Satirical Comedy Series Big Shorts TV: Synopsis

China Central Television (CCTV) is a state-controlled TV station and the “Party’s mouthpiece”. All TV stations in mainland China must broadcast CCTV’s Xinwen Lianbo (“News Simulcast”) every evening from 7:00 to 7:30. This has continued for several decades without interruption. In 2010, CCTV’s new headquarters in Beijing was completed. The building looks just like a pair of men’s shorts, and residents of Beijing have jokingly dubbed it “Big Shorts”.

The satirical comedy series Big Shorts TV uses CCTV’s current affairs program In Focus as its backdrop. With humorous storytelling and a unique perspective, the series reveals the behind-the-scenes production process, demonstrating how CCTV “tracks” and “reports” events in society. In addition, the interactions between the program’s crew members (and between the crew members and the station’s executives and even the central party leaders) reveal the inside stories of CCTV’s news production and how the station has become a “harem” for China’s central leaders. The series is based on real events, adopting a combination of witty language and realistic performances to create a show that is funny while thought-provoking.