Actress Lian Lian in the TV series The Glory and The Dream. [Photo provided to China Daily]

With its nationwide ratings rising from 2.2 percent to 5.75 percent, the aerospace and science-themed TV series The Glory and The Dream has become a sleeper hit in a television market dominated by royal romances.

Based on the true stories of prominent scientists, such as Deng Jiaxian and Qian Xuesen, the series focuses on a group of engineers who devoted their lives to China's nuclear research and space program between the late 1960s and the early 1990s.

Throughout the summer, China's small screens have been dominated by costume dramas about the life and times of Emperor Qianlong, the country's longest-reigning monarch, who lived from 1711 to 1799.

The unexpected popularity of The Glory and The Dream shows that serious programs about modern China are also welcomed by young audiences, claimed critics at a recent seminar held in Beijing.

Dai Qing, a professor at the Communication University of China, says that the series reflected the pursuit and dreams of a generation, resonating with audiences who had experienced the period.

Wang Zhili, the scriptwriter, says that he initially thought the series would only interest by audiences aged 45 or older, but has been pleasantly surprised to find that younger viewers, born in 1990s, are also heatedly discussing the series online.

"It is very encouraging, which shows that a serious story with a patriotic theme can also win market share," he told the seminar.

Actor Yang Shuo and actress Su Qing co-headline the sleeper hit series The Glory and The Dream. [Photo provided to China Daily]