Best tv shows like Control by Zhen Guan
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Emperor Taizong of the Tang appoints capable and incorruptible people to important positions because he knows his ministers well, and he understands how to harness them. Taizong often invites frank advice or even criticism from his ministers. Trying hard not to abuse his absolute power, he shows his respect for life. Through his employment of upright ministers such as Wei Zheng, he turns out to be a modest Emperor who welcomes advice. In his reign, he puts agriculture first and practices thrift. Also, culture and religion are rejuvenated; the imperial examination system is further completed. Under these circumstances, a stable society is achieved. In military, he puts down the turbulence caused by Tujue power. In ethnic relations, he respects ethnic minorities' mores. As a result, the stability in Tang's border areas is also accomplished. Emperor Taizong's reign title is Zhenguan (from 626 to 649), known as the Reign of Zhenguan in Chinese History. His reign is considered the first golden age of Tang Dynasty, which lays a solid foundation for the Kaiyuan era.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 25
Genere: Drama, History
Country: China
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, captivating, political
Best tv shows and movies like Control by Zhen Guan (2006):
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The Empress of China (2014)
Plot Summary:
Based on events in 7th and 8th-century Tang dynasty and starring producer Fan Bingbing as the titular character Wu Zetian, The Empress of China is the story of the only woman in Chinese history to rule as an emperor.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 429
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Country: China
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: cynical, romantic, touching, captivating, costume drama, sentimental, prehistoric
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Legend of Fan Li Wa (2011)
Plot Summary:
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IMDB Rating:
IMDB Votes:
Genere: Drama
Country: China
Duration:
Plot tags:
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The Qin Empire (2009)
Plot Summary:
The Qin Empire is a 2009 Chinese television series based on Sun Haohui's novel of the same Chinese title. The 51 episodes long series chronicles the rise of the Qin state in the Warring States period during the reign of Duke Xiao of Qin. It was produced in 2006 and first aired on television channels in China in December 2009.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 136
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: China
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating
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The Dismissal (1983)
Plot Summary:
The drama surrounding the dismissal of Mr. Gough Whitlam as the Labor Prime Minister of Australia - on 11 November, 1975 - by the then Governor-General of Australia, Sir John Kerr - and the subsequent installation, in Parliament, of the Liberal 'caretaker government' and Mr. Malcolm Fraser as the 'caretaker' Prime Minister.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 196
Genere: Drama, History
Country: Australia
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: political
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White Deer Plain (2017)
Plot Summary:
Set in the eponymous White Deer Village in Shaanxi Province where the two most important families – Bai and Lu – and their sons have always lived together in peace. But the turmoil leads to a fierce struggle for land ownership. A young woman new to the village soon finds herself caught between the two camps. Director Liu Jin uses the story of these two families as a metaphor for the fate of the Chinese people as first Chinese war lords are overrun by Japanese invaders, then civil war follows hot on the heels of the Second World War and finally the victorious Maoists begin waving their red flags. The drama is based off the novel by Chen Zhong Shi.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 108
Genere: Drama, History
Country: China
Duration: 3825 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, thought provoking, captivating
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Palace of Desire (2000)
Plot Summary:
Palace of Desire, also known as Da Ming Gong Ci, is a Chinese television series based on the life story of Princess Taiping, a daughter of China's only female emperor Wu Zetian. Directed by Li Shaohong and Zeng Nianping, the series starred Chen Hong, Zhou Xun, Gui Yalei and Winston Chao in the leading roles. It was first broadcast on CCTV-8 in mainland China on March 30, 2000.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 145
Genere: Drama, History
Country: China
Duration: 47 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, disturbing
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A.L.Zh.I.R (2019)
Plot Summary:
The wife of the aircraft designer, Olga Pavlova, the head of the Moscow garment factory, and the wife of the director of the opera house, the famous Soviet opera singer Sofia Ter-Ashaturova, meet in the prison car of the train. Together they will go to Akmola camp of the wives of traitors of the Motherland, where there will be representatives of the most different strata of the population. Heroes will need strength of spirit and endurance to pass all the terrible ordeals on their way and remain human.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 32
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Russia
Duration:
Plot tags: psychological, thought provoking, captivating, suspense
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Ming Dynasty in 1566 (2007)
Plot Summary:
A series based on the events in the reign of the Jiajing Emperor of the Ming dynasty.
IMDB Rating: 9.0
IMDB Votes: 348
Genere: Drama, History
Country: China
Duration: 42 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, suspense
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Amazonia (2007)
Plot Summary:
Based on historical events 'Amazonia' recreates the story of the State of Acre, the latest territory to be annexed in Brazil.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 76
Genere: Drama, History
Country: Brazil
Duration:
Plot tags: tense, captivating, suspense
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The Legend of Qin (2015)
Plot Summary:
Based off the very popular CGI animation series Qin's Moon, comes an adaptation from Tangren.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 42
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, History, Romance
Country: China
Duration:
Plot tags: captivating, disturbing, historical romance
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Anne Boleyn (2021)
Plot Summary:
The final months of Boleyn's life, her struggle with Tudor England's patriarchal society, her desire to secure a future for her daughter, Elizabeth, and the brutal reality of her failure to provide Henry with a male heir.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 28000
Genere: Drama, History
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, captivating, historical drama
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The Confidant (2012)
Plot Summary:
"The Confidant" depicts how a group of eunuchs survive in the weakening Qing empire, and closely traces imperial eunuch Li Lianying's early life from the first day he entered the imperial palace to become one of the most powerful political figures in the latter years of the Qing Dynasty. The drama also follows Li's relationship with Empress Dowager Cixi, and how he eventually becomes her closest confidant.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 10
Genere: Drama, History
Country: Hong Kong
Duration:
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing
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The Terrible (2020)
Plot Summary:
Ivan the Terrible is the most discussed Character in the Russian history. At the same time, Ivan is the most unsolved mystery of the Russian Czars. The scale of his political achievements has always overshadowed a living person, and the unparalleled cruelty that entered folklore literally ruled out the possibility of a more complex view of character. The series is an humble attempt to understand the origins of the actions of Ivan IV and look into the dark labyrinth of his soul. Ivan IV of Russia is gradually reborn into the same Ivan the Terrible - a cruel tyrant. And now rumors of his ruthlessness and violent temper are becoming true, and these changes in the character of the king are changing history. Enemies are approaching Russia - will the country be able to survive?.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 98
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Russia
Duration: 52 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, thought provoking, enigmatic, captivating, suspense, disturbing
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Da Tang Fu Rong Yuan (2007)
Plot Summary:
Da Tang Fu Rong Yuan is a Chinese television series based on a novel by Nangong Bo that tells of the romance between Consort Yang Yuhuan and Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. The series was directed by Zhou Xiaowen and starred Fan Bingbing and Winston Chao as the couple. It was first broadcast on CCTV-8 in mainland China in 2007.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 12
Genere: Drama, History, Romance
Country: China
Duration:
Plot tags: serious, captivating, realistic, tragic ending
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King Sejong the Great (2008)
Plot Summary:
"The Great King, Sejong" is a full-scale political drama describing how King Sejong and his loyal retainers cooperate and contrive to make his dynasty a better place. While King Sejong was on the throne, the Joseon Dynasty enjoyed increasing prosperity. The drama shows the dramatic processes of how so many new cultural heritages have been devised. At that time, "Hangul", the native phonemic alphabet system for Korean language was first invented and introduced. Before it was made, Chinese characters had been used for a written communication, which makes it extremely difficult for ordinary people to learn and use. "Hangul" is easy to learn for its simple and scientific principles. Other than "Hangul" itself, there had been so many cultural heritages during his regime including a rain gauge, a sundial, an hourglass to name a few. Also, King Sejong’s pragmatic diplomacy is concentrated in the drama. Then, the Joseon Dynasty was facing a powerful Ming dynasty of China, and King Sejong demonstrates the essence of pragmatism with dignity.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 34
Genere: Drama, History
Country: South Korea
Duration:
Plot tags: sageuk, atmospheric, serious, political, realistic, stylized, historical drama
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Tokyo Trial (2016)
Plot Summary:
In the wake of World War II, 11 Allied judges are tasked with weighing the fates of Japanese war criminals in a tense international trial.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, History
Country: Canada, Japan, Netherlands
Duration: 200 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, tense, captivating, disturbing, political, historical drama
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Payitaht Abdulhamid (2017)
Plot Summary:
The fight of Abdulhamid II to keep Ottoman Empire and caliphate alive.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Action, Drama, History
Country: Turkey
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, captivating, islamic, historical drama
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Voltaire in Love (2021)
Plot Summary:
Explore the early life and evolution of the philosopher and visionary Voltaire, from his love stories, his father's issues to the discovery of his vocation, his commitments against religious fanaticism and the arbitrary misuse of justice and politics. Explore a life of pain, passion, and the growth of an epic and talented hero, the origins of the young François Arouet, his childhood suffering, his entourage, his talent, his years of imprisonment in the Bastille, his ambiguous relations with the French court or his return in France after his exile.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 126
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: France
Duration:
Plot tags: thought provoking, captivating, disturbing
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The Imperial Age (2022)
Plot Summary:
The epic saga of Zhu Di's life, conquests, and, the rebellion to usurp the throne of the Ming Empire from his imperial nephew.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 33
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: China
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: political, captivating, disturbing, suspense
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Atsuhime (2008)
Plot Summary:
The 47th NHK Taiga Drama is a life story of Princess Atsu, who was born in Kagoshima Prefecture, then called Satsuma, and became the wife of Tokugawa Iesada, the 13th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. She accedes to the highest rank in Ooku, the inner palace of the Edo castle where women related to the reigning shogun resided. Iesada dies soon after their marriage and Atsuhime assumes the name Tenshoin at the age of 23. She exerts herself for the Tokugawa clan and for the nation during the upheaval in the Meiji Restoration, headed by those from Satsuma.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 248
Genere: Drama, History
Country: Japan
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: tense, thought provoking, captivating, disturbing, costume drama
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Queen Insoo (2011)
Plot Summary:
Queen Insoo focuses on the fierce power struggle among three women in the royal court of the Joseon Dynasty.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 33
Genere: Drama, History
Country: South Korea
Duration: 70 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, disturbing, period drama
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Secret Door (2014)
Plot Summary:
A re-imagining of the legendary tale of the troubled father-son relationship between King Yeongjo and his only son Prince Sado. While his father insists on a strong and centralized government, Crown Prince Sado promotes social justice and equality throughout the kingdom. Throughout eight fateful years, the strain on their relationship — both familial and political — eventually evolves into a total breakdown, ending with one of the most tragic stories in Joseon history.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 117
Genere: Drama, History
Country: South Korea
Duration:
Plot tags: tense, captivating, disturbing
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Sisi (2021)
Plot Summary:
"Sisi" follows the extraordinary life of empress Elisabeth of Austria. Modern, honest, and authentic. Told from the perspective of her closest confidants, the series takes a new look at the empress' life and reveals a multi-layered woman.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, History
Country: Germany, Austria
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: psychological, disturbing, period piece, costume drama, period drama
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Secret History of Xiaozhuang (2002)
Plot Summary:
Xiaozhuang Mishi, also known as Xiaozhuang Epic, is a 2003 Chinese television series produced by You Xiaogang. The series is the first instalment in a series of four television series about the early history of the Qing Dynasty. It was followed by Huang Taizi Mishi, Taizu Mishi and Secret History of Kangxi, all of which were also produced by You Xiaogang.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 34
Genere: Drama
Country: China
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, disturbing
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Show Me a Hero (2015)
Plot Summary:
Mayor Nick Wasicsko took office in 1987 during Yonkers' worst crisis when federal courts ordered public housing built in the white, middle class side of town, dividing the city in a bitter battle fueled by fear, racism, murder and politics.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 358 min
Plot tags: serious, tense, rough, thought provoking, captivating, political, realistic, social, saga, clever
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The Queen (2009)
Plot Summary:
The Queen was a 2009 British drama-documentary showing Queen Elizabeth II at different points during her life. Broadcast on Channel 4 over five consecutive nights from 29 November 2009, the Queen was portrayed by a different actress in each episode. The Queen was portrayed by Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn and Diana Quick. Katie McGrath played Princess Margaret in the first episode and Lesley Manville played Margaret Thatcher in the third episode.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 150
Genere: Drama, History
Country: UK
Duration:
Plot tags: psychological, thought provoking, captivating, disturbing
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The Trojan Horse (2008)
Plot Summary:
The story begins while a nationwide referendum is being held to decide whether or not Canada will join the United States. The people of Canada vote to join the U.S., while Prime Minister Tom McLaughlin (Paul Gross) watches the results on the news.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 290
Genere: Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, political, disturbing
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Politics (2019)
Plot Summary:
Portraying the events that have taken place in Polish politics in recent years. A 4 episode TV version of a movie with the same title.
IMDB Rating: 4.1
IMDB Votes: 136
Genere: Drama
Country: Poland
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, captivating, political
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The First Lady (2022)
Plot Summary:
A revelatory reframing of American leadership through the lens of the First Ladies. Exploring everything from their journeys to Washington, family life, and world-changing political contributions, the impact of the White House's women is no longer hidden from view.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: political, thought provoking, captivating, anthology, costume drama, queer cinema, period drama, political drama
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Forbidden Dream (2019)
Plot Summary:
A true historical drama about King Sejong, the greatest ruler in Joseon history who sought to enhance national prosperity and military power through astronomy, and Jang Yeong-sil, the most remarkable scientist.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 410
Genere: History, Drama
Country: South Korea
Duration: 132 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, captivating, disturbing, period drama