LayarHijau – The historical investigative drama The Imperial Coroner 2 (御赐小仵作2) has officially premiered, reuniting audiences with the main cast from the first season, including Wang Ziqi and Su Xiaotong. Five years after its original run became a surprise hit and earned a strong reputation, the sequel brings back the “Three Judicial Offices” team in a story with a broader scope and more complex conflicts. Despite posting fairly strong initial numbers, audience reactions in China have been noticeably divided since its debut.
According to reports from local entertainment media, The Imperial Coroner 2 opens with a series of mysterious deaths. Strange crime scenes and the appearance of characters with unclear identities immediately set a tone filled with intrigue. Seemingly fragmented clues gradually point toward a carefully orchestrated, interconnected conspiracy. At the same time, an external force known as Nan Zhao quietly enters the picture, causing what initially appears to be straightforward criminal investigations to evolve into a larger game of political maneuvering and strategic confrontation.
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In terms of early performance, the drama recorded solid results. Within the first 20 minutes of airing, its internal popularity index on Tencent reportedly surpassed 22,000. Around 1.87 million viewers also participated in real-time “homecoming banquet” comment interactions. Meanwhile, Yunhe data estimates that the total number of views on the first day reached approximately 4 million. Although these figures fall short of top-tier dramas airing during the same period, they are considered in line with expectations for a mid-scale sequel.
The opening case, titled “The Floating Skull at the Palace Banquet,” once again highlights the team’s well-established chemistry. Xiao Jinyu takes charge of strategic reasoning, piecing together causes and consequences; Chu Chu focuses on skeletal examinations and forensic details; Jing Yi moves swiftly to gather evidence; and Leng Yue steps in decisively when situations turn dangerous. Their collaboration remains the drama’s core appeal, while also showcasing more mature character development compared to the first season.
From a production standpoint, The Imperial Coroner 2 has seen a notable upgrade. The reported cost per episode has tripled compared to the first season. More than 80 percent of scenes were filmed on real locations, with costumes and props carefully designed to reflect systems and details from the Tang Dynasty era. However, the enhanced visual quality has not shielded the drama from criticism.
Some viewers feel that the pacing of the first case is slower than before. Others argue that the complexity of the investigations has declined, resulting in weaker suspense. In addition, the increased focus on the married life of Chu Chu and Xiao Jinyu has been criticized for taking attention away from the investigative elements that once defined the series.
For context, The Imperial Coroner first aired in 2021 and quickly gained attention as a low-budget drama that managed to compete with big productions thanks to its tight storytelling and strong characters. Now, relying on the nostalgia of the original cast and a higher production scale, The Imperial Coroner 2 still needs time to prove whether it can recreate the “small-budget success” of its predecessor or carve out a different narrative path.
The Imperial Coroner 2 stars Wang Ziqi and Su Xiaotong, who reprise their leading roles from the first season.
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