(Review contains ending spoiler)

A spectacular show that hooks its viewer in from the first to the last scene. Packed with multiple plotlines and characters, yet every arc is distinctive, and every character is memorable in their own way. It’s hard to really pinpoint my favorite thing about this show because everything just stands out and leaves me thinking about it long after I finish the show. But if I have to pick what draws me to this show and what the show excels at the most, it is the thrilling action-packed plot, commendable characters, strong acting and absolutely stunning cinematography.

The first thing I notice about this show is the cinematography for sure. Every random still from the show can be used for wallpaper, THAT is how gorgeous this show is! Director certainly knows how to capture the essence of these beautiful sets and characters. I love how the gothic, eerie vibe is set from the first scene in. You know you’re in for a dramatic story. As the show progresses, I fall in love more and more with the approach to an almost theatre-esque directing style, with close up shots of characters dialogues and surprisingly instead of making it cringe, I find it very entertaining.

The characters have very distinctive introductions, and each storyline feels full on its own. For shows with so many characters, it can be hard to get viewers to care about or even remember the more minor characters. But with The Double, I feel like every minor character’s storyline is closely intertwined with the main plot in a way that feels like they are more than a role or a plot device, but their own character.

The leads are super interesting characters on their own, but it is their relationship to each other that fascinates me. Xue Fangfei/ Jiang Li and Xiao Heng are both strong, independent and charismatic leads who are well written and easy to root for, but their foils, or should I say, their “Double”(s), the main villains Princess Wanning and Shen Yurong, are equally interesting and well written characters. These 4 characters each hold their own in terms of personality, character development and plot importance.

Xue Fangfei has become one of my favorite female leads I’ve watched lately and she is undoubtedly the center of this revenge story that is The Double. Meanwhile, the other 3 characters make up the triangle that surrounds her tragic fate and her road to seek revenge and justice. I like how she started out as a total tragic figure, losing everything and “died”, but by the end she survived all her enemies and prevailed. It might be cliché trope nowadays, but a good revenge story will always put a smile on my face! I also like that she is not invincible, that she makes mistakes, that she’s not even totally “good” but also never evil, that she uses people but also gives her opponents their deserved karma.

Xiao Heng is one of my fav male leads as well. His story, his relationship to XFF, to the royal family especially the Emperor and Wanning, to his father and grandfather, to his men, are all memorable and interesting. I like how he’s kind of morally grey but romantically a total green flag (that is lowkey everyone’s favorite kind of male lead isn’t it HAHA). I also like how even though it’s Xue Fangfei’s story, he is his own distinguished character and not to dependent on XFF’s plot to uplift the writing of his own plot. His connections to the corruption schemes, the peace of the country, his political schemes and agendas with the emperor, all are intriguing plots that tie altogether with the main plots.

Some people say this show doesn’t have a lot of romance because it’s a revenge story, and to that I disagree strongly. Not only is romance one of the main plots driving the show forward, it is also one of the main themes of this story. The thing about The Double is it’s a slow burn done right, and for that I am more obsessed Xue Li and Xiao Heng’s love story. Their relationship is one built on understanding, partnership, equality and trust, which I think are the best foundations of a good love story, and also make for a great foil against
1/ Xue Fangfei’s relationship with Shen Yurong and
2/ Shen Yurong and Wanning’s relationship.
Together with SYR and WN, these 4 make a relationship square that fascinates me greatly. Even in modern standards, their love-hate relationships would make for great drama, let alone back in historical times where things such as dignity, political power struggles are involved.

Shen Yurong is such an interesting villain. He manages to make me despise him so much and yet I can still see where he comes from. He’s evil in a pathetic way, but not dumb. His character is nuanced and tormented in a way that, instead of wanting him to die early, he makes you wanna see him live to see what other evil schemes he would come up with and how much more manipulating his gaslighting can get, as well as to see how his satisfying (or not) his end was gonna be. Personally, I dislike how the show ended him, because I wanted to see him truly suffer. But I guess in a weird way, his death makes for a more thematic ending, relating to the themes of guilt, love and hate. The poetic irony of him being a character so afraid of death, willing to kill his own wife whom he loves to escape dying, and ends up killing himself for said wife? I think it’s beautiful. Do I find it satisfying? Not totally. But it’s beautiful. =))

In the same reasoning, I think Wanning’s death is a beautiful and tragic poetic irony as well. Her tragic past and subsequent descent to madness makes her story a perfect foil to Xue Fangfei’s. Both are victims of sexual crimes, both are deemed as “ruined”, both loved the same man, both suffered under said man. Where XFF found strength to seek her justice, Wanning lost all her strength and succumbed to the darkness, becoming a total villain. I thought she deserved a worse ending then getting to choose how she died, but the way her story is told, I think having SYR be her ender is a great irony.

As for the technical aspects, I LOVEEE the acting in this show. Everyone brought their A-game. I was mesmerized with every performance, from the leads to the villains to the minor characters. Shout out to Wu Jinyan, Wang Xingyue, Liang Yongqi and Li Meng who play our main leads and villains. This is my first time watching all of them, except Wang Xingyue whom I knew as Zhang Zhe from Story of Kunning Palace, and I must say they all impress me. Wu Jinyan has such raw and emotional eyes that just makes every crying and sad scene so much more emotional TT. She really nailed that soft and vulnerable look when she was betrayed and then the tough and cunning look of a person on a revenge path. Knowing that she was a ballet dancer before impresses me more because she makes Xue Fangfei so ethereal with her elegant movements! Li Meng was such a maniac as Princess Wanning, and it was such a captivating performance. Every time she says “Kneel” I get chills TT. She made Wanning so alive and scary and yet pitiful at the same time. And the more I hate Shen Yurong, the more I’m impressed by Liang Yongqi. This character has dead eyes for the majority of the first act and yet you’re able to see his guilt and greed and madness in the second act so well and not feel like 2 separate characters. And lastly, Wang Xingyue is fast rising to my top fav actors. Duke Su can be charming and soft, but he can also be tough and cunning. You can see the transition from his suspicious era where he was using Xue Fangfei and trying to get her to admit her identity, and his partner era where he and XFF finally became a team and him falling in love with her. Also seeing his role in Kunning Palace and then in The Double impresses me even more, because he pulls off two very different characters and it’s so satisfying to watch!

The chemistry between the leads Wu Jinyan and Wang Xingyue are really something else. I see many people are put off by the actors’ age gap and being agist towards WJY, but honestly you can barely see that gap on screen at all. They have effortless chemistry, and they make the slow burn so delicious! This couple barely has kisses, but they have a good amount of skin ship that makes your heart flutter! The tension and build up was so great that’s why when they finally get together you feel earned!10/10 writing and acting for me!

Lastly, I want to take a moment to appreciate the music in this show. Every song is a 10/10. I’m a sucker for ballads, especially sad ballads and this show really nailed it. My fav is Withered by Huang Shifu, but all the songs are so good, and the lyrics just match the story so well!!

Overall, this drama was such a feast for the eyes. Not a moment of boredom for me. A captivating story with characters that leave you thinking for days. I might be watching new shows but I just know The Double is that one drama that will be on my mind for months and I will be randomly referencing it whenever I watch anything else!!