"Finding Life's Sweetness" : Chapter 3

"How about this jacket?" Quinn held up a black jacket for Vince to see, who was lying on her bed.  It was her first day of work as the O.A., and Vince had encouraged her to dress to make a good impression.

As a result, Quinn had been digging through her closet all morning trying to find something appropriate for the office while Vince gave her input.  Most of her pieces were bright colored and fun.  Having never worked in an office before, she came to the realization she didn't have any proper work attire.

Clothes were sprawled all over her bed.  "I never noticed how much your clothes resemble that of a hippie's before", Vince laughed.  "Do you even have a button down shirt?  That'll go with the the jacket and the skirt", he advised.

"Oh, I think I do somewhere", Quinn answered, continuing to look through the mess of her closet.

"Be right back, I need to use the bathroom", Vince said.

"Found it!" Quinn yelled.  The shirt was very wrinkled and clearly hadn't been worn in forever.  She'll just ask Vince to iron it for her.

Before Quinn could change out of her pajamas, she heard a knock at the door and went to open it.

A young female in a floral dress stood at the door step looking confused.  "Who are you?" she asked.

"Who are you?" Quinn asked back.

"What are you doing here?" the female interrogated in an increasingly angry tone.

"I live here?" Quinn replied, in a tone that yelled "Duh!".

The female looked at Quinn, who was only dressed in a tank top and pajama pants and started to freak out.  "Where's Vince?!" she demanded.

At the moment, Vince finally walked out of the bathroom.  "Who's at the door?" he asked as he approached the living room.  "Angie?"

"Vince, who is this?" Angie asked angrily, pointing at Quinn.  Quinn put her finger down,  "I'm his friend, who are you?"

"I'm his girlfriend!  Vince, what is a girl doing living in your apartment?" Angie yelled.  Vince looked at the two in desperation, clearly freaking out and unsure of what to do.  "Um...Angie, I'd like you to meet someone.  This is my good friend Quinn", he introduced with uncertainty.

Angie didn't look too happy.  She held up her handbag and started hitting him.  "Jerk!" she yelled in a huff, and left.

Vince collapsed onto the couch with his face in his hands.

Quinn looked at him and bit her lip. This wasn't the first time a girl had stormed out of Vince's life after seeing he had a female roommate.

She sat down next to him and playfully punched him. "There will be other girls. Besides, you're Vince the ladies' man!" she exclaimed, in an effort to cheer him up.

Vince smiled halfheartedly back. "I didn't like her that much anyway," he replied. "Go get dressed for work, you don't want to be late."

***********

Quinn strolled into the office. Ella happened to be in the open office area talking to one of her subordinates.

"Ms. Yeung!" Quinn called. Ella looked up from her work. "Quinn, you're here just on time. Come with me to my office", she said.

"Did you get here alright?" Ella asked after they settled down in their office. "Yes, thanks for asking", Quinn replied. She appreciated her boss' politeness but felt rather uncomfortable with the formalities.

"I'd like you to copy these papers for me and enter these accounts into the computer", Ella said and handed her two folders of papers. "Before you get to work though, let me show you around and introduce you to everybody", she said.

Quinn nodded. "That'll be great", she said and followed Ella out.

"Simon!" Ella called. "Come here, I want to introduce you to someone", she said.

Simon approached them and put his hand out to Quinn for a handshake. "Hello, you are?" he asked.

Quinn shook his hand. "Quinn Tong, the new office assistant. And you?"

Kristy showed up next to them. "He's the big man's son who doesn't have anything better to do than bum around here", she told Quinn.

"I help out too, I just bum around on the side", Simon corrected. "I'm Simon. This pretty little devil here is Kristy, the assistant manager", he said.

"Hello Simon and Kristy", Quinn said with a smile.

"Ella, I'll show Quinn around for you", Simon offered. "Good, get you off my back for a while", Kristy smirked. "He's your problem now", she whispered to Quinn.

"I can hear you, you know", Simon replied. Ella laughed at the two's bantering. "That'll be great, thanks Simon. Any problem with that, Quinn?" she asked.

"A tour given by a charming guy like him? Why would I have a problem with that?" Quinn laughed.

"See, everyone agrees I'm charming except you", Simon said to Kristy, who only replied with a roll of her eyes.

Simon showed Quinn around and then back to her office space. "This will be your office space, but you'll probably spend a lot of time in the copy room. If you have any questions or need help, I'm usually hanging around here in the early afternoon", he said.

"Just curious, what exactly do you do around here?" she asked.

"I'm usually here from 12 to 2. I run a bar and don't have to go to work until 6. I spend an hour or two a day here just helping out", he explained.

"I'd love to go to your bar sometime. You have so much time though, why would you spend it here?" she said.

"Like you said, I have so much time. I have people to run the bar so I don't even have to go to work if I don't want to. I like the people here and my dad appreciates me helping out with the agency whenever I can, so why not? It's play and work at the same time", Simon replied.

Quinn nodded. "I see. You're quite a filial son then. I should get to work now, thanks for showing me around!" she said.

"No problem", he replied.

**********

It was a couple hours into the work day, and Quinn felt herself nodding off at the computer.

There was an hour of work left and she had finished all her tasks. They were tedious, but relatively easy to do once she learned her way around the computer program and copy machine.

There was no boss breathing down her back either, which was a huge bonus. She still felt restless though, and started squirming in her seat.

"I'm bored", she mumbled to herself. She pinched herself to stay awake.

She peeked over at her colleague's desks to see what they were up to. To her amusement, Lily was painting her nails and Eric was playing online poker.

Quinn logged onto MSN Messenger and IMed her friends until it was time to leave work.

Heh, maybe working in an office wouldn't be so bad after all. Certainly better than working as a waitress or busboy.

**********

"I'm home!" Quinn called.

"You're still employed aren't you?" Vince asked nervously.

"Yes I am", Quinn said in an "in your face" tone.

"Oh good", he answered, relieved. "Wait...you are employed at the same job right? Not a different one?" he asked.

"Yes, silly!" she said.

The two sat down to have dinner and chat after a long day like they always do. Only today, the atmosphere was a little awkward. Quinn and Vince kept staring down at their plate.

"I'm sorry about what happened this morning", Quinn apologized.

"Don't worry about it, it wasn't your fault", Vince replied quietly.

"Maybe I should move out. I think I'm the reason why so many of your relationships don't work out", Quinn said in a low voice.

Vince put down his fork and looked up for the first time during their whole meal. "Don't be crazy! I told you, it's not your fault", he argued.

"But..." Quinn started.

"No, end of discussion", Vince said. "Besides, you pay me rent. I'm not going to just kick out my tenant", he added as he mustered up a smile.

"Ok then", Quinn said.

Vince sighed. The truth was, Quinn definitely was the reason why so many of his relationships didn't work out. What girlfriend would be comfortable with their boyfriend living with another girl? At the same time, Vince couldn't imagine what it'd be like to not live with Quinn anymore. He wouldn't be able to tell her to leave. What was he going to do?

===========================

Comments: This chapter was very focused on Quinn, as well as Quinn and Vince. Of course, there was also some more bantering between Simon and Kristy! The next chapter or two will begin focusing on Ella and Kristy. Friendships between the characters will start developing as well. Hope this chapter didn't bore you too much!

"Finding Life's Sweetness" : Chapter 2

"One mocha frappuccino with extra whipped cream please", Quinn told the cashier at Maggie's Cafe. She quickly paid, got her drink, and went to plop down on one of the comfy sofas. She was exhausted and craved something sweet to give her an energy and mood boost.

She had been running around all morning trying to find a job. It turned out that these days, bosses were more interested in laying off people than hiring people.

What was she going to do? Where else could she look? Quinn knew Vince would only continue to harass her if she didn't go home with a new job. She swore, sometimes, Vince acted more like her father than her best friend. He always lectured her on how she had to change her carefree lifestyle and get some stability in her life.

Quinn had never had much stability. In fact, her friendship with Vince was probably the only consistent thing in her life. She preferred making things up as she went along. If she wasn't happy, she'd fix the problem, which often resulted in her quitting or getting fired from numerous jobs she hated.

The bell on the door of the cafe rang and Ella walked in, interrupting Quinn from her thoughts. She observed Ella in her work attire as she brought her daily espresso. Hm...what would it be like to wear formal clothing and go to work at the office everyday? Sounded a bit boring and suffocating, but in Quinn's unemployed state, a little appealing.

"How are you doing today, Ms. Yeung?" the cashier asked. "Good, and you?" Ella politely answered.

"Fine, how has work been?"

"Like it's always been. We're a little short on people though, we could use some more help around the office", Ella replied.

Quinn's ears perked up. "Wow, what luck!" she thought and quickly ran over to Ella, slightly frightening her. "Hi! I'm Quinn Tong. Sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear. You're looking for help around the office? That's perfect, I'm looking for a job!" she excitedly said.

Ella looked at her with surprise. "Um...yes we do. I can only give you a job as an office assistant though. You'll be doing tasks like copying papers, organizing information, answering phone calls, and running errands from time to time. Are you capable of doing such tasks?", she asked Quinn.

"Yes, I'll take it!" she eagerly replied. It sounded far from the most interesting job in the world, but at least she'd have one.

"Ok, but I'm warning you, it doesn't pay much."

"I'll take it anyway!"

Ella was quite surprised at Quinn's eagerness. She looked relatively young and had probably just been fired. She seemed desperate, and Ella really did need some extra hands at the agency.

Ella took a business card out of her purse. "Here's my card, report to work tomorrow at 9AM", she said and hurried off.

Quinn looked down at the card, which read "Starry Marketing Agency". She pumped her fist into the air. "Yeah!" she exclaimed. Vince will be proud, and finally stop lecturing her.

**********

Simon peered over Kristy's shoulder while she worked on her computer. "So, do you have a boyfriend?"

Kristy didn't bother to even look at him. "No, why are you so nosy?", she bluntly replied.

"Just wondering. I thought an attractive young woman like you would have a boyfriend for sure", Simon said.

Kristy scoffed. "Men are a waste of time".

Simon laughed. "Perhaps they're just scared of you", he teased.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be besides bothering me at work?" Kristy asked impatiently.

"I told you, I run a bar. I don't have to go to work until 6pm. I don't even have to go to work if I don't want to."

"You don't have a girlfriend? I would think a rich guy like you would have a line of girls following him around."

"Haven't found the right girl. I know I may seem so charming and flirty, but I'm not much of a playboy. I'm more old fashioned than you'd think. Don't care to entertain the girls that you claim follow me around. Is this game of 20 questions over yet, Ms. Wong?" Simon answered playfully.

"Pfff. That still doesn't justify why you're always here", Kristy said.

"Truthfully? I'm a boring person. Other than tending to my bar, I don't do much with my life. Besides, the people here are..." he looked at Kristy thoughtfully. "Interesting", he finished.

She gave him a weird look. "Nonsense", she said, and went back to work.

Someone knocked on the door. "Come in", Kristy said, and Ella walked in with a file in her hand.

"Kristy, read over this file", she said. Kristy took it from Ella's hand.

"Ella, don't leave yet! I have something to ask you", Simon called before she could walk out.

"Yes?" Ella turned around.

"My good friend Ethan Chan is hosting a function tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me and meet him. He's a business man, maybe you two could work together", Simon proposed.

He turned to Kristy. "You can come too if you want. I'd be more than happy to go with two such pretty and capable women", he said to her sweetly. Kristy almost shivered at the thought. "No thank you", she replied.

Simon didn't look too surprised. "Ella?". Ella thought about it for a second. "Sure, why not?" she replied. A little mingling wouldn't hurt, especially since she didn't have anything better to do.

"It's a date then! I'll pick you up at 6", Simon said. "Ok", Ella smiled.

Kristy rolled her eyes. "Can I work in peace now?" she said in an impatient tone.

Ella and Simon quietly tiptoed out.

**********

Ella examined herself in the mirror in her deep blue strapless dress and black cardigan.  It had been forever since she had gone to a social event.  This outfit seemed fitting for a function, neither too casual or formal.

Right on time as always, Simon rang the door bell.     

At first glance, he looks like yet another playboy.  If there was something Ella had learned from being friends with him for five years, it was that that couldn't be any farther from the truth.  The two had always been on friendly terms, and he was the one person at the agency she was close to, yet he doesn't even officially work there!  Nevertheless, they were never anything more.  Simon was an easygoing guy who Ella enjoyed being around and talking to, but nothing else.

Ella opened the door to see Simon looking handsome in a suit.  "Ready to go?" Simon asked with his usual warm smile.  She smiled back and said "Yes".

The function was lively with many chattering people and great music and food.  Ella took a second to absorb the atmosphere.

"There's Ethan!" Simon said, excitedly and went off to greet him. Ella followed behind.

Simon tapped Ethan's shoulder. "Buddy, I haven't seen you in so long!" he exclaimed. "Yes, it has been too long!" Ethan replied.

Simon turned to Ella. "Ethan, I'd like you to introduce to someone. This is Ella, a friend of mine and the manager at my dad's marketing agency. Ella, this is Ethan. He's a good buddy of mine from college!" he said.

Ethan gave Ella a charismatic and friendly smile and shook her hand. "Pleasure to meet you", he said to her.

"Pleasure to meet you too", Ella answered as she shook his hand.

Ethan looked to be in his early to mid 30s and was very handsome. He wore spectacles that made him look mature and even more attractive.

The two spent a couple seconds longer staring at each other than two new acquaintances usually would. Ella felt herself growing a bit shy. Her polite smile became a shy one. Ethan smiled back.

Simon seemed to automatically sense the sparks and quickly made an excuse to step away.

"Hey, is that Tim from college?" he said as he pointed to no one in particular. Simon gave Ethan a pat on the shoulder. "Take your time chatting you two!" he hastily said before leaving them alone.

Ethan laughed at Simon. "He hasn't changed at all", he said to Ella, and they began engaging in small talk.

"So you are the manager at Starry Marketing Agency, huh?  Extremely impressive that such a pretty young woman like you is so capable and smart!  I love an intelligent woman", Ethan complimented Ella.

Ella felt herself turning red.  "Thank you, you're not so bad yourself.  You organized a very nice function", she replied.

In a matter of minutes, Ella and Ethan grew more comfortable with each other and their small talk became more engaging discussion.

"One should always be professional", Ethan stated.  "At the same time, they shouldn't become too obsessed with organization and structure."

"Yes, but I can't help being a neat freak and trying to live a structured life", Ella laughed.

"That's fine.  Striving for perfection is tiring though.  Learning to be more relaxed and flexible will make live easier and more enjoyable", Ethan replied.

He looked down at his watch.  "I'm sorry, but it's almost time for me to go up and speak.  It was very nice talking to you, Ella", he said, sincerely.  He handed her his business card.  "Feel free to give me a call, whether it's for business or just to talk", he said.  He gave her one last warm smile before walking to the stage.

Ella stared at the business card in her hands.

"So, how'd it go?" Simon popped up next to Ella with a wide grin, scaring her.

That night, Ella tossed and turned in bed, thinking about her encounter with Ethan.  Her mind switched between thinking of Ethan himself, and what he said.  His words echoed in her head.  "Learning to be more relaxed and flexible will make life easier and more enjoyable", she repeated to herself.

That's what Ella needed to do.  Be more relaxed and flexible.

===================================

Comments: Things are picking up!  The last main character, Ethan, has been introduced.  What do you guys think of him?  Do you agree with what he said?

I feel like everyone will only continue to like Simon even more.  He is certainly very likable and I love writing his bantering scenes with Kristy.  Simon and Ella also have a sweet friendship.  Although they're not a couple, hopefully this will be a nice treat for TaRo fans.  :)

Ella is beginning to go through development and taking notice of her weaknesses.  Kristy may seem like a robotic character now with her bluntness and seriousness towards work, but she will open up soon too.

Vince didn't appear this chapter, but he will be back next chapter.  More hilarity will ensue between him and Quinn.  Speaking of Quinn, her first day of work will be next chapter as well!

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and will continue to read!

Finding Life's Sweetness : Chapter 1

A young woman in her late 20s walked down the streets of Hong Kong with an undeniable air of dominance.  Her face was straight, appeared tough, and ready to intimidate the first person that dared get in her way.  

She was Kristy Wong (Mandy Wong), an up and coming marketing professional.  She had been voted the one to watch by business magazines all over Hong Kong, as well as one to be feared.  

It was her first day of work as the assistant manager at Starry Marketing Agency, her latest promotion in her climb up the corporate ladder.  

“One day, I will be the manager”, Kristy thought to herself as she step foot into her new work building.  She strolled into the elevator full of people and hit the third floor button, completely oblivious to the ones warily observing her.

**********

Ella Yeung’s (Tavia Yeung) office is one of the neatest and most organized spaces one will ever see.  Everything was where it had to be, and in alphabetical order no less.  Ella could be a little obsessive compulsive, and she admitted it.  Without organization, she felt anxious and uneasy.  

However, that didn’t stop her from being one of the most respected and capable in her field.  Firm and professional yet fair, she had her subordinates under her control while still being well-liked.  To the world, Ella Yeung was the closest anyone could get to perfection.

Knock, knock!  Ella’s secretary, Daisy, (Natalie Tong) walked in with Kristy beside her.  “Ms. Lam, the new assistant manager Ms. Wong is here”, she announced.  

“Hello Ms. Lam”, Kristy said, with an insincere smile that showed she was all business.  Ella reacted with her usual welcoming smile.  “Hello there, Ms. Wong.  I’ve heard a lot about you”, she answered.

“Good things I hope”, Kristy replied.  “Of course”, Ella replied back.

As they sat down, the two women observed each other in great detail and were impressed with what they saw.

"She looks professional, elegant, and intelligent. What a refreshing change from my previous boneheads of bosses", Kristy thought.

"Fiery spirit of a fighter this girl has", Ella thought. 


Kristy reminded Ella a bit of herself when she first entered the marketing world, confident and ready to conquer. After being manager for almost five years, 32-year old Ella had begun wanting something more. But what? What could a modern day woman want besides her career?

"Welcome to Starry Marketing Agency. It's a pleasure to have you as our new assistant manager," Ella said.

"Thank you, I look forward to working here and learning from you. Who knows, maybe one day, I will be the one sitting in your seat", Kristy replied with a smile.

"Maybe", Ella laughed. "I worked hard for this position though and I won't lose it so easily".

"Then I'll just have to work even harder."

"I like your ambition. Now let's introduce you to your subordinates", Ella said as she led Kristy out to the open office.  "You just met Daisy, that's Eric, Lily, Jennifer, and Johnny.  The door over there will be your office", Ella pointed to Kristy.


"Hello, everybody!" An attractive young man in his late 20s (Ron Ng) walked in with two bags in his hand.  "I have everyone's favorite treats!" the man called out.  All the employees started crowding around him.  "Two egg tarts and milk tea for the lady boss", he said enthusiastically as he handed the treats to Ella.


The man turned to Kristy.  "Who are you?" he asked with a confused face.  "Who are you?" Kristy asked back in a demanding fashion.

"Simon, this is Kristy Wong, our new assistant manager.  Kristy, this is Simon Ng.  He is the son of the owner of this agency", Ella introduced.

"Nice to meet you", Simon said to Kristy with a charming smile, and put his hand out for a hand shake.
Kristy brushed off and ignored the gesture.  "The boss' son, huh?  That would make you the rich kid born with a silver spoon in his mouth?" she cooly asked.

"I guess you could say that", Simon replied.  "But I don't sit around doing nothing while I squander away all my father's money, so don't get the wrong idea."

Kristy looked unimpressed.

"What?  Never see a handsome boy before?" Simon teased.

Ella watched the two in amusement.  "Simon runs his own bar.  Many of us like to go there and relax.  He also comes to help out here at the agency too, even if it's just to deliver us snacks", she told Kristy.

"Good to know", Kristy replied, and proceeded to take the last latte in the bag of snacks Simon brought before going to her office.

"Hey, I was saving that for myself!" Simon complained.   The door shut.

"She's a feisty one isn't she?" he said to Ella.  She only replied with a laugh and returned to her own office as well.

Left alone, Simon turned to see Daisy, Eric, Lilly, Jennifer, and Johnny huddled in the corner eating their snacks and holding back giggles.  Clearly, they had been intently watching the pair banter.  "Get back to work you guys!" he yelled, playfully.  The five quickly ran back to their desks.

**********

Handsome 25-year old real estate agent Vince Wong (Bosco Wong) unlocked the door to his apartment after a long day of work.  He walked in to see his roommate and best friend since high school, Quinn Tong (Leila Tong), casually lying on the couch watching TV while munching on potato chips without a care in the world.

He bit his lip nervously.  "Quinn...what are you doing home?  I thought you don't get back from work until 7", he asked cautiously.

Quinn finally turned away from the TV and acknowledged Vince.  "Oh, you're home?  Wow, that was a really good show!" she said enthusiastically. 

"Quinn..."

"I got fired, okay! 

"You got fired again?!  Quinn, this is the fourth time you've gotten fired this year!  And the year's only half over!" Vince yelled.

"Well, apparently bosses don't like being told by their employees they're wrong and stupid like a monkey with its head cut off", Quinn replied bluntly.

"No one wants to be told that!"  Vince sighed.  "Quinn, I know you're outspoken.  I love that about you as much as I love your...vivid way of talking", he said about his dearest friend with a smile.  He grew serious again.  "However, work isn't the place to fully exercise the freedom of speech you love having so much.  We're not 16 years old anymore.  You need to find a new job that you can keep", he told her.  "Okay?"

"Whatever you say, daddy", Quinn answered Vince with a salute.  She got up and went back to her room.

Vince shook his head.  "Oh, Quinn.  You haven't changed a bit since we were kids", he said with a fond smile.

========================

Comments : Voila, the first chapter of "Finding Life's Sweetness"! I hope you didn't find it too terribly boring. I was trying to properly set everything up. Apologies for the slow pace and relatively uninteresting start. I think I introduced the characters decently enough though! Hopefully, it'll get better as it goes on. Do give feedback! :)

New Fan Fiction: "Finding Life's Sweetness" Forewords

This lovely poster was made by Lynne from TVB Horizon!
Synopsis: Three women, all want different things in life.  One wants perfection, one wants money, one just wants to live a happy life.  What happens when these three women’s lives intertwine?  This is the story of three young women’s journey in facing friendship, love, and the struggles of life itself.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Cast:

Ella Yeung - Tavia Yeung

Kristy Wong - Mandy Wong

Quinn Tong - Leila Tong

Ethan Chan - Ruco Chan

Simon Ng - Ron Ng

Vince Wong - Bosco Wong

Character Descriptions

Ella Yeung - Manager of Starry Marketing Agency.  She is a hardworking and for the most part, independent young woman who strives for control and perfection in her life.  Tired of taking care of herself her whole life, she has a soft side and secretly wishes for someone to look out for her.

Kristy Wong - Assistant manager of Starry Marketing Agency.  She is an ambitious, confidant, demanding, and slightly greedy individual feared by her subordinates.  She is blunt and sarcastic in her words and does not show much compassion.  

Quinn Tong - A quirky, independent, and free-spirited individual who has trouble keeping a job due to her outspokenness.  She finds a job as the O.A. at the marketing agency.  Her wish is to live a happy and carefree life.

Ethan Chan - A charming, slightly rebellious, and laid back businessman.  He can be a bit lazy and unconventional, but gets things done when they have to be.

Simon Ng - The son of Marcus Ng, the owner of Starry Marketing Agency.  He runs his own bar, Simon's Bar.  He is attractive, flirty, and playful, but can be caring and thoughtful as well.  He is the only one who isn't scared of Kristy, and finds himself bothering and challenging her at work.

Vince Wong - Real estate agent.  He is funny, sweet, a bit silly, and has been Quinn's best friend since high school.  Although a self-proclaimed ladies' man, he secretly loves Quinn and is very protective of her, often helping her out of trouble.

=================================

Comments: This is my second attempt at writing fan fiction, after having written my first [very rushed, very shoddy] fan fic "Deceiving Assumptions" for TVB Central.  Although I won't be using the actual script format, this may end up playing out like a screenplay for a drama.
Inspired by dramas revolving around women like "La Femme Desperado" and "Beauty Knows No Pain", I decided to put my own spin on this type of series with my own characters and cast.

Just a bit of extra information, but I wrote Tavia, Mandy, and Ruco's characters with them in mind.  Tavia is in desperate need of a meaty character, even if it's just on paper.  Kristy Wong is a character I'd love Mandy to play.  Quin, Ethan, Simon, and Vince were written first, and I picked the actors I thought would be perfect for the role.

I hope everyone will enjoy reading "Finding Life's Sweetness"!  Hopefully, my fiction writing skills will develop and improve, and fan fiction will become a new part of TVB Interaction!  Merry Christmas, everyone! :D

1st TVB Interaction Awards

Introducing, the first ever TVB Interaction Awards!  The TVB Interaction Awards will take place after the TVB Anniversary Awards each year.  Your typical honors will be given out (Best Actor, Actress, etc) as well as "just for fun" awards (such as "Most Disappointing Series" and "Most Surprising Series").

TVB often awards people for their overall hard work in their career as opposed to the performance they were nominated for itself.  While I'm not against the system as it has awarded deserving people, but the TVB Interaction Awards will award solely on the merit of that specific performance from an actor and/or quality of a series.  These are TVB Interaction's/my own choices, and will usually be different from the winners of the Anniversary Awards.  If there is more than one deserving winner, one honorable mention will be chosen.

Best Actor: Ruco Chan for "The Other Truth"
Ruco finally got the chance to be first lead in "The Other Truth", which has garnered him critical acclaim and millions of new fans. For good reason too! He not only brings justice to the most well-written character of the year, but makes him come alive. He portrayed "Keith" with charisma and subtlety, coming off as natural and near flawless. He brought out all the character traits Keith was supposed to have, including his rebelliousness, righteous, intelligence, playfulness, wittiness, and more. Based on acting alone, Ruco Chan is definitely Best Actor of 2011.

Honorable Mention: Roger Kwok for "Wax and Wane"
Roger Kwok has given me many reasons to dislike him as an actor recently, from his boring character in "Threshold of a Persona" and exaggerated comedy roles. However, his performance in "Wax and Wane" not only redeems my impression of him, but also makes me a new fan. Roger's true specialty is definitely in drama. Roger brought out the tough exterior and soft interior of "Yee Chun" and was very charming. He portrayed everything well, including professional working side, his love for his mother, and his steady fall for Peace. His crying scene at his mother's grave had me misty eyed and his scenes with Kate Tsui made me smile sweetly. Roger gives his best and most charming performance in years, and it was a shame so many people couldn't recognize it.

Best Actress: Myolie Wu for "Ghetto Justice"
What can I say? Myolie could be professional, she could be witty, and she could be adorable. While the performance itself is solid, it's not necessarily Best Actress solid. However, there weren't any exceptional lead female performances this year.

Honorable Mention: N/A
Not many strong or memorable lead female performances this year.

Best Supporting Actor: Patrick Tang for "7 Days in Life"
Patrick pleasantly surprised audiences with his unexpected comedic talent and timing.  Both his character and performance were extremely endearing and fun to watch.  He never failed to make me laugh and smile.  I've always defended him as a decent but unfairly criticized actor, but the superb performance and comedic talent he showed here was beyond even my expectations.

Honorable Mention: Damien Lau for "The Rippling Blossom"
Although he played a significantly smaller role than usual, Damien also showed some amazing and surprising comedic talent and timing.  He was hilarious as the gruff and grumpy man.  He also had great chemistry with Myolie and Chilam.  The trio were so fun to watch together!  Despite that, he didn't even receive a nomination.  What an insult to the actor!

Best Supporting Actress: Nancy Wu for "Forensic Heroes III"
As "Eva Chow", Nancy was able to portray her most professional and different role yet, and she did a fantastic job.  She solidly portrayed the character's driven and overly competitive side as well as her more vulnerable side.  The video she filmed for Wayne and her tears after saying goodbye to her family were very realistic and misty eyed.

Honorable Mention: Elena Kong for "River of Wine"
Elena consistently delivers as a supporting actress.  I didn't watch "River of Wine", but was told she was the best part about it and that her emotional scenes were captivating.  I'm not surprised at all, as Elena is a wonderful and underrated actress.  Along with Nancy, I believe she will win Best Supporting Actress...someday.


My Favorite Male Character: Ruco Chan for "The Other Truth", "Lau Sze Kit/Keith"
The best grey character TVB scriptwriters has written in a while.  Keith is a righteous and unconventional lawyer who believes in justice, and comes as close to the steel lines as he can to achieve it.  He is also charming, sweet, intelligent, and rebellious.  I don't feel the need to iterate Keith's characterization any more.


Honorable Mention: Roger Kwok for "Wax and Wane", "Yung Yee Chun/Eugene"
The classic tough exterior and soft interior character, only done right.  Yee Chun comes off as serious and cold, but is actually very caring and sweet to the people he loves, particularly his family.  Watching him slowly fall for Peace was also the most rewarding and enjoyable part of "Wax and Wane".


My Favorite Female Character: Myolie Wu for "Ghetto Justice"
Professional, witty, and endearing.  With her unique haircut and suits, she was also very stylish!  

Honorable Mention: Kate Tsui for "Wax and Wane", "Man Ka Fu/Peace"
Although Kate's performance could've been a lot better, Peace was so sweet, caring, and likable.  She was the person who got Yee Chun to open up, and the little notes she wrote to him were very cute.

Most Improved Actor: Edwin Siu
Edwin showed huge improvements in "Forensic Heroes 3".  He was much more natural, cute, and lively.  However, it was his emotional and crying scenes in the finale blew me away.  How he didn't even get a nomination for Most Improved and Best Supporting is beyond me.

Honorable Mention: Jazz Lam
Jazz surprised everyone by portraying a lawyer in "Ghetto Justice" with a lot of heart and humor.  In terms of acting, out of the actual nominees this year, Jazz definitely should've won.  Despite his short height and kid like appearance, he's shown to us that he is a valuable supporting actor.

Most Improved Actress: Mandy Wong
The true most improved actress of the year, Mandy has the most talent and potential out of the new generation.  She did well in all of the roles she received this year, especially "Home Troopers" and what I've seen of "Lives of Omission".  I can't wait to see her in more major roles. 

Honorable Mention: N/A
Mandy Wong is my first and only choice for Most Improved Actress this year.  I've been supporting her to win for the last three years.

Best Drama: "Ghetto Justice"
"Ghetto Justice" had everything to make a fantastic and memorable series.  Great cast, script, characters and just the right mix of comedy and drama.  It became a hit due to its own merit, and not promotion and hype.


Now for the original/just for fun awards.  There are three categories, "Series", "Characterization", and "Chemistry"...

Most Underrated Drama: "Wax and Wane"
Started off weak but was enjoyable afterwards, if only for Roger and Kate.  While not amazing, people bashed it for being terrible without giving it a real chance.

Best Comedy: "7 Days in Life"
Original, creative, and genuinely funny and sweet.  Steven and Sonija's storyline was disappointing, but the rest of the cast was colorful and each brought something special.

Most Overrated Drama: "Lives of Omission"
Since I didn't watch all of it, I won't call it a bad series that didn't deserve its popularity.  However, there are other series that deserved "Lives" success as well.

Most Disappointing Drama: "Men With No Shadows"
Like many TVB series, "Men" had a lot of potential but it was unfulfilled.  The plot twist resulted in a cliched, overdone, and irritating storyline with unlikable characters.

Worst Drama: "Links to Temptation"
A draggy, sloppy, and cliched storyline where every single character was stupid and/or annoying.

Best Cast Ensemble: "Ghetto Justice"
The cast of "Ghetto Justice" seemed a bit odd at first, but ended up being the one that worked the best with the most chemistry together.

Best Overall Characterization: "Ghetto Justice"
Each character was written well and were very likable!

Worst Overall Characteriation: "Links to Temptation"
Once again, every last character was stupid and/or annoying.  Even the ones that started out likable became stupid.

Most Tragically Undeveloped Character: Ron Ng, "Forensic Heroes", "Wind"
Second male lead?  Yeah right.  With Wind's [lack of] characterization, Ron Ng was merely a background character and love interest for Kate.  At least Wind was more likable than Ron's character in "Wax and Wane".

Most Well-Written Character: Ruco Chan, "The Other Truth", "Keith"
A grey character done right.  Not a goody two shoes or unrealistically kind, not unreasonably evil.

Best Comedic Duo: Patrick Tang and Mimi Lo in "7 Days in Life"
Who would've thought that these two would've had chemistry?  Don't let their appearance incompatibility fool you, these two were adorable and hilarious together!

Most Surprising Chemistry: Roger Kwok and Kate Tsui in "Wax and Wane"
Roger and Kate had more chemistry than Ron and Kate in "Wax".  Again, who would've thought?  Their storyline was the highlight of the series.  The two were so sweet together, but sadly were never meant to be.

Cutest Couple: Chilam Cheung and Myolie Wu in "The Rippling Blossom"
Appearance wise and chemistry wise, these two were very cute and fun to watch together!

Best Chemistry (On and Off Screen): Ruco Chan and Tavia Yeung in "The Other Truth"
Ruco and Tavia had a lot of chemistry in "The Other Truth", but it is their off screen chemistry that makes them such a cute TVB couple.  The two get along so well and always make fun of each other.  Watch their Fan and Kam interview and you'll know what I mean!

Most Passionate and Groundbreaking Couple: Bosco Wong and Kate Tsui in "Lives of Omission"
Bosco and Kate had the most passionate and intense love scenes probably ever in a TVB series!

That wraps up the first TVB Interaction Awards!  Hope you enjoyed this post!  What are your favorites this year?

"Aqua Heroes" Review

Tired of the conventional TVB series, I decided to watch something a little different. I just wanted to watch something fun and light. "Aqua Heroes" was the perfect treat. It is cute, funny, sweet, and relaxing to watch. Surprisingly, it wasn't lame of over the top. It is definitely a bit cheesy and silly, but in a good hearted instead of a cringe worthy way. Acceptable performances from a group of fresh faced youngsters, humor, and the swimming theme created a very enjoyable series that makes you recall those wonderful summer days of hanging out with good friends.

Cast Performances

Bobo Chan - Although she appeared rather clumsy and was unnatural, she was likable enough as the kind and good hearted "Busy".

Leila Tong - Being the only experienced actress in a cast full of newbies (except for Sheren and Ai Wai), Leila delivered the best performance of all the youngsters hands down. Her rebellious character would've been irritating and annoying if played by someone else. However, Leila makes "Rain" a lovable character that is competitive to a fault. It was not until the last few episodes when Rain's jealousy hit an all time high that even Leila couldn't save her from being annoying.

Edwin Siu - For his debut performance, Edwin didn't too bad. He has definitely improved heaps since though. However, the character's indecisiveness later on made me want to punch him in his cute little face. On a side note, his oversized sweater vests he always wore in the beginning were ugly and unfitting, considering the series took place in the summer. I was relieved when he started wearing casual clothes (ironically, after he got an office job).

Bosco Wong - A very strong debut performance! Bosco was hilarious though a bit exaggerated. Nevertheless, he was funny and lively.

Sheren Tang - Sheren looks so youthful and pretty here! Along with Ai Wai, she was funny and fun to watch. While I still don't know why she did it, it cracked me up whenever she put on her sunglasses infront of Ai Wai, even at night.

Ai Wai - A solid performance from a veteran actor who usually doesn't have much to do. He worked well with both the swim team and Sheren. They made a great comedic pair!

Stephy Tang was decent and likable but had very little to do. I was fond of Theresa Fu and her quirky character. From accidentally swallowing her hum, to getting afraid of ghosts, and her father and daughter-like relationship with Ai Wai, Theresa was cute and fun to watch. Matt Yeung and Lai Lok Yi did what they could with what they were given. Lai Lok Yi's doggie swim had me laughing so hard!

My only major complaint about the series was the swimming featured. All of it was ridiculous, impossible, or against the rules! You're not allowed to leave the surface of the water nor is it safe to do so. Also, whoever heard of swimming like a screwdriver? I also found it odd the girls always trained so hard for meets while the guys were usually just hanging around.

The theme song by Bobo and Edwin was catchy and their individual subthemes were very nice. I loved all three songs.

Overall, I highly enjoyed "Aqua Heroes". It was full of (good) fluff, smiles, and laughs. Edwin and Leila's characters became irritating near the end but that didn't stop it from being entertaining as a whole. If you're looking for something fun and don't mind a cast full of newbies and some silliness, I recommend "Aqua Heroes"!

Rating: 4 stars

"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!