Ron Ng......mmmmm........

Moving on...now that Raymond Lam has taken a precipitous fall from grace, time to turn our attention to his other half. I mean Ron Ng. Mr. Ng has always hovered high on my radar, but his acting and singing are of questionable quality. Nevertheless, I generally enjoy his performances. They don't make me squirm the way hmm, Kenneth Ma's performances do. I'm actually very much looking forward to seeing Ron in his latest show, Yes, Sir, No, Sir (though I don't think TVB properly punctuated it), on in the 9:30p slot. He plays a cop alongside Moses Chan. Ron = cop, always a good idea.

This time, the story revolves around a school as Moses is sent undercover as a teacher of a Band 3 (underperforming) school. 5 episodes have already aired, and finally Ron appeared last night - in the closing 30 seconds of the show. Blast it! Luckily we've been seeing him in the ending credits. Well, he's very 型, and let's leave it at that. See for yourself.

Less than three Liu Xuan.

What the hell would I write about if I didn't have K-Pop? Ah yes, TVB. And so, here it is. My latest love affair is Liu Xuan. There are some actresses I adore and would quite possibly turn gay for. Tang Wei is high on that list - actually, she is at the top of that list. Liu Xuan is, well, not in an Ang Lee movie opposite Tony Leung, but she still strikes me as crazy sweet. She is also very short for a HK actress and has managed to make Fala Chen look oafish (yes, oafish). This generally makes me feel better about life.

For some unfathomable reason, she decided to sign a contract with TVB and learn Cantonese. This Olympic gymnast is now starring in Grace Under Fire, which is about kung fu and Wong Fei Hong, among other things. It automatically earns negative points because Kenneth Ma is one of the male leads, but Liu Xuan has rescued it from whatever bad acting her co-star is engaged in. I missed the first week and a half so I'm not following the show too closely, but so far so good. 加油!!

Big Bang is Back.......almost.

Travesty. Haven't posted in ages. As a student said on Monday, "Who blogs?! That's so sad." Well, I'm a sad, old woman then.

So what have I been watching (always an appropriate question)? Too many things. Burning Flame III, Last One Standing, Rosy Business, 7 Days in Life, Autumn's Concerto. Currently in my DVD player is Autumn's Concerto (after having, excuse the pun, burned through Burning Flame III several times). My passion for Vanness Wu has been reignited. That show is truly one of my favorites, which reminds me I have to finish a review for it one of these days. However, also on my radar is Big Bang's Korean comeback. It's been 2 years and 3 months since they rocked Korea with an album. Luckily I did not have to wait that long as I had yet to start my steamy affair with K-Pop. In honor of my current eye and ear candy, a picture.

 

"Fingers up if you own a mad six pack."

I LOVE LOVE Wayne Lai Yiu Cheung!!!

It cannot be helped. I love Wayne Lai (黎耀祥). He's been plastered all over Hong Kong since last year's successful run of Rosy Business (巾幗梟雄), selling everything from groceries to cleaner to (gasp) fitness memberships. There is nothing to say except he's a truly awesome actor. And fit as hell. Mmm-mmm.

Is William Chan for real?

Holy shit fuck. Thank you, Charlene Choi! Look at William Chan now! Okay, so maybe this wasn't all her doing, but Mr. Choi has undergone quite the transformation. Maybe it all started with the Rexona deodorant ad he shot some month's back. Shit's powerful. Whatever the prime mover, William Chan is now steps away from becoming a K-Pop star. Exhibit A: video. Now this is one of those shitty TVB jobs, i.e. it's not the real video but some cheap Tseung Kwan O substitute b/c TVB won't show the real one. But it's still, shall we say...fierce? Boy wonder's got some moves, and some muscles. Singing voice, not so much, but keep at it, kid. We'll see if this portends a brighter future.

TVB mid-series thoughts for 'No Regrets' and 'Gun Metal Grey'.

A couple things to say.

巾幗梟雄之義海豪情 (No Regrets): I'm up to episode 19. Episode 21 aired tonight, and I believe we're in the home stretch. Yawn. The first few episodes were fitting of an anniversary series; of course Spare Rib Boy's (Ngo Kanin) acting was tops. But the second half of the show has veered into numbing anti-Japanese war propaganda. Things that bother me: Fala Chen - sorry, boys, but I just don't see the appeal; Spare Rib Boy - he doesn't bother me but his lack of screen time does, though he seems to be making a comeback in the final week; crazy Japanese guffawing and other obnoxious caricatures - it's too easy and simplistic. This latter point is my main complaint for the last 2 weeks' episodes. I don't mean that this historical period has been overdone. Rather, the static, black and white portrayal of good Chinese folks under the oppressive, and slightly buffoonish, Japanese needs a paint job. There is a slight makeover in the forms of Lau Sing and Gau Mui; both are interesting characters who have firm loyalties but not always steady ways of showing it. And let's credit actors Wayne Lai and Sheren Tang for another round of brilliant performances. But their effort is too often drowned out by background noise. Nancy Wu and Evergreen Mak are both strong in this series, but Ms. Wu especially needs to turn the decibel level down a notch. Lau Sing's housemates similarly need to cut the histrionics, but then, it wouldn't be a TVB series without. Overall, it's been a fair run and I think the pace is picking up a bit as we near the end, but I feel that finishing up this series has become a chore. I watch it because I must, not because I want to.

刑警 (Gun Metal Grey): Meanwhile, the 9:30p slot is no chore at all. I'm even watching it on the teevee instead of waiting until it's uploaded on TVB.com the next day. Much more exciting than the Bowie police procedural I just finished. The story itself is interesting, but I think what I really enjoy is the acting. I don't think I've ever seen an entire Michael Miu show and I never watched anything with Felix Wong (I know, I need to catch up on my 80s shows). I've only recently become a fan of Nancy Wu after seeing her in the original 巾幗梟雄 (Rosy Business) and her love match in this show is played by Vincent Wong, who I'd never heard of. Alas, all are spectacular, all reign in the overacting. Incidentally, it's Jessica Hsuan, who I usually like, who's a non-factor in this series. Mostly I object to her non-role, which is to be the female catch all. When things need to be explained to the audience or when a stupid character's stupid actions are necessary to move the story forward, they call on Ms. Hsuan. In any case, tonight's episode was Felix Wong's character's turning point. He killed a suspect then lied about it. It's all downhill from here for him. But let's hope the show doesn't go the same way.

Lam Fung + Miriam = 'Perfect Wedding' themesong.

林峰，我永遠愛你！！

Despite a lot of TVB misses lately, I can't help but falling in love with Lam Fung every damn time I see his perfect face. He was my first TVB crush (味美情緣 or Taste of Love) back in 2002. I've stayed faithful!

Ngo Kanin, Round 2.

Not less than 3 hours ago, I declared my support for Ngo Kanin for Best Supporting Actor. Looks like I'm not the only one. Apple Daily interviewed him and revealed that netizens are in love with Spare Rib Boy's snot. (Explanation: His character - Spare Rib Boy - was falsely accused of murdering a gangster's son, so he nearly got a bullet in the brain. Spare Rib Boy freaked out, started crying, and probably pissed his pants.)

台慶最佳男配角大熱敖嘉年捱出頭
無綫劇集《巾幗梟雄之義海豪情》自播出後，飾演細膽排骨仔的敖嘉年連日慘被欺凌，每晚哭哭啼啼好不凄凉，其出色演繹淚滲觀眾心，隨即掀起網上排骨熱之餘，更令他人氣暴升，火速成為年底台慶頒獎禮的最佳男配角大熱，惡鬥至強勁敵林嘉華。(continued)

Translated article here.

Ron Ng + Red Butterfly

Yes, back in my TVB form. This is my spiritual television home. The Beeb is probably where I exist in reality, and the combined US networks are my careless flings. But ahh, TVB......so here is the song I've listened to most lately. Ron Ng sings the themesong for 巾幗梟雄 (Rosy Business) called 紅蝴蝶 (Red Butterfly).

Ngo Kanin for Best Supporting Actor, please!

I'm burning my eyeballs on a TVB binge. Currently watching 讀心神探 (Every Move You Make) only because it's slightly more interesting than most of the other offerings of late. I'm not particularly a Bowie fan, but he has a respectable record when it comes to appearing in shows that do not suck, quite an accomplishment these days.

What I really want to talk about, however, is the anniversary series. The sequel to last year's hit 巾幗梟雄 (Rosy Business) - 巾幗梟雄之義海豪情 (No Regrets) - started last Monday. In the buildup, I decided to watch the original since it was all over the place in early 2009. Meanwhile, I was still one hot mess back then and missed the whole affair. But I do remember that much of the city was arrested by this show. I was walking home when the last episode aired and saw quite a few folks gathered around a sushi restaurant's outdoor tv screen. Naturally, I played along like I knew what was going on and caught some of the show. In any case, I now have 25 glorious episodes waiting for me, and in about a week, I've gotten through 20. Not bad considering all the work I've been bringing home plus catching up on 讀心神探 and rushing through 3-4 BBC shows.

So far I've only seen 2 full episodes of 巾幗梟雄之義海豪情 but that was enough to convince me to blog about one 敖嘉年 (Ngo Kanin). And let's go ahead and establish that I've crushed on him since 隨時候命 (Always Ready) when he played Charmain's moody brother. 巾幗梟雄 propelled him to substantial fame in Hong Kong though, and he was rewarded Most Improved Actor for his role as a total bastard in that show. Kanin definitely made a bitch of a villain, but I absolutely love his overly polite, good boy characters; his Yau Bong in 胭脂水粉 (The Charm Beneath) was syrupy sweet. I'm happy to say that he returns to form in 巾幗梟雄之義海豪情. Kanin plays 唐吉 (Tong Kat), or 排骨仔 (Pai Gwut Zai/Spare Ribs Boy), a country bumpkin who loves his granny and goes to the big city to become a police officer. The kid is so, so innocent and thus gets picked on by everyone. The real treasure though is Kanin, who captures scrawny little Pai Gwut perfectly. And this post is mainly to say that he better win the Best Supporting Actor Award this year. He is a-mazing.

'Mysteries of Love' invading TVB's 9:30p slot next week.

A couple weeks ago, Sisters of Pearl premiered and slightly boosted the sagging 8:30p TVB power hour. Okay, not really, though I think the show is still more interesting than In the Eye of the Beholder and Suspects in Love, combined. I've been half keeping up but lost interest these last few episodes. Everyone has a malicious plan stretching decades back, generally striking a wooden stake through the heart of believability. Don't be surprised if the pet dog is holding a grudge. Meanwhile in the 9:30p slot, Ada Choi and company are rocking steady with Fly with Me, which I haven't seen. The show is ending this week though which means TVB gets to try again for that elusive 2010 super hit. The latest contender is The Mysteries of Love (談情說案) starring Raymond Lam Fung, a man I don't mind spending every weeknight with. The story's a little suspect, starting with the fact that Lam Fung is supposed to be a genius physics professor at City U. Um, clearly the writers and casting department have never attended a college physics class. Unbelievable character development aside, there will be love, forensics, explosions, and Kenneth Ma Gok Ming. Also not the biggest Kenneth Ma fan, but he won't quit our TV screens these days so I think it's just best to accept his presence (and focus on his costars).

Will TVB finally win our 8:30pm hearts and minds with 'Sister of Pearl'?

I've been neglecting my Hong Kong entertainment for awhile, just like TVB has been neglecting to put a show worth watching in the 8:30p slot for some months now. The latest offering gives some hope though. 掌上明珠 (Sister of Pearl) seems to have the right blend of star power, family drama, and jewelry (it's Hong Kong after all) to induce the masses every night. The show is fronted by actual actors with proven records, which is always a bonus when it comes to TVB. Jessica Hsuan and Kiki Sheung go head to head as sisters who let love and their father's pearl business get in the way, while Bowie Lam and Michael Tao provide all the other dastardly, scheming plot lines that make for your daily hour of family fun. The 1950-60s costumes and set are added polish. Time will tell if this show sucks, but I really hope it doesn't.

MC Jin's 'Big Boys Club' debuts.

Grandmaster Jin has some impressive credits to his name. After pounding the competition in 2001 on Freestyle Friday, a freestyling competition during BET's music video countdown show, he successfully dropped albums in English and Chinese, becoming insta-hero for every Asian American kid in town. His presence in the music scene invited all sorts of criticism though from folks who thought there was no place in hip hop for some Chinese dude. Clearly they didn't know who they were messing with because Jin has since gone on to conquer Hong Kong. I mean, you don't get your 5 foot mug on buses and billboards if you don't have the goods.

So, with now classic anthems like ABC (where he talks about learning Chinese from TVB...genius) and stints as a vocal campaigner for Barack Obama and Vita lemon tea, he got fans wondering about his next big move. Just how do you top off all that goodness? The answer is obvious - your very own TVB chat show. That's right, MC Jin, the guy who tore down challengers week after week on 106 and Park, is now co-hosting a show called Big Boys Club (兄弟幫). No joke. Just a couple guys shooting the shit with celebrity guests. Think The View in sneakers and with large tubs of popcorn. It's that awesome.

Alright, I jest. Given Jin's professed love for the network, a sincere congratulations for even landing on the station is in order. There are worse things than being an indentured TVB servant; you could be one to ATV. But let's be honest, Jin + fluffy white couches and silver pillows? He's already hurting for street cred. If the first show was any indication of what is to come - and I hope it is not - he can forget about facing down fellow MCs back home. Or he better pray that no one ever finds tape of him and his co-hosts waxing lyrical about body hair (lack thereof) and substances excreted while sleeping (again, lack thereof). I won't condemn the project based on one episode, and in fairness, the conversation did evolve. A cute anecdote about a love note gone awry and one not so cute story about spending a couple nights in jail capped off the day's topic - what makes a boy, um, big. Hopefully with that question out of the way, even if not fully answered, Jin and his buddies can move on to more innocuous slumber party topics that delight the Hong Kong male. Not sure what those might be, but that's why I'll be tuning in tomorrow.

No matter what the big boys are talking about though, as long as Jin keeps spitting fun rhymes about everyone's favorite tv channel, I'm a fan. Here, he and his friend, MC KT, break down a popular show about mooncakes. That's right, mooncakes. And it's a sequel to a show about abalone. Take that, Showtime.

'72家租客' (72 Tenants of Prosperity) trailer.

I confess, 72家租客 (72 Tenants of Prosperity) actually looks funny. Stupid, yes, but this is a Hong Kong comedy so that goes without saying. The movie is a quasi-remake of something out of the Shaw Brothers vault and features every TVB actor. They even add a few 'real' stars like Kelly Chen, Carina Lau, and Tony Leung Ka-Fai to give it a little extra New Year oomph. No small potato is left...um, uncooked.

Eric Tsang and Jacky Cheung (hooray!) face off as competing tenants on Hong Kong's Sai Yeung Choi Street in Mongkok. They've been at each other since a love triangle ruptured their friendship some 40 years ago. (Justin Lo and Raymond Lam, two of my favorites, portray the 1970s versions of Tsang and Cheung. If that isn't inspired casting, really, what is?) But with a new landlord wanting to squeeze the lot of them out, will these enemies unite and save Sai Yeung Choi Street? Will their animosity be ameliorated by their respective children's affections for each other? Will the acid attacker strike again? There's only one way to find out...and it happens on February 11.

On watching 'A Watchdog's Tale'.

It's not all British all the time, though it is mostly. I'm re-entering the wonderful world of TVB. It's my twisted New Year's resolution way of learning Chinese, and the side effect is enduring sub-par television. Currently on the menu is the Linda Chung/Steven Ma vehicle A Watchdog's Tale (老友狗狗). It's a tale about a watchdog, if you can believe that. Linda plays an androgynous vet's assistant - who also loves Alive, as evidenced by her ubiquitous trucker cap. Her pa is a rotund and now retired police doggy trainer inexplicably named Lulu. One of his students is Raymond Wong Ho Yin, an earnest young officer who'd rather bond with his doggy Bingo than with the increasingly hot Natalie Tong. Raymond is quite the opposite of his older cousin, in the form of Steven Ma, a carefree village boy (even though he's hovering around 40). He often gets entangled in some trouble, whether it's being accused of stealing the village gold or getting his ass planted in a toilet bowl. Maggie Siu also makes an appearance as an OCD daughter of a food magnate. The woman puts socks on her tiny pooch. Is it too much to hope that TVB is taking a shot at all those dog owners who are carting their pups in prams? Probably...yes.

A Great Way to Care

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!

Love and Again

I just finished watching 駁命老公追老婆 (Love and Again) and it was so absolutely romantic and caught me completely by surprise. I wasn't looking for a romantic series, certainly not a TVB show, but this had everything I needed - except a thesis which I delayed in order to watch this 20 part series. The unfortunate thing is that I have been sucked back into HK entertainment land with no time to spare. A lengthy review to come, but the rundown is that I like it partly because the story is fresh, as far as TVB goes. Fresh in that it isn't about falling in love but about keeping it even in death. I got into a discussion about this and 天幕下的戀人 (Under the Canopy of Love) with my favorite TVB partner who chastised me for even comparing the two. Both are excellent, and I even admit that UTCOL is superior in casting, acting, writing, and story, but they really are two different shows as far as the love theme goes. Anyway, I'm also in love with Alex Fong Chung Sun, something I avoided successfully for many years. But his super nice guy role was too overwhelming and I succumbed. (Also buttressed by his super brooding cop role in One Nite in Mongkok, his super charming mob boss role in Drink Drank Drunk, and his super underrated architect role in Building Blocks of Life. I'm a sucker.)

And a video for fun. This is Miriam Yeung's theme song from Drink Drank Drunk called My Drunk Love (我的醉愛).