If you want a drama that takes its characters as seriously as its plot, The Empress of China is available on streaming right now. The show says what it needs to say in a single season, no filler. 13 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Fan Bingbing's performance alone is worth the time investment. Available now — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.
The Empress of China is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The Empress of China takes its time building the world its characters inhabit, and the patience pays off. Based on events in 7th and 8th-century Tang dynasty and starring producer Fan Bingbing as the titular character Wu Zetian, The Empress of China is the story of the only woman in Chinese history to rule as an emperor. Fan Bingbing and Zhang Fengyi lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. The Empress of China premiered in 2014–2015. 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 delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.
For anyone looking for storytelling that takes its characters seriously, The Empress of China delivers. If you have already watched Empresses in the Palace, The Empress of China is a natural next step. Short enough to finish in a weekend, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Fan Bingbing's work here is the kind that gets referenced in career retrospectives. It makes everything else feel thin by comparison.
The Empress of China wrapped up in 2015, created by Yik Chun Go — 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.
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