5 Hit TV series

If you ask TV fans about the most impressive series of the year, the answer is most likely to be Nirvana in Fire.

Set in a fictionalized dynasty around 1,600 years ago, the 54-episode drama narrates a Chinese version of The Count of Monte Cristo. The protagonist, Mei Changsu, the only son of a framed general, risks his life to clear the name of his father and 70,000 military personnel wrongly executed for treason.

Its exquisite sets, nervous rhythm and lead roles won top ratings across the Chinese mainland. A month after its premiere, it received around 6 billion clicks on video-streaming sites. Fans made numerous spinoffs, including framing middle school exam questions on the series and reworking stills, to show their adoration.

Overseas popularity followed. Alongside its later September release in North America, the series made waves in Asian markets such as South Korea and Japan. A release in Africa is in the pipeline.