Series aired in TVB's "death slot" over the holidays are not always bad. In fact, they can be pretty darn entertaining, and "Officer Geomancer" is an example of this.
With TVB's recycling of onscreen pairings, you will be hard pressed to find a more refreshing pairing in the last year or so than Johnson Lee and Joey Meng. Although I like both actors, I will admit I did not expect anything much from this pair. However, the two have so much romantic and sweet chemistry, and play off each other extremely well.
Always a charming and funny supporting actor, Johnson thankfully does not lose these qualities as a lead. I had my reservations on how he would fare in holding up a series on his own shoulders, but was pleasantly surprised at the results. He brings over the qualities that make him an enjoyable actor to watch, which is perhaps more impressive here as he plays a more humble and grounded yet still playful character than his usual more flirty and upbeat ones. Would I mind seeing him in more leading roles? As long as the character is likable, definitely not.
After seeing Joey in a weak and timid role in "Come On, Cousin," it is a relief to see her in a strong role again. With her acting capabilities and tall, fit stature, it's no surprise she is able to both look and naturally act the part of a madam, unlike certain female actresses (I won't name names), while also giving her some vulnerability and sweetness.
The two's interactions are filled with tension and chemistry, and some of their moments are so funny yet sweet and cute at the same time. One of my favorite scenes is when Johnson foresees him and Joey getting into a car accident, so he brings along a helmet to wear when riding with her, then seeing the car chase is about come to a screeching halt, proceeds to put the helmet onto her head right before they crash.
As a procedural drama though, "Officer Geomancer" falls somewhere between average and below average. Most of the cases are not overly boring, but also not very engaging, and the incorporation of the geomancy themes often just felt odd. The cases operate better as background to the development of its lead characters and supporting ones.
While Johnson and Joey were the refreshing couple, the stand out of the supporting cast and most refreshing performance is easily Harriet Yeung. Initially very loud and over the top when "Che Gwai Mei" first made her entrance, I was relieved to see Harriet, as well as the character, quickly toned it down to instead become the upbeat, enthusiastic, passionate reporter, and loyal friend. She was natural, funny, and very fun to watch.
Although Oscar Leung does best at street smart, loud-mouthed roles, "Leung Sing Kau," who is always referred to as "Blabbermouth," really exhausts Oscar's specialty, to the point he becomes annoying. Blabbermouth is one of those people who you can only deal with in small doses. However, his friendship and scenes with Harriet could be quite entertaining and sweet, which would make him a lot easier to watch.
The supporting characters that are incredibly puzzling are Tit Leung Chi and Roy, played by Rebecca Zhu and William Chak. It was a nice change to see Rebecca in a tomboyish role, which resulted in some cute and amusing scenes. However, the characters are written so sloppily and the storyline so rushed that viewers fail to pinpoint any instance where Leung Chi started to develop feelings for Blabbermouth and later Roy. Roy was incredibly underdeveloped with many inconsistencies, particularly how he dresses and acts with dorky and shy mannerisms, which completely disappear whenever he is at the boxing club. Viewers simply could never tell where Leung Chi's feelings came from, which made the love square come off as strange. William is a decent and very affable actor who is also easy on the eyes, so I hated seeing him wasted here and hope to see him in heavier roles with more screen time soon.
While most of the cases are neither hit or misses, the "plot twist" storyline with Yung Jai was just bizarre and completely unrealistic and where the series crashes and burns, and the series gets some serious points docked for this. I saw this twist coming by the last few episodes, but was wishing I had been wrong all the way until its end.
"Officer Geomancer" has little to offer as a procedural drama, but then again, so do most procedurals from TVB these days. What makes it a swift and entertaining watch is the great chemistry between Johnson and Joey, which sees them in scenes that range from funny to cute to playful to sweet to full of angst. Start this because you're bored and looking for a way to kill the time, and finish it because the chemistry between these two are undeniable.
Before I started "Madam Cutie on Duty," I thought the series would go in either one of two different directions: It would be an enjoyable lighthearted drama, or a very lame and unfunny one. The selection of scenes from the theme video seemed to make it point towards the latter. Thankfully, after a more over the top premiere episode, "Madam Cutie" becomes yet another funny and fun series that is very entertaining.
Although the series has a likable supporting cast consisting of faces like Mandy Wong, Kaki Leung, Rachel Kan, and Raymond Cho, it is romantic leads Priscilla Wong and Edwin Siu who make it worth watching.
Priscilla and Edwin met filming this series, but what is surprising to hear is that the two did not even befriend each other until after filming completed, and would typically go into their respective corners when the cameras stopped rolling. This does not show at all on screen, as the two looked completely comfortable with each other and evoke playful chemistry while their characters bickered, and sweetness as they started to become friends and care for one another. Without this chemistry between the leads, "Madam Cutie" would have been a complete bust.
On her own, Priscilla is able to prove critics who say her acting is one-note wrong. Here, she has plenty of room to show audiences her comedic talent and timing and delivers as "Fa Ping." She is endearing, cute, and at often times laugh-out-loud funny without becoming too exaggerated. The moments where she notices herself morphing more and more into a housewife were probably the most comical. I hope to see her in more comedic roles such as this.
Edwin does not shine as much on his own as his female lead, but is still likable as "Law Dai Shu" and it is nice to be able to see him finally taking on a lead role. He delivers solidly with what he is given, but the script does not provide him with anything he has not done before. My major complaint is that while it was appropriate for the character, I constantly wanted to brush Edwin's messy hair.
Although not a star-studded trio besides for Mandy Wong, the three housewives Priscilla befriends are great. While Mandy's screen time significantly decreases in the last few episodes, it is obvious that she has got these housewife roles down pat. Instead of being loud-mouthed and obnoxious, her character is much more soft-spoken yet still clever here, and she plays it effortlessly and with cuteness. Kaki Leung has vastly improved since her debut in "E.U." and is quite likable to watch now. It was a pleasure to see Rachel Kan in a larger role, and she proved to be quite amusing at times, particularly with her superstitions, all the while being sympathetic. The sweetest part though was seeing Fa Ping genuinely growing closer and caring about the housewives and developing a real friendship with them.
The subplots of the supporting characters themselves are watchable enough, but are not as interesting and entertaining as the main storyline of Priscilla and Edwin living and working together to investigate the case. However, I did enjoy Rachel's storyline with her son, and how he gradually matured and came to appreciate her.
Unfortunately, the series is not without some weak links that bring the series down from being the most easy and light fun it can be. Lee Yee Man gives the most annoying performance as well as the creepiest. Many of the older cast member's characters were a drag to watch too. How many more times is TVB going to make Rosanne Lui play the mean and spiteful mother-in-law and Mary Hon the mother who abandons her kids? Susan Tse's character is also rather irritating, and I would much rather either see her in more kindhearted mother or clever villain roles again. The worst storyline though is the return of Mary as Dai Shu's mother in the last few episodes of the series, which seemed like more of an excuse to give Edwin some emotional scenes and push Dai Shu and Fa Ping closer together. It is TVB at their usual with the overdramatic and soapy family drama. Luckily though, the series bounces right back for a hilarious final episode that sees the housewives defending themselves (and winning!) against gangsters with pots and pans and ketchup bottles.
Overall, while there are some less than stellar points, "Madam Cutie on Duty" is yet another easy and enjoyable watch from TVB, while also being funnier than most lighthearted series. Leads Priscilla and Edwin are what make the series a delight to watch, but Mandy, Kaki, and Rachel shine at their own certain moments as well.
While American shows and actors are no doubt vastly different from TVB's, I always thought it'd be fun to do a "recasting" of American shows with TVB actors.
Here is my recast of one of my favorite shows, "How I Met Your Mother"...
Ted Mosby: Raymond Lam before 2008 or Edwin Siu
I have two choices for Ted...one of which requires a time machine. Since "Moonlight Resonance" and becoming an idol, Raymond Lam seems to have gotten the interesting sucked out of him. However, in his earlier series, he was such a fun and charismatic actor who had a good amount of comedic talent. He's played several more sensitive characters before and does it well. This makes him a good match for Ted, a hopeless romantic looking for the right girl. While I can see him playing such a character now too, I think the Raymond of yesteryear would have been able to portray Ted with the appropriate humor and quirkiness, but would just seem like a lovesick puppy playing him today.
As for an actor who could play Ted today, Edwin Siu could play the role as well. I can also see him as the sensitive and romantic but goofy guy. In fact, with his comedic timing, he could probably better bring out Ted's quirks and silliness.
Tracy McConnell - Ella Koon
To play the infamous "Mother" Ted eventually marries, I would cast Ella Koon. While I think Cristin Milioti is in her own league of charming and adorable, Ella can also be very cute and sweet. She has that affability about her that could make viewers fall in love with her, much like viewers did with Cristin. Plus, she and Raymond have shown they share chemistry, even though "Highs and Lows" wasted her character.
Robin Sherbatsky: Myolie Wu
Myolie is the best young TVB actress at playing the strong and independent career-minded woman. As Robin is an ambitious reporter who is always putting career before love, Myolie is an obvious choice for Robin. However, she would also be able to portray Robin's weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
Raymond and Myolie have already shown they have great chemistry in "Survivor's Law," so playing lovers would not be a problem, though I'm not sure how she would fare with Edwin.
Lily Aldrin: Selena Li
Lily is the more feminine one and a very sweet person, but don't let that mislead you, because she can also be incredibly intimidating with her surprising manipulativeness, which makes her a delight to watch. This makes Selena a very fitting choice for Lily. She is plenty sweet and feminine, but has also shown she can transition to look and act more manipulative, such as in "Slow Boat Home." I think she could portray this with the cute mischievousness Lily usually tends to do, which makes her appear "scary" to the guys. It would be incredibly fun to see Selena in such a role.
Marshall Eriksen: Ruco Chan
Marshall is my favorite character on HIMYM, and honestly, unlike the other characters, I can't think of anyone who feels really right and spot on for the character. Marshall is the most naive and homely of all the guys, but often the most grounded. I think Ruco could portray that, while also doing well in portraying his aspirations to be an environmental lawyer that saves the world (yet for many years, failing to do so). A few fan videos with clips of Ruco from his drama series and variety shows I recently saw reminded me he can be lighthearted and quite funny, particularly with his facial expressions. However, Marshall is arguably the character who can be the quirkiest and goofiest, and I highly doubt Ruco can pull it off with the hilarity Jason Segel does. Also, as Niki told me while I was telling her about this post, "I can't really see Ruco telling Big Fudge jokes."
The actors who play Lily and Marshall have to have a ton of chemistry, as they're the stable and "model" couple of the group. Ruco typically keeps his distance from his female co-stars, but his chemistry with Selena was off the charts in "Slow Boat Home," even though the series itself was bad. They were incredibly cute in the flashback scenes, much like how Lily and Marshall are. I can see them being that stable yet lovey dovey and sweet couple.
Barney Stinson: Louis Cheung
I saved my favorite casting for last! The first character I casted, Louis almost immediately popped into my head for Barney. He is one of those few TVB actors who can pull off more flamboyant characters, which is definitely needed for a character like Barney Stinson, who is at times almost like a caricature whose larger than life. Louis' suaveness and charm would make him completely believable as a playboy, and he can really wear a suit. He'd be hilarious with his comedic timing, and I think he's also capable of giving Barney that lovable quality and heart that Neil Patrick Harris does, which keeps Barney from seeming like a one-dimensional cartoon. Lastly, I can easily imagine Louis getting up and saying "It's going to be legen - wait for it - dary!" While Myolie and Louis have not paired up before and don't look very compatible physically, I think the two talented and comedic actors would be able to hold their own against each other as love interests, particularly in the scenes where they bicker and poke fun at each other (with love of course).
Do you agree with these casting decisions? Who would you cast for the "How I Met Your Mother" gang?
Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everyone! I've unintentionally kept the same banner and layout for almost, not one, but two years and thought I would change it up before the new year. I wanted to do something fun, and Priscilla and Tony quickly came to mind. I love the silly and close friendship these two have and how they play off each other so well, especially after watching them host the "Pilgrimage of Wealth" series. As much as I love watching travel shows to see the sights, I ended up being more drawn to watching for their bickering and funny interactions. Their platonic but awesome friendship never fails to make me smile and laugh out loud, which is why I chose pictures where they're being silly and well, themselves. The orange and coral color scheme is something I haven't done before that I think matches the banner and the people in it well.
P.S. Edwin, don't be jealous. They're just friends. ;)
TVB may still have a long way to go in terms of its working conditions, but this year turned out to be yet another fair year for the anniversary awards, if not the most fair in a while.
Best Theme Song: "The More Difficult It Is to Love" by Jinny Ng, "Line Walker"
No surprises here, though I would have preferred Fred Cheng's theme for "Overachievers" to win. I do like the song and it is one of the most memorable of the year, but wish it wasn't so overused in "Line Walker," having been played throughout all of the major couples' scenes.
Most Improved Actor and Actress: Louis Cheung and Priscilla Wong
We all knew Louis was going home with something - it was just a question of whether he would nab the Most Improved Actor award or Best Supporting. Despite having just recently signed with TVB, I still think he is overqualified and of best supporting-caliber, but the competition in that category was just too stiff. I'm still very happy for Louis and know he will be bringing home that Best Supporting Actor award soon. He was definitely a stand out and favorite by colleagues and viewers alike this year, and you can tell just by the amount of cheering and applause when his name was called during the presenting of the nominations.
Some people argue that Priscilla's win was the one thing that kept it from being a perfectly fair awards year. I beg to differ. Priscilla really did not have much competition, especially with two nominees being newcomers and only Samantha Ko as a close contender. Priscilla won in spite of being supposedly frozen by TVB, and I think that shows the company is willing to put aside their differences. I know a lot of people disagree, but I personally really like Priscilla and hope to continue seeing her improve and prove those who criticize her wrong.
Best Supporting Actor and Actress: Ram Chiang for "Come On, Cousin" and Josie Ho for "Tomorrow is Another Day"
While Louis was my personal choice for Best Supporting Actor, no doubt Ram deserved this award. In fact, it ended up being the win the audience and I was most happy about. The moment he won was the most touching of the awards show, with everyone getting up for a standing ovation, and Wong Cho Lam literally jumping out of his seat and hugging him out of happiness. Ram has long been one of my favorite veteran actors and I couldn't be more pleased with how things turned out.
Perhaps the most relieving moment though was Benz not announcing Sharon's name for Best Supporting Actress. Josie's win was the most surprising as there was not much speculation about her being a top contender, but I'm very happy TVB decided to award the one who received the most critical acclaim though "Tomorrow is Another Day" did not receive large media attention. It was also nice seeing Josie accept the award in person, as many non-signed artists do not attend at all.
My Favorite Male and Female Characters: Benz Hui and Charmaine Sheh for "Line Walker"
Unsurprisingly and deservingly, Benz won Favorite Male Character. Sure Raymond Lam is always a contender in this category, but no doubt Foon Hei Gor was the most popular and beloved character of the year, whose presence was dearly missed after drawing his last breath in "Line Walker." Come on, who else did you think would win? It worked out perfectly too, because though on merit of performance and material alone Benz gave the most Best Supporting-worthy portrayal, the ultimate results allowed talents Benz, Ram, and Louis to all receive recognition.
Charmaine won Favorite Female Character with an overwhelming majority, and my only response is: Duh. Poor thing thought she lost the race for Best Actress when receiving this award, when it turned out everyone just really loved her this year.
Best Actor and Actress: Roger Kwok for "Black Heart White Soul" and Charmaine Sheh for "Line Walker"
Strangely enough, the categories with the least competition this year were the highest honors of TV King and Queen. Roger and Charmaine (the former who had an overwhelming majority of TVB executive votes, while the latter who literally captured them all) won with no controversy and surprise.
Sure there was no worthy competition this year, but I don't think that undermines Roger's win one bit. He may have won Best Actor twice back in 2003 and 2005, but this is his first win for a dramatic performance, which I think is Roger at his best. TVB should be grateful to have such a versatile actor who is so loyal to the company. His acceptance speech was sweet and touching, and I'm sure his kids are proud.
I'm of course also happy for Charmaine, but not overly excited since there really was no other contender that could come close to touching her. Her portrayal of Nail isn't necessarily new, but it's certainly Charmaine at her best.
Best Drama: "Line Walker"
And another "duh" moment here. Definitely the most entertaining series of the year, though it noticeably wavered towards the end. "Line Walker" possessed a strong cast ensemble that was boosted by, though not an amazing script, a pretty good one that did not rely on casting to keep the series afloat.
Final Thoughts
What can I say? Either I'm overjoyed, or I'm content with the winners. It's nice to see TVB not pulling fast balls at us anymore (except of the pleasant kind). With much love, congratulations to all the winners!
Busy as I may be, the annual anniversary awards predictions post is a tradition that I love, so here's to the sixth consecutive year I'm doing this! Due to lack of strong competition and laziness though, I have only predicted the top 5 for Best Actor and Actress. So here we go...
Best Actor
Predicted Top 5: Wong Cho Lam for "Gilded Chopsticks," Roger Kwok for "Black Heart White Soul," Michael Miu for "Line Walker," Raymond Lam for "Line Walker," and Wayne Lai for "Overachievers"
Predicted Winner: Roger Kwok for "Black Heart White Soul"
Most Deserving: Roger
Personal Choice: Roger
There is absolutely no question that Roger gave the best leading performance of the year as villain Ko Chit-Hang, and if anyone else wins (Raymond...), I'm going to throw a huge tantrum. While he has been awarded for his over-the-top comedic performances, it is in drama where Roger is a powerhouse actor. No other TVB actor could have portrayed the chilling, manipulative character like Roger did. Simple as that.
Best Actress
Predicted Top 5: Tavia Yeung for "Storm in a Cocoon," Kristal Tin for "Black Heart White Soul," Charmaine Sheh for "Line Walker," Linda Chung for "All That is Bitter is Sweet," and Kate Tsui for "Tomorrow is Another Day"
Predicted Winner: Charmaine Sheh for "Line Walker"
Most Deserving: Charmaine
Personal Choice: Charmaine
There's a reason why Charmaine has been the only one to receive awards buzz for Best Actress...she's the only one that stood out. Everyone else was average or disappointing. This wasn't exactly new territory for Charmaine (in fact, strong and feisty characters are her specialty), but it was the most memorable in a year of weak lead female performances. However, Ivana gave a surprisingly refreshing and hilarious performance as the tomboyish "bad girl" in "Come On Cousin," a polar opposite from her sweet and shy character in "Inbound Troubles," and that is worth a mention.
Snubs: Carman Lee and Rachel Lee for "Never Dance Alone"
The anniversary awards totally snubbed the worthy performances from "Never Dance Alone," instead only nominating Eliza Sam and Lawrence Cheng. Considering how easy it is to get a nomination, it's plain offensive that Carman did not get one.
My Favorite Male Character
Predicted Winner: Raymond Lam for "Line Walker"
Most Deserving: Benz Hui for "Line Walker"
Personal Choice: Benz and Louis Cheung for "Black Heart White Soul"
As a conniving triad boss, it would have been easy to hate Foon Hei Gor. Yet Benz injects so much likability and humanity into the character that most likely, you hoped he would somehow get a happy ending. While not the main character of "Line Walker," Foon Hei was no doubt a central one who became the heart of the series. Although the series itself is overall good, there is just something missing following the character's death in the last third. The same goes for "Marco" in "Black Heart White Soul." Despite being a semi-villain who committed his share of white collar crime, Marco was the charismatic and romantic guy you couldn't help but love and cheer on thanks to Louis' portrayal. I wouldn't be completely surprised if Benz does end up getting this award, but I'm not expecting it either and Raymond still appears to be the likely winner.
My Favorite Female Character
Predicted Winner: Charmaine Sheh for "Line Walker"
Most Deserving: Charmaine Sheh for "Line Walker"
Personal Choice: Priscilla Wong for "Swipe Tap Love"
Sassy but tough and ridiculously clever, there's little doubt that Charmaine will be taking home this award as well. However, I personally hold a soft spot for "Yu Chor Gin" in "Swipe Tap Love." Although the character was rather dreary in the first half of the series, she is one that is easy to relate to and a girl next door type. After all, chances are you look more like Chor Gin at home with minimal make up, a hair clip, glasses, and sweats, than any other female character that goes to bed with a fully made up face. Plus, she's a total sweetheart with kids, her dog, and her family and friends.
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Winner: Louis Cheung for "Black Heart White Soul"
Most Deserving: Benz Hui for "Line Walker"
Personal Choice: Louis Cheung for "Black Heart White Soul"
If we were to judge solely on acting, Benz would win this award. However, since he already won last year and received a veteran award the year before, I'm betting on Louis. Thanks to true talent, charisma, and the luck of good timing, the odds are in Louis' favor. Both men are deserving for the reasons I stated in my comments for My Favorite Male Character. Power and Edwin also delivered lively performances in "Overachievers."
Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Winner: Elena Kong for "Line Walker"
Most Deserving: N/A
Personal Choice: N/A
Sassy and sarcastic seems like the best tone for me to use to comment on this category. While Best Supporting Actor is always filled with some very solid, even if not award-worthy performances every year, this category is just getting progressively worse. I have no choices for this category, nor is anyone deserving. I couldn't even pick one deserving nominee, never mind five. Maybe TVB will say "Hey, everyone kinda sucked this year so let's just give it to Elena again." At this point, I don't care as long as Sharon doesn't win for giving the only weak main cast performance in "Line Walker," because I'll have to figure out how to file a complaint with TVB if she does. Please Sharon, don't win, because I really don't have that kind of time. You also know TVB is pulling at straws when they nominate newbie Grace Chan, and Becky Lee for a very minor role.
Most Improved Actor
Predicted Winner: Sammy Shum
Most Deserving: Sammy
Personal Choice: Sammy
As opposed to Most Improved Actress, there are some very strong contenders in this category (except for Jason). Tony has shown to be a promising newcomer this year, but that after all means he is still new, therefore you can't say that he has "improved." Maybe next year Tony. Matt has steadily become a much better actor, but there is not much buzz revolving him. The competition is between Louis and Sammy. Despite having only recently signed with TVB, I believe Louis is already at Best Supporting caliber, and hope he will take that award home while Sammy receives Most Improved. While I did not watch "All That is Bitter is Sweet," Sammy has indeed noticeably improved in "Line Walker" and was also very charismatic and likable.
Most Improved Actress
Predicted Winner: Priscilla Wong
Most Deserving: Priscilla
Personal Choice: Priscilla
I bet the people who complained about Priscilla are shutting up now with the new batch of newbies. Since the other nominees are either freshly signed with TVB or have not actually improved (Well, now we know Samantha doesn't do well with evil...), I'm hoping TVB puts aside their alleged "freezing" of Priscilla and gives this award to her. While I understand how some people are annoyed she jumped straight into leading roles, that isn't reason to dislike her automatically (Did you expect her to say "No, I want to start as a kelefe" instead?). Priscilla has actually shown great potential, and reminds me of Vincent: Both just possess that approachable and relatable aura.
Best Series
Predicted Winner: "Line Walker"
Most Deserving: "Black Heart White Soul"
Personal Choice: "Black Heart White Soul"
"Line Walker" holds the advantage, but I personally believe that "Black Heart White Soul" is still the better series overall. The former became less enjoyable following the death of Foon Hei (as well as losing much of its humor). The writing also became more unrealistic as the plot twists collected, and the throwing in of Kobe's cancer story line felt unnecessary and out of place, particularly since his screen time had already waned following his real-life injury during filming. "Black Heart White Soul," although not without its fair share of flaws (coughGilliancough), is more consistent as well as more refreshing for TVB with its thrilling and suspenseful elements. While "Line Walker" feels like an above average cop drama, a typical TVB genre, "Black Heart" is a great thriller drama that has you on the edge of your seat.
Best Theme Song
Predicted Winner: "Love is Not Easy" by Jinny Ng ("Line Walker")
Most Deserving: N/A
Personal Choice: "Leave a Message" by Jinny Ng ("Swipe Tap Love") and "Tears of Departure" by Louis Cheung ("Gilded Chopsticks")
As a new category, I'm not really sure what to expect here. Perhaps if Raymond had sung the subtheme for "Line Walker," it'd be a lot more obvious. I'm guessing Jinny's subtheme for the series is likely to win, but I personally much preferred the singer's touching and melancholic theme song for "Swipe." I also loved Louis' subtheme for "Gilded Chopsticks" with his soothing vocals and ancient Chinese feel.
