List of The Lead (TV series) episodes

Episode 1 - Growing up in the same Kampung, Zhen, Guanghui,Anya and Deping are avid TV fans. Guanghui climbs up the roof to fix the television antenna when he misses a step.

Episode 2 - Guanghui has a lingering fear over what has taken place. Grandma has a persistent cough. Deping says porcupine dates are good for coughs but very expensive. Anya offers to buy some, but Guanghui rejects her help. Xiaohu ask Zhen to give up her dream of being an actress but she refuse. Anya and Deping brings words that there is a fire at a restaurant in which Guanghui works. The three friends race to the scene but are prevented from the police from going too close. They are anxious, but have no choice but to leave. Deping gives Grandma a scare, when he thoughtlessly says something has happened to Guanghui. Guanghui arrives home with porcupine dates. Grandma is relieved and cry tears of joy. Guanghui lies about his escapade as is still early .It was the day of his exam and it was early, Guanghui was going out for a while but Then holds tightly to him and drops a bad with bottles of smuggled wine. Everyone is dumbfounded but Guanghui says he does it to buy porcupine dates for Grandma. They are late for the exam. Xiangrong was one of the judges plead with the other judges of giving them a chance. The results are released, everyone was accepted except Zhen, Anya runs into Jiang Longhai when she reports for work. She then realise she was selected in place of Zhen. Zhen was infuriated.

Episode 3 - Deping cannot believe Anya was accepted instead of the prettier Zhen. Guanghui points to the relationship Anya's father, Guodong, has with Xinghai, the head of Chinese drama unit. Guanghui offers to give his place up to Zhen. She turns him down; she feels he is a born actor. Xiaohu asks the director for a substitute for Xiangrong when he notices she is unwell. At the director's insistence, however, Xiangrong attempts to execute the wire-suspension stunt herself. Zhen volunteers to replace Xiangrong. Suspended in mid-air, she grits her teeth in fear to finish the scene. Later, she tells Xiangrong she is content to just be a stand-in. The four friends have a day out together. Deping scoffs at Anya, but they make up when he returns to help her with her sprained ankle. Guanghui and Zhen see Xiaohu and Xiangrong talking in undertones, after which Xiaohu seems agitated. They part ways. Suspicious, Zhen and Guanghui secretly tail him and see him and a fully disguised Xiangrong enter a hotel.

Episode 4 - Zhen and Guanghui think Xiaohu and Xiangrong are in the hotel for a tryst. They dash into the hotel room, to find another middle-aged woman with them. Bluntly, Zhen asks Xiangrong if she is her mother. Xiaohu rebukes her for her wild imagination. Xiangrong makes up an excuse. As Zhen fires her questions persistently, Xiaohu leaves hurriedly. Anya and Zhen are constantly bullied by a director. Deping and Guanghui defend the girls and get themselves into trouble with the director. Incensed, the director abuses his power by asking Guanghui to shoot a bath scene in the nude. Guanghui passes the editing room while on his way to see the director, and several cameramen are laughing at his nude bath scene. A scuffle ensues. Xinghai is unable to find the nude bath scene in the editing room. Guanghui scolds him for showing favouritism and leaves angrily. Xinghai hopes Guanghui will put his heart into acting, but Guanghui does not heed anyone's advice. Zhen is hurt while being a stand-in. Anxious, Xiangrong asks after her. Zhen pesters Xiangrong again about her parentage.

Episode 5 - With Zhen intensely probing, Xiangrong has no choice but to reveal the background. Zhen's mother is He Xinyu, Xiangrong's good friend. Twenty years ago, Xinyu left for Hong Kong to build her career. Xinyu fell in love with Xiaohu and gave birth to Zhen. Now, Xinyu is down and out, but her whereabouts are unknown. Intrigued, Zhen asks Xiaohu what happened. She stops asking when she senses he is upset. Guanghui's bad attitude irks the director. Xinghai issues him a warning, but Guanghui argues and tells Xinghai he has no right to lecture him since his partiality for a certain colleague is evident. Not long after, Guanghui learns Xinghai has fired the director. Deping finds out about the love triangle between Zhen, Guanghui and Anya. Guanghui thinks it is an April Fools’ Day prank when Deping tells him Zhen likes him. Embarrassed, Zhen gets into an argument with Deping. Guanghui is late for work. Xinghai scolds him. In a fit of anger, Guanghui resigns. Xinghai makes him finish a scene before he leaves. Ironically, for the first time, Guanghui finds joy in his work. Xinghai shows Guanghui the scene he had completed and asks him to reconsider his resignation.

Episode 6 - Time flies. The kampong is requisitioned by the government. Zhen and the others are forced to move out. Anya and Guodong move into a house. Guanghui and Zhen are neighbours again. Roped in as a substitute, Zhen does a scene with Deping. She is bruised by him. He blames her for being slow and refuses to admit his mistake. Incensed, Guanghui chases him out of the house. Deping has nowhere to stay and decides to sleep in the artistes’ rest room. He bumps into a girl in white, which scares the wits out of him. The next day, Guodong tells him the "ghost" is named Qian-gu. Deping falls ill and faints. Deping wakes up to find Zhen looking after him. He confesses his feelings for her, which terrifies her. Xinghai realises Zhen has potential as an actress. He decides to give her a part in a drama. However, she takes her role too seriously and irks the director. Anya comforts her and shares that she envies her for landing a role with dialogue. They encourage each other to fulfil their dreams. Anya is shocked to find out she has been cheated of the $1,000 she paid to a talent agency.

Episode 7 - Anya complains to her friends about the talent agency. Guanghui comes up with a plan to lure the swindler out. Zhen watches other actors filming a scene and halts the proceedings when the actor does not perform well. The director is incensed, and complains to Xinghai. Xinghai tells Zhen her intensity scares all the directors and no one dares to give her a role. She is disheartened. Deping lures the swindler, Alan, out. Anya recognises him. With two thugs, Alan taunts Deping to pay him, and threatens to disfigure Anya. Deping gets into a fight with the thugs, with Guanghui and Zhen helping him. The police arrive and arrest Alan and his men. Anya asks Guodong to help her become a lead actress. He tells her to get the TV producer, Jason, drunk, take him to a hotel, and accuse him of taking advantage of her. Jason will then relent and give her a plum role. An unexpected turn of events sees Jason giving the lead role to Deping instead. Guodong comes up with another idea: He decides to let Anya go overseas to seek acting opportunities.

Episode 8 - Xinghai and Xiangrong are judges of the preliminary round of Star Search. They are surprised to see Zhen as one of the contestants. When Xinghai voices his dislike for Zhen's acting style, she is crushed. She feels she has lost her last chance to make it big and becomes uncertain of her future, as all she knows is acting. Xiangrong recommends she fill up a vacancy in the costumes department. Zhen goes looking for Guanghui on the set to share the news with him. She finds him sleeping in a corner. As she watches him, she blurts out her feelings for him on impulse and musters up the courage to kiss him. He wakes up suddenly. Guanghui, who's the lead, films a scene with Deping. Deping fumes when the director scolds him for changing his lines, while praising Guanghui for doing the same. Deping laments that the person who is popular can do whatever he wants. Zhen encourages him to prove himself. He hugs her gratefully. Zhen is undecided whether to confess her love for Guanghui. Grandma encourages her to fight for her happiness. Deping finds out and tries to hinder Zhen from meeting Guanghui.

Episode 9 - Zhen is angry with Deping for ruining her declaration of love. He advises her to give up, as Anya is the person Guanghui likes. Zhen is heartbroken. Because of her advancing age, Xiangrong is edged out of the limelight and forced to take supporting roles. Although she pretends to be open-minded, she is bothered by this. Infuriated with Guanghui for not joining them for dinner, Deping orders many spicy dishes, not knowing Grandma does not take well to spicy food. She doesn’t want to offend Deping and forces herself to eat. That night, she develops diarrhoea. When told that Deping had forced Grandma to eat spicy food, Guanghui flies into a rage and chases him out of the house. Deping moves into Zhen's house. She chases him out when she hears he had helped Anya to spy on her and Guanghui and prevented them from being together. Anya undergoes a complete makeover. She takes on the lead role in a new drama and is paired with Guanghui as a couple. Zhen rushes to the film set to inform Guanghui that Grandma is missing. She witnesses him kissing Anya and is devastated.

Episode 10 - Everyone is panicky over Grandma's disappearance. It turns out that she was bringing a cake to the TV station to celebrate Guanghui's birthday. He is moved, and promises to be filial. Disturbed by Guanghui's aloofness towards Deping, Zhen helps them to reconcile. Zhen is fired from her job. To make matters worse for her, Guanghui and Anya get closer. Zhen begs Xiaohu to let her be a stunt double. He refuses. With Anya's help, Zhen gets to work at Guodong's food stall at the TV station. Anya and Guanghui become the newly acclaimed on-screen couple. Deping is getting bigger roles for his portrayal of villains. Only Zhen remains off-screen. She now is a dish cleaner at the TV station canteen. Guanghui finally accepts Anya when she professes her love for him. Zhen is heart-broken to see them kissing. By chance, Zhen is invited to work in the makeup department. With makeup on, she looks entirely different. A rising actor, Liwei, tries to hit on her. Guanghui returns home to find his birth mother, Bixia, waiting for him.

Episode 11 - Zhen learns the reason why Bixia abandoned Guanghui many years ago and sympathises with her. She decides to help them reconcile. Xiaohu is shocked to see a female stranger using the washroom early in the morning. Bixia shares her plight, and he decides to lend a hand as well. Guanghui and Anya find it thrilling to date secretly. Anya asks Zhen to help them cover up their romance, as she is afraid their relationship will affect their careers. Guanghui agrees, and Zhen relents. Bixia seeks Guanghui's forgiveness but to no avail. She confides in Xiaohu, and cries in his arms. Xiaohu's plan backfires and Bixia almost loses her life. Fortunately, Guanghui and Zhen arrive in time to save her. Although Guanghui is concerned about Bixia, he is unable to let go of his bitterness. She decides to leave. Zhen tells Guanghui off. He discovers Bixia gone, having left a birthday gift he had given her years ago. He decides to look for her.

Episode 12 - The loansharks confront Bixia. Xiaohu tries to negotiate with them but to no avail. Guanghui offers to settle the debt. Guodong takes Anya to see Eric, the head of a movie company. He mentions that Eric has invested in many foreign movies, and if Anya maintains a good relationship with him, she might have the opportunity to act in a Hollywood production. He wants her to break up with Guanghui; she refuses. Bixia asks Zhen if she likes Guanghui. Encouraging her to pursue her happiness, Bixia reasons that the best way is to ruin Guanghui and Anya's relationship. Anya goes on a date with Guanghui. She instructs Zhen to inform her if she spots any reporters. Zhen notices a reporter lingering around. A moment of selfishness prevents her from alerting Anya and Guanghui, and they are photographed. Guanghui gives the loansharks $10,000. Soon after, Bixia meets with the loansharks and they split the money. Xiaohu chances upon the scene and is taken aback.

Episode 13 - When Xiaohu appears, Bixia signals the loansharks to play along with her. They comply and slap her. After the loansharks leave, Bixia pretends to show affection for Xiaohu so he would not doubt her. Liwei expresses his feelings for Zhen. She feels flattered as it is the first time anyone has ever declared romantic love. Deping warns Liwei not to lead her on. Anya is unable to meet Guanghui privately for a period of time. Wanting to surprise him, however, she goes to the karaoke lounge he is at. He is so drunk that he does not recognise her, and she is annoyed. Bixia tells Xiaohu she wants to become a masseur, to clear her debts and relieve Guanghui of this financial burden. Xiaohu decides to pawn his ex-wife's wedding ring to help her. The TV station is recognising its artistes in the Star Awards show for the first time. Guanghui and Anya are nominees in the best actor and actress categories. The top 10 best male and female artistes will be chosen by audience votes. Anya receives the award for best actress. Elated, she gets carried away and asks which award she should win the next time.

Episode 14 - Guanghui lands the best actor award. Decked with the most popular male star award, Deping has the sense of finally being on par with Guanghui. Zhen loses a sum of money for betting on Guanghui taking the most popular male star award. Deping and Guanghui reconcile. Learning that Guanghui is gambling at the club, Bixia colludes with Long to trap him, so as to get more money out of him. Bixia mocks Anya for having plastic surgery and says she is not fit to be her daughter-in-law. When she notices Guanghui approaching, Bixia provokes Anya on purpose. Anya rants at Bixia, and Guanghui reprimands her. They argue heatedly, and decide to end their relationship.

Episode 15 - Anya tells Zhen she is happier since the breakup. Zhen shares that Guanghui is too troubled to work, and even resorts to drinking. Zhen arranges for Anya and Guanghui to have lunch. Guanghui behaves intimately with Meina on purpose, and Anya leaves in a huff. Guanghui ponders his feelings for Anya, and realises it was Anya's character in the drama that he was in love with. The reporters expose Anya's episode of plastic surgery, and she speculates that it was Meina who leaked the news. Xinghai informs Anya that she should take a break; her role has been given to Meina. Guanghui and Liwei fall into Long's trap and chalk up a debt of $100,000. He threatens them and gives them a week to pay, otherwise he will inform the media. Guanghui appreciates Zhen for standing by him whenever he is down, and hugs her. Anya witnesses this and becomes convinced it was Zhen who betrayed her, so as to gain Guanghui. Flying into a rage, she slaps Zhen and ends their friendship. She also severs her ties with Guanghui. Anya decides to go overseas to further her studies. Xiaohu discovers Bixia preparing to leave after stealing all the valuables in the house. At the airport, Anya is discouraged that no one is there to see her off. She laments her friends have left her in the lurch.

Episode 16 - Bixia admits she had come back with the intention of cheating Guanghui. It was she who told to the reporters that Anya had a plastic surgery. Guanghui asks Bixia if she regards him as her son. She does not reply. Leaving a bag of money, which represents all the cash she wrangled from him, she tells him to assume she is dead. Guanghui is shattered. Xiaohu is upset his feelings were manipulated by Bixia. Zhen promises to help him look for another girlfriend. Guanghui and Meina are touted as the new on-screen couple. Noticing that they often behave intimately around each other, reporters ask if they are in fact a couple. They clarify that they are just good friends. Guanghui asks Zhen if she has contacted Anya. Zhen replies that Anya does not pick up her calls, but she has heard from Guodong that Anya is actively seeking an opportunity in Hollywood. Guanghui and Zhen go home drunk. Zhen asks if he likes her. He kisses her but falls asleep soon after.

Episode 17 - While filming, Deping offends Zheng Jiang, a renowned Hong Kong actor. Zheng Jiang storms off the set. Xinghai promises to give Deping a lead role in an upcoming blockbuster if he apologises to Zheng Jiang. Deping gives in. Under the pretense of apologising to Deping, Liwei orders him an alcoholic drink. Unaware Liwei has spiked the drink, Deping becomes very drunk. He mistakes the guest actress as Zhen and tries to kiss her. The woman screams, and security guards are called in to subdue Deping. Deping is suspended for molesting the woman. He complains that he was framed by Liwei. Zhen maintains her trust in him. Guodong and Xiangrong fail to settle their dispute out of court. Guodong accuses Xiangrong of trying to extort money from him by pretending it is compensation. Stung by Guodong's harsh remarks, Xiangrong faints. She is diagnosed to have acute myeloid leukemia and is told she needs a bone marrow transplant urgently. Zhen volunteers to be tested for suitability as a donor. Deping is fired. Zhen and Guanghui stand by him. It is the most difficult phase of his life thus far. Both Deping and Guanghui show their affection for Zhen. They become entangled in a love triangle.

Episode 18 - Zhen offends Meina and is subsequently accused of being lacklustre in her work. Xinghai wants to dismiss her. Xiangrong pleads on her behalf. Grateful to Xiangrong for helping his daughter, Xiaohu decides to donate his bone marrow to her. Guanghui cannot accept that Meina is pregnant. However, he rushes to see her when he learns she is going to abort the baby. She claims that if they get married, his career will stall and she doesn’t want to be a burden. Touched, he hugs her. Zhen is overjoyed when Xinghai allows her to remain in her job. She can’t wait to share the good news with Guanghui. He tells her he is going to marry Meina as he doesn’t want to be irresponsible, as his own parents were. Zhen is stunned. Guanghui marries Meina. However, she miscarries. Their relationship is not harmonious. Time flies. It is the year 2016. Everyone's life changes.

Episode 19 - The broadcasting station relocates to a new location in year 2016. Ah Zhen is a Director whereas Li Wei, Guanghui and Mei Na are joint-investors of a fine dining restaurant. Guanghui channels his focus on the business and neglects filming. De Ping tries to woo investors to support his movie but fails. Anya auditions for a film but ends up arguing with an Executive Producer because she was not willing to play the supporting role.

Episode 20 - Just when Xiaohu and Xiangrong got closer, Ah Zhen's biological mom appears. Xiaohu refuses to forgive her for abandoning both of them. He maintains a distance from her. Guanghui turns to the loan sharks to help his business tide through difficult times. Ah Zhen learns of his debts and lends him money to help him out.

Episode 21 - Zhiguang explains Xinyu's role, and she realises it's only a supporting part. Dissatisfied, she speaks of herself as a famous Hong Kong movie star and insists the role is too minor for her. Guanghui confesses to Anya that his loanshark debt is snowballing and he can’t clear it. Straightaway, she asks how much he needs, without probing. He is guilt-stricken for letting her down in the past. Meina demands to know why Anya keeps trying to get close to Guanghui. Anya retorts that she is only helping a friend, and chides her for doing nothing as his wife. Meina slaps her in a fit of anger. The people around them whip out their handphones and record the scene. Anya is embarrassed. Zhen learns of Xinyu's predicament and wants her to move into her house. Xiaohu flares up at the sight of Xinyu. Zhen finds some medicine in Xinyu's bag. Xinyu snatches it and claims it's for her migraine. Deping is required to assist in a police investigation into an intimidation and assault case.

Episode 22 - Deping is alleged to have intimidated Uncle Hong and injured him. Disillusioned, he laments that his talent is not recognised even after all these years. Zhen comforts him and encourages him by saying his dream to direct a movie will indeed come true. Guanghui and Liwei are heavily in debt. They go drinking to alleviate their stress. Liwei reveals that Meina tipped off the reporters in the past, to get Guanghui to marry her. Fuming, Guanghui demands a divorce. Meina asks for forgiveness and agrees to let him mortgage their house. Zhen takes a photo of Xinyu's medicine and goes to a pharmacy to inquire about it. She is shocked to be told it is medication for cancer. Xiaohu doesn’t believe Xinyu is terminally ill. Xiangrong advises him not to confront her but to reconcile with her. Grandma leaves some cash and jewellery for Guanghui. Touched, he feels ashamed. However, he succumbs to his gambling addiction and goes again to the casino to try his luck. Meina and Liwei are practical enough to start making plans for themselves.

Episode 23 - During filming, Xinyu walks towards the edge of the rooftop, ignoring Zhen and Xiaohu's warnings. She comes to her senses suddenly and explains that she is too engrossed in her character. Xiaohu's persistent questions leave Xinyu no choice but to admit she has lung cancer. She doesn’t want to suffer the torture of treatment and says her biggest wish is to live a happy family life. Qiulian reprimands Guanghui for not turning up for filming. He lies that his grandmother is ill and he has to take care of her. Qiulian decides to give him one last chance. Zhen berates Guanghui for lying to Qiulian and slaps him. Guanghui finds two loanshark runners at Grandma's house. He is told Meina and Liwei have borrowed a huge sum of money. The runners demand he pay up. When he refuses, he is beaten up. Grandma tells Guanghui she is in-the-know and advises him to kick his gambling addiction. Frustrated, he flares up and storms off. Xinyu is agitated to learn Xiaohu did not break up with Xiangrong. She attempts suicide. At the hospital, the doctor confirms she does not have cancer.

Episode 24 - Ah Zhen realises that Xin Yu's condition is getting worse but Xiaohu feels that Xin Yu is just acting so as to get people's attention. Xiang Rong brings Xin Yu to a psychiatrist but Xin Yu runs away angrily. Xin Yu blames Xiang Rong for separating her family and started crying and begging Xiang Rong to break up with Xiaohu. Xiang Rong agrees helplessly.

Episode 25 - Guang Hui gets fired by the broadcast station. He decided to apply for bankruptcy as he could not afford to return the loan. Guang Hui tells An Ya that his dream was to open a fish farm, not become a star. He decided to go overseas to help at his friend's fish farm. An Ya could not accept the truth.

Episode 26 - Grandma has a stroke and loses consciousness. Guanghui is nowhere to be found. Realising she might not live long, everyone looks frantically for him. Anya remembers Guanghui mentioning a job at a fish farm. Zhen and Anya rush to the pier, only to see him leaving on a boat. They yell for him to disembark. By the time they rush to the hospital, it is too late. Grandma is dead. Guanghui does not attend Grandma's funeral. Unable to face up to her passing, he wallows in grief and remorse. Zhen tries in vain to get Guanghui to pull himself together. Deping forces the issue, and Guanghui breaks down. He runs to the roof-top but is too scared to jump off. Thereafter, he disappears. Deping's movie wraps up. He realises Anya's face is starting to look distorted and suspects it's due to the plastic surgery. Worried about her appearance, Anya becomes paranoid. The movie theatre manager has no intention of screening Deping's movie. Incensed, Deping cites Anya's looks as the reason and quarrels with her. Deping is drunk when he gets involved in a car race. He hits a pedestrian and flees from the scene of the accident.

Episode 27 - A screening is held for Deping's new movie. Only a few people attend. Deping criticises a reporter whom he catches sleeping. Guodong meets Eric and makes arrangements for a movie audition for Anya on her behalf. Touched that Eric has been waiting for her to reciprocate his love all these years, Anya sleeps with him. Little does she expect that he is merely toying with her. The lead role goes to someone else. Anya's affair with Eric is exposed and she is suspected to be his mistress. Her plastic surgery also makes the news, and her reputation becomes tainted. The driver who knocked down and killed Deping's parents passes away. The driver's son looks Deping up and gives him a large sum of money as compensation. The drama turns in poor ratings. Zhiguang wants Zhen to collude with him and blame the director. When she refuses, he complains to top management and makes her the scapegoat. Guanghui wanders about aimlessly and sleeps in the streets. He is almost beaten up for not paying for his alcoholic drinks. Zhen and Anya continue to look unrelentingly for him.

Episode 28 - Zhen is demoted to a production coordinator for her poor performance. Deping notices two police officers near his house. Guilt-ridden, he turns around and runs but is arrested. He insists the hit-and-run was an accident but soon realises the policemen did not come for him. Anya's mother, Auntie Fang, chides Guodong for inciting Anya to pursue fame from her earliest years, which is the reason she will do anything to attain it; hence, her current predicament. He kneels before Auntie Fang and begs for forgiveness. Before Deping attends his hearing, he confesses his feelings for Zhen. He is sentenced to two months’ imprisonment for reckless driving. Anya decides to go away for a while. One year passes. Zhen is now a producer. The scriptwriter suggests filming a drama about the TV station to celebrate its 35th anniversary, and invite Deping and Guanghui to make cameo appearances. After Deping is released from jail, he becomes a taxi driver. Anya returns to Singapore, her face now deformed. Meanwhile, Guanghui tells his master he wants to become a monk.

Episode 29 - Deping and Zhen are called to the morgue to identify Guanghui's body. The body is beyond recognition. Zhen is certain Guanghui is not dead. At home, Anya keeps throwing temper tantrums and is always in a bad mood. Auntie Fang is anxious. Zhen suggests leaving Anya alone for a while, so that she will be forced to learn to be independent. After some persuasion, Anya goes out with Zhen. She wears shades and masks and holds tightly onto Zhen. This attracts the attention of some passers-by. Anya breaks down; she is still unable to face people. Deping argues with a customer over the taxi fare, and the customer files a complaint against him. Angered, Deping quits. Out of desperation, he decides to go back to acting. The video showing Jingjing being sexually harassed by Deping goes viral. Zhen does not believe Deping would do such a thing and suggests making a police report. Guilt-stricken, Jingjing agrees not to pursue it further. Told that Guanghui is overseas, Deping goes in search of him, without informing Zhen.

Episode 30 - Anya finally plucked up the courage, wore a face mask and went out. Her suspicious movements drew attention. She faints and videos featuring her current look went viral. Deping claims only Guanghui can talk her out of her misery. Will they be able to find him?

• List of MediaCorp Channel 8 Chinese drama series (2010s)
• The Lead (TV Series)