A.E. Insights: Current and Rising Siu Sangs of TVB

It's been many years since TVB raised and promoted their last group of siu sangs (Raymond Lam, Bosco Wong, Ron Ng, and Kenneth Ma). These four men all had different strengths and weaknesses, and are all now at varied peaks and lows in their careers. With many artists busy with looking for other work and money making opportunities, TVB is now left in a dilemma. So our question is...

TOPIC: What is your opinion of the previous promoted siu sangs and how are they doing so many years later? Also, with the drainage of lead actors, who should become the next siu sangs?


Iris: Raymond, Bosco, Ron, and Kenneth are all successful now, but at differing degrees.  I personally think they're all talented and handsome guys, but very different from each other and now all at different positions.

If you had asked me who was my favorite out of the four before "Moonlight Resonance" came out in 2008, I would've quickly said Raymond Lam.  Besides being good looking, he had the best acting chops out of the four and most charisma.  He delivered memorable performances that left an impact.  From 2002's "A Step into the Past" to 2006's "La Femme Desperado", there was no question: Raymond was definitely the best actor out of the new generation.  I absolutely loved him in "Survivor's Law".  He shined as the kind, witty, passionate, yet slightly gullible lawyer.  Unfortunately, his career made a turn for the worst following the hugely successful "Moonlight Resonance". His popularity skyrocketed, and he received characters that capitalized on his success as an idol/pretty face instead of the talented actor he truly is. All of his roles since MR have been boring and fail to show his versatility and charm.  Nowadays though, I wouldn't say I have a favorite out of the four.  What about you, Niki?

Niki: Now I'm desperately trying to remember some of the older series I've seen them in and drawing a blank, hehe > u <; I did remember Raymond in "La Femme Desperado", Raymond did have a very likable character. His acting was natural and playful and he carried the emotions well. Yeah, his characters now emphasize on his looks and the characters themselves had nothing much to them. But I don't think I had a favorite, just because I didn't really know or bother to pay attention to the actors back then. Now, I think I would choose Kenneth as my favorite. He's a pretty good actor and his sweet and innocent personality outside just makes me favor him a bit more.  

Iris: Kenneth would probably be my current choice in terms of solely acting and personality.  He's shown acting skills and vast improvements.  I also really like his offscreen personality as well, as he is a modest, humble, shy, yet playful and youthful person.  However, like many people have noted, Kenneth lacks the charisma.  He has the likability and sincerity, but not the "X-Factor" that some people are just born with, which affects how memorable he can or can not be in his performances.

As for Bosco and Ron, they were more of the "heart throbs" back when they first started with mainly teenage fan bases.  In contrast to Kenneth, they have the charisma, but are not as skilled in the acting department.  In recent years, they've been demoted to second lead roles.  In Bosco's case, this has actually come to benefit him.  Not quite ready to take on lead roles, being demoted allow him to take on different roles and develop his acting more in a smaller capacity.  This setback paid off for him as he received critical acclaim for his supporting role in "Lives of Omission".

Unfortunately, things have only gotten worse for Ron.  He gave the most memorable performance of his career when reprising the role of "Chung Lap Man" in "E.U." in 2009, and was the most natural and emotive he had ever been.  He continued giving solid performances in "A Chip Off the Old Block" and "OL Supreme", successfully shedding his "impulsive hothead" typecast.  However, with his vast improvements, he became demoted to second lead and 2011 became the worst year for him so far in terms of roles and performances.  They all either lacked a dynamic, were underdeveloped, or just plain unlikable, not allowing him to show his acting skill.  Even in "L'Escargot", he was only able to show his acting in his one crying scene.  Real life girlfriend Viann Zhang has only caused the actor more trouble and career bumpiness.  What is your opinion on Bosco and Ron?

Niki: Yeah, I get what you mean. Kenneth is sincere, but when it comes to charisma, he's beaten. For Bosco, I did take notice that he has a broader range of characters to work with. He turned from a witty and playful cop in "7 Days in Life" to the sly and manipulative gangster in "Lives of Omission" and managed to portray the characters well. Bosco can definitely take advantage of the demotion as his chance to improve his acting skills and he also has Myolie supporting him mentally (and also perhaps through the very expensive gifts they like to give each other). As for Ron, I really feel sorry for him. When he finally improves, his characters couldn't get more boring. I hope he gets better characters soon and also that his girlfriend won't keep making trouble for him to fix. Speaking of "OL Supreme" though, I really liked his dorky character "Ah K"; he was so cute there. This year, I would say his character in "Forensic Heroes" was likable and had potential. But in the end, he didn't have enough screen time and the character ended up being under developed. If it wasn't for that, maybe that character could have been a pick up for Ron this year. For "L' Escargot" though, I remember you mentioning that even though his acting was solid during that emotive scene he was still over shadowed by Linda?

So, Ron's heart breaking tale aside and moving on from our old siu sangs, who do you think will be the up and coming ones?

Iris: Yes, Linda received praise for her crying scene when all she did was scrunch up her face and force out a couple tears. Meanwhile, Ron fully emoted and even had snot coming out of his nose. I hope in the future, Ron will get better roles before I completely forget he's a decent actor.

And now to discuss the next siu sangs of TVB.  Ruco Chan and Raymond Wong are the latest to have been promoted to lead actor, and both came with over a decade of experience.  This makes it hard for the young and newer actors to catch up.  Most recently, Jason Chan has been given the chance to lead in an upcoming series with Linda, so that will be interesting to watch.  Jason's handsome and friendly exterior, coupled with his educated and modest personality make him very likable.  However, his acting is still green and could use a lot of work.

Niki: Ah yes, Jason. I heard that he was being promoted lately. What is his drama with Linda? His acting should improve as he goes along.

There's also Matthew Ko, who was recently in "Sergeant Tabloid". I don't know if he's going to be a siu sang in the future, since his acting still needs work. But his character in "Sergeant Tabloid" was cute and likable, and he was able to garner some attention. It was a good improvement from when he was in "Man in Charge", where he was still unnatural and quite wooden in front of the camera. His handsome and charming looks makes him a good candidate to promote though. I also appreciate his straightforward personality.  It's quite refreshing.

Iris: Jason and Linda are starring in "Ferris Wheel of Happiness", which is a romance drama I think.  It is a smaller production, so it'll allow Jason to improve without having such a large weight on his shoulders.

I agree with what you said about Matthew.  He showed significant improvements in "Sergeant Tabloid", but I'm unsure as to if his acting truly improved or if it was the character.  Whatever it is, he shows potential.  He has the looks and charm, and is starting to improve.  I also like his straightforward and honest personality, which is hard to come by in the entertainment industry.  He's not ready to be lead yet, but I hope TVB gives him good supporting roles and potentially groom him into a siu sang in the future.

The one I have the most confidence in being the next siu sang though, is Edwin Siu.  He has been in the industry since 2002 and starred in "Aqua Heroes" in 2004, where his acting was mediocre.  However, since returning to TVB in 2008 and restarting his whole career, his acting has improved by heaps and bounds.  He's worked very hard, and it shows.  This year, he surprised and impressed everyone with his comedic talent in "Daddy Good Deeds" and made a complete 360 in "Gloves Come Off" as a semi-villain.  He has the hardworking and modest personality, charm, talent, and handsome yet cute looks.  He definitely has what it takes, and has the most range of all the rising actors right now.  All I'm saying is, he better get the recognition and promotion he deserves!

Niki: Edwin definitely has what it takes to become a siu sang. If TVB would open its eyes and promote him better I would be so happy. He was adorable in "Daddy Good Deeds"; he and Steven were the best part of the show. He really surprised me with his role in "Gloves Come Off". I didn't expect it, but he was actually able to scare me. His character didn't get that much screen time, being a minor role, but Edwin really shined and made the most out of it.

But speaking of recognition, Him Law is getting a lot of attention lately and all for the wrong things. All we've been hearing lately is rumors and scandals of Him, from him dating Tavia to the photo shoot case, as opposed to his acting. However, he is a pretty good actor, and his popularity is growing right now. So what do you think of him as a future siu sang?

Iris: Out of the younger guys, Him is the most natural actor. He has a lot of potential and has improved. However, he is definitely getting recognized for all the wrong things and has become a regular tabloid target. His real life personality is probably the worst out of everyone's with a history of domestic violence and several scandals, which makes it hard for me to look beyond it and truly enjoy his acting nowadays. Him is probably TVB's first choice to promote right now, but I hope Edwin gets the recognition he deserves too and that Him matures. In general, Him is an actor who I like as an actor, but not as a person.

In contrast to Him, Vincent Wong is someone whose real life personality is very likable but his acting leaves much to be desired. I have heard good things about Vincent being a friendly
and down to earth person, and something about him makes him seem approachable, unlike Him. His acting though is only acceptable. He presents likability in his performances, but doesn't possess a lot of charm and his acting still needs work. He is most likely not becoming a siu sang anytime soon too, as he is a new father and he and wife Yoyo Chen are taking off time from acting.

Niki: Him really does have the worse personality out of the potential stars right now. He should change that soon or it could be what ruins him. And I agree with what you said about Vincent. His acting is nothing special, but his personality is very likable. Even though he's not going to become a siu sang anytime soon, it's nice that he's spending some time with his family.

Another rising star seems to be Benjamin Yuen. He has been getting praises lately for his acting in the sitcom "Til Love Do Us Lie" and in "Hippocratic Crush". After watching these two series, I can say that Benjamin has good acting skills. He's natural in his performance and is likable, but his roles are still limited. Looks wise, he's not extremely handsome but still possesses a good amount of charisma. While he's a good actor and has the charisma, I still don't see him in a lead role yet. Perhaps it's because he hasn't gotten too many significant roles yet, but he's someone to look out for.

Iris: I didn't watch either series, but I have heard many good things about Benjamin's performance and character. I actually first noticed him back when he debuted in "Your Class or Mine", which was also where I first noticed Him. It's nice to see that he's showing more potential and talent. He's far from being lead actor material right now, but it's nice to see him getting praise and more major roles.

One last notable actor is Oscar Leung, who has consistently given solid and memorable performances despite portraying minor roles. His popularity and recognition level has increased since "L'Escargot", which makes me happy. For some reason, I can't seem to see him in a lead role though. He's probably not very favored by TVB executives. Perhaps second male lead?

With the drainage of artists and amount of artists that are still relatively green, it's hard to choose who has what it takes to be the next few siu sangs. I think just having the guys experiment with different and increasingly major roles will tell. If I were to pick a few that could potentially be the next group of siu sangs though, I'd say promote and invest in Edwin Siu and Him Law, then train Jason Chan, Matthew Ko, and Benjamin Yuen to eventually fill the void. The one with the most popularity is definitely Him, but I think Edwin will have the most successful long time career. All these guys have their individual charms, strengths, and weaknesses, and I'm interested in seeing where their careers take them the next few years.

Niki: I can't see Oscar in a leading role either, but he does definitely deserves bigger roles. Second lead should be appropriate, he'll be able to expand his abilities further.

The next couple of years will surely be interesting. The artists drainage will provide a great opportunities for these new batch of artists to rise. Their career roads should be bright if they take this chance to improve themselves. With so many artists leaving now hopefully TVB will take good advantage of these potential stars. In time, with some polishing, training, and investment Edwin Siu, Him Law, Jason Chan, Matthew Ko, and Benjamin Yuen will be ready to make up for the lack in leads.

A.E. Insights: Good Guys in the Asian Entertainment Industry

In today's society, good people are hard to come by.  It's even harder for women to find a good guy.

In an attempt to connect Asian entertainment to everyday life, we bring something different for the second installment of our feature "A.E. Insights".

TOPIC: Who are the good guys in the Asian entertainment industry?  What makes a good guy?  And who is your ideal guy?

Everybody is unique, and everybody has their own opinion.  While the topic of guys could simply be a gossipy and girly one, it can also spark interesting discussion over personalities and people in general.

First off, what makes a good guy?

Niki: In today's materialistic society it's hard to find a a person who is honest and reliable. For me, a good guy doesn't depend much on looks as opposed to personality. Looks can easily be changed, while a good personality is hard to come by.

Iris: I'd like to start off on a lighter note.  How many times do you think we're going to use the word "good" in this post?  Haha.  I agree that a good guy depends on, as cheesy as it sounds, what's inside.  I'm also the type of person who would look for someone based on their personality, although good looks would be the cherry on top!

In my opinion, a good guy should be like you said, honest and reliable.  They should give girls a sense of security while still respecting them.  I like sincerity too.

Niki: Probably a lot, since we have it in our title and we're using it as our topic. And of course, I wouldn't mind a good looking guy who has a nice personality either.  I agree with what you said, most guys tend to be chauvinist and I can't stand someone like that. For me, the guy has to be mature on top of sincere and reliable. Since I tend to be a bit childish it'll be nice if there's someone who can take care of me. I also can't stand immature guys who makes careless and stupid remarks without thinking.

Iris:  I can't stand immature guys either, so imagine how I feel in a high school full of them.  I like mature guys.  What traits would your ideal boyfriend have then?  On top of the traits that I mention make a good guy, I would also like them to be sweet and have a sense of humor.

Also, I like people who are ambitious but not so much they're self absorbed.  It makes them admirable.  I want someone who wants to do something in life, and I've found that I don't get along too well with underachievers.  While I'm not the type of person who thinks guys should be smarter than girls, but I'd like them to be on the same intelligence level as me.  Communication is very important, and I'd have to talk to my partner as myself and not have to "dumb myself down", if you know what I mean.

Niki: I think of myself as a pretty simple person, so I don't ask much in a guy (or at least I don't think I do). My ideal boyfriend would have to be someone who's understanding and easy to get along with. I also want him to be an upbeat person, because I'm the quiet type I want someone who's upbeat to spark the conversation. But when it comes to work he should take it seriously. He should strive for the best, but shouldn't be so ambitious that it makes him lose his integrity. He should also be intelligent, but he doesn't have to be a genius. We should be able to carry on a conversation well. When it comes to relationships, I want something long lasting and serious, unlike most relationships that happens at our age. Therefore, the most important thing for me would be honesty and the chemistry between the two of us.

Iris: Completely agree.  I can see why you want someone upbeat, they would compliment your shyness very well and make you come out of your shell!  :)  The most important thing for me in a relationship would be trust.  You can't have a lasting and successful relationship without it.  And then of course, chemistry.  Now to tie this post back to Asian entertainment.  In your opinion, who are the good guys in the Asian entertainment industry?

Niki: Well, once I get close to a person I can be pretty loud as well. xD 
Ah, trust, of course.

In the entertainment industry, it's rather hard to tell a good guy to one who's fake. But there are some that I do respect and think are genuinely nice. The first celebrity who comes to mind would be Super Junior's Shin Dong. K-pop is known for its "perfect" idols who are slim/fit and good looking. Shin Dong, being slightly chubbier than the average idol is sometimes mocked for his appearance. He does not let his appearance affect his love of performing, however. He constantly works hard to improve himself for fans and let them see the best of him (which is sort of hard since his screen time isn't much). As I slowly learn more about K-pop, my respect for Shin Dong grows.

Shin Dong, who is a dancer, rapper, producer, and business man, never fails to impress me. He is an amazing dancer and is one of the lead dancers for his group. He also raps fairly well and composes some of the rap lines for the band's songs along with his bandmate Eunhyuk. Lately, he has taken up producing and has come out with several self-made videos. His personality is also very unique. He is known for his comedic style and playful nature. Besides performing, he also established his own online cafe. What really makes me respect him is his sincerity towards love. He has been committed to his non-celebrity girlfriend and even proposed to her through the "Thanks to" section in the band's album in 2010. It's hard to find such a well rounded and sweet guy. 

Iris: Shin Dong sounds awesome! Very versatile in his entertaining skills it seems, and an all around good guy. Now THAT sounds like an idol! There are so many cookie cutter idols around, so it's nice to see something different. But before I end up rambling too much about the cons of K-Pop (I'll save that for our future Insights posts on the subject), for my pick for a good guy.

Warning, I'm about to put all my love for Ruco Chan into one place. Beware of excessive praise! I may appear like I'm in love with Ruco (I guess I am), but it comes with so many reasons. Not only do I like him as an actor and for his handsome looks, but I genuinely respect and admire him. He is ambitious, professional, hardworking, and mature. Despite his ambition, he is also very humble yet determined.

Some people become popular and recognized right off the bat or within a couple years. Although talented and handsome, he worked hard for 17 years before finally getting his breakthrough and experienced multiple setbacks and failures. He came so close to giving up, but he didn't. He strived, and he made it. He is now TVB's latest leading man and the one with the brightest future ahead of him. His life story inspires me to not give up because hard work will pay off eventually, you just have to be patient. He exhibits his humbleness by telling people about his failures and flaws. This is something artists try to avoid at all costs, yet he lets people read and hear about it like an open book to let them learn from it. He is honest and sincere, yet straightforward. He possesses so many traits that I love in people. He's also proven to be a bit shy, especially around female co-stars. Being a little shy is something I find cute in guys.

For this and many more reasons, he is both a good guy and overall fantastic person with an interesting dynamic. Who said being good had to be boring? :) Sorry for going on for so long! However, bias aside, Ruco is still definitely my first pick for one of Asia's good guys. Now how about other good guys? I have a couple honorable mentions as well.

Niki: Haha, don't worry Iris, you're still far from crazy fan girl. xD I also admire Ruco very much, he's one of the few artists that I truly respect and look up to as an entertainer and person. Even though, I doubt I can love him as much as you do.

Another good guy I think would be Raymond Wong (I think I stole one of your honorable mentions didn't I, hehe). Raymond has proven to be a sweet, charming, hardworking, and humble guy. I love how he calls his wife to notify her before doing intimate scenes. Now that's honesty and loyalty! It's clear that he has been working very hard for TVB. He's both lovable onscreen and off. I've always seen him as a dorky, but cute guy. Who else would you pick?

Iris: Aw, boo!  You did steal one of my honorable mentions! :P Haha.  As much as I love Ruco, Raymond Wong comes close as my second favorite TVB artist and another one of my "good guys".  He is just too cute and talented.  I find a certain level of dorkiness to be endearing and cute, so coupled with his sincerity, sweetness, and work ethic, I absolutely love him.  His dedication to his wife is also "aww" worthy.  :D  I have another three honorable mentions, which I will try to keep more brief than my speech about Ruco, heh.

Oscar Leung also comes to mind.  He has underwent a lot of maturing, change, and self-improvement.  He proves that people can always turn over a new leaf, and a good person doesn't unnecessary have to be someone who's always been admirable.   He has said about himself that he used to be a delinquent and hateful.  Growing up in a rough neighborhood, he was a rather rebellious and tough guy who constantly got into trouble.  He had to learn to fend for himself and became extremely arrogant.  After hitting a new low and not getting work for months, he matured and decided it was time to live a practical life.

Oscar has had financial and personal struggles all his life, but has changed for the better.  Today, he possesses a maturity in his real life personality and acting many other artists don't have.  He caught my eye as a solid supporting actor early on, and I'm thrilled he's finally in the limelight and using it to his advantage by telling others his far from perfect but raw and realistic life story.

Wong Cho Lam is a special one.  He certainly was not born with the good looks or height other celebrities have, but makes up for it with his talent and lively personality.  Despite being known for dressing up and performing as a girl (due to his short and skinny stature) at various variety shows, he somehow manages to have the most integrity out of a majority of TVB artists.  He has shown versatility in so many fields of entertainment including acting, singing, comedy, songwriting, composing, production work, and soon, script writing.  He has a much stronger behind the scenes presence than I thought.

His relationship with 5'9 Leanne Li stroked me as odd and a terrible mismatch at first, but now I find it extremely sweet.  He acted as a mentor, friend, then finally boyfriend to her.  Their relationship, which began six years ago, had started off very slow.  At only 5'4, it was only natural that the two would feel uncomfortable about their different physiques.  Knowing Leanne originally felt unsure and questioned her feelings for him, Cho Lam continued to care for her while giving her space and patiently waiting for her.  The two have since accepted it and not let it get in the way of their feelings for each other.  Today, they enjoy an open and healthy relationship.  They are too sweet, and an example of a relationship of true love that's gone through countless obstacles.

My last mention is Bosco Wong.  Different from the other guys, he's an example of an overall good guy without being completely innocent and wholesome.  Sure, the guy likes to party every once in a while, but knows to associate with the right friends and control himself.  In long time girlfriend Myolie Wu's darkest time, he has consistently given her support and love.  He is attentive and caring towards her.  In Myolie's acceptance speech for Best Actress, she fondly reflected on how through all the times where she was hard to deal with, he never left her side and was always there for her.  My favorite real life TVB couple ever!

Alright, there are my three honorable mentions!  I just gave everyone a ton of information to process, haha.  I'll shut up now.

Niki: Haha. You're too cute Iris. Most of your mentions are mine as well so I don't have much to add besides one last guy.

Being a fan of Fahrenheit, it is no surprise that my choice would be Calvin Chen. I admit that despite being their fan, I don't know much about Calvin. But I do know how much and why I love him, hehe. When I first came to like the band, Calvin had not been my first choice. Compared to the others you can say he is the least good looking (does not mean he's ugly though). His voice is also not as strong as Jiro or Aaron's, but I admire his charisma and energy. You will always see Calvin smiling even through the worst of times. He is able to brighten the mood with his witty and charming remarks. His personality is also very down to earth and is not afraid to do silly things that would "affect" his image. What impresses me though, is the fact that you can see his maturity even though he is constantly joking around. He is very hardworking and always trying to learn and improve himself. It is said that besides performing he is also interested in economics and is very smart in his investments. His co-workers call him Dr. Chen as a result. Even though I still think of him as just an idol, he definitely has a special place in my heart and I think of him as one of the good guys. His not too handsome looks make him approachable. Again, I don't think Calvin is perfect, but this is why I've come to love him so much.

Wow, I wrote a lot.

Iris: It's fine, it's cute watching you "excessively praise". ;) From the videos I've seen of Fahrenheit, I can see why you like him so much, especially from interviews and other appearances. He has a unique fun yet witty and mature personality. I know Calvin has a special place in your heart. :)

Niki: Aww, thank you. Calvin does have a very unique personality. And yes "excessively praising" is nice to do, but I was squealing inside haha.

Iris: Good guys aren't supposed to be perfect or ideal. However, their virtues outshine their flaws, no matter how many they have. They'd make great boyfriends, but are also in general just wonderful people.

Shin Dong, Ruco Chan, Raymond Wong, Oscar Leung, Wong Cho Lam, Bosco Wong, and Calvin Chen are our choices for the good guys in the Asian entertainment industry. That's not to say there aren't more, but these shine out to us in particular for who they are, which are genuinely awesome people!

Niki: As Iris has said good guy aren't perfect, but that proves you don't have to be perfect to be great. The reasons these guys shine is because they are confident as well as true to themselves. They clearly show that being famous should not be just about acting cool on stage. They WOULD make great boyfriends, but I don't think we'd get a chance to experience that ourselves haha. Hopefully we will find more of these good guys in Asian entertainment.

This post has been both fun and different for all of us. It was also a very personal post as well. I suppose it let us embrace our inner fan girl while justifying out feelings.

P.S. to answer Iris's question in the beginning, we've said "good" around 30 or more times in this post ;)

Who would you name the good guys of the Asian entertainment industry? In your opinion, what traits does a good guy have? What traits would your ideal boyfriend have? Share us your opinion! We hope you enjoyed this post and it managed to offer some insight as opposed to just teenage girls gossiping about boys! :P

A.E. Insights: TVB 2011 Report Card

Asian Entertainment Experience introduces its first special feature, A.E. Insights! A question or topic relating to Asian entertainment will be proposed, and the two web mistresses (Niki and I), will give our own take on it and discuss the subject with each other. Since C-Pop and TVB are the two things we are both familiar with, this feature will have a heavy focus on HK entertainment. There will be occasional K-Pop discussion as well. This will hopefully open up our readers to interact with us by voicing their opinion on the proposed matter too.

TOPIC: Report card for TVB in the year of 2011. How did they do?

Niki: First off, going into 2011, what were the most anticipated series of the general public?

Iris: "Forensic Heroes III", "My Sister of Eternal Flower" and "When Heaven Burns".  FH3 since it was a sequel to such a beloved series, Eternal Flower for Charmaine's mentally challenged role, and WHB for its unconventional theme.  They were all met with different response though.

Niki: Forensic Heroes fared very well with viewership. Personally, I liked the series itself, but didn't view it as the continuation of Forensic Heroes and would've appreciated a different title.

Iris: I agree.  I love how the new cast worked together, but the original cast had something special and was so beloved.  Ironic how so many people complained about the existence of a third one and said they wouldn't watch it, yet it became the highest rated series of the year.  And while I anticipated MSOEF when the sales presentation clip came out, it immediately turned me off when it actually came out.  Too silly I guess?  The HK audience wasn't as nice and the series was panned.

Niki: I felt the same. I thought MSOEF was cute, but I didnt't think much of the storyline. I also wasn't used to seeing Charmaine in such a role and it wasn't convincing to me. I believe the HK audience felt frustrated by Charmaine's role as well.


Iris: Meanwhile, WHB was just way too different.  I appreciate a little uniqueness, but WHB was so unlike any other series it felt like a culture shock to TVB viewers.  I watched the first six episodes, and while I applaud Producer Chik's effort, it was just too slow and draggy.  I'd like to think I'm pretty open minded, but in the end the problem wasn't the unconventional style, but the snail pace.  What a shame, because it was so anticipated for so long.

Niki: WHB for me felt draggy at some parts and picked up in others. Some of the philosophy in it was interesting while the rest I didn't bother to pay attention to. This resulted in me skimming through the series and tuning in at random times. Though, I found the ending pretty interesting as it shows Charmaine changing the past in her own mind and making an alternate ending for her and everyone else.

Niki: So, besides the three above which other dramas did you personally anticipate?

Iris: "The Other Truth"!  I was ecstatic to hear Ruco would get to be lead for the first time ever.  I love Raymond Wong as well.   It had my two favorite actors as leads and I like lawyer dramas.  I was also looking forward to "7 Days in Life" for its cast and original storyline.

Niki: My anticipated dramas were rather peculiar as I looked forward to seeing "Super Snoops" and "Curse of the Royal Harem". "Curse" seemed interesting to me because of the cast and mainly Myolie. This was the first that I've seen her in a "bad" role. As for "Super Snoops", the promotion videos were extremely silly and weird, so I was curious as to what the actual series would be like.

Iris: Haha!  You're probably in the minority for looking forward to "Super Snoops".  For me, it just made me not want to watch it right away.  As for "Curse", I just dislike palatial dramas.  Hm, what were your favorite series of the year?

Niki: My favorite dramas of the year are "Ghetto Justice", "The Other Truth", and "Forensic Heroes III". In TOT, I really enjoyed Ruco's performance and wish he had more cases like his first one. I also liked Raymond Wong's performance and thought his acting was cute as the rich guy. "Ghetto Justice" was good as well and I really liked Sharon's character as well as Myolie's.

Iris: Those are my three favorites as well!  I absolutely loved Ruco and Raymond in TOT.  The series itself was average (above average in terms of recent TVB series), but I loved watching the cast, particularly Ruco.  "Ghetto Justice" was overall a well written and well acted series that was very enjoyable.  FH3 wasn't anything amazing, but was definitely entertaining.  I also really enjoyed "7 Days".  Steven and Sonija were a drag, but the rest of the characters were so fun and colorful.  The comedy was unique and genuinely funny.

Iris: Now here's a question that we can go on and on about:  What series were disappointing?

Niki: The disappointing series for me were "River of Wine", "Yes Sir, Sorry, Sir", and "Men with No Shadows". I couldn't even get through half of the first episode of River of Wine. No matter how hard I tried, I was still uninterested. "Yes Sir, Sorry Sir" was boring and nothing special, if not silly.  Moses' acting was too exaggerated and became annoying after a while. As for Men With No Shadows, it was just plain weird, I was confused as to what happened when Bobby and Raymond crashed their cars. Apparently, Raymond learned hypnosis in order to trick Bobby into believing he's the Devil, but then they both confronted with the Devil in their coma state. So was there a real devil, or was it just an illusion? If it was an illusion, then why did they have the same illusion? The graphics were also very fake and tacky.

Iris: Ugh, don't get me started on MWNS.  Hands down the most disappointing series of the year.  Even ratings king Bobby couldn't save this stinker.  It started off tacky with the overdone graphics, then became quite enjoyable, then became the most aggravating piece of junk I watched all year.  Then again, I only watched a handful of series this year.  The "plot twist" is what made it turn from enjoyable to terrible and confused people like poor you.  Raymond Lam also went from being one of the top contenders for Best Actor to not getting into the top 5 to not even being nominated for My Favorite Male Character.  Talk about a downturn!  As for "Yes Sir, Sorry Sir"...I couldn't even get past the first two episodes due to Moses' annoying exaggeration, which was the producer's distorted idea of "comedy".

Iris: Before we keep rambling on and on about the numerous ways TVB has disappointed us (we could go on forever), what series were just simply bad?  Besides the above three of course.  For me, it was "Links to Temptation".  I expected a mystery drama, but at first got lighthearted comedy.  I didn't mind at first, but then it reached its "climax".  It was all downhill from there.  Poor writing, poor plot, poor characters.  Every last character was literally stupid.  Just talking about it makes me annoyed...

Niki: For me is was Home Troopers, the series was boring and there didn't seem to be much in the storyline. The characters didn't have much depth to them either.

Iris: I actually enjoyed the first few episodes.  I thought it was funny and sweet, they showed the collaboration of the family well.  It was all downhill after that though.  Bernice's character started off so bubbly and cute (much like herself in real life), but the abrupt characterization change ruined it.

Iris: Any series you're in the middle with?  I have mixed feelings about "The Rippling Blossom".  I loved watching Chilam and Myolie, they were so cute!  Damien was hilarious too in the first comedic role I've seen of his.  Such an underrated supporting performance.  However, I couldn't stand Michael Tse and Tavia.  The scenery of Japan was beautiful though.

Niki: I feel the same about "Rippling Blossom" and I was also tired of watching sushi making because of my mom's job.  The series I was neutral about was "The Life and Times of a Sentinel". I enjoyed Steven and Selena's performances in "Life and Times", they were cute. I was disturbed by Selena's unnecessary and sudden death at the end. But besides that the series was nothing special to me, though I don't hate it either and it was decent to pass time with.

Iris: Oh gosh, I can't comment on that since I skipped so many series this year.  What about overrated and underrated series?  "Lives of Omission" wasn't my cup of tea and I only watched a couple of episodes, but I won't say it's a bad series.  There was just so much hype though.  For underrated, I thought "Wax and Wane" wasn't given a fair chance by viewers.  It was labeled as a "Moonlight Resonance" rip off so quickly it ended up becoming the series with the lowest viewership of the year.  In my opinion, it was more toned down than MR.  There were its draggy or over the top parts, but overall it wasn't that bad.  Roger and Kate made it worth watching for me.  "7 Days in Life" started off with great ratings but I feel it still wasn't recognized.

Niki: Lives of Omission was decent indeed, but I don't get why they put Fala back into the story line as Michael's look alike girlfriends just to kill her off in the end again. I would have to agree with you on the underrated and overrated series. While "Wax and Wane " for me was another neutral drama, it definitely deserved more attention.

Overall 2011 was a compilation of both pleasant surprises and disappointment, with a few hidden gems as well. With another year gone, let us see what TVB has in for us this year.
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Authors' Notes:
Iris: That's a wrap on our first collaboration post!  I've always wanted to do something like this, so it's great I finally get to do it with my best friend.  We had a hard time starting this off, but it became easier and more fun to do after we settled in.  It was a great change to be more interactive and work with another person on a post as opposed to doing a formal write up myself.  There will be more of these on different topics.  Do share your opinion on the topic and give us feedback on this new feature!

Niki: This post was surely something different for both of us. We've been talking about this for a few days already and finally got to doing it! We want to do this regularly and hope for your support. Since this is our first collaboration post we weren't really sure of how we should do it, therefore it came out as something formal when it's supposed to be more fun and lighthearted. Hopefully next time we'll  relax a bit and show you guys more humor. Feel free to comment and join in on our conversations and tell us your opinion of the topic as well!