Crime franchise returns to streaming with artistic flair

Three years after its debut first made a splash online, the second series of Under the Skin, a drama centering on a genius forensic artist began streaming on Tuesday, rapidly gaining viewers.

Consisting of 28 episodes, the latest season sees Tan Jianci reprise his role as the skilled specialist, alongside Jin Shijia, who plays a dedicated police officer. Once again, the pair team to solve a series of murders, including those of three members of a pop group.

Liu Shuqiao said that she was pleased to have been approached to direct the series, as it explores forensic artistry, a topic rarely depicted in China, and combines case-solving with artistry.

Liu Zhao, art consultant for the series, said that he has made 500 paintings for the show, drawing inspiration from a wide range of schools from expressionism to surrealism, as well as from Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung's theories of analytic psychology.

Zhang Yiyun, the chief producer of the franchise, said that there will be 12 cases in the second season, depicting groups ranging from marginalized communities and zealous fans, to children suffering from domestic violence.

Zhang added that the protagonist is shown using a variety of materials, from watercolor, pastels, and oil sticks, to colored pencils, to refine the portraits, giving the crime series an unconventional artistic touch.