Showing posts with label Raymond Lam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Raymond Lam. Show all posts

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Line Walker: Bull Fight Theme Song

The theme song for Line Walker: Bull Fightis "No One Asked Me" (無人問我) by Raymond Lam.  

The ending theme song is "Cannot Let Go" (不能放手), performed by Hana Kuk.


Overview - Line Walker: Bull Fight



Raymond Lam continues to carry out missions for the Central Intelligence Bureau (CIB) to combat different criminals. Meanwhile, Michael Miu has completed his three-year sentence for shooting criminal syndicate boss Chung King-fei. He opens a café and lives peacefully with his wife Elena Kong, but faces the danger of retaliation from the triads. Meanwhile, CIB Chief Inspector Mandy Wong and Michael's former undercover agent, Priscilla Wong, suspect that Michael has intentions of joining the triads. They secretly investigate Michael's relationship with triad members.

Raymond and Michael investigate a human trafficking case and solve the case with help from the Security Bureau's investigator Kenneth Ma. The Security Bureau invites Benjamin Yuen to join its new intelligence unit. Michael is drawn into the election of the new triad leader. A former partner runs in the election using a different identity. Michael re-encounters his old opponent Benz Hui, who had supposedly been shot by Raymond. He also discovers that Kenneth's real identity is the younger brother of his former enemy Moses Chan and that he is plotting revenge against everyone. Everyone joins together in the investigation and uncovers a massive dark organization. Suddenly, a storm approaches again...

Line Walker: Bull Fight is airing on myTV Gold, Tencent and Astro on October 12. It will air on Jade Channel on November 16. 

Friday, March 08, 2019

Historical Context - Lu Buwei

Kwok Fung played Lu Buwei in A Step into the Past.
Lu Buwei (呂不韋) was a politician during the Warring States period who served as chancellor of the Qin state for 13 years.

Lu was originally a merchant. He amassed a fortune selling goods all over the country. One time, while he was in the Zhao state, he met Yiren (嬴異人), a grandson of the Qin king. Yiren's father was the crown prince of Qin. But since Yiren was born to an unimportant concubine and was merely one of his father's many sons, he was sent to Zhao to serve as a hostage.

When Lu met Yiren, he compared Yiren to a rare piece of merchandise that could be stored for its value (leading to the Chinese saying "奇貨可居"). He decided to "invest" in Yiren. Yiren had been living in poor conditions in Zhao, so Lu gave him five hundred gold to upgrade his living conditions. He also presented Yiren with a beautiful lady from his household, Lady Zhao (趙姬). Lu spent another five hundred gold to buy gifts for Lady Huayang (華陽夫人), who was the principal consort of Yiren's father. Lu persuaded the childless Lady Huayang to adopt Yiren as her son, which made Yiren the presumptive heir to his father. As the hostilities between Qin and Zhao grew, Lu help Yiren escape from Zhao and return safely to Qin.

Yiren (Lee Lung Kei) and Lady Zhao (Eileen Yeow)
A few years later, the Qin king (Yiren's grandfather) died and Yiren's father succeeded to the throne. But his father died only three days into his reign and Yiren became the new ruler. He named Lu as his chancellor. That same year, Lu led a Qin army to crush a resistance by the remnants of the former Zhou dynasty.

Yiren died after three years on the throne and was succeeded by his thirteen year-old son, Ying Zheng (嬴政), the future Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇). Lu served as regent to the teenage king, who addressed him as "Uncle". Under Lu’s administration, the Qin state continued to expand its territory and weaken the forces of neighbouring states. Lu oversaw the construction of a large-scale canal project to improve irrigation, which provided agricultural resources to support Qin's growing army. He also recruited a lot of talent to Qin, including over 3000 scholars who stayed as guests in his household. He commissioned them to compile Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals (呂氏春秋), a comprehensive text that covered a wide range of subjects, from philosophy to military to agriculture. Famously, upon its completion, Lu displayed the text in public and offered a thousand gold pieces to anyone who could add or subtract a single word from it. No one claimed the prize.

Kwong Wah as Lao Ai
Meanwhile, Lu was having an affair with the Queen Dowager, Lady Zhao, the former lady from his household and now, mother of Ying Zheng. As Ying Zheng grew older, Lu worried that he would find out about the affair. To cover up the affair, he arranged for a well-endowed man, Lao Ai (嫪毐), to serve the Queen Dowager. Lao Ai posed as an eunuch so that he could come and go from the Queen Dowager’s bedroom without arousing suspicion. The Queen Dowager greatly favoured Lao Ai and even bore two illegitimate sons for him. When Ying Zheng discovered the Queen Dowager’s affairs, he was enraged. He ordered for Lao Ai to be executed and the illegitimate sons to be beaten to death.

Ying Zheng contemplated killing Lu as well, but ultimately decided to spare him because of Lu’s service to his father, Yiren. Lu was removed as chancellor and banished from the capital. About a year later, Ying Zheng suspected that Lu might be plotting against him and ordered Lu to move to a more remote region. Lu, fearing that he would eventually be executed, committed suicide instead.

Today, reactions to Lu are mixed. He is typically portrayed in media works as a power-hungry politician who dominated the court and oppressed his opponents. This is not untrue. But at the same time, he was a shrewd tactician who engineered the succession of Yiren to the throne. His military strategy and domestic policies while serving as chancellor helped solidify Qin’s power and enabled Ying Zheng to eventually conquer the other states.


Friday, April 06, 2018

Flying Tiger Theme Song

The theme song for Flying Tiger is named "Reunion", performed by Raymond Lam and MC Jin.



The ending theme song is "Although This World" (雖然這個世界), by Ron Ng and Bosco Wong.




Monday, November 27, 2017

Heart of Greed 3 Theme Song

No Heart of Greed series is complete without a stirring theme song by Susanna Kwan. The theme song for the third installment is "I Am Innocent" (我本無罪).



Linda Chung sings the sub-theme song, an English tune entitled "I Promise".



The ending theme song is a duet by Vincent Wong and Hana Kuk, named "Hesitate to Speak" (欲言又止).




A look back at the iconic theme songs for the previous two installments:

"Speechless" (講不出聲), Heart of Greed theme song


"Heart Appreciates" (心領), Heart of Greed sub-theme song


"Didn't Intend to Hurt You" (無心害你), Moonlight Resonance theme song


"Love Not Enough" (愛不疚), Moonlight Resonance sub-theme song



Saturday, January 17, 2015

Overview - The Virtuous Queen of Han



"She" is a common courtesan, without a flirtatious approach or noble family background, only relying on her wisdom, kind heart and a determination to establish a harmonious harem. Yet "she" was able to accompany the great Emperor Wu of Han for 48 years, gain the trust of concubines and servants alike within the competitive harem and make friends with high-ranking officials who were willing to sacrifice themselves to protect her. "She" is the first Chinese empress to receive her own posthumous title and is also the second longest-serving empress - Wei Zifu.

From a commoner to an empress, Wei Zifu's legend not only changed her own fate, but also made her family's achievements possible. Her brother, Wei Qing, was a brave, unbeatable general, while her nephew, Huo Qubing, led the military at age 18 and earned the honorary title "Marquess of Champion". Their remarkable military accomplishments deterred enemies from attacking and brought peace to the citizens.

Wei Zifu is not like a beautiful peony, but she carries a quiet gracefulness like an orchid, not contending, not showing off, not revealing. She ruled the country with optimism, perseverance and humility, winning the heart of Emperor Wu and the respect of the imperial court and harem. Her virtuous conduct has also won her praise and a good reputation in the eyes of future generations.

The Virtuous Queen of Han will air in Cantonese on Now TV starting January 19.

After watching the first episode in Mandarin and reading the synopsis, this series feels a lot like Beyond the Realm of Conscience with the super-goody two-shoes female lead. Not surprising since Miu Siu Ching is the producer, but I don't think I'm interested anymore because I can't stand all the goodiness.



Promo #1


Promo #2


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Promo #5


Promo #6



Thursday, October 09, 2014

Line Walker Review



Producer: Man Wai-hung
Genre: Police
Cast: Michael Miu, Raymond Lam, Charmaine Sheh, Elena Kong, Sammy Sum, Sharon Chan, Benz Hui

Review:
Move aside, Lives of Omission. Line Walker is taking the title as the ultimate undercover series. With the 10000000 UCs, I’m wondering why it took so long for the police to catch up to the bad guys. Oh, that’s because all the bad guys are cops and all the good guys are with the triads. Yikes!

Line Walker does a better job than Lives of Omission at exploring the life of an undercover. Their sacrifices and hardships are played out on-screen and can be felt by the audience. Line Walker also wins with its thick plot, which is laid out nicely with the way it keeps the suspense, from the 5th UC to the black cops to the final big boss. (insert momentum-killing comedic moment). Characters come and go, making up an insanely high death toll. (insert slow-motion action scene with sub song). Yes, there are logic flaws, but don’t you know you’re watching a TVB series?

Charmaine Sheh puts in a lively performance. I love her during the comedic moments. Even though I hated how the comedy ruined the serious atmosphere at the wrong times, Charmaine is cute during those moments. However, I did not enjoy her crying and screaming scenes. I did not feel sad for her, just annoyed. Is this a TV Queen performance? I concur Charmaine may be the most suitable candidate to take it, but I do not agree that her performance was the best of the year.

Raymond Lam can be a good actor when he’s not hiding behind his chok image. His character in Line Walker reminds me of Highs and Lows. He’s playful in the beginning, which is fun to watch, but then he starts losing control as his character becomes more serious. He sways his body too much when he’s talking and when he’s screaming, his eyes grow infinitely larger.

Next we have our lovebirds, Sammy Sum and Sharon Chan. It would have been so lovely if they had realized their love for each other earlier and eloped together, far, far away from this series. Actually, I didn’t mind Sammy too much. Handsome man and has the poise of a finance whiz when he's not being so lovesick. Sharon is the real problem here. Her character is supposed to be an intelligent madam-turned-unofficial UC who ends up saving the day.  But Sharon does not fit into this type of role. Watch The Ultimate Addiction and watch this and you will know what I mean. She doesn’t carry that brilliance on her and she only ends up looking pretentious.

Michael Miu and Elena Kong’s story was the truly touching love story. Not overbearing, not dumb, but a mature relationship, portrayed by two fantastic veterans. Michael, ever so fit at his age, is perfect for this type of good cop perhaps turned bad cop role. Michael can do what Raymond cannot, that is, look chok while still not forgetting to act. Elena also does a fine, fine job. Completely believable as an abused woman and then finding her strength as a lawyer standing up against injustice.

Never imagined Benz Hui could pull off this kind of role. Samantha Ko succeeds at being icy, but not much else. Her face looks really plastic in HD. Oscar Leung was trying too hard to act cool with the way he walks and holds out his arms. All Patrick Tang had to do was perpetually squint his eyes in anger until he died. Same old Toby Leung, whose status at TVB seems to be falling rapidly. They could have cut her out completely and no one would have noticed. Ankie Beilke appears to have taken the role as TVB’s new seductive heiress.

Rating: 4/5. That’s the number of UCs in a room at any given time.


Tuesday, August 05, 2014

Line Walker Promo Clips

Overview - Line Walker

Promo #1


Promo #2


Promo #3


Promo #4


Promo #5


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Promo #11


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Promo #13


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Promo #15


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Promo #18


Promo #19


Astro Promo


Extended Trailer


Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Overview - Line Walker




Following the mysterious death of his colleague, CIB Chief Inspector Michael Miu discovers that the five undercover cops under his colleague's watch have gone missing. As the undercovers hold highly confidential information concerning the police force and society's safety, Michael is determined to find them. He finally tracks down one of the missing agents - Charmaine Sheh, posing as the owner of a foot massage shop. In order to recover her identity, Charmaine agrees to infiltrate the triads. She manages to get close to Raymond Lam, a member of an illegal gambling group. The two begin an elusive relationship built on lies. But just as Charmaine edges closer to the truth, Michael suddenly halts the operation. This is when Sharon Chan from the ICAC intervenes into the case. Through Sharon, Michael meets her elder sister, Elena Kong. Meanwhile, the triad leader Benz Hui has been released from jail and his assistant Sammy Sum's actions is catching Michael's attention. The relationships between the police and the triad become increasingly complex; with everyone claiming to be fighting for justice, who truly dictates justice?


Monday, July 21, 2014

Emotional Officers

Some people wear their emotions on their sleeves, but TVB's cops like to have their emotions in their names instead...

Funny Sir - Ron Ng (Black Heart White Soul)


Happy Sir - Raymond Lam (Highs and Lows)


Laughing Sir - Michael Tse (Lives of Omission)


Mad Sir - Michael Miu (Gun Metal Grey)



Saturday, March 22, 2014

Ill-Fated Couples


Steven Ma and Tavia Yeung


2006 - Land of Wealth - SPLIT UP
2009 - Sweetness in the Salt - SPLIT UP
2010 - Cupid Stupid - SPLIT UP
2014 - Storm in a Cocoon - ???


Vincent Wong & Nancy Wu


2010 - Gun Metal Grey - DEATH
2013 - Season of Love - SPLIT UP
2014 - Coffee Cat Mama - HAPPY ENDING


Wayne Lai & Nancy Wu
Posted Image

2009 - Rosy Business - DEATH
2011 - Forensic Heroes III - SPLIT UP; DEATH
2012 - The Confidant - DEATH (HAPPY ENDING in alternate)


Bosco Wong & Linda Chung


2008 - Moonlight Resonance - SPLIT UP
2008 - Gem of Life - SPLIT UP
2012 - Witness Insecurity - DEATH


Raymond Lam & Kate Tsui


2008 - The Four - SPLIT UP
2012 - Highs and Lows - DEATH


Moses Chan & Sonija Kwok


2002 - Love and Again - SPLIT UP
2002 - Where Legend Begins - DEATH
2004 - Family Man - SPLIT UP
2006 - Land of Wealth - SPLIT UP

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Kate Tsui's "Stamp Collection"





1. Bosco Wong in Lives of Omission
2. Bosco Wong in Triumph in the Skies II sales presentation clip
3. Ron Ng in Forensic Heroes 3
4. Joe Ma in Relic of an Emissary
5. Michael Tse in Relic of an Emissary
6. Kenneth Ma in Speech of Silence
7. Raymond Lam in Baby Blues (movie)
8. Moses Chan in Moonlight Resonance
9. Michael Miu in Highs and Lows sales presentation clip
10. Raymond Lam in Highs and Lows
11. Dayo Wong in Bounty Lady
12. Toby Leung in The Ultimate Addiction
13. Nancy Wu in The Ultimate Addiction


Sunday, October 06, 2013

Couples We Have Not Seen

Tired of seeing the same pairings over and over again? Bet you haven't seen these couples before...

Linda Chung & Kenneth Ma


They were only together briefly when Kenneth made a cameo appearance in Yes Sir, Sorry Sir.


Ruco Chan & Kate Tsui



Raymond Lam & Fala Chen



Wayne Lai & Tavia Yeung



Myolie Wu & Steven Ma



Ron Ng & Niki Chow



Bosco Wong & Selena Li


They appeared as a couple in a commercial for Ocean Park.


Which fresh pairing would you like to see most?



Monday, September 02, 2013

Overview - The Purple Hairpin

File:紫釵奇緣.jpg

This series is based on the play The Purple Hairpin by Tang Xianzu. Taking place in the Tang Dynasty, the story details how a courtesan, prince, scholar and heroine demonstrate altruism and love in the face of immense pressure from high powers. The series follows the characters' emotional journey, combining it with Tang Dynasty dancing and wuxia elements, to illustrate a heroic and tragic love tale.

Raymond Lam is a prince living outside the palace under a disguised name. He befriends the scholar Li Yi and famous dancer Michelle Ye. Seeing Michelle's purple hairpin, Raymond knows she is his fiancée from an arranged marriage. However, she is already dating Li Yi. Raymond is content with staying silently by her side and refuses to accept a relationship with the Chancellor's daughter.

Raymond is recalled to the palace by the Emperor, who thinks the Crown Prince lacks good character to take the throne. The Crown Prince, knowing that Emperor wants to appoint a new successor, colludes with the Chancellor to interfere with Raymond at every turn. Meanwhile, the competition on the Chang'an dancing stage is heating up. Michelle defeats her rivals in the imperial dance competition, winning the title of imperial courtesan. Little did she know that this was all a set-up to compel her to accompany the princess in marriage to a foreign state. This is when the purple hairpin reveals Michelle's true identity as a princess.

Li Yi's studying finally pays off when he passes the imperial exams. He wants to marry Michelle, but is opposed by the Chancellor. Fortunately, Raymond intervenes and Li Yi is reunited with Michelle at last. Raymond then moves to the mountains so that his most beloved can lead a blissful life.


The Purple Hairpin will be airing on TVB starting September 4. 


Posted Image


Extended Trailer



Theme Song: "也無風雨也無月" by Raymond Lam



Mandarin Version: "不負如來不負卿"


Sunday, July 14, 2013

"Triumph in the Skies II" Theme Song

The theme song to TITS2 is called "Soar into the Clouds" (衝上雲霄), composed and sung by George Lam.

Comment: After hearing this, I agree with everyone that the original song was better. This sounds like it's for a '80s kung fu series.




The sub-theme song is "Lovers in the Air" (空中戀人), by Mag Lam.




The second sub-theme song is sung by Raymond Lam, called "On My Way".




Friday, April 05, 2013

Historical Context - The Yang Generals

The movie "Saving General Yang", starring Adam Cheng, Ekin Cheng and Raymond Lam, premiers on April 4th. The story about the Yang Generals is comprised from historical records and fictional pieces.

The Yang Generals (楊家將) are a legendary family renowned for their bravery and military prowess. They lived during the Northern Song Dynasty and steadfastly defended the borders against rivaling states.

IMG_2149.jpg
Adam Cheng as Yang Ye
The patriarch figure is Yang Ye (楊業), who had the nickname “Invincible Yang”. He was originally serving under another state until his warlord surrendered to the Song Dynasty. Yang Ye then pledged his loyalty to Emperor Taizong of Song (宋太宗). Yang Ye was immediately tasked with defending against attacks from the neighbouring Liao Dynasty. Yang Ye and general Pan Mei (潘美) scored a huge victory by flanking the Liao army from the front and rear. After that battle, the Liao army reportedly retreated immediately whenever they saw Yang Ye’s flag.

Later, the Emperor appointed Yang Ye and Pan Mei to lead an expedition to attack the Liao.  While initially successful, they were soon met with the main enemy force. Yang Ye knew the chances of winning were slim, but another general, Wang Shen (王侁), taunted him for being cowardly and disloyal. Against his better judgement, Yang Ye decided to go into battle. He instructed Pan Mei and Wang Shen to send reinforcements to a nearby valley. Yang Ye fought gallantly, but still lost the battle as expected. However, when he retreated into the valley, there were no reinforcements waiting for him. He was captured alive, but refused to surrender and as a show of his loyalty, starved himself to death.

Wu Chun as Yang Yanzhao (6th son)
Yang Ye had seven sons. The most distinguished son was Yang Yanzhao (楊延昭). He is commonly portrayed as the 6th son in fiction, but is believed to be either the 1st or 2nd son in reality.  He took over the army after his father’s death. Like his father, he was an extremely brilliant military man. In one battle where he was besieged by the Liao army, he told his men to pour water on the city’s walls, which soon froze into ice due to the cold weather. The Liao were forced to retreat since it was impossible to scale the slippery walls. In a later campaign, Yang Yanzhao believed there was an opportunity to decisively defeat the Liao, but Emperor Zhenzong (宋真宗) opted to sign a peace treaty instead. Yang Yanzhao remained stationed at the borders until his death.

Yang Wenguang (楊文廣), the son of Yang Yanzhao, is the next generation of Yang generals. With the peace treaty, the Song and Liao dynasties remained at peace for the 30 years. However, the Song court soon had to deal with the upstart Western Xia state. Yang Wenguang carried the family legacy by successfully defending against Western Xia attacks. He died just as the relationship with the Liaos began to deteriorate and the Song court had to prepare for war once again. 


Fictional Tales

梁家仁
Bryan Leung as Pan Renmei
The main antagonist in the fictional tales is Pan Renmei (潘仁美), a character based on Yang Ye’s colleague, Pan Mei. Pan Renmei was extremely jealous of Yang Ye’s accomplishments and was even more aggravated when his son was killed in a fight by Yang Ye’s 7th son. Thus, he plotted with the Liao to besiege the Yangs and the Emperor at a place called Golden Beach. To save the Emperor, Yang Ye’s eldest son dressed up as the Emperor to fool the Liao while the real Emperor escaped. Yang Ye’s eldest three sons were killed in the ensuing battle. The 4th son was captured and later married a Liao princess. The 5th son escaped to a monastery to become a monk.

Ekin Cheng as 1st son
Meanwhile, Yang Ye and his 6th and 7th sons retreated to Twin Wolves Mountain. Yang Ye sent his 7th son to ask Pen Renmei for help, but instead, Pen Remei shot the 7th son to death with arrows.  Facing imminent defeat, Yang Ye saw the headstone of a Han Dynasty general, Li Ling (李陵). He remembered that Li Ling had defected to the enemy, which caused the execution of his family members. Refusing to follow in Li Ling’s footsteps, Yang Ye committed suicide by bashing his head on the stone.


Raymond Lam as 5th son
The 6th son, Yang Yanzhao, was the only one to survive the battle at Golden Beach. Returning to the Song court, he was enraged to find that Pan Renmei got away with only light punishment for his treasonous act. Yang Yanzhao took matters into his own hands and killed Pan Renmei to avenge his father and brothers.

In fiction, Yang Wenguang is portrayed as Yang Yanzhao’s grandson (instead of his son, as per history). The inserted generation is Yang Zongbao (楊宗保) and his wife Mu Guiying (穆桂英). Certain historical records support the existence of a Yang Zongbao, but as a female and of the same generation as Yang Wenguang. Mu Guiying is thought to be Yang Wenguang’s wife in reality, not his mother. 


Monday, November 05, 2012

Highs and Lows Review



Producer: Lam Chi Wah
Genre: Police, action
Cast: Raymond Lam, Kate Tsui, Michael Miu, Ben Wong, Ella Koon, Elaine Ng


Plot:
Hong Kong is invaded with drugs and it’s up to the Narcotics Bureau to fight against it. Except there are corrupt officers that undermine the mission. But no fear, Ironman Raymond Lam comes and saves the day! Okay, it didn’t really happen that way. Raymond would save the day if he weren’t so consumed with Kate Tsui, an informant turned Drug Queen. Ella Koon does a great job just standing there. Michael Miu and crew love to eat hot pot. Ben Wong is *gasp* the villain. A lot of people die, but if there’s one thing this series taught us, it’s that explosions can never kill.

Review:
This drama does not disappoint. There were plot holes and some parts were draggy, but you would want to watch the next episode right away, and that, to me, always is an indication of a good drama. The series would be boring if it were just about cops catching one drug lord after another. The intriguing aspect comes from the existence of corrupt officers working for a mysterious “Agent”. Just when you think that ends, a whole new twist comes with the emergence of a second “Agent” that brings the series to its climax. But the series is not about good cop, bad cop as there is a very grey area due to their motives. The second interesting aspect involves Kate’s life. Her character is pitiful and certainly gained the sympathy of the audience. Her whole life is ruined by drugs, yet she still becomes entangled with the traids and drugs, eventually becoming the Drug Queen.

The talk of town is will Raymond win the TV King title based on his role? His character was inconsistent. He begins as a casual guy who never seems to be serious but who is actually a very diligent cop. Then he goes from being “Happy Sir” whose favourite line was “Nice…” to “Very Worried and Very Serious Sir” whose eyes grow exponentially larger when he yells. He was witty and charming at the beginning, but then becomes somewhat annoying for being so irrational over his love for Kate. If there ever was a need to prove that love can make one blind, Happy Sir is the ultimate example. For someone who is so adamant about upholding the law, he lets Kate walk off on several occasions when he should have arrested her. He really has no right to talk to Michael about being an honourable cop. I do believe it is Raymond’s interpretation of the character, rather than the script, that makes Happy Sir so inconsistent. For example, in those scenes with Michael where he is hinting that he suspects Michael is the “black cop”, he could have been had a more relaxed attitude. After all, it was supposed to be just a casual conversation with his best friend. My conclusion is his acting in this series is not the best, but he probably will get it anyways.

Next question is will Kate win the TV Queen title based on her role? Kate does a great job of bringing Pat to life. A silent tear would roll down her cheek every time she thinks of her past. It shows how Pat is a rather helpless person to her fate, but has to stay tough in order to survive. The much talked about rape scene amounted to nothing, but her crying scene where she recounted the rape was well done. She is tender in the scenes with her brother. Kate is at least a very worthy contender for TV Queen.

Michael is very chok and his mustache makes him look even more manly (way better than Raymond’s). Unlike Raymond, he’s serious when he needs to be and more casual for other scenes. Ella’s character is very kind-hearted but rather naïve. She unquestionably believes what other people say. There’s nothing special about her acting because all her character really does is stand there and talk. Elaine Ng’s Madam Yu has me questioning how she can hold such a high position in the police force. How can she be so stupid to photocopy evidence for her boyfriend? She is not convincing as a tough, career-minded woman because she looks very weak. A lot of times, it’s as if she’s on the verge of crying. Now if anyone deserves an award, it should be Ben Wong. He is excellent as the pain-in-the-backside superior, shows a softer side in the scenes with Ella and when he became the ultimate villain, you could see the pure evil in his eyes. However, the scripting for his character was illogical. It’s a little hard to believe that a former police officer would turn so evil so quickly. Yes, he wanted to get revenge, but to go to the extent that he did? Also, the way he was forced out of the police was stretching it. There was only circumstantial evidence pointing towards him for not saving Kate and even if proven, it amounts to a mere error in judgement. It would be a different story if they found out about the arson and tampering with the memory card, but they didn’t, so I don’t see why the big fuss about it.

The ending was good, neither too rushed nor too draggy. It was exciting almost right to the very end. There are a lot of people dying, but unlike other dramas, the deaths are appropriate to the story. Many people might have wanted Kate to live and end up with Raymond, but it is a rather fitting conclusion to her tragic character. She will probably be worse off living and being haunted by the fact that her loved ones are all dead, plus she would have to raise the child that she has with the man who caused all those deaths. I’m glad Raymond and Ella didn’t end up together because throughout the whole series, he never liked her and it wouldn’t make sense if he suddenly realized that he loved her. The only problem I had was that Jazz Lam and Law Lok Lam would confess to their crime after Michael had died to protect them. It makes Michael’s death almost meaningless. The only reason they would confess is because some viewers would throw a fit if justice isn’t served for the bad guys.  

Rating: 4.5/5. Excellent. 


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Ironman Raymond Lam Returns!


How does he survive this?

 
No scratches, no injuries, no hospital stay. Not even a scrawny little band-aid this time. Seems like TVB siu-sangs have the supernatural ability to survive explosions (taught by Joe Ma of Tiger Cubs).
 
 
 
(Screenshots from Highs and Lows Episode 13)
 
Need more proof that Raymond is secretly Ironman? More of his invincible powers here.