Wednesday, November 23, 2011

TVB's Best Young Singers (Male Edition)

Practically every TVB artiste, particularly the younger generation, gets the opportunity to sing in at least one point.  Most are decent, but aren't exactly professionals.  However, some surprisingly possess a great amount of talent in singing, whether they pursue it as simply an interest or a career.  This is a list of my personal favorite young male singers in TVB in no particular order.

Ruco Chan


*Ruco Chan singing the theme song of "The Other Truth" live

Ruco originally entered the entertainment industry as both a singer and actor.  He was noted as having a lot of potential, signed by PolyGram, and dubbed a young Andy Lau.  This should've guaranteed him a successful career.  Unfortunately, when Polygram merged with another record company, he was dropped from the label.  As an actor at ATV, he sang several themes, most notably the theme song of "Love in a Miracle" with Amy Chan.  His newfound popularity have allowed him to sing at many live functions.  He has a strong and powerful voice but also shows very good voice control.  Unlike many other TVB singers, Ruco gives off a fun and lively atmosphere when singing live, making him very enjoyable to watch perform.


More links:
ATV Commercial Song Medley 2005: http://youtu.be/gAXmEtxiBow
08-10-2010青衣show (Part 1 of 4): http://youtu.be/kxvdVFmH2ZI
"Love in a Miracle" Theme Song: http://youtu.be/yosIgs0uZI0 
天性如此 MV: http://youtu.be/MngRmyWNZjk

Sammul Chan


*Sammul Chan singing the theme song to "Triumph in the Skies" in Cantonese and Mandarin live

Although Sammul has left TVB (boo hoo!), he was formerly of TVB.  Strong, soothing, with a good range?  Sammul's singing contains all of these elements, making him a great singer.  He can be gentle, but also more powerful.  He sings with a lot of emotion, making him that much more lovely to listen to.  Sadly, he was never able to sing a theme song himself for TVB before leaving.  However, it is fun to "stalk" him on YouTube for new live performances.

More links:
"The Moon Represents My Heart" Live: http://youtu.be/QaUaI9i7YL8
"Survivor's Law" Theme Song Live: http://youtu.be/hLv4MeiQK8I
"Chasing Love" Musical Solo: http://youtu.be/hLv4MeiQK8I
"Child, Let Me Love" MV : http://youtu.be/n2uzNQfvKWI

Edwin Siu


*Edwin Siu performing on "The Voice"


Edwin experienced success and popularity as a singer a few years back, but subsequently disappeared from the music scene.  TVB currently has plans to promote Edwin, which will allow him to gain more exposure as both a singer and an actor.  Unlike Ruco and Sammul, who sing more for interest, I can see Edwin pursuing both a singing and acting career.  I sure hope so too, because his voice is soothing and has great range and emotion.  His recent performance on "The Voice" was fantastic and showcased his talent.  Of all the guys listed here, Edwin's singing is probably my favorite (as much as I've been a long time fan of Patrick).

Other Links:
十個分手的理由 MV: http://youtu.be/hDt3Jp6vfXU
重點情歌 MV: http://youtu.be/oQdpH18-IY8

Patrick Tang


*Patrick Tang singing "好" live

Patrick is an underrated actor, and an even more underrated singer.  He released several successful songs, but has since faded in popularity.  This has nothing to do with lack of talent, but because of the record company he's signed to.  Signed under Universal are some of the most popular singers in Hong Kong, most notably Hacken Lee and Kay Tse.  As a result, Patrick has been neglected and lacks the promotion needed for success.  In my opinion, he'd be much better off in a smaller label where he could get more promotion and become a "big brother" of the company.  He has a deeper and stronger voice than others, but could work on controlling his voice.  His main setbacks are that he can get carried away with longer notes (but I appreciate his enthusiasm) and his struggles a bit with higher notes because of his deep voice.  Even so, I've always had a soft spot for Patrick, especially as a singer.  He puts an immense amount of emotion into singing his songs, especially his ballads.  He's also tried his hand at composing and songwriting, having written his song "難分難解". 

More Links:

"心寒" MV (feat. Tavia Yeung): http://youtu.be/H40MCJk7Zzo"戒不掉你" MV: http://youtu.be/SNAWBfJrbxw
"難分難解" MV (TVB version, feat. Macy Chan): http://youtu.be/-i7aZ7nxKUQ
"十年后的你" MV: http://youtu.be/tUMWSbR2kzs
"變形記" MV: http://youtu.be/TQo5FtAaeq8
"Links 2 Pat's Trick"Album Excerpts Live: http://youtu.be/0hQXa3oEg_w


Vincent Wong



*Vincent Wong singing the subtheme to "Gun Metal Grey" live

Vincent pursued a singing career a couple years back but did not enjoy too much success.  He used to be a bit flat, but his vocals have since vastly improved.  He doesn't have as much range or strength as the other guys on this list, but his soft yet strong voice is easy and pleasing to the ears making him still enjoyable to listen to.  I loved Vincent's live performance of the subtheme to "Gun Metal Grey" more than the original.  He put more emotion into the song and his voice was tender and soothing.  Although he still sings at functions, it seems he's another artiste who has decided to put his music career behind him.


More Links:
"爱你便爱" MV: http://youtu.be/uyaXU_8fUok"Sorry" MV: http://youtu.be/D0XS5Gs60cw
"愛與被愛" MV (Duet with Hailie Leung): http://youtu.be/8Ac-NzUQVuQ
"分手不分开" http://youtu.be/H-S9A5Qwsh8
"最難過今天" MV (Duet with Myolie Wu): http://youtu.be/m3_vQckGMWM

Zac Kao
 

*Zac Kao singing "時間停頓" Live

Although not a TVB signed artiste, Zac films a series every now and then.  He first caught my attention in the cool and savvy Ko Choi Sang in "D.I.E. Again", and I wondered why I didn't see him very often.  I found out that he is actually an accomplished songwriter and music composer, but has also released one solo album titled "Singing Sincerely", making him very musically talented.  He has a nice voice that has a sweet charm to it, and his songs tend to be well polished since they're his own product.  Would like to see him act more often and release more solo material.

More Links:
"時間停頓" MV: http://youtu.be/z-wLfGrcgCs
"不要驚動愛情" MV: http://youtu.be/BozTuC0GVrM
"為神上路" MV: http://youtu.be/vIi1IJTanlE
"真心唱歌" MV: http://youtu.be/F3xuuaMZL9A

These are the male artistes of TVB whose singing I enjoy most.  There are others too, but these six are my personal favorites.  Hope you enjoy all the links I've provided, maybe you'll become a fan of one of these young talented men as well?  And of course, share your favorites with me as well!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The Next Top Fa Dan

Since TVB's loss of Charmaine Sheh, the TV station has lost their top actress and biggest cash cow.  As a result, they are grooming their current young actresses to take over the spot.  Although they are no longer too interested in one big star, they still want more strong first line actresses.  This post isn't trying to predict who can replace Charmaine Sheh, but rather, analyzing and evaluating who has what it takes to be the most successful actress in TVB overall.


My Top Choice
#1 - Myolie Wu
Favorite character/performance(s): The witty and professional lawyer Wong Sze Fu/Kris in "Ghetto Justice", Ling Ling in "Survivor's Law"

Favorite pairing(s): Myo&Sammul in "When Rules Turn Loose", Myo&Kevin in "Ghetto Justice"
Strength(s): Arguably the most versatile of all the young female actresses currently in TVB, consistently delivers solid performances despite receiving some mediocre roles
Weakness(es): Has been criticized by netizens for her performances in the past

In my opinion, Myolie Wu has what it takes to be the most successful actress in TVB and is the most versatile of today's generation.  In the blink of an eye, she has been in the entertainment industry for over 10 years, and her experience shows.  She was stuck playing weak and mediocre roles for a while, but has since overcome that rut.  Recently, she has been seen portraying a variety of roles that have garnered her praise and won over netizens again such as her roles in "A Chip Off the Old Block", "The Rippling Blossom, and "Ghetto Justice".  She does equally well in both comedy and drama.  Due to having the most consistent success this year, Myolie also has a very high chance of finally taking home the coveted "Best Actress" award.  I haven't started "Curse of the Royal Harem" and think she should've been nominated for "Ghetto Justice", but I still support her.  She has worked so hard and overcome so many obstacles as an actress, it is time for her to shine!

Honorable Mentions



#2 - Kate Tsui

Favorite character/performance(s): The tough yet adorable cop Ling Sin-Yee/Ada in "Forensic Heroes III"
Favorite pairing(s): Kate&Kenneth (in several series), Kate&Roger in "Wax and Wane"
Strength(s): Has determination that has consistently kept her working hard and improving her acting; works well with almost every co-star
Weakness(es): Has trouble portraying good and feminine characters due to her natural air of fierceness, still has many haters who refuse to accept her as an actress

Kate initially received a lot of criticism for being a bad actress, many people going as far as saying she should quit the entertainment industry.  However, she didn't let that criticism get to her and instead made it constructive by becoming determined to continue working hard to improve her acting.  This is why personality-wise, she has what it takes to be a successful actress.  Her narrow eyes give off this glare that can make her look evil, which used to be always present in her past performances.  This year has been a breakthrough for her acting-wise because she has successfully shed that "evil glare", but is still able to use that to her advantage when the time calls for it.  She possesses a natural air of fierceness that no other artiste has, which makes portraying tough and intelligent characters her specialty.  Her one major flaw is her inability to play good and gentle characters like Man Ka Fu/Peace in "Wax and Wane", where she seems tired, most likely from trying so hard to shed that natura air.  However, over time, I believe Kate can become a well-rounded actress.  Until then, she is still one of my favorite TVB artistes due to her determined personality, fighter girl spirit, fierce aura, and improvements in acting!



#3 - Fala Chen


Favorite character/performance(s): Szeto Ngan Ping in "Can't Buy Me Love"
Favorite pairing(s): Fala&Timmy in "The Stew of Life"
Strength(s): Has the widest variety of characters
Weaknesses(es): Fails to create sparks with co-stars on an emotional level

Compared to actresses like Kate, Linda, and Selena, Fala has the widest variety in the characters she plays.  Her acting has improved and she has shown us that she has comedic talent as well.  Fala was my top choice to be the next Charmaine Sheh a couple months ago, but that opinion has changed.  Her emotional scenes themselves are decent, but she has a lot of trouble creating sparks with co-stars on an emotional level.  By that, I mean she appears emotionally detached in romantic scenes.  She portrays lighthearted and sweet chemistry (i.e. she had chemistry with Timmy and Kenneth in the comedies "The Stew of Life" and "Can't Buy Me Love") just fine, yet struggles in going deeper.  Fala does not seem to like working with her on-screen love interests and particularly hates kiss and love scenes.  She avoids them at all costs and usually opts for camera angle tricks whenever possible.  Meanwhile, Kate manages to have chemistry with almost every on-screen love interest and can appear to be both lighthearted and passionate.  I've come to the sad realization that Fala acts well herself, but has not emotionally connected to any of her co-stars in a more dramatic series.

Also, in terms of character specialty, she is the opposite of Kate.  Feminine characters are her strength while tough characters are her weakness.  Of what I saw of "Lives of Omission", Fala was not believable as the tough and strong Madam Jo. This weakness may actually limit her more than Kate's.  In the end, both of these problems will hold her back as a serious actress.



#4 - Tavia Yeung


Favorite character/performance: Suen Ho Yuet in "Moonlight Resonance"
Favorite pairing(s): Tavia&Ruco in "The Other Truth"
Strength(s): Emotional/crying scenes
Weaknesses(s): Lack of variety in roles, has not done comedy

Despite possessing a natural elegance as well as major talent in drama series and emotional scenes, Tavia has been extremely limited in her roles lately.  Does she have the capability to be a lead actress?  Definitely!  But ever since she was promoted to lead actress, she has been restricted to weak and quite frankly, irritating characters that require her to cry way too much.  She has yet to show whether or not she has talent in comedy.  In general, her acting is much better than that of Kate and Fala's, but I question if her exquisite acting stretches beyond drama.  Tavia used to be my favorite TVB actress, but the repetitiveness and unlikability of her recent characters has caused me to no longer be excited to see her onscreen.  She could easily be much higher on this list if she had the opportunity to be more daring in the characters she portrayed.

Other Choices




#5 - Nancy Wu
Favorite character/performance: Hui Man Sze in "Gun Metal Grey", Eva in "Forensic Heroes III"
Favorite pairing(s): Nancy&Vincent in "Gun Metal Grey"
Strength(s): Overall a capable actress; consistently delivers in supporting roles
Weakness(es): Voice is not too pleasant and slightly irritating when she yells/screams

If an actress is truly talented and capable, they will leave a good impression on you no matter what the character they're playing.  This statement applies to Nancy, because while she has played irritating characters in the past ("Bing Bing" in "A Fistful of Stances"), she rarely fails to give a solid performance.  Her one and probably only major drawback in her acting is that her voice is not too pleasant on the ears when she yells and screams.  Maybe it's for this reason that I can not imagine Nancy as a lead actress, even though I absolutely love her.  However, I am pleased to see that she is a second lead in the boxing series with Kevin, Raymond Wong, and Selena Li.  Her character is a deaf and mute professional boxer.  I see another breakthrough for Nancy on the horizon.



#6 - Selena Li
Favorite character/performance(s): Cat Li in "Forensic Heroes II"
Favorite pairing(s): Selena&Kenneth
Strength(s): Does well in ancient series and emotional scenes
Weakness(es): Has a naturally sweet and innocent aura that could hinder her ability to portray evil

Selena is pretty as well as adorable.  Coupled with her solid acting, she is endearing to watch onscreen.  She has also proved she can play spoiled and somewhat conceited characters like in "To Grow With Love" and "The Four" without being too irritating.  She looks beautiful in ancient series and does well in her emotional scenes.  She can make improvements, but has a lot of potential and I hope to see her in more series in bigger roles!


#7 - Linda Chung
Favorite character/performance(s): N/A
Favorite pairing(s): Linda&Steven
Strength(s): Cries well
Weakness(es): Also has a naturally sweet and innocent aura that could hinder her ability to portray evil

Compared to the other potential fa dans, I think Linda has the least chances of becoming a top actress and I've yet to completely warm up to her.  Although she is a decent actress, she also has a naturally sweet and innocent aura like Selena.  However, I think this limits Linda more than Selena as she comes off as even more innocent to me.  This will keep her from portraying a wide variety of characters, especially villains.  However, she does do a very good job with her emotional scenes.

This is my evaluation and personal choices for who has what it takes to be the most successful actress in TVB.  What are your choices and thoughts?

Monday, November 14, 2011

"The Other Truth" Review


"The Other Truth" is the most case driven drama of the year, which is a shame since it had so much potential for intriguing and sweet love relationships and enjoyable character interactions.  While it is above average compared to other series this year, it falls significantly short of the preceding lawyer drama "Ghetto Justice", which better balanced cases and characters.  Putting aside my love and bias for Ruco Chan, I neither hated "The Other Truth" nor loved it.

Characters and Performances


Ruco Chan - "Keith"
After 17 years of struggling in the entertainment industry despite immense talent and good looks, Ruco finally landed a lead role and received the recognition and praise he deserves for his portrayal of "Keith".  The character feels tailor made for him, as Ruco excels at portraying gray characters.  Ruco has consistently delivered solid performances as semi-villains since returning to TVB, which caused many people to be biased against him.  I am very satisfied that not only did he get the chance to portray a good guy for a wider audience to like him, but was also given the chance to portray such an intriguing character that allowed him to showcase his talent.  Keith highly believes in justice, and is not afraid to take risks and come dangerously to the bottom line in order to achieve it.  Not only does Ruco have charisma that makes Keith ridiculously attractive, but he flawlessly brings out the rebellious and independent nature and unconventional thinking the character is supposed to have.  Ruco portrays Keith in such a charming, subtle, and natural fashion and has my vote for Best Actor as well as Favorite Male Character.

On a slightly off topic note, I usually don't like Producer Amy Wong much, but she gets major bonus points for seeing the talent in Ruco and finally letting my favorite artiste the chance to shine!

Tavia Yeung - "Mavis"
When I learned that Tavia would be portraying an independent and strong lawyer, I was ecstatic.  I thought that she would finally be able to break out of the weak and emotional characters she has been portraying lately.  However, other than being independent and intelligent, Mavis is a flat and uninteresting character.  In return, you wonder why Keith and Wallace both fell for her so hard.  Tavia brings nothing new with this portrayal.  She was sick during filming, which resulted in her screen time being distributed to others.  This makes me wonder, had Tavia not been sick, would Mavis have been more developed?

Raymond Wong - "Wallace"
Although Raymond Wong is another one of my favorite actors, I am glad the writers sidelined him more in favor of promoting Ruco, who has been in the industry a couple more years than Raymond.  "Wallace" was a more laid back and playful character compared to the ones Raymond has portrayed since being promoted to lead with less challenging material.  As a result, he portrays Wallace with ease.  Raymond is a handsome and great actor, but when standing with Ruco, the latter seems to outshine him in both aspects.


While Tavia and Raymond did share many cute scenes together, I preferred Ruco and Tavia together since I think they were more compatible personality wise.  They had things in common, but also had many differences that compliment each other.  Mavis encouraged Keith to be more structured and responsible while Keith encouraged Mavis to act outside the box and be more unorthodox.

Natalie Tong - "Cecillia"
Cecillia was perfectly likable, and her crush on Keith was sweet.  Natalie's performance was average, but I'm starting to feel like all her performances are the same.

Louis Yuen - "James"
Due to him not being nowhere as attractive and professional looking as Keith or Wallace, James is a hardworking and modest yet klutzy lawyer who strives to be taken seriously as a professional.  Although I don't like Louis too much, this was a nice role change for him.  I was annoyed with the amount of screen time he had in the beginning, but he grew on me later on.

Kenneth Ma - "Alex"
Kenneth's portrayal of Alex generated much discussion while the series was airing.  He takes a break from his usual righteous roles, which is a nice change.  There were certainly flaws in his performance (he seemed innocent at times), but overall he delivered.  His last scene was very chilling and realistic!

Highlights 
  • Ruco's performance as Keith.
  • The jury trial.  It was refreshing and interesting to see the jury interactions.  Not only was it a fantastic new spin on handling the cases, but we got to learn more about how a jury worked.  I commend all the actors featured in the case's jury as well, especially veteran Angelina Lo.
  • Keith and Mavis' bickering and bantering scenes.
  • Wallace's pursuit of Mavis.  Love how their code for help is "I love you"!
  • The scene with Mavis, Keith, Wallace, and James at the restaurant where Keith and Wallace fight over the cheesecake, which is supposed to symbolize Mavis.  James takes the cheesecake away from them, but ends up being too scared to eat it himself.
Overall

The second half of the last episode felt like a slap in the face for me due to most of the time being spent on Louis and Kristal Tin.  I wouldn't mind seeing them get their happy ending if it didn't drag on so long.  It angers me even more that the disappointing conclusion of Keith, Mavis, and Wallace's storyline was simply squeezed into the last minute.

While "The Other Truth" was certainly entertaining and addictive, it left much to be desired.   Some of the cases were poorly executed, such as the "kill the cop" case.  It had a lot of potential and started off strong, but the conclusion could've been better.  Meanwhile, the case with Rosanne Lui and Leanne Li dragged on way too long.  We were introduced to great characters with so much potential.  However, with the exception of Keith, the script fails to dive in and fully explore these characters and their relationships.

Do I want a sequel?  Yes, especially since it will be a direct sequel.  That way, the scriptwriters and producer Amy Wong get a second chance at further developing these characters.  Hopefully, the sequel will balance the cases and relationships better.  I am wary of how it will turn it, but I'm looking forward to it.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Friday, November 11, 2011

TVB 44th Anniversary Awards: My Voting Ballot

Although the nominations list was quite surprising, disappointing, and odd, I can't change anything about it.  That is why I've made my decision on who to support this year and have cast my votes on tvb.com!

Best Actor: Ruco Chan
After lots of discussion, debate, and "TVB politics", an obvious winner is yet to emerge.  Will it be Ruco, Kevin, Michael Tse, Steven, or Chilam?  Either way, I will always support Ruco.  He was not nominated for Most Improved Actor, so at least TVB also acknowledges he's extremely overqualified for the award.  I keep hope that he still does have a chance of winning Best Actor as he truly deserves it.  

Best Actress: Maggie Cheung
Although this role isn't too much of new territory for the incredibly versatile Maggie, it is the first role I've genuinely enjoyed her in since her comeback to TVB.  I can finally say welcome back, Maggie!

 Best Supporting Actor: Patrick Tang
Black horse candidates rule!  And even though Patrick has no chance of winning, I can still say I supported this surprisingly hilarious and adorable underrated actor.

 Best Supporting Actress: Sharon Chan
It was a tough choice between Sharon and Nancy.  I chose Sharon because after all her hard work these years without recognition, I think the time has finally come for her to shine!  

 My Favorite Male Actor: Ruco Chan/"Lau Sze Kit/Keith"
Need I once again state why I love this character (and Ruco) so much?

 My Favorite Female Character: "Wong Sze Fu/Kris"
Witty, intelligent, professional, and adorable.  My favorite character of Myolie's...her whole career!

 Most Improved Actor: Jazz Lam
Jazz used to be an over the top actor, and while he still exaggerates at times, he has toned it down and improved.  His role in "Ghetto Justice" could've been a huge miscast, yet he pulled off the role well.

 Most Improved Actress: Mandy Wong
With so much potential and true talent, nobody deserves to win more than Mandy.  She has proved her ability in both comedy and drama, while Sire Ma still struggles in emotional scenes.

 Best Drama: Ghetto Justice
Hands down the drama with the best and most refreshing script, characters, and acting all year.

TVB Weibo Popularity Award: Ruco Chan
Who did you think I was going to vote for?  After experiencing a huge increase in followers on Weibo and skyrocketing to the #1 position on tvb.com during the airing of "The Other Truth", Ruco will most likely take home this award.

Who's on your voting ballot?  Who do you support, and who do you think will win?  Share your opinion with me! :)

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

TVB 44th Anniversary Awards Nominations (TVB Interaction Picks)

I know I haven't updated in forever, but since Anniversary Awards are still my favorite time of year for TVB, I am coming out of hibernation!  Instead of making predictions this year, I will be making my own list of nominations.  These are my personal picks with minimal influence from predictions and gossip.  Most of these people will most likely not be nominated or have no chances of winning.  There is no set number of nominations, I nominated as many (or as little) as I thought deserved a nomination.   Note that there is some bias since these are my personal choices and I skipped many series this year.

Best Actor
Ruco Chan - The Other Truth
Joe Ma - Relic of an Emissary
Chilam Cheung - The Rippling Blossom
Roger Kwok - Wax and Wane

Ruco portrayed Keith with so much charisma and genuine emotion he should at lest be nominated and get into the top 5!  I'm not a fan of Laughing Gor and only watched 7 episodes of "Lives of Omission", so Michael Tse is not included.  Wayne gives a solid performance in "Forensic Heroes III", but it's not new territory for the versatile veteran actor who has already won this award twice.  My close friend noted that Joe's performance in "Relic" was superb yet underrated.  Although I did not watch the series, I don't want the underdog to go unnoticed!  While Chilam's performance and character was nothing extraordinary, he was cute and likable.  He is rumored to take home this award as an incentive/"bribe" from TVB so that he will agree to film "Triumph in the Skies II".  Roger's performance in "Wax and Wane" may not be anything new, but he portrays "Yee Chun" with so much charm and sincerity.  After seeing him in many lackluster comedic roles recently, it was refreshing to see him in a dramatic role that showed his emotional range and soft side.

Best Actress
Myolie Wu - Ghetto Justice
Maggie Cheung - Forensic Heroes III

If the male performances for this year weren't award worthy, the females were even less so.  My only choices are Myolie and Maggie.  Myolie was great as a witty and intelligent lawyer.  Maggie is very professional as "Dr. Chung" and pulls off the role of a pathologist very well.

Best Supporting Actor
Damien Lau - The Rippling Blossom
Derek Kwok - Wax and Wane
Patrick Tang - 7 Days in Life
Raymond Wong - The Other Truth

In a smaller role than he usually plays, Damien is surprisingly hilarious in the first comedic role I've ever seen of his!  He portrays the grumpiness and roughness of his character so well and had so much chemistry with Myolie and Chilam.  Derek Kwok consistently delivers as a solid supporting actor, and "Wax and Wane" is no exception.  Patrick isn't the best actor and "7 Days in Life" has sadly been long forgotten, but is my honorable mention.  He proved that he has great comedic timing.  I never expected him to be so genuinely cute and funny or have so much chemistry with Mimi Lo.  Raymond Wong did well in "The Other Truth" has the cool, rich boy and shared many cute scenes with Tavia (and this is a Ruco-Tavia fan speaking).

Best Supporting Actress
Kate Tsui - Lives of Omission
Mimi Lo - 7 Days in Love
Nancy Wu - Forensic Heroes III
Sharon Chan - Ghetto Justice

Despite not watching "Lives of Omission", I think Kate has improved so much as an actress.  Mimi Lo is hilarious and adorable in "7 Days" with Patrick!  They had so much chemistry and were very underrated.  "Eva" is unlike any other character Nancy has played and quite intriguing.  Sharon is the hot choice to win this year, and I support her.  Her performance may not have been spectacular, but she was likable and has been so hardworking in her career I'm willing to turn a blind eye to that.  Perhaps it's time for Sharon to finally shine!

My Favorite Male Character
Ruco Chan - The Other Truth, "Keith"
Roger Kwok - Wax and Wane, "Yee Chun"
Kevin Cheng - Ghetto Justice, "Law Ba"

Keith is righteous and professional, yet tries to push his limits and do whatever he can to establish justice.  Charming and sweet, yet rebellious.  A great example of a grey character!  Yee Chun was the classic tough-exterior, soft-exterior character, an archetype I never seem to get tired of.  He came off as serious and slightly cold but inside, had the deepest care and love for his family.  Law Ba is the hot favorite, and was indeed an entertaining and unique character.  However, Keith is still my favorite character of the year, with Yee Chun as a close second.

My Favorite Female Character
Myolie Wu - Ghetto Justice, "Kris"
Kate Tsui - Wax and Wane, "Peace"

I usually have countless female characters that I love, so the number this year is disappointing.  Kris is so professional and witty it's endearing.  Although Kate could've done a better job at her portrayal of Peace, the character was incredibly sweet and cute.  I loved how she was the only one that could get Yee Chun to open up!  The little notes she wrote for him were adorable.  With every note she wrote for him, he came closer to falling in love with her. :)

Most Improved Actor
Ruco Chan
Edwin Siu

I really don't think I need to keep restating my love, admiration, and respect for Ruco.  This award has his name written on it even though he's overqualified for the award considering how much experience he has.  When asked about winning any awards, he replied “Many people feel that I have a good chance in winning the Most Improved Actor Award. However, if the award title were changed to ‘Oldest Qualified Newcomer Award,’ then I have confidence to win!”  So cute, yet so true.  Edwin Siu seems to be getting promoting more lately, which he deserves.  He is cute and has a lively acting style different from other young actors, and I think he can groomed to become a leading actor over time.

Most Improved Actress
Mandy Wong

My one and only choice.  Mandy is rather plain looking, but puts so much effort into her performances, making her extremely likable.  Out of the new young actresses, I strongly believe she has the most potential.  TVB, give her bigger roles!

TVB Weibo Popularity 
Ruco Chan

Following his breakthrough and success from "The Other Truth", Ruco has finally received the recognition and fans he deserves.  He has been the #1 artiste on tvb.com for a while and has gained many more followers on Weibo since portraying Keith.

Lifetime Achievement
Liza Wang

At 64 years old, Liza still possesses the youthfulness and spirit of someone much younger.  She exceeds at everything she does and has been loyal to TVB for countless years.

Best Drama
Ghetto Justice

With the most original, creative, and solidly written script and characters for a TVB series in years, "Ghetto Justice" deserves to win hands down.  "7 Days in Life" is a honorable mention for its original and comedic storyline, but its lead characters were not executed well.  "The Other Truth" was a highlight only for Ruco/Keith, while the series itself was mediocre.  "Forensic Heroes III" is addictive and entertaining, but not outstanding.