"Forensic Heroes 3" Review

Watch with low expectations and an open mind.  By doing so, this reboot of the beloved franchise can actually be very enjoyable and relaxing to watch.  While not extraordinary by any means, "Forensic Heroes 3" is one of the standouts of 2011 for its decent entertainment value and great cast.

Characters and Cast Performances


A reboot of such a loved series with a new cast and characters could've been a disaster.  However, TVB was able to assemble a great cast that worked extremely well together.  Nevertheless, I wish they had just given it a different name.  By carrying the "Forensic Heroes" name, it angered and turned away (close minded) fans of the first two and ended chances of another installment with the original cast.

Wayne Lai - Pro Sir
Good actor, solid performance, but flat character with not much substance.  Pro Sir was likable, but more could've been done with him.  However, I enjoyed the scenes with his family (played by Yuen Wah and talented child actress Moon Chan).

Maggie Cheung - Mandy Chung
Finally, a character and performance from Maggie I can actually consider a good comeback!  Having been the original choice to play Yoyo Mung's character in the first "Forensic Heroes", it was nice to TVB to invite her to replace Charmaine Sheh.  This worked out well, as Maggie did a solid job portraying Mandy's professional as well as off-work side.

Kate Tsui - Ada Ling
Is it unrealistic for a senior inspector to curl her hair every morning?  Yes.  But you have to cut Kate some slack as it is TVB's wardrobe and hair and make up department that dictates artiste's look for the series.  For whatever reason, they always make Kate look most feminine when she's playing a cop.  How contradicting.  I can't deny that she looks very pretty and stylish here.  Loved her hair and clothes!  In the time where the young people are taking over TVB, I was able to overlook how oddly young Kate and Ron were to be senior inspectors.

Appearance and casting decisions aside, Kate was cute and fierce as a tough and smart cop.  Her reactions to Ko Sir's pursuit of her were too hilarious and adorable.  Her acting has become a lot more convincing and gradually becoming more natural.

Ron Ng - Wind
"Wind" is Ron's worst role in years.  The character was boring, undeveloped, and had very little screen time.  Even Edwin had more to do than him!  Ron has improved so much as an actor, but hasn't been able to show it for a while.

Edwin Siu - Ken Ho
I know Edwin's acting has vastly improved since his return to TVB, but his performance as "Ken" justifies it.  He is cute, lively, and extremely likable.  However, it was his acting in the finale that blew me away.  His emotional and crying scenes were superb and he definitely should've been nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Most Improved.  Happy to see TVB is promoting him and am looking forward to seeing him in more major roles.

Aimee Chan - Angel Chiang
Her accent is still strong but it was funny how everybody poked fun at her for being an "ABC".

Ruco Chan - Jim Fong
A huge step down from "Keith" as "Jim" lacked substance, but he was still likable and charming as always.

Nancy Wu - Eva Chow
What a refreshing and different role for Nancy!  She was superb as the driven and capable lawyer.  Although she had a strong desire to win cases at all costs, she was proven to still be human.

Character Dynamics


Wayne and Maggie's relationship was subtle and sweet.  It was too obvious how compatible they were from the beginning.

Despite the age differences and appearance incompatibility, Wayne&Nancy and Maggie&Ruco's relationship as well as Maggie and Kate's friendship were all convincing and enjoyable to watch.  Wayne, Nancy, and their family were fun to watch.   The family's subsequent struggle was sad.

Maggie and Ruco's short lived relationship was sweet.  It was refreshing to see that both consistently acted like the mature and logical adults they were, right down to their break up.  This made it very easy to watch them.

Kate and Maggie were a great representation of modern career women who are best friends.  They look so incompatible appearance wise, but Maggie's professionalism and Kate's ability to get along with her co-stars makes it work well.

Kate and Ron's "brothers to lovers" love story was disappointing. They were cute together and Ron's confession to her on the rooftop was sweet.  Due to Wind's flat characterization, the two's relationship was mostly unfulfilled potential.

Finding the Balance


In the first half of the series, case after case is thrown at you.  There was barely any focus on the characters themselves.  The dominance of the cases in the storyline made me worry it'd go down the road of wasted character potential.  Luckily, it started to slow down and balance cases and relationships in the second half.

The Cases


Decent yet forgettable, and most of them predictable.  As I'm writing this, I've already forgotten most of them.  The first one was extremely predictable, most likely to throw us off that the rest would be as equally predictable.  The cases could've been better, but could've been a lot worse.  The forensics here were less impressive and not as focused on as in the original.

Conclusion


"Forensic Heroes 3" isn't outstanding, but addictive, entertaining, and enjoyable.  Unlike the first two, it branches beyond the field of forensics and has a more diverse cast.  With low expectations, I was able to enjoy FH3 more than almost any other series this year.

Rating: 4 stars

Message From Iris: Comeback and Thank You's

I've been trying to stage a comeback for TVB Interaction for nearly a year, but was never able to successfully do so.  There were a couple attempts here and there, but they were all quickly run into the ground after one or two posts.  Thanks to the TVB anniversary spirit, I was finally able to make a comeback and rekindle my interest in this blog last month.

I'd update regardless of how many people read it as long as I was still passionate about it.  However, I was worried that after being in hibernation and barely updating for months, I lost all or most of my readers.  To my complete surprise, my comeback outperformed my expectations.  While playing around with Blogger's new interface, I looked at my site statistics.  I was surprised to see that TVB Interaction received more page views in November than any other month in the last year.  It was more than double the number of views I usually get in a month!  Of course, that's probably mostly because of the anniversary awards, but I'm still pleased.  I'm also happy to see that my previously most loyal readers are still here and supporting me by regularly commenting.  Especially big thank you Chriselle, Queen_Owl, LynneD., Krystal, and Nancy for being TVB Interaction's top commenters and overall most loyal supporters!

This message is simply to officially announce my comeback to the TVB blogging world and thank everyone for continuously supporting this blog!  Also,  I will still be updating Beauty of Critique from time to time.  Hope everyone keeps supporting TVB Interaction!

Love,

Iris

TVB 44th Anniversary Awards: Red Carpet Fashion Critique

The red carpet is where you'll find the best and most noteworthy fashion.  This year, many different colors, styles, and designs once again graced the red carpet at this year's TVB Anniversary Awards...

Dressed to Impress: Myolie Wu and Kevin Cheng
It seems to be an unwritten rule that if you expect to win an award, you have to dress to stand out.  In other words, you have to dress to win!  Myolie's combed back hair and long black feathery dress made her look confident and distinct.  Kevin does not fail to get stares with this red ensemble.  A red suit is something nobody should wear, but Kevin manages to pull it off while looking sharp!  Of course, that doesn't mean he could've easily looked more handsome in something else.

Coordinated Couple: Fala Chen and Michael Tse
Fala and Michael matched very well in their mostly coordinated outfits.  It would've been more fitting for Michael to wear cream colored slacks instead though.  Fala's dress and hair was simple but pretty, much like her own fashion sense.  However, the fact that the dress wasn't full length made it seem less formal.  V-necks are sexy, but her v-neck was a bit too deep.

Daring and Sexy: Sharon Chan
Sharon looked absolutely gorgeous and stunning, particularly as she accepted her award.  She seems to become more beautiful as time goes by!  It's no surprise she once again decided to flaunt her best feature: her 43-inch legs.  Instead of a high leg lit, Sharon opted to be a little different and even more daring by wearing a dress with a very high hemline in the front with a long train in the back.  Once again, she successfully accessorizes simply yet smartly.  The necklace adds just the right touch and the heels are killer!

Unconventional (and a little odd): Kate Tsui and Bosco Wong
Bosco isn't always the best dressed, but you have to admit he definitely has the most unique fashion sense.  However, his ensemble looks unfitting for any occasion.  It looks like he's wearing a bathrobe!  The shoes/ridiculously tall boots were also too much.  Kate normally has an amazing sense of style, but something seems to happen during the grand TVB anniversary events.  Not a fan of the gelled back hair.  While the white cutting is a bit more different, Kate's dress manages to be both plain yet awkward.

The Prom Queen and the Bad Boy: Kenneth Ma and Linda Chung
It's reassuring to see that Linda isn't pulling anymore outrageous fashion stunts like at the anniversary awards two years ago.  Feminine and sweet is the style that works best for her. Her long dress with a glittery top is very pretty. She accessorized appropriately, simply, and elegantly with matching earrings.  It looks like something a prom queen would wear!  Her slightly curly hair put to one side is fitting too.  Meanwhile, Kenneth looks like the bad boy who would go with the prom queen.  He looked very handsome at the gala in his suit, and while Kenneth does something different here, it doesn't work for him.  The skinny leather pants do not flatter him!

Simplicity and Elegance: Moses Chan and Tavia Yeung
Tavia finally gets it right at this year's anniversary awards!  At the last few anniversary events, she either tried too hard or looked too plain.  Here, she has a elegant and unique dress to compliment her natural elegance and maturity.  She also finally decided to not do anything to extreme with her short hair too, by leaving it natural and to the side.  I was never fond of those blown out straight bangs!  The color and design of the dress looks so delicate and lovely.  As much as I hate Moses' current hairstyle and think it makes him look older than he is, he sported a simple suit that made him look handsome and clean cut.

The Swan and the Prince: Nancy Wu and Ruco Chan
The bottom of Nancy's dress makes her look like a swan!  She looks so graceful and poised.  The red lipstick offers a great contrast.  I'm not too fond of the top of her dress though, and for some reason they remind me of tassels.  Her hairstyle is interesting and fits with the feel of her ensemble.  Ruco looks handsome as always.  If you look closely, his suit is actually complete with sparkles.  The sparkles don't pop and distract too much but are unique, adding a special touch to his classic suit. 

Selena Li: Sexy and Sweet 
Raymond Wong: Dorky Yet Cute
Love Selena's whole ensemble!  The hair, necklace, and the dress.  She looks sexy but still retains her natural sweetness.  The leg slit allows her to be sexy without being too much.  The top is nicely detailed and the waist nicely cinched.  Really like the accents on it!  My only complaint is that the top looks slightly poofy/loose, which clashes with her thin figure and small shoulders.  Raymond Wong once again comes to the awards show looking dorky, but he always manages to look dorky yet cute.  I wonder if his bow tie was also made by his wife.  What he got wrong here though is his pants.  Is he just wearing dark jeans?  He seems to be a fan of the "dorky style", but it'd be nice to see him looking handsome in a classic black suit.

Aimee Chan: Neither Here Nor There
Ron Ng: Handsome in Black
Aimee's fashion choices are almost always misses.  She almost always manages to be too plain and/or awkward.  The overall design of the dress is unflattering and doesn't look grand or formal enough for the red carpet.  Ron looks handsome in his all black suit but it is a bit plain. Perhaps a tie would've been a nice touch, but it'd probably clash with the black shirt.

Glowing and Feminine: Natalie Tong
Natalie looks gorgeous and feminine in her soft pink strapless dress!  It gives off a princess feel which matches her youthfulness and innocence.  I like how she paired her necklace with a bracelet too.  Her make up and long flowing hair compliment her outfit.  She's practically glowing!  My one major problem though: her push up bra is way too obvious and unnecessary.

Trying Too Hard: Liza Wang
Dear Liza Jeh, we already know you're youthful appearance and spirit wise.  You do not need to try so hard to prove something you've already proven!  She seems to be in a competition with herself to be even more outrageous than the last.  She looks like a golden space alien in this gold colored get up and the leggings are a huge no no.

Overall, there were a lot of interesting and flattering fashions at this year's anniversary awards.  Of course, there were a lot of misses too.  For the females, Sharon is my vote for Best Dressed as well as Most Daring and Sexy, like I said in my caption for her.  My other favorites are Selena, Tavia, and Natalie. Overall, almost all the girls looked gorgeous! For the guys, I liked Ruco's softly glittering suit and Moses' simple suit most.

I hope you enjoyed this fashion post!  This is my first fashion post for a TVB event and it was fun to write.  What did you think of what everyone wore?  What is your choice for Best Dressed and Worst Dressed?

TVB 44th Anniversary Awards Results+Comments

No matter how much we complain about how the TVB Anniversary Awards are rigged, we (or at least I) still look forward and enjoy watching them.

The top 5 nominees this year were just ridiculous.  Some were random, some were undeserved, and a couple were snubbed.  While there were other people who arguably deserved to win more, this year's winners were reasonable and acceptable.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Lee Heung Kam
Congratulations to Kam Jeh! She should've received this award last year.  I didn't know she has been in the industry for so long (since she was 14 or 15 years old).  Although "Moonlight Resonance" was ridiculously overrated and loud, Lee Heung Kam shined there!

Most Improved Actor: MC Jin
TOP 5
MC Jin
Jazz Lam
King Kong
Jason Chan
Matt Yeung

I was cheering for Jazz to win as he is the true Most Improved Actor of 2011.  His casting as the lawyer in "Ghetto Justice" could've been a huge mistake, but he pleasantly surprised viewers by pulling off the role with heart and comedic timing.  However, I can see why TVB would want to reward MC Jin since he's filmed so much for them recently.  If someone had to win besides Jazz, I'm glad it was MC.  He never fails to be fun with his great rapping and improvisation skills, including in his acceptance speech.  Better luck next year, Jazz?  The only actor who didn't deserve to be here was Matt, since he didn't have any significant or memorable roles this year.

Most Improved Actress: Sire Ma
TOP 5
Sire Ma
Mandy Wong
Samantha Ko
Katy Kung
Cilla Kung

No, poor Mandy!  It's no surprise Sire won, but I'm still very disappointed and this is probably the award I'm most unhappy about.  I have mixed feelings about almost every other category.  Mandy's acting is more consistent and has improved more.  Out of all the newer young actresses, she has the most potential.  However, TVB is keen on promoting Sire.  She was in more series than the rest of the nominees, but wasn't the most memorable.  It's silly Samantha was even here since all she did was host programs and a short guest appearance in FH3.  Katy is adorable with potential, but her roles in series right now aren't too significant.  Cilla is a decent newcomer, but has yet to prove she can play something besides a school girl.

Best Supporting Actor: Ben Wong
TOP 5
Ben Wong (Lives of Omission)
Jazz Lam (Ghetto Justice)
Derek Kwok (LOO)
Ngo Ka Nin (River of Wine)
Lee Kwok Lun (Forensic Heroes III)

Although I did not watch all of "Lives of Omission", Ben Wong has been a solid supporting actor for nearly 20 years and the recognition is greatly deserved.  Jazz and Ngo Ka Nin earned their spots here as well.  It's a shame to see that when Derek is able to get into the top 5 again, it's for a series where he had a forgettable and small role.  Lee Kwok Lun deserved to win this award back in 2009 for his performance in "Beyond the Realm of Conscience".  But for his guest appearance in FH3?  Definitely not.  Since when did such short guest appearances even qualify you for the Best Supporting categories?  This year apparently.  Would've liked to see Patrick place.

Best Supporting Actress: Sharon Chan
TOP 5
Sharon Chan (GJ)
Nancy Wu (FH3)
Aimee Chan (The Other Truth)
Helen Ma (TOT)
Natalie Tong (TOT)

The amazingly talented and lovely Elena Kong is the most offensive snub of the year.  After all that buzz about her possibly winning this award, she couldn't even get in the top 5?  What the hell, TVB?  However, Sharon truly deserved to win this award.  Yes, Elena and Nancy delivered stronger performances, but Sharon has worked so hard without recognition for so long.  It's about time for Sharon to finally shine.  Her speech, along with Myolie's for Best Actress, was the most touching of the night.  She broke into tears as soon as her name was announced as the winner.  Close friend Christine Ng did as well!  She said when nobody wanted her, TVB was there for her.  It was sweet and funny to see an incredibly emotional and touched Sharon remove her heels per Felix Wong's request, even though he was only kidding.  Speaking of Felix Wong, after his rant about TVB last year, it was a huge surprise to see him present.  It was also nice, and his words and handing of the tissue for Sharon were very sweet and subtlety comedic.  I couldn't stop smiling for the actress.  Aimee's top 5 nomination for her mediocre three episode guest appearance in TOT is the worst and most undeserving this year.  Helen Ma always delivers as the bitchy (excuse my language) mother, but it was random for her to finally place this year.

My Favorite Male Character: Kevin Cheng
TOP 5
Kevin Cheng (GJ)
Ruco Chan (TOT)
Michael Tse (LOO)
Bosco Wong (LOO)
Wayne Lai (FH3)

Was it surprising that Kevin won this award instead of Michael or Bosco?  Yes.  However, the character of "Laughing Gor" has been tired out, so I'm glad "Law Ba" won over him.  I can't put too much input on Bosco since I didn't watch all of LOO, but having him win for more variety would've been nice.  Although it was expected, I was crushed black horse Ruco didn't win.  After getting so much hype that Ruco would take home an award this year, he finally left home empty handed and was neglected at the show as well.

My Favorite Female Character: Myolie Wu
TOP 5
Myolie Wu (GJ)
Fala Chen (LOO)
Linda Chung (Yes Sir, Sorry Sir)
Maggie Cheung (FH3)
Aimee Chan (FH3)

It was clear Myolie wasn't too happy to win this award as she thought it meant she would lose out on Best Actress.  While Myolie deserves to win as her character genuinely was the most memorable and entertaining of the year, this award should've gone to Fala or Linda who probably would've appreciated it more.  I was expecting Fala to get this as consolation or Linda since she received the most buzz for her character "Ms. Cool".  Now, what in the world is Aimee doing here?  Does she have some weird guarantee that she makes it into the top 5 of every category she's nominated in?  Surprised Tavia didn't get in.

Best Actor: Kevin Cheng
TOP 5
Kevin Cheng (GJ)
Michael Tse (LOO)
Bosco Wong (LOO)
Wayne Lai (FH3)
Moses Chan (YSSS)

Why is Moses here instead of Ruco?!  I knew Ruco wasn't going to win, but he deserved a top 5 nomination more than anyone!  Poor guy.  Most certainly more than Moses, who was simply over the top in Yes Sir, Sorry Sir.  My anger and disappointment aside, I am genuinely happy Kevin won.  He finally relaxed and learned to be more laid back this year, resulting in a memorable and fantastic performance in "Ghetto Justice".  He was very honest and humble in his acceptance speech.  He himself admits that he didn't really deserve Best Actor back in 2006, but he definitely does this time!

Best Actress: Myolie Wu
TOP 5
Myolie Wu (Curse of the Royal Harem)
Fala Chen (LOO)
Maggie Cheung (FH3)
Linda Chung (YSSS)
Liza Wang (Home Troopers)

There is no other young leading actress more deserving of this award than Myolie.  It was still a mistake for TVB to nominate her for "Curse" though.  Unlike her speech for My Favorite Character, her speech for Best Actress was very touching.  Having just completed "Triumph in the Skies" myself, it was an extra special treat to have her award presented by former co-star Francis Ng.  Her proclamation of love for Bosco, her real life boyfriend of 7 years, was the most memorable moment of the night.  Myolie has always been more secretive and closed off in talking about her relationship with Bosco, but finally opened up last night.  An excerpt from her speech:  “There is one more person. He has always been very strict towards me. When we were filming War of In-Laws, he cared very much for me. I do not know what to say…anyhow we had a little argument last night. He told reporters that when I receive the award tonight, he will go to the restroom! However, he did not go to the restroom. I know that I have many flaws and that I am difficult to get along with. But you (Bosco Wong) also have many flaws and you are difficult to get along with as well. I hope that we will continue to support each other!”  Bosco and Myolie are so sweet and are now my favorite TVB couple ever.  I truly do hope they get married someday!

Best Drama: Lives of Omission
TOP 5
Lives of Omission
Ghetto Justice
The Other Truth
Forensic Heroes III
Yes Sir, Sorry Sir

Despite sweeping a majority of the awards, "Ghetto Justice" failed to grab Best Drama.  I would've preferred GJ to win Best Drama and have the Favorite Character awards divided.  LOO was more hype with high ratings while GJ had the best writing, characters, acting, and was overall a more creative and entertaining series.

tvb.com Weibo Popularity Award: Kevin Cheng
Was hoping Ruco to at least take home this award since "The Other Truth" resulted in Ruco becoming the #1 artiste on tvb.com for months as well as a significant increase in Weibo followers and Facebook friends on his official account.  Kevin experienced a huge popularity spike in the Mainland this year though, so this is once again no surprise.

Extraordinarily Elegant Male and Female Artistes: Bosco Wong and Myolie Wu
It was too cute to have both of them win together!  The two were so shy to go accept the award together!

I would like to give a special shout out to both Ruco and Roger Kwok, who failed to place in the top 5 for Best Actor or even be nominated for Favorite Character in "Wax and Wane".  While everybody was obsessing over Law Ba and Laughing Gor, I was in love with Keith Lau and the extremely underrated Yee Chun.  My like for Roger had gradually started to decrease after seeing him in boring roles like in "The Threshold of a Persona" and exaggerated comedic roles.  Although "Wax and Wane" was not great, it was not given a fair chance by viewers.  Roger's performance as "Yee Chun" finally won me over again.  His tough-exterior and soft-exterior character was intriguing and lovable as was his character's love for Peace (Kate Tsui).  Roger Kwok's performance and character in "Wax and Wane" is the most underrated lead performance of the year.

Overall Thoughts
There has been a lot of talk about how TVB didn't "divide the pork" this year by offering consolation prizes to Michael, Fala, Linda, and others.  While I'm glad TVB decided to give the awards to the people they thought deserved it instead of giving out consolations, I would've liked more variety.  It's one thing if there was nobody else deserving, but TVB could've easily rewarded more hardworking and deserving artistes.  Three awards each for both Kevin and Myolie was a bit much though I would've been fine with two.  Then again, you can't ever count on TVB to be fair.  Congratulations to this year's winners!

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

回家 MV: http://youtu.be/xhJJAg6ksEE
接受我 MV: http://youtu.be/AP58Nrui1Yk
接受我 Live: http://youtu.be/h6HkPI1njSA

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!

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?

"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