Niki Chow Given Mission to Save TVB Ratings in “Policewoman Love Battlefield”

TVB’s Armed Reaction <陀槍師姐> installments were a classic, earning high ratings and huge popularity among housewives. Ten years later, TVB produced new drama, Policewoman Love Battlefield <女警愛作戰>, in hopes of repeating the formula for success. Anticipating an impending war with new rival television stations in 2012, TVB did not wish to take any risks and chose to film sequels such as Ghetto Justice 2 <怒火街頭 2>, Triumph in the Skies 2 <衝上雲霄 2>, and Policewoman Love Battlefield, which can be described as a continuation of the Armed Reaction series.  TVB bought their insurance by placing the lucky Niki Chow (周麗淇) at the helm.

No Resource Constraints

To save face, TVB decided to release their resources and did not place any strict [budget] limitations on Producer Cheung Kin Man’s (張乾文) new drama, Policewoman Love Battlefield. An insider commented, “This series features a lot of explosion and large scale scenes. TVB did not intentionally restrict the budget during filming. They said that the most important thing was good results. Originally, the series was intended to resemble Jun Ji-hyun’s Windstruck. In the end, the script was revised to resemble Armed Reaction. Management said that Niki brings good luck in ratings and was popular among housewives in Bottled Passion <我的如意狼君>. The emphasis of Policewoman Love Battlefield will be placed upon Niki, who is the sole female lead. Even Michael Tse (謝天華) is an adornment!”

“Bottled Passion” Received Popular Reception

Although Niki was not TVB’s “biological” daughter, she was heavily utilized. Aside from the lack of fadans at TVB, the company also considered her to be auspicious. A crew member stated, “Niki’s series have decent ratings, such as Bottled Passion. Due to contractual issues, Niki was unable to join the cast when Bottled Passion started shooting. Producer Lee Tim Sing (李添勝)
did not want to change the female lead. Entering its final week, the ratings increased to 29 points. The crux of the story lies in the next five episodes; the ratings will definitely surpass 30 points. Niki and Raymond Wong (黃浩然) already agreed that on the day the finale is broadcast (December 30th), they will split the costs to treat the cast and crew (taking up 5 to 6 dinner tables).”

 

Jayne: Is Niki Chow TVB’s answer to Jun Ji-hyun? I enjoyed the heart warming aspects of Armed Reaction, but as a police series, it was nothing groundbreaking.

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Responses

  1. The appeal of AR was the novelty (focus on) female police officers and the chemistry between Esther/Bobby/Joyce/Marco. I very much doubt Niki Chow has the same pull.

  2. I like Niki, but this article is definitely exaggerating by saying that she brings in the ratings. Up until MWNS, I would’ve said that Bobby is more of a ratings guarantee.

  3. From another angle of view, Niki means a new version of AR.
    I am dying to see Niki in a different role and not being stereotyped.
    Yes, Niki!!!

  4. When did Niki become the saving grace of TVB? When? Bottled Passion? Her performance nearly dragged it down. So when?

    1. I think it’s more that the series she’s been in haven’t really been flops apart from the King of Snooker…

      I would rather watch Nikki than Kate Tsui any day. I’m quite happy that they’re promoting Nikki more, I mean they did “buy” her for two years. Might as well use her.

      1. Just wondering why you all hate KATE? But so far NIKI is doing so so.

      2. Kate is an awful singer, actress, look, model, fashion sense …. but has great body except the face……ugh.

      3. Larry,
        Kate is a good dancer though…have you checked out her dance moves. If you like her body, you will like her dancing. I think Kate is a good entertainer, has an entertaining personality and that seems to be an important priority among promoted TVB artists, since their interactions with vendors are important to grow further advertising/ promo partnerships.

      4. i too rather prefer to watch Niki than Kate,Kate may be good dancer but Niki acting was better and more pretty than Kate or Charmaine seh.

      5. @Jayne: I agree with you on that. Kate is a good entertainer. She isn’t the best artists but the way she performs give me good feel.

        @Larry: After seeing Kate in real life, I think she looks so much better than many TVB actresses around her age. Especially when she is the person who always treat ppl a bright smile.

    2. Her perforamnce didnt drag the sereis down. Most people agree that she did fine in her character and that the series aired during the wroing time like what Tim Gor said.

    3. U mean nearly dragged it down….????lol
      I think u r being subjective. Niki may not have the best acting skills but her performance still okay in BP.

    4. Niki never dragged BP down, for goodness sake!
      How can u prove that she is the spoiler?
      She is good, OK?

  5. TVB’s policewomen dramas are a joke. Weak, unintelligent and useless. Didn’t the male leads in the ‘Armed Reaction’ series played a more dominant role in solving cases than the two female cops?

    Hopefully this new Policewoman drama will be different and worth watching. Please not let it be another typical TVB storyline: girl starting out as a cop, naive and incompetent.. then something happens and she proves that she has what it takes… blah blah blah.

    Even though Niki’s acting was bad in Bottled Passion, I’m willing to give her another chance. I’d rather see her face than the overused Myolie/Tavia/Linda/Kate etc.

    1. Actually I liked bumbling policewoman comedies such as “love undercover” and “beauty on duty”. Since Michael tse is in this series, I assume it’ll be a light-hearted romance, not as serious as AR. Like a modern remake of “the gentle crackdown” for niki.

      1. I also think the pairing of Niki and Michael are quite refreshing and light comedy is good once for a while. I dislike sad series most.. because I just hate crying.

      2. I think it would be a great idea to do a modern version of the Gentle Crackdown. That was one of my fave series that Niki starred in.

  6. I’m am not really looking forward to Policewoman Love Battlefield and despite the large-scale explosion scene, I doubt Niki can pull off the role of a strong policewoman.

    I’m pretty neutral towards Niki probably because she doesn’t constantly appear in TVB series. She was a good choice for her past series such as Under the Canopy of Love and The Seventh Day. I can see why Lee Tim Sing wanted her to film this series and although her acting is very one-dimensional, I can’t complain. It’s not great, but it’s not bad either.

    However, if TVB wants to pull in ratings based on Niki playing this new policewoman series, I really have reservations. While it’s nice that Niki is playing a variety of characters to be a more well-rounded actress, her looks and past acting experiences tell us that she isn’t the best choice for this role.

    I really enjoyed Armed Reaction when I was little although I don’t have much high expectations for this series. Michael Tse and Niki as a couple? He looks a bit old for her too.

    1. “Lee Tim Sing wanted her to film this series”

      *I meant Bottled Passion.

    2. totally agree with you. just like her role in BP, a trustworthy but naive girl seems to suit niki more than the strong policewoman role

  7. unlike what this article is stating, me and my mom, a “hk housewife” is watching BP for raymond wong LOL. i doubt she’s really going to bring ratings up that much..

  8. One thing I must say about Niki though. I saw her on some literary program and I was very impressed with her prowess in the chinese language. She may not understand the usage, but she could read most of the rather peculiar words and I was very impressed. If I remember correctly her handwriting also quite nice.

  9. Jun Ji-hyun? Jun Ji-hyun? Il Mare actress? That one who absolutely can’t act? But very nice body?

    1. yes.. Sassy Girl. She’s ok. Everybody thought she was superb in Sassy Girl but I thought she was just ok.

    2. I love Jun Ji Hyun! lol Yes she probably isn’t the greatest actress but she is predominately a model in my eyes. Her recent US movie roles are horrible though.

  10. Imho TVB is ‘placing Nikki Chow on the table”. If ratings are good it is lucky Nikki because of a good script and producer, if ratings bad, it is because Nikki cannot act.

  11. I really like Bottled Passion it’s a good drama…I don’t understand why it received such low ratings. At least I didn’t get bored watching it like Curse of the Royal Harem. I also like Niki shes pretty and her acting isn’t bad like… some people. Her role in BP was also very likeable.

    1. I personally think most of the ratings dropped towards the end of the year. It’s like people switch off and are on holiday mode.

    2. Yeah, I like BP too.
      I like Niki too.
      Actually BP has one of the highest rating amongst the other program. It’s like that during the yearend.
      But on the China PPS, it is the top on the list.

  12. Niki save the TVB rating are TVB sure!!!?? or they just joking ….NIki acting so not happening ,poor tvb .

  13. hahaha…i see her face i feel like sleeping…how can she act as a policewomen….tvb very no brain lol…dun make me laugh

  14. With her poor performance in Bottled Passion, I dont think she is saving grace of TVB. With her face I dont think she is suitable to be policewomen, Kate Tsui will be anytime better.

    1. No, I think that she has improved over her old series. give her a break, she’s much better than Kate. Not saying I’m a kate hater, I’m a lover too. But Kate .Kate Just won’t be suitable for Nikki’s role. Face it.. If Kate had Nikki’s role, it would be a SERIOUS disaster. I just can’t think of anyone suitable than Nikki. She’s much better than Kate in THIS drama. Just an opiinion.

      1. Agreed.
        I dont understand why some people find that Niki is not up to par in BP.
        As what Tim gor had said, the character is tailored for Niki and bear some similarities.
        Do you need to “act” to be yourself?
        Find that Niki played Tsui Sum well and not overact!

    2. Really Kate Tsui in another policewoman role? UGH! didn’t she do a bad enough job in Forensic Heroes III.

    3. I have no comments for Kate.
      But to say Niki fared badly in BP is overstated. Niki is good.
      As for the policewoman role, Niki has the potential…this being her first time, let’s wait and see!

  15. WE WILL SEE if she raised the ratings. Meanwhile, we should not judge her acting, or doubted it. We never know

  16. I think niki is a good actess and in BP she shows us how good she is. An come on ppl she didnt visit a acting class but her acting is not bad. i hope she will sign a longer contract with tvb .

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