If you were wondering why I was rushing to post about all the series which are part of the 43rd Anniversary Awards then this is why. I've been a keen follower of TVB, not necessarily because the series are good to watch but because it's a family thing where we all go to the living room to watch TVB. Since 1997, I think, TVB have been handing out awards. Every year there is debate whether the results were fair, well to be honest I don't really mind who they give awards to. Yes I may have a little rant but in the end I think TVB has the right to give awards to whoever they want, similarly, I have the right to post my own awards! So here you have it, my very own TVB Awards and nominations list for the 43rd Anniversary. Next year I'm planning to tidy things up, watching most of the series and posting tidier reviews.
Note: Due to TVB's decision to air A Great Way to Care in 2011 I have taken it out of my awards lists but Cupid Stupid will still be part of my list.
To start things off I have a relatively light award,
FAVOURITE THEME SONG
I only thought of this a few days ago but I think if the introduction is good they are as memorable as the series and can even help you remember or get an idea of the series.
Nominees:
Growing Through Life - (所謂理想) sung by Raymond Lam
Beauty of the Game - (愛無愧) sung by Denise Ho
Ghost Writer - (心竅) sung by Steven Ma
No Regrets - (義海豪情) sung by Leo Ku
A Chip Off the Old Block - (咪話唔就你) sung by Ron Ng and Myolie Wu
Growing Through Life's intro is actually quite fitting to the series, it sounds right and seems perfect for it.
Beauty of the Game's intro is another slow song filled with a lot of emotion.
Ghost Writer's intro sets the scene as a haunting and mysterious series.
No Regrets' intro is a powerful song which is as memorable as the series
A Chip Off the Old Block's intro is the only "fast" song in the bunch. I think it fits the era and style very well especially Gigi's shouting at the start.
There were other commendable songs and of course intro musics but many didn't seem to fit the series.
Winners
3rd: Ghost Writer - (心竅) sung by Steven Ma
2nd: Growing Through Life - (所謂理想) sung by Raymond Lam
1st: No Regrets - (義海豪情) sung by Leo Ku
Lets get the nasties out of the way and award,
MOST ANNOYING CHARACTER
Annoying characters can be annoying because of many things, maybe because they have annoying habits, maybe because they look annoying or maybe simply because they are so evil you want to punch them in the face but you can't because they're inside your TV! Well these 5 characters were the most annoying to me this year.
Nominees:
Michael Tse - Cupid Stupid
Kate Tsui - Beauty of the Game
Dominic Lam - A Fistful of Stances
Felix Wong - Gun Metal Grey
Louis Yuen - A Chip Off the Old Block
Michael's character in Cupid Stupid was annoying because he stopped the blossoming love between Tavia and Steven. He also acted like a little kid for most of the time and had temper tantrums, just like a child. Oh and also his name is a total rip off of Jeff Koons.
Kate's character in the Beauty of the Game was supposed to be the "reborn hero" but firstly it annoyed me how easily she changed from villain to a "good guy" and how she treated those around her when she was a villain was equally awful.
Dominic's character in A Fistful of Stances was beyond evil. He killed his master Chung King Fai, tried to destroy Yuen Qiu's family and also drugged his own wife Kara Hui, do I need to say more?
Felix Wong is getting a lot of love from Hong Kong but I absolutely hate his character. His character is written so that I have no sympathy for him, unlike a similar Robin Hood character, Damian Lau in Catch Me Now a few years ago. In his quest for doing good he is actually doing a lot of harm and most of the times he's being utterly selfish.
Louis Yuen's character in A Chip off the Old Block is annoying because he has weird teeth, he talks stupidly, he's a cop and he's acted by Louis Yuen! lol.
Winners
3rd: Stone Sir in Gun Metal Grey acted by Felix Wong
2nd: Jeff Koon in Cupid Stupid acted by Michael Tse
1st: Wing Tak in A Fistful of Stances acted by Dominic Lam
A successful TVB series not only needs good romantic relationships they also need other relationships such as Friendship or Family.
BEST CHEMISTRY
This award is given to the actors who made their series enjoyable to watch not only because of the romantic relationships or twisting plots but because of how they made other relationships work. Sorry about some of the pictures, it was just so hard finding good ones.
Nominees:
Esther Kwan and Michelle Yim - The Season of Fate
Gigi's Tennants - A Chip off the Old Block
Kara's Tennants (Ju Long Lei) - No Regrets
The fact that Michelle called Esther mum for half the series is enough to make this couple a fun watch. The scenes where Michelle acted like a child towards Esther are just so adorable and lovely to watch.
Gigi's Tennants were much more comical than say Kara's. There was more of a comedic tension, like a play, between Gigi's Tennants. Their bickering actually made the series more fun to watch.
Kara's Tennants, on the other hand, were more real. I guess if you lived in that period of time that's how it would feel, I almost felt part of the gang sometimes! However I would have liked to know all of the characters better.
Winners
3rd: Kara's Tennants - No Regrets
2nd: Esther Kwan and Michelle Yim - The Season of Fate
1st: Gigi's Tennants - A Chip Off the old Block
This ones for the young ones!
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
In 2009 TVB made an award called "Breakthrough Performance" many debated on what this award actually meant. For my "Breakthrough Performance" you generally have to have been somebody I didn't really care or know about before hand but performed so well in one series that I began to liked them a lot. So don't expect any big names in this category
Nominees:
Matt Yeung - Some Day
Grace Wong - My Better Half
Mandy Cho - Cupid Stupid
Mandy Wong - A Chip Off the Old Block
Vincent Wong - Gun Metal Grey
Matt Yeung has always been someone to look out for for me but until Some Day he was generally in cameo appearances which didn't give him much room to impress. I enjoyed watching Matt in Some Day, whilst it wasn't a fantastic performance it definitely was a sign for better things to come.
I think My Better Half was the first series of Grace. I didn't like her in Miss Hong Kong 2008 so I wasn't expecting much from her but she managed to act well for her debut performance and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked her.
Mandy Cho was another Grace Wong to me. She was Miss Hong Kong 2003, I didn't really like her then and I continued to dislike her for a long time with her mediocre performances in many series. For some reason in Cupid Stupid I began to see how beautiful she was, on top of that her acting was decent in Cupid Stupid as well. I was STUPID to be so blind!
Yet another past Miss Hong Kong contestant, Mandy Wong. I didn't like Mandy in Miss Hong Kong 2007 but I remember liking her acting. It was in A Chip Off the Old Block when she got her first significant supporting role and at once I was amazed by how good she was. I really like Mandy and hope she gets some meatier roles in the future.
Vincent Wong was somebody I had never cared for, or even known, in the past. I do think I've seen him act before but I just can't name a series. However in Gun Metal Grey he performed extraordinarily well for such a novice actor, he managed to make his character believable and endearing. Good job.
Winners
3rd: Mandy Wong - A Chip Off the Old Block
2nd: Vincent Wong - Gun Metal Grey
1st: Mandy Cho - Cupid Stupid
We've had family and friends now lets move on to the romantic couples,
BEST COUPLE
Every TVB series has at least one romantic plot so there's definitely a lot of choices but TVB sometimes gets it totally wrong, I sometimes cringe because some series would work so much better without the romantic link, but those nominated her are definitely not cringe-worthy.
Nominees:
Him Law and Mandy Wong - Suspects in Love
Raymond Wong and Fala Chen - No Regrets
Kenneth Ma and Selena Li - A Fistful of Stances
Wayne Lai and Sheren Tang - No Regrets
Steven Ma and Tavia Yeung - Cupid Stupid
What makes a good coupling? Of course the two artistes need to have chemistry, if not they'd just look fake and stiff. Many times you'll have heard how people find it hard to forget their partner in the series months after filming has finished, that's probably why so many rumours surface between on screen couples and how some are even affectionately named such as Stevia - Steven Ma + Tavia Yeung. I'm going to try to match these artistes names together to make some affectionate couplings, I know some but I'll try to be original! It's great my nominees list have 10 different artistes, or it'll start to get confusing.
Himdy! Come on what can you do with Him! Anyway they were a refreshing pair, though I've seen them only briefly in the series I really liked how "fresh" the two looked together.
Rayla! That sounds like a potential ANTMer! Anyway I loved the romantic plot between Rayla, a love that was doomed from the beginning but they kept on loving. Fala @ Rayla's diary was also so sweet.
MingWan! Ok cheated a bit, I used their Chinese Names, Kenneth = Ma Ming, Selena = Sze Wan, hence MingWan! Sounds weird! But less weird than Kenlena! I loved how Kenneth joked with Selena so much, it was a happy couple bickering. What's great is they had their quarrels and hardships but in the end they were together, it was just so sweet watching the pair - they have great chemistry.
Sherway! This is getting odder and odder. Sheren and Wayne had a real chemistry going on in No Regrets, what's unique about them is that they're very different from typical TVB couples, it's not all lovely dovely, as it would be weird for their characters and age, but they support each other and care for each other so much that it's as good as you cuddling up and sweet talking to each other how ever long.
Stevia! Yay! It works! lol. Steven's love for Tavia was just so strong it was heartbreaking to see an unhappy ending for the two. Steven decided to walk away from the three-way love relationship between Michael Tse, Tavia and him. It was just so painful to watch, but focusing on the good parts this series was good in that it was simple, it talked about one thing rather than try to delve into too many areas.
Winners
3rd: Kenneth and Selena - A Fistful of Stances
2nd: Wayne and Sheren - No Regrets
1st: Steven and Tavia - Cupid Stupid
Improvement, Improvement, Improvement - those are the next words.
MOST IMPROVED ACTOR
For TVB this award is generally a sign of who they want to promote, but for me Most Improved means most improved and therefore you have to have shown a considerable amount of development as an actor to win this award.
Nominees:
Ruco Chan - When Lanes Merge
Vincent Wong - Gun Metal Grey
Ron Ng - OL Supreme
Oscar Leung - The Season of Fate
Wong Cho Lam - Beauty of the Game
When Ruco left ATV for TVB I knew him as a good looking guy but with a bit of stiffness. That stiffness could still be seen in series like Ghost Writer but for some reason he really feels at home playing nasty characters in modern series. In When Lanes Merge he just looked like a natural, like he was like that in real life!
Yet again Vincent manages to impress me by being a relative nobody to somebody who makes me want to watch him again. I don't know how he did it, or maybe it's just that he lacked the chances before Gun Metal Grey.
Ron Ng had really floundered around for too long a time but the past two years his acting really seems to have progressed and playing a role like his in OL Supreme really added some extra depth to his growing resume.
Oscar Leung is one of those guys that just needs a break. He's not bad looking, he's relatively versatile in acting and he's at the right age bracket for TVB to make him a leading man. But he hasn't had the luck that other 1979ers have had. It's a shame because he's really developing to be a versatile actor.
As you may know I hated Wong Cho Lam but this year I began to like him a bit. His acting in Beauty of the Game was far superior to any of his previous performances so I think that qualifies him to be nominated here.
I also wanted to give a special mention to King Kong who amazed me with his first main character in a TVB series, keep it up!
Winners
3rd: Wong Cho Lam - Beauty of the Game
2nd: Ruco Chan - When Lanes Merge
1st: Vincent Wong - Gun Metal Grey
MOST IMPROVED ACTRESS
And now for the actress',
Nominees:
Mandy Cho - Cupid Stupid
Queenie Chu - Fly With Me
Mandy Wong - A Chip Off the Old Block
Kate Tsui - When Lanes Merge
Elaine Yiu - When Lanes Merge
As I have said Cupid Stupid was a real turning point for Mandy Cho. She really became a "one to watch" for me after that. Sadly I doubt she'll film any more series in the near future as she's married now.
Queenie Chu has developed quite well in recent years. Though in Fly With Me I still see some very awkwardly stiff moments I think she is getting there.
It would be a crime for TVB not to recognise Mandy Wong's talent. This girl has the potential to make it big in TVB and she needs some good roles now to show it. Don't want to sound rude but she's 27 verging on 28 she doesn't have much time left for TVB!
Kate Tsui still overacts, that is a given, but she is slowly becoming more natural. I still find some of her facial expressions a bit odd but it feels like Kate is really taking opinions on board as she's controlling her overacting better than before.
Elaine Yiu really fitted her character in When Lanes Merge, I don't know why that is though. She just seems to fit the tougher characters rather than the sweet and delicate. Elaine has really improved with this role so she is a worthy candidate for this award.
A special mention to Vivien Yeo also for improving also.
Winners
3rd: Elaine Yiu - When Lanes Merge
2nd: Mandy Cho - Cupid Stupid
1st: Mandy Wong - A Chip Off the Old Block
Favourites time!
FAVOURITE MALE CHARACTER
What makes someone a worthy candidate? I don't know, for me it's just something that makes me gravitate towards them, they just naturally keep my interest. Thus I've only got 3 nominees for this category.
Nominees:
Steven Ma - Cupid Stupid
Raymond Wong - No Regrets
Kenneth Ma - A Fistful of Stances
Steven Ma in Cupid Stupid was just so nice, so genuine, so real! Sometimes nice characters come off as a bit fake like Charmaine Sheh was in Beyond the Realm of Conscience but Steven Ma was just so genuine and nice that I had to like him because if not I'll seem evil! lol.
Raymond Wong played a lot of very likeable characters this year. I wanted to nominate him for A Great Way To Care but as that's out of the question I chose No Regrets for him. His undying love for Fala was just so heart warming. All he did for her and he didn't ask for anything back but be able to protect and care for her always - awh......
Kenneth Ma in A Fistful of Stances was fun, energetic, happy and yet he was also tough and courageous. What more can you ask for in a character? He was adorable at every angle, you can't have disliked him, could you?
Winners
3rd: Raymond Wong - No Regrets
2nd: Steven Ma - Cupid Stupid
1st: Kenneth Ma - A Fistful of Stances
FAVOURITE FEMALE CHARACTER
And for the women we have...
Nominees:
Michelle Yim - The Season of Fate
Fala Chen - No Regrets
Sheren Tang - No Regrets
Every time I think about Michelle in The Season of Fate I think about when she portrayed a child-like character and why she couldn't have stayed like that for a little longer. It should be cringe-worthy seeing a 50 year old act like a teen but it wasn't. It was so endearing that it utterly broke me when Michelle regained her memory - I almost rather she had not!
Fala Chen's character was so likeable because she was weak but she was tough! You get what I mean? She didn't have health on her side but she lived life happy and content. She wasn't a pushover either and it was extremely heartbreaking to see her story progress. What makes her character so likeable was that from the get go we all knew she would die but she didn't let that put her down and she always cared for others before herself.
Sheren's character is likeable for totally different reasons to Michelle's. She's a tough woman who does good but doesn't ask for praise. We go through all her trauma and her difficulties hoping she had an easier life. It's like the audience is Wayne Lai's character and we're all trying to help Sheren fight her difficulties. Her character was just so powerful.
Winners
3rd: Fala Chen - No Regrets
2nd: Michelle Yim - The Season of Fate
1st: Sheren Tang - No Regrets
And now for the big ones!
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Supporting actors need to aid the plot in some kind of way that adds to it rather than seem like a spare part. Normally best supporting actors will have some sort of dynamic with the main leads, this dynamic is what makes them stand out. You don't want to overpower the main leads but you need to show that you exist even with limited screen time. For these awards I'll show you my Top 10 nominees then go into my Top 5 and eventually the winner.
Nominees:
Bosco Wong - Growing Through Life
Chris Lai - Every Move You Make
Pierre Ngo - No Regrets
Vincent Wong - Gun Metal Grey
Power Chan - Beauty Knows No Pain
Ruco Chan - When Lanes Merge
Dominic Lam - Growing Through Life
Evergreen Mak - No Regrets
Joel Chan - OL Supreme
Raymond Wong - No Regrets
Bosco has had a muted year this year but in both series I've seen of him, Growing Through Life and Every Move You Make he has provided a fun dynamic between him and the leading actor. TVB states that Bosco is a leading actor in Growing Through Life but to me he seems more like a supporting villain.
Chris Lai in Every Move You Make is probably not the most memorable character to you but I think Chris really did study his role which made his character funny but also interesting.
What Pierre Ngo did was cry his heart out, and those scenes were the highlight of his acting career. The transition between the meek Pierre Ngo to the strong and righteous Pierre Ngo was an interesting one and I definitely believe his performance here was much better than in Rosy Business.
You've heard Vincent Wong's name a few times already in this post, yet again I have nominated him for an award but this time because I really do think he portrayed his character well rather than because of his vast improvement.
Power Chan in Beauty Knows no Pain was annoying at first but then what makes his acting so extraordinary is that he manages to become his character despite his actual quiet personality. It amazes me how he builds up his demeanour for every role and in Beauty Knows No Pain Power really immersed himself into being a modern, slightly trashy though caring, man
As has been said with Ruco Chan he really looked at home in When Lanes Merge. Somehow he manages to associate himself best as the "evil" characters and his role in When Lanes Merge epitomises his ability.
Whilst many would have nominated Dominic Lam for A Fistful of Stances I just found him too annoying in it and actually I found some of the more intense scenes a bit awkward to watch. However in Growing Through Life, despite only seeing a few episodes, I found his acting much more genuine and a pleasant change from the "evil" characters he once portrayed.
Evergreen Mak's fame has really risen because of this. First Louis Yuen, then Wayne Lai and now this year we have Evergreen Mak. Evergreen Mak in No Regrets was not my favourite character, I didn't like how his character was written but Evergreen did manage to hold his own in such an annoying character. The transition between his annoying self to his "enlightened" self was a bit strange but if we disregard that Evergreen made a decent performance out of this role.
Joel Chan has always been somebody I look out for and this year seems to be a turning point for him as well, with three of the meatiest roles he has played in his career. I have chosen to nominate him for OL Supreme because out of the three I've seen him in this the most and he looked the most natural and comfortable in it.
This year is the year of Raymond Wong, how many series was he in? He was also one of the main supporting actors in both Can't Buy Me Love and No Regrets! What amazes me is that I liked him in every series, many actors face the problem of burn out once you exceed three series per year, you look visibly exhausted and the audience is exhausted of you but for some reason Raymond Wong managed to make every character as enjoyable as the last and in No Regrets his portrayal mixed his caring nature, his tough mentality and his humourous personality to full effect.
MY TOP 5
...
Bosco Wong
Raymond Wong
Pierre Ngo
Vincent Wong
Power Chan
Who is your favourite? Hot favourite for the actual award Evergreen Mak has been eliminated so has Dominic Lam. So will it be hot favourite Pierre Ngo? The hardworking Raymond Wong? The chameleon that is Power Chan? The breakout star Vincent Wong? or the charismatic Bosco Wong?
Winners
3rd: Bosco Wong - Growing Through Life
2nd: Pierre Ngo - No Regrets
1st: Raymond Wong - No Regrets
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
The best supporting actress category has traditionally been the toughest for me to chose, this year I eliminated it to around 15 worthy candidates, then I had the hardest job of cutting from 12 to 10. Sadly a favourite of mine was eliminated in the process, Selena Li. I love Selena, she is one of my favourite actress' but in A Fistful of Stances I felt her character wasn't allowed to develop enough and thus it wasn't that tough a portrayal for her, whilst in Can't Buy Me Love she wasn't as crazy as the rest of the cast - take that as a compliment Selena!
Nominees:
Fala Chen - No Regrets
Kara Hui - A Fistful of Stances
Kingdom Yuen - Cupid Stupid
Natalie Tong - A Fistful of Stances
Susanna Kwan - Can't Buy Me Love
Elena Kong - Beauty Knows No Pain
Joyce Tang - Beauty Knows No Pain
Angela Tong - A Fistful of Stances
Nancy Wu - Gun Metal Grey
Susan Tse - No Regrets
Some expected faces and some not so I bet, well Fala Chen is the hot favourite this year and I can see why. She immersed herself completely into her character and it is evident how much work she did to get that result. She wasn't perfect but this was definitely her representative work.
Kara Hui is another actress who had a great year, her roles may not be as prominent as some others in this category but in each she performed her heart out and what made me chose A Fistful of Stances for Kara was when she portrayed her character slowly turning delusional in the final scenes. It was heart breaking.
Kingdom Yuen may not figure in many peoples' lists but for me Kingdom will always be a contender for Best Supporting and in Cupid Stupid she played her role perfectly. Kingdom seems to be seeing a slight resurgence in her career as of late and I'm embracing every minute of it.
Natalie Tong was the girl I kicked out Selena Li for. Personally I think Selena is a more accomplished actress, I was bitterly disappointed with Natalie in The Comeback Clan. But Natalie's role in A Fistful of Stances was arguably better portrayed than Selena's role. I have to give credit to Natalie for playing out those emotional moments and thus I nominated her over Selena.
Susanna Kwan was one of the few highlights of Can't Buy Me Love. As you may know I detest Can't Buy Me Love but Susanna was one of the shining lights in what I'd call a disaster of a series. I've never liked Susanna as much as I did in Can't Buy Me Love.
Elena Kong is another recent ATV to TVB mover and she definitely made the right choice. Whilst in ATV she may be remembered as a good actress in TVB she'll get rewarded with audience recognition. She managed to make people like her in Beauty Knows No Pain despite her annoying character, now that is some feat! Elena is slowly becoming a regular face on TVB, as is Ruco Chan, and it's a pleasure to see it.
Joyce Tang played the "Ugly Betty" turned "Beautiful Swan" character in Beauty Knows No Pain. It was an interesting transition, though clichéd at times, it was a good performance from Joyce. I've always liked Joyce Tang, it's a shame she isn't promoted as much as some. Her portrayal in Sisters of Pearl also looks like a great one.
Angela Tong hasn't really figured in any awards ceremony since Life Made Simple, this year is no different, but I think Angela deserves my praise. She played two memorable characters this year, one in a Fistful of Stances and the other as a cameo in Every Move You Make and both I was astounded by how much she has improved since Life Made Simple. She played a strong character in A Fistful of Stances who slowly became sympathetic to Yuen Qiu's family.
Nancy Wu always manages to play the alternative characters set by TVB and that's why they love her. She really needs to play more of characters like hers in Gun Metal Grey as if she continues with the No Regrets stuff she'll quickly be typecasted as the girl everybody hates. However Nancy always seems to look genuine in every scene, she's a grittier performer.
It's a crime that Susan Tse isn't part of the nominees list for TVB so here I have nominated her. She was absolutely brilliant in No Regrets and it was haunting seeing her character's demise. This is definitely Susan Tse's best performance since joining TVB so I don't understand why TVB has barred her from the nominees list.
MY TOP 5
...
Fala Chen
Kara Hui
Kingdom Yuen
Nancy Wu
Susan Tse
Who will I award? Will it be Fala Chen with her breakthrough year? Kara Hui, the recent star of Film, Kingdom Yuen the underdog, Nancy Wu the gritty performer or Susan Tse and her theatrical performance?
Winners
3rd: Fala Chen - No Regrets
2nd: Kara Hui - A Fistful of Stances
1st: Susan Tse - No Regrets
TAKE THAT TVB!
Now lets divert from the artistes themselves,
BEST SERIES
This year has produced a lot of random series but quite a few series this year are OK. However only a few deserve to be classified as "great". I only have three nominees, see who YOU think it is.
Nominees:
A Fistful of Stances - Producer Lee Tim Sing
Beauty Knows No Pain - Producer Lam Chi Wah
No Regrets - Producer Lee Tim Sing
This is the year of Lee Tim Sing!
A Fistful of Stances was great because it brought the family dynamic together and then mixed it with heart breaking and intense scenes. This is what Lee Tim Sing does best. I would have liked it even more if Kevin Cheng was replaced by Raymond Lam, but oh well what's done is done.
Beauty Knows No Pain was a very good series, it tried to break free from what TVB normally does. However it fared poorly on screen. I'm beginning to think Guangzhou viewers are more discerning than their Hong Kong counterparts because if you look at the ratings for Beauty Knows No Pain they rank consistently high.
No Regrets is potentially my favourite series for the past however many years. It's very well written and packs a lot of interesting content mixed with emotional and intense scenes. As I have said Lee Tim Sing is a master at this and it is a shame not to see No Regrets on air anymore.
Winners
3rd: Beauty Knows No Pain
2nd: A Fistful of Stances
1st: No Regrets
And finally the main awards!
BEST ACTOR
What constitutes a main actor? Someone that leads the drama and is male, I guess. So these nominees are the ones that stood out from the 20 odd series this year most of which will be very familiar to everyone.
Nominees:
Moses Chan - Can't Buy Me Love
Wayne Lai - No Regrets
Raymond Wong - When Lanes Merge
Joe Ma - Beauty Knows No Pain
Ha Yu - The Comeback Clan
Steven Ma - Cupid Stupid
Kenneth Ma - A Fistful of Stances
Raymond Lam - Growing Through Life
Roger Kwok - The Season of Fate
Michael Miu - Gun Metal Grey
Moses is the hot favourite this year, I don't know why because personally I think this is the weakest year for him since 2006. In 2007 he played the extraordinary Dak Dak Tei in Heart of Greed and the great detective in The Ultimate Crime Fighter, in 2007 he was equally brilliant in Moonlight Resonance and also participated in the monster of The Gem of Life. In 2009 he did well in Beyond the Realm of Conscience but this year he played three rather awkward and uninspiring roles in "In The Eye of the Beholder", "Fly With Me" and in "Can't Buy Me Love". He still deserves recognition but should he be the hot favourite? Questionable.
Wayne Lai in No Regrets was fantastic. I argue that he was even better than in Rosy Business. What make Wayne stand out is his ability to grasp the grittier scenes of his character and as he isn't the usual tall, handsome leading man it makes his performances more natural and personable. The only problem I had with him in No Regrets is that he wasn't the star of the show. He was outperformed by Sheren Tang and I almost think it wouldn't have matter if Wayne performed badly in his role as attention was all on Sheren.
Raymond Wong still has those stiff "Michael Miu" eyes in my opinion but he's improving on it swiftly. He manages to capture intensity in his characters really well and he also has a comedic sense in him which makes his portrayals fun to watch.
Joe Ma is really underrated, he is as good a leading man as other tall guys like Moses Chan, but sadly he has since been forgotten - potentially because of Moses Chan's existence as the tall lady killer. I think Joe happily fits in suspense, romance and comedy so really he should be getting more recognition.
Ha Yu has since been forgotten by TVB after his Best Actor nod. I feel sorry for Ha Yu because he performs his heart out every time. In the Comeback Clan he was a caring father but also quite humourous to watch. He managed to portray his scenes with a sense of reality and that was what The Comeback Clan should have been - close to reality.
Steven Ma has always been a dark horse, we all say he should win sometime but is he ever going to? With the series he takes on unless one of them becomes a breakout ratings success, beating out all the grand series then he won't ever see the title fall into his hands - I don't think. Anyway this year was another good year for Steven and in Cupid Stupid he was brilliant as the lovelorn Chi Yat Po (One Step Too Late - maybe for the award!)
It is another crime for TVB to have nominated Kevin Cheng for Best actor instead of Kenneth Ma. How could you possibly do that? The series was Kenneth's and it's stupid to argue otherwise. Kenneth mixed strength, humour, romance and friendship all into one character with utmost ability and it's a shame nobody really considers him best actor besides the overseas fans. Kenneth you deserve this!
Raymond Lam will forever be a favourite of mine but until he starts signing up to good roles in standout series he's not going to win an award. A few years ago it didn't matter what series you were in, as long as it wasn't a ratings bomb and you were an actor that TVB wanted to win you'd win but now you have to be in one of the Top 3 series of the year, be liked by the audience, have a breakout character and be liked by TVB to win the award. Something like his character in Moonlight Resonance mixed with some grit would do him well as he seems to portray quite muted characters like in The Mysteries of Love and The Four. We need to see Raymond back to his Yummy Yummy/Twins of Brothers days.
Roger Kwok has never been a favourite of mine, even in Life Made Simple or Square Pegs. I just didn't like his acting and in the chronicles that were D.I.E. he made me dislike him even more but in The Season of Fate I finally saw, in my opinion, his best acting. He managed to mix intensity with humour and become a character with a lot of depth. I'd definitely be interested in his next role.
I have never been a fan of Michael Miu until this year. Before I always detested his stiff botox eyes which made it hard for him to show much joy or intensity in them but this year he has managed to win me over despite them. Gun Metal Grey and My Better Half are arguably his best works since returning to TVB.
MY TOP 5
...
Steven Ma - Cupid Stupid
Wayne Lai - No Regrets
Kenneth Ma - A Fistful of Stances
Joe Ma - Beauty Knows No Pain
Ha Yu - The Comeback Clan
No Raymond Lam, No Moses Chan! I hear fan girls gasping! Both didn't make my cut and I truly think these 5 are the best of the year. Will Steven Ma win with his hard work and determination, Wayne Lai for his continued success with Lee Tim Sing, Kenneth Ma the underdog, Joe Ma the forgotten one or Ha Yu the bubbly personality on screen.
Winners
3rd: Steven Ma - Cupid Stupid
2nd: Wayne Lai - No Regrets
1st: Kenneth Ma - A Fistful of Stances
Before you lambast me for choosing Kenneth over Wayne my reason is because I think to be the best leading actor you need to have led your series with or without the female lead and to be honest I don't think Wayne was an equal to Sheren this year but Kenneth truly led his series from start to finish thus Kenneth beats Wayne by an inch.
And finally the last award,
BEST ACTRESS
We're at the last award, it has been a journey typing this up. Everything I posted here is my own opinion, not everybody will agree but this is what I think, not what I want TVB to do.
Nominees:
Michelle Yim - The Season of Fate
Tavia Yeung - Cupid Stupud
Liza Wang - OL Supreme
Esther Kwan - The Season of Fate
Ada Choi - Fly With Me
Maggie Cheung - Beauty Knows No Pain
Sheren Tang - No Regrets
Linda Chung - Ghost Writer
Christine Ng - Beauty of the Game
Jessica Hsuan - Gun Metal Grey
Michelle is one of my favourite TVB actress'. She always manages to play those cute roles so endearingly despite her age. I just can't forget watching her in Mind My Own Business as a child and every new series she films I'm full of expectation. Maybe that's why I feel an ounce of disappointment every time I watch her new series because I want to relive the Mind My Own Business moments but every time Michelle manages to portray her character well. In The Season of Fate she was utterly amazing.
Tavia Yeung is another one of my favourite actress'. I originally wanted to nominate her for A Fistful of Stances but as she was only a guest star I'm not sure if that was a worthy nomination so I listed her for Cupid Stupid, another good performance from her. Tavia manages to evoke emotion very well for some of the younger generations and I can't wait for her big year next year.
Liza Wang managed to sway me with OL Supreme. I've never been a fan of hers but I really liked her in OL Supreme as Queen Jie. Her character was strong but with an Achilles heel and this portrayal was much better than any of her other roles in comedic series.
Esther Kwan made a welcome return into main series with The Season of Fate (she previously filmed sitcoms for TVB). She had a great dynamic with Michelle. You probably didn't know but Esther Kwan also participated in Mind My Own Business! So it was great seeing the two again so many years on. Esther was the first Best Actress for the TVB awards so she really is the queen of the roost here.
Ada Choi was in Fly With Me, a very awkward series. However Ada did manage to shine in it, like she always does. I congratulate Ada for her baby news and it will be a shame not seeing her for a while at TVB because she's such an amazing actress who delivers every single time.
Maggie Cheung is yet another of the superstars from the last generation of fa dans. Her return to TVB hasn't been met with much attention though. She's never been a big personality off screen so maybe that's why she doesn't get as much fan support as say Ada or Jessica but Maggie is a great actress none the less and in Beauty Knows No Pain she portrayed a modern, strong woman who may have done some despicable things but at least she was true to herself.
Sheren does it again and this time in No Regrets. With her record she should be nearing her 4th best actress award nor her 2nd. Cheng Gui Mui will be listed as one of her best performances along with in War and Beauty, La Femme Desperado and Rosy Business. She really manages to portray these strong woman characters well and in No Regrets she was the centre of attention.
Linda Chung hasn't had a fruitful year this year, originally I wasn't sure about her performance in Ghost Writer but then I thought back about it and actually she did quite well. Linda really needs to go back to her Heart of Greed Days and find what made her character and performance so special in order to develop again as an actress.
Christine Ng is such a personality! But she doesn't get much attention on screen. It was fantastic seeing her play the darker role in The Silver Chamber of Sorrows and now in The Beauty of the Game. I wonder if the series was inspired by any real ongoings in TVB!
Jessica Hsuan rounds up the Top 10 nominees The 4th amongst last generations fa dans. Unlike most though Jessica has continued to churn out a decent amount of series for TVB which should rightfully make her one of the Top fa dans. I was disappointed to see Jessica standing in Row 2 for the TVB Anniversary Show, she deserves better than that!
MY TOP 5
...
Michelle Yim - The Season of Fate
Tavia Yeung - Cupid Stupid
Maggie Cheung - Beauty Knows No Pain
Sheren Tang - No Regrets
Jessica Hsuan - Gun Metal Grey
Who do you think deserves this award! Oh one thing you might be shocked that I haven't even considered Charmaine Sheh, well I didn't like Can't Buy Me Love at all and as she only acted in Can't Buy Me Love, in a very exaggerated and cringe-worthy manner, I couldn't do what I did with Moses for her by saying she had a decent combined effort.
So will it be the ever youthful Michelle Yim, the actually youthful Tavia Yeung! The comeback queen Maggie Cheung, the ferocious Sheren Tang or the consistent Jessica Hsuan.
Winners
3rd: Tavia Yeung - Cupid Stupid
2nd: Michelle Yim - The Season of Fate
1st: Sheren Tang - No Regrets
FINALLY I have given out all the awards! If you haven't fallen asleep yet then I still have a few statistical facts to give you. Hold on tight!
So 14 award were given out, No Regrets led the way with 6, winning 4 of the 5 big awards (I'm counting, Best, Best Supporting and Best Drama awards). A Fistful of Stances got 3 with the Best Actor in the bag as well. Cupid Stupid and A Chip Off the Old Block both got 2 whilst Gun Metal Grey got 1 award.
3 Wong's got awards! Raymond Wong, Vincent Wong and Mandy Wong! For me this year has been the year for Raymond Wong, Steven Ma, Sheren Tang, Vincent Wong, Fala Chen, Kenneth Ma and Mandy Wong all because they have reached in new level in their careers.
Out of 24 series, including Cupid Stupid but excluding Off Peddar and Don Juan Mercado, 19 garnered some sort of nomination (there were 79 in total). No Regrets was way in the lead with 14 nominations, Cupid Stupid got 8, A Fistful of Stances and Gun Metal Grey both got 7 and the Season of Fate 6.
See you tomorrow for the real awards!
