Editor's Note: With a massive number of films, TV dramas, and variety shows being released every week, how do you decide what to watch? You might want to check out the recommendations from The Paper.
【Movies】
The Box Office
According to Lighthouse Professional Edition, as of November 22nd around 4 PM, "Good Things," "Gladiator 2," and "A Sure Bet" ranked as the top three films at the Friday box office.
The re-release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1)" came in fourth, followed by "Crayon Shin-chan: Dino Diary" in fifth, and "The Flamboyant Generation" in sixth.
Among these, "Good Things" dominated with 28.8% of the screenings and captured 43.1% of the box office receipts—an evident advantage. According to Lighthouse's all-day box office forecast, "A Sure Bet" is expected to surpass "Gladiator 2," moving up to second place.
→Director Shao Yihui of "Good Things": What Will Women Do After Awakening?
→"Good Things": Friends, This One is Really Worth Watching!
→"A Sure Bet": Is the Workplace Really This "Rectified"?
Starring Song Jia, the cast of the domestic drama "The Blossoms of Mountain Flowers" recorded a VCR to support the film "Good Things." Their official Weibo post stated: "Starting today, follow Wang Tiemai’s footsteps and step into the world of #GoodThingsMovie# together! See you in theaters!"
As of this writing, "Good Things" has a Douban rating of 9.1, while "The Blossoms of Mountain Flowers" has a rating of 9.6.
New Releases
Premiering｜Ridley Scott Talks "Gladiator 2": You Must Embrace Pressure
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【TV Dramas】
New Shows Launching
The costume comedy "Cloud Is Returning with Joy" held its launch ceremony on November 15 in Hengdian Film City and announced its cast. The series will be exclusively available on iQIYI, starring Zhang Yunlong, Zhang Jianing, Wen Junhui, and Zhao Zhaoyi.
The contemporary judicial drama "Extreme Criminal Litigation", produced by Huace Film & TV, held its launch ceremony on November 16, also exclusively on iQIYI, starring Wang Yang, Sun Qian, Xie Keyin, Tu Songyan, Aruna, Wang He, and Xu Lingyue.
Based on the novel of the same name by Rao Xueman, the youth web drama "The Skirt of the School Uniform" held its launch ceremony on November 18 and announced its lead cast, exclusively available on iQIYI, starring Xie Binbin and Zhang Xinyi.
The TV drama "The Great Dreamer", adapted from a novel from Jinjiang Literature City, held its launch ceremony on November 19 and revealed its full cast, co-broadcasted by Hunan TV and Mango TV, starring Shen Yue, Wu Hankun, Fan Shuaqi, and Zeng Kelong.
New series "Goddess of Justice" from Youku's Hong Kong drama unit started filming on November 16, starring Sheren Tang, Tan Yaowen, Chan Wai, Chow Kar Lok, Xu Shaohong, Ma Guandong, Jiang Zuman, and Dai Zuyi.
New Series Premiere
The youth campus web drama "Growing Up Together", starring Tian Hongjie and Ji Mihan, will premiere exclusively on iQIYI starting November 22.
The 25-episode urban romantic web drama "The Courage to Not Be Liked" will be exclusively available on Tencent Video starting November 23, featuring Li Gengxi, Wei Daxun, and Wang Hao.
Produced by Linghe Culture, the period drama "Douluo Continent: Soul of Fire Battle" will start airing on Tencent Video exclusively from November 25. This series and "Douluo Continent 1" have different production teams. The cast includes Zhou Yiran, Zhang Yuxi, Chen Muchi, Kong Xueer, Ding Jiayi, Li Xiaoran, and Shao Bing.
"Breaking Dawn"
After a 7-year hiatus, brothers Guan Hongfeng and Guan Hongyu are finally back. The timeline in the drama only spans two hours, but outside of it, it has been seven years. "Breaking Dawn" tells the story of twin brothers Guan Hongfeng and Guan Hongyu, who fight against a hidden criminal organization linked to a massacre, joining forces to uncover the truth behind the "2.13 Massacre" while ultimately triumphing over darkness. Notably, most of the original cast members are returning for the second season, providing viewers with an authentic crime investigation drama experience.
As of this writing, "Breaking Dawn" has achieved a popularity score of over 9500 on Youku.
The series launched with little notice, quickly gaining traction and climbing to the top of various lists alongside numerous historical dramas and midday features about to Wrap Up. Perhaps due to its surprise release, it hasn't garnered the attention expected. As of this writing, its popularity score on Youku has surpassed 9500.
The overall reception has been positive, with viewers noting it retains the same flavor, and Pan Yueming's dual role continues to showcase his acting skills. The distinct personalities of the two brothers stand out, although perhaps because the earlier episodes serve to bridge the two seasons, the case itself hasn't sparked much widespread discussion. The only relatively notable topic has been forensic doctor Gao Yanan, as Guan Hongyu's wife is temporarily absent due to giving birth within the plot. Young forensic doctor Fei Qiming fills in for her, but some viewers have expressed resistance to the new character, questioning if the addition felt forced. In terms of pacing, the series keeps up well with the evolving tastes of crime drama audiences since the 7-year gap.
"The Stars of the Sun"
"The Stars of the Sun" is a cross-time crime investigation drama directed by Huang Guoqiang and starring Chen Weiting and Liu Yase.
As a modern time-travel drama, this is rare in domestic productions. Given the casting, it is also a genuine Hong Kong production, with both the cast and crew stemming from the golden era of TVB. Perhaps due to the subject matter, the show’s promotions have been relatively low-key, but it has still gained remarkable popularity, breaking into the top ten on various Lighthouse and Yunhe lists. Currently, it has a score exceeding 22000 on Tencent.
As of this writing, the show has achieved a popularity score exceeding 22000 on Tencent.
Viewer feedback indicates the show still carries some of the coarser elements typical of Hong Kong dramas, with character portrayals being somewhat stereotyped, but the pacing is quick, resembling a cat-and-mouse escape room game, effectively leveraging the strengths of Hong Kong's crime drama genre while layering on a fresh narrative shell.
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【Variety Shows】
"Time Music Concert" Season 4 will air its seventh episode on November 22 at 10 PM on Hunan TV. This episode features "Time Family" welcoming powerful singers Lin Zhixuan, Peng Jiahui, Hu Haiquan, Huang Liling, and Hailai Amu for a grand performance.
Lin Zhixuan
On November 22 at 7:30 PM, the full-mic live music competition show "Next Battle Singer" will kick off! Bai Jugang + Huang Xiaoyun, Boyuan + Wang Yaoqing, Chixiu + Liu Baixin, Li Peiling + Faouzia, Yao Xiaotang + Hailai Amu will all be put to the test. For the first time in domestic music variety shows, audiences will enjoy a "live camera" broadcast to witness who earns the spot in "Singer 2025."
At 8:20 PM on November 22, a new episode of "You Sing 2024", produced jointly by Zhejiang TV and Tencent Video, will introduce a new competition format - the "Tear List Competition." Song-seeking officials Li Yuchun, Wang Sulong, and Zhang Xinzhe, with guest officials Ella Chen Jiajin, Yu Wenwen, Yang Zongwei, along with chart recommendation person Aflou, Deng Jianchao, DOBI Chen Zhi, and Milky Way Express will all participate. Musicians competing for spots include Bing Jie, He Xianren, Luo Sentao, Shao Shuai, and Zheng Hao, kicking off the "Tear List Competition." The current top three songs on the list are: "Your Sun," "Clearly (Deep In Love With You)," "The First Liar." After the first Tear List competition, how will the rankings shift?
On November 21, Jiangsu TV's "I Read Books on an Island 3" aired its sixth episode, in which Yu Hua, Su Dong, Xi Chuan, Cheng Yongxin, and Ye Zi will leave Heraklion and head to the small town of Rethymnon.
"Goodbye, Lover" Episode 6 "Selfishness" has been released, bringing a few hot topic figures back into the trending spotlight.
