Miss S (2020)

Multi-award winning actress Ma Yili plays up the charm in the new crime solving series Miss S 旗袍美探 alongside her dashing inspector played by none other than Vengo Gao Weiguang. The drama joins the ever growing list of crime mysteries set in the cosmopolitan “Paris of the East” during the Republican period. If you’re sitting there thinking “not another Republican”, you’ll begin to understand the allure of this setting once you see the visuals in Miss S. Think rich jewel tones, finger waves and the fashion – the endless parade of beautiful embellished qipaos and spiffy suits worn by Miss S and Inspector Luo with the often times OTT backdrop is a veritable feast for the eyes.

Miss S Synopsis

The 34 episodes long series is said to have been loosely inspired by the glamorous life of private detective Miss Phryne Fisher from the Australian drama Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries in the roaring 20s. Ma Yili plays the effervescent Shanghai socialite Su Wenli newly returned from her sojourn in Europe. She attends a luncheon at a friend’s house when said friend’s husband keels over and dies that morning.  

Meanwhile Vengo Gao leaves his signature Dijun white wig at home to play Inspector Luo Qiuheng from the French Concession Police. Called in to investigate the mysterious death of Hu Yunlang, he declares the cause of death as arsenic poisoning. When the person of interest in his case turns out to be innocent, he teams up with the independent Su Wenli to get to the bottom of things. In a house full of potential suspects, leave it to Miss S, the inspector and their friends unmask the culprit in this 1930s whodunit.

Just to add onto the pre-release buzz, the drama’s production team also released a sneak peek to further hype up viewers for this week’s premiere. Ma Yili sets out to captivate with her cheeky banter and effervescence. And from the looks of it, it seems to be working too if you catch the staid and serious Inspector Luo side shuffling for a second there in the clip.  Despite the unsettling circumstance of Hu Yunlang’s death, viewers are surely in for a playful romp as Miss S and her inspector take us for a ride around some opulent settings in 1930s Shanghai.

Release Date: August 28, 2020

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