Overall: with a few tweaks this could have been a 9.5 series but I actively do not want the main leads together especially when 3 years later one of them is still a narcissist. Very similar aesthetics to KinnPorsche which makes sense because it shares a director and screenwriter. It was adapted from the novel "Professional Body Double" by Shui Qiang Cheng which I haven't read and I'll base the series on its own merits. 12 episodes about an hour each. Airing uncut on iQIYI. First episode link: https://www.iq.com/play/my-stand-in-uncut-episode-1-1iwuiu9rlww?lang=en_us The production company also produced I Feel You Linger In The Air.

Content Warnings: a major one that is complicated but I'm keeping this spoiler free, non con kissing, punch/violence, intimate partner abuse, held against will, gaslighting, manipulation, past suicide?, manhandling

What I Liked
- the premise
- showed a condom and discussed sexual position preferences
- had a good conversation at the beginning of episode 2
- wanting/ongoing physical affection
- sweet moments in the beginning episodes
- supportive sister
- production value (some really nice camera shots, use of mirrors, switching focus on foreground to background etc.)

Room For Improvement
- I can't root for their relationship as explained below
- Joe's lack of agency, he had a bunch of awful things and felt cornered into doing things instead of it being his choice
- voice overs with exposition dumps
- felt choppy at times, a lot of time jumps in episode 1 though they were clear
- some of the music didn't seem to fit the tone (that fight in episode 4 was made comical instead of dramatic)
- wish a character hadn't been shown as extremely drunk at the end of episode 1
- love triangle, Sol overstepped and took away agency from Joe especially in episode 9
- extended flashback (episodes 1-4) with ominous voice overs
- nonsense stuff i.e. Ming just happened to have something at his house in episode 4??? Joe didn't have any bruises/blood on his face/head in episode 4, Joe happens to overhear key conversations, 1 person being extremely drunk and a stunt person not being able to get away

Thoughts on Grey Characters/Their Romantic Relationships
Sometimes these characters and their dynamic work for me and other times they don't. Here are the factors that I think about:
1. was there a realistic reason why the character/s acted the way they did in the past (sort of, but not to the level that Ming was at)
2. how bad was/is the treatment (extremely abusive and violent, Ming could have accidentally killed Joe in episode 4, 3 years later and Ming stays a narcissist he says "I always get what I want" and he actively ignores what would make Joe happy)
3. were both characters grey or was one squeaky clean (Joe was mostly squeaky clean but unbelievably dense and Ming was abusive and a narcissist and stayed a narcissist/manipulative and also stupid to not know why Joe didn't tell him something)
4. was there some kind of apology/amend making (verbal apology, promises to treat him better/give him job opportunities)
5. was there character growth (no, 3 years later and Ming is still a narcissist which is reinforced in episode 9 )
6. do I believe that the characters will stay together in a happy romantic relationship (right now no)
verdict after episode 9: I don't want them in a relationship together