Right now you can watch The Romance Of Three Kingdoms on streaming — and it moves faster than most of the genre's competition. A compact run that never overstays its welcome. A 9/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. The choreography and stunt work elevate every sequence. Available now — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, The Romance Of Three Kingdoms is worth clearing space for. The Romance Of Three Kingdoms understands that stakes only matter if you care who is at risk. Adapted from the classical 14th century novel of the same title by Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms is part historical, part legend, and part mythical – romanticises and dramatises the lives of feudal lords and their retainers, who tried to replace the dwindling Han dynasty or restore it. The focus is mainly on the three power blocs that emerged from the remnants of the Han dynasty, and would eventually form the three states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. It was aired in 1994. The Romance Of Three Kingdoms earns its bigger moments by making you care about the outcome before it happens. Every minute repays the time invested, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

The Romance Of Three Kingdoms is the kind of thing you put on to unwind and find yourself sitting forward twenty minutes in. Fans of Nirvana in Fire will recognise the sensibility here immediately. Short enough to finish in a weekend, substantial enough to feel satisfying. The chaos never overwhelms who is actually at stake. Every set piece here is doing more than one job at once.

The Romance Of Three Kingdoms wrapped up in 1994, created by Wang Fulin — 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.