Editor's Note: With a vast number of movies, TV dramas, and variety shows airing each week, how do you decide what to watch? Consider checking out the recommendations from Pengpai Youxi.
[Movies]
Theatrical Box Office
According to Lighthouse Professional Edition, as of October 18, 3 PM, "The Volunteers: Battle of Life and Death," "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," and "Joker 2: False Delusion" are currently the top three box office earners for Friday.
Among these, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" continues to achieve remarkable re-release results, holding 6.2% of the screenings while accounting for 23.0% of the box office.
→The resurgence of "Harry Potter": What new joys come from revisiting classics?
"Joker 2: False Delusion"
Still from "Joker 2: False Delusion"
"Joker 2" has faced a significant backlash both critically and financially globally. It holds only a 33% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and its score hovers between 5.9 and 6 on Douban. The character of "Joker" collapses, the theme is disorganized, and the musical elements feel forced—this classic character feels wasted. Douban is filled with sarcastic reviews—"American second-hand rose," "Gotham turned into a music scene," among countless others.
→"Joker 2: False Delusion": The classic character of "Joker" is wasted
→North American Box Office | "Joker" tops the box office again, but not "Joker 2"
Other recommendations:
How "The Shawshank Redemption" transformed from a box office poison into a top-rated classic
[TV Dramas]
New Drama Updates
Based on the novel of the same name, the idol drama "Your Lies are Also Beautiful" is set to premiere exclusively on iQIYI starting October 19, starring Chen Xingxu and Zhang Yuxi.
The Hong Kong drama "Heroines of the Cliff", starring Li Yaoxiang, Hu Dingxin, Xiao Zhengnan, Luo Tianyu, and Xiaohua, will be exclusively available on Tencent Video starting October 21.
The web drama "Black and White Oath" is set to launch on Youku starting October 23, featuring Yang Xuwen, Tian Yu, Zhang Zhijian, and Gai Yuexi.
iQIYI's forensic-themed drama "The Door of Equality" commenced filming on October 15, starring Qin Lan, Zhang Youhao, Li Guangjie, Huang Yao, Cheng Taishen, and Lin Jiachuan, among others.
The historical drama "Light the Candle", adapted from the novel "Seven Songs," had its opening ceremony on October 17 and will exclusively stream on iQIYI. The series quietly started filming at the end of last month, led by Guo Junchen, Xia Meng, Wu Yuheng, and Zhou Yiru.
"Spring Flowers and Flame"
Still from "Spring Flowers and Flame"
This drama, led by Wu Jinyan and Liu Xueyi, is based on Heiyan's novel "Spring Flowers and Flame," telling the story of the Dayan Prince Murong Jing and the Qingzhou girl Meilin, who support each other in the torrents of fate, risking their lives to break free and flourish. The characters' eccentricities are intriguing, and the prince and female assassin setting adds a dynamic tension to their relationship from the start, filled with inequities and strong pull factors.
After its release, the drama has already surpassed 8000 in popularity on Youku, consistently ranking in the top five across various charts, including Lighthouse, Yoonhe, and Deta Wen, with stable and improving data. The show combines the traditional tropes of ancient romantic dramas with fresh elements of obsession, revenge, and the passionate highs and lows of love, driving significant online discussions in its premiere. However, compared to Wu Jinyan's previous revenge drama "Ink Rain in the Clouds," "Spring Flowers and Flame" seems to mishandle the expectations set by her vengeful character, as the leads reveal their feelings too early, impacting the viewing thrill. Nevertheless, audience feedback indicates that the core themes of obsession and revenge have solidly established a viewer base, with many eager to see where the story goes.
"Shangganling"
Poster for "Shangganling"
Directed by Liu Weiqiang and featuring an all-star cast led by Huang Xuan and Wang Lei, the drama "Shangganling," focusing on the arduous 43-day battle of the Shangganling Campaign, officially premiered on October 14. It recounts how the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, using tactical wisdom, engaged in intense 43-day battles, repeatedly contesting for the high ground against UN forces, repelling over 900 attacks and ultimately securing their position to turn the tide of the battle.
To ensure the drama reflects historical authenticity, veterans and scholars have been brought on as military and literary consultants, striving for a comprehensive and objective portrayal of the Shangganling Campaign. The production features an impressive set, including a 2-kilometer-long, 5000-square-meter trench.
Each scene realistically captured by the actors makes viewers feel like they are flipping through a "visual history" book, transporting them back to that passionate era of heroic aspirations at Shangganling.
Other recommendations:
"Black Moonlight": The "evil woman" revitalizing the sluggish Hong Kong dramas
Japanese actor Nishida Toshiyuki passes away at 76
[Variety Shows]
On October 16, Zhejiang Television announced the lineup for "Run! Tea Horse Road Version", featuring "brotherhood" members Li Chen, Zheng Kai, Sha Yi, Bai Lu, Zhou Shen, Fan Chengcheng (on leave), Song Yuqi, and the Time Youth League's Zhang Zhenyuan coming together for an exciting plan—team-building in Yunnan!
On October 17, Jiangsu Television officially launched "I Read on an Island 3". Authors Yu Hua, Su Tong, and Cheng Yongxin took a boat to Crete, Greece, where they encountered a romantic sunrise. Host Meng Fei became the first guest at the island's reading house and joined the group under the new identity of "seasoned reader." This marks the first time "I Read on an Island 3" has ventured outside the country, and the guests seemed enthusiastic. "Life is a journey, and a trip to Greece is a memoir crafted through footsteps," Yu Hua remarked.
Finalists poster for "Comedy King Stand-Up Season"
On October 18, the finals of "Comedy King Stand-Up Season" aired on iQIYI. The tenth episode (part one) is 4 hours, 16 minutes, and 18 seconds long, and the final champion will be decided in tomorrow's episode (part two).
This summer, three comedy shows—"Wonderful Night," "Comedy King Stand-Up Season," and "Talk Shows and Their Friends"—were aired, allowing viewers to experience the "joyful troubles" that come with them. If one were to watch all the weekly updates and spin-offs, there would be hardly any free time left for viewers.
Compared to "Wonderful Night," the standout feature of this year's two talk shows is the rising prominence of female comedians, who consistently appear in multiple trending search terms with each episode. However, by the finals, only Shan He remains among the "friends," while "Comedy Stand-Up" has just Xiao Lu and Tang Xiangyu left.
Thus, when Tang Xiangyu was eliminated during the finals, her sentiments were particularly moving.
On October 18, "Time Music Concert" Season 4 aired its second episode on Mango TV and Hunan Television. In this episode, the “Time Family” members Zhang Hanyu, He Jie, Shang Wenjie, and Li Xiaoyun competed against “Happy Boys” Su Xing, Wang Lixin, Zhang Yuan, Yao Zheng, and Wu Yi through simultaneous singing.
On October 18, the opening ceremony gala of the 15th China Golden Eagle Television Arts Festival was broadcast live on Hunan TV and Mango TV. The event featured three foreign friends and "Three-Body" screenwriter Tian Liangliang, along with "Singer 2024" producer Hong Xiao, who shared various perspectives on the cooperative achievements of cultural exchanges between China and the international community in recent years. Singer Sun Nan performed "Golden Eagle Soundtrack," a retrospective of theme songs from excellent television productions in recent years.
The reality show "National Medicine Youth Aspiration" has gathered a group of five young people—Aoziyi, Wang Mian, Wang Yijin, Xu Lu, and Xia Zhiguang—into the "National Medicine Youth League." Equipped with respect and a sincere exploration spirit for the mysterious world of traditional Chinese medicine, they set off following a "research and experiential map" designed by TCM masters, tracing the footsteps of ancient "divine doctors," seeking mentorship from contemporary prominent physicians. The show opens the door to Chinese medicine culture in a unique way that combines experience and travel, airing weekly on Fridays at 20:45 on Mango TV starting October 18.
On October 18, the second episode of "Have Song 2024", co-produced by Zhejiang Television and Tencent Video, was aired. Artists like Li Yuchun, Cai Jianya, Dai Peini, and Wang Sulong performed classic and new songs.
Other recommendations:
Exclusive Interview | This time, Xie Di Kui chose the "uncontrollable" path again
"Guarding Liberation West 5": A Law Enforcement Documentary More Gripping than the Novel
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