Serial (radio and television)
In television and radio programming, a serial has a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode-by-episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the full run of the series, which distinguishes them from traditional episodic television that relies on more stand-alone episodes. Worldwide, the soap opera is the most prominent form of serial dramatic programming.
Chinese television drama
Since the 1990s, historical serials have been the dominant genre on prime-time television. The trend climaxed in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with a large number of palace (also known as "Qing") dramas shown on television.