2021 Drama Rankings
My personal drama rankings for 2021.
2021 starts and finishes strong with Word of Honor and Sword Snow Stride beginning and ending the year for me on a high note. One is a "new wuxia" while the other is a classic wuxia.
This is also the year where low budget, relatively new scriptwriters took everyone by surprise with how addictive and well written their dramas were. The two standouts were Word of Honor and The Imperial Coroner. Of lesser note Definitely Not Today, Mysterious Love and Fall in Love (which I only skimmed a few episodes of) are also modest and curiously watchable dramas.
Big budget dramas on the other crashed an burned, notably The Rebel Princess and Ancient Love Poetry (dropped). I would say that even the successful S+ dramas didn't quite meet viewer expectations including my personal favorite Sword Snow Stride and Pearl Eclipse. Both My Heroic Husband and Luoyang peaked too early and disappointed in the back end.
The highly anticipated Mist Theatre (also known as Light on Series) lineup for 2021 was dismal, foiled by weak writing, artificially contrived suspense and censorship. Even the slew of big name acting talent behind the series could not save it.
Despite the strong start and finish, overall 2021 was a decent but unexceptional year with too many mediocre dramas (I lost count of how many I dropped). 2020 was a better year.
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![Palabra de honor]()
1. Palabra de honor
Chinese Drama - 2021, 36 episodes
Despicable Me. *Tied for No 1*
Best wuxia in years - BL novel adaption. -
![El Paso Nevado de la Espada]()
2. El Paso Nevado de la Espada
Chinese Drama - 2021, 38 episodes
Be the chess player, not the chess piece. *Tied for No 1*
A classic wuxia that pushes all the right buttons. -
![Minning Town]()
3. Minning Town
Chinese Drama - 2021, 23 episodes
If you build it they will come.
A masterpiece fupinju. -
![One and Only]()
4. One and Only
Chinese Drama - 2021, 24 episodes
'Cause I saw the end, before we'd began.
A tragic, poignant love story that will drown you. -
![The Long Ballad]()
5. The Long Ballad
Chinese Drama - 2021, 49 episodes
An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.
Empowering historical drama about a smart and independent women. -
![The Rebel]()
6. The Rebel
Chinese Drama - 2021, 43 episodes
The Spy Who Loved Me.
Republican era psychological spy thriller. -
![The Imperial Coroner]()
7. The Imperial Coroner
Chinese Drama - 2021, 36 episodes
A eunuch of a mystery.
A diamond in the rough of an ancient crime solving drama -
![Awakening Age]()
8. Awakening Age
Chinese Drama - 2021, 43 episodes
Currently Watching
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![Novoland: Pearl Eclipse]()
9. Novoland: Pearl Eclipse
Chinese Drama - 2021, 48 episodes
Journeys end in lovers meeting.
A dark tale of love, obsession and fate set in fantasy Novoland universe. -
![Luo Yang]()
10. Luo Yang
Chinese Drama - 2021, 39 episodes
Wild goose chase.
Exciting ancient conspiracy thriller; Longest Day in Changán Lite. -
![Emperor Phoenix]()
11. Emperor Phoenix
Chinese Drama - 2021, 68 episodes
Rebel Without a Cause.
Big budget historical with politics and adult romance -
![Zhui Xu]()
12. Zhui Xu
Chinese Drama - 2021, 36 episodes
The Virtuous Husband.
Hilarious role reversal satire about a matrilocal marriage. -
![The Master of Cheongsam]()
13. The Master of Cheongsam
Chinese Drama - 2021, 40 episodes
A cut above.
A riveting tale of sibling rivalry during a changing era. -
![Dama de la corte]()
14. Dama de la corte
Chinese Drama - 2021, 55 episodes
Karma is a Court Lady.
A high budget, historical tragicomedy.
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![A Girl Like Me]()
15. A Girl Like Me
Chinese Drama - 2021, 40 episodes
Rules are made to be broken.
A hilarious romance with an unconventional heroine. -
![Light]()
16. Light
Chinese Drama - 2021, 42 episodes
The Dark Side of the Moon.
Republican period power couple that build a banking powerhouse. -
![Jin Xin Si Yu]()
17. Jin Xin Si Yu
Chinese Drama - 2021, 45 episodes
Survivor: The Mother-in-Law Obstacles.
A very tropey and sweet harem romance. -
![Love Your Bones Forever]()
18. Love Your Bones Forever
Chinese Drama - 2021, 30 episodes
Remember us and all we used to be.
A sweet romance, the modern day sequel to One and Only. -
![Canción de Juventud]()
19. Canción de Juventud
Chinese Drama - 2021, 43 episodes
Women hold up half the sky.
An entertaining ancient Chinese soap opera. -
![No Young Man Park]()
20. No Young Man Park
Chinese Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
Death Proof.
A cute, quirky dark romantic comedy. -
![Amor misterioso]()
21. Amor misterioso
Chinese Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
Abs-olutely Fabulous.
A smoking hot romance with a dash of mystery. -
![Danger Zone]()
22. Danger Zone
Taiwanese Drama - 2021, 12 episodes
Hard core gore.
Suspenseful crime thriller. Warning - hard core gore.
Two seasons 24 episodes in total. -
![Light on Series: Who is the Murderer]()
23. Light on Series: Who is the Murderer
Chinese Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
Cop out.
Mist Theatre - investigative suspense thriller. -
![Light on Series: TBA]()
24. Light on Series: TBA
Chinese Drama - 2021, 12 episodes
Homecoming.
Mist Theatre family suspense drama. -
![Huang Yan Zhen Tan]()
25. Huang Yan Zhen Tan
Chinese Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
Lie like a dog.
Heart moving police procedural. -
![Yu Long]()
26. Yu Long
Chinese Drama - 2021, 36 episodes
Which asshole wrote this script?
An entertaining, light xianxia to kill time with. -
![Ling Long]()
27. Ling Long
Chinese Drama - 2021, 40 episodes
Man made goddess.
Decent fantasy drama with funny and fabulous father daughter relationship. -
![Mu Nan Zhi]()
28. Mu Nan Zhi
Chinese Drama - 2021, 40 episodes
Like a mucus bath.
A complete waste of time.
