"the brink of law" thoughts

About the plot
On an entertainment level, The Brink of Law is satisfying and enjoyable. The series is extremely fast-pace and kind of interesting. It progresses like a gun shot with very little time for the audience (and characters) to digest whatever happened. Be it death or not, the storyline kept moving. There was no time for grieving. I wanted to keep on watching to see what happened next. It didn't help that each episode ended on a cliff-hanger. It was exciting and really addicting to watch - so much that I finished the series in about a week.

On an intellectual level Brink fails utterly. The plot is unrealistic, over-the-top, and kind of typical. There really isn't any "new ideas" in the plot. Characters are very poorly written. Everyone is either wholly good or bad. There is no character development at all. Everything is plot-driven. It's hard to develop a connection with any of the characters because there's only a focus on the plot, which just moves so fast. The relationships between the characters are poorly developed and written. By the end of the series, I felt nothing for the characters and took away nothing from the plot. It feels empty. There's no point to it besides exposing all of the illegal activities of the "Tung" couple. The plot twists are not that great.

While I liked that Brink was not draggy, I hated that it moved too fast sometimes. Each episode pretty much focuses on a different plot. For example, in one episode, it will focus on one character and then tragedy strikes this very character of focus. The very next episode will focus on another character and how he's curious about his mother and by the end, he finds out his true birth identity. By the end of the next episode, everyone knows about this secret. Then, it moves on to another character and plot. It feels kind of disjointed and jumpy.

I was not touched by any of the scenes. Sad things happened all right, but I couldn't muster any emotions watching those scenes at all. It takes a lot for me to cry, but I admit that I get sentimental and feel emotions surge my body when emotional scenes are well-written and acted. Brink failed to do any of that, which is very odd as Producer Mui, one of my favorite producers, heads this production.

Producer Mui is usually very good at creating very touching and meaningful series that convey genuine emotions and very heartfelt characters and relationships. Just take a look at Family Man, Love Bond, The Charm Beneath, Where The Legend Begins, and Colourful Life to name a few. Even her crime investigation drama Forensic Heroes had nicely developed relationships and likable characters. It's because of this that I always look forward to her productions because she picks the best cast and her series are usually high-quality.

Brink has an attractive cast and in theory should be "Producer Mui" good. However, it's not. When the ending credits rolled at the end of episode 25, I sat there thinking, "That's it?"

About the performances
The good characters were all quite boring. The evil characters are the ones that kept Brink going.

Michelle Yim was awesome as to be expected. She gives off such a warm, sweet, and gentle air in other series, but in Brink, she totally transformed into "Sung Kam Chi". She was scary and sinister - which was very convincing and refreshing. I loved watching all of her scenes. For some reason, I couldn't hate her at all.

I must say I was impressed by Shirley Yeung's performance and character. She started off shaky (I could still see traces of the old Shirley playing the same old characters) but as the series progressed, her acting became better. I can even say that it was quite good in the last couple of episodes. Shirley has a habit of over-acting and shouting, so I was pleased to see her act more "subdued". Out of the young leading actresses, Shirley gave the best performance. She was very in character and played "Sung Ka Yi" quite well. This was Shirley's breakthrough and the best she has ever done. Surprisingly, I enjoyed watching her scenes. Her best acting is in the last episode when she tells the truth to "Long" (Stephen Wong) and confronts Michelle. Wow, just wow. Of course, this is not to say that her performance was that great. There is still plenty of room for improvements, but in Shirley terms, her Brink performance was refreshing and very good.

Steven Ma gave a good performance, the best out of all the actors in this series, but like in Land of Wealth, again he is not impressive. "Tong Chi Ko" is a good guy, but he is boring and un-engaging.

Ron Ng was given a very likable, goody-two-shoes character without any anger management problems or temper for once, but he ruins it by playing "Tung Yat Jun" with almost no personality at all. He was so boring and "dead". There's something wrong with him; I find that he makes very unnatural facial expressions. Ron feels so stiff and uncomfortable on-screen regardless of what series I see him in. If he's not being all angry and making weird faces, he's not making any expressions at all and being boring. It's a shame because I could have liked the character. At first, I thought he did okay and it was nice to see him so calm, rational, and intelligent, but as the series progressed, I realized that he still hadn't improved. He's so wooden and void of a personality.

No matter if she's the lead or not, Bernice Liu is always given minimal screen time because of the language barrier (she has to memorize verbatim her lines through pinyin). Brink was no exception. She hardly appeared and only became involved in the story in the last third of the series. I hadn't seen Bernice in a long time (the last was in Love Bond around two years ago), so when she appeared in Brink, I was stunned. I had forgotten how hot this girl is; there's no denying that she is very, very attractive. After all of these years, Bernice's acting is still under-average and below her peers. She is very likable and has a cute and charming persona, but on-screen, she is only good when given the right characters (i.e. "Princess" from Virtues of Harmony or "Gei Mei Lai" from Love Bond). Bernice did not do justice to "Tsui Wing". She failed to convey the proper emotions, had limited facial expressions, and simply read her lines rather than speaking as her character. At times, I felt like all Bernice could do was smile and look pretty... and maybe that's enough for her. It's gotten her this popular and successful so far.

As poor as Bernice's performance was, Kate Tsui did worse. While Bernice looked very pretty and hot in almost all of her scenes, Kate usually looked rather unattractive. The only times she looked kind of decent was when she had her hair up. "Yan Heung Ching" is a good, pitiful girl and in theory should be likable, but Kate plays her so badly that "Ching" is annoying. Her crying scenes still have not improved. She just screams and scrunches her face up hoping for some tears to drop, but none do. It's painful and embarrassing to watch. Kate was stiff, exaggerated, and unnatural. Thankfully, her scenes were kind of limited. Ron and Kate's characters had some rather nicely written scenes, but because they were badly acted out by both parties, those scenes fail to even reach their full potential.

The surprising performance for me (aside from Shirley) was from Stephen Wong. I'm glad TVB is giving him bigger supporting roles because he is likable and his acting has potential.

I do not like Kenneth Ma, but he was kind of likable in Brink thanks to his character. I can accept him as a supporting actor, but please no leads. He has plenty of experience, but his acting lacks charm and presence. He's not that good. I find it hard to feel anything for Kenneth's acting and characters whether he's good or bad.

Yoyo Chen was good as Steven's younger sister. Her performance was consistent and quite natural. Yoyo has come a long way since her debut in Sunshine Heartbeat. It was her very cute portrayal in Sunshine that kept me watching that series. In Brink, her character was very different and she did well. Her Sunshine alumni Vin Choi did not do as well. Aside from the fact that his character was very unlikable, there's something about Vin that just isn't likable to me at all. His acting was too over-the-top as well.

I don't know what to make of Ngok Wah. He is a veteran and in theory should have been great, but I couldn't feel anything for his acting or presence in the series. He just seemed boring and dead on-screen to me, like his on-screen son, Ron. I'm currently watching him in Looking Back in Anger and he acts the same as he did in Brink. I really don't look forward to watching any more series from him.

Final thoughts
I don't know why I enjoyed The Brink of Law while I was watching it. The script is not so good. In fact, it was kind of bad. The characters are so poorly written and almost everyone is flat and boring or give poor performances besides a select few and token supporting cast members (Lee Kwok Lun, Law Lok Lam, Mary Hon, Yvonne Lam, June Chan, and Ha Yu.) However, Brink is more watch-able than Dicey Business. Although it's not much better, at the very least, it does not drag. Even though it's rather pointless and lacks meaning, the pace is fast which helps to keep the audience's interest. However, to give Dicey some credit, it at least had a storyline and better written characters, so it is a "better" series than Brink.

Basically, Brink is forgettable and pointless entertainment. It doesn't know whether it wants to be an epic family drama or a law/crime series. Frankly, it doesn't succeed at being good at either. While I was watching Brink I found it very exciting and entertaining, but at the end of it all, when everything's solved and justice prevails, it feels so meaningless. The good guys win and the bad guys get what's coming to them. "Is that it? I watched 25 episodes just for that?"

There are no morals to be told, no memorable characters, no classic scenes, and definitely no long-lasting impression. I can even say that it's void of a true storyline. Nevertheless, it is not a very, very bad series. In the midst of the series, I found Brink to be quite good. It did its job at entertaining me, but at the end... The after-taste is dreadful.

Brink is okay to watch to pass time, but not really worth it. Ironically, as much as I enjoyed watching Brink more than Dicey, I'd recommend Dicey over it simply because Brink is badly constructed and lacks meaning and a point.

Rating:

1 star for Michelle Yim and Shirley Yeung's characters and acting and 1 star for having entertained me despite its poorly structured, unrealistic, pointless, and shallow storyline.

focus: "love is not all around"

View SCREENSHOTS #001-046

View SCREENSHOTS #047-092

View SCREENSHOTS #093-138
I already did an informational post about Love is Not All Around with synopsis, trailer, and what-not, so I won't do it again here.

Brief review
Love was better than I had expected. I was only anticipating and watching for Linda Chung's silver screen debut, but honestly, Love is not a bad movie and is kind of entertaining. There's no doubt that this movie is geared towards the younger generation, but it's not totally teenybopper fluff. There are some nice twists in the plot and it's overall a tad bit interesting. The ending was shocking. Let's just say what Stephy Tang said at the beginning (and repeated at the end in the movie's closing moments) - "Not everything you see is the truth and the truth might be elusive" - is true. I thought it was a very powerful and surprisingly dark ending. The overall tone and meaning of the movie was quite different from what I had expected.

Linda did quite well in her role. She's improving and maturing into such a fine actress. I was shocked to see how broken and vulnerable she looked in all of her crying scenes - very realistic; you can feel what she's feeling when she cries. [Thank you Heart of Greed and Korean dramas for teaching Linda how to cry and act with her eyes!] Her best performance hands-down was the scene when she slapped Stephy. The delivery of her lines and her actions were very, very good. The veins in her neck even popped up! It was very convincing and realistic. I must say I am not pleased with the "bangs" hairstyle, but the results on-screen weren't as bad. In some shots, she looked quite pretty. However, overall, she did not look too good, which is a shame because her performance was good. I loved watching the scenes when her character was being "evil" [I use this term very loosely because overall "Ching Ching" was not a bad person. She just acted out of self-defense. She is genuinely a very good and caring person.]. She has an interesting antagonist look. I cannot wait to see Linda's performance in The Gem of Life. I am dying to see Linda act spoiled, rotten, flirtatious, and conniving.

I really liked watching Stephy. She is pretty and acted adequately. Her scenes with Alex Fong were quite good. I can see now why this pairing is popular; they're compatible and cute. Her friendship chemistry with Linda was quite good. In the 8 days that Linda spent filming the movie, she and Stephy developed quite a bond. Linda even read Stephy's book. The friendship showed up on-screen. I was not impressed with anyone else besides the first and second leading actresses and really, the whole movie is about them anyways.

Love is Not All Around is a pretty decent movie as a whole. At the very least, I did not feel bored out of my mind at all.

Rating:

Traces of Heart of Greed
The movie reminded me of TVB's Heart of Greed. In the movie, "Ching Ching" (Linda) has a cheating "Ching Leung" and a "Dak Dak Dei" who unconditionally loves her and is by her side. What's ironic is that the "Ching Leung" in this movie is the son of a dry goods store rather than "Dak Dak Dei". The bad thing is that the "Ching Leung" in the movie - "Ah Wing" (Sammy) - didn't repent, but "Ching Ching" still forgave him. Throughout the whole movie, he kept saying how much he loved his mistress and was thinking about divorcing his wife for her. I hated how he kept saying that he "loved" "Ching Ching". If he loved her so much, why was he hurting her? He was very happy and proud of his affair. Not once did he admit that the affair was wrong. Yes, he felt bad about cheating, but not bad enough to stop it. It wasn't until his mistress left him that he came back to "Ching Ching". "Honey, I'm sorry. Forgive me." That comes too little and too late. I was really hoping that "Ching Ching" would slap him and tell him off. However, that doesn't happen.

Disappointingly, "Ching Ching" takes him back and pretends nothing ever happened. "I never asked him what happened. ... I never asked him who the third person was. The past is over. As long as he came back, that's enough." Furthermore, she reveals that she's pregnant with his baby. I hated "Ah Wing" - such a despicable character. He is no "Ching Leung" at all. "Ching Leung" repented and made up for hurting "Seung Joi Sum" so much. He deserved her forgiveness... but "Ah Wing" is just scum.

It's the death of her "Dak Dak Dei" - "Siu Mo" (Terry Wu) [how funny it is that the name sounds like Moses Chan's nickname - "Ah Mo"] - that made her forgive "Ah Wing" and "play dumb" about her husband's cheating. She realized that holding grudges and not forgiving doesn't do any good. She learned that she had to appreciate the people beside her. Even though she was hurt deeply, I think she couldn't get over how much she still loved him [although I have no idea why she does]. I didn't like that, but I guess it puts it all together and gives "Ching Ching" a conclusion.

I think it's kind of funny that Linda's character in the movie didn't ask who the "other woman" was. In real life, Linda says that she has to know the whole truth before she will forgive - which is like her character in Heart. She couldn't let things go until "Ching Leung" told her who the "third person" was. I guess this offers another perspective towards the whole cheating thing. Is it better to know or to pretend nothing happened and remain in the dark? Is it better to fool yourself or know the truth?

Irony in the title
The Chinese title is rather ironic. Sup Fan Ngoi (translated as "100% Love") suggests a moving love story. However, it's really not the case with this movie at all. The English title is more fitting. By the end of the movie, "love" is really not "all around"! I think the synopsis was also misleading. The movie isn't mainly about Stephy and Alex's relationship at all. Rather, it is about Stephy and her friendship(s) with Linda and Sammy. I think the main message of this movie is that young people these days make relationships way too complicated and that they have an overrated and exaggerated view of love. It's kind of depressing and pessimistic, but I think in some parts it's true.

Second movie coming soon...
Linda's movie debut in Love impressed a lot of people - from movie goers to industry people. She now has many movie offers. It's only been a few months since her first movie was filmed and released and now she's currently filming her second movie work. The movie's cast includes Shawn Yue Man Lok and Chen Kun [Yes, the actor from TVB's historical grand production with CCTV, The Conquest]. I am very excited about her new project. There is no released title or plot to the movie at this time. It's said that Niki Chow is a part of the cast too. However, at this time, it can be assumed that Linda plays the leading female role for the movie.

spotlight: "land of wealth"

Relieved is how I'm feeling after finally finishing Land of Wealth. It makes me sad re-reading and remembering how much I looked forward to watching it and how I thought it was going to be such a beautiful, powerful, and memorable drama.

The irony is that I might have jinxed the series from the start. Nine months ago, I said the following about Wealth: "[The] Dance of Passion had the "looks" of a great series, but not the substance of one - so I'm really hoping that Wealth isn't just for looks either". Unfortunately, my fear came true. Wealth looks so, so good. The on-location shots, the costumes, and the "grand production" feel about this series... it is all so splendid and alluring! However, the script is lacking so badly.

Wealth fell from being one of my "most anticipated 2006 releases" into being a series that I was very reluctant in watching. Ratings were really low (how ironic that its acronym spells this word) and the general word on the street was that it was a boring, draggy, and not worthwhile series. Thus, I began to lose interest in watching it. However, I knew I couldn't pass up on it because it received a few positive reviews and the "grand aura" made me feel remorseful in skipping it.

I fell asleep about three times watching Wealth in episodes 1-19. It was a combination of me being really tired and Wealth's unbearably boring script and slow pace. There are so many draggy and unnecessary scenes that I came close to giving it the Dicey Business treatment [fast-forward until I saw the outcome(s)] several times. Ultimately, I didn't skip any scenes. The series was just too beautiful-looking to fast-forward.

I had a hard time understanding Wealth a lot of times as well. They zipped through the historical aspects, so I had no clue what was going on sometimes. Some of the dialogues were also hard to comprehend. Despite my confusion, I couldn't bear rewinding to clarify myself. I just wanted to keep on watching so I could finish the series. There were small moments that were interesting, but as a whole, I wasn't enjoying it.

Thankfully, starting with episode 20, Wealth wakes up and realizes that it has a story to tell. I must say episodes 20-32 were pretty decent. In fact, it was kind of good. Comparing episodes 1-19 to 20-32, there's a huge difference. Whereas 1-19 was slow and boring, 20-32 was somewhat fast-paced and kind of interesting. There are some very good, powerful moments (the same ones I had been hoping for when I looked forward to Wealth way back when).

About the performances
Moses Chan - Moses is one of my favorite actors, but I must say that Wealth is not one of his best works. He over-acted several times. It was quite painful watching him in the first few episodes screaming. However, his performance improves as the series goes on and I really liked watching how "Bak Chuen" climbed up the ladder towards success. It was interesting. Overall, his performance lacked presence I think. It was bland. However, his character may be to blame. His crying scenes were very good near the end.

Sonija Kwok - Sonija has never been a "great" actress, but I must say I still like her. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by her performance in Wealth. While her performance was nowhere near "great" and there is room for more improvement, compared to her previous performances, this one is very good. She has improved tremendously. I think this could have been her breakthrough if only Wealth was well-received. Her portrayal of "Ba Ba Ha Yi Ko Wai" exuberates such a warm, cute energy that she lights up the screen with her smile and eager-to-please personality. Her emotional scenes (for the most part) has also improved quite a deal as she actually has tears now! There's a reason why she won both "Miss Hong Kong" and "Miss Chinese International" - and it shows in this series. Sonija was very, very pretty in this series, especially after she marries. She is stunningly beautiful sometimes. Overall, she is so likable in this series. Frankly, it's Sonija's cute and positive performance that kept me awake and going in much of Wealth prior to when the series got kind of good. Bravo to Sonija! [While I loved Sonija's performance and character for the most part, I have some complaints about "Ko Wai" which I will address further down.] I feel so sorry for her because of the negativity that she receives. If she hasn't been "banished" to the mainland, then she's being frozen. I don't know why everyone is so hard on her. She is really not such a bad actress.

Tavia Yeung - I'm liking Tavia more and more. She is pretty in Wealth and her performance in the last episode was great. Her role is a bit boring and there wasn't much for Tavia to do, but she did a good job. She gives a very refined, elegant portrayal of "Kiu Jun". I was expecting more out of "Kiu Jun", but the storyline doesn't utilize her until she marries Moses' character. Still, I liked watching Tavia whenever she appeared. Her chemistry with both Moses and Steven are a bit lacking, but I blame it on the little screentime.

Steven Ma - I'm sorry, but I wasn't impressed by Steven in this series. He is again one of my favorite actors, but his character was really disappointing, so not much Steven could do. I really don't have much to say about his character or performance because it was so bland. While the character is likable as "Sung Man" is such an all-around nice guy, he lacks depth and intrigue. To be frank, he's dull. His predicament with his family going against what is "right" (especially at the end) proved to be nothing more interesting than anything else he was given.

Lau Dan, Chan Hung Lit, and Kwok Fung proved the versatility in their acting. Their performances respectively made me hate them so much in Wealth, but in other series, they are quite endearing actors (especially Lau Dan in Virtues of Harmony). On the other hand, John Chiang wasn't convincing to me. Perhaps I've seen him in way too many villainous roles, but I couldn't accept him as the respectable and wise "Kiu Boon Yip". I loved the role, but his performance is pretty bland and his eyes looked kind of dead sometimes. Lai Lok Yi was bad. I'm not fond of this guy. If he's not boring, he's just unlikable. Kenny Wong was awful. He's so expressionless. How refreshing it was indeed to see Claire Yiu in a role that didn't require her to somehow become a "third party". She is another pretty girl and her role was quite likable. Sadly, "Kiu Ching" never becomes anything more than a one-dimensional (almost background) character. She hardly has a subplot of her own, so Claire couldn't do much. Her acting was kind of weak, but I loved that she had a new role. Rebecca Chan was good as the conniving aunt. Cheng Ho Wai was very good as "Empress Dowager Tsz Hei".

Looking a little deeper...
I commend the writers for not letting "Ko Wai" and "Bak Chuen" end up together. How disrespectful and Point of No Return that would have been to "Kiu Jun" and "Kiu Boon Yip". Yes, "Kiu Jun" told "Bak Chuen" that she hopes he will marry "the one he loves" after she dies and she told "Ko Wai" to take care of him for her, but that doesn't make it right [if they end up together]! Yes, "Kiu Boon Yip" knows that "Ko Wai" never loved him and only has "Bak Chuen" in her heart, but it doesn't make it right either.

I also think that at the end, "Bak Chuen" no longer felt love for "Ko Wai". What he had for her was only appreciation and a different kind of love. I do believe that he grew to love "Kiu Jun". "Ko Wai" just had to leave because she loved him too much and she knew that they couldn't be together again. Too much had happened and their relationship was far too complicated. There really was no turning back. I liked their last bit of dialogue to one another. "If you can let it go, it doesn't matter where you are." "I know... but it makes it easier to forget."

I love the fact that "Ko Wai" never loses her title as the [second] wife of "Kiu Boon Yip". Even though she doesn't love him, the fact that she doesn't denounce their marriage to the public almost redeems her selfish act in marrying him in the first place. I hated the fact that she married him out of revenge to spite "Bak Chuen" for not appreciating her love and marrying her. If she loves him, why wasn't she more willingly to trust him and be patient? Marriage isn't something to play around with. I felt so sorry for "Boon Yip" because he truly loved her. By staying married with him (especially after his death) she shows respect towards him and redeems her mistake. [It was very odd hearing Tavia, Claire, and former lover Moses address Sonija as 'Mother'.]

Truthfully speaking, the relationships between "Ko Wai" and "Bak Chuen" and "Sung Man" and "Kiu Jun" both felt really flat and shallow. It's almost like a Wealth curse - things look so good on the outside, but the inside is quite poor. Both couples had some very nice moments and I don't doubt that there was love, but their lack of trust and understanding in each other broke them both. Communication and trust are the two main ingredients in a long-lasting relationship. The guys didn't explain the truth to their girls and the girls didn't have enough trust in their guys to believe them. Like "Kiu Jun" said to "Sung Man", "Perhaps we are predestined ('yau yuen') but ill-fated ('mo fan')". That saying is very true for these couples - what a shame indeed.

I hate the fact that "Ko Wai" goes off in the last episode and we never hear any more about her. Even the narrator says their relationship "ends with a question mark". What the heck? After 32 episodes, we can't even get a conclusive ending? I was disappointed about that. I expected "Ko Wai" to come back or something and she and "Bak Chuen" could maintain a life-long friendship. Okay, who am I kidding? A guy and a girl can never just be friends, especially if they have a romantic past. Still, I wanted to know what happened to my favorite character.

Dance versus Wealth...
Comparing The Dance of Passion and Land of Wealth, I have to say that Dance wins. As confusing, slow, and boring as Dance was sometimes (comparable to Wealth) the final ten episodes or so were excellent. While Wealth also improved a lot in its last 12 episodes, its improvement doesn't compare with Dance's. It's a pity that both series had the looks of great series but failed so short and miserably.

Memorable moments
These are the scenes that stuck out to me...

The way "Kiu Jun" and "Sung Man" met (albeit not face to face) was absolutely beautiful. I loved how they were fated through the matched harmonies of their respective instruments. It was filmed very nicely.

I looked forward to this scene since its filming was reported in the news. The results were as beautiful as I had imagined. The scene was much shorter and had less of an impact than I had predicted and would have liked, but it is still such a gorgeous scene. The snow, Tavia... everything about this scene is stunning.

This was the first scene that actually touched me. The women of the "Kiu" family were making dumplings for "Kiu Boon Yip" and he had to guess who made which dumpling. His analogies of the dumpling to the person who made it was quite touching. As clichéd as what he said afterwards regarding eating and family was, I was still moved by it.

This scene reminds me of candle lighting scene between "Fung" and "Ping" in The Price of Greed. That was a gorgeous scene and this one is as well. It's very pretty. I love "Ko Wai" and "Bak Chuen" so much... It was touching how they got together in this scene. Too bad it doesn't last long.

Sonija is so cute in this scene! The way she acts is very young and innocent. "Bak Chuen" agreed to marry her. They were so happy and were going to be such a happily married couple if only...

This is such a tragic scene. "Ko Wai" and "Bak Chuen" call off their wedding. She misunderstands him as having "changed" and only loving fame and fortune. The dialogue, the tears, the slap... everything is well-acted and filmed in this scene.

"Ko Wai" is off to marry "Kiu Boon Yip"... Her crying is so tragic and beautifully done. This scene exemplifies how much Sonija has improved as an actress.

"Kiu Boon Yip" discovers the truth about "Ko Wai" and "Bak Chuen" - two of his most loved and trusted. This is a very sad scene. Sonija's crying is again very nicely done and she looks beautifully tragic.

Finally, "Kiu Jun" becomes valuable to the main storyline. I loved how she saved the day by declaring that she was going to marry "Bak Chuen" - it was very powerful. I was surprised that "Kiu Jun" marrying "Bak Chuen" was her own choice. I had thought that they were going to marry against her wishes... "Kiu Jun" is really such a filial daughter and a nice girl. I'm glad her marriage to "Bak Chuen" was her own decision because it fits her character as she loves freedom.

"Kiu Jun" discovers how wrong she was about "Sung Man". What I like about "Kiu Jun" is that unlike "Ko Wai", not once does she consider leaving "Bak Chuen". She knows she's a married woman and even though she knows that "Sung Man" still loves her, that "Bak Chuen" doesn't really love her, and that she still has a place for "Sung Man" in her heart, she holds that inside. She respects her marriage to "Bak Chuen".

"Bak Chuen" confesses the truth about everything to "Kiu Jun". This is an interesting and sad revelation scene. Tavia's crying is nicely done.

The tragedy strikes! "Kiu Jun" is poisoned [by accident]. She gives birth to a baby boy in the jail. She is losing a lot of blood and feeling weak, but her determination to wait for "Bak Chuen" keeps her going. "I have to wait for my husband [to come back]." Everything is solved and "Bak Chuen" saves his family... but it's too late for poor "Kiu Jun". The whole death scene is so well-acted by Tavia and Moses. "I know you don't love me.... marry the one you love... I'll be happy." "No, there's only one wife to me and that's you." It's very touching and sad.

Final thoughts
Unless you are a fan of the cast [Sonija fans must watch for her awesome performance!], love costume dramas, or have a lot of time, I honestly do not recommend Land of Wealth. Everything about the series looks so gorgeous and glamorous with the beautiful costumes and sceneries, but for the most part, it's not really worth the investment in time. Seriously, I wanted to stop so many times and sometimes I watched just for the sake of watching so I could hurry up and finish it. However, episodes 20-32 actually have some merit. Wealth actually held my interest in those episodes and was sort of entertaining. The last 2 episodes were exciting and have some very memorable scenes. As a whole though, the series feels a bit empty and there's always a sense of "Isn't there anything more?" A disappointment indeed.

Despite my unfavorable impression of Wealth, I will always remember how "grand" the series looked (and could have been on the inside as well if the script was a lot better) every time I listen to the awesome themesong by Eason Chan. The themesong is so good! It has such a grand and exciting feel with the melody and Eason's powerful singing.

Rating:

"return of the cuckoo" thoughts

I actually rented Return of The Cuckoo a few years ago and saw the first four episodes then. I couldn't finish it because my mom said it was "inappropriate" for me to watch and she kept it for herself to watch. Honestly, I wasn't very upset over it because the series didn't impress me in those episodes that I saw. It was kind of boring and weird. It felt very "old-fashioned" and I just didn't like it much. However, it was always in the back of my mind to watch it some day because Cuckoo was a highly-rated series when it aired in Hong Kong and received a lot of rave reviews. It's Producer Tsui's post-A Kindred Spirit and pre-Virtues of Harmony hit. I really wanted to see for myself if it was "that" good.

Recently, I had a chance to watch Cuckoo and seized the opportunity. I was turned off by the series again in the beginning, but this time around, I understood the story a lot better. The first time, I was very, "Huh?" about it, possibly because I wasn't interested by the rather slow beginning. Cuckoo never really engaged my interest and I kept waiting to see the "action" start. To me, it doesn't have a solid storyline. It feels disjointed and incoherent at times. I also found it to be a little pretentious and contrived, trying to squeeze the audience's tears. If you asked me what the storyline of Cuckoo was about, I'd have a hard time answering. Stuff happened all right, but it's really hard to put everything together. Honestly, I really don't know what to make of this series.

Do I like it? Do I hate it? I have no idea.

Best performance hands-down was Julian Cheung's. That is great acting. He is so natural and convincing as the mute "Man Chor"! His sign language looked very realistic and natural. He surely must be a fast learner to have it down so fast and well! He is such a good actor. His crying scenes were so impressive in Point of No Return and his performance as a whole was great in Cuckoo. In fact, "Man Chor" was probably the only character I warmed up to. I loved his narration of the series - very meaningful dialogues. [On a side note, Shirley Yeung could have taken some pointers from Julian. Her acting, voice-over, and signing were all way over-the-top in The Price of Greed.]

Charmaine Sheh was quite unbearable. No, I'm not just talking about her acting. I'm mainly referring to her character. Coupling an annoying character with bad acting makes everything just worse. I cannot understand why so many people liked "Kwan Ho" [in the story and the audience]. I found her irritating and selfish, not cute or charming at all. I hated how she used "Man Chor" (even if in a typical, loving brother/sister way). I couldn't feel anything for her character. I felt no chemistry between her and "Auntie Q" (Nancy Sit). The only chemistry she had was with "Man Chor." I must admit they were charming to watch. By herself, however, Charmaine was just... Her look in this series was quite unflattering as well. I must agree with Charmaine that this isn't the series she "most improved" in. Country Spirit was and remains her breakthrough.

"Lai Shun" (Steven Ma) and "Kwan Ho" were awful. I'm sorry, but I felt absolutely nothing for this couple. I don't even understand how they began. Yes, I understand it was when "Lai Shun" blew "I love you" on the whistle to "Kwan Ho" that they began, but I'm talking about the feelings. Didn't she passionately hate him? All of a sudden, she's all lovey-dovey and talking for hours on the phone with him. It's possibly because of my inability to comprehend when "Kwan Ho" developed feelings for "Lai Shun" that I didn't believe in this couple. From the beginning, it felt like she was using him. Even near the end when he declared his love for her... I felt nothing - not from him, not from her. It just felt like a business deal because he could "provide" more for her. I could see that "Lai Shun" loved "Kwan Ho" a lot (not that I understand why or for that matter why any of the guys fell for her) but from the beginning to end, the love he got back from "Kwan Ho" never equaled what he gave her. In my eyes, she only truly loved "Man Chor". It felt like she was making herself love "Lai Shun"... To my surprise, I really didn't care for Steven in this series. I think it's either because his character was poorly written or his performance was a little raw. In any case, he has truly come a long way in terms of his acting.



Complaints
Some of the dialogues in the series are really ridiculous. For example, during the meteor shower episode, "Lai Shun" tells "Kwan Ho" that he wished for "Man Chor" to be able to speak again and when he does, he'll tell her that he doesn't love her. This was after she told him that she wished "Man Chor" could talk again and tell her his true feelings. What the heck?! Who says that? It's so blunt and awkward.



The ending felt really ridiculous. "Auntie Q" and "Man Chor" do so much for the sake of "Kwan Ho"?! Yes, I understand that they love her and only want the best for her, but they are too self-sacrificing that it felt very fake and contrived. Again, it felt like the writers were purposely doing all they can to make the audience cry. The ending wasn't satisfying. "Man Chor" and "Kwan Ho" meet again after she finds out the truth and then it just ends there after two simple lines?! "How are you?" "I've missed you." Ugh.

I didn't like how they made it seem like "Man Chor" wasn't "good" enough for "Kwan Ho" simply because he was mute. What the heck? I liked "Man Chor" a lot and it was refreshing to have a main character be mute. At times though, I felt the muteness to be too much of a ploy.

I found the series very feminist and kind of demeaning towards men. Then again, Cuckoo had plenty of vicious women, so I guess it balances out.

Praises
Despite all of my complaints, I did find some interest in Cuckoo enough to finish it. I don't know why. As incredulous as I found the plot at times, I was interested in it enough to want to keep watching. There are some really nice moments. In fact, I found that the supporting cast had far more interesting storylines than the "love triangle" among "Man Chor", "Lai Shun", and "Kwan Ho."

What a lovely themesong! The themesong by Julian is beautiful and touching. It really sticks out and is the most memorable thing about Cuckoo. It's such a pity that there wasn't as beautiful, memorable, or moving a series to go along with it.

The scene when "Man Chor"'s mother attempted to kill him at the beginning was chilling and sad. I really enjoyed watching the plot with "Man Chor" reuniting with his mother... only to discover that she hadn't change one bit - so heart-breaking! Poor "Man Chor"; he gets wronged by his mother over and over again. It was ingenious of the writers to have "Man Chor"'s muteness be a psychological fear that resulted from the abuse of his mother. I loved the symbolism of the whistle.

I enjoyed the chemistry and storyline between "Man Chor" and "Kwan Ho". They deserve the "Best Partnership" award that they won at the TVB Anniversary. Their scenes were really cute and touching. Charmaine was actually somewhat likable in those scenes.

I liked the plot with "Chuen Hoi Ging" (Johnny Ngan) and his lung cancer. His storyline with "Auntie Q" and his death scene was touching.

The scene where "Man Chor" asks "Auntie Q" if she was abandoning him was heart-wrenching and memorable. "Auntie Q" realized that "Man Chor" had feelings for her daughter, so she wanted to send him away to "stop" anything from happening. I found her action really selfish and mean. I understand that she loves "Kwan Ho" and wants only the best life for her, but doesn't she care about "Man Chor" too? Personally, I found the relationship between "Man Chor" and "Auntie Q" far deeper than that which she had with her daughter. Julian's crying was very powerful and realistic. It was so sad how he said he doesn't have feelings for "Kwan Ho" and never will.

It was awesome when "Kam Sing" (Michael Tong) rejected "Man Sai Gwong" (Lau Dan). "Come home." "I waited all of my life to hear you say that. It turns out it's not that great. ... My surname will remain Kam." Karma indeed.

I really enjoyed watching "Hoi Lam" (Irene Wong) and "Pui Gin" (Tang Ho Gwong). They were so cute and their storyline was touching. I liked the wedding subplot and how "Manchu Sa Wah" (Mannor Chan) switched the brides - quite exciting and sad. What a tragic ending for this couple... but I liked that she was pregnant with his child and ultimately gave birth to a son.

I found the scenes with "Yi Man" (Sherming Yiu - what an actress with so much versatility!) alone and with her mom (Helen Ma - fantastic veteran also with great versatility) interesting and sad. If only "Kam Sing" loved her, her life would be so different because she wouldn't have the incentive to go down such a dark road.

I liked the back story of "Auntie Q" and "Chuk Jin Fai" (Kwok Fung) as well as how the writers handled the complicated "two family" storyline. I really liked the fact that there was closure and that they didn't end up together, but he gets back with his wife. His wife isn't a bad person. Her actions were understandable. It was good that they portrayed both sides of the story.

Heaven's retribution on "Manchu Sa Wah" was a very powerful scene... but what a shame it had to come with the death of "Pui Gin". She did so many awful things and didn't seem to have a soul at all - what a contrast in comparison to her warm sister ("Auntie Q").



Final thoughts
I have only random thoughts about Cuckoo. I honestly don't know whether I hated it or liked it.

TVB surely picked a suitable English title. I feel "cuckoo" trying to analyze and decipher the series and whether or not I liked it. It just doesn't make sense to me. I felt nothing for it and took away nothing at all. I've gained no understanding or enlightenment and it has little entertainment value. It felt slow and boring. Yet, I managed to like quite a bit about the series. Huh?! I really don't know.

Cuckoo is written by Chan Bo Wah, who worked with Producer Tsui on Kindred for five years and wrote many classic TVB series such as Healing Hands and Blood of Good and Evil. She also wrote my all-time favorite ATV series Light of Million Hopes [which I love for its powerful writing, intense drama, genuine feelings, and ability to draw the audience into the series]. She claims that Cuckoo is a series that's "100% feelings", but with characters so under-developed, an un-gripping plotline, and relationships that feel so shallow... how is that possible?

I honestly wonder why this series was so highly rated and praised by viewers for being gripping, sad, and touching. Perhaps it's not my cup of tea. It's overly sappy, melodramatic, and awfully pretentious. I was highly disappointed; maybe I expected too much. It is, however, far from a "terrible" production. I really liked pieces of Return of the Cuckoo, but as a whole, the series is empty and unsatisfying.

In summary, I guess you can say that I didn't care much for this series.

Rating:

spotlight: "the price of greed"

I always get excited when my favorite producers [namely Mui Siu Ching and Tsui Yu On] start work on a new series. In the case of The Price of Greed, I was very intrigued by the concept and "feel" of the series since the costume fitting. Everything from the premise of the storyline and characterizations to the title [Cheen Fong Bak Gai means "a thousand lies, a hundred plots"] seemed very interesting to me. I couldn't wait to watch the series. I was apprehensive and doubtful of the female cast, but Price has two capable male leads and a strong supporting cast.

I was disappointed when Price was warehoused because I wanted Producer Tsui to get another shot at having another hit post-Virtues of Harmony after the deservedly mediocre-performing The Biter Bitten [which I disliked aside from a certain cast member's scenes because it has a poor, inconceivable, illogical script]. I was real confident about Price; however, when reviews started coming in that the series was "boring" and "draggy," I was disheartened. Ultimately, this caused me to lose all faith I had in the series as well as with Producer Tsui. However, some people praised Price and many agreed the second half was pretty good. Therefore, I knew I couldn't give the series up. I couldn't deny one of my favorite producers a chance to prove himself.

I reluctantly started watching Price. I wasn't excited about it and had little hopes about the series. My pessimism soon changed once I started watching the series. I was shocked to discover that I was quite enjoying Price. The series was absolutely gorgeous on an aesthetic level, interesting, and charming. By the time I reached the second half of the series, I knew I was in love with Price. Things just got better and better and I was on the edge of my seat dying to watch the next episode. Price is a truly spectacular series with wonderful writing. It is the best series I've seen in a long time (since Forensic Heroes). I am shocked by how much this underrated and low-budget series has impressed and satisfied my thirst for great entertainment.

Strong points about Price...

The storyline is truly great. It's clever, witty, and poignant. It keeps you guessing. You never know what the "truth" really is and what's a "lie." It's exciting and really engages the viewer.

The relationship and chemistry among "To" (Bosco Wong - his performance was likable enough, but uninspiring and rather bland [possibly because Bosco himself for whatever reason is not fond of Price] and his hair looked really weird and out-of-place for the time period), "Mooi" (Shirley Yeung), and "Lo Leung" (the incredible and under-used and under-rated Kingdom Yuen) was charming, touching, humorous, and incredibly sweet! I loved watching their interactions. It provided a nice contrast to the dark drama that was happening with the con-artists and the Lam family.

There are lots of breath-taking scenes that are well-shot and memorable. Seriously, there are some very nice, innovative scenes in this series. For example, I loved the scene of how "Ping" (Kate Tsui) and "Fung" (Sammul Chan - I've really warmed up to Sammul as his acting has improved a lot and he did justice to his role) met again; the whole "candle lighting" and "Christmas" theme was really pretty. I must say the costumes adorned by the cast give the series a very "glamorous" feel.

The insights on conning are fascinating. You will learn quite a bit!

The way the series is executed, filmed, and paced is so good (particularly in the second half). The way Price managed to make the series so suspenseful and exciting up until the very end was really commendable. I was literally at the edge of my seat for the last few episodes.

The ending was good. Unlike most other TVB endings these days, it wasn't rushed. Everything was solved and it was logical and suitable. It was a wonderful ending to match a great series.

Weak points about Price...

In the first 7 episodes with "Ping" going crazy, they kept showing her nightmare over and over again. Not only does the nightmare make "Ping" go crazy, it makes the viewer go crazy too seeing the repetitive scenes over and over again. Although her nightmare was symbolic, it was too excessive.

Overall, there were too many unnecessary flashbacks. I always hate watching flashbacks (except for when they are actually important). Price overdid it on the flashbacks. They kept showing "Ping" thinking back on her fond, "loving" memories with "Fung" [I mean, I understand their point in showing her reflect on her memories because she truly loved "Fung" and had difficulty accepting that he lied to her the whole time... but come on!]. They also practically replayed every single encounter of "Fung" and Vivien Yeo's character in that one flashback when they got together. I was a bit bored seeing all of the flashbacks, especially when the current happenings in the plot were so exciting.

Last, but not least, the acting is weak on the female side. With stronger actresses, I think Price would have been more convincing and even better. Shirley, Kate, and Vivien did "acceptable" [I use this term loosely] jobs in their roles. I commend Shirley for learning sign language and the violin. She still over-acted and her acting was somehow the same as other series, but I have to say that she is really adorable in this series. You can't help but like her because of her character. Kate was stunningly pretty! I think it was all of her lovely costumes, but in any case, she looked really radiant and glamorous. Her acting wasn't convincing for such a challenging role, but Kate did put in her efforts. Vivien is cute, but I am still not a fan of her acting. She acts the same as she did in her debut in Sunshine Heartbeat - shy, reserved, and almost afraid to speak. I know she's working hard on learning/perfecting her Cantonese, but the language barrier really affects her performance. It was just too unnatural and fake. Luckily, her scenes were limited.

Final thoughts
I highly recommend The Price of Greed. I enjoyed every minute of it. It is a strong show. You must have patience with the series and be observant in order to appreciate it. Don't let the seemingly "slow" beginning discourage you [I didn't think it was "slow" nor "boring," but I can understand those people who thought it was]. Price is a rewarding series and a truly a gem.

It is a fantastic series worthy of a viewing! It far exceeded my expectations and really has won a place as one of my favorite series. Price is a commendable effort from Producer Tsui and has made me confident in his story-telling capability again. Price may not have breath-taking foreign scenes or big A-list stars, but it has what most TVB series of recent times lack - which is heart and it managed to hook me into the storyline. It doesn't need all of those "flashy" things to distract viewers and hide a lack of storyline because Price has a strong script with a point to tell and it is genuine and meaningful. It is really satisfying through and through - I love this series!

Rating:

a "maiden's" choice

I recently finished Maidens' Vow. As seems to be the case with most endings these days, the ending left viewers with an "open-ended" ending. Did Dai Sze Ga (Charmaine Sheh) ultimately choose to marry Fong Ga On (Joe Ma), who was waiting for her at the chapel confident she would come, or not?

Before I discuss my interpretation on the ending, I want to first reflect on Maidens' portrayal of marriage for women through the last century.

In the 1900's, women were forced into marriage. Marriage was the only way they could survive. Being unmarried or married at a late age was a shameful thing and most unmarried women suffered a hard life. They were viewed as incapable of making their own living; they had to rely on their husband to live and their only duty was to raise a family. With the fall of the monarchy in China and the invasion of Western culture, new ideas started to emerge, especially in terms of love and women's rights. The shocking thought of "free love" was sought after by young girls. They wanted to marry the person they chose, much to the displeasure of the older generation. In the 1960's, arranged marriages were gone and free marriage was the only way to go. Women were still expected to be a good housewife, but they began to have itches. Housework bored them and they hated being captured in their house, so they longed to go into the workplace and have a "life" other than being a wife. This idea strained some marriages because for his woman to work, this means the man was incapable of providing for her - a thought husbands wouldn't have. In current times, marriages come and go. Divorce rates are high and the value of "marriage" seems to have lost a lot of meaning. Nevertheless, most people still want to get married.

Sze Ga lost faith in "marriage" and thought that only "idiots" would get married. Of course, this isn't mean to say she doesn't believe in "love"; Sze Ga is a passionate romantic. She loves being in love. She fatefully got to know Ga On and fell deeply in love with him, spending several months happily "living together." "Cohabitation" is a new concept that emerged with modern times. Couples would live together just as any other married couple would do... without the marriage. It's a revolutionary concept and serves as a way for some couples to test whether or not they can stand being "married." However, statistics show that cohabitation prior to marriage has a significantly higher rate of that marriage ending in divorce. Sze Ga and Ga On began to have problems resulting from misunderstandings, so they broke up and Sze Ga moved out.

Their "fate" didn't end there though; Sze Ga discovered she was pregnant. At first, she was going to abort, but the thought of losing her child made her change her mind. She was going to a single mom. The "single mom" is also a new idea that came out in modern times. It is a bold move for a woman to raise a child on her own, especially with all of the financial implications of raising a child these days. However, as more modern women lose faith in men, but still love children, they opt to be a "single mom" instead. Some women even go so far as having a child on their own - a radical "self-fertilization." Sze Ga happily raised her child, but as the heavens decided (or rather the TVB writers) that Ga On came back and learned that he was the father of the baby. She slowly lets him back into her life.

Finally, their misunderstandings are cleared and Sze Ga and Ga On reignite their love. The family of three spends blissful days together - still without a marriage certificate. Ironically, the roles are reversed for this modern couple. It is the guy who wants marriage and it is the girl who refuses. Ga On has always wanted to be married because it gives him the security of being a "family" - something he desires. Ga On knows that there is no other lady than Sze Ga for him. He persistently suggests that she marry him, but in vain. Finally, he makes one last request and tells her that he'll meet her at the chapel, where it will be an unelaborated ceremony. He knows she doesn't like to be flashy, so he wants the ceremony to just be between the two of them.

He waits for her at the chapel. The priest grows impatient and asks if she's going to come. He answers confidently that she would. However, Sze Ga is nowhere near the chapel. Instead, she's at The Phoenix, feeling carefree and happy, reflecting on her ancestors and their trials and tribulations with marriage. Abruptly, she seems a rainbow. In a previous episode, her great-great-grandmother, Ngai Ju Fung, told her that whenever a "rainbow" appears, it means that it's the right decision. Then, she turns around and sees a bright white light and a phoenix coming out of the elevator. She smiles self-assuredly and the ending credits roll.

So what happened next? It's up to each individual viewer to decide.

I believe that Ga On - her true happiness - comes out of the elevator. He accepts her decision not to marry. After all, like she said, if the only difference that would happen to their relationship once they were "married" was a marriage license, then what was the point? She felt that marriage was too "binding" and "suffocating" and she feared that their good relationship might be strained or ruined consequently. Therefore, I believe that Sze Ga will not marry Ga On. Instead, the two will embody everything that marriage symbolizes without the marriage license. Ironically, these two probably show how marriage is supposed to be better than "married" couples. They trust and love each other unconditionally... and what could be better?

Furthermore, the [corny] "rainbow" confirmed her decision. It made her assured that she made the right choice in not going to the chapel to get married because the decision was made from her heart. It's a happy ending and also the best way to conclude the series. As Sze Ga always says, the only thing that matters is happiness in love and this maiden's happiness in this case comes from not choosing marriage.

My opinion: I thought that Maidens' did a passable job at portraying the concept of "marriage" through the ages. The highlight of this series is without a doubt the entire 4th generation. The writing was snappy and fast-paced and it was realistic and meaningful. I felt that the first two eras were too pretentious, shallow, and sickeningly clichéd. A major flaw of the 2nd generation is that they lose the characterization of Wong Jee Gwan after she elopes with Li Gat Cheung. Suddenly, Jee Gwan becomes so soft. It was like they were two different people. However, Charmaine looked absolutely stunning in the 2nd half of the 2nd generation. The 3rd generation was way too silly for me. Although there were some cute and funny moments, that generation was too draggy. The final quarter of the series redeems Maidens' and takes it home for the team.

The cast acted the best in this era and it was ingenious. For the first time in a long time, Charmaine's acting was impressive because the role was different and she was very convincing. I have to say she looked so pretty after her make-over. Joe was disappointing. After his breakthrough in The Conquest, I expected so much more... Perhaps it was due to bad characterizations, but Joe retreated from commanding the screen to more mediocre and rather bland performances.

Going back to the plot, the 4th generation shocked me with how provocatively sexual it was (however, if it wasn't, it wouldn't be as representative of modern times). Overall Maidens' is a relatively mediocre to underperforming series. The 4th generation is Maidens' saving grace because it is fantastic story-telling with multi-facet characters and it ties the series together wonderfully; I just didn't care for the first 23 episodes. Watching the 4th generation only would suffice. The first three are the same old, same old with very little surprises and delights. Maidens' had the potential to be an amazing series because the concept of the "four generations" is innovative, but its execution ultimately causes the series to falter because of clichéd writing and poor characterizations (besides the last generation).

Rating:

a "dicey" conspiracy?

What I'm about to say seems crazy, but after finishing Dicey Business, I can't help but think that a conspiracy occurred. What nonsense am I talking about? I believe that the supposed child of Bosco Wong ("Fu") and Tavia Yeung's ("Mei") character - "Fu Gwai jai" - is actually the child of Jessica Hsuan ("Wan") and Michael Miu's ("Choh") characters.

I know that sounds crazy, but I have my reasons for suspecting so.

Reason #1: There were hints that "Wan" was pregnant
"Wan" vomited the last time she gambled, which was shortly after she slept with "Choh" for the last time. "Vomiting" for no reason at all usually signals pregnancy in TVB series.

Reason #2: "Mei" never confirmed whether or not she was pregnant to "Fu"
"Fu" assumed "Mei" was pregnant because she asked one of Onisac's employees who had been on maternity leave her concerns regarding pregnancy. When confronted by "Fu," "Mei" said that the issue didn't concern him and that she didn't want to get back with him simply because of their "baby"; she acted strangely.

Reason #3: "Wan" went away without really saying why
In her final conversation with "Cheung" (Bobby Au-Yeung), "Wan" made it very clear that she had plans to go on a term-less vacation. She didn't say where she was going nor did she tell him why. She just said she had to go away for "awhile," which is very peculiar and suspicious indeed.

Reason #4: "Fu" wasn't there to witness "Mei" give birth
In the last few minutes, "Fu" lets us know that "Mei" was alone when she gave "birth" to "their" son.

Reason #5: "Fu Gwai jai" recognized "Wan"
Just before "Cheung" starts to hallucinate that he sees "Wan" again, "Fu Gwai jai" calls out "Wan." "Cheung" assumes that he's talking about the clouds ("wan" means "cloud") in the sky. However, at the very end, we see what appears to be "Wan" in the same dress that "Cheung" imagined when he "saw" her. The woman is approaching "Cheung" and the child and then the ending credits roll.

Conclusion: I strong believe that "Wan" went away in order to give birth and then secretly came back with her baby. I think that "Mei" was pretending to be pregnant in order to keep the secret for "Wan." I don't think she was ever pregnant at all. "Wan" confided to "Mei" that she was pregnant because she was the only person she could confide to. She couldn't tell her family members because they are too nosy. She didn't want to tell "Choh". She didn't want to let "Cheung" know she was pregnant with "Choh"'s baby because she knew it would crush him even more. She wanted to keep it from him in order to protect him because she hurt him too many times before. Consequently, she and "Mei" devised a plan so that "Mei" would feign a pregnancy and give "birth" for "Wan" and then take care of her baby as her own until "Wan" was ready to face the truth and come clean with everyone.

Those suspicious points above and the overall "feel" of the ending causes me to think that "Fu Gwai jai" is actually "Wan"'s baby with "Choh." It took "Wan" two years to come to terms with her actions and realize that she had to tell the truth. It wasn't fair to her baby, "Cheung," nor herself to keep deceiving everyone. I believe it is truly "Wan" who comes back in the end to reclaim her baby and tell "Cheung" the truth. Relationships are based on truth, so before the two of them can even consider getting back together, the truth must be out there and lucid. This is my take on the ending and it makes sense to me.

But what about...
In the grand finale, "Choh" tied "Wan" up and she fell... wouldn't that have caused her to miscarry the baby? In classic TVB scenario, pregnancies are miscarried when the woman falls and lands hard on the ground. In the case of "Wan," she fell on a mattress. I think that broke her fall and saved her pregnancy from being miscarried. Also, not every single fall causes a miscarriage.

Didn't "Cheung" confirm to "Fu" that "Mei" was pregnant with his child? There was a scene in which "Cheung" let "Fu" know that "Mei" had decided to raise her baby independently and didn't want "Fu" to be involved. Fu asks, "You know already?" Doesn't this negate my point that "Mei" never "confirmed" she was pregnant? Not really. "Mei" could have lied to "Cheung".

Why would she do that?
What mother would just abandon her child for two years? I think "Wan" felt so guilty over hurting "Cheung" over and over again that she knew a baby with "Choh" would be a final blow that would crush him. Therefore, she devised this plan to protect him from knowing the truth. Besides, TVB likes to do these over-the-top, soap opera'ish cases. I mean, come on, "Wing" (Benz Hui) wanted "Wan" to get back with "Choh" so that "Choh" would be happy and let go of "Fu" so "Cheung" and "Fu" could be reunited; thus, everyone is "happy". Who says that?

So... for those of you who've seen Dicey, what do you have to say about my theory? Am I just looking too much into things? Am I making things more complicated than they really are? Or... does my crazy theory somehow make sense to you as well?

My thoughts on Dicey Business...
I'm not going to do a full-out review for Dicey because frankly I am unimpressed by it, so I don't want to spend any more time on it. Before people think I'm being too critical or harsh, I want to say that I absolutely do not think Dicey is a horrible series. It is an "enjoyable" series, but I just didn't "like" it. Yes, the acting was amazing and yes, the storyline was meaningful and entertaining (at times). However, I honestly couldn't get immersed into the series. It failed to captivate me enough. Don't get me wrong, I loved watching Bobby's fantastic performance and all of his storylines were touching, humorous, and sad. I just feel that Dicey is too long. I fell asleep towards the ending episodes. It was just really draggy I felt. Most of the time, I was watching just to watch so I could finish, not because I was genuinely interesting in seeing what would happen next.

For the first time ever since I started watching series, I used the "fast forward" button. No matter how bad a series was in the past, I never used that button because I feel that it makes watching rather meaningless since I'm not watching every scene. However, for Dicey, I felt no remorse. I could care less about all of the lengthy gambling scenes/competition. All I needed to know was who won and what the aftermath was. I don't care about "how" they reached that point because I'm not a gambler so I really didn't understand how those card games worked. At first, they were interesting, but after awhile, I just wanted to get Dicey over and done with, so I "fast forward" since I didn't care for them. I know, I'm totally wasting the "point" of Dicey being a gambling series by not watching the gambling competitions... but honestly, so what? Characters, their relationships [with one another], and plot are the reasons why I watch series and I still got the essence of Dicey without it. I just wasn't interested in the gambling scenes.

The scenes that I enjoyed most are those of Bosco (only in the first half when he was gaining self-confidence), Tavia, and Bobby's. Tavia looked so sexy in Dicey! I don't know if it was those fake "D" cups or her gorgeous tan or that she reeked with self-confidence and sex appeal, but Tavia was really captivating. I loved watching her scenes (although limited); she gave a relatively nice performance. Bosco's performance in Dicey was really good. He has improved a lot. I think he was wonderful in the first half as the shy, unconfident, and autistic kid. I didn't like him too much when "Choh" had him wrapped around his fingers because "Fu" transformed into a clone of "Choh". Nevertheless, Bosco's performance was solid throughout. There's no question about Bobby giving spectacular performances. He cried so much! His emotional scenes were well done. I liked his character a lot. He was strong, admirable, caring, and forgiving, but not to the point where it was unrealistic.

I didn't like Jessica at all at the beginning, but "Wan" grew on me as I continued to watch and I found her funny and rather cute. I loved her interactions with "Cheung" - so humorous and charming! I've never found Jessica's acting impressive nor understood the hype about her, but I'm glad she had a "different" role here and her acting wasn't bad. Michael really annoyed me, but his performance was good (although lacking and over-the-top at times). I loved him in The Academy (he's one of the reason why I loved that series so much) but I found him irritating in this series because of his character. He just didn't get it; he had so many chances to redeem himself and get "back on track" but he just refused to do it. His name suits him - he's definitely "choh" (his name sounds like the word that means "wrong") all right with his repeated mistakes and excuses. I liked his scenes with his mom most - they were touching and symbolic. Benz Hui was great (but his character was a little tedious and ridiculous at times, but very admirable no doubt) and Florence Kwok was awesome as usual.

The great acting in Dicey was a saving point for it and I believe that is the main reason why so many people were "impressed" by it and raved over it. I, for one, wasn't.

I don't understand why Dicey was so raved by many fans because to me, the storyline is typical (a bit "over the top" at points) and draggy, albeit several moving points. I don't know, but for me, this series is too overrated. I'm really not a fan of those "big", modern, over-hyped, grand productions. I just didn't get "into" the series, so I didn't like it. However, Dicey is far from a bad series. I will say it is much better than the even more overrated Revolving Doors of Vengeance with its shallow, trying-too-hard-to-be-smart, and convoluted plot.

In summary, to me, Dicey just isn't very memorable and pretty much mediocre and draggy with only random, small moments of goodness and great acting. I don't care for it. The only thing that will stick with me about it is its amazing themesong.

Rating:

Screenshot credits: K for TVB

spotlight: "war and destiny"

War and Destiny was actually one of my anticipated series from 2006 because it looks so appealing visually and the concept seemed intriguing. Also, I liked how TVB was saying that Myolie Wu's role would be their version of "Dae Jang-geum." I loved Jewel in the Palace, so I really wanted to see a TVB version of a strong heroine who would defy it all to reach to the top. I also was intrigued by the backdrop of the war that the series was slated to use and I hadn't seen a war series set in the 1930's for some time, so I was itching to see it.

When I finally rented War about six or seven weeks ago, somehow I wasn't as "excited" to watch it anymore. It didn't help that the semester was drawing to a close, so I was very busy and tied up with work and studying to do. Thus, I kept pushing back my War viewing. I had seen the first four episodes and quite liked it, but somehow, there just wasn't enough to draw me back. With Forensic Heroes, I kept watching even if I had work to do. With War, I just didn't feel the urge. However, I took around ten episodes with me to watch, so I just had to finish them before I came home for winter break.

I basically half-watched War from episodes six until maybe eighteen. The plot just felt too flat, nothing out of the ordinary was happening, and the characters seemed very one-dimensional. I didn't feel like it "deserved" my full attention, so I just let it run in the background while doing other things. Sure, I listened to what was going on on-screen and glanced at it most of the time, but for the most part, I didn't pay much attention because I wasn't interested. I felt it was so draggy and sometimes boring and frustrating.

I was off of work one day, so I decided to watch War. Perhaps it was because I gave the series my full attention, but I found War to be really good and I was loving it. It was surprisingly very engaging, realistic, and poignant. I loved episodes nineteen through the end.

I had five episodes to go when I read messages saying that the ending was "weird," so I was disheartened. I feared that my regained interest and faith in the series was doomed to crash. Thankfully, nothing of the sort happened. The last five episodes maintained the series' [regained] quality. As for the ending, it felt too perfect. Everything just wrapped up so ideally. I didn't like how they flash-forward and said that the war ended and basically showed us how the life for the "Koo" family just fell back into place and everything was "happy" again. Did "Sai Cheong" (Sunny Chan) really survive and came back to live "happily ever after" with "Ping On?" Or was it an illusion? I don't really care either way as long as it stops "Ping On" from whining and crying again. I'm just kidding. I take the ending to mean that "Sai Cheong" returns only in spirit to support "Ping On" and never to leave her side. Even if he did survive, it's illogical that he would look exactly like he did before the accident with his fine clothes and being so well-groomed. What "Ping On" needs most is closure; she doesn't know if he's dead or alive and that's what bothers her the most. By imagining that he has returned to her [because in spirit, after all, he will always be in her heart], she can move on. That's how I view the ending.

Leila Tong has regained by fondness. She did such a good job in this series and her role as "Yuet Fung" was quite good. She is strong, tragic, and admirable. I am so thankful that her relationship with "Hau Yee" (Ron Ng) was kept innocent and sweet until the end. I was so worried that they would do something inappropriate because that would have tainted how pure their affections were. They fell in love knowing it was "wrong" and taboo, but they couldn't help it. You can't control who you love. They tried to keep their feelings buried and move on, but it was useless. I liked how they helped and supported each other. It was a very moving relationship. I was so happy they eventually ended up together.

Unfortunately, I didn't like "Hau Yee" as much as "Yuet Fung." He is so stubborn, rash, and reckless. He never listens to anyone and is quick to jump to conclusions. I was quite frustrated with him in most scenes. I understand why he behaves the way he does, but couldn't help but roll my eyes and shake my head every time he would do something "stupid" or rash. His best scenes are with "Yuet Fung." In those scenes, he is soft and considerate and hence, quite likable. Ron's performance improved as the series progressed, but overall he's still not good. I find that he acts the same in every series. I don't know... he looks so "dead" and stoned to me sometimes. I know he's trying, but I'm just not liking him as an actor.

"Ping On"... where to begin? I had a lot of hope for this character because she is the title character, but I was greatly disappointed. The character is written too flatly and "perfectly." I hated how she was so "willing" to endure all of the abuse. I've said this before, but I truly feel that the character loses credibility because she is too excessively nice and self-sacrificing. I couldn't feel any sympathy for her pain or sorrow. Myolie cries so realistically and naturally; I've always felt that one of her best aspects was crying, but it becomes so typical when you see it in every single episode. It just didn't do anything for me anymore. Luckily, "Sai Cheong" did her good. Her character becomes way more likable with him.

I really liked all of the sweet and cute moments between "Sai Cheong" and "Ping On" in the last half of the series. For the first half, though, I just hated how they interacted. "Ping On" would always be so biased and against "Sai Cheong" and yet she expected him to help her time and again. I just groaned and rolled my eyes every time that happened. It was just so ridiculous. How can you openly despise someone and then expect one favor after another? I suppose "Sai Cheong" helped her because he wanted to protect her since she is so helpless. In any case, after they "faked" a relationship, things blossom wonderfully from there on. Myolie and Sunny looked sweet together. Their interactions were so fun and cute.

"Sai Cheong" starts off as a selfish and conniving businessman, but I knew right away that he wasn't a bad guy. He had his reasons and surely enough, he did. It was great watching this character unfold and see the layers that they built for him. He is the best developed character in the series and easily the most likable. He's admirable, smart, and cool. I liked the history of his character and how he grew to join the government. This is my favorite Sunny role and I've grown to like him as an actor because of War. I hope TVB will promote him more.

"Yi Ping" (Mandy Cho) was a likable character. I thought it was touching how she was so dedicated to helping her country. Her feelings for "Sai Cheong" were sweet. I was really surprised to see that "Matsudo" (Shek Sau) really cared for her. He slipped a ring onto her finger, symbolizing that he really did want to marry her and make her his wife. I thought he would hate her after realizing that she was a spy and was only using him, but I guess he really did fall in love with her. I liked the back story with "Matsudo" and "Hau Yee"'s mother and the scenes where he cared for his son and tried to build a relationship. Other than that, the role was one dimensional and only served to advance the plot. Shek Sau's performance was nothing special. I don't have any comments on Mandy. She has improved, but like Ron, she just doesn't feel natural on-screen; I don't feel comfortable watching her.

I was very impressed (and not surprisingly so) with Lau Dan and Angelina Lo Yuen Yan. The two of them are so good in War. I really enjoyed their scenes (whether together or individually). I was quite surprised to see Angelina be all "evil" in the beginning of the series. She usually gets those sweet, funny motherly roles in series, so it was quite a change. Nevertheless, she pulled it off and was very convincing. Her actions were understandable. She felt threatened and wanted to protect her position and daughters. She grew soft once all threats were gone. At the core, she is just a mother and a loving wife.

Halina Tam did a good job with her role. She is too excessively skinny though... I worry for her health. I was scared that they would dump her character after she split with the "Koo" during the evacuation, but luckily, they brought her back. I really liked how they gave her a second [and true] relationship/life. She is not a bad person. She knew very well that Lau Dan never loved her and only married her for a son - of whom she knew he was disappointed in because "Tin Yau" was "slow." It was hard for her because her position in the family rested on her son, yet, everyone kept saying he was "crazy." She is greedy and selfish, yes, but overall, not wicked. The young actor who played "Tin Yau" did a really nice job. I like Charmaine Li after this series. Her role as "Chiu Yee" was well-developed and written. She did a good job. I used to think that her eyes look "dead" and that something about her face was unnatural, but she is quite good after all. Chan Hoi-Yee was adorable as "Ngoi Yee." She looked very cute and the role was sweet. Besides the conflict with her health at the beginning and how she grew to overcome her asthma, the role was one-dimensional, however. Does anyone have any idea who acted as big sister "Tak Yee?" I have no idea who this girl is, but she did pretty well. Poor Ellesmere Choi - he is getting one creepy role after another. As if playing the "kidnapping clown" in the last episode of Forensic Heroes wasn't enough, his role as "Hong" in this series was another psycho. He seemed so nice in the beginning... I couldn't believe he could become such a cold-blooded killer and traitor at the end.

War is a big lie when it comes to the Japanese war. It merely uses it as a backdrop rather than focusing its plot on it. The scenes dedicated to the war were limited. The major focuses were on how the characters dealt with the Japanese invasion and the conflict between patriots and traitors and I felt they were interesting, so I'm not complaining. I was expecting more of a war-based drama, so I was a bit disappointed. Still, I really enjoyed the plots that the writers weaved. I guess War is more of a series set during a time of war rather than a series about a war.

Overall, I think War is an average series. The beginning was quite good and the last third of the series was superb. I could have done without the dragging middle parts. Frankly, the series would have been better as a whole if it was reduced to 20-25 episodes [somewhere in that range]. War just isn't a memorable production. Although it fares far better than other mediocre series, it is really not that great and doesn't leave a lasting impact. Don't get me wrong - I liked it and enjoyed it for the most part... but it stops there. My impression of it isn't that great and it's not a series I would "highly" recommend. I guess I just expected too much.

Rating:

"forensic heroes" thoughts (iii)

Episodes 17-25

The pace with which I watched Forensic Heroes was so fast that I finished it in less than 2 weeks, which for me is a record these days. I was so addicted to it that I couldn't help but make time to watch it every single day. Whenever I had break between classes [and could afford to], I watched it. When I ate dinner, I watched it. I watched until the wee hours of the night [all-the-while knowing that I had class the next morning]. I couldn't stop. It was just so good and I had to keep watching. The cases were engaging and I fell for the characters. Forensic is definitely a winner for 2006.

Linda Chung matures nicely in the final 9 episodes. From the start to the end, "Ding Ding" has been the same. It is Linda's performance that breaks the character in the beginning, but redeems it later on and sustains this much more natural performance until the finale. I really wished that Linda had been as good as she was near the end at the beginning. In any case, I'm so thankful that the shouting and Shirley Yeung-reminiscent mannerism and exaggerations are gone after the first half of the series. "Ding Ding" becomes such a lovable character. Some may say that being happy and optimistic are traits of delusion, but since when is being positive a crime?

The interactions between "Ding Ding" and "Sam" are great. I absolutely loved this couple and cherished every scene they had together. I've said this already, but I'll say it again. Frankie Lam and Linda play off each other very well. I love their dialogues and the mannerism and expressions that they use together. I loved the scene where "Ding Ding" gives "Sam" the shoe key chain. She is so cute in that scene and this is the moment where "Sam" accepts her feelings and their relationship begins. The "proposal" scene was unique and adorable. "Sam" pops open the ring and "Ding Ding" grabs it from him to "try it out first." He laughs at her and then says that a person only has one marriage in a lifetime, so it has to be done right. Their kiss was a bit unnatural though. Linda has a problem with kissing scenes (on the lips) because she's a modest and shy girl and I don't blame her, but I hope she can become more comfortable with them in the future. She's fine with hugs, kisses on the cheek, and other affections, but when it comes to kissing on the lips... she just freezes up.

Through all of the years that I've watched Frankie, my most favorite character from him has got to be "Sam." He is so charming and wonderful in this role. He's relaxed, cool, collected, and intelligent. He really plays "Sam" well and I can't imagine anyone who could have done it better. Sure, he was good as the "big brother" in all of the Virtues of Harmony years, but he was a bit dull at times. It's a good thing that his last TVB role for a while was a great and memorable one.

I hate to say this, but I enjoyed Evergreen Mak's appearance and character the least. His scenes with Yoyo Mung's "Siu Yau" were a drag. I felt pretty bored watching the two of them. However, it's understandable that she wanted to deceive herself and "move on" to forget "Tim Sir" (Bobby Au-Yeung). Still, I just did not like those scenes.

I heard people say that the relationships of Forensic were disappointing. I couldn't disagree more. Contrary to "popular thoughts," I felt the relationships of the main couples were both well-written and acted. No, there aren't a million lovey-dovey scenes, but this doesn't mean the relationships were anything less than great. I felt the interactions between the couples were suitable considering their professions. I loved how everything was so subtle, but clear.

"Siu Yau" is a practical, no-nonsense type of girl. Like her, "Tim Sir" is also very business-oriented. He doesn't play around. The two of them are wonderfully gifted and capable. They think alike and thus are compatible when doing things [one of them being solving cases]. He is the only one who can "subdue" her. She listens when he tells her something rather than just writing him off like she did with "Sam." They are equals and understand each other. She doesn't get frustrated with him and he always finds a way to cheer her up and get to her heart. However, "Tim Sir" has a problem. He feels guilty about "moving on." Widowers and widows always have this sense of guilt pondering the question of "moving on." Is it wrong to love someone else? He found himself attracted to "Siu Yau," but when her actions kept reminding him of his late wife, he felt too guilty. He felt like he was betraying her, so he pushed "Siu Yau" away. In the end, he was finally able to "let go" when "Charlie" (Jay Lau) appeared in a dream he had in a comatose state. She told him that he didn't belong there [with her]; he should be on earth. This gives him the closure that he needs to move on and accept "Siu Yau."

"Ding Ding" is very optimistic about life and loves looking at its wonders and beauty. She is happy-go-lucky. The initial link that connected "Sam" with "Ding Ding" was their common sports activity. As they spent more time together, feelings started to develop. "Sam" was attracted by her cheerfulness and unlike "Siu Yau," she appreciated looking at the beauty in the world [the sunset scene for example]. She fell in love with his books - which were his passion and pride - and understood the efforts he put into his writing. "Siu Yau" criticized his work and didn't analyze or appreciate it because she doesn't have the time or interest really to enjoy art. He finally found that someone who could appreciate and enjoy things that he liked. [It didn't hurt that "Ding Ding" is incredibly cute as well.] "Ding Ding" was attracted by how intelligent, mature, and cool he was. She loved being with him because they shared so many interests. He is older than her, but she doesn't believe that age is an issue. She feels that as long as two people like each other, then that's all that's needed. ["Sam" thought that she was talking about "Tim Sir" and this led to a hilarious misunderstanding.]

I really enjoyed all the moments that the two main couples had on-screen. Their relationships were realistic and the two couples had so much chemistry. Bravo to Producer Mui for creating more memorable pairings. Hopefully she did the same with The Brink of Law's second Virtues of Harmony switcheroo couple.

Hands down, the best case of the whole series was Charmaine Li's "copying Sam's novels" murders. I knew she was the murderer from the start, but it was proving that she killed all those people that was exciting. I didn't know how they were going to do it. That case was probably the longest and most developed. I liked that it finally connected "Ding Ding" to a case. I felt so scared for her when she realized that "Tracy" really wasn't crippled. I knew she wasn't going to die, but it was still an adrenaline rush scene seeing her be held hostage. The conclusion was appropriate and honestly, I felt sorry for "Tracy." Yes, she committed all those murders, but she didn't know what she was doing.

It was so sad when "Mon" (Natalie Tong) died. I loved how she cleaned up. Her affections for "Sam" were inevitable. He held hope for her when no one else did. He was the reason she was able to reform her life. I understand her feelings, but still got a bit upset when she did those "nasty" things to "Ding Ding." She should understand that "Sam" has a girlfriend and is no longer "available," but love is complicated like that. I hated "Tracy" for killing "Mon" - some friend she was. "Sam" really cared for "Mon," but only has a little sister.

It was a great moment when "Yvonne" (Florence Kwok) rejected the request of "Chris" (Mark Kwok) to get back together. It was an empowering moment for "Yvonne." He cheated on her, blamed her for his infidelity, and caused her so much grief and now he wants another chance? "Yvonne" helped to clear his name because that's what friends do, but he blew his chance at marriage with her with everything that he did. She can hold her head up high and live and love life. She's totally independent and deserves better.

The last case with Ellesmere Choi was too rushed, but it made the series leave with a bang. The clown imagery was quite frightening and I'm sure it caused people who think "clowns are evil" some panic. It was nice how it tied in with "Tracy" though. The final scene at "Sam" and "Ding Ding"'s engagement ceremony was nice. Everyone looked lovely [especially the main couple of the event]. It was great to see the whole cast again and it pretty much tied the series together while leaving the potential for a continuation.

On another note, ironically, Forensic sparked my interest for CSI rather than the other way around. I find that CSI is by far better scripted and filmed, but for some reason, I prefer to watch our "forensic heroes" instead. With CSI, the cases are really interesting, but I don't feel much of a connection with the characters, so there's no incentive for me to continue watching every episode. With Forensic, its cases pale in comparison to CSI's standards, but I feel the urge to keep watching. There are several reasons for this. For starters, Forensic isn't a stand-alone episode-by-episode deal like CSI; cases are not wrapped up within one episode and some continue for a few. Unlike CSI, Forensic also delves into the lives of the characters and this builds connection with the audience and we grow to care about the characters. CSI also has characterization and subplots focusing on their characters, but most of the episodes are dealt with solving the crime. For these reasons, I have a stronger liking towards Forensic even though CSI is far better.

Forensic Heroes is a well-crafted series, but like most procedural and case dramas, it's effect isn't "long term." People watch the cases and love them, but soon later will forget. However, it's the characters that they'll remember. Here's hoping for a sequel so we can see our "forensic heroes" again.

Rating:

spotlight: "the awakening story"

What happens when someone falls into a coma and doesn't wake up until nearly two decades later - to this modern age? How will he/she interact with a society that has changed drastically? These are the questions that The Awakening Story answers and brilliantly as well. Awakening tells the story of Ah Suet (Liza Wang) who has been in a coma for 16 years. She left behind three kids and a husband (Damien Lau). During the time of her coma, her husband developed a relationship with his co-worker, Susan (Louisa So). Everyone in her family seems to have moved on and just be around her now and then because of her title... everyone except for Suen Hing Ga (Maggie Cheung). Hing Ga tries desperately to keep her family together in hopes that when her mother wakes up, everything will be "perfect" again. Finally, Ah Suet does wake up. Her growth and the stories of her family and how she deals with everything are all just so incredibly interesting and refreshing. Awakening is an amazing series with numerous layers of solid characterizations and plot.

About the series
At the beginning, I felt that Awakening was rather boring. After Liza wakes up though, the series picks up a lot and becomes extremely addictive. In fact, I finished Awakening in a matter of days! I simply couldn't stop watching it. The constant twists and surprising developments also didn't help. I'm a sucker for family dramas and Awakening is just that. It was heart-warming to watch the family be together and support one another. The drama that occurred were also plausible and not over-the-top melodramatic. Awakening depicts a modern-day family and basically preaches morals and lessons about kinship, friendship, and relationships. It has a nice mix of drama, comedy, romance, and just heart-warmingly cute scenes with some very memorable dialogues and moments. The themesong by Faye Wong is beautiful - very soothing and fitting to the series!

About the performances
Everyone in the cast, from leading to supporting gave strong performances. An awesome cast along with a top-notch script, what more can I ask for? I do think that had Awakening not have its cast, it wouldn't be as good or memorable. Everyone was just perfect for their respective roles.

Liza Wang - Lam Ho Suet - Liza's role as "Ah Suet" was the main factor that kept me watching during the beginning. She has such a challenging role, but Liza pulled it off! Her role as a person waking up from a 16-year coma was not only fascinating but also very refreshing (from other series). The surprising revelation in "Ah Suet"'s characterization was nice and unexpected. You think that she's so sweet, but then you find out the back story of how she came into a coma and it's so unexpected, but fits snuggly into the storyline and gives "Ah Suet" a new layer. Liza gave such a marvelous and realistic performance, especially during the scenes when "Ah Suet" first came home. The expressions of fear were really good. I was captivated every time she was on the screen and her growth from a scared and naive woman into one with confidence and trying to fit into modern society was all very endearing. Awakening was actually my first Liza series. Liza won the "Best Actress" award at the TVB 2001 anniversary for this role, and it's well deserved.

Damien Lau - Philip Suen Hok Kei - Not much to say besides another good performance. I think that "Philip" means well towards his children (he just wants them to have bright futures and successful careers), but his actions come across as being demanding and often controlling. He had to work very hard to get where he was and he wanted to spare his kids the trouble that he had endured. Unfortunately, he forgot that they're their own person and want to do things that they like.

Maggie Cheung - Rose Suen Hing Ga - She tries so hard to keep her family together in hopes of handing it back in "perfect" condition after her mother awakens. She is the one with the most hope and faith that "Ah Suet" will awaken. She blames herself for her mother's accident and just wants a "warm," "loving," and "complete" family. However, things don't work out and she collapses after realizing this. She tries to do so much without realizing that these things don't make her truly "happy." I definitely enjoyed Maggie's character as well as her performance. This series made me a bigger fan because she just brings her character to life and make them each so unique and genuine! Maggie looked gorgeous in Awakening as well. What's interesting about this role was that the producer had casted everyone else besides "Rose." He looked all through TVB, but couldn't find anyone more capable to play the character than Maggie (whose contract with TVB was about to expire at that time), so Maggie was given a sweeter contract renewal with more freedom just so she would play "Rose!" Because Maggie was involved in another project at that time, the cast and crew often had to wait for Maggie to show up. Everything was worth it in the end though because Awakening was one of the biggest series of 2001.

Louisa So - Susan Chiu Cheuk Lam - Louisa is such an underrated actress at TVB. I'm glad that she has meatier roles like "Susan" to showcase her skills. She is really pretty and of course, has great acting. It's so ironic that she's the person that "Ah Suet" trusts the most and feels most comfortable around after she wakes up from her coma. In fact, she was the person around when "Ah Suet" woke up! I enjoyed the irony between the two characters. "Susan" was not wrong for loving "Phillip" because you really can't help who you fall in love with. She handled herself well and didn't resort to any "nasty" tricks. It was great to see how the friendship between "Susan" and "Ah Suet" developed and was sustained.

Joe Ma - Fong Sing Heem - Surprisingly, I don't hate Joe in this series! Yes, it's hard to believe. In fact, I liked him and found his performance quite okay... maybe it was because I enjoyed the character that Joe portrayed. In any case, he was totally bearable in this series and also has good chemistry with Maggie.

Patrick Tang - Stephen Suen Hing Chai - I've never seen Patrick before, but he is pretty good. He's natural on-screen and gives his character a nice personality. I liked Patrick's character and the subplot about his relationship with his dad and mom. His romance with Myolie was cute as well.

Myolie Wu - Sheung Ping Ping - Myolie looks so much prettier with long hair. Her performance was decent (she was a newcomer at the time), but she had a really cute and innocent character, so I loved her as "Ping Ping."

Tavia Yeung - Suen Hing Yan - Although "Yan Yan" can be stubborn and reckless at times, Tavia managed to make the role really likable. One of the highlight scenes for me was when Tavia started to cry... her eyes just filled so naturally and beautifully with tears! I was very impressed with that. Her character is really enjoyable and sweet. Tavia gave a nice performance and her "look" for the role was very pretty, suits her well! An interesting note is that Tavia was specifically casted for "Yan Yan" because of her resemblance to Maggie Cheung.

Ellesmere Choi - Chan Wing Lok - He has good chemistry with Tavia! His acting has always been very stable and quite okay. I enjoyed his role as "Ah Lok" and the confrontation between him and Damien.

Another notable mention is Law Lan, who was very funny and sweet as the "grandma."

Looking a little deeper into the story
I enjoyed Awakening more in the beginning and middle than towards the end. It's not because it digressed or became bad as it went along. It's just that towards the end, it became somewhat "typical" (typical, not boring). It was still enjoyable, but not as excellent as it had been before. I felt the romance between "Rose" and "Doctor Fong" was rushed. I wished there were more scenes to show them dating or something. It was weird, but very funny and sweet, how he proposed to her and she agreed to marry him on their first "official" date. I guess it was because they shared so many other moments throughout the series already, so they don't need to date to know how they feel for one another. I also think that certain parts throughout the series were a little slow. I wasn't too happy with "Ah Suet"'s makeover towards the end. Why couldn't she have stayed the sweet and old-fashioned 'housewife' from the 1980's? Her characterization would have been so much more powerful if she had. I do think that it's nice for her to fit more into modern society, but somehow, I believe this is saying that our current society is superficial... and perhaps it is.

Food for thought
Did "Philip" and "Ah Suet" get together at the end? In my opinion, I believe so. After turning around a complete revolution, they are back into each other's heart. "Ah Suet" says "Yes, I'm very happy" in the final scene looking at the fireworks that "Philip" ordered to be fired especially for her. Years ago, he promised her that he would do so, but because of financial inability, her accident, and his consequent affair, he didn't have the chance until then. The way the two just smiled so sweetly at each other makes me believe that they will get back together. "Philip" used to be embarrassed of "Ah Suet" and their worlds were completely different, but at the end, they were essentially alike. Both just wanted to enjoy their family and each other's company. Was it fair for "Susan?" "Susan" was too business-oriented and with "Ah Suet"'s close relationship with "Philip" due to their children (and grandchild), I don't think it could have worked. What they had was special while "Ah Suet" was not around, but that was the past. "Philip" and "Susan" had diverged and they couldn't be together anymore. Thus, I think it was a fair solution for all and a nice ending to tie up the series.

Final thoughts
The Awakening Story is an enlightening and touching series and definitely has one of the best written scripts. It is just so enjoyable and has become one of my favorite series! Its success is well deserved. Not only will Awakening entertain you but it'll also make you think as well as see nice life lessons. I strongly recommend it anyone who wants to see a really special show.

"You must discover and understand who you are, realize your own dreams (not others), and also discover your place in society before you can be happy and love others" is the underlying message of Awakening.

Rating:

spotlight: "always ready"

I was skeptical about Always Ready since news of its production. The producer of this series has a record of horrible series and I didn't enjoy Triumph In The Skies, so I didn't think I would like this series. However, because Linda Chung was in it, I would watch it regardless. Linda said that she enjoyed working with the cast, but said nothing of the quality of the series (she mentioned how good The Biter Bitten and Forensic Heroes were in her posts to us). Therefore, my expectation from this series was almost none. I just wanted to see Linda's second series and to see how she did in her first "serious" role.

Low ratings and constant reviews that chimed how "boring" it was furthermore discouraged me. Still, I rented the series because of praises for Linda's acting (and to see it for myself). I loved the themevideo - very catchy and well-made. I started to think, "Maybe it's not that bad." The GFS rescue scenes were interesting to watch at first because I had never heard of them before. These scenes became quite boring and repetitive after awhile. There's just no "excitement" and the cases were bland. Overall, the first four episodes weren't interesting to me. I did feel the series get better as I got to know the characters more, but by the end of episode 4, I still wasn't all that impressed.

To my surprise, all of the characters soon made their way into my heart as I kept watching. It wasn't just Linda that kept me going. I was shocked to realize that I began to like all of them. I loved all of the pairings as well. "Matt" & "San," "Ben" & "Carrie," and "Kelvin & Nikki" - all of them had chemistry and were perfect for one another. I found the relationships and lives of the characters well-written, especially in the last ten episodes. Always entertained me a whole lot more than I thought it would. I didn't snore and actually wanted to watch more of it!

About the performances
Ekin Cheng - I've only seen Ekin in small, cameo roles (namely Chor Lau Heung 2001), so I didn't know what to expect from him. He definitely had the image needed for his role down. As for his acting, I think it's quite okay - nothing too special. His emotional scenes definitely need working though. However, I did enjoy watching his scenes and "Matt" was one of my favorite characters in the series because he's quite humorous and admirable. I felt that Ekin had chemistry with both Charmaine and Linda - but I rooted for him to be with Linda (for reasons other than the obvious). I wouldn't mind seeing Ekin again.

Bowie Lam - Before watching Always, I wasn't keen on Bowie. I felt his acting was bland and felt appalled at the fact that he won "Best Actor" at the TVB Anniversary in 2004 for War and Beauty. Needless to say, I wasn't looking forward to his scenes at all when I started watching. Surprisingly, Bowie won me over with the role of "Ben." He was fun, intelligent, caring, and interesting. I grew to like Bowie thanks to Always. He did a great job. I love his chemistry with Jacky Wong and Charmaine. I suppose he's just not very suitable for ancient roles.

Charmaine Sheh - As the leading lady, I felt Charmaine was a bit "off" with this series. Her performance wasn't captivating. She didn't do a bad job, but I just felt something was "missing" from her performance. Maybe it was her character, but I didn't feel that Charmaine was as connected with the character and series like usual. In any case, I still liked her scenes. Charmaine looked so pretty with her long hair in flashback scenes that I felt sad when her hat came off to reveal her short hair. She had nice chemistry with her co-stars though.

Linda Chung - She's the reason that I rented Always. I was a bit "disappointed" with her performance initially. Linda was stiff and seemed so uncomfortable with the role in the first half of the series. However, once her romance with Ekin started and the "icy" exterior of the character started to break down, her performance became better and better. She was more natural and her crying scenes were well done. I was very impressed with how touching and realistic they were! You can feel the frustration, pain, anger, and sadness when she cries. I loved the scene where she confessed that all she wanted was for someone to take care of her at the pool. She was going on about how all of her life she had to take care of herself and now she was tired and wanted someone to be there for her. I also liked the scene with her birthday. You have to love the final episode where Linda was playing Ekin's game - so sweet and touching! I'm very glad they ended up together. Her performance was overall quite nice (despite a stiff/shaky start) and showed improvement from Virtues of Harmony II.

Shirley Yeung - I really do not like "Nikki"'s personality. I hated the way Shirley acted the character too - the constant hand movements, her ever-exaggerated expressions, and the way she shouted her lines all really irritated me. Still, I found a few things I liked about the character. First of all, her crush on "Ben" was quite cute. The two of them could never be, but the way that storyline ended was nice. Secondly, her romance with "Kelvin" was just too funny and touching. I really liked how she let him into her heart. The way their relationship developed was also nice.

Lai Lok Yi - For someone who graduated from an acting academy, Lai Lok Yi has never impressed me as an actor. He is just really boring. However, he had some nice scenes in this series. I found his crush on "San" amusing and his romance with "Nikki" very sweet and entertaining. I loved the scene where he fulfilled her dreams of dancing in an elegant ballroom format - very moving.

I could not stand Charles Szeto (bad acting and uneasy on the eyes), but he made a nice pair with Elaine Yiu (she did ok as Ekin's little sister). I loved Fiona Yuen (especially the first time she appeared - made me wish that "Ben" and "Renee" would get back together) and hope she will get bigger and better roles in the future. She's very pretty and her acting's not bad. It was nice to see Karen Lee get such a meaty role after so many years of being a maid/background character; she looked gorgeous and portrayed "Ah Wing" well. Jacky Wong was great as "Ben"'s young son. This kid is adorable (albeit his overacting).

About the main pairings
Some people complain about the Ekin & Linda and Bowie & Charmaine pairings. I disagree with them.

Yes, Ekin & Charmaine looked nice together and had chemistry, but "Matt" & "Carrie" were just not compatible. "Matt" just didn't understand "Carrie" the way a boyfriend should. Yes, he loved her deeply and it was very touching that he was by her side all the years she was in a coma and he also did a lot for her, but love isn't counted like that. It's all about "feelings." "Carrie" needed someone to be there for her all the time and to understand her and know when she needs her independence. "Matt" just liked doing everything for her and he cared more about work. (Which was why she ended up in a coma in the first place.) Thus, I felt "Matt" and "Carrie" splitting was right. However, I did feel terribly sorry for "Matt" because he did so much for "Carrie."

"Ben" was there for "Carrie" whenever "Matt" couldn't make it. He understood her - knew when she was sad and had problems. Unlike "Matt," "Ben" gave "Carrie" a sense of independence and comfort. He didn't go planning everything for her. While "Ben" is serious about his work at GFS, he also cares about his family ("Jacky jai") and I feel that "Carrie" needed this homely and more mature match. I loved the scene when "Ben" and "Carrie" got together in the hospital. A glass window separated them, but the moment their hands "touched" was very touching. I also felt that the glass was symbolic of "Matt" between them in their relationship. I was very glad when the three of them came to terms and became friends. "Ben" and "Carrie"'s personalities are much more compatible, so I love this couple.

Always makes it clear that "Matt" is "Sandra"'s senior, but it also says that "Matt" gets along well with the younger crowd. In a way, I feel that "Matt" is really a big kid at heart, so I didn't feel the age difference personality-wise between "Matt" and "San." Also, "San" is wise beyond her years and much more mature than her peers because of her history. Therefore, even though they might not have been at the same level age-wise, they were mentally. I also think that Ekin looks young for his age, so I thought he and Linda matched physically as well. As I said earlier, "Matt" loves planning and arranging things for people because that's the type of person he is. "Sandra" - being an orphan and forced to be independent, longs for someone to be there to help her out and arrange things for her. While she's not wishing to be a puppet, she just wants the support and arrangement of another person because after so many years... she's tired. "Matt" was this person. From her GFS training to her reconciliation with her father, "Matt" was there every step. It is because of this that "San" is won over. For the first time, she feels protected, loved, cared, and can rely on someone else. It's easy to see why she fell for "Matt." As for "Matt," I think he fell for her after realizing how much she did for him. She was the "Matt" in their relationship while he was the "Carrie" (as oddly as that sounds). "San" tried to make him love her, but he wouldn't budge and ultimately, she gave up. I think "Matt" did initially love "Sandra" out of pity and appreciation, but he grew to love her for real. She was there for him regardless (especially during the time he was trying to get over "Carrie") and the two spent so much time together at work and off. I believe the time and company "Matt" and "San" had together brought them to love each other. For "Sandra" - it hit right then and there, but for "Matt," he didn't realize it until he got over "Carrie" - but by that time, "San" had gone... I felt "San"'s departure was necessary to consolidate "Matt"'s feelings for her because it made him realize he missed her company. I liked that she read his every e-mail, but didn't reply.

It was nice to have "San" come back the moment that "Matt" was in trouble with his health. However, I grew a bit frustrated with "Matt" because "San" kept waiting and waiting for him to confess his feelings. I loved the scene when "San" yelled at "Matt," saying, "Why can't you tell me your true feelings in front of my face? I'm sick of playing! I keep waiting and waiting... it's very painful!" Then she runs away and cries. (In fact, "San" always ends up running away after confessing her feelings for/about him - which I found was a nice touch of continuation in her characterization.) I just loved the game that "Matt" made for "San" to express his feelings for her. He was right - if he just blurted out that he loved her and appreciated everything that she did for him, it would indeed not sound meaningful or sincere enough. The symbolism of "Carrie"'s old car key, "Matt"'s family and "San"'s dad, and everything that he promised to her - it just all came together with this game. I was worried that the producer would pull a Burning Flame II and kill "Matt" the moment "Sandra" accepted his declaration of love. Thankfully - they ended up together - a very sweet couple.

Final thoughts
Overall, Always Ready is not so horrid, boring, and draggy as many claim. In fact, I find it quite decent and I enjoyed it more than Triumph In The Skies. The last 10 episodes are great and the ending is very nice. I love the characterizations and relationships among the couples, friends, and family. The GFS rescue scenes are a bit mundane and I had a hard time understanding them sometimes, which is bad because this series was suppose to be about GFS. The only GFS mission that I found well-written was when "Ben"'s plane crashed. If only all the missions could have been as exciting! The finale mission was also well done (although short). The non-GFS scenes are by far superior in comparison (just like the second half of the series was way better than the first). The way their lives developed was nice and the subplots were all great. I rented this series for Linda, but liked it for more than her (even though she was a big part of my enjoyment).

I'd recommend Always Ready, but be like me - have absolutely zero expectations. You'd be surprised at how good it turns out to be. It's not the best, but enjoyable for what it is.

Rating:

spotlight: "war and beauty"

War and Beauty is the most hyped and discussed series of 2004. It brought in the ratings as well as the viewers for TVB, accumulating awards and acclaims everywhere. Not only that, but it is the first costume drama to be filmed in the real Imperial Palace in Beijing, China. TVB put a lot of money and soul into this production; it clearly shows. The resulting drama from all of the hard work and dedication of the casts and crew is best termed as a masterpiece of an artwork.

In recent years, TVB has failed to produce a true classic drama that will be remembered in years to come. With War, they have achieved such a production. There is so much wit and intelligence put into the script of War that one ponders why TVB doesn't have more series with the credentials of War more frequently. Classics take time to formulate and with TVB's rush to get the most amount of series out each year, it's no wonder why there isn't more series like War each year.

On a shallow perspective, the plotline of War is just about the nasty and cruel battles among the Emperor's concubines and Empress in the palace. Even if one fails to look pass this outer layer of plot, he or she will still find War incredibly interesting and engaging. On an analytical view of the series, one will see that War is a haunting painting of people and the relationships among people. Although the philosophical outlook of War is to an extreme end of pessimism, if the cruel tactics and brutality of the characters' actions is stripped away, its numerous comments on life still sadly holds true. There are many layers to this series in every aspect. The scriptwriters of this production are truly geniuses for producing such intellectual dialogues, morals, and solid characters. The deeper that one digs into the series's plot, the more treasures will be discovered. The ending is wonderfully scripted and so aesthetic. It screams such a tragic message that keeps the viewer thinking and sums up the series very well.

Not only did TVB have a great script, it also selected a brilliant casting. Almost every cast member was marvelous and gave a great performance, bringing to life the characters from the pages of the script.

Sheren Tang - Yu Fei - From the beginning of the series to the ending, Sheren Tang was extraordinary. She really did nail the role of 'Yu Fei' to perfection and I couldn't imagine anyone else being able to top it. Her scenes were the most enjoyable to me. I loved her wit. She conveyed power and fear during her reign in the palace. When she lost her power, she truly made the audience pity her and wish that she was in power again. Her ending is tragic. Although she didn't die, her life is far worse than death itself. Being forever trapped in the palace and constantly on the lookout for schemes that attempt to bring her down, it is very tiring for Yu Fei. No one is true to her and she has no one to trust or love. However, as she phrases it herself, "I don't know how to live outside of the palace. This has been my home and in the future, my grave." Yu Fei is my favorite character. When she first entered the palace, she was optimistic and kind. She thought she could treat everyone with honesty and love and they would in turn be true to her. However, she discovered it the hard way that people are two-faced. Her first pregnancy was poisoned by the Empress. After this unfortunate event, Yu Fei had to give up herself and put up a fearful facade to defend herself. Her heart became cold and she (rightfully but sadly) grew to judge everyone in a negative manner. When she lost power, everyone looked down on and ridiculed her. Only Hung Mo was true to her and helped her make it through those hard times. In the end, she gets back her power and prestige, but does she really have it all? No, happiness still and might never reach her. She lost her daughter, her only hope and love in life, and gave up everything that she has had. She has too much of a burden and that is why I find Yu Fei most interesting and tragic. I loved the ending scene with her standing alone in the balcony of the palace and reciting the poem on her handkerchief. I don't love the willows by the walls of the palace. I was misled by fate. There are times for the blossoming and withering of flowers. It depends on the sun. I want to go. I'm glad there's love in your heart. I want to stay. It's because there's still hate in my heart. Now I have to count on you to fulfill our wish to travel freely wide and far. Take care. What a beautiful way to close up the series and reflect upon Yu Fei.

Maggie Cheung - On Sin - Maggie Cheung's performance was captivating and realistic. 'On Sin' is my other favorite character besides 'Yu Fei.' I loved watching her change from a palace maid to a concubine. 'On Sin' was really smart (maybe too smart), which caused her downfall. When she was a maid, she had to watch her every word and action. Being a maid, she had no power and had to appease her masters. However, she lived as happily as she could because she had the hope and motivation of leaving the palace soon and being able to live freely with her grandmother in her village. She waited for the day of her departure and reunion with her grandmother. When she realized that her grandmother was dead, she lost all hope. Her motivation to live was gone and life no longer had a meaning or purpose to her. Before, she could tell herself that she could be free soon, but now, she had nothing. She gave up her true love (Hung Mo) and her heart to seek revenge. She sold herself in hopes of taking down the Empress. In the end, she didn't get her revenge. Instead, she only inflicted pain upon herself and others. She finally gets a chance to be with Hung Mo, but fate was cruel and she got hit with an arrow. However, she died peacefully and happily resting her head beside the only one she ever loved. Hung Mo says, "You're tired. Why don't you rest now and I'll wake you up when we get to the pier?" On Sin smiles and says, "Ok, but you must remember to wake me up." It is so sad because Hung Mo had no idea that On Sin was dying and that she was never going to wake up. Nevertheless, it was such a lovely scene. On Sin truly was tired and she needed to rest because she hadn't been true to herself since she became a concubine.

Charmaine Sheh - Yee Shun - I felt Charmaine Sheh's performance was good, but not to the extent of Sheren or Maggie's. Yee Shun is another poor soul abused by the cruel hands of Tsui Gong Gong. She was taken in and molded by him for the sole purpose of manipulating people and gaining power so that he could use her to his advantage. She had no say in her life and every action she did was for Tsui Gong Gong. She loved Suen Pak Yeung deeply, but he had no eyes for her. Yee Shun was separated from her sister and she never learned who was her sister and whether or not she was really dead. When Tsui Gong Gong died, Yee Shun realized she no longer had a purpose in life. She labored to become the top concubine for him, but now that he was dead, who was she fighting for? She put herself in so much pain and in the end, everything has become pointless. Luckily for her, she manages to escape from the palace and On Sin tells her to start life anew, doing what she wants.

I didn't extremely enjoy the characterizations of the other casts as much I did for the roles of Sheren Tang, Maggie Cheung, and Charmaine Sheh. Therefore, I will not be analyzing their characters as I did for Yu Fei, On Sin, and Yee Shun. I will just be stating my opinions on the other prominent characters and that particular cast's performance. I didn't include the other minor characters because it would be too tedious and I don't have the time for such an extensive review.

Gigi Lai - Yuk Ying - I don't know why Gigi Lai got so much popularity and acclaim for her role as 'Yuk Ying.' I felt Gigi's performance was average and similar to her performance in other series. She was not impressive. At first I was annoyed with Yuk Ying's fits and she seemed too full of herself. I was surprised when it was revealed that she was faking her stupidity and I even pitied her when it was revealed that Yuk Ying's entry into the palace was for her mother. I felt it was admirable and I wished Yuk Ying hadn't been framed. It was interesting to watch her climb back up and become a 'gwai yan.' I even sympathized when she expressed that she couldn't trust or love anyone. Her sisterly relationship with On Sin was sweet and it was sad to watch her be hurt by On Sin's "betrayal." Towards the ending, I became unfond of Yuk Ying because her actions were illogical and ridiculous. I often pondered what she was thinking because her actions don't flow logically. She is too stubborn and I feel she is the luckiest out of all the girls because everyone helped her and she was able to be with the one that she loved (Suen Pak Yeung). I even felt that, towards the end, she was just using her mother as an excuse. Overall, Yuk Ying was not a favorite for me to watch.

Bowie Lam - Suen Pak Yeung - The role of 'Suen Pak Yeung' was good and might have been much more interesting to watch if only Bowie Lam's acting wasn't so lacking. Bowie really failed to bring to life his role. His crying scenes lacked tears and emotions. He looked bored and had similar expressions most of the time. I didn't enjoy his performance at all and I feel that he didn't do 'Suen Pak Yeung' justice. I don't think Bowie is suited for ancient roles; he's too modern. I felt another actor would have made 'Suen Pak Yeung' even more interesting and enjoyable to watch. Again, I don't know how he could have bagged 'Best Actor' at the 2004 TVB anniversary because his acting is not good at all. I disliked Suen Pak Yeung because he was too stubborn and unappreciative of what he had. He had a great wife at home and a father who loved him dearly, but he refused to accept them. Instead, he was in love with a woman that he shouldn't love and mistakes after mistakes bring his demise. He is a good physician, but he's not good with curing the soul.

Moses Chan - Hung Mo - At first 'Hung Mo' bored me a lot. I dreaded his scenes immensely. Luckily, his character became more likable and interesting as he became involved with On Sin and Yu Fei. I loved both of his relationships with them and they were probably the most loving relationships in the series. He is honest, hard-working, and true. Overall Moses Chan did ok, nothing too spectacular because his character wasn't that fully developed.

Jade Leung - Fook Nga - She is probably one of the kindest concubine in the palace. She is so pure and doesn't engage in any of the nasty entangelements of the palace. I was shocked to find out that she took drugs to prevent herself from being cured just so that she could see Suen Pak Yeung, her love. She hinted that she could be conniving if she wanted to and that she could have been a big concubine, but she chose not to. Fook Nga is another sad character and one that I enjoyed watching. Her relationship with Yee Shun (who turns out to be her real sister) is sweet and she is the only one who helps and understands Yee Shun. Jade Leung gave a decent performance, but looked very refreshing and pretty.

Rebecca Chan - Empress - I can't believe how I grew from liking the Empress to hating her so passionately. When she first appeared, I thought that she was kind-hearted and applauded her for saving On Sin. When small details of her actions started to emerge, I became suspicious of her. When her real character was exposed, I absolutely hated her. I do understand that she had to be evil to keep her position as Empress, but I felt her tricks were too cruel and dirty. I just couldn't sympathize for her character. I was really happy whenever Yu Fei made her angry. Rebecca Chan did a fairly good job.

War conveys a lot of truth in regards to life. I will list some of the more prominent ones:

People are born good, but circumstances and situations create maliciousness.

The greatest regret comes from pondering the word "if."

Everyone has motives and reasons behind every action.

People are complex and have many layers to his or her personality.

It is wrong and inaccurate to judge someone based on only one incident.

Not everything that the eyes see is truth.

Nothing is ever worth the sacrifice of giving yourself up.

Friendship and even kinship is only so deep.

People are fake and follow the wind. Whoever is in power will be favored and those who are lowly will be further belittled.

There is no easy way to turn back once a decision or action has been made.

True feelings don't emerge until glory and prestige are stripped away.

Life isn't fair and love is blind.

Wealth and power are meaningless without love.

The numerous costumes and accessories in War are simply beautiful. The view of the real Imperial Palace is breath-taking. The series looks authentic and is visually very appealing and extremely attractive. All of the background music pieces are very nice and really highlights the action in every scene. The themesong and subsong sung by Bowie Lam are decent, but I wish someone else had sung the songs instead. I don't enjoy Bowie's singing very much, but the melody and lyrics are good.

I enjoyed War immensely for its plot and the wonderful performances of the casts. I found the storyline engaging and really addictive. It is exciting and keeps the viewer at the edge of his or her seat, always anxious to see what will happen next. There were plenty of delightful twists and turns throughout and the schemes of all of the concubines were so clever and thrilling. I was also pleased to see how smart the script was. The dialogues were really very well-written! The script was solid and above average throughout. However, I found the series to be somewhat tiring and a little long-winded during some of the middle parts. Therefore, my enjoyment of the series was somewhat lowered and this overall prevented me from rating this series as flawless.

Regardless, War and Beauty is excellent and is a must-watch. It is truly a classic of a series and very unique with creativity, originality, and wit. Even if the viewer doesn't appreciate the series beyond its casts, scenaries and costumes, and entertainment value, War will still be raved as very good by that viewer. Those who look deeper into the series will definitely find War's quality even more ingenious. This is by far one of the most excellent drama productions of recent years and tops 2004 as being the best costume drama in my books. Watch this series without hestitation or doubt! You will not be disappointed. It is such a beautiful piece of artwork.

Rating:

spotlight: "when rules turn loose"

To be honest, I had no intention of ever watching this series. I had made up my mind to "skip" it before it was even released. Why? I swore never to watch any more series with Ha Yu because my hatred of him from My Family was so great and I got pretty sick of Myolie Wu after awhile. Maybe it was "fate," but I accidentally got a When Rules Turn Loose tape from my video store instead of Always Ready. I was pretty surprised - both by the fact that it wasn't Always and that I enjoyed watching it! I couldn't believe it - it was funny, warm, and interesting. Because of this, I decided to rent the whole series.

I absolutely loved Rules from the beginning to the end (much to my astonishment). It is such a well-written series with superb acting. I loved the dialogue and the chemistry between the couples and Shum family is amazing. This series turned me from hating Ha Yu to finding him to be an incredibly charming actor and I grew to like Myolie again. When TVB has a great script, they can make some pretty neat series... Rules is one of the best lately.

About the series
If you're a law fan and expect this series to be a big-shot lawyer thing, then you're going to be disappointed. Rules merely uses law as the backdrop. The main focus of this series is family and life. Sure, there are cases, but they're not so great. They're interesting and good enough, but nowhere near the scale of a hardcore law drama. Yes, Rules is another "family" drama and while nothing really "new" happens in terms of plot, the way the series is carried out makes it very charming and above-average quality. The story's simple, but attractive enough that the viewer wants to keep watching until the end. I love the life lessons and stories that this series preaches. It's clever how they relate it to law sometimes too. The bittersweet ending was also a nice touch. All the couples were really nice, especially Myolie & Sammul Chan and Liza Wang & Ha Yu. Rules has a wonderful pace and the storylines develop well. The themesong tune is quite catchy too.

About the performances
Liza Wang - I've liked Liza since The Awakening Story. She is a great actress - but that's to be expected because she's a veteran. Her performance was very professional and warm.

Myolie Wu - I used to like Myolie during her early days, but when TVB started mass promoting her, I became really irritated with her. Even though I admitted her acting was great, I just didn't fancy her much. Rules changed things for me. I grew to like Myolie again. She is so cute and she once again proves that she's the most capable actress out of all the younger ones.

Sammul Chan - I never liked Sammul much, but Rules did it for me. Sammul's acting was very charming and funny - which caught me off-guard because he was so good! It's a shame that I only started to like him after he decided to leave TVB.

Ha Yu - I absolutely despised Ha Yu after My Family. He annoyed me to no end with his character and performance in that series. He was supposed to be funny, but I was appalled by his stupidity. Needless to say, I was not looking forward to his scenes in Rules. Surprisingly, I absolutely loved him and his character! His dialogues were great and his performance was just so endearing and charming! This is the mark of a great actor - versatility and being able to manipulate the audience's emotions/perception of you with different roles.

Wayne Lai - Wayne is an awesome actor and I'm so happy that TVB is giving him a lot of great supporting roles these days. I loved his performance. He never disappoints.

Patricia Liu - What a shame that Patricia left TVB just when they were seemingly starting to promote her! While I don't consider myself her fan, I do think she is pretty and I like watching her - but there's nothing special about her acting. At times, I feel she's just not "there."

Marco Ngai - I feel sad that Rules is the last TVB series from Marco. I've liked him since The Legendary Four Aces. I feel that his character was underdeveloped in this series. Sure, he's the smart villain, but that's about it. Maybe the weak characterization is to blame for Marco's not-so-spectacular performance. He was good, but not great.

I loved the old ladies who played the "Old Twins" of the Shum family - they cracked me up! Lai Suen is always great. I don't know the name of the other actress, but she was also good. Nancy Wu was very pretty and cute in this series too and I enjoyed her short appearance in the beginning. Surprisingly, Kate Tsui wasn't that bad.

Looking a little deeper
The way Ha Yu handled his chronic heart condition was how people should embrace life-threatening diseases. It's useless to be depressed and worried all the time - that would worsen the condition. Taking things lightly and having a sense of humor puts the person at a better state of mind. It was realistic to have him die at the end (even though it was quite sad).

Wayne letting Patricia go and admitting to the "affair" was the only thing he could have done. If he had pressed on and tried to keep her, it would have done no good. Her heart had changed and she had set her mind on getting divorced. No matter how good Wayne was, Patricia would be blind to it all; she was looking to blame him and make everything his fault. Wayne leaving was right. I really liked how he supported Patricia towards the end and when she finds out that she was wrong all along (about the affair, divorce, etc). I loved how they got along again and became friends. I also like that they didn't just get married again at the end. The two of them deciding to just enjoy what they had then was nice. I'm hopeful that they will get back together eventually.

Even though Patricia was the eldest daughter, she was the most immature of the family. Her selfish and inconsiderate acts (refusing to work out her marital problems, having an affair, blaming Wayne, getting a divorce, and breaking away from the family) prove that she doesn't know what she wants. She thinks she's smart and great and that because she's "grown," she can do whatever she wants. She didn't know that she had it so good until she left it all. I was glad to see Patricia mature after her "new" life started to fall apart. She realized her family was good to her all along and how great of a man her husband truly was. I loved watching her coming into terms with her mistakes and turning "good" again.

Final thoughts
I highly recommend When Rules Turn Loose. There is not a boring moment and the story is engaging from the first to the last episode. You will find yourself falling in love with the characters for the amazing chemistry and skills of the actors and loving the script for the wonderful dialogue and story telling. This is truly a wonderfully surprisingly "hit" for me. I never expected to fall in love with this series so much!

Rating:

spotlight: "lady in red" cd

Lady In Red
Track 01. Miriam Yeung - Woman With A Past
Track 02. Bernice Liu - Break Up
Track 03. Charmaine Sheh - Lover on Golden Sand
Track 04. Myolie Wu - Fortunately
Track 05. Stephy Tang - Let It Flow
Track 06. Linda Chung - Swear
Track 07. Sharon Chan - Repeat Bar by Bar
Track 08. Kary Ng & Stephy Tang - Biased Love
Track 09. Vivien Yeo - Don't Blame Him
Track 10. Bernice Liu - Truth

buy it || download it

I was waiting for a CD by a female ensemble from TVB since All About Men released last year. I was very happy when I heard news that TVB intended to release an All About Women CD. My excitement and anticipation soared when it was announced that Linda Chung would partake in the album. Linda was enough for me to buy the album. How could I not support her first CD release? I fell in love with her singing (as with everything else about her) after hearing her performance of Sandy Lam's Honesty. I liked four out of the nine participants, so I figured that I'd enjoy at least half of the album. I was pleasantly surprised when I heard Lady In Red in full.

The Supremes (aka "Must Listens")
Linda's Swear, Myolie Wu's Fortunately, and Bernice Liu's Truth.

Linda was the reason I was so excited for the CD in the first place. She didn't disappoint me. Even if I wasn't her fan, I would still admit that her song is one of the best tracks on the CD. I don't know how many times I've replayed it or drooled over her music video. Like her face, Linda's voice is super sweet and the song just melts my heart. The lyrics are touching and it's just a superb song - period. Linda did a great job and I'm very proud of her. Hopefully she'll continue to record more songs in the future. I just love this song!

I was pleased with Myolie's voice in the Lost In The Chamber of Love themesong. It was very sweet. Fortunately is such a difficult song to sing, but Myolie really nailed it. She got all of the notes and her range was amazing. She really had nice control of her voice and it is also a great song. I'm looking forward to hearing Myolie sing some more.

I chuckled when people were "shocked" at how good Bernice's voice was during the Into Thin Air period. I (and the rest of the Virtues of Harmony community) already knew that Bernice could sing. In fact, I was hoping for her to release a CD since 2003. I loved Truth since I first heard it and it is great to hear it again on the CD.

The Good
Charmaine Sheh's Lover On Golden Sand, Miriam Yeung's Woman With A Past, and Bernice's Break Up.

I was fond of Charmaine's singing since hearing her duet with Steven Ma on the Perish In The Name of Love themesong. Her track on this CD shows her musical growth. She's more in control of her voice and didn't go flat or out of breath half-way into the song as she did in Perish. I like how "eastern" the track feels.

When I first heard Miriam's song, I wasn't impressed with it. However, after listening again and again, I grew to like it very much. This song has a nice R&B feel to it and Miriam's voice is of course good. It's a nice song to open the album with and Miriam was a good choice to "lead" the CD.

Break Up is a nice song, but not so great as Truth. Bernice did a good job with the song though.

The "I Can't Believe I'm Saying This"
Repeat Bar by Bar by Sharon Chan and Biased Love by Kary Ng and Stephy Tang grew on me, especially the latter.

I don't like Sharon nor am I fond of her singing. I dreaded hearing her song on the CD because she sounded so off-key and horrific the last time I heard her. However, I must admit that she sounds very soulful on Repeat Bar by Bar. Sharon did a nice job and the song is decent.

At first, I thought Biased Love was too "teenybopper-ish." I much preferred the Love Bond subsong by Michael Tao, Kenix Kwok, Moses Chan, and Bernice to this rendition by Kary and Stephy initially. Repeated and closer listens made me like this song a lot. Kary and Stephy's voices blend nicely. I like the lyrics too.

The "Could Do Without"
Stephy's Let It Flow and Vivien Yeo's Don't Blame Him.

Let It Flow isn't bad, but I don't care much for it. The only time I would listen to it is if I watch Love Guaranteed (and I probably won't despite the series containing several VOH family members).

How many times has Ron Ng released Don't Blame Her? The song has been everywhere repeatedly for the past year. Here it is again on Lady In Red. The song is overkill. Thankfully, the song was modified for this CD. I like this female rendition/version of the song and I think I could love it if Vivien wasn't the singer. The singing is very fractured at times and I also think that the music overpowers Vivien's voice, especially in the beginning. However, I won't blame her. I can tell that she gave her best effort and her singing is pretty nice at times when it's not broken up. Still, I could do without it.

Final comments
Lady In Red is a great CD worthy of a listen. It's a very sweet and seranding album. The bonus DVD is pretty nice as well. My biggest complaint is that it is way too short. It is just a little over half-an-hour in length! I prefer Lady In Red to All About Men. I loved a little more than half the songs on All About Men (Hacken Lee's Revolving Doors of Vengeance themesong, Ron Ng's Don't Blame Her, Raymond Lam's Realize, Kevin Cheng's Yummy Yummy subsong, Frankie Lam's The Herbalist's Manual themesong, and Ekin Cheng's Always Ready themesong to be exact - hated/didn't care for the rest) but I thoroughly loved the Lady In Red album. I have my favorites of course, but there isn't a track that I would skip (even if I don't care much for it). On another note, I'm personally glad that Shirley Yeung was cut because her childish voice would have ruined the mature tone of this album. I just love this CD and I'm happy overall with the final selections that TVB made for the album. I hope they will release more CD's in the future.