Year in Review

Amazingly, I've watched almost every single series aired by TVB this year. Here's my year in review:

Top of the Crop



Never Dance Alone - A series that was unexpectedly enjoyable and heart-warming. Featured some of the best acting of the year by the 7 leading ladies and their young versions. [Review]

Storm in a Cocoon - The best thriller of the year with a well-crafted mystery that kept audiences at the edge of their seats, followed by a classic family-business struggle. [Review]


Exciting Thrillers



Black Heart White Soul - A compact, griping thriller with an unravelling mystery and chilling characters. A fine performance by Roger Kwok that is 100% deserving of the TV King title. [Review]

Line Walker - A suspenseful series that will keep you chasing after it, despite the presence of Sharon Chan and the non-stop looping of sub-theme song. [Review]

Ruse of Engagement - An engaging series that also had an excellent mystery, even if it makes some giant leaps (literally) in logic.


Entertaining Ancient Comedies



Gilded Chopsticks - A good mix of comedy and palace drama. Wong Cho Lam shows off his real talent when he's not dressed as a girl or trying to speak with an accent.

Ghost Dragon of Cold Mountain - Fun characters with a bunch of decent cases. [Review]


Disappointments



Tomorrow is Another Day - A series that promised an unprecedented look behind the mysterious prison walls, but in the end focused on the wrong things.

Overachievers - The business battle that never happened. [Review]

The Ultimate Addiction - The only addiction in here is TVB's addiction to love triangles and dumb revenge plots. [Review]

Tiger Cubs II - It's almost a chore to watch the incompetent SDU squad plus a crazy bulging eye madam running around like idiots every week.


Decent Fillers



Outbound Love - A nice little series filmed in Malaysia with a playful Ruco Chan. Enjoyable while it lasted.

Return of the Silver Tongue - Don't even remember anything about it except that it was about ancient lawyers.

Rear Mirror - A mellow series about a bus driver and a CEO *yawn* [Thoughts]

All That is Bitter is Sweet - The series doesn't move along until at least half-way through, but Natalie Tong was a highlight to watch.


Waste of Time



Queen Divas - When even 15 episodes is too much...

Swipe Tap Love - An aimless plot with a miserable mood.

Come On, Cousin - A random mash-up of lame comedy. Quite possibly the worse anniversary series ever.

ICAC Investigators 2014 - No effort whatsoever was put into the story-telling of the cases.

Shades of Life - The attempt to examine the social issues of Hong Kong was superficial and sometimes propaganda-like.


Skimmed/Skipped



Coffee Cat Mama - Caught parts of it, mostly of Vincent Wong and Nancy Wu's storyline.

Lady Sour - The cheesy-sounding plot was all I needed to stay away from this series.

Noblesse Oblige Theme Song

The theme song for Noblesse Oblige is sung by Ronald Law and Grace Wong, called "Gossip" (是非).



Theme Song MV

Madam Cutie on Duty Promo Clips

Overview - Madam Cutie on Duty

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Promo #8

Overview - Noblese Oblige

Nuns-to-be Tavia Yeung and Cilla Kung are desperate to find money to treat the head nun's illness. By coincidence, they meet the wealthy heir of a bank (Kenneth Ma) and are forced to become maids at his household to repay their debts. Tavia often has to save Kenneth from trouble with her superior martial arts skills. Although they disagree with each other, they still support each other during critical times and unconsciously develop a strong bond. With the help of a nobleman, Kenneth becomes a magistrate. His career goes smoothly with help from his brother Joel Chan, who is a governor, and good friend Benjamin Yuen. However, Kenneth soon discovers the corruption and abuse of power in the political world. People around him will act in perverse ways for the sake of personal gain. When he discovers the truth behind the massacre of Tavia's family when she was young, it gets them both thrown into jail...

Noblesse Oblige Promo Clips

As one fan pointed out, "noblesse oblige" is a French phrase that means "obligation of nobility". It is the idea that people of noble status have an obligation to act kindly and generously towards others, particularly those of lower status. 

Overachievers Review

Producer: Marco Law
Genre: Modern, business
Cast: Wayne Lai, Raymond Wong, Power Chan, Raymond Cho, Edwin Siu, Nancy Wu, Susanna Kwan, Maggie Siu

Review:
This series is exactly like the wealthy family that it is depicting – glamorous on the outside, but rotten on the inside. As an anniversary series, Overachievers has a grand appearance: an all-star cast, extravagant sets, glamorous clothing... okay, maybe not so nice hairstyles... but the plot was a disaster.

It's easy to understand why the Chinese title was changed from "Business Wars", because business was certainly the least of the worries in here. The first two episodes feature a seemingly intense war between father and son. But after that, it is almost forgotten and replaced with pointless drama between irrelevant characters. The Raymond-Nancy love-sickness was a drag. Power Chan and Maggie Siu, while both are entertaining, add almost nothing to the overall plot. The entire Edwin-Sisley line was neither entertaining nor necessary. After twenty episodes, you will realize you've gotten nowhere. Then in the last week or so, the plot takes a turn for the worse and we suddenly have a few wackos at our hands. Until finally, everything is wrapped up in a ridiculous ending.

The biggest problem was certainly the dramatic character changes. Elliot Ngok's character suddenly decides he's going to push away all his children with his unreasonableness and Raymond Wong's character becomes an insane serial killer. I get that these two characters drive the series to its climax, but it is really hard to watch when everything stems from such illogicialness. The character that was actually the most interesting, but ultimately wasted, was Susanna Kwan. From the way she handled her husband's infidelity, she was made to seem like a smart, calculating lady who patiently awaits her chance for revenge. Yet in the end, she proves incapable of managing the corporation or getting revenge on her son's true killer.

Wayne Lai seems to have lost his touch and now only acts as various versions of Chai Gau in his dramas. Raymond Wong has too much "force" in his acting, like the way he pushes his dialogue out or the way he grabs his female co-stars. Edwin Siu is over-exaggerative in his attempt to deliver comedy. Raymond Cho is good as the useless son, but this is not a break-through for him. Power Chan is the best of the "Five Tigers", as he always finds a way to make his characters stand out. Elliot Ngok acting is just right as the patriarch and is also convincing in the scenes after his stroke. Amazingly, Jason Chan's acting was not cringe-worthy in this series. There was only about one scene where I noticed his hands gesturing randomly. Fred Cheng is cute in his performance.

Nancy Wu is a capable actress, but she never attracts attention on the screen. In contrast, Maggie Siu can grab attention with her expressions or movements even when she is not talking. Susanna Kwan was the perfect choice for the semi-villainous step-mother. Unfortunately, her character didn't use all of her potential. Grace Chan was impressive in her debut. She is natural and at ease next to the veterans, and her crying scenes can already beat out some actresses with more experience. Sisley Choi also made a good debut, but she has a weaker screen presence compared to Grace. Ali Lee was quite noticeable too.

Rating: 3/5. Overachievers underachieved.

Officer Geomancer - Preview of Cases

Case #1: Missing Person
Wealthy businessman Eric Chung's wife (Rosanne Lui) has reported that her daughter is missing. Joey Meng orders Johnson Lee to investigate, but he is too busy investigating the neighbours' missing underwear cases. Joey is about to blow her top, but Johnson insists on following his instinct, which is to look for the underwear thief first...



Case #2: Strangeness on Campus
Joey re-encounters her crush from seven years ago, who is now a university professor (Ricky Fan). Johnson points out that Ricky has black clouds hanging over his head, but Joey believes all the strange occurrences are only unlucky coincidences. But when a series of cases occur in which the victim is murdered using bright lights and Ricky goes missing, Joey starts to believe Johnson...



Case #3: Lost Gun & Lost Memories
Mimi Chu comes across her old rival Mak Ling Ling at a gathering. Afterwards, Mimi, along with her gun, go missing. She is later found at the hospital with partial memory loss. But each time she sees Law Lok Lam, she will call him "Big Brother" and refer to herself as a child.



Case #4: Zombie Fright
When Joey receives a call about the discovery of a corpse, Harriet Yeung follows along to get first-hand news. Harriet instantly recognizes that the deceased had once tried to steal her purse. Later, a witness claims that they saw a "zombie" crazily biting people. As Oscar Leung is helping Johnson chase the zombie, he is bitten...



Case #5: Return of a Rival
Oscar encounters his father's former business partner (Sam Tsang) who had caused the family's bankruptcy. Now Sam offers Oscar an opportunity and they become friends. But Johnson can tell that Sam is up to no good and tries to convince Oscar to quit as soon as possible.



Case #6: Life or Death Uncertainty
Johnson meets a social worker, Candice Chiu. It evokes dark childhood memories of being kidnapped and his foster father (Vincent Lam) being killed. There will be a shocking result and Joey will be endangered because of it.

TVB Raspberry Awards

The Golden Raspberry Awards are presented annually to the worst of Hollywood. So why not hand out some “Razzies” to TVB’s biggest flops?

Most Unnecessary Character: Edwin Siu (Overachievers) – Completely irrelevant to the main plot and took up an annoying amount of screen-time.

Most Annoying Song: “More Difficult, More Love” (Line Walker) – Flat singing by Jinny Ng and mercilessly looped in every episode.



Most "Ugh" Moment: Opening ending for Storm in a Cocoon – Is it too much to ask for to have a happy ending for Stevia?

Most Over-hyped Series: Come On, Cousin – The success of the first series didn't translate into success for the sequel. A random mash-up of nothingness that did not deserve to be the anniversary series.

Least Improved: Ron Ng (Ruse of Engagement & Black Heart White Soul) – Almost ten years since The Academy and he is still the same hot-headed cop with the same angry expression.

Worst Debut: Gloria Tang (The Ultimate Addiction) – Recited all her lines in the same emotionless way.

Worst Supporting Actress: Sharon Chan (The Ultimate Addiction & Line Walker) – Two times as a madam, two times the horror.

Worst Supporting Actor: Oscar Leung (Line Walker) – Went way overboard with the gangster style.


And finally, the biggest awards of the night... Drumroll, please...

Worst Actor: Wong Cho Lam (Come On, Cousin) – Exaggerated acting with unnecessary accent; overall lame attempt at humour.

Worst Actress: Linda Chung (All That Is Bitter Is Sweet) – Slow reactions and fake expressions; she never fitted in with the rest of the drama.

Awards Analysis Bonus!

Here's a bonus post to the Awards Analysis series!

Broadcast Time Slot
Last time, we looked at the relation between the broadcast date and award chances, but what about the broadcast time slot?

• It turns out that 9:30 shows have dominated the awards ceremony, winning 80% of awards since 2007. Note: Only data from 2007 onward was included because TVB ran a different schedule before then.

• The 8:30 slot may not receive as many awards, however, they have produced the last four Best Actress winners (Sheren Tang, Myolie Wu, Tavia Yeung and Kristal Tin).

Anniversary Series
The anniversary series tend to be the most heavily promoted series of the year. Does it bolster the chances of winning an award?

• Overall, 11 of 80 (14%) awards have been given to roles from an anniversary series. (To put things in perspective, remember that TVB airs an average of 20+ series each year and generally only two (~10%) are labelled as anniversary series.)

• Best Actor/Actress contenders receive the greatest boost from an anniversary series. Of the 34 BA awards in history, seven (21%) have come from roles in an anniversary series. 

• Best Supporting contenders are at the average, with 3 out of 22 (14%) winners coming from an anniversary series.

• On the other hand, the Best Series award has never been presented to an anniversary series.

• Characters from anniversary series don't get much love either. Only 1 out of 16 (6%) Favourite Character winners has come from an anniversary series (Tavia Yeung in Beyond the Realm of Conscience).

Episode Count
Do longer series give the audience more time to appreciate one's acting?

• The average number of episodes for an award-winning series is 31.4 episodes. The number is slightly lower at 30.4 episodes if we remove the effect of multiple awards for a series.

• The longest award-winning series is the 100-episode sitcom War of the Genders, which got Best Actress for Dodo Cheng. 

• The shortest is the 10-episode mini-series The Threat of Love II. It won the Powerhouse (Best Supporting) Actress for Sheren Tang.

• The Best Actor/Actress award has the highest average episode count at 34.4 episodes. Meanwhile, the Best Supporting award requires the lowest episode count with an average of 27.4 episodes. 

See also:
Awards Analysis Part 1: By Producer
Awards Analysis Part 2: By Broadcast Date
Awards Analysis Part 3: By Age

Awards Analysis: By Age

This is the last of a three part series that will analyze TVB Anniversary Awards results based on different variables.

What is the prime age to win a certain award?

• The average age to win a major award (Best Acting, Best Supporting, Favourite Character) is 39.5 years old. The average age for the Most Improved award is 28 years old. 

• The category with the highest average age is the Best Supporting Actor at 47.5 years old. This is led by Benz Hui who won at the age of 65.

• The Most Improved Actress has the lowest average age with just 26.3 years old. Linda Chung was the youngest winner at age 22. 

• The average age of male winners is higher than their female counterparts for all the award categories, except for Favourite Character.

• 2013 was the year with the highest average age (41.6 years) across all winners, while 2006 had the lowest average (32.3 years). Note: Only the years from 2006 onward was considered for this calculation since that was when TVB started having a full slate of award winners.

• There is an upward trend in terms of age for all the award categories, except for Best Supporting Actress, which has a downward trend.

See also:
Awards Analysis Part 1: By Producer
Awards Analysis Part 2: By Broadcast Date

Officer Geomancer Theme Song

The theme song for Officer Geomancer is "Rebel" (造反) by Fred Cheng.



Theme Song MV:

Awards Analysis: By Broadcast Date

This is the second of a three part series that will analyze TVB Anniversary Awards results based on different variables.

Does the broadcast date really affect the chances of getting an award?

• April and August appear to be the best months to broadcast a series, since they each have a total of 13 awards. This number is bolstered by the fact that multi-award winning series Heart of Greed and Rosy Business had April releases, while August was helped by War and Beauty. 

• If we remove the effect of multiple awards from the same series, then October is the best month for a series. There have been 7 unique series released in October that have won awards.

• The five months (July-November) leading up to the award ceremony have accounted for 55% of the total awards. The stat holds true for the number of unique award-winning series.

• October dramas have produced the most number (7) of Best Actor/Actress winners. 

• August dramas have resulted in the most number (4) of Best Supporting winners.

• April, May and July dramas have each produced three Favourite Character winners.

• August is the most popular month for a Best Series winner, with 4.

The awards taken into consideration are Best Series, Best Actor/Actress, Best Supporting and Most Favourite Character. The Most Favourite Character category only counts the award winners from 2006 onward and not the Top 12 My Favourite Character awards from 2000-2004. The Best Supporting category includes its predecessor, the Powerhouse Actor/Actress award, presented in 2003-2004. Broadcast date is determined by the month in which the first episode of the series was aired.

See also: Awards Analysis Part 1: By Producer

Overview - Officer Geomancer

Johnson Lee is not your ordinary police constable. He is an expert in geomancy, which he uses at critical moments to solve mysterious cases. He also has Oscar Leung, who is connected with people conducting both legal and illegal activities, as his informant. His outlandish character often leaves his superior, Joey Meng, astonished. Joey is a criminal psychologist who uses rationale to analyze everything. They appear to be polar opposites, yet through working together, they develop an unspoken mutual understanding. Outside of work, Joey only cares about the marriages of her younger siblings, Harriet Yeung and Fred Cheng. When Harriet becomes involved in a love triangle with Oscar and Joey's subordinate, Rebecca Zhu, Joey loses control of her emotions. Luckily, Johnson is there to help her. At this time, a series of missing persons cases occur. The culprit's modus operendi evokes Johnson's memories of the past, which he has been hiding for many years. Joey is about to put her life at risk and Johnson foresees...

Officer Geomancer Promo Clips

Officer Geomancer Promo Clips

Overview - Officer Geomancer

Promo #1


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Awards Analysis: By Producer

This is the first of a three part series that will analyze TVB Anniversary Awards results based on different variables.

Who is the winningest producer in TVB history?

• Lau Ka Ho is the top producer with a total of 14 awards deriving from his dramas. The majority (12) of those awards come from the Heart of Greed and Moonlight Resonance series. In 2008, his dramas completely swept the podium, taking home all the major awards. 

• Lee Tim Sing comes in second with 10 awards. Most (9) of those awards are from the Rosy Business/No Regrets franchise. He is the leading active producer at TVB.

• Chong Wai Kin, and Poon Kai Tak have the most number of series that have won awards, with five each. 

• Lau Ka Ho has the most number of unique award winners, with 9 actors owing their awards to his series.

• Chong Wai Kin, Jonathan Chik, Lau Ka Ho and Lee Tim Sing have each produced four Best Actor/Actress winners.

• Jonathan Chik, Lau Ka Ho and Lee Tim Sing have each produced three Best Supporting winners.

• Lau Ka Ho leads the way for Favourite Character awards with five.

• Jonathan Chik and Lau Ka Ho are tied with two Best Series each.

The awards taken into consideration are Best Series, Best Actor/Actress, Best Supporting and Most Favourite Character. The Most Favourite Character category only counts the award winners from 2006 onward and not the Top 12 My Favourite Character awards from 2000-2004. The Best Supporting category includes its predecessor, the Powerhouse Actor/Actress award, presented in 2003-2004.

Screen Time Hoggers 2014

Nancy Wu



Nancy led the way with five series this year. She finally got a happy ending with familiar partner Vincent Wong in Coffee Cat Mama, but her love life was not as smooth elsewhere. In Gilded Chopsticks, she was forced into a political marriage. She was a smart businesswoman in The Ultimate Addiction and Overachievers, but cheated in love. Perhaps all the heartbreak got to her, so she decided to change her look completely and portray a villain in Tiger Cubs II.


Vincent Wong



Vincent didn't have to endure any more slaps this year. Instead, he was the "Prince of Enduring Love". He held a crush on his best friend of many years in Coffee Cat Mama. In Swipe Tap Love, he retained feelings for his former flame despite breaking up. In Tomorrow is Another Day, he showed unconditional love for a woman who helped him sixteen years ago. Vincent is equally dedicated to his job, working in the ICAC for twenty years in ICAC Investigators 2014.


Ruco Chan



Ruco seems to be compatible with anyone he works with. His charm worked twice on Aimee Chan, in Outbound Love and Ruse of Engagement, allowing them to bring home the My Favourite On-Screen Couple award from the TVB Star Awards Malaysia. His chemistry with Linda Chung in All That is Bitter is Sweet even sparked off-screen rumours. Maybe it's the soccer skills that he showed off in ICAC Investigators 2014 that attracts the ladies. Ruco's hard work was rewarded with being crowned TV King at Singapore's Starhub Awards.


Elaine Yiu



Elaine has secured the ex-wife/ex-girlfriend role. First, she broke up with Ruco Chan in Outbound Love for better career prospects. Then, she left Raymond Wong in Swipe Tap Love because of the pressure of being an adoptive mother. Even taking care of her own biological child proved too much, causing her to abandon Wayne Lai in Rear Mirror. Luckily, she finally found a loving family with Jack Wu and a son in Shades of Life.


Raymond Wong



Raymond is always dependable whether it is in big or small productions. Following Karma Rider, he renewed his fate with Priscilla Wong in Swipe Tap Love. He did double duty in All That is Bitter is Sweet, portraying two brothers with contrasting personalities. In Overachievers, he collaborated with the "Eunuch Five Tigers" again and plays the ultimate villain. He also had an appearance in ICAC Investigators 2014.


Matt Yeung



Ladies, beware if you want to date Matt Yeung. He was the "Worst Boyfriend" in Outbound Love, cheating on his fiancé with her best friend. Additionally, he set up his girlfriend for jail in Black Heart White Soul. Luckily, he redeems his image in Storm in a Cocoon by portraying a simple-minded and sweet boyfriend to Natalie Tong. Matt joined the sitcom Come Home Love as a regular cast member and also had guest star roles in Swipe Tap Love and Shades of Life. He has earned a nomination for Most Improved Actor at the TVB Anniversary Awards.


*See who was on last year's list

TVB Anniversary Awards 2014 Nomination List

This year's Anniversary Awards will be held on December 15. A new award - Best Theme Song - as been added. As with last year, the audience will have a chance to vote for the winners.

How the voting will work:
- Best Actor, Actress and Series will be voted by committee and public.
- My Favourite Character awards and Best Theme Song will be voted 100% by public.
- All other awards will be voted by committee and TVB artists.

Below is the nomination list (my predictions in bold, my choices in blue italics):


Best Actor

You think you can beat me?

Wong Cho Lam (Gilded Chopsticks)
Ben Wong (Gilded Chopsticks)
Steven Ma (Storm in a Cocoon)
Ruco Chan (Ruse of Engagement)
Bosco Wong (The Ultimate Addiction)
Kenneth Ma (Ghost Dragon of Cold Mountain)
Roger Kwok (Black Heart White Soul)
Ron Ng (Black Heart White Soul)
Michael Miu (Line Walker)
Raymond Lam (Line Walker)
Lawrence Ng (Tomorrow is Another Day)
Joe Ma (Tiger Cubs II)
Him Law (Tiger Cubs II)
Wayne Lai (Overachievers)
Raymond Wong (Overachievers)
Winner: Roger Kwok

Everyone else can kiss my ass.

Best Actress

Michelle Yim (Coffee Cat Mama)
Aimee Chan (Outbound Love)
Nancy Sit (Queen Divas)
Joey Meng (Gilded Chopsticks)
Tavia Yeung (Storm in a Cocoon)
Priscilla Wong (Swipe Tap Love)
Selena Li (Ghost Dragon of Cold Mountain)
Kristal Tin (Black Heart White Soul)
Louisa So (Rear Mirror)
Charmaine Sheh (Line Walker)
Linda Chung (All That is Bitter is Sweet)
Kate Tsui (Tomorrow is Another Day)
Ivana Wong (Come On Cousin)
Maggie Siu (Overachievers)
Nancy Wu (Overachievers)

My choice (not nominated): Carman Lee (Never Dance Alone)
Winner: Charmaine Sheh


My Favourite Male Character

Ruco Chan (Outbound Love)
Steven Ma (Storm in a Cocoon)
Bosco Wong (The Ultimate Addiction)
Kenneth Ma (Ghost Dragon of Cold Mountain)
Roger Kwok (Black Heart White Soul)
Ron Ng (Black Heart White Soul)
Louis Cheung (Black Heart White Soul)
Michael Miu (Line Walker)
Raymond Lam (Line Walker)
Benz Hui (Line Walker)
Lawrence Ng (Tomorrow is Another Day)
Vincent Wong (Tomorrow is Another Day)
Joe Ma (Tiger Cubs II)
Wayne Lai (Overachievers)
Winner: Benz Hui


My Favourite Female Character

Can I break free from my good girl roles?

Michelle Yim (Coffee Cat Mama)
Aimee Chan (Outbound Love)
Nancy Sit (Queen Divas)
Tavia Yeung (Storm in a Cocoon)
Priscilla Wong (Swipe Tap Love)
Selena Li (Ghost Dragon of Cold Mountain)
Kristal Tin (Black Heart White Soul)
Louisa So (Rear Mirror)
Charmaine Sheh (Line Walker)
Josie Ho (Tomorrow is Another Day)
Linda Chung (Tiger Cubs II)
Mandy Wong (Tiger Cubs II)
Ivana Wong (Come On Cousin)
Susanna Kwan (Overachievers)
Nancy Wu (Overachievers)
Winner: Charmaine Sheh



Best Supporting Actor
Evergreen Mak (Return of the Silver Tongue)
Tony Hung (Outbound Love)
Elliot Ngok (Storm in a Cocoon)
Eddie Kwan (Swipe Tap Love)
Lawrence Cheng (Never Dance Alone)
Louis Cheung (Black Heart White Soul)
Benz Hui (Line Walker)
Oscar Leung (Line Walker)
Vincent Wong (Tomorrow is Another Day)
Kenny Wong (Tomorrow is Another Day)

Pal Sinn (Tomorrow is Another Day)
Ram Chiang (Come On Cousin)
Power Chan (Overachievers)
Edwin Siu (Overachievers)
Raymond Cho (Overachievers)
Winner: Ram Chiang


Best Supporting Actress

What I want to do if Sharon wins Best Supporting Actress.

Lin Xia Wei (Outbound Love)
Nancy Wu (Gilded Chopsticks)
Louise Lee (Ruse of Engagement)
Eliza Sam (Never Dance Alone)
Becky Lee (Black Heart White Soul)
Leanne Li (Black Heart White Soul)
Oceane Zhu (Shades of Life)
Sharon Chan (Line Walker)
Elena Kong (Line Walker)
Samantha Ko (Line Walker)
Natalie Tong (All That is Bitter is Sweet)
Josie Ho (Tomorrow is Another Day)
Mandy Wong (Tiger Cubs II)
Susanna Kwan (Overachievers)
Grace Chan (Overachievers)
Winner: Josie Ho 



Most Improved Actor
Sammy Sum, Tony Hung, Louis Cheung, Jason Chan, Matt Yeung
Winner: Louis Cheung

Did you say Most Improved Body?

Most Improved Actress
Lin Xia Wei, Samantha Ko, Grace Chan, Jacqueline Wong, Priscilla Wong
Winner: Priscilla Wong


Best Series
All TVB dramas that were aired this year, starting with Return of the Silver Tongue, up until Overachievers, are nominated. This includes sitcom Come Home Love and both Sunday series (Shades of Life and Tiger Cubs II). Journey to the West and Lady Sour are not included. A Time of Love is considered a special and thus not included

My choice: Never Dance Alone
My prediction: Line Walker
Winner: Line Walker




Best Theme Song

Please stop looping Jinny Ng!

Overachievers - Real Lies (Susanna Kwan), Surrender (Fred Cheng)
Come On Cousin - World Boy (Louis Yuen)
Tiger Cubs II - Blood and Sweat (Joe Ma)
Tomorrow is Another Day - Battle Again Tomorrow (Alfred Hui), Shackles (Alfred Hui)
All That is Bitter is Sweet - Heart Medicine (Teresa Cheung), Big Love (Linda Chung)
Line Walker - Walker (Justin Lo, Wilfred Lau), More Difficult, More Love (Jinny Ng)
Rear Mirror - Climb (Hubert Wu)
Shades of Life - Our Sky (Hoffman Cheng, Ronald Lw, Yao Bin, KT)
Black Heart White Soul - Grey Fate (Hoffman Cheng, Ronald Law), Like the Beginning (Louis Cheung)
Ghost Dragon of Cold Mountain - Journey Back (Fred Cheng), She is the Best (Grace Wong)
The Ultimate Addiction - Test (Fred Cheng), Equally Matched Opponent (Hubert Wu, Kate Tsui)
Journey to the West - Convoy (Alfred Hui)
Never Dance Alone - Star Cluster (Shirley Kwan, Mag Lam), Friendship (Alvina Kong), Let's Dance (young M Club)
Swipe Tap Love - Leave a Message (Jinny Ng)
Ruse of Engagement - Nick of Time (Ruco Chan, Ron Ng)
Storm in a Cocoon - Fate (Steven Ma), Thinking of You (Jinny Ng)
Gilded Chopsticks - Loyal Subject (Wong Cho Lam, Stephanie Ho), Tears of Departure (Louis Cheung)
Queen Divas - Joyous Every Year (Nancy Sit & cast)
Outbound Love - Really Want to Dislike You (Lin Xia Wei), Missing Half Step (Ruco Chan)
Coffee Cat Mama - Race (Hubert Wu)
Return of the Silver Tongue - Two Sentences (Kristal Tin, Fred Cheng)
Come Home Love - Embrace Love (Joyce Cheng), Little Angel's Words (Auston Lam), Don't Lie (Auston Lam)
Winner: "More Difficult, More Love" by Jinny Ng (Line Walker)


Best Host
Big Boys Club - Bob Lam, Oscar Leung, Penny Chan, Jonathan Wong, Ricky Fan
I Am Boss - Sammy Leung, Wong Yi-hing
Good Cheap Eats 2 - Maria Cordero, Luk Ho Ming
Pilgrimage to Football Meccas - Priscilla Wong, Tony Hung
Street Sorcerers 2 - Bob Lam, Oscar Leung, Whitney Hui, Anjaylia Chan
Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk - Nancy Sit, Wong Cho Lam
Queen's Feast - Liza Wang, Amigo Chiu
Neighbourhood Treasures (Sr. 6) - Sammy Leung, Kitty Yuen
Guardians of Life 2 - Lawrence Ng
The Voice 4 - Sammy Leung, Louis Cheung
Winner: Nancy Sit & Wong Cho Lam (Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk)


Best Variety Show
The Conquerors, Street Sorcerers 2, Walk the Walk Talk the Talk, Queen's Feast, The Voice 4
Winner: Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk


Best Informative Programme
Good Cheap Eats 2, Pilgrimage to Football Meccas, As I Drift, Guardians of Life 2, Working Golden Holidays
Winner: Guardians of Life 2


Best Special Programme
JSG Awards Presentation 2013, A Time of Love, Miss Chinese International Pageant 2014, Miss Hong Kong Pageant 2014, TVB Anniversary Gala
Winner: A Time of Love


Prediction Success Rate: 12/14 (86%)

Noblesse Oblige Promo Clips

Overview - Noblesse Oblige

Promo #1


Promo #2


Promo #3


Promo #4


Promo #5


Promo #6


Promo #7

Lady Sour Theme Song

The theme song for Lady Sour is a duet by Myolie Wu and Ron Ng, called "Is That You" (是你嗎).



Theme Song MV:

TVB Star Awards Malaysia 2014 Results

Best Actress: Charmaine Sheh (Line Walker)

Best Actor: Roger Kwok (Black Heart White Soul)

Best Supporting Actress: Sharon Chan (Line Walker)

Best Supporting Actor: Benz Hui (Line Walker)

Most Improved Actress: Samantha Ko

Most Improved Actor: Sammy Sum

My Favourite On-Screen Couple: Ruco Chan & Aimee Chan (Outbound Love)

My Favourite Enrichment Programme: Wellness on the Go 2

My Favourite Variety Show: Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk

My Favourite Host: Nancy Sit & Wong Cho Lam (Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk)

My Favourite Theme Song: "More Difficult, More Love" by Jinny Ng (Line Walker)

TVB Most Rising Star in Malaysia: Fred Cheng

TVB Star Achievement Award: Helena Law, Lau Kong

My Favourite Character Awards:
The Ultimate Addiction - Bosco Wong, Nancy Wu
Tomorrow is Another Day - Kate Tsui
Black Heart White Soul - Roger Kwok
Line Walker - Charmaine Sheh, Sharon Chan, Benz Hui, Michael Miu, Raymond Lam
Tiger Cubs II - Him Law
Outbound Love - Ruco Chan
Storm in a Cocoon - Tavia Yeung
All That is Bitter is Sweet - Linda Chung
Ghost Dragon of Cold Mountain - Kenneth Ma, Selena Li

TVB Inventory Levels 2014

The number of series each artist has on hand.
As at November 20, 2014

Legend
Purple = Ancient
Green = Pre-modern
Yellow = Modern
Blue = Professional
White = Unconfirmed

New Blog!

Hi everyone!

I have decided to create a new blog exclusively for HKTV dramas. It is called Casual HKTV (so creative, I know).

http://casualhktv.blogspot.com

Hopefully it can become a place for fans to get information and discuss about HKTV dramas.

Please continue to support both my blogs! :)

P.S. If someone with more artistic talent than me (in other words, anyone) would like to create a banner for my new site, I would appreciate it very much.

Lady Sour Promo Clips

Overview - Lady Sour

Promo #1


Promo #2


Promo #3


Promo #4


Promo #5


Astro Promo


Character Interviews

Overview - Lady Sour

Travelling around to practise medicine, Myolie Wu and her mother Gigi Wong successively encounter a man with a skin disease (Ron Ng) and someone from their hometown (Him Law). Myolie falls in love with Him at first sight and does everything she can to marry him. Unfortunately, the boss of the vinegar brewery (Alice Chan) tries all possible means to prevent the marriage because of a grudge against Gigi. Having been cured of his disease, Ron helps Myolie achieve her wish.

Myolie thought everything would settle down after the marriage, but unexpectedly, Him falls in love with his maid Eliza Sam. Myolie tries to disrupt them, but this causes Him and Eliza to accidentally have a relationship instead. Him takes Eliza as his second wife, arousing intense jealousy from Myolie, adding oil to the fire. Suddenly, a corpse is discovered. Gigi is accused of murdering her husband and sentenced to death. To protect the family reputation, Him's family demands that Myolie sever her relationship with her mother. At this time, Myolie finds out that she is pregnant, yet this begins a campaign to divorce her...

TVB Sales Presentation 2015

Lord of Shanghai - Produced with rigorous standards, the crew travelled to Shanghai for filming. They construct a grand historical stage that details the style of the Republican era. During this momentous period, the lords each pull out all stops to get what they want, whether it is for personal gain or for the benefit of society. Although some people break their faith, there are still some that will hold tight to their beliefs and fight passionately, demonstrating the glory of humanity in these turbulent times.

Anticipation Level: 4/5. These epic dramas never fail to be exciting. 




Captain of Destiny - Based on the legendary story of the pirate Cheung Po Tsai. Modern CGI effects are used to create a refreshing action stage for television, presenting magnificent pirate ships, naval battles and the natural phenomenon of a waterspout. Advanced computer effects, a professional team and a free budget combine to make this story of a modern female police officer travelling through time, only to be ensnarled in the battle between the Qing court and pirates, all the more spectacular.

Anticipation Level: 4.5/5. Cringing at the thought of TVB's CGI, but love the plot and cast.




Young Charioteers - The post-80s and post-90s generations are full of passion and dreams, but they will inevitably encounter challenges in their work and allow life to grind away their edge. With an accounting firm as the background, the series shows the cruel reality of office politics, turning the workplace into a battlefield. The series adds a cycling aspect, touring around the island of Taiwan to express how young people chase their dreams and love. Finding a balance between real life and dreams is the ideal way of living.

Anticipation Level: 2/5. Idol dramas are not my type.




Quid Pro Quo - Justice, rule of law and equality are Hong Kong's core values. The barristers, solicitors and trainees in this series are the backbone for defending these values. The current state of the justice system is shown through the different cases. The trainees, with passion and energy, overcome many challenges and experience growing pains and pleasures. The barristers, solicitors and prosecutors work faithfully in their positions to defend justice and equality. With great determination and perseverance, they vow to protect the judicial system and the spirit of the law.

Anticipation Level: 4/5. Aspiring lawyer here.




Wudang Rules - Shaolin and Wudang are seen as the birthplace of Chinese martial arts. In particular, Wudang martial arts contains philosophies that can be appreciated. Through the inspirational story of a group of Hong Kong people travelling to Wudang to learn martial arts, this series illustrates the long-standing, unique, martial arts spirit. Besides cleansing our soul, it can also be applied in modern society, to help us deal with the challenges and setbacks in our daily lives.

Anticipation Level: 2/5. Martial arts theme is okay, but yawning at the philosophical preaching.




Limelight Years - The story of a pop queen; behind the glamour, how does she balance her career, love and family? A light-hearted series that is also heart-warming, filled with laughter and tears, and will make people reflect. Travelling to Taiwan to film with beautiful scenery, the series presents a pleasant picture, along with moving original soundtracks.

Anticipation Level: 3/5. I'm always curious about the behind-the-scenes of the entertainment circle. 




Smooth Talker - As Mencius said, "Time is not as good as place, place is not as good as harmony." Hence, the importance of harmony is clearly seen. But as long as there are people, there will be conflicts and a need for a middle-person to help resolve the dispute. In the past, there were "peacemakers"; recently, the judicial system has introduced the method of mediation to settle civil cases, giving rise to the role of mediators - the modern peacemakers. This series will allow people to understand the concept of mediation, which can be applied to daily life to settle conflicts.

Anticipation Level: 3/5. Mediation is a new angle.




Brick Slave - In order to find a home in the tiny area of Hong Kong, some people will give up their dreams, be willing to work hard and live frugally to pay for their mortgage. These people are known as "brick slaves". Through several standard brick slaves, the series will discuss the real meaning of responsibility and bearing responsibility. Some people pursue stability and allow themselves to be tied to a mortgage for their whole life. Others will seek freedom and choose to be like a snail without its shell. Which is the wise choice?

Anticipation Level: 2/5. Sounds similar to L'Escargot.




With or Without You - So Dong Po is a distinguished historical figure; his poems and artwork have been passed down and his biography is well-known. His intelligence, humour and concern for the country and citizens are admired by both his peers and future generations. The series makes use of his famous works and revolves around So Dong Po's family, along with the wars between the Song and Liao. It depicts the love between family, friends, couples and society and illustrates the joys and sorrows of life.

Anticipation Level: 3.5/5. Look forward to the historical stuff + Bobby always makes good comedies.




Ghost of Relativity - Ever since humans discovered the system of "going to work", workers have been stuck in endless misery. They frequently have to work overtime for meagre compensation. In addition, they have to deal with superiors who only engage in office politics, making the situation even more despairing. Through a human and a ghost, two women fighting in the workplace, the series shows the various people and attitudes in the office, to help express the frustrations of all workers.

Anticipation Level: 2.5/5. Refreshing cast combination, seems like a decent comedy.




When Race Car Meets the Bicycle - Patrolling on motorcycles and unmarked vehicles, traffic officers can be said to be the coolest team in the disciplined services. With the bright uniforms and using real cases as reference, this is another dynamic and sentimental work in TVB's "uniform" collection.

Anticipation Level: 2/5. I like police dramas, but there doesn't seem to be much excitement with traffic cops.




Empress Lu - Power is known to corrupt people, so imperial power, which can be used to command the world, can certainly distort humanity. For this power game, there are many people who are willing to sacrifice their lives. Some of them are not just in pursuit of personal glory, but also for the prosperity of their clan, or even as a reflection of motherhood. Motherhood has always been an inherent motivator. Whether it is humans or animals, rich or poor, if their children are being threatened, the mother will ignore their own safety to protect their offspring. This is true of Empress Lu and of Concubine Qi. Their initial motivation for participating in the bloody power struggle comes from the inherent instinct of a mother to protect her son.

Anticipation Level: 5/5. So glad TVB picked up the Empress Lu idea again!




Vampire - The classic vampire genre is reinterpreted from a new angle, using dazzling effects to create a modern urban legend. Vampires and immortals are natural enemies, but fate has them falling in love, leading to an intensely passionate story. Modern wuxia elements and demon slaying are combined to present a splendour magical world.

Anticipation Level: 1/5. Bleh, vampire movies. 




Eunuch Leaves the Palace - After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the eunuchs are dismissed from the palace. Having always been servants, they must learn how to live as ordinary citizens. With newfound dignity, freedom and self-worth, how do the eunuchs go about their new lives? This series talks about how four real and fake eunuchs use the survival tactics they learned in the palace to overcome challenges and find a place to settle down.

Anticipation Level: 3/5. This idea for a The Confidant spin-off is worse than last year's. 




Last Imperial Physician - An imperial physician, as the name suggests, is responsible for treating the emperor, ensuring His Majesty's health and longevity. Being an imperial physician is supposed to be a medical practitioner's highest honour. But accompanying the emperor is like accompanying a tiger, not to mention that the imperial physician holds the survival of the emperor in his hands. If he can fend off illnesses for the emperor, he can rise rapidly. However, if, in case he cannot cure the emperor, he might be to put to death at any time. The job of an imperial physician is like trending on thin ice, stepping on the tip of a knife. Because of this, inside the palace's medical institute, there are many people who are after fame and fortune.

Anticipation Level: 4.5/5. It will look into the mysterious death of the Guangxu Emperor.




Corrupt Cop's Conscience - During the 1930s, Hong Kong was evolving from a quiet fishing town into a bright metropolitan. Behind the flurry of prosperity, the law enforcers were colluding with criminals, turning a blind eye to their illegal activities, such as prostitution, gambling and human trafficking. It was like a sin city! But beneath the greed, a human conscience still exists. A formerly corrupt cop is awakened by a lowly maid and rekindles his conscience that was never fully extinguished. He fights to bring the rule of law back to the city. At the same time, a love that breaks taboos emerges.

Anticipation Level: 3/5. Corrupt cops are cool, forbidden love is not so much. 




Spare the Blade - Humans will always search for the wisdoms of life in between life and death... Some people live like the dead, wasting away because of a hurtful experience and seeing no way out. Others spread love through charity, illuminating people's hearts; although they may be dead, they are still here in spirit. Through the themes of life and death, the choices made by the characters at life's crossroads and their learning of how to balance between gains and losses, supplemented with Buddhist philosophies, the audience will be able to reflect on the meaning of life and take away their own gains.

Anticipation Level: 2/5. Story about executioners reminds me of The Slicing of the Demon.