Nothing quite gets you in the mood for autumn like spy action. Now that you’re ready for a taste of mystery, grab your coziest blanket and check out Dark Night and Dawn 暗夜与黎明, which debuted on Chinese television (CCTV-8) and online (iQIYI) on September 18, 2024. The story set in the post-Republican era takes place in Shanghai in 1950, a city where intrigue and conspiracy run rampant. With the liberated metropolis as the backdrop, a police officer and a Communist Party agent work together to foil the evil schemes of spies looking to cause trouble in the New China. Since its publication, the number of watchers on iQIYI’s heat index has surpassed 7000 every day.
A Cast that Offers Assistance to Veterans
The actors in the counter-espionage series span multiple generations, with well-known characters from plays like The Knockout and seasoned performers like Ni Dahong, Wang Jinsong, and Wang Zhiwen joining Chen Zheyuan, Nie Yuan, Xing Fei, and Annabel Yao.In particular, Wang Zhiwen,58, portrays the crafty spymaster who, despite his true identity as the main antagonist, presents a calm and learned exterior. The antagonists in this story are quite vicious.
Humor and Espionage
Circumstances bring Lu Zhengyang of Nie Yuan and Lin Shaobai of Chen Zheyuan together in an unlikely partnership. In times of need, Lin Shaobai, a tiny fry cop, slips into the police warehouse to steal supplies and is unexpectedly drawn into the assassination of communist spies. Public security bureau agent Lu Zhengyang has his own counterespionage schemes. As the narrative goes on, the two eventually work together to unravel strange cases that Wang Zhiwen’s Zheng Lanting is masterminding.
The Series’ Tone is Set by the Opening
The opening sequence is powerful because it thrusts viewers into the action as Lin Shaobai is given the order to kill and is threatened with death if he doesn’t comply. The show then goes back in time to demonstrate what happened before that. As Lin Shaobai, Chen Zheyuan plays a multifaceted character who is cunning despite his diminutive size. He can talk his way out of any problem and add humor to a serious subject. Though humorous, Lin Shaobai is a moral and intelligent young man whose trip will hopefully demonstrate genuine development. What else can I say about Nie Yuan? The 46-year-old actor is still excellent, precisely as I recall from his past roles.
