History in the making

In a scene from the new production, Deng cooks a dish at a civilian's house. [Photo/China Daily]

"We didn't need to look up at Deng when making the serial," director Wu Ziniu said at the premiere of the serial in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

"We look at him in a way that helps us to feel his emotions. At home, he was just a kind grandfather and father before he was a great figure."

Wu said in an interview with Sichuan News Network that many behind-the-scenes stories on important national policy decisions had never been revealed to the public before, and the portrayal of those details are able to survive the audience's scrutiny.

The show also has fictional figures representing ordinary Chinese families. This sub-plot runs parallel to the main story of the leaders, and reflects social changes at the time.

"We've seen many works on similar topics but they are too careful," television critic Li Xingwen wrote in a post on sina.com.

"They used to only grasp some episodes from textbooks or history files. Though they appeared to be dramas, they were actually documentaries. So, it is refreshing to see a breakthrough this time."