Taiwanese-themed TV dramas pushed out a much-publicized Qing Dynasty TV serial from a list of top 10 dramas with the highest ratings last year, with Formosa Television (FTV) and SET-TV being the biggest winners.
According to the annual audience survey by AGB Nielsen, the Feng Shui Family (風水世家) produced by FTV, which features Taiwanese actor Ko Shu-yuan (柯叔元) and actress-singer Shara Lin (林逸欣), took first place, with an average rating of 4.87 percent among the 10 TV series with the highest ratings.
The Feng Shui Family, which centers on the ancient Chinese belief called feng shui — a religious practice for keeping a balance with one’s surroundings — started airing on July 17 last year, when another production, Fathers and Sons (父與子) came to an end.
The second-highest ratings were generated by a drama produced by SET-TV, Hold Your Hand (牽手), which centers around family bonds with plots reflecting current social events. The series debuted on Nov. 29, 2011, and ran until Nov. 21 last year.
Another SET-TV-produced series, Miss Rose (螺絲小姐要出嫁), a romantic comedy serial that was aired on Taiwan Television Enterprise (TTV) on July 22 last year, had the third-highest ratings, while Inborn Pair (真愛找麻煩), SET-TV’s first Chinese TV series aimed at creating what it termed a “Taiwanese wave,” placed eighth.
Chinese-produced Empresses in the Palace (後宮甄嬛傳), a Qing Dynasty-themed series featuring a ferocious fight among concubines striving to win the emperor’s favor, which has spawned an Imperial China era frenzy in the country, did not make the top 10.
An FTV manager Hao Hsiao-tsu (郝孝祖) said Feng Shui Family’s success was due to its realistic storyline and focus on personal bonds, which he said easily strikes a chord with audiences, adding he was not at all surprised at the show taking the crown.
SET-TV spokesperson Chang Cheng-fen (張正芬) said the TV station’s ultimate objective was “building Chinese TV series and forming a Chinese wave,” adding that Inborn Pair’s accolade would spur it to continue producing high-quality drama series.
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