Def one of the best serials and I literally registered my freaking IMDb account just for reviewing this fascinating serials. It presented delicate plots which conducted by 15-year-old kids and every frame of the serials indicated dedicated work provided by the director. I would say this is one of the best serials of the 2020! I mean, just watch it, or you would never know what you are missing!!
15 Reviews
A masterpiece of Chinese suspense drama that hasn't been seen for a long time
xuefeiding17 July 2020
The plot is closely linked with each other. The opening song, the ending song and the interlude are all carefully designed, and the plot bedding and details are full of meaning. All the actors performed very well. Since then, I have a psychological shadow on the protagonist Zhang Dongsheng.
Great story but it fails towards the end
marcusscrowley22 October 2021
It's a fascinating and intricate story centred around three children from poor families in southern China. The production values are high. The three young actors do a great job as they navigate the many complexities of the real world: educational pressure, marital bliss, financial and health crises. There are no easy choices between right and wrong.
Unfortunately - as other have commented - the editing and storyline drop inexplicably in the last three episodes. I'd happily watch it again in a few years time as the characters and themes were so endearing, but I'd hesitate to recommend it to anyone because of the mangled ending. Perhaps the producers ran out of time or money.
Unfortunately - as other have commented - the editing and storyline drop inexplicably in the last three episodes. I'd happily watch it again in a few years time as the characters and themes were so endearing, but I'd hesitate to recommend it to anyone because of the mangled ending. Perhaps the producers ran out of time or money.
Blow me away
zhangtianchi199128 June 2020
Initially, the show seemed to me like Stranger Things. Then, as things became intense, I felt like watching Breaking Bad. In the end, realizing how the ending could be interpreted two ways, it made me think of Fight Club. I haven't binge watch a show for a couple years now, until this one. Really enjoy this.
The best series of the 2020
ninadeamoy27 June 2020
What amazed me most is not how fascinating the assassinations occurred but how the real life of China of 15 years ago was vividly presented in the series and how the life of 1 self-abased teacher, 2 eye-half-shut parents and 3 sensitive kids accidentally mix together and obscures the boundary between good and evil.
Fairytale Ending from the Dairy
xieyinan_eh1 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I've read the original novel "The Bad Kid", and it's 10000 times darker than this show. The story details in the novel are much more cruel and people's minds are much more scary. It ended with Zhu ChaoYang possibly gets away with all the crimes he committed because the dairy he made up. Things in reality are cruel and dark, but in his dairy are better.
The writers and director of this show take this dairy idea. In EP 03, after Zhu ChaoYang's half sister mysteriously dropped off the building, he started to write a dairy. That's when he realized he needs a way to get away from things he did. And in the last several episodes, after Pu Pu possibly died, what the audience saw quietly turned from cruel reality to the better dairy fairytale. We see everything seems has a good ending. But, the director has carefully leaves us plenty of signs and hints that suggest the whole thing we've seen is not real. And let the audience ourselves to decide whether we would like to believe the good ending or not.
A must watch series from iqiyi
percy-505695 July 2020
awesome series
bkkunwar-1350026 October 2020
Loved it.finished watching today. special thank you too all the team behind creating this series. the work by the child actor is mind blowing. the teacher wanted a girl daugher. a small part also felt sorry for the teacher for being betrayed. overall the life is shown beautifully. how the life not always happy. its also sad.
Great and attractive
y-5387028 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
It's definitely the best Chinese show I've ever seen.The characters have really good performance and the book was fantastic!
It also includes some foreshadowing,like Zhu Chaoyang's diary.What's more,audiences can understand the end in different ways,especially the death of Yan Liang.Is he dead or not?
A fresh, unsanitized perspective out of China that began on a high note...
Smittyray12 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Finding quality TV series out of mainland China are a real challenge due to multiple restrictions on content. "The Bad Kids" did their best to circumnavigate the rule makers to get the story before an audience.
The show began with a shock that grabs you early on. There was a sense of realism that is rare in the series here - where over-dramatization, period pieces and hokey WWII dramas are produced like American soap operas. Divorce, mental health, and other taboo subjects rarely seen on Chinese TV were present, which is important as it is a fact of life and good for people to see this with, without exploiting to the point of doing so simply for fanfare.
The characters looked like real people you would meet, not overly 'beautified', making them relatable. Chao Yang, Yan Liang and Pupu could all be seen as normal kids who got caught up in something beyond their control. Same can be said about the supporting cast. The background setting in Guangzhou (believe that's where it was filmed) also added a very nice authenticity to the story.
After around the 7th or 8th episode, the show seemed to take a detour, leaving you questioning what was happening, why most of the characters showed little emotion or after-effects from serious loss of life happening around them. The story line was altered from the original novel to satisfy the regulators, but having not read it, I'm not sure what they are. Editing seems to have left some parts unclear to why they came about or where they went. The final two episodes were pretty disappointing.
One question: Yan Liang's father was arrested for something (drugs I believe), and at the time, he seemed mentally normal. Though later in the movie he was semi-catatonic or at least mentally lost. There was no explanation, and curious why.
Would love to see more reviews from China if they weren't so unnaturally positive - as in not legitimate and typically saying nothing about the actual movie.
The show began with a shock that grabs you early on. There was a sense of realism that is rare in the series here - where over-dramatization, period pieces and hokey WWII dramas are produced like American soap operas. Divorce, mental health, and other taboo subjects rarely seen on Chinese TV were present, which is important as it is a fact of life and good for people to see this with, without exploiting to the point of doing so simply for fanfare.
The characters looked like real people you would meet, not overly 'beautified', making them relatable. Chao Yang, Yan Liang and Pupu could all be seen as normal kids who got caught up in something beyond their control. Same can be said about the supporting cast. The background setting in Guangzhou (believe that's where it was filmed) also added a very nice authenticity to the story.
After around the 7th or 8th episode, the show seemed to take a detour, leaving you questioning what was happening, why most of the characters showed little emotion or after-effects from serious loss of life happening around them. The story line was altered from the original novel to satisfy the regulators, but having not read it, I'm not sure what they are. Editing seems to have left some parts unclear to why they came about or where they went. The final two episodes were pretty disappointing.
One question: Yan Liang's father was arrested for something (drugs I believe), and at the time, he seemed mentally normal. Though later in the movie he was semi-catatonic or at least mentally lost. There was no explanation, and curious why.
Would love to see more reviews from China if they weren't so unnaturally positive - as in not legitimate and typically saying nothing about the actual movie.
Best 2020 TV! Remind me of Sleepers, Into the White Night
phebychow3 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
It so happened a HK celebrity DoDo Cheng recommended The Bad Kids and claimed to be one of the best TV drama in 2020. It is a surprisingly good that I have ever expected. It is not just a crime TV drama, more than that, it is about human weakness in the dark side, whether human nature evil by born that I have to ask myself.
The plot is complicated but it will keep you chase until the end. Each character develops well and all key actors performed extremely good, especially the performance of three little actors. There are several scenes I can't held my tears with sadness and joyfulness e.g. Pupu wipes chaoYang's shoes, YinLiang & PuPu do odd job in return for ChaoYang's birthday present, they get the camera back with jumping happily.....
All settings are well-made and get to the fine details in each episode. The ending songs are so amazing.
The plot is complicated but it will keep you chase until the end. Each character develops well and all key actors performed extremely good, especially the performance of three little actors. There are several scenes I can't held my tears with sadness and joyfulness e.g. Pupu wipes chaoYang's shoes, YinLiang & PuPu do odd job in return for ChaoYang's birthday present, they get the camera back with jumping happily.....
All settings are well-made and get to the fine details in each episode. The ending songs are so amazing.
did the rave reviewers actually finished the show?
fengc-0955123 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The show started off really well and captivating. However, towards the last few episodes it delve into a hot mess of loopholes and confusing plots. It ended with one of the most confusing final episode a TV show I've ever seen, nothing makes sense- characters are dying left and right without the other characters reacting to it, one of the main character just completely disappeared onscreen. There were also tons of editing issues and jarring scene transitions towards the end.
I understand that apparently due to censorship they had to cut out and re-edit a lot of scenes in order to air, but that does not change the fact that what's shown to the audience is objectively a mediocre show.
I understand that apparently due to censorship they had to cut out and re-edit a lot of scenes in order to air, but that does not change the fact that what's shown to the audience is objectively a mediocre show.
Excellent TV series
ivan_dmitriev13 June 2023
Which actually dives into archetypal children's behaviours, and the consequences of the adults around them never growing up and never fixing themselves.
The deaths are very well thought out and placed, and the fact nobody cares about them only serves to highlight something that everyone knows but is afraid to admit to - when was the last time you actually knew about your neighbours, talked to them or got interested about what was happening in their lives?
The answer is probably - "Never", and is the same answer which is to be given in place of most parents who're too "busy", too overworked, or too traumatized themselves with their childhood traumas to get interested or to understand what's really happening in their children's lives.
I highly recommend this drama, along with other recent Chinese productions.
The deaths are very well thought out and placed, and the fact nobody cares about them only serves to highlight something that everyone knows but is afraid to admit to - when was the last time you actually knew about your neighbours, talked to them or got interested about what was happening in their lives?
The answer is probably - "Never", and is the same answer which is to be given in place of most parents who're too "busy", too overworked, or too traumatized themselves with their childhood traumas to get interested or to understand what's really happening in their children's lives.
I highly recommend this drama, along with other recent Chinese productions.
Preposterous plot which grew progressively worse
laogui-0444911 September 2022
Nevertheless as a student of Chinese I persevered to the end, 12 sessions. Lots of technical flaws, and an unbelievable plot. Acting of the three central characters, teenagers/children pretty convincing in frankly silly situations.
Cinematography and settings are pretty good, but the succession of deaths and murders and lack of involvement of the police were too much of a stretch of the imagination. Yet I enjoyed some of the family relationship portrayals, and the grey mean streets and quarters and dockyards.
The series was notably lacking in smiles and humour and similarly grey in setting and tone, but a special commendation goes to the actor who portrayed Pupu, a professional performance for one so young.
Definitely not recommended unless you are a Chinese language study freak (as I am)
Cinematography and settings are pretty good, but the succession of deaths and murders and lack of involvement of the police were too much of a stretch of the imagination. Yet I enjoyed some of the family relationship portrayals, and the grey mean streets and quarters and dockyards.
The series was notably lacking in smiles and humour and similarly grey in setting and tone, but a special commendation goes to the actor who portrayed Pupu, a professional performance for one so young.
Definitely not recommended unless you are a Chinese language study freak (as I am)
Really wanted to like this.
diaphanous1922 July 2021
Based on all the forum recommendations and hype (I read that Zhang Ziyi said this was a Chinese series that could finally match the quality of Western dramas), I decided to give this a go.
The first episode was excellent, but from then onwards, everything just got worse to the point where calling this series terrible would not be an understatement.
This drama had a mediocre script, inconsistent acting, extremely unrealistic scenes, too many 'convenient (or just plain lazy) coincidences' used to further the plot, horrible flow/sequence of events and an ending that felt like the director just gave up on the project and wanted to hurriedly conclude everything.
I have never felt so furious before, after finishing watching a TV series. Maybe it was the high expectations. It really felt like the director had zero respect for his audiences. The lose ends were just so 'in your face' that they are completely inexcusable.
The director should really go back to school and put in more effort in terms of preventing laughable lose ends, making the plot/storyline/acting more believable, studying character development, improving script selection/writing and perhaps learning how to present a proper flow/sequence of events. Basically learn how to actually direct a show.
All in, this drama is in no way watchable and not recommended at all. I really hope to see a quality Chinese drama one day.
The first episode was excellent, but from then onwards, everything just got worse to the point where calling this series terrible would not be an understatement.
This drama had a mediocre script, inconsistent acting, extremely unrealistic scenes, too many 'convenient (or just plain lazy) coincidences' used to further the plot, horrible flow/sequence of events and an ending that felt like the director just gave up on the project and wanted to hurriedly conclude everything.
I have never felt so furious before, after finishing watching a TV series. Maybe it was the high expectations. It really felt like the director had zero respect for his audiences. The lose ends were just so 'in your face' that they are completely inexcusable.
The director should really go back to school and put in more effort in terms of preventing laughable lose ends, making the plot/storyline/acting more believable, studying character development, improving script selection/writing and perhaps learning how to present a proper flow/sequence of events. Basically learn how to actually direct a show.
All in, this drama is in no way watchable and not recommended at all. I really hope to see a quality Chinese drama one day.
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