| Genre: | Drama Romance |
| Runtime: | 45 minutes (approx.) |
| Director: | Zhang Xiaobo |
| Starring: | Sun Honglei Jiang Shuying Wang Yaoqing Che Xiao Lay Zhang Guan Xiaotong |
| Country: | China |
| Language: | Chinese |
| Company: | Linmon Pictures LeEco Yida Media Changjiang Culture |
| Network: | Jiangsu Television, Zhejiang Television |
| Num Episodes: | 42 |
| Budget: | US$23 million[1] |
To Be a Better Man is a 2016 Chinese television series produced by LeEco and directed by Zhang Xiaobo. It stars Sun Honglei, Jiang Shuying, Wao Yaoqing, Che Xiao, Lay Zhang and Guan Xiaotong. The series was aired on Jiangsu TV and Zhejiang TV from 31 May to 22 June 2016.
Lu Yuan worked hard in America to become a Michelin 3-star chef. To many, he is the Devil incarnate, reckless and wanton. But when it comes to the person he loves, he is an entirely different "good man" who is loyal, kind, and honest. After a nightmarish car accident takes away his friend, he returns home with his remains.
Now returning to China, Lu Yuan initially has three goals. First, he wants to bring the ashes of his friend, who died in the car accident, back to China and let them rest in peace. Second, he wants to return his best friend’s seventeen-year-old daughter Jia He to her birth mother, before finding a remote place and committing suicide. However unexpectedly, he met the person he least wants to see and becomes entangled with both his unresolved and new relationships.
The drama is both a critical and commercial success. It received acclaim for its heart-warming and realistic storyline, strong performance of its leads as well as cinematography and costume design.[2] [3] According to NetEase, the drama discusses from a detached point of view on searching for the true meaning of life in a society where people blindly chase after materialistic wants. It also touches on the importance of trust, family and love.
| Broadcast[4] | Episode | Zhejiang TV CSM52 ratings | Jiangsu TV CSM52 ratings | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratings (%) | Audience share (%) | Rank | Ratings (%) | Audience share (%) | Rank | |||
| 2016.5.31 | 1 | 1.000 | 2.843 | 3 | 0.922 | 2.613 | 5 | |
| 2016.6.1 | 2-3 | 0.726 | 2.24 | 4 | 0.705 | 2.174 | 5 | |
| 2016.6.2 | 4-5 | 0.747 | 2.25 | 5 | 0.839 | 2.523 | 3 | |
| 2016.6.3 | 6-7 | 0.867 | 2.59 | 4 | 0.764 | 2.26 | 5 | |
| 2016.6.4 | 8-9 | 1.081 | 3.39 | 2 | 0.794 | 2.52 | 3 | |
| 2016.6.5 | 10 | 0.980 | 2.93 | 2 | 0.920 | 2.89 | 3 | |
| 2016.6.6 | 11-12 | 0.955 | 2.89 | 4 | 1.046 | 3.16 | 3 | |
| 2016.6.7 | 13-14 | 1.052 | 3.20 | 4 | 1.124 | 3.42 | 3 | |
| 2016.6.8 | 15-16 | 1.070 | 3.30 | 3 | 1.100 | 3.39 | 2 | |
| 2016.6.9 | 17-18 | 0.968 | 3.04 | 3 | 1.133 | 3.56 | 2 | |
| 2016.6.10 | 19-20 | 1.092 | 3.33 | 3 | 1.092 | 3.30 | 2 | |
| 2016.6.11 | 21-22 | 1.186 | 3.43 | 2 | 1.094 | 3.17 | 3 | |
| 2016.6.12 | 23 | 1.202 | 3.58 | 2 | 1.200 | 3.56 | 3 | |
| 2016.6.13 | 24-25 | 1.594 | 4.61 | 3 | 1.250 | 3.70 | 4 | |
| 2016.6.14 | 26-27 | 1.312 | 3.85 | 2 | 1.224 | 3.59 | 3 | |
| 2016.6.15 | 28-29 | 1.405 | 4.23 | 2 | 1.245 | 3.74 | 3 | |
| 2016.6.16 | 30-31 | 1.214 | 3.83 | 2 | 1.196 | 3.77 | 3 | |
| 2016.6.17 | 32-33 | 1.320 | 4.09 | 2 | 1.237 | 3.77 | 3 | |
| 2016.6.18 | 34-35 | 1.162 | 3.81 | 3 | 1.464 | 4.50 | 2 | |
| 2016.6.19 | 36 | 1.381 | 4.20 | 3 | 1.469 | 4.66 | 2 | |
| 2016.6.20 | 37-38 | 1.597 | 4.93 | 1 | 1.555 | 4.49 | 2 | |
| 2016.6.21 | 39-40 | 1.738 | 5.42 | 1 | 1.586 | 4.94 | 2 | |
| 2016.6.22 | 41-42 | 1.752 | 5.38 | 1 | 1.657 | 5.09 | 2 | |
| Average ratings | 1.169 | 1.172 | ||||||
| Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11th National Top-Notch Television Award Ceremony | Outstanding Television Series | To Be a Better Man | ||
| Best Director | Zhang Xiaobo | [5] [6] | ||
| Best Screenwriter | Li Xiao, Yu Miao, Zhang Yingji | |||
| Best Actor | ||||
| Best Actress (Contemporary) | ||||
| Best Supporting Actor | Wang Yaoqing | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | ||||
| Best New Actor | ||||
| Top 10 Dramas | To Be a Better Man | |||
| [7] | ||||
| Best Supporting Actress |
| Channel | Place | Date | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jiangsu Television Zhejiang Television | May 31, 2016 | Everyday 19:30-21:15 | ||
| Star Chinese Channel | International Version | |||