyst for character growth all around.

Xia Jie's father, the former well loved chief of Bailihe station perished in the line of duty ten years ago. Her mentor Cheng Hao was mentored by her father and like Xia Jie, seeks closure from what happened so long ago. She is treated like a protected species by her father's comrades and her mom hounds the station to keep her out of harm's way. My blood boils every time her mom goes on a rampage. But as much as I am frustrated and angry at her, I can't help but be moved by her sheer terror and deep sorrow, at how time did not ameliorate the shock and intensity of her loss. I really applaud Bai Lu for her true to life portrayal of Xia Jie's struggle to make peace with the past, find meaning in her role at the station and built life bonds with her peers. I also love that the drama only hints of awareness that could blossom into romance down the road but keeps the primary focus on the camaraderie and burgeoning mutual understanding that turns the four young friends into found family.

Liu Dawei is the other super solid characterisation of a young cop with rough edges that offers the barest glimpses of another Chief Wang in the making several decades down the road. On paper, he is the least promising recruit, a trouble maker at the bottom of his enrolment class. But he has high EQ and it is as much his kind nature as his inherent nosiness that gets him embroiled in everyone's business. His mentor Chen Xinsheng is initially very irritated to be saddled with this brash and over talkative young man with an instinct to rush headlong into danger. Their relationship and how it evolves on multiple fronts and interlocks with the other characters is the best written and portrayed dynamic in the drama. This is not at all surprising that magic happens when you put together immersive and versatile actors of Zhang Ruoyun and Ning Li's caliber.

Xu Kaicheng also delivers a very respectable performance as the book smart Yang Shu, the perfect foil for the street smart Liu Dawei. His struggles with Cao Jianjun his ethically flexible mentor with hero complex, is forced at some emotionally complex moments but overall comes off well. He is surprisingly good at comedy - I laughed the hardest when he is pimped out by the station as an undercover gigolo. I also much enjoyed the stingy Zhao Jiwei's great relish and talent for self criticism and his eye for detail in the cracking of the diaper theft case. This memorable ensemble cast would not be as well rounded out or grounded in reality without Zhao Jiwei and his mentor Zhang Zhijie's focus on how it is the small things that make the biggest difference.

This slice of life drama is far from a fairytale - It doesn't try to suggest that life is fair or bad things don't happen to good people. It resonates because it is simply about coping with life's daily challenges. The outcomes are not always just and success and failure do not necessarily correlated with good or right decisions. All four of these young recruits come with baggage and are mentored by battle scarred veterans with their own issues. Their flaws and personal traumas enable them to process and respond to situations with compassion and compromise and thus not always to the full letter of the law. They may just be ordinary cops trying to be their best selves but together they prove that the sum of ordinary is great.

It is normal for these types of slice of life character dramas to be light on plot but the final arcs do dial up the complexity and intensity of the cases as the young recruits gain experience. While the drama does end at a climax, I would have preferred that they ended this on the penultimate gaslighting/cyber crime case. This drama was never about heroes so I am not sure we need to see history repeat itself with another Xia Jie in the making ten years down the road. It isn't a bad final arc at all it just strikes a bit of an odd note with the rest of the drama. That does not change that this is an immensely enjoyable story that made me reflect a bit, laugh a lot and tear up occasionally. I am rating it my first 9.0 for 2022.

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An excellent slice of life in a Chinese grassroots police station

This is a slice of life in a Chinese suburban police station, with trainees who need to be enlightened, and public as well. Some things here are a bit old-fashioned, like everyone taking part in the cleaning of the premises, but people have been used to it from when they were school kids, in many mostly rural places, so it is not unlikely. The station functions as a complete work unit "danwei" which offers shelter and meals and more to the workers. It works together with the local community centers and governing bodies, to ensure peace and safety, i.e. "serving the people".

But like in every country, police is both looked up to and feared, sometimes hated, so they are now also under the scrutiny of the smartphone wielding public who will take pictures to be exposed in social media, despite it being forbidden. Many things here are rather realistic, and could be somewhat comparable to police work anywhere, but it is just a drama, not a documentary , so there is some humor too.

The earliest type of movie from China in that vein that I saw, was Ning Ying's 1995 民警故事 (On The Beat) where "Under the tutelage of a tough colleague, a rookie cop yearns for excitement on the streets of Beijing." A very good but dark movie too. At the time, pet dogs were banned because of risk of rabies, and petty criminals and pickpockets like Jia Zhangke's 1997 小武 (Xiao Wu) were the main fare of urban police work, outside the flashy kung fu fight epics like Hong Kong movies 1985 Police Story, or closer to our times Andy Lau's 2002 action thriller 無間道 (Infernal Affairs).

In this “Ordinary Greatness” drama, aspiring policeman Li Dawei (played by ML Zhang Ruoyun) must have been influenced by such thrillers to choose that line of work, where much of the work could now just be the boring community watching and resolving conflicts, preferably before they flare up, like the complaint about the noisy neighbors (something that is near universal).

Young female aspirant Xia Jie (played by Bai Lu) has been overprotected by her still PTSD suffering mom, since her father died a hero, knifed in action. She hoped to find a way to get independent after Police academy. But she was also being put aside from dangerous missions like arresting murderers, where her mentor, deputy chief Cheng Hao (played by Wang Tong Hui) continued the overprotection.

Rookie Zhao JiWei (played by Cao Lu) was chafing at the boredom of checking monitoring footage. Following his cheerful master Zhang Jijie (played by Li Xiao Chuan) did not bring much more than helping kids and pets, and interacting with residents of a new community of former rural villagers who had trouble adjusting to life in the city with its bans on using electric wires hanging from windows or setting up stalls to sell produce on the streets.

Polar opposite was Yang Shu (played by Xu KaiCheng) who was the odd one out of the four new recruits , with his Master's degree in law, from prestigious university Beida. He thought he was going to fit in when he saved a life together with his mentor Cao JianJun (played by Zhao Yang) but was disappointed when Chief Wang ShouYin (played by Wang JingChun) upbraided them for recklessly endangering their own lives.

Putting safety first is indeed a requisite : ordinary police are not armed forces in China. Except for special missions and special forces, which you'd rarely see on the streets, they are more like British "bobbies" who used to only wield a stick. Their principal "arm" used to be a talkie walkie, now it's a phone, and they wear a recording device if they are on medium risk missions. In fact, apart from traffic regulating police, and alcohol tests at certain well known road junctions, you don’t see many policemen patrolling in China. Maybe they are understaffed (because not the best income and prestige, so not a very attractive profession) like it’s hinted at, in the beginning of this drama ?

The drama does not showcase many flashy crime investigations, because that is not the domain of grassroots police like the ones staffing Balihe station, but that of criminal police under another station, with which they have occasional cooperation. The main fare is solving disputes and petty thefts, with the help of the public, in accordance to the policy of “Fengqiao experience for the New Era” (新时代”枫桥经验”)" i.e. "mobilizing the public – including through new digital tools. The Fengqiao experience is a system going back to 1960s Mao era "social and political governance that essentially directed the masses themselves at the local level to carry out the on-site “rectification” of so-called “reactionary elements” and ‘class enemies” in society, largely forgotten after 1980. It is named after Fengqiao Township (枫桥镇), which is today a part of the city of Zhuji in Zhejiang province. Although it seems unsuited to a contemporary China ostensibly ruled by law under the Constitution, the “Fengqiao experience” has made a prominent return under Xi Jinping in 2013, entering official language about rule of law and public security.

The use of such slogans as guidelines for work is showcased in the periodical meetings in the police station, with Chief Wang or Instructor Ye Wei (played by Qi Xiang aka Qi Huan). She is particularly subjected to stress, having to juggle her job and her duties as mom of an unruly kid with school summons to go discuss with the teachers, and elders with flagging health who sometimes need hospital care simultaneously. But she can count on the group's resilience and readiness to stand in for her in case of need.

The drama also focuses on the personal problems of the people working in the police Policemen need to take care of their children and of their elderly and ailing relatives too, and also pay special attention to former member’s families, like Xia Jie’s..

The four young recruits soon become friends and share an apartment found by Li Dawei’s mom, close to the station, despite Zhao JiWei’s stinginess, due to his poor rural upbringing. But this apartment also proves useful as a haven for troubled Jia, the daughter of Dawei’s mentor policeman Chen.

Li Dawei’s mom, an exceptionally cheerful and practical woman, with a healthy relation with her son, is not very rich, having had to bring up her son alone, because his father absconded for ten years; so his sudden reappearance cause Dawei to be extremely angry, until he finds out the real reason and accepts his father. Later, he shows his perseverance and astuteness in helping to solve two difficult cases, one about an internet scam targeting naïve persons to defraud them of their possessions, and another about a serial killer.

Controlling emotions is a necessity for policemen who are subjected to witnessing distressing situations and need to stay calm even when they are targeted by unreasonable citizens

Xia Jie is growing from a naïve and righteous person to a more careful officer, protecting her mom despite annoying interferences with her work, also by a crazy woman doctor who is suffocating her daughter a bit like Xia Jie was. She chafes at the idea of being relegated to Household Registration duty until she finds out that this sort of work is also quite interesting and can bring help to people.

We don’t get to know tall and handsome Yang Shu’s family : he stays discreet, but his mentor Cao JianJun has a troubled family, with a haughty and materialistic mother-in-law who keeps grating at his insignificance; this will eventually cause Cao JianJun to shine and to fall, after having reconciled with the young man whom he at first was jealous of. But he always strove to be a hero and will not disappoint.

Some episodes felt like a kaleidoscope and might get a bit tiresome for those tempted to binge watch the drama, It is better to watch this drama without too much haste. The story as a slice of life is interesting as it showcases the ebb and flow of work in the police station. My attention flagged a little in episode 23 after two days of almost nonstop watching. But episode 24 woke me up with the serious problems cropping up, and cheerful Chief Wang, the universal troubleshooter, losing his smile. And I stayed till the end, admiring the excellent acting and the variety of trouble they addressed, some serious ones too, that could be of concern for anyone anywhere, in our changing cities and internet age, while taking some notes about particular things of special interest.

Generally, the actors do an excellent job at showing their individuality, so we quickly get drawn into their family and work preoccupation : each one is different, and we soon feel drawn into this extended family of sorts that make the Balihe police station a “home” for the policemen. But even if Dawei seems more than just friendly with Xia Jie in the later episodes, they have no time for romance. The focus is on duty, and loyalty to the people they are serving, and the end of the drama shows satisfactorily the honors gained by each in the station.

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Ordinary is the real extra-ordinary

I have been anticipating this drama due to its cast. And noone disappoints so far!!!
It is the not-so-usual slice of life drama. It deals with daily struggles of grassroot level police system. The police stations at the basic levels mainly deals with daily trifles which might not seem like a threat to the country but actually maintains the peace within their society in which many people from different backgrounds, age and thinking belongs.
This show mainly focuses on our four protagonist who has come from different backgrounds and want to maintain their position and their struggle in between as well we have seen multiple cases which seems minor but we usually face such situations in our day to day life. The cases could be labelled as social problems rather than any crime.

Just a brief intro about our four protagonist:
Li da Wei: He is witty, entertaining and dedicated but sometimes he is anxious and makes mistakes. His comic timing is perfect and I love his interaction with his master, seniors and colleagues.

Xia jie: She has lost her father and her mother is overprotective of her(and sometimes irritating). She is not given enough opportunity to showcase her talent and she is struggling to showcase her actual talent. I like how calm her character is.

Zhao ji Wei: He is the most relatable of all the characters for me. He is someone who was put into community service but he was enthusiastic to work in crime field. He is still to appreciate his own work and his own contribution to the society.

Yang shu: He was a nerd who needs to apply his ideas to practicality. His acting is also convincing.

The master apprentice relationship is done really well and is the highlight of this drama and friendship is worth looking form
If you love slice of life dramas,this drama is definitely for you.

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Extraordinary Delight

Among the numerous police procedurals that have fallen off the C drama assembly line of late, Ordinary Greatness has earned itself a unique position among them all in terms of its slice-of-life approach and grounded storytelling. While there are cases (large and small) to be tackled, this is a drama primarily focused on the hectic lives of the men and women in blue viewed through the lenses of four recent recruits and their experienced mentors as they navigate the murky waters of modern day policing in the environment of a regional station. Overseeing the doings of the rank and file as well as nagging them into shape is the sagacious Wang Shouyi, the station’s head honcho and everybody’s go to guy for permission and advice. He is the cantankerous, good-hearted uncle everyone never knew they needed in a pinch that is, until he’s noticeably absent. At any given time Chief Wang (Wang Jingchun) leads with velvet gloves or iron fists while others follow… willingly.

Zhang Ruoyun, Ba Lu, Xu Kaichen and Cao Lu play the four recruits of varying backgrounds who come to the station with personal baggage that may or may not have implications for their work performance. Most of the very best parts of the show feature their respective dynamics with their mentors Chen Xincheng, Cheng Hao, Cao Jianjun, Zhang Zhijie. The cunning station chief in his profound wisdom has deliberately paired off opposites (much to the initial dismay of some) so that the process of learning is mutually beneficial. This is the chief's hidden agenda which I call Operation Healing. Wang Shouyi wants to fix his people whether or not they seek his ministrations. In truth second chances, healing and moving on from the past are all part and parcel of the strong moralising tone of the narrative. The mentors here act as surrogate fathers in all cases but especially for the two youngsters raised in single mother households. And yet three of these flawed men who have their own backstories that are in search of a resolution. This is where the heart of the show lies, making it much more than an extended recruitment advert for the police services on the mainland.

Led by the gregarious Li Dawei (Zhang Ruoyun) brimming with initiative, the four newcomers form their own close-knit group where they share their struggles and fears. Each is given their own growth arc. Not only do they share a flat together but they become firm friends. There’s surprisingly no rivalry, jealousy or resentments — just good o’l fashion camaraderie in good times and in bad. Thankfully too there’s no romance or love triangles entangling them in more unnecessary complications because that would end up defacing a masterful work of art. Being romance free among the four friends means that romance tropes were nowhere in sight, preventing them from destabilising the story’s primary achievements.

The drama begins with a phone conversation between the chief and his superior at the bureau. Their station is overworked and understaffed in a busy area so after a bit of haggling with the director at the bureau, he is given four fresh faces — a landmark in the history of Bai Li He Station. So he says at least. Pleased as punch with his recent acquisition and killing time before the welcome ceremony commences, he embarks on a tour of the station which is seen via a tracking shot from his office to the balcony and down the stairs, barking orders to anyone within earshot. This acts as the audience's introduction to the life and times of Bai Li He. Within the mix of the chatter that follows, there’s friendly collegial banter, bragging, complaints of fatigue and foreshadowing in this quick initial sequence. It’s a quick taster of the goodies to come.

In this large toolbox of camera techniques, the tracking shot is a key lever of storytelling. The station is the central set piece which is a record of continuous activity. It is the household that never sleeps as it plays hosts to the residents with never-ending problems. Day and night, there’s someone at Bailihe at the reception taking calls. All location shoots lead to it. The effect of being able to follow the characters all around the station provides a near documentary-like exposure to the ins and outs of a busy police station dealing with anything from household registrations to murder. It is the coalface of the organization, the first line of inquiry. Hence, the good, bad and the very ugly of humanity as well as the scourge of materialism are on full display here.

As much as this is about policing, the show makes it clear that the police station isn’t just a place where the problems of the people find solutions but where familial bonds are formed. At least with Chief Wang at the helm, the station feels like a warm, caring place — a home away from home. For instance, when a member of the team takes time off work to care for a dying relative. The chief orders a roster to be made up to help support the officer until the end. In truth no one, not even cops, can escape the harsh realities of life but the effects can be mitigated when one is supported by genuine community.

The end of a story marks the end of a journey and the beginning of another. For some the learning curve has been brutally steep and there’s palpable growth which only experience in the school of life can give. It’s the hero’s journey multiplied manifold and writ large. Policing is a calling and only those who are called can move to its drumbeat despite the less than ideal working conditions. It's not a career but a lifelong service to the community that leads ordinary people do to extraordinary acts of heroism without any expectation of personal gain.

This is a drama I could have easily watched another 10 episodes of — something I don’t say often, particularly about C dramas. However, this is a rare beast of being quality production from the moment it begins to where it ends. It's a masterclass in visual storytelling. The moment I stepped into their world, I laughed, shook my fists, sighed and wept for the men and women of Bai Li He Station.

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Let's Celebrate Everyday Ordinary Greatness and Heroes

Completed - 6/28/2022
Subjective Rating - 8.5
Objective Rating - could be 9.0+

Watching "Ordinary Greatness" reminds me of two other very realistic dramas, "The Bond" and "Because of Love". Even though these three dramas are very different plot-wise, they depict real life struggles of everyday citizens in China. Here, we follow the journey of four rookie intern cops and their mentors, as they grow and learn from each other, while helping citizens with their everyday problems.

Plot:
There is nothing fancy about this drama. We see real life struggles and somewhat minor crimes (compared to other crime shows). And this is the beauty of the show. Each case that our rookie cops encounter, you see them in your daily lives as well. We know of people who fight because of silly arguments, missing children, sexual harassment, internet scams, burglaries, noisy neighbors, stolen bikes, etc. None of these are big time crimes, and they are probably what each police officer deals with every day in any city, not just in China. I really enjoy the pairing of the mentor/mentee and how they could be so different yet they slowly bond and learn from each other. The pacing of the drama is decent. This is slice-of-life, so it's to be expected that there are slower parts within these 38 episodes. I did lose my focus a little bit towards the second half, but the drama ends on an emotional high note. I do think there are some cases that were resolved by informing the audience instead of showing us.
Similarly to my viewing experience of "The Bond", I came to the conclusion that I cannot fully enjoy dramas with annoying characters that I can't stand. The 8.5 rating is purely based on my enjoyment. Technically speaking, I could see many rate this 9.0+. I am sure there are many unreasonable people complaining to the police about very small things. And I am sure there are mothers out there who are just as annoying as the three in the drama. What I am unsure, is whether this drama over-exaggerates their annoying and despicable factors to create and prolong drama and chaos. Those three mothers (except for Zhang Run Yun/Li Da Wei's mother) drive me up the frigging wall!!!

Acting:
I watch this drama because of Bai Lu and Zhang Ruo Yun, but I am blown away by the veteran actors. Among the younger cast, I think only Zhang Ruo Yun came close to the level of the veterans, and it's probably because his character provided him with ample opportunities to showcase his acting chops. The other three rookies have lesser screen time, even Bai Lu who was listed as part of the main cast. I was expecting to see her more but not a whole lot happened with her. Bai Lu is Bai Lu, so her acting is never bad, but her character is somewhat quiet and her stories have too much of a focus on her mother and not her cases. I'm happy to see Xu Kai Cheng after "Pearl Eclipse" and to see a very different side of him. But big props to veteran actors Wang Jin Chun as the Police Chief, Ning Li as Zhang Ruo Yun's mentor and Zhao Yang as Xu Kai Cheng's mentor. These three veteran actors are amazing and they really help elevate this drama to a different level.

Friendship:
No, there is no romance in this drama. But the friendship between the four rookies is lovely and a breath of fresh air. It's really nice to see honest appreciation of each other without jealousy and rivalry. I was worried that it's going to be another drama where they will be in competition all the time and ended up hating each other. Instead, we get some comic relief and heartwarming moments of them helping each other out in their personal and professional lives.

Production value:
I echo the same sentiments in my review of "Because of Love" - realistic and appropriate sets, costumes and props. There isn't any fancy wardrobe, makeup or apartment. We see realistic portrayal of normal people living within their means. As the drama takes place in a small city, hospitals and accommodations are appropriately designed. We don't see high tech offices or modern-looking hospitals. It's the little things that put you in the right mood. Additionally, I really like the title theme song, "A Little" (一点) sung by Jason Zhang. The perfect song for heartwarming+heartbreaking moments and also the characters busy work life. The best part, no dubbing. All actors use their real voice with a combination of live and studio recordings.

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Heartwarming Story

At first I didn't have too much hope for this drama, because a typical police drama that I like usually involves complicated criminals, much different from this drama which involves the "ordinary" police (but trying to be a great policeman). But after I saw a few episodes, I immediately liked it! No regrets watching this drama, the plot is not dragging at all and the chemistry also good. Even though without romance in here.

It told that the police are also ordinary people who have weaknesses, but what they do is the best they can for the community, as a form of responsibility to the country.

I love the plot, and while there scenes that are funny, what I like is the scenes where it can be so heartwarming. I love this drama!

I heard that this drama is in talks for S2, I hope it happens.

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Sum of ordinary is extraordinary

Tbh falling in love with this drama is very easy...u don't even have to try and boom u r already too deeply in love with it...
This drama is just a proof of sum of ordinary is extraordinary...a story revolving around Bailhe police station starting with 4 new police officers joining and the chief assignes them 4 shifu according to their personalities....they're just ordinary police officers doing ordinary work in an extraordinary way...they all work for people but have their own baggage of problems and regrets to carry....
The drama is so realistic with so many short cases covered that do happen in society often...
The friendship and character development of this drama is worth a watch(and rewatches)...the 4 or them live together in an apartment where their bond develops from 4 new recruites to 4 great friends...
A special mention to the chief...he is just a type of senior we all need...someone who understands what we need and not what we want...from choosing the best shifu for them to making them a good policemen...he is a role I look up on a lot
Tbh i started watching this drama bcz of bai lu but all the cast specially the seniors all left me shocked...theyre just tailor made for their roles

And the ending for all characters and drama...I won't call it a happy ending or sad ending but an ending they all wanted, they choose and deserve...The end of a story marks the end of a journey and the beginning of another....
A perfect 10 after a long time
Do give this drama a chance guys...trust me u will love it

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Ditto to the title

A heart-warming series that revolve around four young police officers with varying personalities being trained by the old-school. The slice of life genre is usually never my initial go-to but I do appreciate ones like this. An overall great cast of actors and a nicely paced character development of the four fledglings. Though idealistic, it offers a nice insight to the every day work of officers in smaller towns and how it impacts their humanity and home life.

The setting is based around a smaller town but they still encounter some heavier crimes which levels up the plot a bit. The realistic "Karens" they encounter will have you appreciating what officers need to deal with. My favorite character in the series is the police chief or the "king of face-changing" lol. He is the type of leader every organization out there needs.

Despite this being 38 episodes, it was an easy and fun watch without too much lag time surprisingly. The only minor areas of criticism on my end is the dramatization of the people in the town exploding into applause unrealistically and how the pacing toward the latter half felt just slightly prolonged with certain scenes which caused the ending to feel rushed. Nevertheless, they could have made another 38 episodes and I would have gladly continued to watch.

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Riveting Police in Action

I did not know what to expect when I chanced upon this show (because of Bai Lu) and decided to go for it (also because of Bai Lu). I'm glad I gave it a chance and I'd like to urge viewers to watch this well-made drama too. I generously give it a 10/10 because it is a solid and spectacular production with top-notch acting from every single cast member.

What I Liked A Lot:
- The cast was "da-bomb". Everyone acted so well. I thought that the casting was excellent and appropriate too. Everyone fitted his or her role well and everyone delivered spectacularly. No one outshone the others and everyone had his or her moment to shine. Wang Shou Yi delivered remarkably. When he went on leave for two days in the drama, his absence was greatly felt and even I, the audience, felt incredibly relieved when he returned to work. I must applaud every single actor and actress in this drama. Truly, they were so real. I believed them 100%. There was no disconnect.
- The development of all the characters was great. For instance, the rookie police officers were like diamonds in the rough but they became much more polished and mature at the end of the drama in which one year had passed. The development felt real and was well-paced.
- There was plenty of suspense. I wanted to know what had happened and what would happen. I also liked that each "open" case got its "closure".
- In general, everything in the drama was tied up nicely and explained nicely.

Hmm, TBH, there wasn't much that I disliked... just those annoying minor characters like the family who harassed the couple and their little son; the obsessive helicopter parent in the form of the ridiculous and senseless female doctor; the horrible parents who neglected their parental duties and still expected filial piety; Zhou Hui's crazy mother who had to re-examine her values; Xia Jie's paranoid and crazy mother who needed therapy...

Nonetheless, the cases were all very real and showcased the unpleasant side of society and the scumbags. I guess we have to look at these terrible cases and awful people to know what NOT to follow.

Additionally, I was devastated when Cao Jian Jun committed that most senseless crime. He just wanted to do more and be an admirable person whom others could look up to. In the end, even after Wang Shou Yi told him to move on and lead another good "non-police" life, he continued to be a "police officer" and he eventually died while protecting a comrade. It was most tragic and I felt devastated for his wonderful wife, Zhou Hui. Zhou Hui stuck with him through thick and thin and she never once despised him. She was model wife with a sincere heart for him. I also felt devastated when the doctor fellow died in a senseless killing. (le sigh... the pain and the tears)

I highly recommend this drama to viewers, especially to those who aren't looking for romance. It is an excellent production!! It is fast-paced, touching, suspenseful and just simply drama at its very best!!

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Community police is different than regular criminal police in china

As I'm not Asian ,, I don't know their police system that well and I thought it was similar to anywhere else but it differs a little from my country or even western system
this drama is about community police not actual criminal police ,, that doesn't mean they don't deal with crimes ,, they do but in slightly different way
From what I understand that this drama is about small district police who deals mostly with community disputes and solve their problems ,, may be it focused more on that than actual big cases criminal investigation as every time they had a big case they must hand it over to other department or share it with them
It started really refreshing drama as it was as real as possible at first ten episodes or so and I enjoyed it very much but then it became some what overly dramatic with some cases and how the police handle them is just ridiculous ,,, the two seventy year old offenders who has their civil law on their side as they don't get punished for whatever they do and they did offend or harm others still the police bend backwards for them and served them if they have the right despite their offence .. I was so frustrated and annoyed so much by how the police handle their cases ,,, it wasn't right or fare for the people who were the victims of their offence
also the parents in this drama mostly are crazy ,, the crazy woman who slabbed the female officer after saving her daughter then insisting on suing the police station for not apologizing to her when she was scared about her daughter's disappearance and the female police officer asked for her blood sample as it's their procedures for such cases ,, the crazy lady got mad from that female lead and asked her to apologize even after she slabbed her by mistake and all the department was in big trouble for it ,, they all went to apologize for her instead ,, that was utterly insane
The female lead's mother was as much insane also how she interfered with her adult daughter's work and kept calling her bosses to transfer her ,, I have no idea how that adult female officer couldn't make a stand in front of her mother and asked her to back off or cut ties with her after that ,, it was the most irritating thing
So many similar incidents and cases of sorts but also it has some good dramatic stories and some emotional ones
overall it's very realistic and very good drama but needs some patience
the friendship and the mentor/ decibel relationship were the best and it were what kept me interested in the whole drama

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Fantastic start

Story follows 4 rookies with very different past & personalities as they navigate through their 1st year of police work.

Rookie
1. Liu Da Wei is probably everyone's favorite with his sharp come backs. He's positivity takes after his mom (very few good mom characters in the show)
2. Yang Shu - exceptionally smart but very black and white idealistic cop
3. Xia Jie - Female character living the shadow of his father and over protective mom
4. Zhao Ji Wei - Not as likable initially as he's a country boy with obviously communication issues

Ep 1-9 I was hooked. Loved:
The mentor match up conflicts for Liu Da Wei and Yang Shu.
4 rookie's friendship under 1 roof
Growth in perspective with each case
Solid supporting characters
Liu Da Wei's witty comebacks, but I do think much is lost in translation

After Ep 9 I started to play at 1.5x speed for scenes with over exaggerated characters. Cops felt like door mats that villagers can yell at for whatever whenever.
There's too much expectations for cops that at some point it just felt unrealistic. "Protect & serve" apparently means that you need to be their fathers, mothers, psychiatrist, nurse, pay for the lock smith and hospital bills out of your own pocket. If you get slapped you'll need to just take it and apologize.
Think directors were trying to shoot that "warm fuzzy" drama but end up felt forced.

Ending wasn't bad. It tied up most of the lose ends but some stories didn't feel like it was truly resolved.

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ordinary life

One drama that really picturing the ordinary life of police station. We often got police drama that at the end all talk about that 1 big case & the story toward or surrounding that big case. But not this drama, this drama really give us about what police have to deal or sometimes endure in their daily routine.

The good thing about this drama:
+ we can see what the struggle police have to deal with people or politic.
+ no love interest between our cast, although we already see a little bit spark between Li Da Wei (DW) & Xia Jie (XJ) at the end.
+ Police still human, at the end they have their family issue or pride play the part.

The bad, that truthfully quite make me bored at the beginning:
- Too many ordinary and little case
- No love interest. Hehe... At the end I'm still one big romance girl, I kinda hope they starting the spark bigger.
- XJ's mom almost make me stop watching. Almost can't bear her being so annoying.
- Once again with the bad side being in Asia Family, where u can really feel what 'blood is ticker than water' have truly meaning. Like DW's dad being that bad, but in the end his mom still want to connect him with his dad with the word 'he is your father'.

Overall this is good drama to represent police forces in my opinion. I heard they already plan for season 2. Don't know will I watch the season 2 or not.

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