Perhaps the most important task to complete though is “doing research”, meaning watching a new TVB series. Rosy Business and Emergency Unit have both been generating positive reviews and ratings, but I am leaning a lot more towards the former; the fierce combination of Sheren Tang and Wayne Lai demands attention, and the script appears to be equally strong regardless of whether it is a duplicate of a Mainland drama. In addition, the “Lucky Prince and Little Princess” blog romance in Emergency Unit already turns me off. If you have seen these series, I would love to read your thoughts on them. What are your impressions on the various characters, plots, and performances?

Next on the list is writing a fan fiction. I realize the idea is cliché, but my goal is not penning a love story between two TVB actors who are not actually dating. It is more a matter of preference than it is one of quality, as there must be many well-written, romantic fan fictions dedicated to specific pairings in cyberspace. I am an inadequate writer of romance that is not geeky, so having my contributions will not help that part of TVB fandom. My target genre is science fiction, and the story will most likely be a satire/parody and structured as a script. I want something that is fun for me to write and read, and hopefully, for others as well.

Everything is still being brainstormed, so I have nothing too unexpected to announce while I slowly reform the blog.

Thank you all for the support and patience! Please don’t underestimate the power of your kind words.

Try adding velociraptors dressed in trench coats - really levels off that black curve near the end.

• Solid performances given by main cast members (e.g. Ada Choi and Bowie Lam)
• Existence of non-stock characters with ambiguous morality

Jessica is the only Hong sister who captures my attention, and if I were to resume the series later (white flag on episode 60), it would be to finish her story. On the other hand, I am not looking forward to Constance. She may be the “pure” sister of the trio, but the degree of stubbornness, ignorance, and whining she demonstrates rivals that of Terrence - they are truly made for each other. Of course, even with strong output from the cast and a few colorful roles, what still drags down Gem and its contemporaries is the lack of creative writing and direction. We are no longer seeing gut-wrenching dramas centering around revenge, such as 1992’s The Greed of Man, or others based on controversial themes that force us to think outside the box. Nearly every series uses the same formula and is approved for family viewing. For years writers have stopped experimenting, and if the trend continues, I may stop watching altogether.

No feelings were hurt during the making of this comic.

First off, thank you very much to those who have been patiently waiting for my return. Your support is always appreciated and accepted with gratitude.

Initially, I had planned to re-launch the site in mid-January, but personal chaos coupled with a mysterious urge to build a new theme led to this long recuperation period. The new release of Wordpress 2.7 did not aid in speeding up the process as I was trying to absorb as much information about the terrific added features and PHP codes.

During my short winter break, I was also given the gift of time to continue pursuing my hobby in the exciting field of digital art, specifically painting in Photoshop. Skin remains the most difficult surface to paint realistically, but a pair of expressive eyes is the focus of attention. As the window to the world, they hold so much emotion and even betrayal of our true feelings. Since it’s been a long time I’ve shared artwork (insert non-TVB topic as space-holder), below are two different pairs of eyes cropped from separate paintings I’m still working on. In the first image, those are actually what I hope to resemble Tavia Yeung’s eyes (see, a connection to TVB!). What do you think? Unfortunately, it’ll be a while before the completion of either portrait. For now I”ll just leave the heads faceless or the eyes floating in midair - whichever option is less gruesome.

As for now, I have an Australian Open final (Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal once again!) and Super Bowl to get back to. TVB-related entries coming soon! Thank you again. Live long and prosper.

What began as a strange nomination list became one of fair winners, and that’s a very generous saying given TVB’s history of playing favoritism. I assumed that a few of the awards would be distributed to those who required reassurance at the company or had connections with executive members, but I was delightfully surprised to be proven wrong.

Most Improved Actor Award
Having only seen Wong Cho Lam in a few episodes of Best Selling Secrets and Super Trio Supreme, I can’t say that he didn’t improve. Judging by the sample of his accomplishments shown, he seemed to be the right choice for the award. [The thought of Derek Kwok standing on stage holding a "Most Improved" trophy still makes me cringe. He was joking about being an awfully old winner, but I could sense the bitterness in his voice.]

Most Improved Actress Award
With several memorable performances and five series released in one year, I was nearly certain that Selena Li would bring home the prize, but seeing the less-promoted Nancy Wu take her place was just as gratifying. Nancy stepped into the entertainment industry in 2002, but only recently was she able to take her career to new heights starring in The Silver Chamber of Sorrows and the competition Strictly Come Dancing. She is a promising actress I look forward to seeing more of in upcoming series.

Most Favorite Female Character Award
This was a complimentary award for last year’s television queen Louise Lee. Many viewers cherished the wise, forgiving, and preachy Hor Ma in Moonlight Resonance, but she is unique to the imaginations of TVB writers; I doubt an unrealistically altruistic character quite like her exists elsewhere. While I do understand the importance of having sincerity in a world where sufferings and atrocities occur on a daily basis, surely we can protect ourselves without doing harm to others and succumbing to the dark side of human nature.

Most Favorite Male Character Award
Of all the young actors working for TVB, Raymond Lam is the most versatile and talented. Sadly, there is little variety in the roles given to him. Goon Ga Jai in Moonlight Resonance is family-oriented, sensitive, supportive, and sweet - the definition of a “good” guy. And that’s exactly the problem. How many of his other characters could be described as so? I welcomed the breath of fresh air when he portrayed the arrogant Lai Yeuk Yee in Face to Fate, but to truly expand his range, I believe Raymond must take on a villainous role - one more despicable than the Qin emperor in A Step Into the Past.

Best Supporting Actor Award
Congratulations to Wayne Lai! The standing ovations demonstrated his popularity amongst fellow actors and the audience. Appearing in very minor roles during the late 80’s and working his way up to moderate ones in Journey to the West (loved his version of Zhu Bajie!) and Safe Guards the next 18 years, he has long been a leading actor playing secondary characters. However, as a supporting actor, this restriction has not prevented him from stealing the show on multiple occasions. Dai Tsung Man in The Gentle Crackdown II is my favorite male character this year, and I’m simply thrilled that TVB is allowing Wayne to lead his first series with Sheren Tang.

Best Supporting Actress Award
Good for Tavia Yeung! It’s about time she lives outside the shadows of weaker actresses. Her strong portrayal of the adopted Ah Yuet in Moonlight Resonance provided a much-needed boost to her career, and she deserves every bit of the attention denied in past years. Though quite a few of her fans were upset that her performance was recognized as supporting material, the drop resulted in a more favorable outcome; she would have walked away empty-handed competing against fiercer opponents in the “Best Actress” category.

Best Series Award
Once again, Lau Kar Ho’s grand production squashed its competition, and once again I was left with the feeling of being cheated. Neither Heart of Greed nor Moonlight Resonance had a well-written script or decent plot to claim the “Best Series” title. After the cleverly scripted Phoenix Rising was defeated in 2007, the impressive Last One Standing suffered the same fate a year later. I’m just relieved another successor is not in the making. Has the milk finally evaporated?

Best Actress Award
The ever-youthful Michelle Yim is an exquisite actress. As a villainess, her piercing stares and devious smiles have the ability to send chills down my back. While Yan Hung in Moonlight Resonance may be easily compared to Sung Gam-Chi in The Brink of Law, as both were mothers who supposedly schemed for the well-being of their children, she approached this character differently to bring out her conniving qualities - all with cakey foundation and horrendous hair! I’m glad that Michelle’s career is peaking again, and may she continue to be successful.

Best Actor Award
Realistically, the only competitors were Ha Yu and Raymond Lam, but of the top five nominees, the performance of the latter was arguably the second weakest. Unfortunately, the brilliant deliveries of Damian Lau in Catch Me Now and Roger Kwok in Last One Standing (rather than D.I.E.) were overshadowed by those of the Moonlight Resonance cast members. I am, however, satisfied with Yu’s win because he truly deserves the award. Acting for nearly 40 years in a number of series, one of which earned him the “Chicken Man” nickname, he was never given the opportunity to shine brightly until Heart of Greed came his way.

On a side note, Louise Lee’s words before the presentation of the award were a bit unsettling. Yes, Kevin Cheng and Roger Kwok were out of the running, but to completely ignore their existence or hard work this year was bordering on insensitivity. Even in jest, respect should have been given to each nominee regardless of his/her odds.

Lifetime Achievement Award
Paul Chun has had a distinguished career in both television and film, and the collection of this honorable award marked another milestone. How fitting they displayed the clip of Lee Heung Kam presenting the “Best Actor” award to him in 1986. I still remember first watching him as the gambler with the coolest voice synthesizer in 1990’s classic Hong Kong film All for the Winner. Hopefully, he keeps his promise and continues to act for decades more.

Good luck to all winners in the future!

Yes, it’s true! TVB Reflections has somehow managed to survive one year and will likely continue to annoy its readers with sporadic updates and frequent hiatuses. Those who have not given up on its elusive author may remember that this small blog once debuted on the publishing platform Blogger in late 2007. Although it is now powered by Wordpress and hosted elsewhere, this nonetheless calls for acknowledgment. And as a very generous birthday gift, TVB Guide’s TkN has written an exclusive “Behind the Scenes” feature.

During these past 12 months spent as a blogger, I have had the privilege to meet a number of very friendly people, some of whom I consider my online friends. Even a few appreciate my weird sense of humor. Surprising? Yes. To those I am not too familiar with: I am usually harmless unless provoked, so don’t be shy!

Thank you for having lived through a full year of random disappearances, sarcasm, and questionable jokes among other things. Your support has been much appreciated. I think you deserve a pat on the back for still having the patience to visit this site more than I do for still having the desire to maintain it. As for the future, I hope to publish at a quicker pace, but I favor quality over quantity. At least that’s my official excuse. I will only promise this: to keep writing entries for myself even when you may not like reading them. Now off to another year of craziness we go!

Saving the best for last, 82-episode blockbuster The Gem of Life will be released in about two weeks as the 41st Anniversary series. Capturing the luxurious sights of tourist attractions around the world, including France, Thailand, and Tibet, one year was required to complete filming. Producer Johnathan Chik is eager to repeat the success of War and Beauty and erase the failure of Dance of Passion; he is perhaps taking a heavy risk with Gem. From elegant wardrobes to expensive sets, the upcoming drama seeks to dazzle us with the glamorous lifestyles of the rich and expose the ugly layers of socialites.

Since the provocative Sales Presentation clip last year, few spoilers have been made public and the level of buzz surrounding the series has been surprisingly moderate in comparison to that of highly-promoted Moonlight Resonance. Recently, Astro On Demand has put out the opening theme video, several promotional trailers, and previews of three episodes to salivate our mouths in preparation for the jewel-studded main course.

Although Gem will not be nominated for any awards this year, a segment during the Anniversary Lightning Ceremony featured a Catwalk. Cast members Ada Choi, Maggie Siu, Gigi Lai, Linda Chung, Moses Chan, Bosco Wong, Bowie Lam, and Kenny Wong modeled sets of jewelry and diamond-encrusted cell phones priced at over HK $38 million. Ada and Linda flaunted their accessories fiercely and appeared to be the brightest stars gracing the stage that night. Amidst the display of sparkles, the true highlight was the opening theme by veteran singer Shirley Kwan playing in the background. Her strong, sultry vocals well-suited the Latin-style track.

I truly believe The Gem of Life has the script, cast, big budget, and more to become a modern classic.

What, your TV remote is not equipped with that function? I bought mine at RadioShack.