The Tangled Web of TVB; #2.

"The Tangled Web of TVB will be an
ongoing feature in this blog featuring the
many different relationships between
artistes and/or characters that occur,
be it through coincidence, things they
could have in common, mutual friends
or just an interesting little tidbit
that I have to share about these artistes."

The Tangled Web of TVB #2: It's All in the Name

Ella Koon Yan Na, Sonija Kwok Sin Nei & Linda Chung Ka Yan

After being a subscriber to Astro on Demand since the beginning of the year, I've had the pleasure of watching every single TVB show that has been broadcast in Hong Kong, simultaneously. And throughout this luxury, I've noticed a running pattern.

Nancy Wu Ting Yan, Idy Chan Yuk Lin & Kate Tsui Tsz San

What could beauty queens Sonija Kwok, Linda Chung and Kate Tsui have in common with recent Strictly Come Dancing TVB representative Nancy Wu, songstress Ella Koon and veteran Idy Chan?

Yes, they've all had TVB series that has broadcasted this year (with the exception of Kate Tsui, whose series broadcasts tomorrow). That's just only half of the coincidence. Another running theme that they all of them have participated in thus far? They've all played characters with... here, I'll let the pictures do the talking for me.

Lei Lei, Jing Jing, Ka Ka

The year first kicked off with flamboyant lawyer Suen Lei Lei, also known as Lily, by Ella Koon in Survivor's Law II. Starting a trend of sorts, it was followed with the prominent Jing Jing, Sonija Kwok's Madam Ying in D.I.E., with rough-talking Ka Ka by Linda Chung simultaneously airing in A Journey Called Life.

Fei Fei, Yung Yung, Tong Tong

Right after that, the trend continued in Catch Me Now's Bao Yung Yung (even called "Ku Ku" sometimes!) by Idy Chan. Nancy Wu, who played Pui Pui in D.I.E. earlier in the year, followed up with her Fei Fei in The Silver Chamber of Sorrows while after that, Linda Chung did it once again by reprising her role in Forensic Heroes II as the tragically dead Lam Ding Ding. And now, the pattern is soon to follow with Kate Tsui's hearing impaired Tong Tong in The Speech of Silence.

Ding Ding, Pui Pui, Sa Sa

Long Long, CC, Coco

Of course let's not forget the repeating syllables in "English names" like Joyce Tang's fabulously played Coco, Ko Ka Po in War of In-Laws II and the feisty Sasa, Wong Chi Kwan in The Seventh Day, as played by Natalie Tong.

And you know, if I were to really nitpick, there's also been the hilariously camp CC by Derek Kwok in War of In-Laws II, Roger Kwok's Yu Chi Long nicknamed Long Long by his ghost fanatic, as well as little Lok Lok who's Toby Leung's son in Money Maker Recipe and the adorable twin treasures Hei Hei and Lam Lam in WOIL II, to name a few. I'm sure there were more kids with names like these ones throughout the year so far.

(Which by the way, if TVB is a real representation of Hong Kong, there must be at least 21387 boys there named Lok Lok. Can we have some variety, already?)

I just thought it was too much of a running pattern. Seriously, what is up with that? All the bit characters aside, that's five main female characters (yes, five, count 'em - Survivor's Law II, D.I.E., A Journey Called Life, Catch Me Now and now The Speech of Silence) with single-repeating-syllables as names. Is this the new trend in TVB? Is it now hip to repeat something twice? Is this Hong Kong's answer to funky Western names like Romeo Beckham's, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt's and Apple Martin's?

I wonder if the trend'll continue throughout the year. Guess only time will tell.