The Long Season

Xin Shuang directs this twelve-part crime drama for Tencent Video, a slow-burn thriller set against the rusting backdrop of a fictional steel town in Northeast China. The story centers on Wang Xiang, played by Fan Wei, an ex-train driver who spent his career at the local mill. When a brutal murder rocks the community in the autumn of 1998, the event fractures lives and leaves a trail of grief that refuses to fade. More than two decades later, Wang Xiang and his former colleagues still grapple with the loss, forcing them to confront the past they tried to bury. The series blends mystery with deep family drama, exploring how industrial decline mirrors personal decay. Qin Hao joins the cast as Gong Biao, a detective whose investigation cuts through layers of silence and fear. With an average runtime of over an hour per episode, the show builds tension methodically rather than rushing toward answers. Audiences responded strongly to the atmospheric storytelling and strong performances, earning it an impressive rating of 8.8 out of 10. It stands as a compelling look at memory, guilt, and the weight of secrets kept too long.[edit]