Comments on: Why is Chinese TV so Bad?

By: Guido

Guido — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:04:09 +0000

I think they should just allow American movies on TV.
I’m from the Netherlands (Europe) and i learned English mostly from American shows.
I never had issues with English in school because of the amount of American shows on TV here.
It will help students in China like TV more and help improve their English at the same time.
I’ve been in china and i barely ever enjoyed watching TV there.
I was always watching the news because i couldn’t understand Chinese (not that if i did understand i would find it any more amusing, with all the talkshows and Japanese war movies).

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 04:20:28 +0000

Kevin – heh, it’s one reason why the TV in the apartment we rent hasn’t been turned on in more than a year. It is amazing the amount of resources and money that go into TV shows and cartoons, and that the output is so terrible. My guess is because almost all of the contracts go to people with connections, not talent, and that is because the two industries are so strongly under the thumb of government.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 01:14:55 +0000

Yeah, as a Chinese-American filmmaker, I agree that most Chinese television shows are a few inches away from garbage.

My mother and father enjoy watching these television shows on Chinese satellite TV, but I can’t help but have to stifle my gag reflex when I see what they’re watching… it’s almost as if filmmakers in China have never learned how to actually shoot a film and instead just grab a crappy camera and start filming without any planning or insight, producing the worst-looking video I’ve ever seen. Seriously, I was making better video than that in highschool.

I agree that China should stop restricting and regulating their film industry with such a tight grip. Creativity needs air to grow and breathe.

Until that changes, one of my number one reasons why I have decided to stay in America is that I would never, ever be able to survive having to watch Chinese historical soap operas every day.

By: Raja

Raja — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 03:49:38 +0000

Chinese could learn from the Korean film industry. They have got a lot of great films over there

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:26:19 +0000

There’s a handful of decent Chinese TV shows that my wife likes =0

By: Clark

Clark — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:51:11 +0000

When I ask my Chinese students what their favorite TV shows are, they usually can’t name anything that’s actually from China. Their favorite shows are made in Taiwan or Korea.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:47:19 +0000

I think this is just a personal taste issue.

I LOVE Chinese TV dramas. Especially the historical dramas.

By: 大卫

大卫 — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 12:02:09 +0000

well im just so mad when i watch tv because is u see they only have the kind of program superpatriotic about the war, then is the superpatriotic farmer or farm girl, at he end the poorly indefence girl that is in love and cry in every episode

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:51:29 +0000

Wen – That’s good, any Taiwan shows you recommend?

There’s been a definite improvement in Chinese TV since I wrote this, but still a long ways to go…

By: Wenwang

Wenwang — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:36:56 +0000

I agree that loosening rules would help. The reason most TV dramas are set in the distant past and involve martial arts is that many other formats are off limits.

There are heavy limits on the kinds of talent shows that can be produced, and how they can be shot and shown, that killed the highest-rated show ever. Yes, that’s Super Girls, which had a final rated better than the Spring Festival Craptacular. Now I don’t think it’s on the air anymore.

Taiwan doesn’t particularly suffer this problem, and they make shows (even dramas, let alone political commentary, variety shows, comedy and talent shows) that I actually enjoy watching. They’re good enough that I watch purely for pleasure and my Mandarin has continued to improve while I live overseas and attend school in English.