’s domestic spy war has finally ushered in a reversal.
CCTV’s financial espionage drama “Storm Chaser” ended online last night, with ratings reaching a new high and breaking the record for the fastest popularity on a video website to exceed 10,000 so far in 2024.
"People's Daily" and Wenhui Po published articles praising it.
Once upon a time, we thought that the starlight of domestic spy dramas had dimmed.
It seems that domestic spy dramas are still full of stars.
Dark clouds cover the sky, just to complete the genre iteration, spy war dramas that blindly copy the classic spy war model of Liu Yunlong are indeed unable to break through, but the new generation of spy war dramas that dare to innovate are getting good news frequently.
And just after "Storm Chaser", another spy drama will soon meet us. From the starring cast to the creative team, they all show that this wave of innovation in domestic spy dramas has just begun.
No matter what, "When the Stars Shine".
34 episodes of the spy war drama, Hunan Satellite TV has officially announced that it will be broadcast on April 15th (next Monday).
Mango Channel is indeed very agile. Before the dust settled on "Harbin 1944" led by Qin Hao , Zhang Songwen's "Lone Boat" took the lead and took over the 2024 spy war craze created by "Wind Chaser".
This time we won’t play undercover No. 76, nor will we talk about financial and business wars. Instead, we will talk about youth spy wars and criminal investigation suspense.
has a good lineup. There are young actors like Li Xian, Ren Min and Zhou You.
also has Huang Zhizhong, Fan Lei, Dong Jie, Tian Xiaojie, Cao Lei, Wang Maolei and other powerful players to help out.
main creative lineup, from " secret and great ".
The last time a Hunan Satellite TV spy drama was so big was "The Pretender".
Can "When the Stars Shine" take over the legacy of "Storm Chaser" and continue the popularity of spy dramas in 2024?
Next Monday is too long, now stargazing.
01. Story: A murder case, a criminal investigation, a spy situation, undercurrents, a life and death showdown
After watching the trailer of "When the Stars Shine", one word immediately popped into my mind:
Fresh!
This is actually the feeling that watching the trailer of "Storm Chaser" gave me. You can't summarize it with the story of another spy drama.
If we say, "The Storm Chaser" tells the history of financial espionage between Wei Ruolai's master and apprentice, it uses finance to introduce the espionage story of the era, breaking the traditional espionage situation.
Then "When the Stars Shine" is the middle game of a spy war involving an undercover criminal investigation of a murder case.
The play tells the story of Hua Zhen, a patriotic young man and son of the deputy minister of the Ministry of Military Affairs in Shanghai in the 1930s. After experiencing real trials, struggles and growth, he gradually found his life direction and true faith, and finally met Luo Minmin, Chen Hao, Shi Junyu and others. A story about joining the hidden front together and working together to protect the family and serve the country.
With three major highlights and just the trailer, the drama has firmly captured the audience's attention:
The first is an undercover criminal investigation case. The first card played in the
episode is still undercover.
But the male protagonist is undercover, not to break into the enemy No. 76, but to go undercover in a run-down Fourth Police Station in Shanghai.
investigates a murder case in the Republic of China. In the
trailer, Hua Zhen comes to Shanghai to deliver books to friends,
accidentally saves the little girl Li Qiushi (played by Li Zhimo) whose parents were murdered.
was then entrusted by the little girl to trace the truth about the murder of her parents, which also knocked down the first domino of the whole story.
The undercover police station is because the little girl escaped death in the murder case and only saw the murderer wearing a police uniform.
The male protagonist Hua Zhen transforms into Xiang Yuansheng of Shanghai No. 4 Police Station.
For the girl's necklace, 23 yuan and justice, Hua Zhen not only had his own life plan completely disrupted, but the military, police, public affairs office, Hua family, and Luo family were also involved.
The closer Hua Zhen gets to the truth, the more he uncovers a huge secret that "should not be investigated".
The start of the criminal investigation is indeed fresh.
As the murderer of the girl's parents desperately tried to silence him, Xiang Yuansheng tried his best to protect the little girl.
The heroine Luo Minmin was seriously injured alone as a bait in exchange for the key clue button.
Throughout the patrol room, some people were dismissed and some were slapped.
A trailer has already made people feel the turbulent times and the ups and downs of the fate of the characters in the torrent of the times.
There is no justice in troubled times, but some people want justice.
"This world is not black and white."
"This world is indeed not black and white, but there should always be right and wrong."
Who were the girl's parents killed? Why must they kill them all?
What kind of strength and background does the other party have that can dominate Shanghai during the Anti-Japanese War?
This leads to the second highlight of
, the middle game of the spy game.
With Xiang Yuansheng as the core character, the entire trailer is like a huge conspiracy.
A secret battle on multiple fronts, a game within a game.
Fighting openly and secretly, one step leads to ten enemies. It is not difficult to see in the trailer of
that the Japanese military is behind the murder of the little girl’s parents.
And Xiang Yuansheng’s persistent pursuit has affected all parties. Just like Xiang Yuansheng’s brother said in the play, if you continue to investigate like this, the whole family will be implicated.
trailer already presents a strong cinematic image.
In the serial game, the camera quickly switches between panorama and close-up. Someone is staring at Xiang Yuansheng's photo in trance.
A huge sense of oppression, wrapped in the aura of death, was like mercury leaking to the ground. The most eye-catching thing about
is the spy atmosphere.
As a spy drama, the trailer has already put a lot of effort into creating suspense.
There is a scene that makes people's hair stand on end.
The Shanghai spy department was crowded with people and telegrams were ringing.
"Tan Shiyuan colluded with the Japanese military through Haneda Naoki."
The lights flickered on and off, and several people looked up with different expressions.
As the crisis approached, Xiang Yuansheng fled with the girl on his back.
A sense of tension bursts out between speed and slowness, which constitutes the tension of the lens language.
"Everyone is involved."
The third highlight is the brilliance of youth.
It can be easily discovered from the relationship between the characters in the trailer that this spy war is not a duel between two heroes in the traditional sense, nor is it a master-apprentice game.
is a group of young people in troubled times, joining forces to break the situation.
Especially the male protagonist Hua Zhen. During the Anti-Japanese War, he was born into a family of high-ranking Kuomintang officials and originally wanted to join the navy to realize his dream of becoming a captain. However, during this unexpected trip to Shanghai, he not only changed his name to Xiang Yuansheng, but also became a low-level police officer in a dilapidated police station.
even met potential Communist Party members Chen Hao and Luo Minmin.
From an elite nobleman to an outstanding warrior on the hidden front, how did Hua Zhen complete the turn of fate?
The highlight of the story is already obvious. Of course, another highlight of
is the combination of the handsome brother and the cute girl, Hua Zhen and the little girl, who warm each other in troubled times.
But in the face of endless darkness, is this just a fool's errand?
How should he deal with the mastermind who keeps making moves? The trailer of
has already made people’s scalp numb and their palms sweaty.
Those criminal investigation cases, those sharp edges in spy wars, and the mutual warmth in troubled times will all be presented in "When the Stars Shine".
There are battles of wits, games, and bloody battles. Behind the criminal investigation case, more external forces are vaguely involved.
is a bit interesting.
02. Lineup: Li Xinmin plays the leading role, and a full acting cast helps out. It’s so good.
After talking about the plot highlights, it’s time to talk about the main creative lineup.
screenwriters Pu Wei and Huang Chen are the husband-and-wife team who wrote "Secret and Great". This screenwriting team is best at period, criminal investigation, and espionage genres. They rarely write useless dramas. The stories are rich enough without watering down.
Director Wan Liyang is a younger generation director who has already made "Night Traveler". Is the new generation of directors stable enough?
Don't worry, there is still -
"Secret and Great" "Life is like the first meeting" art director Lou Pan, "Secret and Great" "White Night Chasing" soundtrack Ren Yajing, "Life is like the first meeting" styling director Yang Dan waits to help out. In a word, the team behind the scenes are by no means ordinary people.
Looking at the actors, at random, there are at least six veteran actors or acting talents.
ranked first, Li Xian
Li Xian plays Hua Zhen and Xiang Yuansheng in the play.
Although he became a first-line niche actor with " River God " and " Dear, Beloved ", Li Xian did not blindly pursue traffic along the way, but frequently participated in period dramas and historical dramas, which made him His acting career has been a bit more tortuous, but he never disappoints the audience every time he takes action.
This time, Xiang Yuansheng was born as a noble son, but he experienced the test of fate and his name was changed.
The impact of the turbulent era, the identity of the male protagonist, and the complex reality he faces, makes this character very three-dimensional and rich.
The key to his personality lies in his "life".
Born towards the distance, born towards the distance.
How to give birth to children in troubled times?
This persona is really interesting.
The second place is Huang Zhizhong
Judging from the surname and aura in the play, there is no doubt that Huang Zhizhong plays the father of the male protagonist and the deputy commander of the Kuomintang Navy.
This character can also be described in one word - strict. In just a few shots of the
trailer, you can already feel the tense family atmosphere of the male protagonist.
Huang Zhizhong, a national first-class actor, is certainly a capable actor.
just started playing the role of Hai Rui in the drama "Ming Dynasty 1566". If we say that the more outstanding actors in this drama are Wang Jinsong, Ni Dahong and Chen Baoguo.
Next, we will collaborate with Zhang Li again in " The Righteous Way in the World Is Vicissitudes of Life ", and Huang Zhizhong's acting skills will explode.
In the past few years, Huang Zhizhong has impressed people in the high-scoring costume historical drama "The River" and the environmental suspense drama "The River Rises".
His performance characteristics are that he plays positive characters and is righteous, but his evil characters are often more eye-catching.
’s character this time is also full of ruthlessness.
In third place, Tian Xiaojie
plays the heroine’s father in the play.
Some actors have spy faces.
For example, Tian Xiaojie, in "The Conspiracy", the character Xie Xingguo he played was a hit as soon as he appeared.
Li Bohan, who he played in "Before Dawn", is also the biggest villain in the show.
has repeatedly appeared in classic spy war dramas. It is not accidental, but the actors have the flavor of spy war dramas.
This time he plays the role of the heroine’s father, whose identity may not be that simple. I am relieved that he is playing a spy.
No. 4, Fan Lei
National first-class actor Fan Lei’s performance characteristics are that the character is often garrulous, natural and down-to-earth, giving people a very comfortable viewing experience, and is the spice in suspense dramas.
In "Who is He" and "The Three Brigades", his performance convinced the audience.
In this drama, Fan Lei plays the director of the police station where Xiang Yuansheng works. There is such a master in the police station. He was also slapped for the girl's criminal investigation case, but even though he was furious, he continued to investigate the case that should be investigated.
The life-like performance is just a kind of neutralization in the tense atmosphere of the spy drama.
can't be wrong.
No. 5, Cao Lei
Cao Lei, a low-key and talented actor, has appeared in spy dramas and period dramas.
In "The Age of Awakening", his Mr. Lu Xun is unforgettable. He is featured in "All Quiet in Peking" and "无码".
He is also an actor with a period drama atmosphere. As soon as he appears on the stage, the feeling comes.
His role this time is of course ours again. Even if he is arrested, he will remain calm and calm.
Stars shine brightly, and they always need someone to lead the way.
No. 6, Wang Zixuan
Although the heroine of this drama is Ren Min, I personally am more optimistic about Wang Zixuan's performance.
It’s not that Ren Min’s acting skills are not good, but that spy dramas always have a tradition of popular female leads. For details, please refer to "Pretender" and "Rebel".
Compared with the naive and tenacious Luo Minmin, our staff member Shi Junyu is hidden deeper and has a stronger sense of mystery.
In the past, Wang Zixuan's representative role was the little goddess Gu Ying in "River God". This time she played the role of a glamorous undercover police officer.
Judging from the trailer, it exudes feminine charm from the inside out.
The sassy and Republican style and the eyes that want to resist but welcome all add to the charm of the character.
I hope she will shine again in this drama.
Besides these few, Tao Lanxin, played by Dong Jie, is calm and composed, and her eyes are full of stories.
The villain played by Wang Maolei has a knife hidden in his smile, making it difficult for people to guess.
Li Zhimo plays the role of young Cheng Shaoshang in "The Star". He is cute and tough in the play.
Her parents were killed, and the killer was right outside the door. She was able to ask for help. The logic was clear. I predict that this little girl's character will probably be a highlight of the whole drama.
The relationship between her and Xiang Yuansheng is more likely to become the most special relationship in spy dramas in recent years.
03. Break the situation again: Can the spy drama of the Republic of China become more popular?
Once upon a time, domestic spy dramas were at their peak.
From "Insidious" and "Cliff" to "Before Dawn" and "The Pretender", hits have continued.
However, with the influx of traffic and the repetition of plots, "spy war dramas" gradually took a back seat. The audience looked forward to it, but was repeatedly disappointed.
Until March 2024, the movie "Storm Chaser" will revive the spy drama style in the Republic of China.
The most critical revelation is that we cannot follow the old path and must innovate. Stories and transformations must stand the test.
Whether it is the lineup or the plot, "When the Stars Shine" has many highlights.
But here, I still want to say something ugly and talk about netizens’ potential concerns about the show.
is not about the actors, but about the plot.
If we are talking about the younger generation of front-line niche players, who can take charge of provoking spy dramas on their own, Li Xian is definitely a very good choice.
Ren Min and Zhou You both have acting potential, and with the help of a group of veteran actors, the chances of their acting skills turning over are very low. The biggest risk of
is the plot. The last spy drama "Secret and Great" written by
was famous for its interlocking plots, but this time the plot is obviously more complicated. This prequel to Xia Jicheng is not easy to act.
If we can maintain the same level as last time this time. Then the stars must shine.
Generally speaking, the highlights of this drama, which will be broadcast on April 15, outweigh the hidden dangers.
After "Storm Chaser", the audience's spy war addiction was aroused again.
Whoever makes the first move will definitely have the upper hand.
But success or failure lies in quality.
Audiences have experienced good things. Not just spy dramas will have guaranteed ratings.
The story is enough to read.
"When the Stars Shine" has a youthful atmosphere, but also has the depth of a period spy drama.
shoulders the times and is neither humble nor arrogant.
Children of troubled times can also be revolutionaries with firm beliefs.
The heroes are nameless, they are the stars behind enemy lines.
Troubled times obscure the stars, but heroes will eventually shine.
hopes that this spy drama can continue the momentum of "Storm Chaser".
hopes that domestic spy dramas will see stars shine again.
The heroine Luo Minmin was seriously injured alone as a bait in exchange for the key clue button.
Throughout the patrol room, some people were dismissed and some were slapped.
A trailer has already made people feel the turbulent times and the ups and downs of the fate of the characters in the torrent of the times.
There is no justice in troubled times, but some people want justice.
"This world is not black and white."
"This world is indeed not black and white, but there should always be right and wrong."
Who were the girl's parents killed? Why must they kill them all?
What kind of strength and background does the other party have that can dominate Shanghai during the Anti-Japanese War?
This leads to the second highlight of
, the middle game of the spy game.
With Xiang Yuansheng as the core character, the entire trailer is like a huge conspiracy.
A secret battle on multiple fronts, a game within a game.
Fighting openly and secretly, one step leads to ten enemies. It is not difficult to see in the trailer of
that the Japanese military is behind the murder of the little girl’s parents.
And Xiang Yuansheng’s persistent pursuit has affected all parties. Just like Xiang Yuansheng’s brother said in the play, if you continue to investigate like this, the whole family will be implicated.
trailer already presents a strong cinematic image.
In the serial game, the camera quickly switches between panorama and close-up. Someone is staring at Xiang Yuansheng's photo in trance.
A huge sense of oppression, wrapped in the aura of death, was like mercury leaking to the ground. The most eye-catching thing about
is the spy atmosphere.
As a spy drama, the trailer has already put a lot of effort into creating suspense.
There is a scene that makes people's hair stand on end.
The Shanghai spy department was crowded with people and telegrams were ringing.
"Tan Shiyuan colluded with the Japanese military through Haneda Naoki."
The lights flickered on and off, and several people looked up with different expressions.
As the crisis approached, Xiang Yuansheng fled with the girl on his back.
A sense of tension bursts out between speed and slowness, which constitutes the tension of the lens language.
"Everyone is involved."
The third highlight is the brilliance of youth.
It can be easily discovered from the relationship between the characters in the trailer that this spy war is not a duel between two heroes in the traditional sense, nor is it a master-apprentice game.
is a group of young people in troubled times, joining forces to break the situation.
Especially the male protagonist Hua Zhen. During the Anti-Japanese War, he was born into a family of high-ranking Kuomintang officials and originally wanted to join the navy to realize his dream of becoming a captain. However, during this unexpected trip to Shanghai, he not only changed his name to Xiang Yuansheng, but also became a low-level police officer in a dilapidated police station.
even met potential Communist Party members Chen Hao and Luo Minmin.
From an elite nobleman to an outstanding warrior on the hidden front, how did Hua Zhen complete the turn of fate?
The highlight of the story is already obvious. Of course, another highlight of
is the combination of the handsome brother and the cute girl, Hua Zhen and the little girl, who warm each other in troubled times.
But in the face of endless darkness, is this just a fool's errand?
How should he deal with the mastermind who keeps making moves? The trailer of
has already made people’s scalp numb and their palms sweaty.
Those criminal investigation cases, those sharp edges in spy wars, and the mutual warmth in troubled times will all be presented in "When the Stars Shine".
There are battles of wits, games, and bloody battles. Behind the criminal investigation case, more external forces are vaguely involved.
is a bit interesting.
02. Lineup: Li Xinmin plays the leading role, and a full acting cast helps out. It’s so good.
After talking about the plot highlights, it’s time to talk about the main creative lineup.
screenwriters Pu Wei and Huang Chen are the husband-and-wife team who wrote "Secret and Great". This screenwriting team is best at period, criminal investigation, and espionage genres. They rarely write useless dramas. The stories are rich enough without watering down.
Director Wan Liyang is a younger generation director who has already made "Night Traveler". Is the new generation of directors stable enough?
Don't worry, there is still -
"Secret and Great" "Life is like the first meeting" art director Lou Pan, "Secret and Great" "White Night Chasing" soundtrack Ren Yajing, "Life is like the first meeting" styling director Yang Dan waits to help out. In a word, the team behind the scenes are by no means ordinary people.
Looking at the actors, at random, there are at least six veteran actors or acting talents.
ranked first, Li Xian
Li Xian plays Hua Zhen and Xiang Yuansheng in the play.
Although he became a first-line niche actor with " River God " and " Dear, Beloved ", Li Xian did not blindly pursue traffic along the way, but frequently participated in period dramas and historical dramas, which made him His acting career has been a bit more tortuous, but he never disappoints the audience every time he takes action.
This time, Xiang Yuansheng was born as a noble son, but he experienced the test of fate and his name was changed.
The impact of the turbulent era, the identity of the male protagonist, and the complex reality he faces, makes this character very three-dimensional and rich.
The key to his personality lies in his "life".
Born towards the distance, born towards the distance.
How to give birth to children in troubled times?
This persona is really interesting.
The second place is Huang Zhizhong
Judging from the surname and aura in the play, there is no doubt that Huang Zhizhong plays the father of the male protagonist and the deputy commander of the Kuomintang Navy.
This character can also be described in one word - strict. In just a few shots of the
trailer, you can already feel the tense family atmosphere of the male protagonist.
Huang Zhizhong, a national first-class actor, is certainly a capable actor.
just started playing the role of Hai Rui in the drama "Ming Dynasty 1566". If we say that the more outstanding actors in this drama are Wang Jinsong, Ni Dahong and Chen Baoguo.
Next, we will collaborate with Zhang Li again in " The Righteous Way in the World Is Vicissitudes of Life ", and Huang Zhizhong's acting skills will explode.
In the past few years, Huang Zhizhong has impressed people in the high-scoring costume historical drama "The River" and the environmental suspense drama "The River Rises".
His performance characteristics are that he plays positive characters and is righteous, but his evil characters are often more eye-catching.
’s character this time is also full of ruthlessness.
In third place, Tian Xiaojie
plays the heroine’s father in the play.
Some actors have spy faces.
For example, Tian Xiaojie, in "The Conspiracy", the character Xie Xingguo he played was a hit as soon as he appeared.
Li Bohan, who he played in "Before Dawn", is also the biggest villain in the show.
has repeatedly appeared in classic spy war dramas. It is not accidental, but the actors have the flavor of spy war dramas.
This time he plays the role of the heroine’s father, whose identity may not be that simple. I am relieved that he is playing a spy.
No. 4, Fan Lei
National first-class actor Fan Lei’s performance characteristics are that the character is often garrulous, natural and down-to-earth, giving people a very comfortable viewing experience, and is the spice in suspense dramas.
In "Who is He" and "The Three Brigades", his performance convinced the audience.
In this drama, Fan Lei plays the director of the police station where Xiang Yuansheng works. There is such a master in the police station. He was also slapped for the girl's criminal investigation case, but even though he was furious, he continued to investigate the case that should be investigated.
The life-like performance is just a kind of neutralization in the tense atmosphere of the spy drama.
can't be wrong.
No. 5, Cao Lei
Cao Lei, a low-key and talented actor, has appeared in spy dramas and period dramas.
In "The Age of Awakening", his Mr. Lu Xun is unforgettable. He is featured in "All Quiet in Peking" and "无码".
He is also an actor with a period drama atmosphere. As soon as he appears on the stage, the feeling comes.
His role this time is of course ours again. Even if he is arrested, he will remain calm and calm.
Stars shine brightly, and they always need someone to lead the way.
No. 6, Wang Zixuan
Although the heroine of this drama is Ren Min, I personally am more optimistic about Wang Zixuan's performance.
It’s not that Ren Min’s acting skills are not good, but that spy dramas always have a tradition of popular female leads. For details, please refer to "Pretender" and "Rebel".
Compared with the naive and tenacious Luo Minmin, our staff member Shi Junyu is hidden deeper and has a stronger sense of mystery.
In the past, Wang Zixuan's representative role was the little goddess Gu Ying in "River God". This time she played the role of a glamorous undercover police officer.
Judging from the trailer, it exudes feminine charm from the inside out.
The sassy and Republican style and the eyes that want to resist but welcome all add to the charm of the character.
I hope she will shine again in this drama.
Besides these few, Tao Lanxin, played by Dong Jie, is calm and composed, and her eyes are full of stories.
The villain played by Wang Maolei has a knife hidden in his smile, making it difficult for people to guess.
Li Zhimo plays the role of young Cheng Shaoshang in "The Star". He is cute and tough in the play.
Her parents were killed, and the killer was right outside the door. She was able to ask for help. The logic was clear. I predict that this little girl's character will probably be a highlight of the whole drama.
The relationship between her and Xiang Yuansheng is more likely to become the most special relationship in spy dramas in recent years.
03. Break the situation again: Can the spy drama of the Republic of China become more popular?
Once upon a time, domestic spy dramas were at their peak.
From "Insidious" and "Cliff" to "Before Dawn" and "The Pretender", hits have continued.
However, with the influx of traffic and the repetition of plots, "spy war dramas" gradually took a back seat. The audience looked forward to it, but was repeatedly disappointed.
Until March 2024, the movie "Storm Chaser" will revive the spy drama style in the Republic of China.
The most critical revelation is that we cannot follow the old path and must innovate. Stories and transformations must stand the test.
Whether it is the lineup or the plot, "When the Stars Shine" has many highlights.
But here, I still want to say something ugly and talk about netizens’ potential concerns about the show.
is not about the actors, but about the plot.
If we are talking about the younger generation of front-line niche players, who can take charge of provoking spy dramas on their own, Li Xian is definitely a very good choice.
Ren Min and Zhou You both have acting potential, and with the help of a group of veteran actors, the chances of their acting skills turning over are very low. The biggest risk of
is the plot. The last spy drama "Secret and Great" written by
was famous for its interlocking plots, but this time the plot is obviously more complicated. This prequel to Xia Jicheng is not easy to act.
If we can maintain the same level as last time this time. Then the stars must shine.
Generally speaking, the highlights of this drama, which will be broadcast on April 15, outweigh the hidden dangers.
After "Storm Chaser", the audience's spy war addiction was aroused again.
Whoever makes the first move will definitely have the upper hand.
But success or failure lies in quality.
Audiences have experienced good things. Not just spy dramas will have guaranteed ratings.
The story is enough to read.
"When the Stars Shine" has a youthful atmosphere, but also has the depth of a period spy drama.
shoulders the times and is neither humble nor arrogant.
Children of troubled times can also be revolutionaries with firm beliefs.
The heroes are nameless, they are the stars behind enemy lines.
Troubled times obscure the stars, but heroes will eventually shine.
hopes that this spy drama can continue the momentum of "Storm Chaser".
hopes that domestic spy dramas will see stars shine again.
