“Growing Through Life” Averages 25 Points in Ratings; Wayne Lai Will Not Give Up Battle for Best Actor
Raymond Lam Fung is rumored to receive TVB’s Best Actor Award this year. However, Raymond’s recent series, Growing Through Life <摘星之夜> averaged only twenty-five points in ratings in its first week of broadcast.
Wayne Lai Yiu Chueng said that he will not give up “the battle” for Best Actor. Joining the cast of TVB sitcom, Some Day <天天天晴>, Wayne will warm-up for the October broadcast of Rosy Business 2: The Righteous Sea of Heroic Love.
In regards to the race for Best Actress, Wayne ’s co-star in Some Day, Teresa Mo Shun Kwan, said that she can only put in her best performance and let luck decide the results. Teresa explained that the ratings for Growing Through Life may be hindered by the new faces of the mainland cast. The audience needs patience to immerse into the drama before the ratings will increase.
Source: the Sun
Jayne: The Hong Kong audience does not receive joint collaborations with China that well. It’s an intolerance for new faces, as was the case in The Drive of Life. Since the two main female leads in Growing Through Life are from China , this may be the cause for the low ratings.
Growing Through Life was already aired in China and you can actually see the outcome of the series by watching it online.
Stupid TVB should have aired simultaneously with SMG Shanghai, China…. but no, TVB aired it in worst time when it is summer and not everybody watches tv and they have to make the Drive of Life version 2.0 ,
Or maybe the audiences are bored with the sort of story that Growing Through Life is showing?
I’ve watched Growing through Life up to 30 episodes in mando and 7 episodes in Canto.
From my perspective some of the problems are:
1) The storyline offers nothing new in excitement or breakthrough
2) The slow and resembling Drive of Life beginning and relatively slower pace of drama build-up
3) The lack of leading persona from the leading actresses
4) The ambiguous settings between HK and mainland China(currency, places, car)
5) One of the major actress is new and quite weak in acting
So it’s not a surprise to see many viewers not liking GTL. Yet the drama becomes my cup of tea after I watched until the end :). I admit my taste are peculiar; I don’t like Beyond, Moonlight, Heart and Mysteries of Love. I also think Fistful of Stances is overrated. Shoot me 😛
u mean “Shoot” me……..as in turn the camera on you. har har har
6)Unattractive promotions; TVB summary of the series doesn’t depict what the series truly want to say. This make me wonder if TVB really produced this stuff solely for the mainland. Both two promotional events were done in mainland.
Grow Through Life is like Drive of Life , will not resonate well with HK audiences..
taking too long to get into the plot and also based in Shanghai so HK people will not get into it.
“I don’t like Beyond, Moonlight, Heart and Mysteries of Love. I also think Fistful of Stances is overrated. Shoot me”
Masaharu: High 5! I absolutely concur with your above opinion esp with AFOS being overrated. But have yet to watch GTL.
Yep Grow Through Life is DEFINITELY like Drive of Life!!! although i am in Australia, i to like people in Hk dont like it when tvb collaborate with china actors!! i always hated dubbing series..
Mysteries of Love was ok…wasn’t that bad
by the way Wayne Lai already won the award last year… time for someone else towin it…how about Joe Ma? He’s quite talented and always misses out! or Steven Ma…
although i am in Australia, i to like people in Hk dont like it when tvb collaborate with china actors!! i always hated dubbing series..
Mysteries of Love was ok…wasn’t that bad
by the way Wayne Lai already won the award last year… time for someone else towin it…how about Joe Ma? He’s quite talented and always misses out! or Steven Ma…
As to Wayne’s saying he will not give up “the battle” for Best Actor – WTH? “give up”(?); doing “battle” already with who(?) The series promotions are decided by TVB, the ratings are decided by viewers; so what can he or any other actor for that matter, do to ‘battle’ for Best Actor?
Hopefully it is just reporter taking Wayne’s words out of context because that short declaration does not sit well with me at all. It sounds so arrogant whereas his series is not even airing yet. Sometimes a show of humility is a good thing.
Uh, why you so serious? Even if the reporter did not take Wayne’s words out of context, I still don’t see it as arrogant. Just getting into the excitement and building up the atmosphere.
It’s like the host asking Charmaine during the award, ‘who you do think will win?’ and Charmaine answered ‘Of course I have to say me’, even though knowing that she has very little chance of winning (since everyone know Sheren is hot fave). Is she arrogant? No. Just being sporting.
Nancy Sit also said she’s going to win when people asked her during the year she was competing.
Wayne most probably said it with a laugh for all we know.
I honestly don’t find Wayne to be that good of an actor, but he has improved through the years. He was a better supporting actor rather than a leading actor in my opinion. But wish him the best regardless of who will win the award.
GTL is suffering from ppl biasness for mainland modern production and its hurting Ray with this biasness. Wayne is getting overhead after he won the award. GTL is slow to get into the real storyline but GTL characters are realistic!
I don’t want Wayne to won again with the same overly dramatic acting. Ray was super awesome and in GTL and if he win he deserves it but ppl just dont like GTL so sad!
“by the way Wayne Lai already won the award last year… time for someone else towin it…how about Joe Ma? He’s quite talented and always misses out! or Steven Ma”
Joe ma cant carry a series he’s better as a supporting and doesnt have lead material. Steven Ma is not outstanding and overhadowed grossly by Fala in GW
Steven Ma is not outstanding? I think he’s got superb acting skills and pretty much all his series make it as a top contender in ratings.
If Steven Ma got the same amount of publicity PR places on Raymond Lam, he’s definitely got this in his pocket and Wayne can step aside.
Wayne is great but only as a supporting cast. He hasn’t proven himself worthy without a reputable female lead yet. Steven, however, has repeatedly showed how he can take on a fresh actress and let them piggy back on him. The way he builds chemistry with his co-star is rare, only other person I find excelling in this was Gallen Lo back in the days.
Steven, however, has repeatedly showed how he can take on a fresh actress and let them piggy back on him. The way he builds chemistry with his co-star is rare, only other person I find excelling in this was Gallen Lo back in the days
I’m neutral on Steven, I don’t think he’s great as his fans always said yet I don’t think he’s bad either. He’s not my cup of tea but I don’t dislike him. However I disagree that Steven is comparable to Gallen Lo. I’m not a Gallen fan but Gallen was TVB’s #1 brother when he was around. During his prime years Gallen has carried several grand productions under his charisma. I don’t see anyone that can equal or surpass Gallen yet so far in TVB.
“It’s like the host asking Charmaine during the award, ‘who you do think will win?’ and Charmaine answered ‘Of course I have to say me’, even though knowing that she has very little chance of winning (since everyone know Sheren is hot fave). Is she arrogant? No. Just being sporting.”
Actually the question asked is, “Do you have confidence winning?”
Like every year, she answered: “I must have confidence in myself.” She never said she will win.
Likewise in this case, Wayne is simply expressing confidence in himself, and being a good sport. I don’t see any arrogance.
You enter a competition to win, if you don’t have confidence, why bother joining?
^My problem with Wayne is on how he worded his response: “he will not give up “the battle” for Best Actor”.
I have no problem with people expressing confidence in themselves, but notice Wayne is not expressing confidence in himself or in his work; instead he used the words “give up” and “battle”. “Give up” – the nominees list has not even been drawn up yet, such presumption on his part is a bit too much for me. And “battle” – do battle among your own colleagues? with what?
Anyway, guess different strokes for different people — Wayne’s whole declaration of battle just rubs me the wrong way, that’s all.
(quote Masaharu)”I don’t think he’s great as his fans always said ”
lol! That statement qualifies for all fans’ view on their respective idols.
totally agree with pandamao’s view on Steven. I love Steven as an actor. I think he is just brilliant in all his roles.
Havent see it yet , i thought the rating is like about 30 somthng but then :O/ since raymond is in it like MOL they story plot is not that good but they rating is :O .
lol! That statement qualifies for all fans’ view on their respective idols
LOL. I must be a bad fan then. I always being critical of the stars that I like, including(and not limited to) Daniel, Lee Hom, Zhou Xun who are all A-listers in their own field 😛
There must be a mistranslation of Wayne’s words because what he said tantamounts to an encouragement to himself and not a call for battle amongst his colleagues. Moreover why can’t he express exactly that? I don’t want him to give up but of course I am hoping he has something to offer that is already broadcast before he says something.
Steven is not the best actor and compared to Gallen, he is nowhere near Gallen as a character actor. But Steven as I have always said has charisma and in recent years he seems to have found his footing in the acting world and he improved tremendously. I love watching Steven nowadays and should he feel compelled to break into a poem recital I will bear with it. Yes, his diction isn’t clear at all which shows how much I like him these days. Charisma, no other way to say it.
I never liked Zhou Xun or Daniel. Lee Hom as an actor? Hard to say since I only watched one movie with him in it and he was well.. he was… competent.
^ I never realized your idol is Steven lol
At least Steven is better than Kevin Cheng. I think they both start at the same time.
Just to clear up any misconceptions, Steven Ma is not Gallen Lo, I merely made a reference on an asset I felt they both shared – the ability to connect to their female co-stars.
I do not think Steven Ma carried the charisma Gallen had, although Steven Ma shares his own characteristic that Gallen also not have.
Just wanted to clear this up … i’m a fan of Steven but not a blind fan where I think he’s the best in everything!
Lee Hom as an actor? Hard to say since I only watched one movie with him in it and he was well.. he was… competent.
I love Lee Hom’s passion as a musician. As an actor…hm not so much. Haha I guess we just drink different flavors of tea. I think Daniel and Zhou have a special charisma in their films that attract me, but I just want to point that despite liking them I criticize them a lot more than praising them LOL.
I must’ve lose confidence with TVB. I don’t really care about who will win, but I just enjoy seeing how the “game” enfolds. Hahaha
Very surprise that there’s some who criticise Zhou Xun. Zhou Xun in movie circle is like Tavia in TVB. To fans, she can do no wrong. Absolute amazing actress that is too good for drama. Sort after by every director and only film quality movies.
Kidd: That’s why I said I must be a bad fan. I love her fine acting but she’s not perfect yet. I actually think she can add more charisma offscreen.
quote FL: “Steven is not the best actor and compared to Gallen, he is nowhere near Gallen as a character actor.”
Guess I’m in the minority that is not all that impressed by Gallen’s acting. Granted, I’ve only watched him in “At the Threshold of an era” & its sequel, half of Golden Faith, 1st 5 or so espisodes of Born Rich, and snippets of that Mainland china series with Rain Li. I liked him in ATOAE but then I liked Sunny just as much if not more. I found ATOAE (2 -the sequel) long and draggy esp. after Sunny’s death, and thought GL’s character was insipid and his acting more of the same impassive and stoic facial expressions. I couldn’t even finish Golden Faith because I find GL’s character unbelievable, and the storyline did not keep my interest.
But of course, each to her own, esp. on something so subjective as one’s appreciation and opinion of an artist and his work.
Based on the way TVB operates, more than likely they will find a legitimate reason and way to award the person they want to give the award to.
Clamin you missed a lot of Gallen’s early work. The series you saw were some of his mediocre works but I’m glad you acknowledge that fact.
Regardless, if you ever get the chance, you should watch some of his earlier productions where he played very complex roles.
天地男兒
天地豪情
難兄難弟
先生貴姓
Sorry – I don’t remember English names to series.
^Thanks, I will check out GL’s earlier work.
to Clamine – agreed with pandamao you missed Gallen’s more complex roles in the past. I watched Gallen since I was little and wowed by him back then. The roles he gets in recent years don’t do his great acting any justice. His past roles 1-2 decades ago were better and more complex. Born Rich and ATOAE2 aren’t the better ones but I remember Gallen and Sunny roles are very complex in first ATOAE which is the better one. Louis Koo also too OTT in ATOAE2 but I disagree that GF is bad. It has awesome complex characters and relationship and great complex acting from Gallen. I watched many years ago but I remembered being wowed during that time.
Among Gallen’s series, I enjoyed Golden Faith the most. He had superb chemistry with Jessica and his acting was at his peak. His character’s personality in there was probably the closest to his real life personality, as opposed to at the Threshold of an Era.
At the time Golden Faith was produced, I don’t think any actor would have played the role as well as Gallen. Golden Faith had it’s issues with it’s script, but the powerhouse acting in this series was a joy to watch.
Jayne – If I got a dollar for every comment about Gallen’s character being unrealistic, I’d be rich by now (and probably going to hire you a few translators w/ that money) =)
Yes – his character was a bit on the “goody tissue” side and the director did a pitiful job developing him but the audience should have a brain. The boy lost his entire family in one boat ride. He endured zero amount of pain in his entire childhood other than that experience. Why wouldn’t this guy be an angel to his father and family?
But I have to admit – the triangle between Gallen, Jessica and Anne was utterly annoying. I was so glad I had a functional fast-forward button!
I’m glad they had Shek Sau, Chun Pei, Deric Wan, Jessica, Myolie and evil uncle to make up the minor flaws.
Makes me want to re-watch the series right now. Lol
Golden Faith was also Myolie’s best acting.
Vivien, spot on! I agree too. I wonder what happened after? Too famous too soon?
Myolie followed the typical Miss HK route, which ruined her. I see a lot of potential in Myolie and if she followed Tavia’s route, then perhaps she’ll have more fans right now.
After GF, her only other series I enjoyed was “My Sassy Mother-in-law.” I hope she slows it down a bit and return when she’s fully ready. She needs to understand, quality over quantity.
If she throws out another Burning Flame 3 series … I find it hard for her to ever move up.
Myolie do not carry the same charisma as Fala or the likability as Linda Chung or the unique fire as Kate Tsui. She’s gonna have to take control of her career.
Masaharu, I agree with you. I don’t like Beyond, Moonlight, Heart of Greed,Mysteries of Love, Fistful of Stances etc.
I kinda like growing through life. The slow pace and dubbing is okay with me. Probably because I’m used to watching Korean dramas. Haha. And I like fong lai keng. She’s funny though not very pretty in the series.
@ Pandamao, I think you really summed up the fa dans really well.
Fala does have charisma – and she’s my favourite out of the four of them. The other upcoming potential fa dan I enjoy is Selena Li.
Linda has likebility as proven by her many fans (despite her imo, limited amount of talent.)
Kate has fire and drive.
Myolie doesn’t have much. She doesn’t have novelty – she came in before them. Her acting is all over the place, too exaggerated. And she doesn’t seem to have TVB’s backing anymore. It’s clear to me that she’s been pushed to the background in favour of other fa dans. Quite frankly speaking, she’s a Sonija Kwok instead of a Charmaine Sheh.
I love Jak Sing because of Chiu Tzi Kei . She is one of the best actress I ever seen . Her voice is dubbed so that it sounds annoying however her acting is very good . She is the only one actress I can accept the cutesy in the recent soft dramas of TVB . I have watched Tam Ching Suet On and it is very horrible . The main actress Yeung Yi can’t act . Chiu Tzi Kei is cuter than her though she is older .
Lo Ka Leung is the legend of TVB but I don’t be impressed by any of his performance in acting until I watched the soft drama Lau Gam Sue Yuet . He is a legend in Lau Gam Sue Yuet .
Disagree that Myolie has been push into the background. She’s still first lead in most of the series she’s in except the super big production like DOL. She’s like Linda now. Need to give her time to music. So, not as active in series. Linda was quite quiet awhile ago too.
^She might be the first lead – but how many shows does she get? I don’t remember any quiet periods for Linda. And it’s not like Myolie has been that successful in singing like e.g. Raymond who didn’t have any shows last year.
Wu Hang Yee has the second EP last year ? Other than Chung Kayan and Lam Fung , all TVB so – called singers only released EPs . It made Chung Kayan and Lam Fung became the better so – called singers than the rest .
I am one for Growing Through Life too. I thought the performance by all the actors and actresses are good and deep meaning to what we face in everyday life if there are still people out there watching for values & meaningful storyline.
It’s not major events like how a family copes with murder in Fistful or tragic from drunk driving like When Lanes Merge which all have parables but isn’t it what we face everyday, jealousy among colleagues, corporate competition, suspicious spouse, parents who compare siblings outwardly etc. Every single character (8-9 of them) have their own experience and how they react to what happens to them. And in the end they grow through it, some becoming stronger, some sacrifice and some suffer heavy consequences.
So real and yet people prefer to watch purely entertaining series like CBML and worst, pillow case mystery. Can’t deny but the ratings show the trend. Despite the ratings, wish there are more stories like these to wake people up and grow up. I especially like the little window that comes up after each chapter and some parables.
“Disagree that Myolie has been push into the background. She’s still first lead in most of the series she’s in except the super big production like DOL. She’s like Linda now. Need to give her time to music. So, not as active in series. Linda was quite quiet awhile ago too.”
Disagree that Linda’s quiet. I don’t find any quiet time for her. Don’t you remember that she was just in GW? Fala outshines her but in paper Linda is still the so-called lead.
Unlike Ray who take time off and become successful Myolie hasn’t receive any success in music. Her only good song is her first song because it’s not a ballad. Her live singing is off tune.
I am one for Growing Through Life too. I thought the performance by all the actors and actresses are good and deep meaning to what we face in everyday life if there are still people out there watching for values & meaningful storyline.
It’s not major events like how a family copes with murder in Fistful or tragic from drunk driving like When Lanes Merge which all have parables but isn’t it what we face everyday, jealousy among colleagues, corporate competition, suspicious spouse, parents who compare siblings outwardly etc. Every single character (8-9 of them) have their own experience and how they react to what happens to them. And in the end they grow through it, some becoming stronger, some sacrifice and some suffer heavy consequences
The problem is Growing Through Life takes too much time to get into its more meaty part. The frontal 1/3 part is just about typical love triangle with a biatchy girl and long lost fatherhood drama, and the drama moves slowwwlyyy…
The deeper and more psychologically challenged part for all characters doesn’t really start until the series began it’s second part(That’s when the three male characters begin an interaction that involve all three of them). By that time no one will care anymore. To continue watching this drama you really need to have this drama as your “cup of tea” and doesn’t mind the slow moving pace.
So real and yet people prefer to watch purely entertaining series like CBML and worst, pillow case mystery. Can’t deny but the ratings show the trend. Despite the ratings, wish there are more stories like these to wake people up and grow up. I especially like the little window that comes up after each chapter and some parables
In the end it still depends on “cup of tea” 😛 Why are most viewers watching TV? For entertainment and a break, right?
By the way the reception for this series is pitiful for the stars and crews. High ratings = appreciation and celebration. Slumped ratings = ignored by TVB.
Bosco, poor kid. It’s his first ever evil challenge and nobody wants to watch. Sob sob.
Kidd:
Very surprise that there’s some who criticise Zhou Xun. Zhou Xun in movie circle is like Tavia in TVB. To fans, she can do no wrong. Absolute amazing actress that is too good for drama. Sort after by every director and only film quality movies.//
I agree with you.. I guess I can be considered one of her fans, but i feel that she still has room to improve especially in her evil role….although many of her fans r a little too overzealous in their support of her.. i guess that just comes with the crowd…
I just watched some episodes GTL…It is so boring. Never like series take place in mainland even though there are Hong Kong actors/actresses except maybe ancient series because China have history book and tend to more the truth.
GTL storyline is okay but to me it is boring probably due to background and scenery. This series is not my cup of tea even it starts with Raymond and Damien.
The actress, who plays Damien’s wife, I wonder why she didn’t have her teeth whitening. When she talks or smiles, OMG it’s so unattractive…LOL
poor point, but at least ray got 2 awards for mol, dont give up.