Square Pegs [TVB]

Written by Funn Lim

"Verdict-A gem because of one person that is Roger Kwok."

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

Title deciphered

What does Square Pegs mean? I like the Chinese title though. It's not "Wong Fu Sing Lung" but I was told it is "Ngong Fu Sing Lung"! What a wonderful play of words.



Cast-Character

Roger Kwok - Lee Kai Chung / Ting Seong Wong

Jessica Hester Hsuen - Ling Choi Fung

Leila Tong - Ling Choi Tip

Raymond Tso Weng Nin - Pao Kai Chung

Winnie Yeung - Yeung Pui Kuan

Yuen Wah - Master Pao

Hui Siu Hung

Lo Yuen Yan

Rebecca Chan Sau Chu

Lee Shing Cheung



And many more familiar faces



Released In

2003



Recognition

I think before I start my review it is very important to know how critically successful this series was.



Reportedly the highest rated TVB series in TV history or something like that. Roger won a lot of awards, from TVB and also from various independent sources. Jess was also nominated and won many awards. This series single handedly revived Roger Kwok's career and catapulted him into the stratosphere of TVB "Tai Kor Tai Tai Tai" status.



Summary

Simply put, this is a story of a dim witted man with an IQ of a 7 year old named Ting Seung Wong who through a stroke of good luck and deliberate blunder married a woman whom he called his beautiful wife, that is Choi Fung and how his mysterious background was slowly revealed into an explosive end.



The Story

Many moons ago, in a small town, there lived a happy go lucky young man named Ting Sueng Wong who has an IQ of a 7 year old. It was told that his parents lost him when he was only 7 years ago and her mother, the owner of the famous biscuit shop, Siu Hao So became insane. Then suddenly one rainy night Ah Wong suddenly reappeared, dazed and hurt calling for his mother. Mrs Ting, the owner of Siu Hao So immediately took him in and recognised him as her long lost son.



So zoom back almost a year later, Ah Wong still a child at heart and soul became quite uncontrollable. His parents decided to find him a good wife. Mrs Ting was not a bit worried as she had once made a marriage pact with a woman whose daughter she liked to marry Ah Wong. That little girl grew up to be the pretty and gentle Ling Choi Tip. But her scheming mother would hear none of that and tried to avoid such a union. Then entered Pao Kai Chung, rich, learned, gentleman and the nice guy of the block that Choi Tip fell for. Unfortunately Pao Kai Chung met and fell for Choi Tip half elder sister, the outspoken and ever filial Ling Choi Fung. Problem is Choi Fung felt nothing for Kai Chung and wished only to make sure her father doesn't worry about household stuff. Ah Wong himself liked Choi Fung so much that his mother thought the union was perfect. Then the scheming step mother thought of the perfect plan and on the wedding day successfully persuaded Choi Fung to marry Pao Kai Chung so that they can then ask for ransom money to save her kidnapped dad. On the wedding day the brides were swapped. Ah Wong married Choi Fung who realised she was duped whilst Choi Tip seduced the drunken Kai Chung and completed the process that every newly weds must do. In the morning began the headache.



Kai Chung was too much of a gentleman to throw Choi Tip. His father, Master Pao had too much ego and pride to let the world know the Paos married the wrong daughter in law. So Kai Chung continued with the sham marriage, avoiding his duties as a husband whilst pining for Choi Fung. Choi Tip tried her best to please her husband and in the process earned the respect and affection of the Pao household with her gentle nature. But Kai Chung still refused to be with her and Choi Tip began to suspect something was amiss when Kai Chung lied about his whereabouts...



Choi Fung tried various ways to get herself divorced but her formidable mother in law took them all in stride. Then suddenly one day appeared a beautiful and intelligent Pui Kuan who was in town looking for her long lost fiancee, called Lee Kai Chung. When she bumped into Ah Wong she immediately recognized him as Kai Chung. She successfully infiltrated into the Ting household as Ah Wong's teacher but Ah Wong disliked her because she was always calling him by different names. Nobody believed his story until one day Choi Fung thought Pui Kuan was acting like a crazed lover. Whilst her many attempts to get divorced was successfully, when Ah Wong fell sick due to her fault, her mother in law immediately asked for a divorce on behalf of Ah Wong. She finally got what she wanted and then Ah Wong was so distraught he almost jumped to his death until Choi Fung told him she will not let him divorce her. So she went back to the Ting family and worked hard to make sure Pui Kuan had little contact with Ah Wong whom she suspect Pui Kuan many be doing some harm on him. Then one day she saw the picture Pui Kuan took with Kai Chung and she realised Ah Wong was indeed Kai Chung, more so when she found out Mister Ting knew Ah Wong wasn't Ah Wong as the real Ah Wong died when he was 7. Further investigations reveal Mister Pao once had a wife called Lee Sau Kuen, who was the name of Kai Chung's murdered mom. Mister Pao shared the same peculiar taste with Ah Wong and the background of Pao Kai Chung was unclear. They both suspected Ah Wong was indeed the son of Mister Pao and tried ways to confirm that.



But before they can confirm, Pao Kai Chung found out indeed he wasn't the real Pao Kai Chung and that he was being used by his evil "uncle" who wanted Mister Pao's fortune. With conscience eating in his deepest recesses, Kai Chung could not confess because he finally had a man he respected he called his father and his wife was now pregnant. He had everything going and he could not let go of the love he never knew he could have when he was little. The uncle was also plotting to kill those who knew the real Kai Chung whilst Pui Kuan told Mr Pao that Ah Wong was his son which he didn't believe. In the confusion that ensued, Pao Kai Chung and his pregnant wife were kidnapped whilst Ah Wong was tagged as the next victim in the elaborate scheme to cover a lie that wasn't to be.



How will all this mess end?



Recommended Links

For more on the story check out the many reviews of this series in SPCNET Reviews and alo Adelyn Lim's review in my site.



Comments

Wow! I have heard and read so much great things about this series and in the tradition of my expectations of all TVB series, I took them all as pure hype. So when I sat down to watch this series, I was a bit dumbed by its story.



You see, I read that Ah Wong became Ah Wong because he got knocked on the head and then he stopped being Ah Wong when he was knocked again. Of course I got it all wrong. He stopped being Ah Wong when he fell into the water, struggling for his life.



I must emphasize, I really do not think in the entire medical history of human kind that one knock can change a man who is smart, mature and responsible into a 7 year old kid mentally. So for me even before I started to watch this series I was like "Ok, just watch don't expect". So I didn't, though I was eager to watch how good Roger Kwok was. I never believed he could do any role badly so my expectation for him was good, great or excellent.



His performance of Ting Seung Wong is probably the only reason why this series is so successful and should be. Roger Kwok is the only reason why anyone should watch this series, just to watch supreme acting. His acting was beyond supreme. Like what I said about Myolie Wu in my Golden Faith review, I could see details in his performance. I could even see his big belly. The way he spoke, the way he walked, the way he moved his hands when talking reminded me of my nephew who is 6 this year. Certainly this man had put tremendous effort in his role and I could see passion. I can't stop saying how great Roger Kwok was because I watched this entire series because of him and because of him, I watched this series. There is a distinction somewhere but it is lost to me at this moment as I recalled back why I love Roger Kwok in here.



Now that I have proclaimed my love for Roger Kwok, I guess I should concentrate more on some other details that could have turned this series into a complete dud if not for some fine acting and Roger Kwok and some points why this series exceeds my expectation.



The Story

I may have an issue with the knock-on-the-head-become-7-year-old-mentally plot of the story. I mean just take it as it is and just go with the flow. I realise now my expectation of a good and logical plot line in a TVB series is really very very low.



But I do have an issue with the uselessness and pointlessness of many characters in here and some plot lines.



Issue No. 6

There is no villain in this series. There is one who would kill, kidnap and extort to get his hands on some big money. He did of course swapped the identities of the two characters that really matter in this series which started the whole mystery thing. I meant the uncle whose name I forgot. The actor was magnificent in the way he portrayed the hypocrisy of this evil uncle as you can actually see the changes of his expressions when talking in front of Mister Pao played by Yuen Wah and when he is all alone with his "muse" Pao Kai Chung. I don't expect to see explosions or guns fired though there is a suspense in the end in one scene which involves a gun shot. What I don't quite like is this villain has no cause, and in the end no method and yet he persists. Maybe it just goes to show greed made him do all the things he did but in the end it's the idea that HIS idea of swapping identities may fail that spurred him to do more bad things. Sometimes you can't really blame him, as he has slaved all his life for the miser Mister Pao whom I suspect gave this evil uncle little rewards for his dedication, thus he began his deception like years before, like before both Kai Chungs were born. I guess I should stress is there is no REAL villain in here which makes the whole series a bit dull sometimes.



Issue No. 5

I wonder what is the point of Winnie Yeung's Pui Kuan in this series? Of course she plays a woman so determined to find her long lost love and when she found him albeit something bad happened, she persisted and persisted. I admire the dedication and the determination of this character as well as her resourcefulness. She after all almost single handedly uncovered the biggest controversy to hit that small town. She went in search of answers as well as travel all the way to Nanyang (I guess Malaya?) to see the nanny of the Pao child and many things more. But when the story of how pitiful she is to see her lover sharing a room with another woman, how crazily angry she was (and in one of the funniest scenes collectively, she tends to eat and eat and eat when she is upset) and how much she went through this lonely path all alone have been shown, and then came the scene where she began her partnership with Choi Fung like somewhere in the middle of the series, after 3 episodes or so her character's quest became very tedious. I was hoping to watch her jealous rage becoming out of control and how she schemed her way into the heart of Ah Wong and regain Kai Chung in the process and how much hard time she may give Choi Fung, but none of that happened at all. Her role primarily shares the same function as Sherlock Holmes that is to investigate and at last in like 1 episode provide a bit of drama. Many viewers may be tensed to wonder who will Kai Chung/Ah Wong choose since he is bound by his love for Pui Kuan and his new found love for Choi Fung. But all that was settled in one single episode. I find Pui Kuan a character that should have been given more purpose and a more sinister one to provide a bit of much needed drama that this series lacks somewhere in the middle to the end.



Issue No. 4

There are many subplots in this series but I don't consider the Pao Kai Chung-Choi Tip as a subplot, they are the main plot. The subplot I meant was some screen time (as in 2-3 episodes worth) was dedicated to the pair whose name I can't remember. One is the niece of Mister Pao played by the frighteningly skinny Natalie Wong and the other the employee of Siu Hao So who is played by the monotone John Tang. They were obviously paired because everybody in this series must end up in love with one another or found their long lost children. The story went on on how she teased him, how she bullied him, how he after being teased and bullied fell for her, how they tried to elope, how she had heart problems, how they stayed, how he was accepted, etc etc etc. I believe almost 2 episodes were wasted on this pair whose story is neither interesting nor relevant. I want Ah Wong, not these two. When the series showed this pair, the whole series' plot and objectives went haywire and was momentarily lost. The same goes for the story about the twice widowed niece and a widowed teacher. At least their story was interesting and funny.



Issue No. 3

The last few scenes when Ah Wong became Kai Chung again and suddenly (and really not the fault of Roger Kwok) without Ah Wong the whole series even for one single episode became bland and boring. I missed Ah Wong terribly. But the one factor that I had serious issues with is the ending. Of course there is a simple solution to a 3 way relationship, especially 2 women one man at the time and in an era where polygamous marriages are really not a big issue. He can marry both. Of course Pui Kuan being such an educated woman and modernistic in her thinking will not accept sharing her husband with another woman, however much she liked Choi Fung. So she went away to England (I think) to study. Choi Fung couldn't go back on her words where she promised Pui Kuan that she will return Ah Wong to Pui Kuan and being a person who holds true to her promise, she left for Japan to learn the art of making tea. Ah Wong may be an attentive and wonderful husband but Kai Chung is more practical. He didn't believe that one should fuss over love so he decided he loved them both and refused to choose, and so he left for Hong Kong to open up more Siu Hao So shops. Cut to 3 years later, Kai Chung came back pudgier and wearing a suit, whilst Pui Kuan came back with curled hair and western gown. Choi Fung came back in a costume that is really my issue. no 1. Anyway in the end a bit of suspense, they saw each other in a big green field both women ran towards Kai Chung and each held one hand of Kai Chung and smiled happily.



I am sure there must be some debate as to who ended with who or using the much used quote in HK industry, "we are just very good friends". So what do you think? My opinion is after 3 years of separation and each doing their own thing, they came back to one another and as fate would have it, they met each other. Each woman holding one hand of Kai Chung is a significant scene; if the story had continued for another 10 minutes I am very sure the ending would have been marriage. So my view is these 2 women marry the same man as in one husband two wives.



But my issue with this ending is the rushed and unclear nature of the ending, like the writer didn't know what to do once Ah Wong became Kai Chung again. I hate such uncertainty and sloppy ending.



Issue No. 2

This series has no focus. It doesn't know whether it wants to be a drama, a comedy, a family type of entertainment, adult type, suspense, mystery, detective story, love story, betrayal ... so the writer gave us a bit of everything, the main one being comedy. But the ending was much too serious for my liking and I dislike the many aspects without a firm grasp of one element. I will call this uncertainty and inconsistency. If not for Ah Wong who holds this whole series together, this series will be like a rojak, tastes nice but if you look carefully very muddled. In fact this was what happened when Ah Wong became Lee Kai Chung again. Suddenly this series lacks personality that Ah Wong injected into it for 19 episodes.



Issue No. 1

Drum roll please ........



My no. 1 issue with this series is in a way an indication of the sloppy writing. I wonder what period of time was this series set in? Definitely 1920s or 1930s? Or maybe 1910? Definitely Man Chor period. So I would guess the relationship between Japanese and Chinese were tense then and there were anti-Japanese sentiments? So why did Choi Fung went to of all places Japan to learn tea making and worst of all, CAME HOME WEARING A KIMONO?? Nobody seemed surprised at all to see either a Chinese wearing Kimono or a Japanese walking on the narrow strees in a small town in China! And her Kimono was like neither here nor there and her hair! Did you see her hair? Her hair! Her hair! I was traumatised watching that last scene. I don't understand how a decent series could end up so silly. I pity Jess. I really do.



The Characters

Like I have said above some characters were pretty useless, redundant or had little to do. But there are some characters that are interesting to watch, and some of my favourites (including my favourite moments) are:-



Ah Wong

I like Ah Wong as Ah Wong. I find the mature Kai Chung bland. Ah Wong was funny, cute, and really troublesome to look after. After all he was 7 in mentality and behaviour. But as the series progressed, he became responsible, attentive and a husband many women would have loved to have if he had Kai Chung's maturity and yet Ah Wong's playfulness and dedication to his wife and family.



Favourite Scenes

Plenty, I have so many. But two scenes stood out that was very very funny and classic in my opinion;



1. Ah Wong wants to go to school and of course the whole family took to a respectable school to be interviewed. The serious teacher asked many questions that Ah Wong has been coached to answer and suddenly came one question;



"Ah Wong, what do you like to do in your free time?"



The teacher was eating a cookie then.



Ah Wong without hesitation answered; "I like making love to my wife every night!"



The teacher's expression was classic; he choked on his cookie! That scene was very funny. Of course when he said make love it was actually a game where he would stand on each side of a long bamboo pole and Choi Fung will do the same and they just walk around the room like that, "tong! tong! tong!" sound could be heard. It was Choi Fung's little trick.



2. Ah Wong was just in a way questioned in a harsh way by Pui Kuan, his teacher. At the dinner table Ah Wong tried to tell everybody what this weird Pui Kuan did and everybody just scolded him for being disobedient and naughty and how pitiful Pui Kuan was. Pui Kuan of course looked her part, like "I tried teaching him but he's telling lies about me" kind of look. And Ah Wong looked at everybody in this desperate way, almost crying and thinning his lips and then look angrily at Pui Kuan. That expression of his was so funny and so child like. I pitied him of course because Pui Kuan was behaving in a very scary way.



Choi Fung

I really like Choi Fung because in the end she is one nice lady who fell for the genuineness of Ah Wong and nothing else. I can understand how a mature lady like her could possibly love Ah Wong since he did so many things for her and really was very romantic. I don't think she feels anything sexual about Ah Wong but there is a genuine affection and love.



Favourite Scenes

Every scene she has with Ah Wong but some of my favourites are;



1. The early scene where she first met Ah Wong and the way she talked to him was like a patient mother talking to her spoilt young son. One scene especially was when he tied the red tring on her wrist and told her she is destined to be his wife and she immediately backed off in a big way. Very funny.



2. The early days in their marriage how she ordered him around and how she did all she could to outwit her mother in law.



3. The scene where after she was married, one morning she suddenly woke up and thought "My god! I slept over time!" and she quickly went to cook, clean and everything until suddenly she remembered she was married and she was supposed to pretend to be lazy to get a divorce!



4. The scene where unexpectedly Ah Wong suddenly kissed her on the cheek and she just froze.



5. And finally, and my favourite of all, when Ah Wong made one big moon shape biscuit for her, and lit up tang lungs in a very dark garden. She already liked him and suddenly she looked at Ah Wong who was looking at the sky smiling and she realised she loved him. And she kissed him cheek in a slow mo way and Ah Wong smiled happily. I thought that scene was very romantic and very touching.



Pao Kai Chung and Choi Tip

I like Raymond Tso the actor and I dislike Leila Tong the actress. But after some time of watching this pair from not in love to very much in love (on the part of Kai Chung) and from not appreciated to being appreciated (on the part of Choi Tip), I became very immersed in their love story which I feel is very touching and at times romantic. Whilst I dislike the wishy washiness of Pao Kai Chung, I understood his dilemma. He didn't want the money, he truly loved Mister Pao and he truly wanted a family where he is loved. Choi Tip on the other hand knew she went into this marriage as a cheat but she did her best to make him fall in love for her. I find her generous, determined and a very nice lady and a good wife.



Favourite Scenes

Many of them together, many of them separate, so some of my favourites are;



1. Pao Kai Chung persuaded his father, Mister Pao to not transfer the business to him as he knew the evil uncle will kill his father once he did that. I also love watching his dilemma and I pitied him. The one scene I especially loved watching was when he finally told his wife what was happening and his wife, instead of leaving him encouraged him to undo the wrong he did and that she will follow him anywhere, rich or poor.



2. The scene where at last Ah Wong became Kai Chung and Mister Pao just walked past Pao Kai Chung and straight to Ah Wong calling him his son. Very sad scene for Pao Kai Chung who knew he had to leave the Pao family as he was unwanted. The best thing was Choi Tip who was very pampered when she was at her own home now was an independent and thoughtful wife. She packed her bags and together they wanted to start life afresh somewhere else. Of course one very touching scene was when Ah Wong persuaded his father to accept Kai Chung who has always been a very filial son and Mister Pao was crying thinking of the times they shared. So he rushed to the pier and tearfully scolded Kai Chung for leaving him. A very happy ending and a very satisfying end for Pao Kai Chung. He deserved a good family to love him and Mister Pao deserved not just one son but two good sons.



3. A very romantic scene where Choi Tip and Kai Chung were walking and suddenly it was raining. Kai Chung complained that he needed to go back to the offie fast and without a word Choi Tip ran in the rain and came back with an umbrella. Kai Chung fell in love with her then and as he slowly wiped away some of the rain drops on her face, there was tenderness in both of them. Very romantic.



4. The scene where Choi Tip knew her husband was still in love with Choi Fung and Choi Fung was secretly seeing him. She flew into a rage and she was more angry with her sister for her indiscretion because Choi Fung knew Kai Chung was in love with her and yet met with him alone in a pub.



Mr and Mrs Ting

I love watching this pair especially Mrs Ting who tried all she could to outwit and outsmart her smart daughter in law. Whilst they may complain about Choi Fung and everything else, but once Choi Fung started to cook, clean and be nice to Ah Wong, the two suddenly sang praises and all. I realise these two are very easy to pleased! Anyway, some of my favourite scenes;



1. their interaction with Ah Wong especially on the issue of sex. Mr Ting explained to Ah Wong what he had to do in the night of the marriage that is sex. Ah Wong didn't know how so Mr Ting just said; "Just remember, woman below man, man on top of woman". So Ah Wong went into the room and Choi Fung slept on the bed and he on the floor. In the morning Mrs Ting asked how was the night and Ah Wong said "I was on top but then she got tired and so we switched places and she was on top and I was below". This scene was so funny I choked on my rice (I was eating lar!). Mrs Ting's reply was even funnier when she said to her husband "Wow! So revolutionary, she on top!".



2. Mr Ting who was at first very stern on Ah Wong, so when Ah Wong misbehaved he told Ah Wong "If you are naughty, you can't make love to your wife tonight!". This was because Ah Wong was always talking about making love! Many might think they have an active sex life and Ah Wong was a sex crazed maniac! It was very funny. Later on when Mr Ting treated Ah Wong like his son, those scenes combined were full of tenderness and touching moments.



Mr and Mrs Ling

Interesting couple, a loving father and a conniving mother. But this mother loved her own daughter, Choi Tip and of course abused Choi Fung. She was responsible for the swap but it turned out to be a blessing. Anyway my favourite scenes;



1. Mr Ling who was always scolding Ah Wong and poor Ah Wong didn't really realise what he did wrong. When Mr Ling praised Kai Chung, Ah Wong boldly asked "How come you never praise me?". Very funny.



2. How both of them warmed to Ah Wong and in the end genuinely tried to help Ah Wong, their son in law.



3. Mrs Ling may have been scheming and in fact very bad in the beginning but in the end she too tried to fight for Choi Fung's rights as she rightly said "So now Ah Wong is alright why must Choi Fung give him back to Miss Yeung?". I wonder too... of course a promise is a promise.



4. The early scene where both daughters were married off in one day and Mr Ling came home after a business trip and called for Choi Tip and Mrs Ling happily said "Oh, Choi Tip married into the Pao family" and Mr Ling didn't complain. So he shouted for Choi Fung and Mrs Ling said "Oh, she also married already" and suddenly in one day this man lost both daughters and he didn't even know! He had no complains about Pao family since they're rich but when he knew Choi Fung married into the Ting family, of course any father will fly into a rage. Very funny scene.





I Don't Get It scenes

This series aren't logical in so many ways. Some of them are;



1. the timeline where Ah Wong and Kai Chung came into the family. When the series started, it's almost a year when Ah Wong and Kai Chung came home. So they both returned as adults. But the timeline is a bit too short, something is not right. It would be nice if Pao Kai Chung was back maybe 2 or 3 years and Lee Kai Chung went missing also for 2 or 3 years, longer timeline will of course be able to establish a more concrete and believable affection between all parties.



2. so in the end, Ah Wong became Lee Kai Chung whose real name is Pao Kai Chung. The fake Pao Kai Chung had a name but I can't remember. Everybody called him Kai Chung anyway. One biggest mystery still remains;



So if Pao Kai Chung is Kai Chung, Ting Seung Wong is actually Lee Kai Chung who is actually Pao Kai Chung, so how then do we address Roger Kwok's character in the end? Ah Wong? Kai Chung 1? Kai Chung 2? I noticed the characters in the end especially Mr Pao never once called Ah Wong either Ah Wong or Kai Chung so the mystery remains as to what he is called in the Pao household.



3. I find this unbelievable. Pui Kuan knew Ah Wong as Kai Chung but even in the end, she called him Ah Wong. She treated him like a big kid and when she found out he found out he was Kai Chung, suddenly she treated him like an adult. The speed in which she changes how she views Kai Chung/Ah Wong is really not believable at all.



4. So how old is Ah Wong? I would guess 20? Roger Kwok is twice that age but looked maybe 10 years older only. Choi Fung should be also 20? Early 20s? Again Jess looked 10 years older and very mature but luckily Choi Fung is a very mature character. The only two main persons who looked their age as in early 20s or late teens are Choi Tip and Pao Kai Chung.



5. When Ah Wong became Kai Chung, he became mature, talked serious and still loved Choi Fung. But he forgotten Pui Kuan. When he saw Pui Kuan again he remembered and confessed his love for her. So it's like meet new one forget old one, remembers old one out goes the new one. I really don't like this Kai Chung.



6. This is not really a I Don't Get It scene but rather an observation. Just notice the ending; the adopted Pao Kai Chung ran Mr Pao's business and the real son, Lee Kai Chung ran Siu Hao So. It's a nice ending but still an interesting end.



Ridiculous Aspect

Not the kimono or her hair but the pub, what was it called? Anyway, a pub? A woman can just enter a pub and drink? A pub? I'm sorry but I must repeat my disbelief; a pub? So where's the karaoke machine then?



Great Aspects

The costume, the hair and the make up except for the last episode. Everything before the last episode was so beautiful to look at, especially the costumes. They all really looked like rich wives or poor servants.



The Acting

Roger Kwok, I have mentioned was superb. So how was everybody else? I want to be brief...



Raymond Tso

Handsome, gentlemanly and played his Pao Kai Chung with such genuine sincerity, I really like his Kai Chung and forgive him for what he almost did to Ah Wong. His character is not the villain nor is he evil, his Kai Chung is at best described as desperate for love. Raymond Tso did a very good job bringing out the sincerity and dilemma facing Pao Kai Chung.



Leila Tong

Not very pretty but the make up in this series is amazing. Anyway a decent performance and as the series goes more and more towards the end, she became better and better. I really like her Choi Tip but there's one thing I noticed about this actress; he acting is average but still decent. The thing I do not like about her is her non existent personality. She looks boring and I feel bored watching her sometimes.



Winnie Yeung

One of her better performances and she is not well known for her acting. I find her Pui Kuan pointless but Winnie Yeung's acting more stable, more consistent and more expressive. In fact she looks very pretty in here and I could see her Pui Kuan as educated and beautiful. But she could do better if she brought out more of Pui Kuan's desperation. Showing Pui Kuan eating compulsively is just a show. Her eyes must speak of longing. Sometimes she did this successfully but many times that longing is missing. Overall a competent performance but a better actress would have given Pui Kuan more angst, more hurt and more emotional layers.



All other actors except Jessica Hester Hsuan

Fine performance especially from the old timers. But I must mention Natalie Wong and John Tang. I find their performances probably the two worst and very boring to watch.



Jessica Hester Hsuan

I have often said this of Jess; she can act but she is boring. I still stand by my comment. I remember someone wrote to me and said her performance in A Step Into The Past was the worst, I dare not say that but I can say it was one of her worst. She does not have the look that fits comfortably into an ancient series because her looks is too unique and too modern, like Flora Chan. But she looks quite ok in the Man Chor period. Frankly I am not concerned with how she looked. I must stress though she is very pretty and photogenic outside of a series but when she is in one, when everybody said she's the beautiful wife, beauty, rare gem and all, I don't believe any of those statements. But there's this one scene in this series where her hair attractive In all her series her hair is perfectly in place and her dressing impeccable. But that one scene showed that if she just lets her hair down and be a bit messy, she could achieve the sexy look which is the aim of 99% of the actresses in Hong Kong who all successfully looked like a complete tart. Jess had class though she may be boring.



Now her acting which is my primary concern.



This is one actress who offers nothing new to her audience, maybe and basically because her characters are all the same; strong, opinionated, self serving but essentially nice. I long to see her as a villain. Choi Fung is a slight departure from the usual characters she has played. I read one review in SPCNET Reviews who disliked her acting in here. Probably because for the first time she is not being unreasonable or dramatic. Her Choi Fung can be said to be a bland boring person who did not engage herself in dramatic moments or like the Taiwanese series, cry cry laugh laugh type of scenes. In fact her Choi Fung looked like she is mildly amused 70% of the time and very uptight 30% of the time. She is not overly optimistic like that blind girl in Invincible Journey which tends to annoy the hell out of me nor is she so unreasonable and overly helpful in A Step Into The Past nor is she so self serving and so selfish as in Golden Faith. In fact she is not very smart like all the previous characters Jess has played nor is she ambitious in career or in love. Choi Fung is a very simple woman who learned to accept her marriage to Ah Wong, protected him and learned to love him.



I must say this is one of the rare ones where I actually like Jess as an actress. The ending spoilt it all of course but the entire process and the chemistry with Roger Kwok made this series very wonderful to watch. In fact Jess alone in one scene is interesting to watch. I must stress though her acting is still same, but it is her character that is wonderful because it is a departure from her usual acting.



Definitely one of the best I have seen from her and Jess may not have given the performance of a lifetime but she nevertheless gave a very engaging one.



Verdict

A gem because of one person that is Roger Kwok. Fans of Roger Kwok will definitely want to watch this and fans of Jess may also want to watch this for something different. Whilst the storyline may be illogical and nothing new or special, it's the character of Ting Seung Wong who will grab your attention, hold it for the entire 19 episodes and even make you love him for his sincerity and innocence. Every single episode is like a gem to me, because I was laughing so hard at the jokes and the funny situations. I find this series witty and essentially a comedy. But be prepared to be thrown back to earth in episode 20 as no more Ah Wong and in his place the boring Lee Kai Chung. Also lookout for the stupid ending and that Kimono.



A must watch.



Rating





Interesting Observation

The themesong is very pleasing to the ears. I mean it is a good song. I wonder where can I download it?



Interesting Question

Could you, like Choi Fung love Ah Wong? Could you survive in a relationship with an adult with the mind of a 7 year old without any physical intimacy? Ok, ok I will ask a straight question. Will you and can you as Choi Fung have sex with Ah Wong? Can you? Or will it all be love but without the frills, without the icing, without the action?



Let's face it. This entire series (or at least the beginning of it) talks more about sex than any modern series. I don't think it is suitable for young children but if you as a parent let them watch Discovery Channel and the episodes about mating, I think this series will be child's play. But interesting question eh?



My answer is I don't think so. It's like paedophilic in nature, too sordid for me to even consider it.



What about you?

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