Its all started when I got bored with American TV series that is monoton and with too many CGI. Then I remembered some old TV series that I watch during childhood but never have a chances to know the full story and/or finish it, one of them is The Legend of Condor Heroes.
The Legend of Condor Heroes (1983) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is the OG of chinese series and novel. Everyone who live in Asia during 1980-1990 will know this television series.
Its begin when a greedy prince Wanyan Honglie wants to marry a wife of brother Yang Tiexin. With its evil schemes, the greedy princes try to kill brother Yang, but luckily he able to run away with help of their sworn brother Guo Xiaotian. Unfortunately, brother Guo get killed and his pregnant wife run to Mongolia for safety.
At home, brother Yang’s wife, which is also pregnant, got news that his husband is getting killed by bandit. The cunning Wanyan persuade Yang’s wife to stay in his palace until giving birth.
Brother Guo’s wife give birth to a son name Guo Jing, life in Mongolia, and befriend with Genghis Khan and their kids. He is honest, brave, and righteous but a little bit slow mind. Brother Yang’s wife also give birth to a son named Yang Kang. He is clever like his step father Wanyan but also greedy and cunning.
The adventures began when Guo Jing wants to find his father and Yang family.
The Return of Condor Heroes (1983) ⭐⭐⭐
This is the second series of the Condor Trilogy, continuing "The Legend of Condor Heroes".
Remember Yang Kang? The son of brother Yang that raised by princes Wanyan, enemy of Song empire. He have a son named Yang Guo (Yoko), raised by Guo Jing and his wife Huang Rong. Guo Jing then send him to Quanzhen school to learn about moral and martial arts. Due to his father history, he is always treated unfairly and being bullied as a kids by others. With his rebellious character, he run away and meets "Long’er" (Bibi Lung), a lady that become his master and later his lover.
Yang Guo and Long’er than begin the journey together. During the journey, Yang Guo eventually learn about his father. At some point both of them got poisoned. They found the cure but it can help only one person. To safe Yang Guo, Long’er run and promise to meet him again years later in the top of the hill. During his sole journey, Yang Guo learn many martial arts, and become the most powerful hero that save Han people. Will Yang Guo and Long’er meet again?
Los simuladores ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Los simuladores is classic TV series from Argentine.
If you familiar with Mission Impossible, this is looks like that but with low tech.
With four members of the vigilante team, where each member has different unique skills, they help peoples in problems by creating a simulation in which the victim will fall into it and submit to their demands or confess to their crimes.
Each cases has unique story and solution.
Okupas ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another great series from Argentina television.
Plot from Wikipedia,
Ricardo, a 24-year old dropout med student receives an invitation from his cousin, Clara, to stay at an old house in the Buenos Aires neighbourhood of San Nicolás. The house had been until then squatted by a group of families who were recently evicted. Never minding the situation, Ricardo settles in the dilapidated house. He decides to invite his working-class friend, Sergio "El Pollo", who makes ends meet as a debt collector.
New characters are introduced over the course of the episodes: Walter, a lazy dog walker, and "Chiqui", an easy-going pothead who’s living in the streets until he’s welcomed into the house by Ricardo. The four become involved in a number of situations with drugs, crime and gangs, all while developing an increasingly close friendship.
Three Kingdoms (2010) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
One of the most epic war stories based on novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". Along with Condor Trilogy and Water Margin, this is considered as one of great classical Chinese novels and TV series.
I cannot describe the plot in one or two paragraphs here because the story is too complex with many characters involved. There are no protagonist nor antagonist (if you can view it from other perspectives).
The actors, scripts, and cinematic also beautifully played and crafted. The only way to understand it is by watching it.
Story of Yanxi Palace ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wei Yingluo, a brave and clever woman, enter the court to revenge her older sister that is death in the palace. Working in the palace while secretly seeking for information, makes her also almost get killed. The more she dig deeps, the closer her to the Emperor.
Her plainness and cleverness to get out of many problematic situations makes the Emperor attracted to her. At some point she become the favorite servant of one of consort and help her with politic between consorts.
You will laughs and cries until Wei Yingluo finally found the real killer and revenge.
Legend of Dragon Pearl ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is a romance comedy drama about the last princess of Ming Dynasty that swapped during child and grown up with group of rebel that want to restore Ming dynasty.
As one of the member of rebel group, Li Yihuan and the other members assigned to be spies in the palace. During their journey, Li Yihuan meet with undercover Emperor. They both become a sworn brothers (Li Yihuan also disguised herself as a man). The undercover Emperor known that Li Yihuan actually a woman and with her character, fall in love with her. The conflict arise when each of identity of rebel member known by Emperor, including Li Yihuan. Will Li Yihuan and rebels able to live? Even restore Ming dynasty?
Nirvana in Fire (a.k.a Lang ya bang) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mei Changsu, the chief of the pugilist world, goes to capital to support Prince Yu to fight for the throne, as a strategist. Unknown by others, he secretly support the other princes, Prince Jing, an underdog that are not well supported by others, even by his father, the King.
During their fight for the throne, one by one, people around him has suspicion that he is not the real Mei Changsu, but the last son of usurped King.
Water Margin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Water Margin is adapted from one of the great classical Chinese novels, with the same title. It tells the story of 108 heroes that uphold justices for people, in their own way, sometimes by killing other peoples. This causes some heroes considered as outlaws, some are slandered by corrupted officials.
At some points, they all gathered at mount Liang and become brotherhoods under one flag. The current government and emperor see them as threat, and try to annihilate them under a premise that all of them will be granted amnesty.
Will they get amnesty or build their own dynasty or get annihilated by emperor?
Dongfang Shuo ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dongfang Shuo is a clever, witty, funny scholar that works with Emperor. With his cleverness he help Emperor gain power and solve internal and sovereign problems with a out-of-the box solutions. Even thought he always solve Emperor issues, the Emperor does not want him to gain more power and acknowledges that Dongfang Shuo smarter than him.
Legend of Bao Zheng (a.k.a Legend of Kaifeng) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you live in Indonesia around 1990s, you may know the old TV series called "Hakim Bao" or "Justice Bao" (I cannot recalled the correct title). This is the remake of it, released on 2017.
It tells the story of non-fictional character Bao Zheng in fictional ways, from kid, grown up being politician, and finally end up as common people.
In this series, Bao Zheng character is pictured as smart, honest, a little bit uptight, and unique. Imagine Andrian Monk combined with Dexter Morgan. He always assigned to solve impossible cases. With his photographic memory and helps from friends, he can solve most of the cases but with some consequences that even affect his family or people around him.