The Best TV Shows on CCTV

Every CCTV Show Ranked From Best To Worst

Dive into our updated selection of CCTV’s finest, featuring more than 20 series as of August 2026. Notable series such as The Silk Road and CMG Spring Festival Gala from CCTV first graced the screens in 1980 and 1983. Showcasing over 20 shows from 1980 up until 2026, CCTV stands as a beacon of television excellence.

  • Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
    Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck (1986)10.0

  • Dong bei yi jia ren
    Dong bei yi jia ren (2002)9.5

  • For the Sake of the Republic
    For the Sake of the Republic (2003)9.3

    Towards the Republic, also known as For the Sake of the Republic and Zou Xiang Gong He, is a Chinese historical television series first broadcast on CCTV in China from April to May 2003. The series is based on events that occurred in China between the late 19th century and early 20th century that led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China. Owing to its portrayal of historical issues deemed politically sensitive by the Chinese government, the series has been subject to censorship in mainland China.

  • Romance of the Three Kingdoms
    Romance of the Three Kingdoms (2009)9.0

    Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a 2009 animated television series joint produced by the Beijing Huihuang Animation Company of China and Future Planet of Japan. It was broadcast in Japan starting April 2010.

  • Jiang Zemin
    Jiang Zemin (2026)9.0

    To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Comrade Jiang Zemin's birth, the twelve-episode documentary film *Jiang Zemin* began airing on China Media Group on August 11, 2026. The film comprehensively reviews Comrade Jiang Zemin's revolutionary career spanning over 70 years, showcasing his tremendous contributions and noble character.

  • AI Football GGO
    AI Football GGO (2010)8.8

    Artificial Intelligent Football GGO is made by Puzzle Animation studio Ltd. It's an animation series about football and future technology.

  • A Sentimental Story
    A Sentimental Story (1994)8.5

    Fang Yan and Du Mei experience a profound and unforgettable love, just like any other couple, through a series of quarrels, breakups, and reconciliations. Initially, their relationship is rocky. First, Du Mei misunderstands that Fang Yan already has a girlfriend, and later, she subtly hints that she is attending a dance, indirectly inviting Fang Yan to be her partner. However, more misunderstandings follow, leading to a stalemate in their relationship.

  • Journey to the West – Legends of the Monkey King
    Journey to the West – Legends of the Monkey King (1999)8.4

    Sun Wukong, who was born from a magic stone, has been imprisoned underneath a mountain for five centuries for his mischief in the heavens. One day, the Guanyin told Monkey that the Monk Tang Sanzang will set him free and Monkey will join him on a pilgrimage from China to India. The next day, Tripitaka came and set Monkey free, and the two started their Journey to the West. Along the way, they meet two new friends, Zhu Bajie and the Hermit Sha Wujing, who join them on the journey; together, they face many dangers and evil creatures and sorcerers and learn to get along.

  • Hongmao and Lantu: Martial Arts Series
    Hongmao and Lantu: Martial Arts Series (2006)8.2

    An animation series produced by Hongmeng Cartoon Communication Co., Ltd. There are two branches: martial arts series and preschool education series. And the martial arts series is China's first animation series on the theme of traditional Chinese martial arts.

  • The Firmament of the Pleiades
    The Firmament of the Pleiades (2010)8.0

    Two young men looking for a better life enter the royal palace in the midst of a tumultuous political era of the late Qing Dynasty. Chun Er, a poor peasant boy, and Liang Wen Xiu, who grew up in a wealthy household, find their fates are tied together in unexpected ways. The two young men and Chun Er’s younger sister, Ling Er, travel to the Forbidden City together to look for a better future. Based on the popular novel Sokyu no Subaru by Asada Jiro.

  • The Return of the Condor Heroes
    The Return of the Condor Heroes (2006)6.5

    The Return of the Condor Heroes is a Chinese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. It is the second installment of a trilogy produced by Zhang Jizhong, preceded by The Legend of the Condor Heroes and followed by The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber. It was first broadcast on 17 March 2006 in China and subsequently broadcast in other Asian countries such as South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore.

  • The Spirit of the Sword
    The Spirit of the Sword (2007)6.0

  • CMG Spring Festival Gala
    CMG Spring Festival Gala (1983)5.8

    The CMG Spring Festival Gala (formerly known as the CCTV New Year's Gala; commonly abbreviated in Chinese as Chunwan or 春晚) is a Chinese New Year special gala produced by China Media Group (CMG). The Gala is a live variety show featuring music, dance, and comedy performances alongside official messaging, held annually on Chinese New Year's Eve since it was first aired in February 1983. It was recognized by Guinness World Records as the most watched national network TV broadcast in 2012 and is widely recognized as the world's most watched television program.

  • The Silk Road
    The Silk Road (1980)N/A

  • Merry Go Round
    Merry Go Round (2003)N/A

    This drama follow the lives of two young sisters as they grow from children to adults. They each face many twists and turns before achieving true happiness.

  • The Moon and the Sunshine
    The Moon and the Sunshine (2006)N/A

    The story of Zhang Xiao Yue and Luo Can Yang, who end up in the same prison cell and reminisce in boredom. When Zhang Xiao Yue's father passed away, her family lost their only means of livelihood, unable to pay off their debts. Around the same time, Luo Can Yang's father is holding a banquet to celebrate his promotion, and Xiao Yue and her mother are hired as helpers by the Luo family. A series of complex relationships and conflicts unfold as a result, all seeming to revolve around Xiao Yue, her mother, and Can Yang. Both women struggle to stay true to themselves or find some small pieces of personal happiness in a society that considers them tools for men to use rather than as human beings.

  • 百家讲坛:百家姓
    百家讲坛:百家姓 (2013)N/A

  • Carrying Grandma Into Town
    Carrying Grandma Into Town (2015)N/A

  • Heart and Greed
    Heart and Greed (2017)N/A

    Ling Lai-Ying and her husband Wong Wing-Ching have worked hard to develop their modest tea restaurant into an entrepreneurial success involving real estate investing and business. Lai-Ying’s younger brother Ling Shing-Fung even tries to help them get the company listed on the stock market. Initially, Wing-Ching does not agree with this. After seeing the century-old family print business run by his benefactor Hui Nga-Lun, who helped him get acquitted of a charge years ago, on the verge of bankruptcy, Wing-Ching agrees to Shing-Fung’s proposal by merging the two families’ businesses for mutual benefit. However, complications arise when other family members oppose the idea, and the social inequality between the two families causes more conflicts. Soon, the two families find themselves on the brink of open hostility and a massive war for revenge brews.

  • Executive Judge
    Executive Judge (2018)N/A

    A female judge encounters an old teacher who uses the letter of the law to his own advantage while she wields it as a weapon to protect those in need. Zuo Lin (Lv Jiarong) is a judge serving at the people's court in Mingzhou. While dealing with a real estate case in Yongjia, she butts heads with an unexpected opponent. He is Zheng Huaishan (Tan Kai), an old university teacher and a dear friend whom she hasn't seen in a long time. However, investigations lead them further astray and Zuo Lin has to make the choice of overcoming her personal feelings to uphold justice.