Empresses in the Palace

Empresses in the Palace has built a devoted audience among viewers who want their drama to earn its emotional beats. A single, tightly-focused season means there is plenty to get through without ever feeling padded. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Sun Li sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Empresses in the Palace earns its spot. Empresses in the Palace takes its time building the world its characters inhabit, and the patience pays off. An epic tale of love, betrayal and scandal set in 1722 during the Qing Dynasty and told from inside the Imperial Harem - the story of one emperor and his countless women. In a world filled with treachery and corruption, who will truly win the Emperor's heart and reign supreme? The performances from Sun Li and Lan Xi give it more weight than the premise alone would suggest. Empresses in the Palace premiered in 2015. The writing trusts the audience to sit with ambiguity rather than wrapping everything up in a tidy conclusion — it is the approach that separates good drama from great. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

Drama fans who appreciate slow-burn storytelling will feel right at home with Empresses in the Palace. Viewers who responded to Unchosen will find a lot to like here too. A contained run means every episode is doing real work. Sun Li's work here is the kind that gets referenced in career retrospectives. It makes everything else feel thin by comparison.

Empresses in the Palace wrapped up in 2015 — and 1 season is available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro's free voice app makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just say the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.