TVB 46th Anniversary: My Predictions and Picks

That time of year has come again! Despite my rather unstable interest in TVB and its series these days (I've watched and actually completed maybe 5 this year), the anniversary season always makes me excited. With that, here is my annual post on my predictions and picks for the awards show!

Best Actor 

Predicted Winner: Chilam Cheung
Predicted Top 5: Chilam Cheung, Francis Ng, Kenneth Ma, Wayne Lai, Dayo Wong
Most Deserving: Ruco Chan
Personal Choice: Ruco Chan

The race for Best Actor this year has been an interesting one. Despite TVB's tendency to not like giving awards to "non-biological children", many of this year's hot choices have been non-managed artists, from Chilam to Francis to Dayo. While it was initially thought to be Kenneth's year, Chilam's popularity has surged since portraying "Captain Cool". TVB will likely give the award to him as an incentive to film more often. While I agree Chilam is charismatic and entertaining, I found his character to be highly overrated and poorly developed, going from a carefree playboy to a lovelorn, clingy man without much explanation. However, biases aside, the strongest and most intriguing male lead performance of the year has got to be Ruco as "Sam" in "Brother's Keeper." Although the series held some plot holes and Sam's development wasn't always completely logical, Ruco portrayed the complex character phenomenally. Heck, he deserves an award just for the scene where he hugs a blindfolded and kidnapped Linda from behind. You know an actor has true talent when he or she can show so much emotion through nothing but their eyes.

Best Actress 

Predicted Winner: Kristal Tin
Predicted Top 5: Kristal, Linda Chung, Joey Meng, Tavia Yeung, and Kate Tsui
Most Deserving: Kristal and Joey
Personal Choice: Joey

If TVB still has any sense of fairness and good judgement, they will not bestow the title of "TV Queen" to Linda, or at least not this year and for "Brother's Keeper." Linda is hardly the worst actress out there and has given decent performances, but "Rachel" is nowhere near her representative work. To award her for this role would be a huge joke simply because the character gave no room to Linda to actually show her acting. As for who I think is most deserving and like to see win, it's a very tough choice and close call between Joey and Kristal. If I had to choose, I would pick Joey for her deliciously evil and subtle, quiet, but scarily manipulative and cunning villain.

Favorite Male Character

Predicted Winner: Kenneth Ma
Most Deserving: Ruco Chan
Personal Choice: Ruco Chan

Kenneth will lose again, and receive this as consolation. Once again.

Favorite Female Character

Predicted Winner: Linda Chung
Most Deserving: Kristal Tin
Personal Choice: Kristal

In the case TVB is fair and really does give Kristal Best Actress, they will probably also want to give a consolation to Linda. However, if it's anyone who deserves a double win this year, it's Kristal. Though over the top at times, "Ah Ying" was indeed a meaty and lovable character who you couldn't help but root for.

Best Supporting Actor 

Predicted Winner: Edwin Siu
Predicted Top 2: Edwin, Him Law
Most Deserving: Edwin
Personal Choice: Edwin
Most notable snub: Vincent Wong in "A Change of Heart"
Other snubs: Max Cheung, Geoffrey Wong, and Glen Lee in "Come Home Love"

At a whooping 15 nominations, TVB has a tendency to nominate almost everyone, if not everyone, for an award, reducing the prestige of one. Yet, they manage to snub Vincent when he gives the strongest, most endearing, and natural performance of his career so far. Since Griselda Yeung received a surprise nomination, I would have also liked to see either Max, Geoffrey, or Glen receive one for their work on "Come Home Love" as well. And yet, Jason was nominated despite being heavily criticized for his unnatural performance in "Will Power." But I digress. TVB seems to really want to give Edwin a reward considering the presence of his name in every acting/character category, and if he takes home any award, I think it will be this one. While "A Great Way to Care 2" was not a huge hit amongst audiences, Edwin's star is continuing to shine brighter. He does not create as much buzz as actors like Him, but has improved immensely since his "Aqua Hero" days, possesses so much charm and affability, and injects honesty in his portrayals. I can only hope that TVB will finally recognize him for this on the night of the 16th. Since last year saw TVB only revealing the top 2 nominees, I'm thinking Him will be Edwin's biggest competitor.

Best Supporting Actress 

Predicted Winner: Elena Kong
Predicted Top 2: Elena, Mandy Wong
Most Deserving: Elena
Personal Choice: N/A

This is probably the most boring category this year. No one has emerged as a front runner and it was never a much talked about topic among the press. With that said, like every year as of late, Elena and Mandy each have a chance and have been delivering as always. I would say the odds are more in Elena's favor as she is nominated for "Triumph." While I'm not betting on this one, I would not mind her finally taking this award home at all. Despite initially being worried about how awkward she and Kenneth would be together and disliking the series overall, it ended up being one of the subplots I quite enjoyed. However, there is no one I am outright rooting for this year.

Most Improved Actor

Predicted Winner: Jason Chan
Most Deserving: Vincent Wong
Personal Choice: Vincent
Most Notable Snub: Lai Lok Yi

If there's someone whose odds are not in his favor, it's Vincent. This would not be his first nomination for this category, but I have been wholeheartedly rooting for him to nab it this year since "A Change of Heart." His name would be written all over the award if it was based solely on acting performance. Sadly, the lack of buzz for the otherwise great series gives him next to no chance. I can still cross my fingers. If he loses to anyone, I'd rather it be Him or Edwin (though the latter is overqualified). Yet, TVB still seems set on grooming Jason despite him making the least improvements of the five guys. I'm slightly surprised and very disappointed to not see Lai Lok Yi on the list. I thought that Lok Yi was a lost cause and would only continue be a decent but bland actor, but he has improved so much as the playful, humorous, and rather cocky but kind "John Ma" in "Come Home Love." To not give him recognition for this is disappointing.

Most Improved Actress

Predicted Winner: Eliza Sam
Most Deserving: Grace Wong, Cilla Lok
Personal Choice: Grace

Priscilla is a hot contender, but it just feels too weird to me for TVB to give a newcomer in their debut year the "Most Improved" award. How can someone improve if they have just started out? Eliza is a more likely choice, though she has improved the least. It was a pleasant surprise to see Grace on the list as though I had previously disliked her, I genuinely enjoyed her in "Awfully Lawful" and found her very endearing and much more natural. Cilla has also improved by heaps and bounds in the last two years and gone from cringe worthy to cute, comfortable, and confident onscreen. Unfortunately, her youthful and baby faced look has her type casted in the little sister roles and would be hard to promote, giving TVB little incentive to give it to her.

Best Drama

Predicted Winner: "Triumph in the Skies 2"
Most Deserving: "A Change of Heart", "Brother's Keeper"
Personal Choice: "A Change of Heart"

The "Best Drama" award is usually one of two things: Totally predicable, or one big "WTF" (Ala last year's "When Heaven Burns" win). If TVB returns to the predictable road, ratings hit (but hopelessly overrated) "Triumph in the Skies 2" will win. However, I wouldn't dismiss the possibility of this year's other ratings hit and black horse "Inbound Troubles" nabbing it either. I highly enjoyed "Brother's Keeper", but will choose "A Change of Heart" as my overall personal choice for its perfect mixture of multiple genres and the former had more plot inconsistencies.

This is my fifth consecutive year writing a predictions post! I wonder how accurate I will be this year. Comment with who you think will win and what your personal choices are!