"forensic heroes" thoughts (ii)

Episodes 09-16

My opinion of "Ding Ding" (Linda Chung) has improved much from last time. While Linda's performance is still a bit unnatural, it is better and I've begun to see the character in a different light. I don't find her inquisitive nature as tedious anymore, but rather, quite logical. She wants to learn and her questions do serve to answer inquiries the audience may have. Before, I thought her personal assertions were ridiculous, but after "Tim Sir" (Bobby Au-Yeung) said that the forensic field values individual thoughts, I grew to accept "Ding Ding"'s theories. Granted, they were not very "professional" or "experienced," but she is a rookie and still learning. The more I watched, the less I disliked "Ding Ding" and found her quite funny and cute. I especially love the scenes that she shared with "Sam" (Frankie Lam). The two of them work so well together and play off each other wonderfully. Linda's performance is best with him. Their "spicy battle" was hilarious and their "first kiss" was both charming and cute. I also really liked the scene at the beach when they helped Lai Suen's character and "Ding Ding" had some dirt on her face. "Sam" told her not to move and wiped it off her cheek. Then, he went over to attend to the old lady and "Ding Ding" watched him through her mirror. How adorable was that?! Linda's expressions were great. I hope Linda will continue to improve and I will like "Ding Ding" even more as I embark on the final episodes.

I found it amusing that "Sam" and "Siu Yau" (Yoyo Mung) met fatefully to break up. Like they said so themselves, the time when they were most agreeable was when they decided to break up. I enjoyed watching them together because they were indeed cute, however, they just weren't compatible. "Siu Yau" is too practical and business-oriented, so she doesn't quite understand or appreciate art (for instance, the writing in "Sam"'s mystery novels). "Sam" needs someone who is optimistic and believes in the beauty of life and appreciates art - which is why I think he gets along so well with "Ding Ding."

The beginning of the relationship between "Tim Sir" and "Siu Yau" was great. I loved how "Tim Sir" was able to make "Siu Yau" listen to him just like that (in reference to the scene where he persuades her to allow "Kong" (Fred Cheng) to buy a convertible and ease up on her overprotectiveness of him). He's the only one who can "treat" her. I liked the scene where he took care of her when she was sick - that was really sweet. Bobby and Yoyo have nice chemistry and their relationship just blossoms and grows so naturally. I look forward to watching this relationship continue to develop.

The "lazy cop" Cheung Kee a.k.a. Ho Wing Cheung (played by Yeung Ying Wai) was nice. His character reminded me of Louis Yuen's "H5N1" from Virtues of Harmony II with how lazy and outrageous he was. I loved how it was finally revealed why "Siu Yau" agreed to have him transferred to her unit. It was shocking to discover that he used to be a great cop and that he was the reason why she wanted to become a police officer. We also learn why he became so "lazy" and that was a nice touch of characterization. He was a good character and his ending was sad and touching. At last, he finally fulfilled his wish (to catch "Cheng Hiu Tung" and prove him guilty) and died a respectable cop and man.

I was surprised by Vinci Wong's performance as the "bag" serial killer. He was so horrible in The Dance of Passion, but is quite convincing here. He gave me the creeps. I'm not sure if it was his actual performance or if he really had the "look" down, but he was good. I think his case was the most interesting thus far. For some reason, I just knew that he was the murderer. Your face isn't included in the themevideo unless you're a victim, main character, main supporting, or a murderer, so it was obvious to me that he was the murderer from the start - it was the act of proving him guilty that was the trick. I just didn't buy that he happened to "discover" the body and suspected him right from the start... Oh well, it was still a nice case and quite a tough one for the team to prove since he was so sly and clever.

I felt so sorry for Florence Kwok's "Yvonne" when she realized that her husband had been cheating on her. There she was with this image of her happy marriage with hopes and dreams - all shattered. I hated the fact that "Chris" (Mark Kwok) blamed her for "making" him cheat - how dare he say that?! Okay, fine, he wanted a child, but that doesn't give him the "right" to have an affair, especially when they had already agreed that she wasn't going to have kids early on. In every relationship, communication is the key. If he had asked, then she would have given way and agreed eventually because relationships are all about compromise. It's clear that his "hunger for a child" was just a lame excuse. She tried to be tough about it, but you could tell she was hurting and repressing her pain. Florence's performance was great in those scenes (as with the other scenes that she has).

Fala Chen was pretty cute, I must admit. I quite liked the case about her character. I didn't expect "Yung Wai" to still be alive. I thought the old couple had killed her, so it was surprising that she was alive and that her friend was actually the one who was murdered!

I love the fact that Yu Yeung is in this series. He was great in the ancient Virtues as the silly "kwok see" (I'm not sure how this translates, but I believe his position was the state's official "magician") and even better as the wife-slave in the modern Virtues. He is great as "Siu Yau"'s homemaker-with-no-big-ambitions father.

Forensic Heroes is shaping up nicely and has not only maintained, but has improved the quality in its writing. I have 9 more episodes to go and am so addicted to this series - I haven't been this eager to watch a series in some time now.