As we enter June, dramas with female-centric themes are making a strong impact. Both “The Double” and “The Tale of Rose” have delivered impressive performances since their premieres, with steadily rising viewership and discussion heat. Interestingly, both shows are narrated from a “great female lead” perspective, focusing on themes of growth, revenge, and even vengeance. If “being a woman is a condition,” these two dramas, set in different backgrounds, illustrate this condition through the characters Xue Fangfei and Huang Yimei. By examining the protagonists' settings and fate, we can see the next iteration of the great female lead theme and trace the common issues present in female-centric dramas. So, will the future model for great female leads be Xue Fangfei or Huang Yimei?
The plots of “The Double” and “The Tale of Rose” are not overly complex. The former depicts a tragic wife who pseudo-reborn and seeks revenge, while the latter revolves around a woman's love story with four men. Both protagonists' stories follow the narrative pattern of female-centric novels: clear character growth, with their pains mainly caused by men. As they grow, the presence of men in their lives diminishes. Additionally, Xue Fangfei and Huang Yimei share some overpowered traits typical of female-centric stories. For instance, Xue Fangfei is the most talented woman in Huai, while Huang Yimei possesses stunning beauty, which naturally attracts male characters. Despite their similar frameworks, the two dramas have significant differences upon closer inspection.
These differences mainly lie in the torment and gratification points of the series. “The Double” is overall torment first, then gratification, with its torment and gratification being very direct. In terms of torment, Xue Fangfei starts from a hellish beginning, incorporating various melodramatic elements: an evil mother-in-law, a vicious sister-in-law, an indifferent husband, a deranged rival, and her own broken self. Xue Fangfei's retaliation is swift and fierce, moving from escaping the Zhennv Hall to entering the Jiang residence, reclaiming her Ji ceremony, and entering the Mingyi Hall, all within six to seven episodes. The fast pace and dense information provide a strong sense of gratification from the heroine's progress.
In contrast, Huang Yimei in “The Tale of Rose” experiences gratification first, then torment, and then gratification again. She starts with numerous suitors, then faces the pain of love and the hurt of marriage, before escaping her suffering and rediscovering herself. Xue Fangfei's gratification comes from her external revenge, while Huang Yimei's comes from her internal awakening, focusing on personal growth. Both avoid typical romantic tropes but still rely on adopting male perspectives to gain control over their lives.
“The Double” has a relatively weak connection with romantic elements. Although the male lead Xiao Heng occasionally appears as a savior, Xue Fangfei breaks away from the traditional notion of love above all. After acknowledging their mutual affection, they focus on personal growth and career. “The Tale of Rose,” on the other hand, bases Huang Yimei's growth on her emotional entanglements with men. Her hurt by men leads her to be cautious in relationships and find success in her career, filling the void left by her unfortunate marriage. She learns to prioritize herself and be true to herself. Essentially, both dramas cleverly use male thinking to frame their narratives, applying the approach of male-centric stories to female-centric ones. This method, characterized by a focus on gratification, seems to resonate well with the market, albeit as a transitional phase.
In terms of production, casting is a crucial factor for great female lead dramas. The success of “The Double” and “The Tale of Rose” can largely be attributed to this. Wu Jinyan and Liu Yifei are highly suitable for their roles as Xue Fangfei and Huang Yimei, respectively. Wu Jinyan's innate cool temperament and tenacious spirit make her perfect for strong female lead roles, easily engaging the audience. She is a familiar face in revenge roles, with a high national recognition from her performance in “Story of Yanxi Palace.”
However, this familiarity is both her advantage and her limitation. She seems to be typecast in similar roles, making it hard to break free from her current acting path. Nonetheless, this is not a significant issue in the short term. The data shows that “The Double” has been a dark horse in this year's series, competing strongly with the later-released major drama “The Tale of Rose.” Young audiences continue to favor resilient female leads.
Liu Yifei, on the other hand, perfectly fits her role, with few actresses able to effortlessly embody the “goddess” aura like her. The life-oriented setting of “The Tale of Rose” helps her retain more viewers, especially in broadcast ratings, where it debuted as the leader with a peak rating surpassing 2%. One is strong and ancient, the other is gentle and modern, one is dramatic, and the other is life-oriented, creating an interesting contrast between the two dramas.
“The Double” and “The Tale of Rose” are not the first instances of historical and modern female dramas going head-to-head this year. Back in April, Yang Zi's “Best Choice Ever” and Zhao Liying's “The Legend of Shen Li ” were compared due to their close release dates. Additionally, Ju Jingyi's “In Blossom” and Zhang Jingyi's “Blossoms in Adversity” have contributed to a lively first half of the year for female-centric dramas. With the increasing popularity of the female genre, audiences have become more critical in their evaluation of the leading ladies.
The meticulous selection of the female lead has thus become essential, with scrutiny extending from character design to the actress herself. In terms of character, the lead must be strong, sassy, and independent in her approach to love, avoiding petty competition and promoting female solidarity. As for the actress, her age, looks, physique, temperament, and popularity must align with the character, meeting audience expectations. Female dramas have developed a relatively standard content model. Once the content stabilizes, creators must focus on casting and aesthetics to appeal to the audience. The success of casting has become a pivotal factor in determining whether a drama and its platform can stand out.
What kind of great female lead do audiences prefer? This is a question that creators and platforms must ponder. First, looking at “The Double” and “The Tale of Rose,” the variety of elements in these series could signal a future trend in female dramas. Both series incorporate numerous popular drama elements. “The Double” combines mansion intrigues, power struggles, revenge, and comedy, while “The Tale of Rose” navigates through fashion, family, and business warfare. Superficially defined as female-centric dramas, these shows are, in reality, more vibrant and multifaceted.
Second is the dream-weaving ability based on realistic foundations. “The Tale of Rose” tells the love story of one woman with four men. Similar “male competition” dynamics are popular in female-centric adaptations, as seen in last year's “Lost You Forever” and “Story of Kunning Palace.” This dynamic mirrors the “one man, many women” relationships in male-centric content. However, unlike the fantastical settings of historical dramas, urban dramas about women emphasize realism. For instance, Huang Yimei's marital struggles with Fang Xiewen and her conflicts with her mother-in-law have generated significant discussion.
Lastly, no matter how segmented female-centric dramas become, their core emotions must resonate with the audience to reach a broader viewership. The great female leads showcased should embody what modern women aspire to be. Developing female-centric dramas should not shy away from female desires, judge women, or covertly push male dominance under the guise of high-sounding excuses. This year, “Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace” faced criticism for this reason—emphasizing romantic ideals in a palace intrigue setting, it downplayed Ruyi's ambitions, unrealistically depicting her rise based solely on the emperor's affection amidst deadly court battles.
Such impractical portrayals clash with audience expectations and current values. Creatively, in the female-centric drama arena, villainous role characters are more popular, with bold, rebellious women outshining docile ones. Audiences now prefer leads who are willing to go to any lengths to achieve their goals over those who endure suffering. With the fast pace of life, high work intensity, and increased social competition, people face greater physical and mental stress. Therefore, there is a higher demand for fast-paced, instantly gratifying, and easy-to-watch female-centric dramas. These dramas provide an emotional escape from reality, offering a release for pent-up emotions. As long as these shows hit the audience's pain points and fulfill their desires, they will continue to find a market. In the complex drama landscape, there will always be a place for great female leads.