Under The Skin
Under The Skin
Now Showing

Under The Skin

7.0
Yr 2022
Rt 45m
Status Ended
Drama Mystery Crime
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

Young artist Shen Yi's life changes when a commission leads to a police case gone wrong. Seven years later, he joins the Criminal Investigation Unit as a portraitist alongside Captain Du Cheng.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 90 /100

Critical reception for Under the Skin is overwhelmingly positive, with reviewers praising it as a standout Chinese mystery drama and a top highlight among procedurals. Critics commend the show's compelling narrative structure, emotional depth, and the strong investigative dynamic between the main characters as they uncover the truth behind complex crimes.

A major highlight for reviewers is the series' dedicated focus on real-world societal topics. Rather than relying solely on typical whodunit tropes, the episodic cases tackle heavy and nuanced issues such as identity fraud, abuse, societal standards of beauty, gender equality, and human trafficking, grounding the mystery in thoughtful social commentary.

Overall, commentators consider the drama a highly engaging and well-written series that offers a unique exploration of art and perception in criminal work, making it widely recommended for mystery fans.

“one of the better Chinese mysteries in a while and 100% worth a watch”

“Compelling”

“well written and very engaging series”

“Under the Skin did just that with the cases they incorporated into their drama. We saw everything from sexual assault to plastic surgery to fraud.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Rakuten Viki
US • CA
Tubi TV
US • CA • UK
Fawesome
US
Why fans love it

This 2022 mystery drama offers a distinct spin on the standard police procedural by placing a talented portraitist at the center of the Criminal Investigation Unit. Rather than relying entirely on conventional detective work, the series uses police sketches to unravel complex murder investigations. The cases touch on surprisingly varied topics, ranging from modern digital threats like deepfakes and fraud to grounded social realities including domestic violence, school bullying, and human trafficking.

Beyond the individual cases, fans respond to the central bromance that develops as a former artist works alongside a police captain. Featuring Tan Jianci, the show blends classic crime drama tropes with a focused look at artistic observation, building tension around both isolated investigations and the unresolved case from seven years prior that ties the team together.

Production Board

Crew

Screenplay
Jia Dongyan
Director
Shuqiao Liu Xing Jianjun
Writer
Zhang Han Min Zhang 张莱 Fan Zhang Wu Yao Liu Yifei
Executive Producer
Zhang Xiaobo
Producer
Zhang Yiyun
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Under The Skin overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

fraud plastic surgery human trafficking domestic violence bromance death murder investigation sketch artist police drama police procedural deepfake police sketch school bullying
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
March 06, 2022
Status
Ended
Episode Runtime
45 minutes
Origin
CN
TMDB Votes
36