“Ode to Joy” is a two-part series that tells the story of five modern women who live on the same floor of an apartment complex called “Ode to Joy” in Shanghai. It is described as “fun and easy to follow” for Mandarin learners. The series explores different sensitive subjects such as financial issues, being raised an orphan in Chinese society, and being a “leftover woman” or 剩女 (shèngnǚ) (a term for unmarried women past the age that Chinese women typically marry).

Mandarin subtitles are included by default, which is common for watching TV in Mainland China. You can turn English subtitles on and off by using CC (closed captions).