mandarin (not dubbed) soaps?

[BenderBends]

I'm looking for some good soap operas or tv shows that are in true mandarin, preferably with optional English/simplified Chinese subtitles.

all the crap I find here is canto, or canto dubbed in mandarin with traditional subs.
I'd like to use these as a tool to regularly practicemy listening and understanding skills.

any ideas of where to look (shops or online), or any suggestions of what's good?
Posted via Mobile Device

[pizzalover]

We have a few free mainland channels in my flat complex . Several CCTV channels, Sichuan TV, mango TV (Hunan TV), Tomato TV (dongfang TV) etc.. Cable TV has Hunan World channel too.

Other suggestions:

1. Go to Shenzhen, and you can buy DVDs
2. pplive, an internet TV software (I used to use it years ago, not sure if it is still good)

I'm looking for some good soap operas or tv shows that are in true mandarin, preferably with optional English/simplified Chinese subtitles.

all the crap I find here is canto, or canto dubbed in mandarin with traditional subs.
I'd like to use these as a tool to regularly practicemy listening and understanding skills.

any ideas of where to look (shops or online), or any suggestions of what's good?
Posted via Mobile Device

[BenderBends]

most of the DVD shops I frequent in Guangdong seem to be in canto, or iv it is mandarin then it had traditional subs.

I just canceled my now tv... I'll have to check whati get over the air
Posted via Mobile Device

[ingenue]

Try Singaporean drama serials, some of which may be available at HMV (or have someone pick them up for you on their next trip there). It's Mandarin with English subtitles, and I believe there may be the option to have simplified Chinese subtitles along with it. The English subtitles are also pretty accurate generally.

[BenderBends]

any suggest shows?

if I order online or go to shop, they all generally look bad from their covers. what's good?
Posted via Mobile Device

[ingenue]

I find them overly dramatic and slightly annoying in general, but that's what you're going to get with drama serials. One that I watched recently was "The Little Nyonya" - might be worth googling it first to see if it's a storyline that might interest you. It was the highest rated locally-produced series in Singapore last year.

[BenderBends]

and singaporeans speak mandarin? i did not know that. learn something new every day...thanks

[ingenue]

Just for a bit more info, Singapore is diverse with 4 major ethnic groups, but 75% are of Chinese descent. It is a requirement in public schools to study English as well as a 2nd language, which is usually the language of one's ethnic heritage (if you fall in one of the major groups).

Having said that though, general use of languages in Singapore is rather colloquial. Drama serials are usually quite grammatically acceptable, but I wouldn't assume that most Singaporeans speak that way!

[existenz]

I'm a bit out of my depth here (not being able to read Chinese) but I have found Chinese TV series available for viewing online by searching for it on [url=http://www.gougou.com]