Review: “Divas in Distress” (By Funn)
Divas in Distress <巴不得媽媽….>
Hong Kong TVB Drama 2012
Producer: Poon Ka Tak
Genre: Comedy
Episodes: 22
“I won’t deny it is funny and witty many times.”
Cast
Liza Wang as “Sheung Ying Hung”
Gigi Wong as “Miu Sing Ho”
Him Law as “Vincent Chak”
Mandy Wong as “Kwai Yi Hei”
Chin Kar Lok as “Chong Ka Long”
Koo Ming Wah as “So Kei”
Eliza Sam as “Hannah Heung”
Ram Chiang as “Cheuk Wong Fung”
SPOILERS … SPOILERS … SPOILERS
Synopsis
Taken from Wikipedia:
Former actress divas Sheung Ying Hung (Liza Wang) and Miu Sing Ho (Gigi Wong) were initially colleagues under the same company, but for temporary superiority, the two have been fighting for 30 years and ruptures their relationship. If it wasn’t for their teacher Fung Hun Man (Chung King-fai) always getting in between, they would have cut off all relations. But the most satirical is Ho’s son Long (Chin Kar Lok) is in fact Hung’s son-in-law, and Hung’s daughter, Chak Ding-yam, passed away seven years ago due to cardiovascular disease while trying to bear her and Long’s son, Michel. Her death has left Hung in deep sorrow, as she had been against Long and her daughter’s marriage from the very beginning due to their very different social statuses.
A wealthy girl Hannah (Eliza Sam) is employed to work as a reporter in the same television station as Long. She begins to develop feelings for Long and Ho encourages her son to marry Hannah to destroy Hung, whom has forced Long to swear he will stay loyal to Yam by never marrying again for the rest of his life.
Meanwhile, Hung’s son Vincent (Him Law), who she had carefully raised to lead a successful life, falls in love with Ho’s renovation worker niece Kwai Yi Hei (Mandy Wong). Hung naturally self-destructs their relationship when she sees her son repeating history by becoming a clone of Long and Yam. Vincent and Hei’s relationship triggers past hatred between Hung and Ho, while making it more complex at the same time. The two engage in a bitter and awful fight, leaving the ones around them in a big dilemma…
COMMENTS
Quarter way into the series, the story stopped being about the divas and became about everybody else. I watched this series about a few episodes in so when I started I was already seeing Him Law’s very stressed face. And that is the face he maintained UNTIL the end. I felt rather stressed watching him being stressed whilst the character is supposed to be assertive rather than stressed.
No doubt, I will highly recommend this series and I won’t leave this verdict until the end. It is one of the wittiest series from TVB, and operative word is wittiest. It is not consistent, it is not most daring, it is not most explosive, or funniest or dramatic but for what it is worth, it is witty as in funny in a rather different unusual cool sort of way.
The anchor of this series is of course Liza Wang and Gigi Wong. They’re the veterans and each is ably supported by a myriad of other veterans that you know but may not know their names. I am impressed with TVB’s recent willingness to cast very familiar veterans in huge supporting roles that turned out to be the breakout role and Koo Ming Wah is a name I shall never forget, since the actor’s real name that is Koo Ming Wah is used as a character name of a play in a play so to speak whilst the character’s name for the actor Koo Ming Wah is So Kei which is also a rather catchy name.
This is the series where actors and characters triumph over the story. It has its usual problems, whilst trying to emulate the more popular current trend with idol dramas for one couple, a more classic love story for other couples, the story itself went nowhere. If there is a major problem with this series, it is in the story itself, next is the character but also on some rather interesting casting choices.
WHAT’S IN THE STORY
Is this a love story? A rivalry story? A family drama? A comedy? This series tries to be everything and succeeds at none except for perhaps the family drama part. I will say this is a series about people. You meet all sort of people. It is not a situation drama or a situation comedy but a series about people. So this is a character driven series. But every character must have a story to tell.
You have the rivalry story between the 2 old veterans that is Liza and Gigi wrapped in the world of the bygone era of entertainment world which makes for compelling watch, you have that Taiwanese drama love story where one girl pursues the inactive guy represented by Chin Kar Lok and Eliza Sam, you have that K-drama love story where being rude is the new romantic and being submissive is the new cuteness represented by Him Law and Mandy Wong, you have the quintessential “is he or is he not gay” effeminate character in the form of Koo Ming Wah, parents and in laws rivalry, etc.
No particular story is a standout since not one of the particular story has a proper beginning or a proper end. They just seems to come and go as they please, utilise whenever is convenient with seriously huge plot holes. Some of the stories are quite touching, but some are just disguised romantic when in actual fact, not romantic in the least. Something just isn’t right with some of the stories, but I am sure fans will just ignore them because on surface it kinda looks good.
For example, the story of Mandy and Him Law, that is Yi Hei and Vincent. The guy is the super talented, super handsome, super successful art director (I think) and he falls for the uneducated, not terribly pretty, insecure and timid Yi Hei. Sounds like Cinderella love story isn’t it? Except Mandy Wong and Him Law has zero chemistry. Oh all the actions are there, the hugs, the cheesy whatever and every line they say is like some advert for some bridal boutique but that’s the surface. Deep down, I see Him always being so stressed out and angry, I see Mandy being so zen like, I am not convinced by this couple. Also I find it not very romantic to have a guy to call the woman he loves a cockroach or a woman who obviously wants the man keep pushing him away for the entire series which is repetitive and boring. But the worst is not all these; the worst is this pair is simply too punishing to watch. One wonders what she sees in the rude chauvinistic bastard and of course you have episodes after episodes detailing what he did as opposed to what he says and you are convinced if you were the girl, you will too fall for him except of course you have to put up with the emotional blackmails, the shouting, his controlling ways. Sorta like Twilight you see? But of course like in Twilight, Mandy’s Yi Hei WANTS to be controlled, wants to be emotionally blackmailed because she equates all that as concern, as love. And Yi Hei is a nice girl except she is to infuriatingly pretentious in my opinion. She wants, she is afraid and yet she really wants. She is so timid, and I stress SO timid she stands behind the guy whenever she is afraid. Tell me if that is not overacting or perhaps seriously bad acting? She loves her father hence she loves her hat but it is more fashion statement than personality statement with the way she wears her hat. Those are just surface stuff. Deep down, I just feel Mandy isn’t ready to do romance. She can do career woman, she can do strong woman, she can do love story, YES but she can’t do a good romance story. She is simply not compelling to watch nor convincing to watch either. The better pair was Him Law and Yoyo Chen where the love story is brief but they were cute and compelling to watch as a pair. So Mandy and Him seems like being given a perfect platform of those k-drama love story but in the end it all amounts to seriously nothing much. I felt like forwarding their scenes. I was so tired with their constant bickering and it is almost always one sided bickering.
Then there’s the love story between Eliza and Chin Kar Lok, that is Hannah and Ka Long. This is a better story and a better pair, mostly because of the super cute Eliza. On the surface this has the making of a good love story; a man burdened by his love and his guilt for his dead wife and a cuter, younger girl who saw through his roughness and fell deeply for him and practically ran after him, again and again and again. But deep down, this love story is non moving. It is always the girl doing the running after him, the man, Ka Long remains fixed until the very end where the girl shows up and he just agrees to start a relationship with him and she smiles happily. It is again too one sided. If Yi Hei and Vincent is about Vincent doing the running, here it is Hannah doing the chasing. Ka Long just stands there like a marble statue and when he agrees to love her back, it was as if his god given right that she goes to him instead of him going to her. I feel Hannah deserves a more romantic confession of love with Ka Long running after her, for once. But this is a more entertaining pair to watch, quite simply because Hannah is a very cute character. Maybe if her super cuteness is matched with Him Law’s super seriousness, it would have been a much better pair.
There are 4 more pairs with a much better love story to tell.
There’s So Kei and the editor which hit it off without all the meandering boringness the younger couples. There’s the Mr and Mrs Wong, the next door neighbours of Ka Long with their constant bed acrobatics which was very very funny to watch (they’re always naked!). You have also the olden day romantic pair of Hannah’s mom, Ching Yeuk Chan and Fung Han Man, whose names are already an indicative of the romantic bygone era. This pair is seriously funny when they met again, with visuals as well and their ending story is both of them in all white strolling on a beach! TVB can be darn witty when they want to be!
But for me the most romantic pair had to be Mr Chong and Miu Sing Ho, the parents of Ka Long. The husband adores the wife like a goddess, the wife loves the husband as a man, they have an active sex life even if they are an elderly pair so to speak and it was seriously funny and yet deeply romantic. This is the pair which I find myself gravitating towards.
The other stories are more compelling to watch than the love story.
That would be the father-son prejudiced relationship between Han Man and So Kei. It makes sense also, where an important social statement is being made. He doesn’t oppose to his son being effeminate but So Kei wants his father to wear the clothes he wears, to walk in the shoes he is in. In one very touching scene, the old Han Man laments why can’t everyone accepts his views as it is as everyone accepts So Kei’s views as it is? Yes he may be prejudiced but not in a cruel or bad way. I actually thought the story might end with Han Man dressing like So Kei for 1 time and the fact that series didn’t go that way earns a bit of grudging respect from me.
Then there’s the even more compelling story between son in law that is Ka Long and that of his scary mother in law, Sheung Ying Hung whom she blames for her daughter’s early death. And we see how Sheung Ying Hung realises the fault lies with her and how she too blames herself. In between all that we see the troubled relationship between Vincent and his controlling overbearing mother. All these are serious stuff, serious drama stuff but this series somehow achieves the balance between drama and comedy in these stories except for the boring love stories. The love stories for most part failed, big time.
THE ENDING
And the ending is weird in the 4 In Love/Let It Be Love way. In 4 In Love, the alien invasion story is used as a catalyst for all characters to face their problems head on and towards a happy ending. In this series, the 21.12.2012 is the popular end of the world date and by the tone TVB used this as a backdrop for the ending, I can tell you, none of them took 21.12.2012 seriously. Neither do I. The last episode may seem a bit weird, as if it doesn’t connect, not does the character run to one another confessing undying love at the supposed end of the world date so basically 21.12.2012 is merely used as a witty ending plot story rather than driving the plot itself. And by itself, 21.12.2012 is very funny! I find myself laughing at the last episode and the ending where Superman Lee actually flew out of Earth, quite simply because he can. I think TVB is capable of making a witty satire is they want to because the last episode is a clear indication of that. But I do agree, 21.12.2012 does not in anyway connect with the main story so yes it is weird, but in some ways I just wish TVB just go all out and do a satire of something.
Frankly I am ok with the ending. Everybody ends up with whoever they are meant to end up with. I don’t need a wedding scene to show me the final end because frankly by halfway through the series I was sick of the young couples. How obvious they will end up together Even the confession scene of Yi Hei and Vincent seems to me rather cold, detached whilst Ka Long and Hannah is a bit warmer with their cooperative action which makes them look rather cute but still seems like an inevitable end. I’d rather not have a wedding because I can’t stand the cheesiness of it. At least the series did not force Yi Hei to wear a dress or a wedding dress. I can’t stand Vincent scolding her on her wedding day and she being secretly glad that he cared enough to scold her. I am sure within a few episodes you can see the pattern here. Same goes for Hannah and her Ka Long, only this time Hannah smiles sweetly and in a cute way and Ka Long looking par smug, part surprised, part amused.
PERFORMANCES EVALUATED
Mandy Wong
I will be blunt. I could not and still can’t connect emotionally with Mandy as an actress. I feel nothing for the characters she plays, especially this one. I feel she has her goodness when it comes to certain strong minded characters but to me she fails abysmally as Yi Hei and she is the wrong casting decision for this series in light of her pairing with Him Law. Mandy to me is too strong willed looking to play the timid scared insecure Yi Hei, so in the end she comes across as majorly annoying. And the way she speaks is troubling; too proper to be someone like a rough uneducated girl like Yi Hei. It felt like Yi Hei was just pretending to be an insignificant not so smart nice girl, like anything she will burst out and scream “GOTCHA!!”. Maybe it is a compliment to Mandy that she doesn’t look nor act nor behave rough enough to be an unpolished diamond like Yi Hei. She felt like she is reciting her lines and at times she felt like she was acting and not natural. The character is a problem of course, but the same sort of character transported to some Taiwanese drama setting somehow works. In here it doesn’t. And she isn’t convincing in the love story part and I feel Mandy should steer clear from romantic series and focus on being a bad ass kick ass whatever.
Him Law
I look at him I feel stressed. Too much makeup on the face, clothes too tight, dress the same, doesn’t this man do casual? Acting wise, yes he has improved a lot. I mean let’s face it, Him Law IS handsome. He is cute. After all, he was cute in L’Escargot and in Hippocratic Crush. In here however he is too serious because his character is written that way. He seems angry the entire time. His actions may be romantic because on paper it is, but in action, everything he does seems forceful, as if he doesn’t want to do it, but he had to and because he had to for the sake of the girl, it seems romantic but in truth, it is just a very strange almost borderline abusive controlling sort of way. But I stress, the girl likes it that way, so no problem there. But doesn’t make his Vincent less anal or less strange. Acting wise, like I said, improved a lot but in some confrontation scenes with Liza Wang, he seems out of league (obviously) but more to the point, out of beat. He finished his lines too soon and seems to be waiting for the next line by his co-star. I find that quite amusing to watch. Well it is good training to act next to strict veterans like Liza Wang and the likes. She can whip you up to shape if you’re willing to learn the hard way. I long to see a proper romantic story and I don’t hope to see Him Law. I feel stressed looking at him as he does in this series.
Chin Kar Lok
He is not in my opinion a great actor but he works well with the material given and in this material, as a cameraman, it works for him. He plays a rather benign inactive sort of gentle Ka Long and I feel he fits the character. I just don’t like how stationary his character is, how indecisive or rather he is decisive but he wants to girl to run to him, not him to her. His best scene was the scene after Hannah’s accident and he cried at his wife’s tombstone and I could feel his pain and anguish. In that scene I feel Chin Kar Lok has matured as an actor and he was able to bring out Ka Long’s grief and dilemma. Because if it was the same actor a few years before, I would have probably laughed. I may not like how wishy washy Ka Long is, but for me, Chin Kar Lok did this role justice.
Eliza Sam
Pretty girl, cute girl, bodacious body. White t-shirts and all. I may not like the over extended story about her bra and Ka Long’s twisted arm (and what a long extended story it was!), Eliza Sam was super cute. Her Cantonese is funny but then she is playing a Malaysian and I like how she answered her calls with “Apa khabar? (How do you do?)” in one scene. I like also how when she argues with her mom, Chu Mi Mi she alternates in Cantonese and in English, typical of Malaysians. There consistency in her performance helped by a huge bundle of charm. BUT she is also not a very good actress, considering she is at a very very early stage of her career and she can’t forever play foreigners so she must buck up her her Cantonese. She doesn’t look Chinese in the HK sort of way so that is also another impediment. She needs to improve and blend her looks if she wants to move on to more roles. She does have a modern face. However this performance alone, I am sure she has garnered herself a huge following of fans who will be eager to see what else she has to offer. Whilst her cute factor saved the day in this series together with possibly one of the better written role in here, I hope she wins her fans by her strength in her acting in her next performance, rather than just being a cute girl deeply in love with a guy. But she does this much better than Mandy Wong who somehow even at the end can’t shake off her inner cynicism.
Koo Ming Wah
You must remember him as the magistrate from Ghetto Justice and many many other supporting roles. If there is one breakout star in this series other than Eliza Sam, it is this veteran actor. I could hardly recognise him with his make up and very cool hair and wardrobe. Some actors you can see dread their roles, standing there with anticipation but some actors you can see enjoying their role and Koo Ming Wah as So Kei is such an actor. You can see he enjoys being So Kei very very much. Such ease, such effortless performance. He is the true breakout star of this series and his performance was fearless. I never understood when people say he was fearless in that performance until I see Koo Ming Wah as So Kei. Now I understand. He just goes all out, he doesn’t hold back, he had no reservation, he immersed himself in this role not caring what the outcome will be and I feel as a viewer it was such a joy to watch the discovery of such a gem when the gem is already there, just a matter of someone giving the gem a chance to shine. Mandy, Him and many others can learn from this performance about what it means to be fearless and just embrace our own inner “So Kei”.
Liza Wang
She tends to be preachy when she speaks her lines, same here. But something about Liza Wang in comedy, she can be funny when she wants to be. She anchors this series well, she is the veteran and she is the centre of this series’ universe, make no doubt about that. Not to say you can’t re-cast this role. But Liza Wang gave a competent performance that at times is rather brilliant, like how she too as fearless as Koo Ming Wah was when she smeared peanut butter on her lips and throwing stuff about. A very ugly moment for Liza Wang, never expected her to agree to being ugly if you know what I mean. By the way I like her fashion in here.
Gigi Wong
Another veteran that anchors this show. She is also funny and loud when she wants to be. She is not the centre of this series’ universe. Let’s face it, next to Liza Wang, she is the one by the side. But I feel she gave a competent performance that at times is rather brilliant. Same as what I said about Liza Wang. Can be re-cast of course but why change a winning combination? She shares great chemistry with Liza Wang and with her on screen husband, Lee Shing Cheung.
Lee Shing Cheung
Oh his name is Henry? This is the veteran performance to look out for. I feel he is one of the most underrated veteran in TVB. He can play almost any role! Remember Three Kingdoms RPG? Disgusting villain? In here, he is the lovable cute husband and father. He can’t play emperor, not many can but anything beside warrior, emperor, anything which requires a bit of “ba qi”, I will say he can play that role. A fantastic actor great in both drama and comedy, he has perfect comic timing. Love his performance in here, his chemistry with Gigi Wong and his antics are funny without being childish or put on. I love the joke on his wig as well. He is bald yes, he does wear wigs in other roles but in here, it is just so funny seeing him taking on and off his wig.
Ceci So Yan Chee
Ceci So Yan Chee as Deneuve is someone I have seen her before. She has quite a lot of role and I thought she can be funny in some scenes as well. She is worth a mention because I thought she was competent in her role (Thanks to Larry 3 of Jaynestars for the name).
Chung King Fai
I always remember him as the voice often spoofed by Wong Cho Lam, and convincingly so since he speaks with an unmistakable trademark deep monotone voice. Usually I don’t like his performances, I find him bland but in this series, he was more expressive, and I find his performance convincing.
Chu Mi Mi
Her appearance in this series is to me one of the highlights; her first scene or thereabouts, she speaks Mandarin, English and Malay. All in one scene. I had a good laugh. Chu Mimi is from Malaysia by the way and her Malay sounds ok for generation her age. I like how she argues with her daughter in English. Overall this is a wonderful performance. One of her best moment was when Chung King Fai, her past love appeared, she heard his voice and she was about to lift and drink from her cup when her hand shook a bit, almost slipped. A supremely simple scene you may think, but difficult to do with such ease and she did it in such a funny way, you know her character is still very much in love with her old lover! The same scene with Liza Wang doing this act, but this time to indicate guilt. These two women can almost slip their cup of coffees for all I care because that’s supremely good acting there! Love Chu Mimi in here!
Misc Performances
The office people, the editor, etc. Competent performances, rowdy bunch even if again office scenes are unbelievable, some rather silly but since the scenes are supposed to be funny, in its context it works. Anyway only in TVB world office people behave the way this series displays.
VERDICT
Despite my criticisms, I highly recommend this series. It is funny and enjoyable to watch for a lot of reasons, but not for the ones you expected. I won’t deny it is funny and witty many times. I am sure many will fall for the golden couple that is Mandy-Him or Chin Kar Lok – Eliza but for me they’re not the reason why I recommend this series. It is for the veterans. Their acting shows to the younger ones what is called acting, not pretending to be, not waiting for the other to finish her lines, not just because the man fills hundreds of coupons with your name and it is called romantic or that every girl likes to say one thing, mean another and then argue to a romantic hug which isn’t romantic. It is not just about emoting, but rather it is also about body language. I find that body language lacking in the young couples in here, whether from one to another or both. It is not perfect, it is flawed. But as far as funny series goes these days at TVB, this is one witty one.
Interesting Stuff
I don’t understand why the theme video shows desserts when no one in this series open a dessert shop? What’s the connection? Life is sweet?
I don’t get the dilemma over Yi Hei and Vincent where Yi Hei decides to retire from construction work (artistic stuff of course, not seriously construction stuff, just that I can’t think of a proper word except maybe interior designing??) and Vincent doesn’t want her to give up the one thing she is good at and her dreams so decided to finally leave her. She retires because her construction work results in Vincent’s asthmatic condition worsening. Sounds terribly romantic for all the sacrifice. My question is doesn’t Yi Hei ever bath? Can’t she just bath, scrub herself before hugging Vincent? Or maybe just get rid of the dust/particle filled cap she always wears then he will be fine? I tell you, all those drama for absolutely nothing. This is the WORST plot hole in this series. Even the 21.12.2012 makes more sense than this.
Check out the final episode’s ending sequence where all the actors and actresses passport/character photos are displayed with Liza right smack in the middle. I like this. TVB may finally get it that their supporting actors are their backbone.
This review was written by Funn Lim, a Contributing Writer at JayneStars.com, and was originally posted at www.point2e.com.
620 disagrees with your ending review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBGnpzYWMPI&list=UUGW0HcnHSZ1Jed1YmMHAPAA&index=1&feature=plcp
I so am waiting for 620 to validate me, NOT!! Who cares about 620? She can’t even explain her way out of another person’s scandal without burdening the same person with more varied version of the scandal!!
Ceci So Yan Chee is Deneuve
is it just me or the ending was completely lame and disppointing?
You completely right. Lame & Disappointing!
Funn:
As usual, I enjoyed reading your review, particularly your performance evaluations.
In order to find out about Eliza Sam’s performance, I watched the first two episodes of this drama series. I tend to agree with many of your comments. I was amazed by So Gay’s character, acted by Koo Ming Wah. I then realized that he was a veteran kelefe for a long time. Very happy for him that he got a chance to shine eventually after working in TVB for such a long time, and he did a great job in this drama series.
When I watch this drama series in future, I will pay more attention to the artistes’ performances as per your evaluations.
It is a good review.
Funn,
I completely agree with about mandy. her character in this series is kind of a copy version of taiwan drama “down with love” and her character was played by Ella. Ella was spunky yet cute & sweet…mandy was none of those things.
Not sure if I could think of Ella being cute and sweet in the Taiwanese series she acted in because I have always thought she faking it out (sweet and cute) she’s nothing cute at all imo..
I think Ariel Lin can really cute though.
Yeah, I agree with u and Funn that Mandy is nothing close to be cute at all, her outlook is way too “strong” that need protection from HIM LAw.
and Him Law, He’s so bland in his role in Diva, all i can see is his big body with huge arm and a very tight shirt which almost like gonna tear apart anytime..
Agree with Veejay. Ella is NOT cute and Sweet, and it was quite disgusting when she acted that way. But she’s naturally a funny and down to earth girl, but its horrid when she was trying to be cute.
Ariel is cute and very natural. I miss watching her act!!!
Vj, have your seen Down With Love? She was pretty cute in that drama…check it out if you have the time.
“Divas In Distress Notes
– 6 complaints: Some viewers complained the series ended badly, it was stupid and they disliked the interpretation of the 2012 Dooms Day. Other viewers thought Him Law and Mandy Wong’s relationship dragged for too long. The Broadcasting Authority received complaints on suspicion of plagiarism, promoting Dooms Day and the relationships were too draggy.
– Compliments: Other viewers praised the sweet and lighthearted storyline, at least the ending differed from the typical “BBQ Happily Ever After” endings. Some people even asked for a sequel.
– The 22 episode series averaged 31 points, which makes it the 7th series of 2012 that averaged 30 points or more.
– TVB broadcasted reruns of popular Korean drama Jewels in the Palace’s finale on Sunday afternoon, which resulted in 14 complaints. Viewers were upset that TVB made them miss the finale of “Divas”.
– Yesterday the cast including Chin Kar Lok, Mandy Wong and producer Poon Ka Tak celebrated the success. Him Law was absent.”
Source: http://asianuniverse.net/forums/TVB_Rating_Reports_17_09_2012_23_09_2012_t342837.html
People miss this series because Jewel in the Palace? WTF.
OMG viewers complain about anything and everything lols
bloody HK viewer always complains no matter how good or bad the series are.
I know right? they complain about every little thing and this series is quite nice.. its suppose to ba a light hearted comedy and it was.
No Crap…. Jesus crists people always have to find something to complain about for EVERY single series….
There has not been ONE serie that recieved no complaints. Serously, thise people who like to complain so much should not watch TVB dramas if they dislike everything.
Eliza Sam has a very good start. Just look at how Linda Chung did in her first series (and second, and third, and fourth) and you will know how how good the start of Eliza is. Of course, she has more thing to do next, but a start like this, I’m ready to become a fan.
And of course, So Kei is the light of Diva.
Agree. Eliza Sam did very well as a newbie. It was her 2nd drama series only.
Also her character was a light-hearted one which made it easier for her to act. I think she has similar personality herself.
I thought her character was pretty easy to portray. will have to see how she does in her next series to give my verdict.
It is easy to be cute but to be so cute people like takes a bit of natural charisma.
btw, also found liza wang boring and typical…it would of been more interesting if they reverse her role with gigi’s role instead. Chu mimi definitely outshined both of them.
Liza always has that similar type of character. I never like her anyway. Chu MiMi is soo funny and she protrayed her character very well.
Haha…that’s because Liza Wang is like that in real life, so TVB always gives her the same type of roles to play. It definitely gets annoying after awhile, especially when this is like the 10th time that I’ve seen Liza Wang in the same type of bossy, controlling, constantly yelling type of role (that’s why I find her annoying now…watching her in any series gives me a headache)…
Liza wang shall replace by Louise Lee ,i not really like Liza jeh acting ,she look arrogant ,and i wonder if the world really end in Diva ending ,not really ?
Personally I like Louise Lee’s acting more than Liza Wang’s. I never really liked Liza’s acting nor her voice.
Of course her acting is a lot better than those new artistes’, such as Him Law, Mandy Wong and Eliza Sam.
I prefer Susan Tse in her role.
Koo Ming Wah is the best out of all the other actors. Love his character. Finger cross for him to win best supporting actor.
Eliza is very cute and very likeable, she need to improve her acting skill, which i know she will do well in her next series.
Mandy and Him Him acting his not very outstanding and kinda disppointed.
Mandy and Him Law has zero chemistry. Many scenes were boring and Can’t Take My Eyes Off You was played till nauseating.
Koo Ming Wah and Mimi Choo were my fav actors.The rest were bleh.
I totally disagree with you and Funn. I think you are cold hearted. Both Him and Mandy did their play very well, very touching.
i didn’t really watch this series – just the recaps of him and mandy’s scenes together on youtube. additionally, i liked the characters of koo ming wah, chung king fai, lee sing cheong and his four disciples, but they weren’t enough to make me endure the whole series. eliza is super cute, but i didn’t like her paired up with chin ka lok, who i love as a host but not so much as an actor, especially a leading actor. all in all, i think it was a terribly boring series that was totally saved by all the wonderful supporting cast.
ps. don’t completely get the ending between him and mandy neither. so is mandy going to retire or not? and like you said, maybe mandy CAN have a shower and NOT wear her work clothes when she’s around him?
wow i didn’t even realise that she said Apa Khabar
@Funn: As usual, great review! Once again, your analysis was spot-on and you hit all the points, both about the plot/storyline as well as about the characters / acting. Definitely enjoyed reading your review (as always!). 🙂
I personally put up with the series primarily because of Koo Ming Wah and some of the other supporting characters such as King Sir, Mimi Chu, the kid who played Ka Long’s son Michel, and Lee Sing Cheong (completely agree with you – he’s one of the best and most underrated veteran actors at TVB. I’ve been watching his series since back in the 80s – when his full head of hair was REAL..haha – and have always loved his versatility as an actor…pretty much you give him any role and he will be absolutely convincing! Very rare to have such a versatile, talented actor nowadays). Aside from the above-mentioned, I pretty much forwarded through majority of the series because I got so bored with the storylines either going nowhere or getting dragged out too long.
@funn,
thanks for the detailed review, I didnt watch the series at all cuz i never like light comedy but whne you said Eliza was portraying a malaysian and argued with Mimi in Cantonese and Malay.. I think that’s interesting..yes very typical Malaysian style.. malaysians often mix their language with some english etc..
You do know that Malaysian Chinese do not usually speak the Malay language right?
I have met many Malaysian Chinese who can speak Malay, they may not be very proficient, but definitely somewhat conversational.
Actually they do, but not fully but that depends which state.
Actually i am a malaysian chinese .. we rarelly speak malay but we do when we have too .
Most Malaysian do know how to speak Malay. Even people of my grandma’s generation know how to speak a bit.
Almost all Malaysians know how to speak Malay because we have to learn it for 11 years in public school. I am trying to say that most of the time, we speak english / chinese out of school. I am not sure about all the states though.
What I mean is when in daily conversation we speak mix malay english chinese, like singaporeans depict on screen. Not exclusively in one language but what is great about malaysians is the way we just mix and match. Or when we buy keropok from the makcik.
Mandy to me is too strong willed looking to play the timid scared insecure Yi Hei
She did play the timid and scared character in suspects in love and received praise for it. however, you may be too influenced by her recent strong characters like Kwan Yi So.
I think she was very natural though. Just Him Law was very unnatural, and it’s hard to act against someone like that.
Nicole, are you watching the same drama here? Mandy’s character was horribly written, and equally horribly portrayed by Mandy. Specially in scenes where she pretends to be afraid and hide behind Him Law…it was bad I had to fast forward.
I’m really sorry to say, i really hate the ending. But i did enjoy the show. Even though the chemistry between Yi-Hei and Vincent wasn’t a good one but i can say that they are really funny. Well, As for Heung-Heung and Er Lang Shen, they are like going one big round before they really get together. Well, i really enjoy seeing So-Gei. He has a very big improvement in his acting skill. I think because he get more scenes and he really serious in acting, makes me so in love with him 😀 Lastly, Miu Jie and Hong Jie. They made the show better even though they are the veteran. I love them a lot. Especially Hong Jie, don’t know why i think she is always like from very fierce then slowly she became very nice. Haha. But this show deserve better script. I think they should have sequel. Maybe they will come out with better kinds of plot. Haha, but this show makes me fall in love with him law (:
Many and Him story was so boring!! Liza Wong and Gigi can do comedy for sure! Lee Shing Cheung is another guy I like watching. He’s in a lot of supporting role but he’s always good playing his character! He can be lovable or despicable depending on his role! What a great actor! So Gay.. ekekek he’s a riot!
Funn, As always, enjoyed reading your review. hahaha, i think Him look stressed because his clothes and everything look so tight. Especially the pant and chest area, look like it’s going to burst anytime soon. Like most of the character, except Him and Mandy. Skip their part most of the time. Love chu mimi the most.
I have about 6 episodes left and I agree on Koo Ming Wah being the breakout performance here and on Him Law and Mandy’s pairing. Also find Eliza super cute, of course acting needs some work. But I don’t agree on Chung King Fai — he is so bland and wooden here; a waste to pair him with the very funny Chu Mi Mi!
The ending is so weird and freaky lol I definitely prefer the “bbq-happy-ending”. I like Sing’s secretary alot! She’s cute haha. Hope to see her act in more shows.
Thought many subtle things were witty in the series:
King Sir’s 4th wall screen play where all the characters were named with the actor’s real life names.
Eliza really seemed like she could be Mimi’s daughter. I think the hidden message is that she “inherited” Mimi’s body that made her famous as 70’s porn star.
I thought the part where Eliza was talking to Chin Ka Lok about her auntie visiting.
I thought the part where Eliza was talking to Chin Ka Lok about her auntie visiting was funny.
yeh i couldn’t stop laughing. the more i watch eliza the more i like her, she’s just too cute ehehe
Eliza’s cuteness in small doses was ok but towards the end of the series her cuteness and poor Cantonese have become an overdose to me.
I also found Mandy Him relationship to verge on abusive. Kept waiting for Mandy to stand up for herself or at least a strong monologue but she ended up acting like cutesy bunny. I really cringed their whole Japan trip where she kept on hanging on this coattails (literally) and hiding behind him. Liza, Gigi, and Mimi’s characters grew up from a whole bygone era and they showed independence and strength – what’s up with a girl growing up amongst bunch of men in 2012 to be so weak?
I find Mandy’s character quite contradicting. The impression she first gave me is strong and rough, one who will speak out against any unfairness (eg the lift incident with him, she was not afraid at all), yet in the later part (i supposed after her past was made known), she became timid and all. Hiding behind Him and tugging at his shirt once she saw a Japanese. I don’t understand what is so scary about them. There was also this part where she was so adamant about not wanting to go to Japan with Him, yet she was seen disappointed and wishing Him was there.
Yes yes yes!
Star, I guess you dont really understand the character of Yi Hei – being a illiterate , insecure and never fly in airplane, makes her weak. Yi Hei feels insecure after being cheated by x-bf 10 years ago and that Vincent is ‘too good to be true’ in her life.
And she needs to literally hide behind him, every time she feels insecure? No one is dismissing Yi Hei, we are just dismissing Mandy’s performance as Yi Hei.
i notice that in episode 3,when Liza & Gigi are in the fast food restaurant, Lee Shing Cheung has shown his bald head..
so why they are in shock when he shows again in episode 4 (when he lies to them that he has cancer)??
weird 🙂
That’s why the story is inconsistent. But just enjoy it for what it is, it is still funny
There are rumors for a third installment of “巴不得_ _ …” next year.
OMFGGG <3 I love Him Law and Mandy Wong as a couple ! They are so cute together ! 🙂 Too bad their not couples in real life … but at least their good friends 😀
Totally agree with you…..
Good critical review. Mandy Wong not suitable for this role. Besides the lack of chemistry, Mandy seems struggling with the character causing mixed-up personality throughout the stories, leads to confusion: Independent, but timid? Loves Vincent, but hate him? Wtf.
Both Mandy and Him played their role very well……Pls stop criticising both of them unless you really can act….
I can act. Why not?
Your review sucks!!!!!
Funn Lim’s review is spot on.
Agree with you!!! Funn’s review is crappy!! You can act, hahaha fat joke.
If you think Funn’s review is crappy just b/c she criticized your idols’ acting, I would respectfully suggest you guys don’t read the reviews here at Jayne Stars.
Her review is crappy because she put in too much of her personal bias into the review. Did i say i like what idols??? You assume that. Who is getting personal now?Ya, I will boycott only her reviews. Others review are quite fair but not hers!
Like the sifu said in DID, you expect me to respect his lifestyle, but why can’t you respect my stands? Isn’t that unfair to me too?
>Her review is crappy because she put in too much of her personal bias into the review
I’m not sure you quite understand what constitutes a review.
Well reviews are just what they they think and the reviewers personal opinion. They aren’t facts or anything. Who is not bias to some extent???
Agree, Funn Lim’s review SUCKS!!!
The person I give credit to the most is the writer. Forget the producer and director for a second, and just listen to the lines the characters speak. I am especially pleased with the lines Him Law had. He was such a mature young men, it was almost to good to be true every time he spoke. The lines Eliza Sam had were really well composed as well. She is not a native Cantonese speaker, but if you really listen to the words she says, they are so logical and wise for a 20 something year old.
The flaw with Mandy’s character, Yi Hei, is not that it was contradictory, it is the fact that it develops too slowly and does not go through a significant metamorphosis. Him Law’s Vincent already said that she is actually quite weak underneath her tough exterior, but she really doesn’t man up to show how she really feels about Vincent until the very end–kind of (if you count the hug and that one romantic line). I was really hoping for her to end up being a creative director assistant instead of a construction worker. That way she could have continued pursuing her passion and still be considerate towards her fiance.
Vicent’s character is supposed to be stressed 90% of the time. So yes, he did seemed like he was irritated all the time for a reason. The flaw with this character is that it was almost too good to be true (just like the song Can’t Take My Eyes Off You says). Although at times the audience thought he was too intense, he ACTUALLY has a reason for everything he does. They are really good reasons too. I guess I would be really stressed out too if I had to take that many things into consideration. He was trying to be a filial son, but also a caring boyfriend at the same time. I was surprised he didn’t have a MAJOR breakdown. The viewers always had to find out his good intentions after the fact! I admit he is aggressive towards Yi Hei, but it looks like that is needed since Yi Hei has SO MUCH pride or too many weaknesses (which eventually mean the same thing). She never ends up shedding that pride either. And yes, a lot of people said they were a cute couple. I was very intrigued by this story line too. However, being a cute couple is one thing and being a healthy couple is another. This was NOT a healthy couple. They didn’t have much communication, but they had a lot of confrontation. EXPLOSIVE, too EXPLOSIVE.
If this is what the director wanted these characters to express, then Him Law and Mandy Wong actually did their jobs. The producer is the one who casts actors, so maybe he thought Him and Mandy were competent (and according to some viewers maybe not adequate). Regardless of this couple, they really were not the main focus of the drama. I enjoyed other couples as well.
My applause goes out to Miu’s husband. The way he acted when presenting his speech to Hong was great in episode 6. He was lecturing Hong for being cruel to a orphaned girl. He said he admired Hong because of her motherly love and he knew he was mistaken for thinking of her so highly!
The ending was very rushed. If you were going to slip Doom’s Day into the theme, some prior mentioning of it earlier on in the series would have helped a lot. It is okay to incorporate that theme, but it has to be done in a more clever way?
Good points! Love Him and Mandys chemistry 😀
Agree with u…..
Agree!
I’m not really sure what to make of this series either…
for a newbie actor – I actually liked Eliza Sum – she still has along way to go but it is heaps better than say Christine Kuo.
Can see lots of potential in Eliza.
Liza Wang was boring – she plays the same character over and over again, so cliched.
As for Him and Mandy – I…just..don’t…know…I think some of the scenes were quite sweet (the ones where you see Him being nice for once).
But like FUnn said…if a guy treated you like that – would you really fall for him??!! He comes in and just calls you “wai!” and DEMANDS to have breakfast with you etc etc…really??? I would tell him to get lost!
and Yi Hei when she was being timid was SOOO f-ing annoying…you can be slightly scared yes, but she would tug onto Him’s sleeve, properly crouch down behind like a 5 year old child…really?? really??? Just because a Japanese person wanted to ask you something? I thought that whole “timid” acting was pathetic.
This series turned out ok I hope I will see more of Eliza Sam in TVB series!!!
Eliza Sam was refreshing. I can’t wait to see her in some other shows. I have seen her doing lots of fashion shows so guess she’s getting popular. Finally TVB has someone fresh and unique instead old their typical run of mill HK up and comers..
I think Eliza Sam is really cute. For a newbie she’s very good & natural. I think she’ll do very well in the future.
In comparsion Mandy seems almost boring(sorry fans).
Lee Shing Cheung… haha.. we finally get his name, excellent as usual! He never disappoint!
I agree with Funn review, but I would says it’s the main actor/actress (Him&Mandy) acting that ruin it.
I think it’s funny that Eliza Sam outshine Mandy in the acting department in this drama.
The screenplay was so good (plot, dialogue, setting, words choice etc..) BUT due to bad acting and emotionless acting make it not up per.
I skip when i see the boring him law and his fake acting. his figure like a duck with booty like a latino.