A Great Way to Care (仁心解碼, previously 杏林心處) was just released this Monday but only overseas. Hopefully it will be well-received and get an airing date in Hong Kong. It's the latest from Alex Fong (方中信) and Kate Tsui (徐子珊), and yes, I too am skeptical about this inevitable romance. They could play father-daughter in another show, so we shall see. It's about the lives and loves of a psychiatric unit at Yan Wo Hospital that includes doctors (Alex Fong, Cheung Chi Kwong 蔣志光), nurses (Raymond Wong 黃浩然, Charles Szeto 司徒瑞祈), and residents (Timmy Hung 洪天明). Kate Tsui's character, meanwhile, works for the serious crime unit in the police department. Paths cross and love ignites.It looks to develop in the tradition of Forensic Heroes, CIB, Healing Hands, et al in that the show moves from one case to the next all the while exploring the personal lives of the main characters and the professional development of a few green apprentices. Aside from my excitement at another Alex Fong series, I'm interested in TVB's exploration of psychological problems and mental illness, conditions that definitely warrant more attention. However, judging from the previews and the first episode, I don't know if a show like this ends up hurting or helping the cause more. Vivien Yeo (楊秀惠), for example, plays an obese girl with an eating disorder. Both obesity and eating disorders are serious health issues, but I'm afraid that the novelty for TVB will be Vivien Yeo in a fat suit. Caricatures such as this are too easy and almost mock the whole situation rather than treat it with the seriousness it deserves. Also, the first episode, which is the only one I've seen thus far, centers around a young woman (Natalie Tong 唐詩詠) who is haunted by a suicide jump she witnessed years back. However, she also suppresses the memory of the man almost raping her, and her mother (Mary Hon 韓馬利) is eager to protect her daughter, even if it means that she will continue to freak out and possibly jump to her own death. Dr. Alex saves the day though with his detective work and reasoned, compassionate approach, and after a quick visit to the original scene of the crime, things look decidedly up for Natalie's character.
The problem is that mental illnesses are not so easily cured, and I object to the tidiness of it all. I understand that it's a television show and that corners are cut for the sake of expediency, but there's a special responsibility I feel when it comes to mental health versus something like a crime investigation. When we watch cop dramas, since they are so pervasive and often so exaggerated with shootouts galore, they can exist in the fantasy realm. We can read the papers and see officers on patrol and get stopped for an ID check and there is a tangible experience that helps us divide drama from reality. But this is not so with mental health. It gets scant media coverage and even in private, people are often reluctant to discuss their mental health issues because of the stigma attached. I do have more faith in TVB and this show in dampening that stigma, however. If there's one thing TVB does well, it's in making blindingly obvious that everyone should get a fair shake and we shouldn't rush to judgment. That said, I'll continue watching the rest of the series.
Here's a youtube video with a few clips and the theme video. The song is sung by the inestimable Juno Mak. Watch it before TVB pulls it down!
