Suspense series delving into dark human nature

Despite being in her 70s, scriptwriter Zhao Dongling still maintains the routine she has followed for years — getting up early for a walk, then spending the rest of the day writing in her study.

In this "easily exhausting" environment, Zhao drew inspiration from the American black comedy crime drama Fargo, penning the 12-episode crime series Sandstorm — her first online series, as executive producer Gao Qunshu revealed during a seminar in Beijing.

The drama, which revolves around the re-opening of an eight-year-old murder investigation, earned a rating of 8 out of 10 on Douban, making it one of the highest-rated suspense series on the platform.

The story begins with the discovery of a widow's body inside a heating station boiler; the police quickly pin the crime on the station's director. But eight years later, a dedicated police officer reopens the case, uncovering a truth far more complex than anyone had suspected.

Gao said the drama was shot in Guazhou county in Northwest China's Gansu province, as the region's remote and desolate atmosphere matched the tone of the story.

Director Tan Jiayan said it took three years to polish the script and another two years for filming and postproduction. "The series uses the framework of a crime story to explore a deeper theme — how human nature is tested under extreme conditions," he added.