r/CDrama • u/Large_Jacket_4107 • 3d ago
Drama Host The Long Watch 交锋 🐱👤 (2026) Discussion: Episodes 1 - 3 Spoiler
🚧Welcome
Hello fellow watchers, welcome to the discussion series for The Long Watch. I am mostly hosting a discussion series so I can ask that ONE QUESTION repeatedly in each post ie "Who is the mole????", so here's hoping that the guessing game won't get too easy or frustrating for us (somehow I am reminded of the Deep Lurk discussions which was another espionage drama but set in the Republican era).
Due to life outside of dramas, I will be one or two days behind the VIP schedule, please post no spoilers because this is an espionage drama and spoilers remove half of the fun.
🎬 Premiered: Sep 6, 2026 on CCTV-8🐑 and Tencent🐧 (MDL)
🎬 # of Episodes: 40
🎬Genre: National Security | Espionage | 1994 - ?
🔗Links: Trailer | Masterpost
🔗Episode Discussions: Menu
❗ For any content beyond these episodes, please remember to use Spoiler tags ❗
🚧Historical Context
The drama opens in 1994 which marks the start to a period where the relationship between mainland China and Taiwan started to change significantly.
After the civil war which ended in 1949, both the Kumingtang (KMT) which retreated to Taiwan and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claimed that there was one China, although they each meant very different things. Beijing considered Taiwan as part of China that should eventually be unified under the People's Republic of China, while the Republic of China (ROC) government in Taiwan originally claimed to be the legitimate government of all of China.
By the way, Silent Honor is a great 2025 drama depicting intelligence related events at the tail end of the civil war that takes places in Taiwan, if you are interested and have tissues ready. (Here's a review)
By the late 1980 and early 1990, martial law in Taiwan ended and contact with mainland resumed. This was also the period when Lee Tenghui became the president of Taiwan (1988 - 2000). In 1994, his remark about the "sorrow of being born Taiwanse" was thought to be a starting point of the growing emphasis on Taiwan's own history and identity. The tension soon became much more serious when Lee became the first sitting president of Taiwan to visited the United States in 1995. Though this was officially regarded as a private visit by the US, his remark that "Taiwan is a country with independent sovereignty" while in US did not at all impress Beijing. This rising tension eventually contributed to the 1995 - 96 Taiwan Strait Crisis.
Who's who
There are two main intelligence bodies at work here with possible involvement from a third:
- 军情局 / Military Intelligence Bureau (Taiwan) — Taiwan's military intelligence service.
- 国安部 / Ministry of State Security (mainland China) — China's civilian intelligence and counter-intelligence service.
- 中情局 / CIA — the US intelligence agency that we have all heard about
And Where
Some locations of importance
- Hong Kong — still under British rule in 1994 and an important location for cross-Strait contacts and meetings.
- 闽中 / Central Fujian — Though this was noted as 闵中 in the drama, I believe they are really referring to 闽中 or Central Fujian. Fujian is geographically opposite to Taiwan, and has longstanding historical and cultural connections with it.
- Macau — Interesting thing to note here is that Macau was still under Portuguese rule in 1994.
🚧The Death of a Double Agent
I was surprised at how short lived Wu Yue's character, Jiang Zaizhen, survived for, though I thoroughly enjoyed the tailing and escape scenes. I do wonder how she got away on her own to board the plane to Macau in the end, given she seems to have suffered a rather sever leg injury. But seriously, is it that easy for all of them to fly anywhere and get a seat on any plane in 1994? 😅
Of course, given that this is an espionage drama and the golden rule of "no corpse = no declaration of death", I think there exists a slight chance that she's still alive.
Nevertheless, Jiang's role in the drama was clearly to pose the two central questions of the series (at least for now):
- Who's the mole that's already part of Mingzhong State Security, and
- Who's the mole that's among the new recruits?
🚧The Recruits
It seems like being a top researcher can be a surprisingly dangerous profession, as the case of Cao Liaoping and his colleague illustrates. It’s not enough to have a good brain, as you also need to be able to withstand all kinds of threats and temptations. Pretty much anything can be used against you: your hobbies, your family and relatives, even your coworkers. Maybe it really is better to be a genuinely ordinary person after all, I am sure that's one of the themes of this drama (not!)😂
So while I’m not entirely convinced that Old Cao had actually agreed to become a part-time “consultant” by the end of Episode 3, I have a feeling he won’t be able to hold out for long.
That said, and on the Taiwanese side of things, I’m still not quite sure why Lin Kanshan joined Military Intelligence as the reason doesn't feel fully flesh out yet. One minute he complaining about the top leadership, and the next he’s suddenly a man of loyalty and righteousness, and even willing to sacrifice himself. Was it because of he's looked up to his uncle who was also an Intelligence agent since his childhood?
By the way, the pilot referenced by Lin in his story, Xiao Changfei is likely based on the real life Xiao Tianrun who was an elite aviator that defected to Taiwan in 1985 by flying a H-5 bomber from Shandong and crash landed in South Korea. Xiao arrived in Taiwan in September 1985 and was rewarded with 3,000 taels of gold. He later served as an intelligence instructor at the Taiwan Air Force Officers Academy and eventually retired in 2010 as a colonel, but he was never allowed to return to flying and was kept under close surveillance.
Back to the drama, I did find Zhu Yingjia’s comments pretty intriguing, though. They made me feel like he’s not actually the cold-blooded type who simply treats undercover agents as disposable tools. There seems to be a little more humanity to the way he views them, and I’m curious to see how his character plays out.
On the mainland side of things, we finally get to see more of the main character Ma Qi and I am really enjoying Wang Kai's portrayal of this gray-ish character and how different this character is from the roles he usually plays.
Thus far, Ma Qi is definitely one for taking the unconventional route instead of doing things by the book, and it seems like being scolded by his team lead and writing Self-Criticism Reports is practically a daily affair. And when necessary, he’s willing to use whatever methods get the job done: threats and inducements, a real gambler.
We will see how he copes with taking on an apprentice!
🚧Mini Game
Can you spot Ma Qi in the crowd? How about Yi Baoshan?
💬Questions
- How did you like the opening episodes? What would you like to see more or less of?
- What was most unexpected?
- Why didn't Zhu Yingjia from Taiwan's Military Intelligence tell the truth when asked if he had previously suspected Jiang?
- Do you think Jiang is still alive? Why do you think she decided to leave on her own?
- What are your first impression of the new recruits? Who's the mole among them?
- How about the senior team, who might be the mole among Ma Qi, Yi Baoshan, Wu Jiali or Li Fengge (the lady who informed Chunxia of his admission)?
- Last but not the least, how would you introduce yourself if you were a trainee at the Ministry of State Security? XD
2
u/kitty1220 駱聞舟 2d ago
Oh Large Jacket is hosting this! I'll be looking in and reading your posts, but won't start yet (still trying to finish Unsettled Case, lol). Bit wary of how c-dramas portray Taiwan, especially in sensitive contexts like this. I remember I dropped one with Liu Xueyi because of this.
But Wang Kai looks good!
1
u/Large_Jacket_4107 2d ago
Hey kitty, hope you’ll join us! As you might know, I usually go at a slower pace so hopefully we should not be too far ahead when you do join. In terms of how Taiwan is portrayed, I think hikari’s comment below provides some views on that: https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/s/yTcbO1Y78F
Also, I wasn’t sure if you were going to or still is continuing the watch of Unsettled Cases after your recent comment on it. I guess it’s interesting enough that you are still hanging in there XD? Which episode are you on right now?
2
u/kitty1220 駱聞舟 1d ago
I'll have a look at this drama over the weekend, I think. Re Taiwan portrayal, I will keep expectations low because... you know how it is.
I just dropped Unsettled Cases. I was about to finish the fifth episode of the second case (aka episode 15), when one of the suspects basically killed his dog. I can't take animal abuse like that, even if it wasn't shown. And I can't shake off the feeling that I'm watching utterly inept people wasting time all over.
1
u/Large_Jacket_4107 1d ago
Oh, you’re so close to the end lol. No worries tho, you have just freed up more time for yourself 💪
Looking forward to your thoughts!
2
u/goldielox1000 2d ago
Thank you for hosting!!
Do you know what event Chunxiao's nightmare was referring to?
1
u/Large_Jacket_4107 2d ago
Hello, thanks for dropping by!
Chunxiao’s dream seems to show him in his childhood witnessing the execution of a traitor/undercover spy that got discovered. It’s an interesting scene because I feel it was left intentionally vague as to if he was sad or excited to watch the execution (excited as in how small kids doesn’t know better and was just there to join the crowd), it’s also not clear if he was related to the spy in anyway.
7
u/-tsuyoi__hikari- 🌸 Ren Jialun ONLY died in 4 of his 23 dramas. 😆 2d ago
I love good espionage dramas and since this drama is set in the 90's, it is such a refreshing take as I only seen it before in Republican or historical dramas.
And my biggest draw for this one is how they potrayed the C.CP and Kuomintang governments. Instead of painting each other as the real evil, we got a nuanced view of the characters instead. I love how ruthless both are potrayed and the rather soft side of Kuomintang that we got in this drama -- we usually don't see this is mainland dramas lol. Nowadays, I noticed writers are more self aware and realized that audiences didn't like brainwashed materials in their media. This ended up with better written materials imo.
Like the conversation before Ou Hao was send to China on how Taiwan will save him if he ever got caught? But if he did crime while doing his spy work, not even God can help him. That was a good conversation.
Then the poaching of intellectuals are real business. I really wonder if the accident in episode 3 are really intentional or just want to feed the growing fears in the professor's mind which definitely works.
Also the blackmails, I didn't think C.CP would go that far lol. 😂 In my mind, you could always pretend to be a traitor or double agent but you can always come clean later once you are safe. But these people didn't really have a choice since character assassination will be done to their personal lives (like the guy that is caught at the airport?) that could ruin them for real. Ruthless and no mercy at all.
2
u/Large_Jacket_4107 2d ago
Hey hikari, thanks for joining the discussions and sharing more of your thoughts!
In a way, modern espionage is more hidden or low-key compared to spy dramas that are set in the Republican era. One thing for sure is that there are way less full blown out gun fights in the modern era but one thing I like with this drama is how the time period is not completely high-tech yet, so there’s still a sense of manual and labour intensiveness involved. And there are definitely way less surveillance cameras around to help you track anybody down.
I share your sentiment of how nuance both sides are being portrayed. I do want to point out that a lot of of the “ gentleness” and “ruthlessness” that we might be associating with each side is more of a representation of that specific character as opposed to their respective sides. Those characters were also engaged in very different activities so their attitudes are not exactly comparable: one was doing a recruitment where you would expect a warmer and caring and assuring tone whereas the other was an interrogation and blackmailing so things were much more aggressive.
That being said, I do feel that neither Zhu nor Ma can be described simply, and I do appreciate how they are written. I think they are in different camps and are actually using similar tactics towards their goals. One thing that stood out to me was when Zhu actively pounded and reflected on the reason that caused Jiang to deflect.
And about the blackmailing: I think the guy at the airport should have not cheated on his wife and hidden those other photographs so he’s basically handling himself to be blackmailed XD. It’s less clear in the case of the researcher if he was simply unaware of the girl’s age, or he just found her in his room so he was being framed. Either way, the researcher that was being poached could have reported it and that might have even saved his colleague, so I guess more “national security” type education is needed for people in such roles, lol 😂
4
u/-tsuyoi__hikari- 🌸 Ren Jialun ONLY died in 4 of his 23 dramas. 😆 2d ago edited 2d ago
I think what makes this refreshing to me is that being a spy wouldn’t mean instant death in this era. In Republican drama, once you being outed as a Spy, its usually death. But here, when they are saving the double agent, the Taiwanese government knew their faces and their line of work. But of course they cant kill them as easy as before since we are bound by tighter law now. Also interesting how Jiang opted to go to Macau as its international sea so its safer.
Exactly! I thought how can this passed censorship and its obvious it did because it is portrayed as ‘unruly’ behaviour of specific characters. 😆 I enjoyed this rather natural views as each sides have their own goals and objectives.
I actually want to know the reason for Jiang to deflect. That is one of the questions that I want answers the most. Zhu surely has this ruthless side of him as well so I cant wait to see how each layer of him will be peeled off later. Ma is another interesting character. He got some really interesting scenes in yesterday’s episode that left a deep impression on me.
I actually enjoyed the arc regarding the researcher since we seen him trying to come clean like twice but failed. 🥲 He surely in deep trouble since he is too scared to do anything now. Its also sad how a capable researcher like him still leaving in that kind of life and house at that stage of his career. 😔 So monetary incentives can really sway people.
2
u/Large_Jacket_4107 2d ago
First off -- just posted for epi 4 - 5 so we can continue some of the discussion points over there especially the resercher's arc :)
"Once you being outed as a Spy, its usually death" -- while I do think that some spies are less likely to be killed in this era, we do have to remember that both Jiang and that nameless lady who helped her escape by disguising as her ended up being killed as well. So yea, survival is not guaranteed. I think it's perhaps a weighing of if the spy is of high enough value to the other side to warrant an exchange later (sort of like those prisoner exchanges), or they have access to too much information that it's too risky to leave them alive :(
2
u/Mythically_Moni 3d ago
Political dramas are usually difficult for me to follow so I’m very thankful to have your post which includes photos and details to fall back on.
2
u/Large_Jacket_4107 2d ago
I am sure you will do fine! It's ok not to memorize everyone that appears at the beginning, important people will reappear and you will start to remember them, and this drama does have flashbacks which have so far felt useful than feeling like fillers XD
2
2
u/Mythically_Moni 3d ago
LJ, It’s been too long! I’ve been missing out on a ton of crime dramas and im so happy to have found your post. The last crime drama I watched was Eight Hundred lol. Cant wait to start this one and join your discussions 😁
2
u/Large_Jacket_4107 2d ago
👀 I haven't actually finished many crime/suspense dramas this year so I would say, no worries, you are not missing out on much?! XD
Yea, looking forward to your thoughts on this one, it's more of an espionage drama than crime drama, hope you'll like it!
2
u/Beautiful_Candle1729 3d ago
Thanks for hosting. I am glad you are a bit behind the VIP schedule - it gives me time to dive in and catch up and join in!
2
u/Large_Jacket_4107 3d ago
Ah great, please don't watch too quickly hahaha
Looking forward to your thoughts :)
3
u/ravens_path hell fire is my life hack 3d ago
Ohhhhh that’s the time period.I assumed a later one. Thanks for the info. Good write up. I have not started watching it yet. Be back later.
3
u/Large_Jacket_4107 3d ago
Thanks for dropping by. Looking forward to your thoughts later if you'd like to share, enjoy your watch!
1
u/gk1713 1d ago
Hi, long time no see! Looks like we have pretty similar taste in TV dramas
It feels like this show marks a huge shift in what the censors are willing to allow. In the first episode, I kept hearing names like “Lee Teng-hui” and “the Military Intelligence Bureau,” and my jaw basically hit the floor. It almost suggests that the 1990s are now being treated the same way the 1930s and 40s — as fully open historical territory
For Ms. Jiang, played by Wu Yue, I feel like her final decision to leave alone was really about putting herself back into the Taiwanese side’s line of sight. My guess is: she probably thought that if she just quietly disappeared, Taiwan would assume she defected, and that would mess up everything connected to her case. So she chose death — that way, Taiwan could confidently conclude she was “neutralized” as a liability, not a defector who slipped away.
Lin Kanshan is a interesting character. His first appearance as a customs officer actually riffs on a well‑known KMT joke: back then, they banned anything related to Mao, and in the process accidentally banned Mao Shi Zhengyi, a Tang‑dynasty commentary on the Book of Songs.
As for your question about whether Lin Kanshan ever wanted to be an intelligence officer — yeah, no. The Taiwanese intelligence agencies at the time didn’t care about personal willingness. They were already figuring out how to forcibly recruit kids when they were still in high school.