In the Name of the People (Chinese: 人民的名义; pinyin: Rénmín de míngyì) is a 2017 Chinese TV drama series based on the web novel of the same name by Zhou Meisen.[1] Its plot revolves around a prosecutor's efforts to unearth corruption in a present-day fictional Chinese city. It has drawn large audiences in China, where its release coincides with General Secretary Xi Jinping's leadership's anti-corruption campaign. It is the first broadcast political drama featuring high-level government corruption in China since 2004. The production received significant government funding from the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the highest agency responsible for both investigation and prosecution in the People's Republic of China.[2][3] The intervention from censors was much lighter due to the support of the authorities. The series is considered by some western observers as the Chinese version of House of Cards.[4]
In the Name of the People | |
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Traditional | 人民的名義 |
Simplified | 人民的名义 |
Mandarin | Rénmín de míngyì |
Genre | Political drama |
Based on | In the Name of People by Zhou Meisen |
Written by | Zhou Meisen Sun Xinyue |
Directed by | Li Lu |
Presented by | Fan Ziwen Gao Yalin Chen Jingzhu Li Xuezheng An Xiaofen Li Gong Jiang Hao Li Lu |
Starring | Lu Yi Zhang Fengyi Wu Gang Xu Yajun Zhang Zhijian Ke Lan Hu Jing Zhang Kaili Ding Haifeng Gao Yalin |
Narrated by | Xu Tao |
Ending theme | In the Name of the People (以人民的名义 , Yǐ rénmín de míngyì) performed by Han Lei and Vivi Jiang |
Composer | Dong Dongdong |
Country of origin | China |
Original language | Mandarin |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 55 |
Production | |
Executive producers | Meng Shouping Huang Lin Wang Yun Sun Heping Pei Yi Peng Cheng Chen Xunhua |
Producers | Li Lu Gao Yalin |
Cinematography | Cui Weidong |
Editor | Cao Weijie |
Running time | 45 minutes |
Distributor | Joyhill Media Culture Co., Ltd |
Release | |
Original network | Hunan Television |
Picture format | 1080i (HDTV) |
Audio format | Stereophonic |
Original release | 28 March (2017-03-28) – 28 April 2017 (2017-04-28) |
The program's stars include Lu Yi as detective Hou Liangping, Xu Yajun as his antagonist Qi Tongwei, and Zhang Fengyi as Sha Ruijin, the provincial Party Committee Secretary.[2][5][6] The series is based on a book by author Zhou Meisen, and was adapted for television by Zhou and his wife Sun Xinyue.[3][7] It was primarily filmed in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province.[8]
In the Name of the People chronicles the internal power struggle of the Chinese Communist Party in the fictional city of Jingzhou, Handong province, featuring stories about Chinese politics that are often talked about but never seen on mainstream television.
It is noted for its ensemble cast of skilled veteran actors as well as its high quality despite China's strict censorship system.[citation needed] The drama also surpassed 7% in ratings, breaking the single day ratings record for a Chinese drama.[9] The series also received the praise from People's Daily, which is known as the mouthpiece of the Communist Party.[10]
However, some dissidents, such as cartoonist Rebel Pepper, treated the series as a way for the authorities to manipulate and fool the public.[11] The core of the series is that anti-graft efforts could only be conducted by a strong government rather than democratic elections or a free press, as The New York Times commented.[12] Essentially, the series is not a success of creativity, but a success of the "permits to create", according to a widely spread opinion on Internet by Du Junfei, a professor in mass communication of Nanjing University.[13]
Air date | Episode | CSM52 city network ratings | CSM National Network ratings | ||||
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Ratings (%) | Audience share (%) | Rank | Ratings (%) | Audience share (%) | Rank | ||
2017.3.28 | 1 | 1.523 | 4.49 | 1 | 2.41 | 7.37 | 1 |
2017.3.29 | 2 | 1.490 | 4.69 | 1 | 2.30 | 7.31 | 1 |
2017.3.30 | 3-4 | 1.270 | 4.02 | 1 | 1.62 | 5.41 | 1 |
2017.3.31 | 5 | 1.084 | 3.370 | 1 | 1.61 | 5.66 | 1 |
2017.4.1 | 6 | 1.239 | 3.97 | 1 | 1.46 | 4.83 | 1 |
2017.4.2 | 7-8 | 1.505 | 4.77 | 1 | 1.60 | 5.30 | 1 |
2017.4.3 | 9-10 | 1.820 | 5.89 | 1 | 1.84 | 6.05 | 1 |
2017.4.4 | 11-12 | 2.024 | 6.34 | 1 | 2.03 | 6.82 | 1 |
2017.4.5 | 13-14 | 2.264 | 7.11 | 1 | 2.16 | 7.33 | 1 |
2017.4.6 | 15-16 | 2.444 | 7.70 | 1 | 2.18 | 7.47 | 1 |
2017.4.7 | 17 | 2.083 | 6.42 | 1 | 1.93 | 6.36 | 1 |
2017.4.8 | 18 | 2.275 | 6.94 | 1 | 2.06 | 6.59 | 1 |
2017.4.9 | 19-20 | 3.035 | 9.01 | 1 | 2.57 | 8.31 | 1 |
2017.4.10 | 21-22 | 3.287 | 10.30 | 1 | 2.77 | 9.29 | 1 |
2017.4.11 | 23-24 | 3.524 | 11.09 | 1 | 2.93 | 9.89 | 1 |
2017.4.12 | 25-26 | 3.649 | 11.79 | 1 | 2.87 | 9.91 | 1 |
2017.4.13 | 27-28 | 3.711 | 12.05 | 1 | 3.15 | 11.00 | 1 |
2017.4.14 | 29 | 3.020 | 9.670 | 1 | 2.41 | 8.19 | 1 |
2017.4.15 | 30 | 3.138 | 10.132 | 1 | 2.39 | 8.17 | 1 |
2017.4.16 | 31-32 | 4.202 | 12.80 | 1 | 3.20 | 10.50 | 1 |
2017.4.17 | 33-34 | 4.793 | 15.44 | 1 | 3.51 | 11.99 | 1 |
2017.4.18 | 35-36 | 5.061 | 16.70 | 1 | 3.78 | 13.35 | 1 |
2017.4.19 | 37-38 | 5.356 | 17.15 | 1 | 4.02 | 13.72 | 1 |
2017.4.20 | 39-40 | 5.465 | 16.97 | 1 | 3.91 | 13.33 | 1 |
2017.4.21 | 41 | 4.432 | 13.86 | 1 | 3.51 | 11.42 | 1 |
2017.4.22 | 42 | 4.311 | 14.18 | 1 | 3.04 | 10.84 | 1 |
2017.4.23 | 43 | 6.069 | 20.14 | 1 | 4.30 | 16.44 | 1 |
2017.4.24 | 44-45 | 5.801 | 18.65 | 1 | 4.39 | 15.06 | 1 |
2017.4.25 | 46-47 | 6.123 | 18.89 | 1 | 4.78 | 15.97 | 1 |
2017.4.26 | 48-49 | 6.682 | 20.78 | 1 | 5.27 | 17.45 | 1 |
2017.4.27 | 50-51 | 6.695 | 21.25 | 1 | 5.46 | 18.62 | 1 |
2017.4.28 | 52 | 6.666 | 20.13 | 1 | 5.58 | 17.76 | 1 |
Average ratings | 3.661 | 11.53 | 1 | 3.03 | 10.24 | 1 |
Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
23rd Shanghai Television Festival | Best Television Series | In the Name of the People | Nominated | [15][16] |
Best Director | Li Lu | Nominated | ||
Best Writing | Zhou Meisen | Nominated | ||
Best Supporting Actor | Wu Gang | Won | ||
Zhang Zhijian | Won | |||
Best Supporting Actress | Hu Jing | Nominated | ||
22nd Huading Awards | Jury Award | In the Name of the People | Won | |
8th Macau International Television Festival | Best Television Series | In the Name of the People | Won | [17][18] |
Best Director | Li Lu | Nominated | ||
Best Writing | Zhou Meisen | Won | ||
Best Actor | Zhang Fengyi | Won | ||
Best Supporting Actor | Gao Yalin | Won |