Another Great Watson: Inspector Qiao

The Chinese mystery show My Roommate is a Detective offers an engaging tribute to the Sherlock Holmes phenomenon. It also supplies a great Watson.  

Inspector Qiao is the Watson. An ex-gangster, he is now a police inspector. Although the position was clearly bought for him by his previous boss, Master Bai, he takes quite seriously the separation of the gangster code from the police code, what is expected of him in both contexts. There is bleed-through, of course, but the three main characters--Qiao, Lu Yao and Youning--all wish to grow beyond their origins: to leave behind the gangster family and the noble family. 

They become a solid trio, comparable to Parker, Alec, and Eliot in Leverage.

Qiao not only bears several similarities to the original Watson in Conan Doyle's short stories/novels, he bears striking similarities to other great television Watsons:

1. Watson accepts "Holmes" as he is. 

In BBC Sherlock when the two men are discussing relationships--and Sherlock confesses to not having much interest--Martin Freeman's Watson says steadily, "No, really, it's all fine." 

Sherlock is surprised. After a pause, he says in an almost puzzled way, "Thanks."

Watson means it. He might get mad at his detective partner, but the other man's intelligence and related idiosyncrasies truly don't bother him. 

Likewise, Qiao knows that he is, initially, out of his depth as a policeman. He recognizes Lu Yao's genius and uses it to his advantage. He exhibits no lack of confidence in his own authority or abilities by doing so.  

2. Watson has a liking for danger. 

As Mycroft says in BBC Sherlock, "Welcome back [to the war], Dr. Watson."

All the Watsons are good with weapons. They are willing to put their lives on the line. They move forward in a crisis. Joan Watson, for example, is willing to go head-to-head with Sherlock's father. She doesn't flinch when she threatens him and his subordinates.

Lu Yao is quite amusing here since he is not as brave as other Holmeses (that dog!). Qiao, however, is entirely fearless. He braves murderers, gang leaders, and Lu Yao's family. 

He only practices avoidance when Lu Yao and Youning start arguing, and then, he usually saunters away rather than runs.

3. Watson and Holmes are close friends.

The Watson-Sherlock relationships, whether male-male or female-male (or male-female or female-female) is primarily distinguished by the all-consuming friendship between the leads. 

It doesn't have to be love-romantic but it does need to be chivalry-romantic. Elementary accomplished this friendship to a surprising and notable degree. The two, Sherlock and Joan, form a unit against the world. Likewise, in BBC Sherlock, Mycroft gives "Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson" priority surveillance when he sees them together after Watson shoots the serial killer to protect Holmes.

In My Roommate, the three form a unit--"the closest people to me in this world," Qiao states. Yet the Holmes-Watson relationship is still the defining center. One of the cleverest aspects of the series is that the writers throw in a great many "BL" moments (quite deliberately--the tropes are givens) without those moments crossing over into love-romance. Yet the vibe is there. Lu Yao is never really happy unless he is investigating with Qiao.

Qiao is willing to go the distance for Lu Yao. Lu Yao is willing to overcome trepidation and laziness to go the distance for Qiao. 

A Sherlock needs a Watson--Leon Zhang as Inspector Qiao delivers.

"But if Lu Yao's father wants to bully him, the father is welcomed to fight with me."