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High quality, non-idol costume dramas rec list
A few people reached out and asked me for recommendations on non-idol dramas. I'm sticking to historical and costume dramas because that's what I usually watch. I've mentioned the ones I've seen and many, many others are on my watch list. Feel free to share and discuss more such non-idol dramas and what you loved about them.
Dramas I've seen and highly recommend:
- Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1994): Is it long and requires you to open Wikipedia tabs? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Top notch acting from everyone, great attention to detail and accuracy, copious use of classical Chinese and poetry, and great pacing, I was literally glued to my screen for this one.
- The Great Revival: I have a weakness for Chen Daoming and walked into this one with no context. One word - amazing. The acting is stellar, the historical accuracy high, cinematography is beautiful and almost noir like in places. I'm still watching this one but it's quite difficult not to rave about this one.
- Empresses in the Palace/ Legend of Zhen Huan: one of the best Qing harem dramas, perhaps only topped by War and Beauty. Harrowing in it's character depiction, although it has it's share of plot holes, I still think of and commiserate with Zhen Huan and every single woman in that stuffy hougong.
- Joy of Life: Season 3 when?!! This drama made me firmly stay in Cdramaland. I remember seeing Zhang Ruoyun and Cao Cuifen in a scene and went, "Wow, I really wasn't expecting this level of acting and nuance." It has something for everyone. Elements of wuxia, struggle for social justice and basic dignity, poetry slams, family drama on steroids, betrayals and murders, diplomatic incidents provoking war. You'll never be bored.
- Swords into Plowshares: You know you're watching some seriously bleak stuff when 10 minutes into episode 1 there is >!filicide and cannibalism. !<It's brutal, gorgeously cinematographic, continuously struggles with morality, tender in places, and acted really well.
- Ming Dynasty in 1566: A slow, measured, and quietly violent drama. There's a great deal of historical accuracy in the characters (just not the costumes and props though), seriously Chen Baoguo's performance as the Jiajing emperor scares and impresses me even today. You slowly come to the crushing realization that the system is rotten to the core and does not care if common people live or die.
- Ripe Town: a short, dark, grimy thriller in the late Ming dynasty. You can literally taste the decay in the air; the lighting is that superb. I watched this within 2 days because it is rather well paced and compelling. Ripe Town does not pretend to cast a blanket on cruelty, corruption, or betrayal. It tells it as it is and there is little closure or true justice in the end despite the case officially being solved.
- Kangxi Dynasty: Siqin Gaowa as the regal Empress Dowager and later grand empress dowager is reason enough to watch this one. Also kudos to all the actors who have played Kangxi, they've done a wonderful job. Part of a three drama series, I'm now pumped to watch Yongzheng and Qianlong dynasty.
- The longest day in Chang'an: one of the most period accurate dramas ever. Lush and gorgeous lighting, great acting by a varied cast, I ended up falling in love with the Tang dynasty and it's beautiful poetry. It does stretch a bit more than what's strictly necessary, but I loved every minute of it.
- The Rise of Phoenixes: a thrilling, intelligent succession drama marred by a terrible number of cuts and choppy editing. I first saw Ni Dahong in this and was beyond impressed by his portrayal of a cruel but brilliant emperor. Revenge, secrets that cost you everything, family politics, witchcraft, again a drama that has everything, and you won't be bored for the most part.
- Sha Er Shi Zhang/ The Naive Leader: a rather humorous republican era drama. No, that's not a contradiction. Acted almost entirely in Sichuanese dialects, it has a folk element to it in the tale of a wise fool who climbs the ranks of the army to be a great general. There's quite some serious stuff going on though and a lot is being said in the guise of humor.
Dramas I've yet to see (I'm restricting myself to only 10 because otherwise this list will never end):
1. Nirvana in Fire
2. Ruyi's royal love in the palace
3. The rise of the Tang empire
4. The emperor in Han dynasty/ Han wu da di
5. Fearless blood
6. The eloquent Ji Xiaolan
7. The king's war
8. Qin empire series
9. All quiet in Peking
10. Palace of desire
u/Both-Improvement-880 — 14 hours ago
