CCTV-12 fans?

[Xiao Kui]

I loved to watch CCTV-12 Society and Law channel when I lived in China and thanks to the CBox iOS app I'm still able to enjoy it here in the States. There are lots of shows but the content is pretty similar - mostly true crime stories. I find them fascinating and many times indeed stranger than fiction.

 

My absolute favorite so far was about a family who harvested valuable sea cucumbers for their livelihood, and the sea cucumbers disappeared. The police suspected it was an inside job and the family began to suspect some trusted workers, but they had rock solid alibis. Finally, they taped the area with a hidden camera and found out that mice were eating the sea cucumbers! 

 

A close second was about a family that had tons of silver coins buried under their house by an ancestor and weren't able to legally recover it because of restrictions regarding excavations until they got a chaiqian notice. Neighbors said they were full of it but robbers believed the rumor and beat them to a chunk of the treasure. Fortunately they were able to recover the stolen coins and find many more!

 

Today I just watched an episode that hit a little closer to home. It was about the trial of Liu Han, whom I met a few times but didn't know personally.  His son was my preschool student for two years and I literally wept watching how this man destroyed so many lives, including his own and that of his family. 

 

Though that particular episode was painful to watch, my Chinese and understanding of Chinese society and culture has been enriched by watching CCTV 12. Any other fans?

[MPhillips]

I've watched most of the episodes of 天网 （iCNTV社会与法）that are to be found on Youtube. The weirdest I've seen is the case of the transvestite burglar who targeted ladies' fashion boutiques, breaking into them dressed as a woman. When they caught up with him his house was chock-a-block with loot--clothes, accessories, make-up & perfume, apparently he was keeping the stuff for himself. While I'd never watch the equivalent American programs, as they treat the suspects somewhat less cruelly on 天网，I find it worth watching.

[Xiao Kui]

That sounds like a fascinating episode.  They do speak with and about the suspects pretty matter of factly, and the convicts are pretty forthcoming compared to American ones, but then again they are pretty much resigned to their sentences since there is really no chance for appeal.  :/

[MPhillips]

Any show on earth is an improvement over "COPS"! The evicted family finding their ancestor's buried treasure is a real 塞翁失馬 story, also I looked up 劉漢，it seems he was a billionaire, that must have been some school you taught at!