In the TV series "The River Rises", the leader of the Central Ecological Environmental Protection Inspection Team takes samples of sewage in a cave. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
"River Rises" and " Rivers Above ", in March 2024, two TV series with only one character difference in their names were released on Hunan Satellite TV, Mango TV and CCTV One , all of them paid attention to environmental protection themes.
Eight companies jointly operate underground sewage pipes. They contribute more than half of the city's tax revenue, and the city next door is eyeing the opportunity to poach employees. This is a thorny problem of "catching the rat in the china shop": not punishing the officials in place is dereliction of duty, while imposing strict punishment across the board is laziness.
Chemical factories in villages destroy green mountains and green waters, endangering the health of people and animals. Villagers have no way to complain. Companies are arrogant and domineering. If they are punished, they will change their names and continue production. The judiciary is ineffective and urgently needs reform.
Although both of them talk about environmental protection, they propose solutions from the perspectives of administration and rule of law respectively.
The theme of "River Rises" is the game between environmental protection and economy. Under the supervision of the central ecological and environmental protection inspectors, most of the protagonists targeted by the camera are from municipal party committees and government buildings; "Rivers Rises" mainly talks about environmental justice reform, in general. Director Zhou Yaping said that it is essentially a judicial drama. The positive roles of the deputy mayor and environmental protection director portrayed in "River Rises" have become the villains of the drama who do nothing and act indiscriminately. The protagonists are judges and lawyers.
In the TV series "Above the River", the protagonists are judges and lawyers. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)
"Sensitive, professional, preachy, weak in drama, etc. are all stereotypes of environmental protection themes in the past." Drama critic Li Xingwen said in an interview with Southern Weekend reporters that "The River Rises" â breaks these stereotypes. If an environmental drama wants to be good-looking, it must cleverly integrate environmental protection concepts into the drama story and comply with the basic rules of TV dramas. Against the backdrop of a decline in serious dramas that touch on current affairs, the appearance of these two dramas is a surprise.
There is a rare discussion in the circle of friends
"River Rises" and "River Above" have become a small hit, especially within the environmental protection and court systems. The two competent departments involved in the TV series-the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Supreme People's Court , all of them spontaneously "called out" for the two works.
The official Weibo of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment published 3 Weibo posts about the two dramas. As one of the co-producers of "Above the River", the Supreme People's Court has been mentioned four times in the official WeChat public account, and the most read article has "100,000+". Ma Jun, director of the
Public Environmental Research Center, is an "old environmentalist". Recently, he often sees content about two TV series in his circle of friends. Although the overall discussion within the environmental protection circle is not particularly hot, he believes that "environmental protection topics are inherently niche, and since we don't watch much TV these days, it's rare for people to discuss them among friends."
The similar names of "River Rises" and "River Rises" are a coincidence. Both dramas were filmed during the epidemic, and there is no news about other crews.
Zhang Ting, the screenwriter of "River Rises", said that the play was originally titled "Rivers Flow Heaven and Earth", but it could not reflect the plot and was changed to the current name; "Rivers Rises" chief editor Zhou Yaping said that "Rivers Rises" chief editor Zhou Yaping said that "Rivers Rises" The filming started earlier. In order to premiere on CCTV, the crew gave up the arrangement of premiering on provincial satellite TV and postponed the release date. After "River Rises" was aired, the crew also considered whether to change the name, but felt that the name was more appropriate and ultimately did not change it. Similar names to
bring about a "cluster effect." "Change the name of any drama, and the result may be that each drama will be broadcast separately, and it will not be discussed together, and there will not be such high attention." Zhou Yaping said.
The ratings data of the two dramas are good. According to statistics from "Kuyun Digital Entertainment", the ratings ranking of TV series broadcast during prime time on CCTV One, Eight and Provincial Satellite TV in the 11th week of 2024 (March 11-March 17), "Above the Rivers" "" topped the list with 1.49%, and "River Rises" ranked fifth (0.51%).
As of press time, "River Rises", which aired earlier and has already concluded, has more than 2,400 short reviews on Douban, while "Rivers Rises", which is still airing, has less than 300 short reviews.
Blue skies are increasing, and environmental issues are gradually "desensitized"
"Rivers Rising" and "Above the Rivers" are popular, allowing environmental dramas to enter the field of vision of some viewers for the first time. But choosing environmental protection as a theme in TV series is nothing new.
Southern Weekend reporters combed through domestic TV dramas in the past two decades and found at least 13 that focused on environmental themes.
As early as 2005, Jiang Wenli, Li Youbin and others starred in the TV series "Deep Breathe" about water pollution. Jifeng Pharmaceutical, a pillar company in the city, secretly discharged sewage, causing illness and death. The laid-off female worker Xiao Xiumeng (played by Jiang Wenli) sought justice for the victims. After filming the drama, Jiang Wenli said in an interview with the Beijing Times that "what she wants to do most now is to serve as the spokesperson for environmental protection organizations."
In 2007, "Clear Water, Blue Sky" directed by Pan Changjiang described the struggle of the village director (played by Pan Changjiang) on ââbrotherhood and environmental protection issues. The play received good response and was released two years later. The second part focuses on the contradiction between stone development and environmental protection. In 2021, "The Love of Mountains and Seas" starring Huang Xuan, Reyza and others won multiple awards. The characters' names are "Shuihua" and "Shouting Water", which highlights the local desire for water.
From 2005 to 2021, the number of environmental dramas is about one every two or three years. Since 2022, there has been a "small explosion", " People by the Canal ", " Green Mountains Are Not Ink ", " Spring Breeze Is Green Again on the South Bank of the River" Works such as "", " The Glory of Our Fathers" and "Fuchun Mountain Residence" have appeared on the screen. Environmental issues in these dramas include corporate sewage, water pollution, deforestation, rural environmental pollution, etc.; the themes incorporate environmental pollution, poverty alleviation, rural revitalization, forestry reform, etc.; the protagonists are usually state-owned enterprise workers, village party secretaries, and county heads. , mayor and other "institutional" figures.
In the TV series "River Rises", the deputy mayor of Qijiang City and the director of the Environmental Protection Bureau inspected pollutant discharge companies. (Photo courtesy of interviewee)
Ecological and environmental issues have been around for a long time. Why have there been more environmental dramas in the past two years?
Air, water, soil and even the garbage produced every day, the environmental issues under the lens are closely related to the public. The creators of "River Rising" and "River Rising" both have many personal experiences with environmental pollution.
Zhang Tingâs hometown is by the Yellow River and has witnessed water pollution and water shortages. More than ten years ago, he went to Taihu Lake to film a movie. The stench was so bad that no one could tolerate him. Many years ago, he went to Luliang, Shanxi Province, and the air was so polluted that he dared not open the car windows. When filming "River Rises", the crew specially arranged environmental protection specialists to collect mineral water bottles, lunch boxes and other garbage, sort them before throwing them away.
Zhou Yaping grew up beside the Yangtze River. In his childhood memories, the Yangtze River was beautiful and broad, and the magnificent sunset was unforgettable. Later, when he returned to his hometown, he would always sigh on the bridge: "How did it become like this?" In the past ten years or so, In 2006, he led his team to travel around the country to shoot humanistic documentaries, and found that there was shocking pollution everywhere they went.
In recent years, as blue skies and white clouds have increased, environmental issues have gradually become âdesensitizedâ.
About ten years ago, nature documentary director Geng Dong planned to shoot a documentary on garbage pollution, but was blocked when applying for funding because the topic was "sensitive." "Today, ten years later, garbage classification has become a social consensus. Who would still think this topic is sensitive?" Geng Dong told a reporter from Southern Weekend.
According to the "Beijing Times" report, the 2005 "Deep Breath" was also "hidden" by many TV stations for three years because of its environmental protection themes.
Even today, there is still some resistance. The first scene of "Above the River" was an explosion in a chemical plant. When the crew was filming, there was someone who firmly opposed the filming of the disaster and even demanded that this environmentally-themed TV series not even mention the word "chemical pollution."
In "River Rises", the leadership team of Qijiang City gradually pays attention to the ecological environment, and the process of turning from "poor students" in environmental protection to "top students" is also the epitome of the transformation of social consensus in recent years. "Environmental protection is first of all a cognitive issue. In front of the GDP, some officials do not agree that environmental protection is so important. They think environmental protection is just a decoration, not a necessity." Zhang Ting said.
"Environmental protection is a subject that requires a bit of a bite, and not many people are willing to taste it." Li Xingwen believes that in the future, environmental protection subjects should be further "desensitized".
Why environmental themes are difficult to break out of the industry
Although they have gained some popularity, "River Rises" and "Above the Rivers" are still far from being out of the industry. Douban ratings are related to the number of ratings and the number of viewers. As of press time, the Douban entries for the two dramas have not yet displayed ratings.
's environmental theme seems to naturally lack the temperament of a hit.
Zhou Yaping encountered a lot of persuasion when he chose the angle of environmental justice. People feel that few people are interested in this subject, the audience cannot understand it, and it is too boring to shoot. In the play, when the actors talk about professional legal terms such as "plaintiff qualifications", "public interest litigation" and "environmental resources tribunal", it is indeed difficult for the audience to understand.
"The names are similar, the subject matter is similar, and the broadcast time is so close. It is difficult to distinguish between the two. After watching a little bit, I felt that the subject matter was a bit serious. I didn't like watching it too much, so I gave up on the show." A Douban netizen commented.
Zhou Yaping said that "Above the River" is a commercial drama, which is essentially an entertainment product. "The audience is most concerned about the entertainment content. In order to popularize some necessary concepts and ideas, even if it is entertaining, it will be more or less weakened." the audienceâs acceptance.â
In the TV series "Above the River", workers are taking water samples. (Photo courtesy of interviewee)
In addition to the lack of advantages in subject matter, the commercial returns of environmentally friendly film and television works are often not ideal.
Geng Dong said that China's documentary market is not yet sound, and it is difficult for creators to obtain commercial returns from their works. Therefore, many documentaries are currently invested by the government and television stations and shot for publicity needs.
The "International Green Film Week" founded in 2007 is committed to promoting green-themed films in the country. The initiator Suwa told Southern Weekend reporters that the film week only collected a few documentaries in the first year. By 2023, it has collected Thousands of green films in the form of documentaries, feature films, cartoons, etc.
But even if it has accumulated a brand reputation, it is still difficult to attract sponsorship every year. Environmental protection activities are far away from commercial realization and serve more to strengthen the company's social responsibility and brand image. Suwa needs to repeatedly communicate with the sponsor: What benefits can it bring to the sponsor by investing in a movie week that shows some less profitable movies. During the epidemic, Suwa even sold a house in order to survive.
In order to reach a wider audience, "Above the River" selected popular stars to participate. They have accumulated a group of fans through fairy tales and mythological dramas. Star-chasers praised the idol's performance and the quality of the show. Many of the comments scrolling on the video website were contributed by the actor's fans.
Even so, although it topped the ratings list, Zhou Yaping said that the commercial return of "Above the River" may not meet expectations. The situation of
"River Rises" is different. It is a "customized drama" produced by Hunan Satellite TV and Mango TV. It is not a commercial drama and has no KPIs such as traffic and commercial performance. The mission of the main creators is to popularize environmental protection concepts as much as possible.
Zhang Ting did not expect this drama to be successful from the beginning. In the past 20 years, Zhang Ting has created commercial dramas. He knows that anti-corruption has high traffic and attracts attention, and has become one of the commercial hot spots of TV dramas. But with the confidence not to pursue commercialization, Zhang Ting "willfully" did not add anti-corruption content to the script.
However, Li Xingwen believes that serious "serious drama" and excellent commercial returns are not incompatible. "In the Name of the People" and "Hurry" are all successful representatives. As long as the creators are given sufficient space for expression, and the creators collect, write, shoot, and produce in a down-to-earth manner, and when all aspects are consistent and high-level, environmentally-themed TV dramas are also expected to become "hits".
In the TV series "The River Rises", the leader of the Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection Team received clues about dead fish from the masses. (Photo courtesy of interviewee)
Get rid of the sense of preaching
Although the protagonists are also mayors, directors and other officials, a major difference between environmental dramas and other current political dramas lies in the stereotype of having a sense of preaching.
Protecting wild animals, controlling water pollution, responding to climate change... the altruism of environmental protection brings this sense of preaching. "Environmental protection starts from publicity and education." Ma Jun remembers that this was a sentence said by Qu Geping, the first director of the State Environmental Protection Administration.
In fact, there are countless classic film and television works on environmental protection themes. Ma Jun gave examples: "An Inconvenient Truth" sounded the alarm on climate change; "Ocean" and "Dolphin Cove" awakened people's awareness of protecting marine life; "Kekexili" showed anti-poaching actions to protect Tibetan antelopes and other plateau creatures. .
This passage from the science fiction movie "The Wandering Earth" is even more widely circulated: At first, no one cared about this disaster. It was just a wildfire, a drought, the extinction of a species, and the disappearance of a city. Until this Disasters are closely related to everyone.
"In the past, other departments were stepping on the accelerator for economic development, while the environmental protection department was stepping on the brakes." Ma Jun said, "Environmental protection work requires literary and artistic works that can touch people's hearts to mobilize the public. The environmental protection department is a relatively weak department, and it can only win public opinion Only with widespread support can we implement powerful measures with limited resources."
"River Rises" and "River Above" both try to get rid of the sense of preaching, integrate ideas into dramas, portray flesh-and-blood characters, and impress people with wonderful stories. audience. Some netizens of
praised their efforts: "It is still a bit difficult to tell environmental themes without being preachy. At present, the story still makes people interested in following it. It is interesting and authentic at the same time. It is rare in the past two years. drama."
At the same time, some critical voices also deserve to be taken seriously. For example, some highly praised the comments saying that the actors did not act like civil servants; many people felt that the script still had some suspensions and unrealities, and was out of touch with reality; the rhythm of the plot was dragging; some people raised questions as environmental impact assessment practitioners, thinking that the script There are some professional mistakes that should be avoided.
The last episode of "River Rises" did not arrange a happy ending. Some thorny environmental problems still require more determination and wisdom. The whole play never draws a conclusion on the game between environmental protection and economy, and also throws the audience's thinking on how ecological civilization is different from agricultural and industrial civilization. Zhang Ting feels that there is too much to talk about on environmental protection topics, and 24 episodes are too small. One drama is far from enough. âEcological and environmental governance is always on the way.â
(Liang Shuyi/Photo)
Southern Weekend reporter Lin Fangzhou Southern Weekend intern Wei Yaqi
editor-in-chief Wang Tao