Tuesday 17 December 2013

TVB Anniversary Awards 2013 - Winner's List

I have just finished watching the show and I am pleasantly surprised. The results are unexpected but the winners are all deserving in some way or another. I remember last year I felt the winner's list seemed to be less political and more eclectic. This year the results seem to have built on that. It goes to show that TVB results really aren't influenced that much by "behind the scenes" events, why should they need to? There will always be those that cry foul but in the end why would a TV channel go through all that effort to award artistes which it could easily do by giving them more filming opportunities. The awards show is for the audience and whilst I agree that in the past there have been many questionable winners I really can't imagine the whole result to ever be purely influenced by TVB management, though of course favouritism is rife in any company.

I think TVB finally realises that for people to accept you nowadays you need to be transparent and fair. No shove down the throat winners. In a society as critical as that of Hong Kong's TVB is doing the write thing (if not a bit too clinical) in creating clarity and transparency in its voting system and results. This is definitely the year of change and I wish TVB will keep up with this. It is hard to find any instance of outward bias in this ceremony and that is how it should be. Whilst the winner's might not have been my choices they all settle well with me.

There are still some quirks I would like TVB to change though!

Best Actor
Dayo Wong

Dayo trounces Chilam!
When Dayo's name was announced I'm sure everyone was in a moment of shock, the awards had already given us a number of pleasant surprises but awarding Dayo was the final straw for TVB to clarify its stance - they are not influencing the results. For one Chilam was the touted favourite, he was even sitting there throughout the night, for two Dayo wasn't even at the ceremony.

The exclusion of Wayne Lai and Moses Chan
This was very interesting. Two of TVBs "pillars" were blanked in favour of two of TVBs rising stars Kenneth Ma and Ruco Chan. This is good to see as both Wayne and Moses really didn't have much claim for the title this year. And it's amazing to see Moses' record broken! He has been in the Top 5 Best Actor every year since god knows when!

When will the rise of the next generation begin?
Can we even call Kenneth Ma the next generation? He will be 40 next year! Raymond might be back next year with the Apostle, which looks interesting. Bosco has been floundering the past year or so but Midas could be his breakthrough. Ruco is probably the next legitimate choice right now.

Favourite Vs Best
The reason to announce the favourite character awards after the Best awards are probably because they wanted to give more attention to the 100% audience voted result but if they wanted to do this I think they should have totally done away with the voting in Best Actor and gave it all to the judges which I would still like clarifying. Who exactly are these 800 people? Are they directors/producers, are they with TVB or not?


Best Actress
Kristal Tin

Kristal wins judges, audiences and colleagues support
Kristal Tin is arguably the big winner this year. In a year where there was no obvious stand out Kristal managed to capitalise by starring alongside and overshadowing her closest rival Linda Chung. I really feel that half of the reason why Kristal managed to win is being at the right place at the right time. I would have preferred others but Kristal was really a great choice.

The Top 5 actresses
What was really interesting was that there were no "veterans" in the Top 5, something which has been quite common in the past instead they gave that spot to Fala. If there was any instance of favouritism it was probably in the Top 5 Best Actresses list. No Louise, No Esther, No Ada! And interesting is that Myolie was shut out whilst the other fadans made it on the list.


My Favourite TV Male Character
Chilam Cheung

Is Chilam angry?
To an extent Chilam must have felt cheated, that's why he started off his speech in a somewhat dissatisfied tone. However I'm sure he didn't mean it with any ill intent. It's just when all the pressure is on you, that even your fellow competitors are shoving it on you, and you lose you just got to let off some steam.


My Favourite TV Female Character
Kristal Tin

No longer a consolatory prize
What I like about this year is that TVB finally addressed the problem of the "My Favourite" being a consolatory prize and how even the artistes think that too. By giving more importance to the "favourite" aspect of the award and handing it to the viewers now this award is more distinct from the "Best" awards. However to truly clear the line I still think the Best awards should be solely decided by a announced set of judges.

If this was seen as consolatory then Kristal had no need to win this award since winning Best Actress was already a great feat for her and arguably her role/performance didn't have as much gravitas to claim both.


Best Supporting Actor
Benz Hui

The Veterans take charge
The question for this award was really, will the 1st lines get this as a consolation or will the Most Improved get this to solidify their status? In the end TVB went with neither and gave it to Benz. Good choice.

Edwin goes home empty handed
Edwin received the most nominations this year but went home empty handed, which in hindsight is quite interesting that Vincent Wong managed to nab the Most Improved over him. But Edwin has a clear path in front of him, he's clearly highly promoted by TVB so he shouldn't worry about his opportunities.


Best Supporting Actress
Elena Kong

Former ATV artistes finally appreciated
Elena has been there every year but every year she has been one spot away from being recognised. This year she finally took the honour home and I was elated to see her win. Mandy really provided her strongest opposition but I am happy TVB decided it was Elena's overall portfolio which deserved the title over Mandy. I'm sure Mandy will have many more opportunities in the future so she needn't worry.


Most Improved Actor
Vincent Wong

Vincent's win was somehow expected since I envisaged Edwin or Him winning BSA but in hindsight it's interesting that he won since neither Edwin nor Him won BSA. Vincent definitely had strong support towards the end of the year but I just wonder does that mean TVB will not nominate Edwin or Him in this category next year? Will it be a battle between Jason Chan, Benjamin Yuen, William Chak, Sammy Shum, Matt Yeung etc next year?


Most Improved Actress
Eliza Sam

TVB have been dying to give Eliza something ever since her debut so with all the legitimate contenders beside Priscilla gone she was bound to get it. If Katy Kung is now a BSA choice I hope she doesn't drop back down to become a filler again for Most Improved. I hope to see Oceane because a more solid contender in the future as well as see the likes of Lin Xia Wei, Rebecca Zhu, Samantha Ko and Koni Lui make the list.


Best Drama
Triumph of the Skies II

Impossible for it not to get it after the absolute flops (in ratings) of all the anniversary series.


Best Variety Show Hosts
Tony Hung and Priscilla Wong

As I said Priscilla wouldn't leave the awards without anything! But actually I do agree with them being the best hosts this year. However I was surprised that this show won Best Host and Best Information program.


Best Variety Show
Three Amigos go Bon Voyage

I have still yet to watch this show but I highly anticipate the chemistry between the three veterans. I was however slightly surprised this won with the other four nominees having been highly touted shows whilst I haven't heard as much from Three Amigos. Joe Junior's reaction was very sweet.


Best Information Program
Pilgrimage of Wealth

I would hardly call Pilgrimage of Wealth an info program but I do like it so I don't mind the award.


Outstanding Artistes
Suet Nei, Mary Hon, Anderson Junior, Helen Ma, Lau Kong

Another great selection of winners for this award but I wonder how they come up with this list?


Lifetime Achievement Award
Lau Siu Ming

I posted a want/prediction list a few weeks back, both lists failed catastrophically!

My wishlist ended with only Elena Kong winning an acting nod whilst Priscilla and Tony winning Best Host.

In terms of predictions I really went for a gamble since when I posted HC2 and Bounty Lady were still in there early stages. However Chilam and Kristal both won Favourite character awards and Eliza Sam and TITS 2 predictably took home the MI award and Best Drama awards respectively. 

Saturday 30 November 2013

TVB Anniversary Awards 2013

I have taken a long, long, long hiatus from this blog, nearly half a year. I have slowly grown out of blogging for the everyday thing, I initially started to just have somewhere to post my thoughts and so that I could read up on then every now and then. But I think blogging is still a platform for me to write down my thoughts on certain events because I do enjoy reading my posts again, however soon or far in time I wrote them.

So in my first post since June, which I'm sorry to say tailed off with a series on the Apprentice, I am blogging about something close to my childhood, the TVB Anniversary Awards. In no way as prestigious as the EMMYs or the BAFTAs but TVB is where I watch/watched most of the dramas I know from and even though I'm so busy at uni now I still have some of the shows in the background when I "work", I guess it's a childhood thing.

This year has been the worse year for TVB awards in my memory of it. Only two dramas have averaged over 30 points, Triumph in the Skies II and Inbound Troubles. Triumph in the Skies II, affectionately acronymed by the TVB community as TITS II felt wafty and had a wafer like thin plot. I watched a lot of it but felt like I didn't know what I was meant to watch half the time. Whilst Inbound Troubles was fine but I still don't get all the praise for it. The whole context of the series dropped to the side (like most TVB dramas) halfway into the show.

There are also no standout performances from any of the contenders for Best Actor/Actress or supporting for that fact - or should I say Actor/Actresses who actually stand a chance to win the awards.

This year rather than have the Best Actor/Actress chosen by the public there will be a more intensive vote by hundreds of "industry professionals", shall we say an  "informed public vote". I think voting in general for awards like these never really work. They are almost always affected by popularity and bias. Also who are these "industry professionals?" Hundreds seem too many for a particular role e.g. director and I assume won't solely be by TVB staff since they did that for the anniversary celebration which Kenneth Ma and Kristal Tin won for. I would much rather have a selected panel of judges, who are not working under TVB and have no known affiliation to any managerial staff to chair these. Seems the most logical solution really.

I will not discuss about the TVB bias of picking their "children" that is another topic that will take a long time to blog about.

Anyway time for the actual list!

BEST ACTOR


Lau Dan - Come Home Love
Wong Cho Lam - Inbound Troubles
Michael Miu - A Change of Heart
Bosco Wong - A Change of Heart
Roger Kwok - Awfully Lawful
Francis Ng - Triumph in the Skies II
Chilam Cheung - Triumph in the Skies II
Bobby Au Yeung - Always and Ever
Ruco Chan - Big Wheel
Edwin Siu - Big Wheel
Wayne Lai - Will Power
Moses Chan - Will Power
Lawrence Ng - Hippocratic Crush II
Kenneth Ma - The Hippocratic Crush II
Dayo Wong - Bounty Lady

Whilst I have not watched some of the series in this list, it's safe to say it's heavily skewed to dramas later in the year. All the expected ones are on here though I was surprised to see Lau Dan on the list. But I guess it's not surprising to see some recognition for one of TVBs most successful sitcoms recently.

A noticeable, though not an entirely unbelievable omission is Raymond Wong. With three lead performances you'd imagine he'd have a great shot at the Top 15 list but he suffered from all of them airing in the first half of the year and non really left a great impression on people.

I feel that these 5 are the closest to getting into the Top 5;

Francis Ng - Keeping good relations and it will feel odd if he's left off the list if the actor below is there. Personally I don't get the hype.

Chilam Cheung - Also keeping good relations and Chilam has actually starred in a few popular TV shows and seems amicable with TVB. He is also getting the most buzz. His performance to me was ok, not too bothered - maybe it also coincides with me not having much interest in the series

Wayne Lai - He's the new Gallen. A Top 5 without him is not TVB especially in this very unremarkable crop. He is decent in Will Power but I don't get much else from him. He's a good actor but people need to stop revering him as like a "Godlike" actor.

Moses Chan - The other touted contender though Will Power hasn't had as much attention as TITS II and personally I don't think it's a breakthrough role. Likable maybe but as a performance nothing special. His performance of Beauty At War would be a better consideration as although his performance was too low key it was interesting seeing him try to engage with his character.

Kenneth Ma - If TVB had their own way I'm sure Kenneth is in it for the win. It's about the right time to award the "younger" generation (I say younger because Kenneth is 39!). The hype for him has somewhat gone but he still has a shot I think with the Hippocratic Crush II especially since he won the award voted by artistes.


Others who have a shot;
Wong Cho Lam - A highly memorable performance but I'm not a fan per say. If this drama is to receive any recognition, since it did well early on in the year, it is here.

Bosco Wong - With TVB's leak of artistes they'd probably want to maintain good relations with every top tier actor as possible. Bosco seems to be slowly drifting from TVB, would an award be a good bargaining chip?

Ruco Chan - Ruco is arguably one of the most popular TVB actors from the response of netizens. Brother's Keeper was a good role for him and many would consider him a title contender but in a year saturated with "veterans" and Kenneth Ma still in the waiting line it seems Ruco might need to wait a few years longer.

Lawrence Ng - Another veteran TVB might aim to please since he seems to be making a full attempt at a comeback with more TVB series in the line.

Dayo Wong - Bounty Lady is evidently a show aimed to add more excitement to the anniversary awards. Something to change things up. If the viewers lap it up Dayo might be in prime position for the awards.


Those to fill the list.

Lau Dan - A good actor but it's hard to imagine TVB putting him up there since there's no value of "recognising" him to that extent.

Michael Miu - He's had stronger contentions before and was blanked. He's not ignoring TVB so evidently he doesn't need nor want the award.

Roger Kwok - The same as Michael. They are really TVBs "at hand" veterans who are there to boost the "quality" of series but rarely have the stage to make a break through.

Bobby Au Yeung - Another Michael Miu and Roger Kwok. They'd only get a shot if there drama was a big hit, which A Change of Heart, Awfully Lawful nor Always and Ever were. And in fact I found Bobby's acting in Always and Ever way too over dramatic.

Edwin Siu - Too early for this, he needs a few more years to be a legitimate candidate and Ruco easily has the better chance for Brother's Keeper.


It's quite difficult for me to pick because I haven't seen a lot of the series but in terms of acting and depth of role I think Ruco probably stands out the most because he didn't a decent job in an interesting character.

In terms of who I'd be most happy with winning it's probably Kenneth because he would signal the changing of the guard. Right now I think the award is between Chilam and Kenneth but Moses is supposedly a hot contender also.

Ps. If Michael Tse was still with TVB he'd probably be here and I quite liked him in the first half of the year.


BEST ACTRESS


Ivana Wong - Inbound Troubles
Louise Lee - Reality Check
Niki Chow - Sergeant Tabloid
Ada Choi - Beauty at War
Christine Ng - Beauty at War
Aimee Chan - Slow Boat Home
Joey Meng - A Change of Heart
Myolie Wu - Triumph in the Skies II
Fala Chen - Triumph in the Skies II
Esther Kwan - Always and Ever
Kathy Chow - Sniper Standoff
Linda Chung - Brother's Keeper
Kristal Tin - Brother's Keeper
Tavia Yeung - The Hippocratic Crush II
Kate Tsui - Bounty Lady

I have a bone to pick with TVB in that Aimee Chan is on this list for Slow Boat Home but Selena Li isn't! They always disregard her and hearing that she renew her contract is just more disheartening when she is being blanked by TVB.

Also Christine being nominated for Beauty at War instead of Will Power is interesting since Fala is in it for TITS II, which brings me to Fala being in the nominations at all. I knew TVB wouldn't totally disregard her.

The five in close distance I would say are

Myolie Wu - I think one TITS actress should make it. I was tossing up between the two and then decided Myolie might have a slight edge here. We all know the supposed logic that Fala was supposed to win this year but how she didn't renew her contract and therefore TVB had to scuttle off to find other winners, well I think Fala was still in contention up to the point Will Power aired but since it didn't do that well Fala is no longer a clear memory in audience's mind and therefore Myolie might be the better choice since she is with TVB and generally well liked.

Esther Kwan - There's normally always one veteran and since Esther is getting the most support from netizens it seems like she'd be the best choice to boost the credibility of the awards. I think her performance was good in Always and Ever but I know she has better in her.

Linda Chung - The supposed contender they scuttled off to once Fala left TVB but Linda is left with a rather insignificant role in the male dominated series Brother's Keeper. I really don't think Linda should or probably will win because her winning could encounter major backlash which wouldn't have happened if she won on previous occasions or potentially in the next few years but that hasn't stopped TVB with some of its decisions!

Kristal Tin - The sudden favourite, hoisted up by Brother's Keeper and now the crown choice by her fellow colleagues. I wonder how much of it is purely down to her outshining Linda's character in Brother's Keeper. I like Kristal but her character and performance were more suited to winning the "My favourite" category.

Kate Tsui - I truly feel Bounty Lady was shoved into the end of the calender year to give Kate another shot at the award since Sniper Standoff flopped. I think with that type of anticipation Kate might just take it all. Though her colleagues and the general media don't seem to play her chances that high and normally they are a good indication to the general idea of what TVB is thinking. However like with Dayo, if Bounty Lady becomes the breakaway hit of the year they'd be the obvious frontrunners.


Others in contention;
Niki Chow - News is aplenty that Niki is supposedly TVBs next choice if Linda isn't to be the one. There's always reports of how TVB pander to Niki and want her as one of their own, if these are true then maybe Niki does stand a good chance. However her series are rather early in the year and she has yet to have a standout performance so a shock win seems unlikely to me over Linda, Kate or even Fala! A Top 5 nomination is plausible though.

Ada Choi - in the dearth of good choices for the win, Ada Choi's name was bandied about as a means of rewarding her for her general, good relationship with TVB (many of her generation's actresses rarely film with TVB anymore). However that seems a rather snide comment. Firstly I believe Ada does probably have the most appealing performance of anybody this year and secondly I find it annoying that there always has to be a reason to someone winning, can't she truly deserve it?

Aimee Chan - There have been more absurd decisions that TVB have made with Aimee Chan so I don't imagine it too incomprehensible for her getting a nod for goodwill so that she comes back after her pregnancy, especially since she seems to be finally gaining some sort of appreciation by people. And I'm in total shock with the Asian Televion Awards nomination, though a lot of their Hong Kong choices in the past have defied my logic.

Fala Chen - I think she still has a good working relationship with TVB, I don't think it's impossible for her to make the list, it's just that it's becoming more and more unlikely with the rather tame reception of Will Power which could have really boosted her and Christine Ng's chances.

Tavia Yeung - It's difficult to make a sequel work especially when the first was distinctive for certain qualities which would be hard to recapture. Myolie won in 2011 for Ghetto Justice and then missed the Top 5 the next year with the same role. Whilst Tavia didn't win for HC2 last year that was really what buoyed her chances btu this year HC2 isn't getting much attention.


There to fill the slots
Ivana Wong - Whilst I found Ivana's performance to be rather refreshing and decent it's in some ways a shame to think that she gets a nomination here for her first series as well as possibly her first credited acting role when many actresses in TVB struggle to attain the same treatment.

Louise Lee - I personally thought Louise had one of the more memorable performances this year in her motherly role in Reality Check but the problem with Louise is that her comeback in Heart of Greed really defined her image and she has spent a few years playing these nice motherly roles that most people find it hard to see Louise Lee as her character over Louise herself. However I liked the subtleties in her performance and would be more than happy if she won.

Christine Ng - There's very little reward for TVB to give it to her since she's neither in a hit performance nor expressed interest in the awards. Though when I saw she was in both Beauty at War and Will Power I thought she'd be in possible contention but both have not attained the attention of their aim.

Joey Meng - Kristal is the "it" recent former ATV girl this year, Joey might just be too much for TVB to handle especially she came over recently. She'll need a few years for the "smell" of ATV to wear off of her.

Kathy Chow - I like Kathy but she is evidently in no real contention for the award and is probably only in it so Sniper Standoff has some sort of representation.


I think if I were to choose I would have to pit Ada Choi against Louise Lee because they to me had the most interesting character and strong performances out of the bunch. And these two are who I'd support for the awards. I'm also in the minority here (probably) with liking Niki in Sergeant Tabloid and actually Tavia but in A Great Way To Care 2 more so than HC2 right now. Esther would probably take a spot on my list as well and then I think either Kristal or Fala actually. Joey is a popular choice for many but I have not seen A Change of Heart and her performance in Inbound Troubles was rather forgettable. I'm actually interested to see what Kate Tsui can pull out of the bag for a series with Dayo about Hong Kong "leftover" women. I have yet to watch the first few episodes.



FAVOURITE TV MALE CHARACTER


Choi Sum - Inbound Troubles (Wong Cho Lam)
Ko Lap Yan - A Great Way To Care 2 (Alex Fong)
Cheung Bo San - Slow Boat Home (Raymond Wong)
Fong Chi Lik - A Change of Heart (Michael Miu)
Yiu Yat San/Yiu Yuet Sun - A Change of Heart (Bosco Wong)
Sam Tong - Triumph in the Skies II (Francis Ng)
Jayden Koo - Triumph in the Skies II (Chilam Cheung)
Issac Tong - Triumph in the Skies II (Ron Ng)
Kiu Tin San - Brother's Keeper (Ruco Chan)
Law Wai Shun - Brother's Keeper (Edwin Siu)
Yu Ying Wai - Will Power (Wayne Lai)
Lee Ming Yeung - Will Power (Moses Chan)
Lok Man San - The Hippocratic Crush II (Lawrence Ng)
Kenneth Ma - The Hippocratic Crush II (Kenneth Ma)
Heung Kong Nam - Bounty Lady (Dayo Wong)


So besides three omissions basically the same list as Best Actor.

I think realistically Chilam is the strongest choice for this which is why I think he might not get Best Actor since it wasn't that much of a standout to warrant two awards. If this is 100% voted you can't count out the housewife voters who will be flocking to Wayne Lai in the dozens. Dayo Wong might also be in for a shot since many seem to be watching the show for him rather than the show itself. Kenneth might win it as a consolation prize. Francis and Ruco are dark horses only if there fans vote in droves.

In terms of characters I actually liked, Wong Cho Lam is hard to miss. The others I have either not seen or aren't really "likable" characters more.


FAVOURITE FEMALE TV CHARACTER


Ngai Mei San - Friendly Fire (Sharon Chan)
Yik Suet Fei - Inbound Troubles (Joey Meng)
Ng Chi Ching - Inbound Troubles (Ivana Wong)
Lau Chui Wan - Reality Check (Louise Lee)
Hui Mei Fung - Reality Check (Priscilla Wong)
Lui Fei Hap - Sergeant Tabloid (Niki Chow)
Cheng Po Po - Slow Boat Home (Aimee Chan)
Summer Ha San - Triumph in the Skies 2 (Myolie Wu)
Holiday Ho Lin Hei - Triumph in the Skies 2 (Fala Chen)
Coco Ling - Triumph in the Skies 2 (Nancy Wu)
Yeung Chik Suet/Hon Seung Seung/Tin Chau Fung - Always and Ever (Esther Kwan)
Cheuk Jing - Brother's Keeper (Linda Chung)
Yiu Man Ying - Brother's Keeper (Kristal Tin)
Fan Tze Yu - The Hippocratic Crush II (Tavia Yeung)
Sing Fa Lui - Bounty Lady (Kate Tsui)

Basically the same list again though it's interesting seeing that they added Sharon Chan and Priscilla Wong in this list.

I think, right now, this award will go to Kristal but this is if she doesn't win Best Actress. She has the strongest audience support right now so if it is 100% voted then Kristal has the strongest chance. Linda has a shot at this if it becomes a consolation prize. I would also watch out for Tavia and Kate who might receive late surges in popularity.

I think in terms of actual characters I liked, Ivana was refreshing, Niki and Sharon had likable characters. Fala and Nancy were also memorable for their characters in TITS II.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR


Louis Cheung - Inbound Troubles
Bob Lam - Inbound Troubles
Edwin Siu - A Great Way To Care II
Ram Chiang - A Great Way to Care II
Wai Ka Hung - War and Beauty
Elliot Ngok - Slow Boat Home
Ron Ng - Triumph in the Skies II
Kenneth Ma - Triumph in the Skies II
Pierre Ngo - Always and Ever
Ben Wong - Always and Ever
Lau Kong - Brother's Keeper
Louis Yuen - Brother's Keeper
Jason Chan - Will Power
Him Law - The Hippocratic Crush
Benz Lui - Bounty Lady


This is a very varied and rather weak list because there are literally no stand outs. Last year they only announced the Top 2 but here are the ones I think who actually stand a chance.

Edwin Siu - Throughout the year he has obviously been promoted to be in strong contention for the awards with a memorable character in A Great Way to Care II, and leads in two large productions; Brother's Keeper and Bullet Brain. However he is also nominated for Most Improved, I think very few people have actually been able to skip MI when they've been nominated both in MI and BSA.

Ron Ng - Along with his fellow TITS II counterpart their appearance in here creates a strong predicament. They are both obviously considered lead actors by TVB but due to circumstance are considered for BSA here. Will TVB award them due to their popularity or will they skip over them so that it doesn't "devalue" their first tier?

Kenneth Ma - The same predicament that Ron has but I think that if Kenneth doesn't receive any of the top acting awards he might go away with this in hand.

Pierre Ngo - He has a relatively stronger support than others on this list but he has had more competitive years. However out of those mentioned already he has the least conflict of interest.

Him Law - Supposedly, many believe that, like Edwin he will skip MI and tackle BSA. That's not too illogical because of the rather forgettable list we have here. I feel MI is besotted with favourites that TVB might really just give two nominees from MI an award; one here and one in MI.

Benz Lui - Yet again Bounty Lady serves as a predicament to the end of year awards. I can see it doing well as many modern Dayo Wong comedies do so it really could boost up the chances of its fellow actors since this year there are very few contenders to name of.


The Others
Louis Cheung - He has shown his acting capabilities this year with varied roles. If TVB go back to the Top 5 system he could be in it because he really has been a strong supporting actor but winning seems too "out of the blue" for Louis.

Bob Lam - Do not even remind me of him in Inbound Troubles. He grated on my nerves.

Ram Chiang - I can't remember his character but many like him and applaud him for his acting. However he is too low key this year for the award.

Wai Ka Hung - I think it's almost an impossibility.

Elliot Ngok - He's been on this list many times but rarely makes it to Top 5.

Ben Wong - Consolation for the black out last year, maybe?

Lau Kong - Was quite surprised to see him here. But he is a strong typecast character.

Louis Yuen - He's won it before so I don't see him winning again any time soon without a standout performance.

Jason Chan - He has much stronger chances in MI I think especially since he's nominated here.


I don't have a favourite right now but Edwin has been the most prolific this year I think.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS


Lenna Yeung - Come Home Love
Angela Tong - Inbound Troubles
Siu Bo - Inbound Troubles
Rachel Kan - Beauty at War
Katy Kung - Beauty at War
Elaine Yiu - A Change of Heart
Law Lan - Karma Rider
Nancy Wu - Triumph in the Skies II
Elena Kong - Triumph in the Skies II
Eliza Sam - Sniper Standoff
Louise Lee - Brother's Keeper
Christine Ng - Will Power
Sire Ma - Will Power
Mandy Wong - The Hippocratic Crush
Mary Hon - The Hippocratic Crush

Normally I find this list the most difficult to choose from but this year even this hasn't yielded much possibilities. I am incredibly surprised and disheartened by the exclusion of Natalie Tong, who possibly gave the most intense performance of this years Supporting Actresses in Bullet Brain. I would also have liked to see Mimi Chu from Inbound Troubles.

Top contenders;

Elena Kong - After being close for a number of years it might just be time for TVB to give it to her once and for all. However if last year is anything to go by she faces still competition from the actress below.

Mandy Wong - legitimately there are only two contenders this year with the exclusion of Natalie. Despite not putting in memorable performances Mandy has the strongest shot at winning it this year as shown by her making the Top 2 in this category last year over Elena. Unless TVB suddenly have a change of tactic she is more than sure to get this award.

The Others;
Lenna Yeung - Very surprised to see her here. I don't watch Come Home Love but I'm sure she isn't the most prolific Supporting Actress in that show.

Angela Tong - It seems so long ago when she won this award, her status within TVB has not really improved since then so she is not really in contention at all.

Siu Bo - Might be a consideration based on popularity.

Rachel Kan - She is slowly becoming a stalwart, a reliable green leaf. But an award seems unlikely.

Katy Kung - She was a revelation in Beauty at War. I'm baffled why she isn't in Most Improved though because she stands no chance here but yet TVB decided to put her here.

Elaine Yiu - She is slowly getting back the cred she had with TVB a decade ago but without a standout role she is not going to rise any further.

Law Lan - I haven't watched Karma Rider but I always enjoy Law Lan's performances. She should definitely win it some time.

Nancy Wu - Not only is it unlikely for an actress to win the award two years straight she is also among competition that have not won the award before. I highly doubt TVB will give her a second nod so soon.

Eliza Sam - She hasn't been as prevalent as last year and I feel like her popularity might be waning. She stands a much greater shot at MI than BSA.

Louise Lee - If TVB just wants to throw a spanner in the works Louise Lee will be a good candidate to do so, somebody who nobody will be too unhappy with but will boost up the credibility of the awards. However Mandy has all these going for her.

Christine Ng - Another actress nominated for Best and Best Supporting. I feel that might be consolation enough for her.

Sire Ma - With all the recent news it seemed almost unlikely for her to feature here but she is and I wonder if she will make a step closer or not? I highly doubt it though.

Mary Hon - I love Mary Hon but I was surprised to see her here.


Katy and Nancy are probably the two I preferred this year but Elena and Mandy would be good based on their body of work.


MOST IMPROVED ACTOR

Vincent Wong
Benjamin Yuen
Jason Chan
Edwin Siu
Him Law

Realistically, all but Benjamin Yuen have a shot at this award. Benjamin just doesn't have as much TVB support as the other four do right now but it's nice to see him considered. 

TVB has a long line of actors they can give this too, I can probably name another four on top of my head who wouldn't look out of place in this category so it really is possible that one of these nominees will win Best Supporting and another win Most Improved.

Vincent Wong - buoyed by a sudden strong support for his performances in A Change of Heart and Will Power he has the strongest momentum going into the awards. However he is the only one out of the four real contenders to not be nominated for a "higher" category. This might just be the sign that he will be ignored.

Jason Chan - Many fear that he will snatch this award away over Vincent, Edwin or Him. Edwin and Him seem to be gunning for the bigger awards this year so if it really is down to Jason and Vincent Jason already has the upper hand with a nomination in BSA over Vincent. Will it really be Jason's year?

Edwin Siu - Legitimately speaking Edwin should get this award. Out of the five I think he is the Most Improved this year and has the strongest support by TVB. He is also nominated in Best Actor, which none of the others can say for themselves. Logically he will win this award but if TVB are gearing him for bigger things then maybe he will just miss out on this.

Him Law - In my mind this is how it ranks for TVB; Edwin - Him - Vincent/Jason - Benjamin. So if Edwin were to take BSA Him should be the one to take Most Improved. However he has shown active disinterest in this award so maybe TVB have already notified him that this year they want a Vincent Vs Jason scenario. I also find it amusing that Him said he's too old for this when all his opponents are older than him.

I will be happy with Edwin or Him taking this I think.


MOST IMPROVED ACTRESS

Grace Wong
Oceane Zhu
Eliza Sam
Priscilla Wong
Cilla Kung

This list is definitely a revelation, the most unpredictable out of all the nominees. It definitely shows who stands where in TVBs eyes since there is no Katy Kung (but she is nominated in BSA), no sign of Rebecca Zhu (she was gaining support over Mandy in Always and Ever) and no Lin Xia Wei either. Samantha Ko and Kaki Leung are also two actresses I'd like to see in this category sometime in the future.

However I do like Oceane, I would love to see her do well in the future because she does have it in her she just has a problem with her Cantonese. I also do agree that Cilla is starting to become much more versatile though she is heavily typecasted. I do like Grace but I think it's too early for her to be considered here since she has had no strong momentum.

Anyway the fight is really down to Eliza Sam and Priscilla Wong. I feel like TVB might have reduced the strength of the other nominees just to make this apparent.

I think Eliza stands a slightly better chance here because of her more recent roles and because TVB has been pushing her like crazy. Priscilla has also been promoted like mad but she is generally the lead in small productions so has yet to truly show her worth. I prefer Priscilla over Eliza though, so I think I will be supporting her for this award.


So that's the acting awards done and dusted.
Best Drama, will as always be competed by all the dramas this year in which Triumph in the Skies II looks in prime position to take.


BEST VARIETY SHOW HOST
Johnson Lee - Office of Impractical Jokes
Maria Cordero, Luk Ho Ming - Cheap Good Eats
Eric Tsang and Co - Super Trio Maximus
Dodo Cheng and Amigo Chui - Voice of Stars
Priscilla Wong and Tony Hung - Pilgrimage of Wealth

It's rare that I've actually seen all the nominees and can actually comment on this.

My choice for this is Priscilla and Tony because they have the most chemistry and I watched Pilgrimage of Wealth mainly for their chemistry over the actual show.

Johnson Lee was ok but I found the show slightly awkward at times. Maria Cordero and Luk Ho Ming were ok but not a strong choice for me. Eric Tsang and co are always a strong contender though I feel the hosts have been bloated beyond control. Dodo and Amigo are probably my least liked out of the five.


BEST VARIETY SHOW
Office of Practical Jokes
Super Trio Maximus
The Voice of Stars
Telling Maria 2
Three Amigos go Bon Voyage

I think for me it's Super Trio Maximus right now. But I really want to watch Three Amigos go Bon Voyage, I think the chemistry would be very interesting between the three veterans. I would have liked to see I'm Old Enough in it because that was one of the shows I actually really liked watching.


BEST INFORMATION PROGRAM
Sidewalk Scientist
Good Cheap Eats
Extreme Marathon
Pilgrimage of Wealth
Passing Torch

Another show I really like is Sidewalk Scientist, I hope it gets an award because it's quite interestingly done. The others I'm not so sure about as an Info-Program.


So I'm finally at the end of the lists. Just to note these are some of the dramas I want to but haven't seen yet;
Slow Boat Home
A Change of Heart
Awfully Lawful
Bounty Lady

These are the series I kind of like this year,
Friendly Fire
Reality Check
Sergeant Tabloid
Beauty at War
Brother's Keeper
(right now watching Will Power and HC2)

I say kind of because I'm not actually convinced I like them that much!

So this is what I want to see happening on the night
BEST ACTOR - Kenneth Ma (a younger actor basically)
BEST ACTRESS - Ada Choi
MY FAVOURITE MALE CHARACTER - No preference really
MY FAVOURITE FEMALE CHARACTER - Linda Chung (consolation)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Edwin Siu
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Elena Kong
MOST IMPROVED MALE ARTISTE - Him Law
MOST IMPROVED FEMALE ARTISTE - Priscilla Wong
BEST VARIETY SHOW HOST - Priscilla Wong and Tony Hung
BEST VARIETY SHOW - Super Trio Maximus
BEST INFORMATION PROGRAM - Sidewalk Scientist
BEST DRAMA - Brother's Keeper


This is my current prediction;
BEST ACTOR - Kenneth Ma (only if HC2 gets slightly higher ratings)
BEST ACTRESS - Kate Tsui (only if Bounty Lady is a hit)
MY FAVOURITE MALE CHARACTER - Chilam Cheung
MY FAVOURITE FEMALE CHARACTER - Kristal Tin
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Edwin Siu
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Mandy Wong
MOST IMPROVED MALE ARTISTE - Him Law
MOST IMPROVED FEMALE ARTISTE - Eliza Sam
BEST VARIETY SHOW HOST - Priscilla Wong and Tony Hung (if she loses out of MI)
BEST VARIETY SHOW - The Voice of Stars
BEST INFORMATION PROGRAM - Passing Torch
BEST DRAMA - Triumph in the Skies II