Derailment
脱轨
Completed · Premiered 2023-12-14 · 30 episodes · ~45 min/ep
About this drama
Jiang Xiaoyuan, once a wealthy socialite, finds herself thrust into a parallel world where she is a struggling working girl with nothing to her name. Alongside the enigmatic Qi Lian, she embarks on a desperate search for the truth behind her mysterious identity shift and the connection between their two worlds.
Who this is for
Viewers who like a romance built around a sci-fi puzzle, where the mystery of why the heroine's life has changed is revealed piece by piece. Fans of Priest adaptations and of slow-reveal plotting will get the most out of it; anyone who wants a light, purely romantic watch or tight hard-science logic may find it frustrating.
Our take
Based on Priest's novel, this is one of the few mainland dramas to try a sci-fi mystery premise, and reviewers credit it with revealing its secrets at a steady, rewarding pace. Liu Haocun gets most of the praise, especially for her emotional scenes, while opinions on Lin Yi split between finding him calm and appealing and finding him a little bland. The Chongqing location shooting is frequently singled out as attractive. Common complaints are that the heroine's personality swings between confident and helpless, the antagonist arrives too late to matter much, and the ending ties things off in a rush.
Pacing & content notes
Sets up its premise quickly and keeps feeding clues through the middle investigation stretch; reviewers say the last two or three episodes feel compressed and flatter than what came before.
Heads up
- Heroine's paranoia and distress are played at length
- Rushed, somewhat messy finale
- Some plot holes in the science premise
Where to watch
- Youku · Official title pageAvailability varies by region; check the platform.
Cast
Directed by Shen Yang
- Liu Haocun as Jiang Xiaoyuan
- Lin Yi as Qi Lian
- Huang Shengchi as Jiang Bo
- Fan Shiran as Feng Ruixue
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Should I watch?
- Assessed as having a strong female lead
- Assessed as having no love triangle
- Modern setting
- May not suit you if you prefer low angst
Story traits
- Romance
- 6 / 10
- Angst
- 7 / 10
- Comedy
- 2 / 10
- Pacing
- 4 / 10
Traits and editorial notes are researched from published sources with AI assistance and editorially checked (how we review).
Tags
- Drama
- Mystery
- Romance
- Thriller
- Hidden identity
- Slow burn
Ending
The leads end together; several viewers felt the final couple of episodes wrap things up in a hurry.
Ending classification & spoiler details (optional reveal)
Reveals the ending classification (happy, sad, bittersweet or open) and ending details if available.
Frequently compared with
- Reset
- Someday or One Day
- W (Korean)
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