Burning Flame III Review

TVB continues their disappointing series streak with Burning Flame III. I haven't watched the original or the first sequel, but I know that Burning Flame is a very beloved series. With that said, I have to say that the third does not even meet the 'average' mark. Unlike the first two, evenly balancing out love/relationships with the dangers of being a firefighter, BF3 focuses too much on all the bad stuff TVB has to offer: love triangles + rushed and undeveloped relationships. What did that leave the viewer feeling? Frustrated. Let's try to continue this review with a more positive and critical attitude than a negative and bashing one...This review will also attempt to use a different format than the usual one...

The series started strong, or at least the first episode did. The first episode opens with Encore (Bosco Wong) and his friend (played by Oscar Leung) getting stuck in the middle of a huge storm which turns into a flood in Encore's car. The two are about to drown, but Chung Yau Shing (Wong He) comes to their rescue. The first ten minutes or so will leave you at the edge of your seat. It's this scene that makes you feel how heroic and brave Ah Shing is.

A common complaint for the first half of the series was the flashbacks. These flashbacks lasted for almost 10 episodes, and took up nearly half or whole episodes. Personally, I found flashbacks for this particular series necessarily. They can complete the task of setting up the Ah Shing/Ah Ying/Rex love triangle and explaining to us how it all began. The flashbacks were too excessive though, and at the time I couldn't wait for them to be over. When they were finally over, and we were finally at the present, I felt that the series only became worse. Perhaps the flashbacks were the strongest point of the series, but we just didn't realize that until we traveled back to the present to see our two leading men fighting for the one they love.

We are first introduced to Wong He's 'Ah Shing' as an 'ox.' He works hard and puts his best effort into everything he does. Brother Ox never gave up. Consequently, he is a very stubborn man. While it's great to never give up, we know that there are certain things that you should just give up on. Ah Shing unfortunately was not aware of that, and applied his stubborn and determined personality to his failing love relationship. Even when Ah Ying confronted him saying that she was no longer in love with him and broke up with him, he couldn't let her go. Of course, there are always people who 'can't let go' initially, leaving them heartbroken. Ah Shing's broken heart and inability to let go was taken to an extreme level, making him nor anyone else around him happy. Ah Shing just didn't know when it was time to give up and move on. His stubbornness is aggravating to watch. I am actually happy that he spent 10 episodes in a coma, as I personally wouldn't have been able to stand 32 full episodes of his stubbornness.

Perhaps Wong He is such an excellent actor that he convinced us with his portrayal of the stubborn and annoying man. 'Chung Yau Shing' was a waste of Wong He's talent.

Kevin Cheng and Myolie Wu are both versatile actors, as seen with their breakthrough performances in Last One Standing and Survivor's Law. In recent years though, the two have become type casted into one type of role. Those who have not watched their breakthrough performances, or simply don't remember them, no longer think that Kevin or Myolie can act.

Kevin is constantly playing the cool 'Mr. Nice Guy' and it's obviously not a challenge for him. While he is enjoyable to watch, I tend to question myself numerous times on whether or not he can really act. His performance in Last One Standing was excellent though, and Burning Flame 3's 'Rex' manages to still be likable. The scenes were he was clumsily trying to control his wheelchair were hilarious too.

The role of 'Ah Ying' was supposedly a more 'mature' role for Myolie. It turns out that if anything, Myolie was only given a more mature outer look (her hairstyle) and was paired up with older guys. Ko Wai Ying is another 'weak' role for Myolie to play. I'm tired of Myolie playing these characters and I wish TVB would give her another interesting character like the beloved Ling Ling in Survivor's Law. Myolie still manages to give off a sweet and innocent aura which makes you like her though. Her emotional scenes were also very well done. I still do not doubt that Myolie has what it takes to be one of our next fa dans.

The love triangle between Wong He, Kevin, and Myolie is one you wish you didn't have to watch. Myolie and Wong He had no chemistry whatsoever, but she looked ok with Kevin. The two managed to pull off a sweet chemistry, but it was obvious that their script was a mess.

Then comes Bosco and Aimee, our young couple. That is, if you could even consider them a couple. Although the two were occasionally cute, their relationship was ridiculous. Encore and Easy were too immature and irresponsible towards their attitude, thinking, and decision making. They still acted like kids, and yet they had to raise one. I felt sorry for their baby.

Encore, although he sometimes brought badly needed comic relief, was for the most part irritating. He sometimes got on my nerves. However, I enjoyed his friendship with his mentor Brother Ox in the beginning of the series. Their interactions were sweet, entertaining, and funny. Wong He and Bosco collaborate greatly. Come to think of it, their friendship is one of the best parts about this series.

I was never a fan of Bosco, and my opinion still remains unchanged. I don't find him good looking or charming. I can't deny he is one of the better younger actors though. Encore isn't one of his best characters. I don't believe that winning the Best Actor award is anywhere in his future. How Bosco was even nominated for Best Actor this year still blows my mind. Personally, Ron deserves Bosco's nomination much more for his performance in E.U.

I've been keeping an open mind to MHK 2006 winner Aimee Chan. The outcome is not that bad. Aimee acts surprisingly good for a newcomer. She delivered a decent performance and managed to not look too bad against the rest of the cast. Obviously she has to improve her accent and fluency in Cantonese though, but I believe she will eventually. On the other hand, I believe it is still too early for her to win Most Improved Actress.

No one would've thought that the most annoying character at the start of the series would wind up becoming their most liked character, never mind me. Stephen Wong's Ko Ho-Nam is hands down the most well written character in the whole series. Unlike the rest of the characters, he is dynamic. He goes through change and maturity at a reasonable pace to the point he is an ambitious, responsible, hardworking, and sweet gentleman. What a contrast to the lazy bum who didn't have any idea what to do with his life! Ko Ho-Nam is my favorite character in his series and one of my favorite characters of this year. As for Stephen's performance, I can say that he has greatly improved. However, his performances seem to be on a roller coaster ride. In specific series he is rather wooden, then in others he does a decent job.

Stephen and Elaine make a sweet and refreshing couple. The two look nice together and they share a sweet chemistry. Unfortunately, their relationship is the most undeveloped. The so called 'love triangle' between Elaine, Stephen, and Chan Chin Pang never came full circle. The problem with Chan Chin Pang's character is resolved rather quickly and he appears merely in a couple episodes. It was also a shame that the audience was only able to infer that the two got together at the end instead of showing us. I also wasn't very fond of Elaine's character Ah Man and found her somewhat annoying and pretty whiny. At times I thought Ah Nam even deserved someone better.

Leanne Li's Kristy is the most unnecessary character in TVB history. While a daring attitude is good, Kristy's techniques of courting Rex were way too obvious. It annoyed me how she seemed to just be throwing herself at him. Leanne also still fails to deliver a solid performance. If anything, I don't mind her playing simply a character's friend or sister.

While I don't think June Ho had a very hard character to play, she was sweet and likable as the kindhearted nurse. She and Wong He make a much more compatible couple than him and Myolie. It was great that Wong He was able to find someone else he could love. I wish June would've appeared earlier on in the series though.

Highlights of Burning Flame

• Without a doubt, the best scenes of this too long series was the fire rescue scenes. They were intense and very well done. Those scenes made my heart beat rapidly and left me holding my breath. I was aware no one was going to die, but the intensity still left me anxious.
• The scenes between Wong He and Bosco. It was hilarious seeing Bosco constantly going to bother his 'mentor' and 'lifesaver.'
• Ah Nam's gradual change. His character is the most interesting to watch. It is quite a surprise that the most well written character is a supporting one with barely any screen time.
• The scenes with the other firefighters like Sam Chan, Matthew Ko, and Eddie Li. Their interactions and discussions were hilarious. They were very enjoyable to watch and generally brought a smile to your face.

The Bad

• The series is too draggy, and it would've been much better if cut down to 20-25 episodes.
• There was not enough focus on the life of the firefighters, but instead way too much focus on the love relationships.
• Wong He's stubborn character.
• Leanne Li's unnecessary appearance.

Recommended? No. Really, I wonder why they decided to make another Burning Flame sequel anyway, especially so long after the second one. It fails to be a memorable series, never mind a great installment to such a beloved production. There are many great and strong aspects of the series, but the bad out dos the good.

Rating: 2 stars

TVB's Message: Cell Phones Can Be Dangerous

Regardless of whether it was on purpose or not, TVB sent viewers the message of the danger that cell phones can bring. In 2007's The Building Blocks of Life and 2009's Burning Flame 3, two kind and wise grandmothers met their demise when they both were hit by a car. The people who were supposed to be by their side though were coincidentally occupied doing the same thing--talking away on a cell phone.


The Building Blocks of Life Cell Phone Death Summary

Ah Da (Tavia Yeung) and her grandma are on the sidewalk waiting to catch a bus. Ah Da's cell phone rings and she walks further away to talk to Ah Keung (Alex Fong). She is at this point completely emerged in her conversation, and oblivious of everything else around her. A bus arrives across the street, and after failing to get Ah Da's attention, her grandma walks across the street herself. A speeding car roams down the road, hitting the grandma in the process. This results in her death, and a teary and depressed granddaughter.




Burning Flame 3 Cell Phone Death Summary


Ah Nam (Stephen Wong Ka Lok) was walking down the street with his "3rd grandma." His friend calls him and Ah Nam walks ahead of his 3rd grandma to continue talking to him. His 3rd grandma is left alone by herself. A car whizzes by and kills her, but not immediately. Unlike in The Building Blocks of Life, she is allowed a final few words.


A Bit Off-Topic...The Effects of the Death

This article is supposed to be about the dangers of cell phones, but I felt the need to add this. Death has different effects on people. Death also comes upon different people (no matter how good they are), at different times (no matter how young), and in different scenarios (besides old age). . Normally, when someone close to a person dies, and they happened to be with them at the time of their death, they will blame it on their selves. Both characters, Ah Da and Ah Nam, were no different. After getting past this stage though, the deaths leave different impacts on the two characters. Ah Da went through a long period of sadness from losing her only relative, and the one who rose her. She becomes very depressed. Her state of depression often ended up getting her in trouble, as she mostly used Ah Keung as her shoulder to cry on. On the other hand, the death of his grandma was a 'wake up call' to Ah Nam. The situation makes Ah Nam turn a complete 360. He matures into a better, more responsible person. Word of his grandma afterward though are rare, and while I don't believe she was 'forgotten', she definitely wasn't mentioned.

Basically...

Both deaths were caused by someone's negligence. Both Ah Da and Ah Nam were irresponsible for paying attention to a phone call with someone instead of the person at their side. While the fault in both situations partly lied in the speeding drivers, the deaths could've been prevented. Then again, everyone makes mistakes so....*shrugs.*

What Cell Phones Have Done to Our Society

Cell phones have become much more advanced over the years. As they do, people start to use them more. And more. And more. What are one of the most common places to talk on a cell phone these days? In the car while driving. In recent years, many car accidents have occurred due to people talking on cell phones while driving. When they do, they will usually struggle to keep the phone by their ear and not letting it fall. More recently though, we've been able to talk 'hands-free' with earphones. What we didn't realize though that the problem didn't lie in the struggle with keeping the phone in place. It lied in the conversation itself. When one is busy having a conversation, they can often divert their attention to just that. They'll pay less attention to the road, and that's when disaster strikes. It's not just while driving when people talk on cell phones. People talk wherever they go. Like I said above, the conversations tend to distract people. It makes them oblivious to something important happening around them. Many people talk while walking down the streets (like Ah Da and Ah Nam). Streets are always busy and hectic. Pedestrians and cars aren't exactly a pleasant mix. All people aren't good drivers either. You've got your reckless drivers, and your drunk drivers. Talking on a cell phone while walking down the street only increases your chance of getting hit by one.

While I love cell phones, and the convenience they bring, they've definitely started to take 'control' of people's lives. People talk way too much on them (just look at the average American teen's phone bill). I really wish people would tone it down a bit. The sight of someone talking on a cell phone while driving is one of the sights that drives me nuts most. Whenever I see that, I see disaster. Laws have been made prohibiting people to do so in some states, but that doesn't stop them.


Applauding TVB

TVB sometimes manages to send out an important message. My question is whether or not it is on purpose, or they do it inadvertently. Death is the worth case scenario of practically every scenario. I hope that people took notice of this, and I hope people will realize what the consequences are of doing such things that at the time seem like 'no big deal.'

'Burning Flame 3' Favorite Character Poll Results

It's been a while since Burning Flame 3 ended and I have no wish to continue or go back to watch the parts I missed. My Burning Flame 3 favorite character poll has been up for some time, so I've closed it. The results are in, and there are a total of 24 votes.

Who is your favorite character in 'Burning Flame 3?'

Chung Yau-Shing (Wong He) : 1 vote / 4%

Cheuk Pak-Yue/Rex (Kevin Cheng) : 9 votes / 38% <----------

Ko Wai-Ying (Myolie Wu) : 3 votes / 13%

Fong Lei-On/Encore (Bosco Wong) : 9 votes / 38% <---------

Yung Siu-Yee/Easy (Aimee Chan) : 0 votes / 0%

Ko Ho-Nam (Stephen Wong) : 1 vote / 4%

Cheuk-Man (Elaine Yiu) : 1 vote / 4%

The title of TVB Interaction's 'Burning Flame 3' Favorite Character is a tie between Cheuk Pak-Yue/Rex and Fong Lei-On/Encore.

The results don't surprise me, though I thought Easy would've gotten at least one vote. (Poor Easy) I was ok with Rex and Encore was what brought some badly needed comical relief, but I still like Ah Nam the most. What a shame he only got one vote...:(

Burning Flame 3: Favorite Character Poll

The first poll is up, so come cast your vote! Who's your favorite character in Burning Flame 3? My vote here goes to Ah Nam (Stephen Wong). Not because of his relationship with Ah Man (Elaine Yiu), but because I liked his character growth. At first I hated his Ah Nam. He was a lazy, slack and impolite bum with a bad attitude. Later though, he matured after witnessing (and thinking he was to blame for) his grandma's death. I thought it was smart of him to clear out the sidewalk for the ambulance carrying Ah Shing to pass through. Since then he's become an ambitious person and has learned the importance of saving a life. It's too bad that as of now Elaine is only in love with Benny/Ruco Chan, because I'm falling in love with him!

On a side note, I think Stephen has improved on his acting. He's not as wooden as he was before.

Banner #1: Stephen Wong & Elaine Yiu - Love Can't Always Be Simple

TVB Interaction presents our first banner ever! Yay! :)

Click on the picture to see it in its full size, it looks best that way.

If you've been reading my updates on Twitter, you probably know that I have become a fan of the Stephen Wong and Elaine Yiu pairing. They're the only reason I'm not dropping Burning Flame 3. They are a new and fresh couple. I've heard Elaine was Stephen's love interest in A Journey Called Life, which I've yet to watch. However, their love line ended sadly with Elaine dying, and the two never got together. That's why I still consider them a 'new and fresh' couple. They share sweet chemistry, and is the first on-screen couple I've liked in a while. These days the on-screen pairs are either overused (Rayda and Boscolie are great, but it's time for other people to make 'sparks' together) or they just don't have chemistry.

In Burning Flame 3, the two get themselves in a love triangle with Ruco Chan. Stephen has a crush on Elaine, who is interested in Benny/Ruco. It turns out, that Ruco is married.

Out of habit, I check AsianEU frequently to see entertainment news (not that I always believe them), ratings reports, and etc. I look through the site for a couple minutes and leave. An article about Stephen Wong and Elaine Yiu was posted on July 31st, but I never read it until yesterday. I don't know how it slipped my eye.

(Read the article here: http://asianuniverse.net/forums/Elaine_Yiu_Stephen_Wong_experienced_painful_triangle_relati_t171727.html)

The article, in summary, tells how both Stephen and Elaine have been previously hurt by two timers, just like in Burning Flame 3. Elaine had a boyfriend who she didn't know was already married, and she broke up with him because she did not want to be a third person that ruins someone's family. Stephen had his girlfriend cheat on him, and even had her say that he did not meet her requirements. I feel sorry for both of them, but I can tell the experience has made them both more mature and stronger. On the other hand...who were the two stupid people who cheated on these great two? Anyway..

The story behind the banner....

When I saw the pictures in the article, I started liking Stephen+Elaine even more. The pictures are beautiful. Elaine is prettier than ever, and Stephen looks pretty good. What I loved about these pictures was how it made them really look like an actual couple, especially the first picture. They look very cute and compatiable together. After looking at these pictures, I finally had an inspiration for a banner. I thought these pictures would look very nice in a banner. I used the line 'Love can't always be simple" in it, because I think it matches perfectly with their situation in Burning Flame 3 and the personal experiences they had. Stephen quoted in the article that "In the past I thought love was something very simple."

It's not very special or complex banner. Unlike love, it's 'simple.' I did not use Photshop or any other premium photo editing program. I created the banner entirely in Paint and added the text in Picnik. (Boy, those are a lot of P's...xD) However, I really like it. I think the quote was the perfect touch, too. It's not very impressive, but it's my first banner. Also, I think it's pretty good for a banner that was made entirely in a free program that has been around since Windows XP. What do you think of the banner? Of Stephen and Elaine? Constructive criticsim, compliments, and tips on how to make better banners will be great!