Synopsis
College student Li Shiqing and game architect Xiao Heyun find themselves trapped in a time loop after a bus explosion, repeatedly reliving the same moments to prevent the disaster and uncover the truth.
Overview
"Reset" (Chinese: 开端) is a 2022 Chinese sci-fi mystery drama starring Bai Jingting and Zhao Jinmai. The series follows Li Shiqing (Zhao Jinmai), a college student, and Xiao Heyun (Bai Jingting), a game architect, who become trapped in a time loop after a bus explosion on Route 45. Each time they die, they wake up at an earlier point before the blast. From initial panic and confusion, they gradually transform into active investigators trying to prevent the catastrophe.
Adapted from the novel of the same name by Qi Dao Jun and produced by Daylight Entertainment, "Reset" is one of the first Chinese dramas to explore the time loop narrative concept. Its fresh premise and tight pacing made it one of the most talked-about Chinese series of early 2022.
Plot
The story begins on an ordinary Route 45 bus. Li Shiqing dozes off and is jolted awake by a violent explosion. When she opens her eyes again, she finds herself back on the bus before the blast. Each loop, she tries to warn others and change the outcome, but no one believes her until she pulls game architect Xiao Heyun into the loop as well.
Together they investigate each passenger: an old farmer carrying a watermelon, a middle-aged man suffering from asthma, an uncle holding a woven bag, a white-collar woman with a cat. Each passenger has their own story. Eventually they discover the explosion is connected to driver Wang Xingde and his wife Tao Yinghong. Their daughter Wang Mengmeng suffered a tragedy on the same bus, and the couple chose this extreme method to seek justice.
Cast
| Role | Actor | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Xiao Heyun | Bai Jingting | Game architect pulled into the loop |
| Li Shiqing | Zhao Jinmai | College student, loop originator |
| Wang Xingde | Huang Jue | Bus driver |
| Tao Yinghong | Liu Dan | Bus passenger, Wang's wife |
| Ye Qian | Liu Yijun | Criminal investigation captain |
Cultural Impact
"Reset" became one of the most popular Chinese dramas of early 2022, scoring 7.9 on Douban. At just 15 episodes, it told a complete story without the padding common in many Chinese dramas. The show's ensemble cast of ordinary passengers received particular praise. Each seemingly unremarkable passenger carried their own life struggles and heartwarming stories.
The drama is regarded as a significant breakthrough for Chinese sci-fi mystery genre, proving that the time loop narrative model already mature in Western television can find acceptance among Chinese audiences. It demonstrated that genre experimentation in Chinese television can succeed when grounded in relatable human stories.
References
- Douban: https://movie.douban.com/subject/35624618/
- Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/开端/59083140
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reset_(TV_series)
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