Synopsis

Wong Hoi King (Michelle Yim) is successful in both career and life. However, she accidentally discovers that her husband Chin Kwong Lung (Dominic Lam) has committed adultery. In order to maintain the relationship, King is willing to take the risk of getting pregnant despite her age. Pregnancy has imposed great pressure on her daily life as well as her career. Her aggressive subordinate Sa Yuen Kei (Maggie Cheung) therefore seizes the chance to take up her duties. Kei is a bold and decisive person at work but she is caught in a quadrangular relationship by falling in love with the married man Ko Chi Lik (Joe Ma).

Discouraged by the relationship failures of her bosses, secretary Yu Man Yau (Joyce Tang) further impairs her confidence. Yau’s “outstanding” body shape, further increases her inferiority. Encouraged by her colleague Chi Nam (Power Chan), Yau decides to boost her self-esteem by getting plastic surgery. Subsequently, she becomes the sexiest goddess on the internet and the hottest brand spokesperson in town. Upon her getting rich and famous, Yau suddenly realizes that this is not what she really wants …

Source: Astro on Demand

Character Descriptions

Before I get into the focus of this post, also known as the thrilling accident scene that made me stop eating my ultra delicious spicy beef noodle (I dine while watching TVB series by the way, because it’s a waste of time not to, haha!), I want to address the angsty narrated documentary opening sequence—the one that tried extra hard to grab my attention with Kent Cheng and his bloody head and chubby cheeks thrown on a car’s broken glass window.

Like holy banana, am I supposed to be feeling something here? Sure, I get that the educational theme of Lanes is "on the road, safety first or else". That’s saintly and dainty and all, but golly! I don’t know these people, these characters! They’re strangers to me. I don’t know the dynamics of the story yet. Why should I care?!

Okay, I know! I’m supposed to care because lives are at stake here. However, I’m not watching a documentary, you know? I’m watching a freaking TVB drama! Make me care first! What you editors thought was a creative, eye-catching, passionate sequence is no more than a bunch of jammed together shots with noisy noises of people shouting seemingly important dialogue in the background. Me? I rolled my eyes the whole time. Then again, the sequence lasted only 15-20 seconds so it managed to not turn me away. Kudos, editing team … NOT!

Now, let’s talk about the best part of our first episode and the hook that’s holding my neck tight, pulling me toward future episodes to see how our father and son duo deal with the terrible crash that will haunt them forever …

I honestly can’t remember the last time I watched a TVB car accident. Nevertheless, they definitely went out of their way to make this car crash leave an impression. It was powerful. I knew it was coming. Turbo (Raymond Wong) was drunk and STILL drinking while speeding. I wanted so much to stop the inevitable. I wanted so much to slap the guy and wake him up. I kept shaking my head and fist at him. Then, I saw his neighbor Fat (Kwok Fung) on the sidewalk. I knew it was coming. Fat started to cross the road. Turbo approached the same intersection. Turbo noticed Fat and slammed on his brakes. It was coming! No, Turbo twirled his steering wheel and BAM! He smashed into another car and they both go flying upside down. It did come. The driver died. Turbo became a murderer.

While the accident was awesomely filmed, the aftermath was truly heartfelt. I think TVB will benefit from promoting Raymond Wong. No doubt he is not extremely popular but the guy has a well of acting talent, and his chemistry in Lanes with Kent Cheng is undeniable. The two of them really anchor the show. The emotions they displayed were raw. Raymond had a hint of regret in his eyes but the stubbornness of Turbo remained in his firm face. He clearly wanted to say that he was sorry and that he hated himself but those phrases were meaningless at that time. Kent had disappointment all over his face, wondering why Turbo didn’t listen to him or why he didn’t teach his son better. There was also a speckle of concern. Words were completely unnecessary, but I could feel that they were trying to reach one another and I wanted so much to help them rewind. (Possible in dramas but not real life, mind you.)

From there, their lives got worse and worse. I like how everyone involved don’t forget the accident and it just continues to pop back into their everyday interactions and relationships—not only that between Taxi Gor (Kent) and Turbo, but also between them and the neighbors. I could only ask, "How could you ever pay back for ruining someone’s life?" Seriously, how? You can’t, right? It’s impossible to revert an effect that has already been caused. You can only do your best to support the victims and assist them in moving on, but it’s not easy to stomach the blatantly, rightfully painful accusations. And no matter what you do, you will always be guilty.

Jail was not hard for Turbo. Life is.

Synopsis

After a radical change in life, Sze Sai Lun (Bobby Au Yeung) becomes dispirited with the political world and spends most of his time traveling around in search of fun. Along the way, he meets a spirit medium, Ng Kwan Yau (Jessica Hsuan), who somehow gets caught up in a mysterious murder case. It is not Lun’s intention to intervene at first, but with the fortuitous assistance from the pillow spirit Ngau Tai Lik (Johnson Lee), he can finally crack the case and prove Yau’s innocence.

Lun has his confidence back and pledges to continue his fight for justice. As time progresses, Lun and Yau get to know each other better and gradually fall in love. Lun finally decides to get over the past and marry the girl. He enjoys his married life so much but gets frustrated at work sometimes—Lik’s power turns out not to be as strong as expected, which ends up with a lot of misleading clues being given. Amidst the various challenges of his new life, Lun realizes that Yau seems to have something to hide and that there is a malicious plot behind their marriage. Knowing that the couple have fallen out, Lun’s mother has found him a new wife, Luk Siu Tip (Leila Tong). Out of the blue, Tip has also come with ill intentions. Lun is plunged into a complex web of intrigue and things seem to be getting on top of him …

Source: Astro on Demand, TVB International

• This is a sequel to A Pillow Case of Mystery, which was released in 2006 starring Bobby Au Yeung, Kenix Kwok, Benny Chan, and Tavia Yeung.
• Jessica Hsuan will be a spirit medium and the fourth wife of Bobby.
• Leila Tong will be the third wife.
• Eileen Yeow is the second wife and Rosanne Lui is the first wife.
• Johnson Lee plays the god of the pillow.
• Joel Chan will be a guard and student of Bobby.

• The tentative title is The King of Phoenixes (萬鳳之王).
• Producer is Chong Wai Kin and the drama is 30 episodes long.
• Cast includes Sunny Chan, Jessica Hsuan, Myolie Wu, Gigi Wong, Joel Chan, Cheung Kwok Keung, Nancy Wu, Sire Ma, Ching Ho Wai, Rebecca Chan, Kwok Fung, Ben Wong, Kong Hon, Kwan Ching, Yu Chi Ming, Sherry Chen, Jess Shum, Vivien Yeo, Macy Chan, Lee Yee Man, Joey Yau, Tina Shek, Destiny Cheng, Wan Si Pui, Winnie Ma, Emily Chung, Oscar Chan, Jason Cheng, Russell Cheung, Elena Kong, Lau Bing Ban, Chan Kin Man, Andy Wong, etc.
• Sunny Chan will play the Daoguang Emperor.
• Jessica Hsuan will be an imperial concubine and Myolie Wu will be an empress, who fights with Jessica for power.
• Joel Chan will be the Daoguang Emperor’s younger brother, who gets into an affair with Myolie.
• Gigi Wong will play the queen.
• Nancy Wu, Charmaine Li, and Vivien Yeo will be concubines while Macy Chan will be a maid serving Jessica.
• For more information, visit teddieburr or hyn5.

• I’m happy when TVB pulls another attempt at ancient costume series like War and Beauty, but I would be much more happy if they churn out some wuxia material. It’s been so long! The last TVB wuxia series was Twin of Brothers (Raymond Lam, Ron Ng) if I remember correctly. (No, Devil’s Disciple (Kevin Cheng, Bosco Wong) does not count!) Please, TVB. I want some whip-whoosh flip-flash elegant sword fighting, not more concubines scheming. That said, I think this series has a very solid cast and I’m glad, very glad Myolie is taking on the evil role here instead of Jessica. Otherwise, my only qualm about this series is the costumes. Maybe it’s just me but the colors of the costumes are so bland and almost wallflower-like, especially Macy’s. (I know she’s a maid but still.) The accessories are ugly in comparison to anything from Beyond the Realm of Conscience. These are royalties! Give them more radiance! Maybe the lighting during filming will help, hopefully.

• The tentative title is Female Fist (女拳).
• Producer is Law Wing Yin and the drama is 30 episodes long.
• Cast includes Liu Xuan, Bosco Wong, Kenneth Ma, Fala Chen, John Chiang, Dominic Lam, Ngok Wah, Ram Tseung, Law Lok Lam, Power Chan, Raymond Wong, Kenny Wong, Evergreen Mak, Savio Tsang, Matthew Ko, Claire Yiu, Kaki Leung, Yvonne Lam, Catherine Chau, Mandy Lam, Lo Chun Shun, Jimmy Au, Oscar Leung, Otto Chan, Wu Kong Lung, Cheng Ka Seng, Leung Kin Wah, Bryant Mak, Fred Cheng, Chiu Lok Yin, Max Cheung, Hugo Wong, Raymond Sin, Cheuk Lok, Moses Cheng, Billy Kong, Hou Kin Ming, Lai Tung Hong, Ho Na, Lee Ka, Eric Li, Ben Wong, Sherry Chen, etc.
• John Chiang will be Wong Fei Hung and Liu Xuan will be his fourth wife, Mok Gwai Lan.
• Bosco Wong, Kenneth Ma, and Fala Chen will be involved in a love triangle.
• For more information, visit teddieburr or hyn5 or watch the artiste clips at Liu Xuan, Bosco Wong, Fala Chen, Matthew Ko, Oscar Leung.

• I don’t have much to say about this production. To be exact, I actually don’t know what to feel about it because it could go either way. Most shows based on Wong Fei Hung that are made seriously can be very good, but even then, the name is still overused. The last time TVB made a series about Wong Fei Hung, the main males here Bosco, Kenneth, and John were in it. Deja vu much? In addition, I’m watching Dicky Cheung‘s somewhat comedic version right now. I mean, to what extent of creativity can they reach to produce a Wong Fei Hung drama that’s potentially different and fresh?

Synopsis

Rushing along the road every day with a vibrant mix of passengers of all kinds, what taxi drivers see and hear are far more varied than one can ever imagine. Retired taxi driver Ho Kau (Kent Cheng) returns to the job after his son Ho Ka Po (Raymond Wong) is convicted of causing death by dangerous driving. The incident has exacerbated the already fractious relationship between the father and the son. Po works for Kau after his release from prison. Before long, he has another serious road accident, in which Kau is also involved and severely injured, both mentally and physically.

Po feels so guilty towards his father and comes to understand the importance of careful driving. He maintains a high degree of vigilance while driving but still gets picked on constantly by female traffic police officer Ko Lai Sam (Kate Tsui). As time goes by, the pair have gradually developed a strong attachment to each other and finally become lovers. But Po’s ex-girlfriend Cheung Hiu Man (Sonija Kwok) and Sam’s grandmother Ko Li Shuk Ching (Lee Heung Kam) turn out to be the biggest obstacles to their relationship, leaving the pair stranded in dismay along the tunnel of love …

Source: Astro on Demand

Synopsis

After taking charge of her deceased husband’s jewelry shop, Ming Sum On (Louise Lee) makes it a big success with the help of both jewelry designers, Ma Ho Man (Cheng Tse Sing) and his wife Cheng Kiu (Teresa Mo). However, Kiu falls out with Sum after her divorce with Man for Sum didn’t tell her that Man was committing adultery. Sum’s youngest uncle (Johnson Lee) tries to mediate between them but it doesn’t work. On top of the dispute with Kiu, Sum is also troubled by administrative consultant Chu Bo (Lau Dan) who is assigned by her husband’s family and the rebellious step daughter Shek Ho Yee (Aimee Chan).

With the support of her best friend Lam Ching Ling (Crystal Tin) after the divorce, Kiu has transformed from a home-loving housewife into a total workaholic. Consequently, she is promoted as chief designer and achieves great success at work.

Sum’s younger brother Ming Sai On (Wayne Lai) returns from abroad to work as a plastic surgery doctor in Ling’s Beauty Group. Sai becomes Kiu’s neighbour coincidentally but Kiu instantly dislikes him for he acts like a fickle lover who earns women’s money hypocritically. However, as the two of them gets to know each other, the repulsion has turned into mutual attraction… Before Sai takes a step forward, he suddenly realizes that Ling is in love with him and he doesn’t know how to do …

Source: TVB International

Okay, I’ve been more than lazy as far as blogging/updating goes. Blame Twitter. It’s simply much, much easier to post about these short meta, media stuff there. Excuse accepted right? Awesome. Then, here’s a gift for all the fangirls. Issue 676 of TVB Weekly has Raymond Lam splattered everywhere. I’m quite sure it’s supposed to be an issue covering The Mysteries of Love, but Raymond is obviously more important. TVB is really trying to put his name and face out there this year with concerts, dramas, movies, and whatnots. After the TV King trophy slipped from his hands in 2008, Raymond of course went home unsatisfied. Hence, I suppose he’s working extra hard to make that trophy his this year. Although I’m not too keen about Mysteries or Raymond’s performance as Kingsley, shortened to Kings (OMG, dies laughing), I can’t deny that the guy is going to be everywhere during the latter, more important half of the year. I mean, seriously, not mentioning his concerts and movies, we’re already hinted that Growing Through Life and tentatively known as An Uninvited Date will air before anniversary time. What are the odds?

On a related note, I really wonder if Tavia Yeung will be the first female in TVB to land the awards in the most hilarious order. You know? The supporting actress, the favorite female character, and then the best actress award in 3 consecutive years. It would be a new page in TVB history, lol. That’s not to say I think Tavia should win this year. I actually think she shouldn’t.

Moving on to the next cover story, issue 677 features Ghost Writer‘s three leads Steven Ma, Linda Chung, and Fala Chen. (Why is Sunny Chan left out?!) It has been a while since I last watched—that is to say since TVB last produced—a somber ancient costume tragedy with fantasy elements involved. Moreover, it is a story based on a true historical figure, Pu Song Ling, famous for his many stories of liao zhai. Thus far, the drama is rolling along firmly with a consistent atmosphere and intriguing characters. I’ll leave it at that since I want to save my thoughts on the execution, script, and acting for another post. In any case, I absolutely love the design of the magazine’s pages for the cover story; very minimalistic yet elegant.

Remember that actual images are huge. Be careful if you have slow internet.

Issue 675 of TVB Weekly covers soon-to-end drama Sisters of Pearl and spotlights the 4 main characters, portrayed by Bowie Lam, Kiki Sheung, Jessica Hsuan, and Michael Tao. Ratings for the show have not been too high, averaging around 29 pts according to my rough estimation, but the show has managed to generate some talks and there are many speculations about its characters and schemes. Not too shabby, although it is getting overshadowed by the hype of The Mysteries of Love. Hopefully, more viewers will tune in to this last week to see how the family struggles toward a resolution. The cover story does have a page focusing on scenes/summaries of the last few episodes, but I’m not posting that page because it is crazily spoilerific. Yes, I think I already know the ending. *Growls*

Also, there is some confusion over how many episodes Sisters have in total. To clarify, TVB is airing 28 episodes in Hong Kong while fans overseas should be able to grab the DVD version totaling 30 episodes. I don’t think the cut scenes are that significant and the ending should be the same for both versions. Besides, two episodes with TVB pacing mean nothing.

PLEASE DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT CREDITING!