Diana Lin

Willis Wu, a background character trapped in a police procedural, tries to find his way into the larger story–and along the way discovers secrets about the strange world he inhabits and his family's buried history.

The 12-episode series follows Wang Xiang, an ex-train driver who had worked his whole life at the steel plant in a fictional small town in North China, as he attempts to solve the mystery behind a brutal murder during the autumn of 1998. For more than 20 years, the murder has haunted him and other people who worked at the steel plant as they struggled to come to terms with the loss they’ve experienced.

Through the eyes of 14-year-old Benjamin, and set over the course of a long, hot, Queensland summer, the Law family navigate a series of sometimes disastrous events which become memorable milestones, and serve as a reminder that at the end of the day family can sometimes feel more like a sentence than a choice.

After the sudden loss of her husband, Mingzhu, pregnant and newly married, is forced to confront hidden family secrets. With strength and resilience, she faces numerous challenges and works to rebuild her life, bringing her family together in the process.

Siblings Zhou Haifeng and Zhou Haixia, both in their sixties, have long since left their hometown and settled in Beijing, yet they rarely visit or stay in touch. On New Year’s Eve, the brother and sister gather in Beijing with their respective families for a reunion. During the reunion dinner, their mother, Huang Guiyuan, who had recently gone missing, suddenly returns. Though she offers no explanation for her disappearance, only the siblings know the secret behind it—unspeakable truths and tangled emotions lie buried beneath the surface of the festive meal. Huang Guiyuan’s unexpected return upends the siblings’ lives. They struggle to balance their own challenges in Beijing with caring for their elderly mother, who has arrived from their hometown. A series of bittersweet and comedic episodes unfold among the three aging family members as they navigate this new reality.

In Shenzhen, a jobless Lu Da rekindles hope in a 24-hour bookstore; opera star Fan becomes a tech sales whiz in Huaqiangbei; delivery rider Tan earns dignity; drone engineers Zhang Yi and Nuan build love with code; teen Xiao Peng creates a wildlife overpass; planner Wang Pengqian and daughter protect mangroves, with spoonbill Y075 marking eco-change. These stories weave entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability, showcasing Shenzhen’s 45-year transformation and future promise.

In 1978 China, a boy struck by a rusted sickle, leaving him mentally impaired, grows up to share a decades-long journey with a compassionate woman, defying hardships and inspiring others to rediscover life’s meaning.