Items within each tier are not ranked (i.e., ordering does not matter).
Many (all?) of these are also great study resources, and I’ve included an easily accessible spot to watch each one (most have bilingual subtitles).
S tier
* 漫长的季节 (The Long Season) [imdb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27628576/), [douban](https://movie.douban.com/subject/35588177/), [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIUwoUelB1E&pp=ygUP5ryr6ZW_55qE5a2j6IqC): One of my favorite shows in any language. Captures aging, loss, grief, and a slice of life in different eras, while also being a mystery story. The high douban rating speaks for itself. The Chinese metal song in one episode was also a nice touch. Highly recommended!
A tier
* 三体 (Three-Body) [imdb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20242042/), [douban](https://movie.douban.com/subject/26647087/), [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-UO8jbrIoM&list=PLMX26aiIvX5oCR4bBg2j0W4KKgjYtYBfv): A cool sci-fi show, with occasional bonus goofy English dialogue, which helps me understand how Chinese speakers probably feel every time I (try to) speak their language. I look forward to future seasons!
* 我在他乡挺好的 (Remembrance of Things Past) [imdb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15175228/), [douban](https://movie.douban.com/subject/35344085/), [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwplcLCln2c): Captures the pressures of modern life, cross-generational misunderstandings, and other themes in an entertaining way, and left me wanting a season 2 to see what the main characters would do next.
* 开端 (Reset) [imdb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17506706/), [douban](https://movie.douban.com/subject/35332289/), [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BpqrU3D-TU&list=PL4F27eQR19zPqALTS3f0diYMqAE_tWRll&index=1): A gripping, binge-worthy tale that had me guessing what would happen next throughout. Especially good for learners, since it tends to repeat itself.
B tier
* 棋魂 (Hikaru no Go) [imdb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13364846/), [douban](https://movie.douban.com/subject/27068009/), [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfblSbvhdSk): This show almost got me back into chess, but then I remembered I suck at it and my imaginary friend can’t guide me. Oh well. Fun show overall though.
* 隐秘的角落 (Bad Kids) [imdb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12477942/), [douban](https://movie.douban.com/subject/33404425/), [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkQg0r93-eU): Do you like sadness? Darkness? Do you have a bleak outlook on this cold, cruel world? This show is for you! Don’t get me wrong, it’s great, but it’s dark. Especially since I’m told the ending might be a figment of the main character’s imagination…
C tier
* 爱很美味 (Delicious Romance) [imdb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16711480/), [douban](https://movie.douban.com/subject/35297263/), [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-Z6bBs2KbA): A solid pandemic-era show that captures parts of that time in an irreverant and sometimes funny way. Especially when a character wants to get divorced and re-married on a single trip to city hall, just to save a second trip. The movie, on the other hand…less good.
* 大江大河 (Like a Flowing River) [imdb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9437032/?ref_=fn_al_tt_5), [douban](https://movie.douban.com/subject/26797690/), [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW75NoR6XjQ&list=PLQqbdnAgoRmZBp0GklnKNIvr2dn1GyYcS): Follows a few characters during the reforms of the 80s. Some good characters, also not the best-produced show, I guess? I enjoyed it overall, it just wasn’t as gripping as those above.
F tier
English titles intentionally not capitalized, for shaming.
* 流星花园 (meteor garden) [imdb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8690890/), [douban](https://movie.douban.com/subject/26974779//), [netflix](https://www.netflix.com/title/81005504): I heard one of the co-stars said the starring actress is meant to be a stand-in for ugly girls, to let them have a love story they can see themselves in. He got it wrong, though: he himself is meant to be a stand-in to let terrible actors have a TV show they can see themselves in, and dream that maybe someday, they, too, can act poorly in an awful show.
* 奈何BOSS要娶我 (well-intended love) [imdb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9886950/), [douban](https://movie.douban.com/subject/30258179/), [netflix](https://www.netflix.com/title/81092192): …he tricked her into thinking she has leukemia, so that she’d marry him, or something?
* 苍兰诀 (love between fairy and devil) [imdb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14922556/), [douban](https://movie.douban.com/subject/34779776/), [netflix](https://www.netflix.com/title/81622849): I made it through, like, half an episode. I’m not the target audience, though.
*Among the small number of shows I have watched. I am not a critic.
Nirvana in Fire or 琅琊榜. Blows every single Chinese costume drama out of the water and has a massive following in China. Also high douban rating.
The cast is also among the best of the best too. If you like political intrigue it’s for you. Also, other web novel adaptations will never come close lol.
I can’t remember where it’s available anymore because I watched it without English subtitles.
Anyone looking for more chinese dramas definitely check out avenueX on youtube, she does basic reviews (from -3 to 3 stars) and also does weekly updates on what new series are coming out to look forward to. Great place to swing by if looking for potential new binges 🙂
陈情令 (and the 动画 version of 魔道祖师 too) needs to be in S tier. Fabulously gay Chinese swordsmen/magicians and their adorable adopted zombie go on adventures, fall in love, and fuck up their enemies.
I was hooked on 漫长的季节，but unless they fixed them, those English subtitles often didn’t match what was being said in Chinese. If the subtitles were better I would even recommend it to my friends who don’t know/study Chinese.
Also, the 东北话 can be hard to follow for those who aren’t used to it.
Damn I didn’t realize three body had been adapted. Thanks for the list.
[The_Rise_of_Phoenixes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rise_of_Phoenixes) my favourite, I binge watched this which was a bit much … just realised you said recent but mentioning this anyway.
Cannot agree more about the rating of “Well Intended Love.” The premise of the show was so terrible, but then Season 2 really put the nail in the coffin and I stopped watching. Basically Season 2 is just: it was all a dream and she actually never knew him at all. WHAT?! Another curveball in an already terrible plot line.
I would also like to add [一家人之名 (Go Ahead)](https://mydramalist.com/40911-go-ahead) as a solid A tier show, because as someone who rarely cries watching shows/movies, it made me ugly cry like 5 episodes in. Would especially recommend to those that have a soft spot for the found family trope.
one show i really loved was the rational life… maybe i’m biased because it was my first ever cdrama. but i loved the premise and the characters and even though it was SO. LONG. (40 episodes at least), i was so hooked… maybe i’ll rewatch it now
great list thank you
Agreed on 开端 Reset. Excellent production values. The overall end of the series was rather weak IMO but the end of episode 12 was outstanding and positively gripping. Here it is for those who’ve seen it but warning, obviously heavy spoilers if you haven’t. The way the tune cuts through the background music at the pivotal moment is just excellent. https://youtu.be/1vLA6_0TRYs?t=2555. Edit: the youtube comments are correct, “CAUTION: PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU BREATHE NORMALLY DURING WATCHING THE WHOLE EPISODE. ”
I’m also extremely amused at how much this guy looks like president you-know-who https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZrqM6vSR0s&t=193s
If you can suspend your disbelief for a little, [香蜜沉沉烬如霜](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn-TyNptSPs) is a period/fantasy/romcom and it’s extremely enjoyable. The actors are stellar (except the Empress lol) and the costumes are beautiful (especially late episodes). It was reviewed bombed in recent years because the main actor was caught evading tax. So proceed as you like.
there’s r/CDrama come join there laaa
> Especially since I’m told the ending might be a figment of the main character’s imagination…
Why would you spoil that?
A-tier: 天下长河 The Long River, the landmark Chinese period drama covering the rare topic of how ancient Chinese river engineers tamed the Yellow River. Instead of the usual emperors, empresses, concubines, and powerful figures that we have seen a million times, the protagonists of this drama are two river engineers. Although it glorifies Emperor Kangxi in some places, it also shows the flaws of his period of reign and character and the funny (but sad if you think about it) office politics behind what you’d think would be a non-political issue that all political factions in the Court would get behind instead of fighting over. Highly recommended.
Edit: Excellent use of Early Modern Chinese and intermediate Classical Chinese and dialects. Take plenty of notes. It’ll be worth it.
I would also highly recommend 叛逆者 / The Rebel. It’s a late Republican era (2nd Sino-Japanese war and Chinese civil war) spy/thriller show that is very deeply embedded in that context, and the characters have both strong motivations and satisfying arcs.
It’s obvious communist propaganda (though to be fair no one ever comments on American TV propaganda) and the sound mixing is often not very good, but it’s really excellent. And it’s available [on youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l67-g6a7SL8)!