Million-Follower Detective Review
Director: Shaun Su
Date Created: 2026-02-12 20:10
3.5
Million-Follower Detective Review: Directed and written by Shaun Su, and stars Ekin Cheng as Chen Chia-jen, alongside Patty Lee, Lee Lee-zen, Shou Lou, Wang Po-chieh, Buffy Chen, Chloe Xiang, Yang I-hsuan, Kent Tsai, and Zhan Huai-yun. Netflix’s Taiwanese crime drama 百萬人推理 consists of eight episodes, each running approximately 45 minutes. The series revolves around a veteran detective who is forced to collaborate with a rookie officer and a popular influencer to solve a string of murders connected to a mysterious online fortune teller known as Baba Witch.
Million-Follower Detective Review
In Netflix’s Million-Follower Detective, the plot does not waste any time in propelling us into the midst of chaos as a result of a shocking event outside a police station that sparks public outrage and social media frenzy. What follows is a thrilling investigation where social media rumours run as quickly as the police investigation, creating a confusing line between fact and social media fiction. As more influencers die mysteriously, the figure of Baba Witch looms large in the background, transforming the entire plot into something much more complex than a simple whodunit.
The Taiwanese series Million-Follower Detective reaches its peak when it delves into the social commentary surrounding digital culture. The series examines the rapid rate at which stories develop online and how the public’s opinion can influence the integrity of the police investigation. The show does an excellent job of exposing this frightening fact; it illustrates the distortion of truth as it passes through millions of subjective opinions.
There is a stark contrast between Chen Chia-jen and the younger detectives working with him. Chia-jen’s style is very traditional compared to the younger detectives’ styles, which are much more modern and contemporary. Because of this difference, their partnership is anything but seamless, making it all the more fascinating to watch as they solve crimes together. The generational gap between them also emphasises how crime-solving techniques have evolved in this technological age.
Baba Witch’s persona is one of the most captivating aspects of this show because she has no name, so she has this air of mystery that contributes to the overall eerie sense in the story. People don’t seem to trust Baba Witch because her predictions appear to come true, and therefore, there is an element of paranoia not just for the characters themselves, but also for the audience at home.
The series also maintains a “realistic” way of presenting the events and doesn’t rely on complete fantasy; rather, it relies on trickery and coincidence to create the impression that these are indeed real events, and that affects the belief in the major plot points. The story is also contemporary because it is not based on magic, but rather on how we interpret events occurring around us.
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As the mystery unfolds and we learn more about how the different characters are connected to each other, the second half of this show has a great build-up and doesn’t ever slow down. There are times when they stop and draw focus to some of the personal stakes involved for each character, and while most of those moments work to enhance the emotional impact of the whole, there were a few too many instances where it felt like they would drag on longer than necessary. But for the most part, they successfully balanced the investigation with the character development.
Ekin Cheng gives the series Million-Follower Detective a realistic feel through his performance, which is incredibly accurate and in-depth on an emotional level. He does an excellent job of navigating between his work-related responsibilities and his personal life, as he portrays a character who has a very understated aspect of emotional complexity that gives added dimension beyond just the police procedural aspect of the plot. Patty Lee and Shou Lou do an outstanding job of portraying their characters as well, and all three have the dynamic and authentic quality of friendship that carries through even though the storyline does take a much more dramatic turn.
The Million-Follower Detective series does not shy away from its dark side either. There are parts that will leave you feeling emotional long after you finish watching, showing how serious the crime being investigated is, while not in a voyeuristic manner, but instead by going into the aftermath, psychological and emotional aspects of it, rather than just a shock value perspective. The dark mood created by the shadows of the city and the way that the soundscape throughout the show matches the themes of secrecy and online paranoia gives the series more character.
Where it falters slightly is towards the end, where they veer into being predictable. Everything builds nicely; however, there are plot twists that (for the viewers who have watched a lot of crime stories) seem like something you have seen before. Emotional impact is there; however, it does not necessarily feel completely surprising to the reader. Narrative development of some of the supporting characters could be more effective; at times, their storylines take a backseat to the three main characters.
Netflix Million-Follower Detective Review: Summing Up
Taiwanese show Million-Follower Detective combines crime thriller elements with commentary on social media culture in an interesting way. It may not break new ground in the genre, and some of the plot twists are easier to anticipate than they should be, but the acting and themes keep it interesting and relevant. The series will keep you invested in both the mystery and the characters, and that’s what makes it so effective.
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