The Long Season (Chinese: 漫长的季节; pinyin: Màncháng de jìjié) is a Chinese television drama produced by Tencent Penguin Pictures. Directed by Xin Shuang, the 12-episode mystery suspense series starred Fan Wei, Qin Hao, and Chen Minghao, with special appearances by Li Gengxi, Liu Yitie, and Jiang Qiming. It tells a story spanning nearly 20 years about multiple characters involved in a dismemberment case in a small factory town in Northeast China, Hualin. It premiered on Tencent Video on 22 April 2023, and on Jiangsu TV on 11 February 2024.

The Long Season
Genre
Based onLing Dong Zhi Ren
by Yu Xiaoqian
Written by
  • Yu Xiaoqian
  • Pan Yiran
  • Chen Ji
Directed byXin Shuang
Starring
Theme music composerDing Ke
Country of originChina
Original languages
No. of episodes12
Production
ProducerZhang Na
Running time41–107 minutes
Original release
NetworkTencent Video
ReleaseApril 22 (2023-04-22) –
May 8, 2023 (2023-05-08)

Origin of the title

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The screenplay Ling Dong Zhi Ren (lit.'Blade of the Cold Winter') was written by screenwriter Yu Xiaoqian. The screenwriter and director made substantial modifications to the original screenplay, including changes to Shen Mo's character, the deaths of Wang Yang and Gong Biao, and the conflicts between Wang Xiang and Shen Mo.[1] The title of the television series, The Long Season, is drawn from the short story of the same name by the production's literary planner Ban Yu. Additionally, the poem "The Long Season" written by the character Wang Yang in the show is also Ban Yu's work. Director Xin Shuang explained in an interview that he chose this title because the character Wang Xiang has been trapped in the autumn following his son Wang Yang's departure. The four seasons represents the cyclical nature of life, akin to the passage of time and the human experience. He aims to use the passage of time, experienced through the character of Wang Xiang, to reflect on the multitude of living beings.[2]

Synopsis

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The series is set in the fictional northeastern Chinese city of Hualin and revolves around a dismemberment case occurring near the Hualin Steel Plant undergoing financial difficulties and lay-offs during the market reforms.[3] The story spans nearly 20 years and employs a three-line narrative structure with interwoven timelines from 1997, 1998, and 2016, using both flashbacks and inserts. The series consists of 12 episodes divided into four chapters. The titles of the first three chapters appear sequentially in the first episode, while the title of the fourth chapter appears only in the final episode. The third chapter extends for nearly 11 episodes, corresponding with the series title and illustrating how the protagonist, Wang Xiang, emerges from the autumn that trapped him.[4]

Cast and characters

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Character Cast[5] Description
Wang Xiang Fan Wei Wang Xiang, once a respected model worker at Huagang Factory, now works as a train driver after being laid off. He lives a modest life with his adopted son, Wang Bei. While investigating rouge taxis with fake car plates with his brother-in-law, Gong Biao, Wang Xiang unexpectedly discovers a person closely linked to a murder case from years ago, embarking on a pursuit that spans 18 years.
Gong Biao Qin Hao Wang Xiang's wife's cousin-in-law. A rare university graduate in the 1990s assigned to work in the factory office. Once a favored and promising figure, years later he became a down-and-out taxi driver, struggling with obesity due to diabetes.
Ma Desheng Chen Minghao A retired detective who was the captain of the criminal investigation team during the dismemberment case. He tirelessly pursued the truth of the case but was disciplined after assaulting Shen Dongliang upon discovering that he had sexually assaulted Shen Mo. Dissatisfied with the police department's handling of the matter, he voluntarily resigned. After retirement, he became a dance king at a senior university. At Wang Xiang's request, he helped investigate the rouge taxi case.
Shen Mo Teresa Li Female college student with a friendly and cheerful personality. Her parents died when she was young. She was adopted by Shen Dongliang.
Zhang Jingchu
Wang Yang Liu Yitie Wang Xiang's son, Wang Yang, failed the college entrance exam but did not want to repeat his studies. He unexpectedly met Shen Mo, a female college student, at Hualin Medical College and started working as a waiter at the club to pursue her.
Fu Weijun Jiang Mingqi Shen Mo's younger brother who was deaf and mute. After being refused adoption by Shen Dongliang, he was taken in by a family with the surname Fu. As an adult, he opened a video rental store in Hualin.
Sui Dong Wang Xiaoyu Shen Mo and Fu Weijun's friend. After growing up, he and Fu Weijun opened a video rental store in Hualin. He was later injured and hospitalized after being attacked due to old grudges.
Li Qiaoyun Liu Lin A female worker at Huagang who worked in the factory's weighing room. With a son suffering from leukemia, a disabled husband, and four elderly parents to care for,, she had no choice but to work as a hostess in a dance hall after being laid off. Following the deaths of her son and husband, she opened a massage parlor and developed feelings for Wang Xiang.
Wang Bei Shi Pengyuan Wang Xiang's adopted son
Shen Dongliang Hou Yansong Shen Mo's uncle and adoptive father.
Lu Wenzhong Peng Ziheng A native of Zhanjiang, Guangdong who posed as a Hong Kong businessman. He conspired with factory director Song Yukun to commit economic crimes.
Yin Hong Wang Yidi A hostess.
Luo Meisu Lin Xiaojie Wang Xiang's wife and Wang Yang's mother, she was frail and often ill.
Huang Liru Wang Jiajia A nurse at Huagang Factory Hospital who had an affair with factory director Song Yukun, resulting in pregnancy. After a miscarriage during a factory meeting, she was left infertile. She married Gong Biao and opened a home-based beauty salon.
Xing Jianchun Yang Yiwei The head of the Security Department at Huagang Factory, he was dismissed for selling factory equipment. Later, he developed uremia and survived by selling license plates.
Li Qun Tang Zeng A former subordinate of Ma Desheng when he was the captain of the criminal investigation team, he later parted ways with Ma Desheng due to differences in how they approached the case. By 2016, he was the head of the Hualin City Public Security Bureau.
Song Yukun Zhang Fan The former factory director of Huagang. He colluded with the fake Hong Kong businessman and was investigated by the disciplinary committee after being reported.
Miss Xu Ren Suxi The owner of a cold noodle shop near Huagang.
Wang Yuyue

Release

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The Long Season premiered on Tencent Video on 22 April 2023. It aired on Jiangsu Satellite TV in February 2024.[6]

Reception

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The Long Season received mostly positive critical reviews in both the Chinese domestic market and in secondary market overseas.[7][8] After the miniseries premiered, it received a score of 9 on Chinese entertainment media database and social media site Douban. Following the finale, interest in the show increased, and the score briefly surged to 9.5 before stabilizing at 9.4, making it the highest-rated mainland Chinese series in recent years.[9][10] Beyond its quality in script, acting, usage of music, art, lighting, and editing, the show's portrayal of the lives of ordinary people in Northeast China's rust belt during the 1990s industrial layoffs due to institutional reforms of state-owned enterprises was a significant factor in its high ratings. The series' suspenseful narration of the main characters' interwoven fates through a decade-long criminal case, along with its heavy socio-political metaphors, is said to have distinguished it from other Chinese detective dramas, adding deeper meaning to the show.[2]

Awards

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Award Category Nominee Results Ref.
18th Seoul International Drama Awards International Competition: Best Actor Fan Wei Won [11]
Best Mini-series The Long Season Won
29th Shanghai Television Festival Best Director Xin Shuang Won [12]

References

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  1. ^ "小说6分,剧9.4分!从《凛冬之刃》到《漫长的季节》做了哪些改编" [Novel 6/10, Series 9.4/10! What Changes Were Made from Ling Dong Zhi Ren to The Long Season]. 猫飞电影. 2023-05-21. Archived from the original on 2023-05-25. Retrieved 2024-08-06 – via Sohu.
  2. ^ a b Wang, Yan (2023-05-05). "对话导演辛爽 |《漫长的季节》:当共鸣结成琥珀" [Dialogue with director Xin Shuang | The Long Season: When emotional resonance is preserved in amber]. Wenhui Bao. Archived from the original on 2024-08-29. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  3. ^ Zhang, Huiyu (2023-05-05). "The Underground Bands Playing Out China's Hit TV Show". Sixth Tone. Archived from the original on 2024-06-11. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  4. ^ Yang, Lianjie (2023-05-09). "龚彪之死、马大帅……导演辛爽揭秘《漫长的季节》五个有趣细节". The Beijing News. Archived from the original on 2024-08-29. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  5. ^ Liu, Yifan (2023-05-13). "选角是一件双向奔赴的事情" [Casting is a two-way street]. Southern Metropolis Daily. Retrieved 2024-08-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Xu, Meilin (2024-02-05). "范伟、秦昊、陈明昊主演《漫长的季节》2月11日登陆江苏卫视". The Beijing News. Archived from the original on 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  7. ^ Palmer, James (2024-08-07). "How Did This Brilliant Chinese Rust Belt Noir Get Made Under Xi?". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 2024-08-19. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  8. ^ "Stories about the Dongbei rust belt are resonant in China". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  9. ^ Wu, Yue (2023-05-13). "《漫长的季节》文学策划班宇:替东北"溺水者"放声歌唱的人". The Paper. Archived from the original on 2023-05-24. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  10. ^ Guo, Shan; Zhang, Siyi (2023-05-14). "悬疑剧的"春天"来了?". Nanfang Daily. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  11. ^ Hicap, Jonathan (2023-09-21). "'The Fragile Colossus,' 'Big Bet' win top prizes; Kathryn Bernardo, Thai star Gun recognized at Seoul Int'l Drama Awards". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2023-11-01. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  12. ^ Xu, Wei (2024-06-29). "'Blossoms Shanghai' is a big winner at the 29th Shanghai TV Festival Awards night". Shanghai Daily. Archived from the original on 2024-07-15. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
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