“Brutally Young” Series Finale: The End of An 18-Year Battle

TVB psychological thriller Brutally Young <十八年後的終極告白> ended its 20-episode run on Friday, May 15th. While unable to surpass the viewership ratings of TVB’s Airport Strikers <機場特警>, Brutally Young has gotten near unanimous praise among netizens. Critics have also praised the drama for its gripping storyline, but acknowledged that the last five episode fell victim to plot convenience and lazy tie-ups.

SPOILER WARNING

In the finale, Yuen Sir (Dominic Lam 林嘉華) uncovers the truth behind his son’s death 18 years ago, and confronts Sam (Shaun Tam 譚俊彥) at the abandoned warehouse, the location of where his son was killed by Lai Kwok-ming. Sam eventually confesses to Yuen Sir about how he and his six classmates had disposed the body, as they assumed that it was Yat (Joel Chan 陳山聰) who killed him. Sam also confesses of accidentally killing his wife (Elvina Kong 江欣燕) while attempting to escape from Lai Kwok-ming. Yuen Sir urges Sam to turn himself in, but Sam refuses, unwilling to lose all that he had built in the past two decades. In a blinding flash of rage, he pulls out a knife and attempts to kill Yuen Sir.

At that moment, Yuen Sir’s daughter and Sam’s girlfriend, Kan (Mandy Wong 黃智雯) confronts them. Sam is desperate for her forgiveness and attempts to stab Yuen Sir again, but Yat arrives at the scene and blocks his attack. Fatally wounded, Yat urges Sam to stop his madness. He eventually dies under his knife.

Sam is arrested and trialed for involuntary manslaughter. Fu (Anthony Ho 何遠東) receives a much lighter sentence for illegal disposal of a body. Seeking repentance and closure, Sam attempts to get in contact with Kan during his time in prison, but all of his letters were denied.

“If there was one thing I could tell myself back then,” said Sam. “It is this: admitting to your mistakes lasts only a second, but having a guilty conscience lasts a lifetime.”

Sam gets released 25 years later. He learns that Yuen Sir had already passed, and that he no longer has family in Hong Kong. Sam meets Fu again, who shares with him that he and Ching (Griselda Yeung 楊卓娜) got married soon after his release. Yat’s son with Sin (Vivien Yeo 楊秀惠) is now an adult and studying medicine. Dan Tat passed a year after Fu’s release, and Chui Shui immigrated to Thailand with his new family. Sam tells Fu that he wants to apologize to Kan one last time.

The episode ends with an alternate reality: the original seven boys staying together 18 years later.

Source: HK01.com

This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.

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Responses

  1. How did that airport series get high ratings than this thriller???
    Gotta say this series was better than last year’s big series like Big White Duel and The Defected.
    Proper casting did wonders for BY.

    1. @bubbles23
      Like I say this is the best collective performance by a cast since ‘When Heavens Burns’ and considering this is a much more inexperienced cast. This series would have nabbed most of the awards if it was out last year….

      1. @jimmyszeto for once the ending was decent and intriguing. I hope Vivien gets recognized for her work, but then again she has left TVB so maybe not. This show was way better than anything else that has been on TVB this year.

    2. @bubbles23 I find that quality does not always translate to viewership / vice versa. Airport Security and Forensic Heroes had high viewership but were pretty rubbish to me. Shows I thought were really good like My Dearly Sinful Mind and Destination Nowhere had lower viewership and were totally ignored at the award shows.

      1. @boomer
        I agree that my ‘Dearly Sinful Mind‘ and ‘Destination Nowhere’ were excellent. Usually anniversary series and big production gifted win. ‘When Heavens Burn’ probably the only low viewership series which won ‘Best series’ and deservedly so.

      2. @luye @jimmyszeto yes yes Bottled Passion ( ignoring last ep) and Swipe Tap Love definitely are very strong overall series from the 2010s. Can I add The Executioner to this list?

      3. @bubbles23
        Yeh. I haven’t seen the whole but from the episodes I’ve seen it is decent and a very brave topic theme for TVB. The cast was well selected too.

  2. To me, the best TVB productions of late tend to be the small ones. This year, it’s Brutally Young. Last year, it was Barrack O’Karma. In 2017, it was Exorcist’s Meter. All had a well-written script and underrated but excellent supporting cast.

  3. Everything was great before they revealed the killer too early. Ending was a tad bit disappointing especially the fake dye on Sam and Fat Guy’s hair.
    Overall it was a very good drama I’m sad with Ah Yut, stupid death closing his eyes and lunging forward… Shaun was definitely better in this drama compared to him on Succession War and Forensic Heroes 4. Although most scenes he was wooden but when he was distressed and crazily laughing in the cell it was pretty convincing.
    Now I have an empty pit deep in my stomach as another good drama ends. Wonder when another good drama comes to fill the empty void?

    1. @oligodendrocytes yep the ending was a bit underwhelming, but it was gonna be hard to match up to the first 15 eps anyway… and yes I’m really sad it’s over. Left me with so many questions and guesses every night. It was so fast paced and intense. Assassin looks interesting, only comes out in June though.

      1. @boomer
        I was getting too emotionally attached to the main characters for my own good. Was really upset at their demise in the final episode. Great work by whole cast…

    2. @oligodendrocytes I think they paced it pretty well. 16-20 was basically falling action. If they only revealed the killer at the end it wouldn’t be as intense in the first few weeks.
      LOL i thought the scene where they were old was mostly for comedic relief in such a heavy drama. We all knew Ah Yat wouldn’t have a good ending since he’s in the triad. Still, whatever plotholes this drama had, the acting made up for it and more.

  4. From this performance Shaun and Joel would have a nomination for the awards. Hopefully Fat Guy gets one too. Vivien could have got one but left TVB. Mandy is probably getting one too. Mandy has done good this drama I didn’t really like her I just thought she was ‘meh’ but in this role I’m slowly warming up to her. Not like those loud and brash roles she was in previously.

  5. Nothing good from TVB nowadays…missed the good old days during the 90s and early 2000s..fed up.

    1. @my3366 Sad right..above average series and above average actors and actresses are considered good these days…sigh…

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