Despite the truly disappointing disappearance of an interesting plot line towards the end (which was apparently due to censorship), this series—including season 2–is without a doubt the best DMBJ adaptation so far. The casting and characterization is downright astonishingly good. The decades-long friendship between Wu Xie, Pangzi, and Zhang Qilin feels completely real and much deeper than in any other version I’ve seen. Their chemistry is incredible and all three actors completely embody their characters. Plot missteps towards the end are outweighed by a great first half and the joy of seeing the Iron Triangle brought to life better than any adaptation before or since.