Nominees, Schnominees.

So, it's been a crazy half a year! I just finished my final paper yesterday and if everything goes as expected, it will be the final undergraduate paper of my life. Wow. We'll see how things go because I don't wanna jinx myself just yet by saying I've graduated when results aren't even out yet, so just keep your fingers crossed for me!

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All throughout my absence, I've of course still been watching TVB, silently following TVB news online but just abstaining from blogging about my thoughts because I just simply didn't have the time. This of course has changed since I'm now on holidays and awaiting results so there's really no better time than to get my two cents out on something I've been dying to write about. And well really, the only thing that's on anyone's mind in this final run down... The 41st TVB Anniversary Awards.


Last year, Heart of Greed walked off with the awards that mattered the most. The top four coveted Best Actor/Actress and Favourite Character accolades were won by Moses Chan, Lee Sze Kei and Susanna Kwan. Louis Yuen added to the count with his Best Supporting Actor and collectively, the whole cast came out for Best Series. Of course, a TVB Anniversary would not be complete without its surprises, and there certainly weren't any shortages last year.


Another pic of Mo, just cause. ;)


A night of fun, splendour, jewellery, gorgeous dresses and eyebrow-raising award winner choices by TVB - isn't this what we all wait for every year? Let's take a look at the nominees, courtesy from TVB Chinese News.

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Best Actress


1. Liza Wang - Wars Of In-Laws II
2. Sonija Kwok - D.I.E
3. Linda Chung - A Journey Called Life
4. Nancy Sit - The Silver Chamber Of Sorrows
5. Charmaine Sheh - Forensic Heroes II
6. Kate Tsui - Speech Of Silence
7. Louise Lee - Moonlight Resonance
8. Susanna Kwan - Moonlight Resonance
9. Michelle Yim - Moonlight Resonance
10. Sheren Tang - Your Class Or Mine



My Missing-in-Action: Anita Yuen. Not that I think that she'd win given the strength of acting and popularity of some of the other dramas these actresses come from but I thought she was really good in Love Exchange which should at least have warranted a nomination. Tavia, Tavia, Tavia; which unfortunately had to give such a splendid performance amongst a heavily female-studded, equally strong cast in Moonlight Resonance that she is now regarded as supporting. That kind of performance in any other should've easily gotten her a Best Actress nom. And where's Myolie? I loved her in War of In-Laws II. Christine Ng, who was great in Silver Chambers?

Ehhhh...: Seriously, what is Kate Tsui doing there? A best actress nomination before Tavia? Out of the younger generation, at least I can say Linda deserves a nomination because she was good in A Journey Called Life. I reckon even Niki should've been nominated over Kate for The Seventh Day.

My Favourites: Hands down, Michelle Yim. I loved her in Heart of Greed and here, in Moonlight Resonance, its no exception. She just always amazes me with her acting, versatility and beauty.

Other Favourites: As always, Louise Lee and Susanna Kwan in Moonlight were spot on. Liza Wang in War of In-Laws II too but I don't know why, there's just always been something about her style of acting that never appealed to me. Sonija actually did a great job in D.I.E. as well. And I adore me some Sheren Tang but unfortunately Your Class Or Mine wasn't anything special.

So Who Should Win? Michelle Yim.

And the Award Goes To: I have a sinking feeling that Michelle won't win for some reason and they give it to Lee Sze Kei or Susanna. Not that they're any less deserving, but I just really think Michelle is the one to beat this year after she got no recognition from TVB last year in the final five nominees with Brink of Law. But then again, I really suck at calling the awards. I don't think my success rate was very high last year. Heh.

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Best Actor


1. Kenneth Ma - Survivor's Law II
2. Roger Kwok - D.I.E
3. Damian Lau - Catch Me Now
4. Frankie Lam - Forensic Heroes II
5. Michael Miu - Love Exchange
6. Ha Yu - Moonlight Resonance
7. Moses Chan - Moonlight Resonance
8. Raymond Lam - Moonlight Resonance
9. Bobby Au Yeung - Your Class Or Mine
10. Kevin Cheng - Last One Standing



My Missing-in-Action: Steven Ma. He churned out a good, solid performance in A Journey Called Life as he always does. And while he was great in D.I.E., I really wish Roger had been nominated for Last One Standing. I haven't finished it yet but he's been spot on so far. And well, I'm not really missing him but I'm surprised Joe Ma isn't here. He wasn't bad in Catch Me Now and didn't he just sign with TVB? And Dominic Lam's acting in Money-Maker Recipe was fantastic.

Ehhhh...: Okay, I'm going to be very honest here. Kenneth is popular, I know, but he's never really grown on me until The Four. I really like him in it. But really? Best Actor nomination?

My Favourites: Sigh, I enjoyed all three Moonlight nominees. Ha Yu was perfect as Jo Ba from the get-go till the very end. The transition from cold, lying cheater to the repentive father; he was so good through out it all. Raymond as always was solid, and of course, his Koon Ka Jai melted the girl in me (and of course, it's Raymond, who also manages to melt me everything his subtheme song plays in the series, heh) but it wasn't nearly on par with Ha Yu. And Moses with his unfortunately reduced screen time but still was perfect in every episode.

Other Favourites: Moonlight aside, c'mon now, we can't be forgetting Damian Lau in Catch Me Now who was absolutely superb. I never thought I'd hear myself saying this, but I'm finding Kevin in Last One Standing really good too. TVB award winners really have a way of giving out great performances the year after they win the awards (IMO, Linda, Kate and Fala all gave much better performances after they'd won their respective awards in the previous years.)

So Who Should Win? Ha Yu.

And the Award Goes To: Raymond Lam.


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My Favorite Female Character Award



1. Charmaine Sheh - Word Twisters' Adventures
2. Liza Wang - Wars Of In-Laws II
3. Myolie Wu - Wars Of In-Laws II
4. Kitty Yuen - D.I.E
5. Christine Ng - The Silver Chamber Of Sorrows
6. Kiki Sheung - The Money-Maker Recipe
7. Louise Lee - Moonlight Resonance
8. Susanna Kwan - Moonlight Resonance
9. Fala Chen - Moonlight Resonance
10. Linda Chung - Legend Of The Demigods


My Missing-in-Action: I have tons of favourite female characters from the series aired this year, but unfortunately none of them are on here. Geez. Tavia as Kam Wing Yuet in Moonlight is definitely one. Anita as Chi Yiu in Love Exchange because I loved witnessing the growth in the character. Krystal Tin as Jackie, also in Love Exchange, which I thought was a great strong, complex, three-dimensional character. I enjoyed Sonija's Madam Ying in D.I.E. which is the first time I'm enjoying any character of hers. Natalie in The Seventh Day whose feisty Sasa I really enjoyed. Selena Li as loyal, stubborn Yeuk Fei in The Four. I actually also really liked Linda in A Journey Called Life but I don't watch Legend of the Demigods, so I wouldn't know which character's better. I liked Bernice's character in Wasabi too but I think I'm amongst the minority there. Sheren's A San in Your Class or Mine. Joyce Tang in Money-Maker Recipe. Whew, that's quite a list.

Ehhhh...: Kitty Yuen?! Kitty Yuen?! As the absolutely annoying Siu Yi ghost thingymajig with the strangest clothes in D.I.E.? You have got to be kidding me. Kitty Yuen! Gah.

My Favourites: Off the list, my favourite character is probably Myolie's Chow Lai Man. And maybe Fala's Moonlight Resonance. Her Ah Hing was just incredibly sweet, demure and kind despite her circumstances.

Other Favourites: Louise was obviously great and while I felt it was nothing different from Heart, I did enjoy Hor Ma better than last year's Dai Kai. I really wouldn't call her my favourite but that's probably just because I can't identify with the character itself.

So Who Should Win? Tavia as stubborn, resilient, caring Ah Yuet. Heh.

And the Award Goes To: I don't know, my favourites are mostly who I identified with, and mainly just characters I enjoyed watching on my screen. Isn't this a really difficult one to call? I mean you can judge acting with a yardstick but my "favourite", now that's something really subjective. Susanna Kwan's character got really popular. And while I'm not denying the fact that she's a great actress, Sa Yee really did annoy the hell out of me. But could it be two favourite female character awards, two years running? Nope, I think I'm going to go out on a limb and say Liza Wang with O Jeh instead.

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My Favorite Male Character Award



1. Kenneth Ma - Survivor's Law II
2. Bosco Wong - War Of In-Laws II
3. Roger Kwok - D.I.E
4. Derek Kwok - D.I.E
5. Michael Tse - The Money-Maker Recipe
6. Ha Yu - Moonlight Resonance
7. Raymond Lam - Moonlight Resonance
8. Sunny Chan - Legend Of The Demigods
9. Ron Ng - The Four
10. Kevin Cheng - Last One Standing



My Missing-in-Action: Where is Mo!? I loved, loved, loved, loved Johnson Lee's unorthodox, offbeat BT in Catch Me Now. I honestly cried buckets when he died. And Damian's Jack Ko! And come on, Sammul Chan in The Four as Zhui Ming is a hilarious and oh-so-likeable character. Oh wait, I forgot, he's not a TVB artiste, is he? Heh. Kenneth Ma's Tit Sau is actually also a very likeable, respectable character but then again I hear his MK Sun in Survivor's Law II, which I didn't watch, is a crowd favourite? I also absolutely loved Steven Ma's great Shing Yat Onn in Journey. I must say however, I much preferred Derek Kwok's CC in War of In-Laws II. And oh another favourite complex character to watch was Dominic Lam from The Money-Maker Recipe. And oh, I also like Kevin's Yau Chi Wing in The Seventh Day.

Ehhhh...: Ron Ng? Erm, you mean people actually like... Lang Huet? Wow. That's really a surprise to me.

My Favourites: Off the list, again, it's gotta be the Moonlight duo for me. Pretty self-explanatory, I guess. And Roger Kwok in D.I.E. left me giggling every episode. Only he could pull off something like that.

Other Favourites: I'm surprising myself by saying that I like Kevin Cheng's Cheung Sing Hei too. Honestly, Last One Standing single-handedly turned my impression of Kevin around this year.

So Who Should Win? I'm going to have to say my personal pick is Koon Ka Jai.

And the Award Goes To: Like a lot of people, and unfortunately for Moses, I honestly believe it's gonna be one of those trade-offs between Ha Yu and Raymond Lam where one wins Best Actor and the other gets My Favourite Male Character and I'd really have no problems with that because I enjoyed both their acting and like both their characters. I'm going to say Roger will be a dark horse with D.I.E. though.

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Best Supporting Actress Award


1. Joyce Tang - Wars Of In-Laws II
2. Bernice Liu - Wasabi Mon Amour
3. Sharon Chan - Catch Me Now
4. Nancy Wu - The Silver Chamber Of Sorrows
5. Claire Yiu - Speech Of Silence
6. Krystal Tin - Love Exchange
7. Tavia Yeung - Moonlight Resonance
8. Fala Chen - Moonlight Resonance
9. Kate Tsui - Moonlight Resonance
10. Lee Heung Kam - Moonlight Resonance



My Missing-in-Action: Rosanne Lui and her fantastic portrayal of Leng Ma, who has Parkinson's, in Last One Standing. Come on, how on earth can she possibly NOT be on this list? I really think it's an injustice to her. And Rebecca Chan in The Silver Chamber of Sorrows? And oh, how about Elaine Yiu for just about ANYTHING she's done this year? That girl has given good supporting performance after good supporting performance this year. I also enjoyed Selena Li as Chui Kiu in Tai Chi and how she actually played her with a gentle twang in her speech to suit the period of the series.

Ehhhh...: Surprisingly, but well I'm pretty okay with this list. I dug out an old post to see what I said about last year's anniversary winners and I wrote this about Kate "...Hopefully, she does come into her prime and leave us all with a good performance like Linda after she won Most Improved. Hopefully." And I think she kinda did. You know, I questioned Kate in the Best Actress list, but I'm okay with her being here. She really did manage to hold her own against the veterans in Moonlight Resonance. She did good in all the screaming matches and devious scenes but unfortunately failed in the final press conference where she broke down. I would probably switch Bernice and Claire out of the nominations for my missing-in-action picks though.

My Favourites: Tavia, hands down. My second choice would be Krystal Tin though. I thought she was splendid as Jackie in Love Exchange which is probably one of the harder female roles this year to tackle and she did it well. It's quite sad though, she was the second female lead with wayyy more screen time than some of the other supporting nominees had in their series (I mean, I barely got to see Nancy and Sharon on screen in Silver Chambers and Catch Me Now) but still got nominated in this category. I know she wouldn't have a chance in the Best Actress running but it's just really weird.

Other Favourites: Definitely Joyce Tang. She was great as Coco. I really do like Nancy Wu and think she was great holding her own as the opportunistic, self-interested, cocky Fei Fei against the other females in Silver Chambers of Sorrows (Although the rest of the time, my memory of her character was her rolling around with Eric Li on a pool table and kissing in the river. Lol.). I also quite liked Sharon's Kwong Kiu but I think that was more about the character and not so much the acting.

So Who Should Win? Tavia Yeung. Is there any doubt? If it's not Tavia, it has absolutely gotta be Lee Heung Kam or Joyce. Please?

And the Award Goes To: I'm going to give TVB the benefit of the doubt and say Tavia is going to win. Please don't let me down, TVB.

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Best Supporting Actor Award


1. Tsui Weng - Best Selling Secret
2. Stephen Au - Best Selling Secret
3. Derek Kwok - Wars Of In-Laws II
4. Wayne Lai - The Gentle Crackdown II
5. Paul Chun - Wasabi Mon Amour
6. Kenneth Ma - The Master Of Tai Chi
7. Johnson Lee - Catch Me Now
8. Chow Chung - Moonlight Resonance
9. Oscar Leung - Your Class Or Mine
10. Him Law - Your Class Or Mine



My Missing-in-Action: Raymond Cho, whom I really enjoyed in Forensic Heroes II. And this may come as a surprise but Ellesmere Choi's acting is very effective in Last One Standing as the scared, sissy brother-in-law of Kevin Cheng.

Ehhhh...: Honestly, Him Law and Oscar Leung. Now most of you would know that I like Oscar (and Fred!). But Best Supporting Actor? Really? Wow. And Him Law. I did think he wasn't too bad for a newcomer when I watched Your Class or Mine but still... Wow. Are they TVB's next choices for super stardom?

My Favourites: Making me choose between Wayne, Derek and Johnson, all of whom I've loved and hoped for recognition all this while (along with Benz who unfortunately isn't nominated this year and who really should have won for Dicey Business last year), is just not fair. Really! How am I to choose?

Other Favourites: Omg, and Paul Chun too, another favourite of mine! He's unfortunately not going to win because of Wasabi's horrible ratings, but the Family Man father will always have a place in this heart of mine. (But why he wasn't nominated for Silver Chambers where he was great as the villain of the show, is beyond me.)

So Who Should Win? I can't decide. This is torture.

And the Award Goes To: Wayne Lai. It's his time to win it. I didn't watch The Gentle Crackdown II (in fact, this is the only person I'm advocating where I didn't watch the entire series!) but he absolutely deserves it because its been a long time coming. I know I'm supposed to judge based on the series that he's nominated for, but I really can't help it. And with his first leading roles coming soon next year, there's no better time to win the Best Supporting Actor category and cap off this chapter of his acting career with a big bang. :)

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Most Improved Actress Award


1. Selena Li
2. Sharon Chan
3. Tavia Yeung
4. Toby Leung
5. Nancy Wu


My Missing-in-Action: Okay, this is really stupid. Why isn't Natalie Tong here after her great performance as joint lead in The Seventh Day? I thought she more than held her own against the other three more seasoned leads. So just because a series has crappy ratings, an actress is suddenly not qualified to be "Most Improved" anymore? And Elaine Yiu, seriously. Anyone who's been watching TVB this year would know that if anyone, she has improved by leaps and bounds (and many leaps and bounds more) since her early days as the unbearable Chloe in Revolving Doors of Vengeance.

Ehhhh...: TVB has finally answered my prayers by not insulting Bernice and Leila (okay, so she didn't have a series this year, but you know what I mean) any further by nominating them for Most Improved Actress year after year after year. But Tavia? I mean, really? Are you on crack, TVB? She so far ahead of this category that it's not even funny. And what on earth is Toby doing there year after year too?

My Favourites: Selena, for sure! She has improved so much and it's been so nice to see her come into her own as an actress this year, getting second female leads and garnering recognition for her cameo in Forensic Heroes II. She's already on my favourite list.

Other Favourites: Nancy Wu.

So Who Should Win? Most definitely, Selena. I feel so torn because I adore Tavia but it's a Most Improved category which I really think is beyond Tavia.

And the Award Goes To: Man, if Tavia doesn't get Best Supporting Actress, I hate to think that they would give this to her as a consolation prize. Which would effectively rob Selena of her well deserved Most Improved prize. And if Toby wins, I will just feel like slitting my wrists. She's improved in Money-Maker Recipe, but she's still so far behind everyone else here.

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Most Improved Actor Award


1. Wong Cho Lam
2. Tsui Wing
3. Derek Kwok
4. Johnson Lee
5. Oscar Leung


My Missing-in-Action: Someone needs to give Fred a good breakthrough role, larger than the one he usually gets to play so that one day I can see him nominated in this category. I'm surprised not to see Chris Lai, Matthew Ko or either Stephens on this list though. Chris will probably join the Sammul, Bernice and Leila fate of never winning an Improved award but I thought TVB loved Matthew Ko.

Ehhhh...: Okay, TVB is on crack. Derek Kwok? Johnson Lee? It's not that they've improved TVB. It's just that you've never paid enough attention to them before to know that they've always had that high level of supporting actor standard which you've relied upon time and time again for a strong dependable supporting cast without knowing it.

My Favourites: I really don't know what to say. I like Derek, Johnson and Oscar, but something doesn't feel quite right.

So Who Should Win? ...isn't it really sad that TVB doesn't have enough quality new actors to nominate?

And the Award Goes To: Wong Cho Lam. I do love his dead-pan expressions but far from my pick for a Most Improved. Heavily-promoted, heavily-coveted. Amigo Chui ring a bell?


Best Series

I don't know who the nominees are but... Moonlight Resonance? I really don't think I need to say more.





...so, I usually get most of them wrong. Last year I only got Moses and Lee Sze Kei right! Haha. Let's see just how much luck I have this year.

Tell me, who are YOUR favourites? Who do you think will walk away with the awards which are apparently not made out of gold anymore because the whole world is hit by the economic slowdown? Who do you think should have been nominated but lucked out? Why is TVB still on crack?

It's That Time of the Year Again, Part I

Yes, it's that time again when November rolls around, and the paparazzi have a field day with which actor/actress TVB has "chosen" to win the awards, and conjure up stories of catfights between the artists. Ah, what a pretty sight the annual TVB Anniversary Awards are.

But seriously, this is the most anticipated night in the TVB year. It's the night where the stars on the red carpet shine brighter than the stars in the sky. A night of glamour and glitz, the HK Oscars always promise jaw-dropping results. I, for one, have still not gotten over Kevin Cheng's win from last year.

Here's what else happened last year. Charmaine Sheh bundled home two awards of Favourite Female Character and Best Actress, and not forgetting the honour of being the most talked about actress on chatterboxes throughout the TVB blogosphere for the following year. Kenneth Ma win Most Improved Male Actor in his rightful turn. Linda Chung, who was unbeknownst to me at that point in time, took home Most Improved Female in a very pretty white dress. One-eyed bandit, Steven Ma triumphed for his great portrayal of a character in Safe Guards. Kenny Wong proved that he could do something other than stand around and be topless by winning the Best Supporting Actor award, while Shirley Yeung took back the Best Supporting Actress award, strangely.

Gee, I wonder what surprises TVB has in store for us this year, then? Hopefully not too much.

TVB 40th Anniversary - Complete Nomination List

Best Actor

1. Roger Kwok – Glittering Days
2. Bobby Au-Yeung – Dicey Business
3. Joe Ma – The Conquest
4. Ha Yu – Heart Of Greed
5. Moses Chan – Heart Of Greed
6. Michael Tse – Family Link
7. Michael Tao – On The First Beat
8. Ron Ng – On The First Beat
9. Sammul Chan – On The First Beat
10. Sunny Chan – Green Grass Of Home
11. Kevin Cheng – Devil's Disciples
12. Bosco Wong – Devil's Disciples
13. Damien Lau – Drive Of Life
14. Michael Miu – Drive Of Life
15. Raymond Lam – Drive Of Life
16. Wong Hei – Fathers & Sons
17. Steven Ma – Steps
18. Wayne Lai - Steps
19. Dayo Wong – Men Don't Cry
20. Yuen Biao – The Ultimate Crime Fighter

First and foremost, as much as I sincerely love Roger Kwok, I hope he doesn't win again. I didn't watch Glittering Days and have no idea how it went, but no, he's already got it twice. I doubt he'd win a third time. I feel Michael Miu should've been nominated for Dicey Business instead of Drive of Life, and for goodness sake, Kevin in Devil's Disciples? I was hoping he'd have been nominated for Ultimate Crime Fighter instead, since from what I've heard of the character, it'll be a better shot of showcasing his acting skills. And wow, Wayne Lai in the Best Actor nominations? I think he's great, and that he deserves to win something because he just delivers again and again, but I'd much rather TVB nominate him in the Supporting category just because he'll have a better shot at it. Because sadly, this nomination is all he's getting this year and that sucks.

My favourites?

Bobby Au-Yeung – Dicey Business, Moses Chan – Heart Of Greed, Damien Lau – Drive Of Life, Michael Miu – Drive Of Life, Raymond Lam – Drive Of Life, Wong Hei – Fathers & Sons, Steven Ma – Steps

Damien Lau, Michael Miu and Ha Yu were classic in their respective roles, but somehow if memory serves me correctly, male veterans don't get very lucky with Best Actor Awards. Ex-manly-Burning Flame-lead, Wong Hei was hilarious as his house-husband, motherly role, while Steven Ma shone in a very relate-able role. And Raymond, well, I still stand by my opinion that he's the most talented out of all the young actors. He emotes so well.



Who I think should win?

Obviously, I think Moses should. He played a character that you would either love or hate. Most loved him. I know I did. He made me laugh and cry and hope and root for him all at the same time. He was hilarious in his funny moments and emitted a bittersweet, tragic look when he cried. To me, he was the character. He put his heart and soul into it, and gave the character growth and gradual maturity. And that's why I think he should win. That's why I think he deserves to win.

Who I think will win?

I hope I'm not jinxing anything when I say I really think it's Moses' year this year. I just think so. Keep those fingers crossed!

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Best Actress

1. Liza Wang - Glittering Days
2. Charmaine Sheh - Glittering Days
3. Jessica Hsuan - Dicey Business
4. Tavia Yeung - Dicey Business
5. Michelle Yim - The Brink Of Law
6. Shirley Yeung - The Brink Of Law
7. Myolie Wu - War And Destiny
8. Lee Sze Kei - Heart Of Greed
9. Susanna Kwan - Heart Of Greed
10. Linda Chung - Heart Of Greed
11. Sheren Tang - Family Link
12. Kiki Sheung - Family Link
13. Sonija Kwok - On The First Beat
14. Christine Ng - The Green Grass Of Home
15. Sharon Chan - Devil’s Disciples
16. Bernice Liu - Steps
17. Kate Tsui - Steps
18. Cecilia Yip - Men Don’t Cry
19. Yoyo Mung - The Ultimate Crime Fighter
20. Gigi Lai - The Ultimate Crime Fighter

I don't see how you can give someone an award based on a show that has only aired halfway through, so I hope neither Yoyo or Gigi gets the award, as good as the Ultimate Crime Fighter might be. I have nothing against them, but I just really never saw the point of letting half a show be contested. It's like letting half a song win a Grammy Award. I'm actually rather surprised that Kate, although showing improvement, was nominated over Esther Kwan.

My favourites?

Jessica Hsuan - Dicey Business, Tavia Yeung - Dicey Business, Michelle Yim - The Brink Of Law, Lee Sze Kei - Heart Of Greed, Susanna Kwan - Heart Of Greed, Bernice Liu - Steps

Bernice has no chance whatsoever of winning Best Actress, but she's just a personal favourite of mine. Tavia did fantastic in Dicey Business, the role which changed her career and her life, but unfortunately she's up against such big guns. Jessica was great as usual. But...

Who I think should win?

I actually really want Michelle Yim to win. She was brilliant in Brink of Law as the cunning Sung Kam Chi - her glare practically shot daggers. And later, she was awesome in a complete 180 as the strong, yet worldly Auntie Lei in Heart of Greed. However, Susanna Kwan was also exceptional in Heart of Greed as the greedy Wong Sau Kam. I honestly wanted to slap her; that's just how good she was. I also heard she was the complete opposite in Glittering Days, but still as convincing. I must be one of the few who is rooting for Susanna over Lee Sze Kei.

Who I think will win?

The press is making it a showdown between Lee Sze Kei and Susanna Kwan and I think it's going to Lee Sze Kei. Her status at TVB gives her a huge edge over Susanna and it's obvious everybody respects her a lot. She did a good job, but it's just that I felt more emotion from the other two veterans.

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Best Supporting Actor

1. Paul Chun – Glittering Days
2. Benz Hui – Dicey Business
3. Power Chan – The Conquest
4. Ngoh Wah – The Brink Of Law
5. Law Lok Lam – The Brink Of Law
6. Jack Wu – Ten Brothers
7. Chui Wing – Best Selling Secrets
8. Wong Cho Lam - Best Selling Secrets
9. Stephen Au - Best Selling Secrets
10. Lau Dan – War And Destiny
11. Sek Sau – War And Destiny
12. Evergreen Mak – Life Art
13. Chris Lai – Heart Of Greed
14. Louis Yuen – Heart Of Greed
15. Kenneth Ma – Family Link
16. Derek Kwok – Family Link
17. Al Wei – Family Link
18. Johnson Lee - Devil's Disciples
19. Ng Wai Kwok – Drive Of Life
20. Bryan Leung – The Ultimate Crime Fighter

I don't know about you, but I actually don't think Ngoh Wah or Ng Wai Kwok did very good jobs. I actually felt like fast-forwarding through their scenes and am not a fan of either of their performances. Again, I wish Wayne was nominated in this category instead. He'd get my vote, hands down. I'm actually surprised Chris Lai was nominated. Bosco, in my opinion was more supporting actor in Heart of Greed rather than lead, and should have been nominated instead of Chris. Didn't watch The Conquest, but heard Power Chan did awesome as he usually does.

My favourites?

Benz Hui - Dicey Business, Law Lok Lam – The Brink Of Law, Wong Cho Lam - Best Selling Secrets, Louis Yuen – Heart Of Greed, Derek Kwok – Family Link

I've only watched clips of Best Selling Secrets, but if his performance in Heavenly In-Laws is anything to go by, I hope Wong Cho Lam is in the top five. His deadpan expressions just crack me up. I thought Law Lok Lam was likeable in his role in Brink of Law, but probably not enough for TVB to put him in the final five. Didn't watch Family Link, but it's about damn time the underrated Derek Kwok is recognised for something that he does.

Who I think should win?

I've always loved watching Benz Hui but his role in Dicey Business brought it to a whole new dimension for me. He was just classic in his sidekick, camp-ish role in Dicey Business. He was so loveable and while I felt his character's death was necessary for the plot, that didn't stop me from crying when he died because it was such a shame. Every 'Honey' and 'Baby' he uttered while referring to Michael and Bobby made me giggle.

Who I think will win?

I think it's between Louis Yuen and Benz Hui, but Benz to prevail in the end.

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Best Supporting Actress

1. Halina Tam - Glittering Days
2. Yoyo Chen - Best Selling Secrets
3. Mimi Lo - The Change Of Destiny
4. Leila Tong - Family Link
5. Florence Kwok - On The First Beat
6. Gigi Wong - Drive Of Life
7. Toby Leung - Drive Of Life
8. Mary Hon Ma Li - Fathers And Sons
9. Fala Chen - Steps
10. Claire Yiu - Steps
11. Charmaine Li -Men Don’t Cry
12. Natalie Tong - The Ultimate Crime Fighter

Yoyo Chen, Charmaine Li, Toby Leung and Natalie Tong? I hope they don't pull a Shirley Yeung and take home this year's Best Supporting Actress. They're still too young and still too new at TVB. I do like Yoyo and Natalie, but maybe in five year's time it'll be their time?

Oh and also, why are there so many more Best Supporting Actor nominations than there are Best Supporting Actress? How...sexist. Lol.

My favourites?

Leila Tong - Family Link, Florence Kwok - On the First Beat, Mary Hon - Fathers and Sons, Claire Yiu - Steps

I didn't watch Leila and Florence in their respective nominated roles, but I like them both and think they deserve to win something. Sadly, it's been awhile since TVB made good deserving choices, so I don't know. Hopefully they prove me wrong this year.

Who I think should win?

Goodness, for some reason, this feels even tougher than the Best Actress Award. Lol. Claire Yiu did a great job, I felt. It's the first time I've connected with her on-screen. Her Yau Lam Lam was very simple, yet likeable. Mary Hon has always been fabulous in every role she plays. She's been a very dependable supporting actress throughout the years and can always be counted upon for solid performances. My vote goes to either one of them.

Who I think will win?

For some reason, I think it's going to be Gigi Wong. Just a random prediction.

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I've never been very good at predictions but that was just for a bit of fun. We'll see if my luck has gotten any better over the years! Haha. Second half of the nominations and my picks coming up another day.

[You've seen my picks - now why don't you tell me yours? Remember to vote in the 1st Annual "Glaze-Over of TVB" Awards by clicking HERE.]

The #1 Annual "Glaze-Over of TVB" Awards - The Nominations!

What is the Annual "Glaze-Over of TVB" Awards, and why should I vote?

The Annual "Glaze-Over of TVB" Awards is this blog's version of the TVB Anniversary Awards. It has all the same categories as the TVB Anniversary Awards, plus an added number of equally deserving nominees. Here, we break all the TVB rules - not only do we have the usual categories, but we have fun, just-for-laughs categories as well. Where else are you going to find a "Most Annoying Character" Award?

Furthermore, these awards take into account all the series that viewers have seen through the year, be it on TV or from the Internet. Yes, this means that series that have been released "overseas" are eligible as well!

Every year, fans are allowed to vote for the TVB Anniversary Awards, but the final result is "decided" upon by TVB. The Annual "Glaze-Over of TVB" Awards are your chance to have your say as the final results as based solely on your votes and nothing else.

How do I vote?

Easy! Simply look over the list of nominations below for the various categories, and choose your favourites. Then, open up your email, copy and paste the below categories into the email and fill in your favourites! Be sure to specify the series the person you're voting for was in because some of them are nominated for multiple series. Send the email to tvbglazedover@gmail.com, and leave the rest to me. In the meantime, feel free to tell all your friends to vote! Yes, it's that easy.

Best Actor (max. 3 votes):
Best Actress (max. 3 votes):
Best Supporting Actor (max. 3 votes):
Best Supporting Actress (max. 3 votes):
Most Improved Actor (max. 2 votes):
Most Improved Actress (max. 2 votes):
Most Favourite Male Character (max. 5 votes):
Most Favourite Female Character (max. 5 votes):
Best Romantic Partnership (max. 5 votes):
Best Non-Romantic Partnership (max. 3 votes):
Best Father Figure (max. 3 votes):
Best Mother Figure (max. 3 votes):
Best Villain (max. 2 votes):
Most Annoying Character (max. 2 votes):
The "Ick Factor" Award (max. 2 votes):
The Best Kiss Award (max. 2 votes):
The "I-Wanted-More-of-Them" Award (max. 2 votes):
My Favourite Ensemble Award (max. 2 votes):
Best Ending Award (max. 2 votes):
Most Atrocious Hairstyle Award (max. 2 votes):
My Favourite Cameo Appearance (max. 2 votes):
My Favourite Sing-Along Theme Song (max. 3 votes):
Best Poster (max. 2 votes):
Best Series (max. 2 votes):

How many times can I vote?

You should only send in one e-mail with all your votes in it, but in each category, you can vote for more than one person. The maximum number of votes you may cast in one category are denoted above.

You didn't nominate one of my favourites. Can I still vote for him/her?

A Glaze-Over of TVB did not watch all of the series above, and hence, cannot make an objective judgement on who should be best nominated from those series it did not watch. However, after initial research done and opinions by other fellow fans, it has tried to come up with the best list of nominees for the major categories, i.e. Best Actor/Actress, Supporting and Most Improved categories.

In fact, there are four categories with no nominees, and this is where you come in with your opinions and choices!

If you still really feel like a deserving actor/actress has been left out, these awards are flexible. Do let me know who I have left out, and why you feel like he/she deserves a nomination and he/she just might be added to the nominations. There also will be some categories where you are encouraged to nominate your own favourites; this will be stated under the category explanations below.

Can I only vote in some categories?

The answer is, yes, of course! As said before, these awards are flexible and you can vote for only the categories you wish and just simply leaving the other fields blank.

How long do I have to vote?

Of course, it would be best if you could submit your vote as soon as possible so that A Glaze-Over of TVB could start on the tabulation early. However, voting closes on the 17th of November, 2007. All votes received after then are void. The results will tentatively be released a week later, on the 24th of November, 2007.

Who are the nominees?

The Best Actor/Actress Award - The name says it all. Cast your votes for the man & woman whom you think did the best job in a leading role.

The Best Supporting Actor/Actress Awards - Often overlooked by many for the success of the series, it is the time to give these talented actors and actress in a supporting role some love.




The Most Improved Actor/Actress Awards (left out earlier; thanks Shirley for pointing it out) - The guy and the girl who has caught your eye for improving the most throughout the previous year - who will it be?




My Favourite Male/Female Character Awards (also left out earlier, thanks to Shirley once again for noticing it!): Every year there are some characters that catch your eye. It may be the way the character was written, or the way the character was fleshed out by the actor/actress themselves that make them your favourites. But, they make you laugh and cry with them; hope and have faith with them; root for them because there's just that special something about them.

If you have already voted but left out these four categories because of my blur-ness, feel free to send me another email with your votes for these categories! :)





Best Romantic/Non-Romantic Partnership Awards: A Glaze-Over of TVB brings back the 'crowd favourite award' that has been abolished by TVB. Vote for the partnerships you feel bring the most sizzle and chemistry to your screen, so much that you actually believed it was real.




Best Father/Mother Figure Award: Ah, parental figures. Where would we be without them? Vote for your favourite TVB fathers and mothers in this category. Not only are actual mothers and fathers nominated, but brothers and sisters who assume parental roles are nominated too!




The Best Villain Award: These are the people who make evil and conniving look so delicious. They are convincing, they do hell of a good job, and you have to admit, the series wouldn't have been such a gripping watch, if not for their presence.
(My apologies - Kwok Fung should have been nominated for Dicey Business, and not Heart of Greed, as it says in the list above. Forgive the typo.)



Most Annoying Character Award: How many times have you watched a TVB series and felt like reaching through your screen to award a character a slap simply just because he/she was so annoying?




The Most Atrocious Hairstyle Award: Everybody's a director when it comes to TVB, and certainly, everyone's a stylist when it comes to TVB. How many times have you watched a series, and think to youself, "Gosh, I would have done things differently!" Pick out the hairstyle you have wanted to change the most for these characters.
(Note: Power Chan is nominated for his incredibly awful wig in the early stages of DOL.)

My Favourite Cameo Appearance Award: Some actors and actresses appear for only a few episodes in a series to make a cameo. There were plenty throughout the year, but which ones brightened up the series and were your favourites? Feel free to nominate your own favourite cameos for this category.




The 'Ick Factor' Award: The name says it all, vote for the moment you felt make your stomach squirm the most. Feel free to nominate other moments you felt disgusted by in this category.

Additional nomination for The 'Ick' Factor - Chan Hung Lit trying to seduce Kam Yin Ling by reliving the old file (Best Selling Secrets) - thanks cF!




The Best Kiss Award: Nominate your favourite kisses for this award. It could be a simple peck on the cheek from son to father, a sweet smooch in a romantic setting or an intense kiss filled with passion. TVB has become more generous with their kissing scenes these days, so there's a huge pool for you to take your pick from!

The "I-Wanted-More-of-Them" Award: Time and time again you watch a series and wished that there would be more scenes of a certain someone, or a certain partnership. These people don't have large enough roles to be considered supporting, but yet, the series wouldn't feel the same without them because they steal almost every scene they are in.

The Best Ending Award: TVB is infamous for having perfectly fine series end on a stupid, contrived note. This award is for you to honour the best ending in a TVB series. It could a happy ending, an ending where the villains got their 'just desserts' or even a bittersweet ending, if that floats your boat. It's entirely up to you!

The My Favourite Ensemble Award: Many a time would you decide to watch a series only because you like one of the actors/actresses in it and nobody else. This here is a chance for you to vote for your favourite ensemble in a series. Which group of actors and actresses from a series collectively made it on your favourite list? (Note: You are voting for a series cast as a whole e.g. the entire Heart of Greed cast, Best Selling Secrets cast, etc.)





My Favourite Sing-Along Theme Song Award: I'm pretty sure this one needs no introduction. The themes are such a big part of the series that every time you hear it, you just immediately think of the series. Vote for your favourites!

The Best Poster Award: Vote for the poster you felt was most creative, most beautiful, the poster that reflected the mood and story of the series the best.

The Best Series Award: Simple - which one was your favourite of the year?

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If there are any other questions, do leave a comment on the tag-board, or in the comments to this post. You could also send an email to tvbglazedover@gmail.com! The person behind this blog is extremely friendly and doesn't bite, so feel free to ask away! Remember, to spread the news and tell everyone to vote, vote, vote! :) A Glaze-Over of TVB will be waiting for those emails, then!

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Video Spotlight; #2

Heart of Greed, Initial-D style

Note: Possible spoilers for it contains a pivotal scene in the Heart of Greed finale. Don't watch if you're spoiler-free!

Just thought I'd share this video I stumbled across that day. I think the title up there kinda says it all; you have to watch it to know what I mean! Just a short video, good for a few laughs. Enjoy!


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P/S: Wow, just realised that this blog has hit the 2000-visitor mark. Rather amazing, considering I wasn't even sure if I would be any good at this whole blogging thing. Thank you to everyone who comes here for all your kind comments and support! :)

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Heart of Greed - At First Glance

I know I said that part 2 of the foreword would be next, but I fully blame it on the addictiveness of TVB. Three words:

Heart. Of. Greed.

So, finally, after so much hype and news about this series, I've finally started to give it a go. I had the first twenty episodes in my hard drive, but I refused to start watching because just from its opening theme, you can tell it's one of those series you just have to continue watching and watching...and watching. Yesterday, I finally got the complete series from a friend of mine, and have been hooked every since.

I enjoyed Brink of Law and Dicey Business, but just after watching nine episodes, I think Heart of Greed is going to trump them both. Why?


In my opinion, this has got to be one of the best family ensembles that TVB has put together in recent years that I've seen. (Other notable mention could possible be the Virtues of Harmony cast, but I didn't watch that, so this is it for me) If you asked me, I could not think of a better actor to play anyone of the roles. The chemistry is apparent between each and every member, and it is believable. The heart-warming moments are a joy to watch, and the rifts keep me glued to the screen. Kudos, TVB.


Lee Sze Kei as Ling Hao/Dai Kai
The voice of reason within the family, is a perfect role for Lee Sze Kei's comeback. She did it so well in Kindred Spirit, and here she is again, only this time the difference between Dai Kai and Kindred Spirit's Sin Yee, is that Dai Kai is more worldly and the animosity between family members that she has to deal with is on a larger, more dramatic scale than that of Sin Yee's.



Ha Yue as Tong Yan Kai/Tai Bao
So far, in the other comedy series I've seen him in, Ha Yue tends to overact, but here, it actually works in this series and with the script he's been given. Tong Yan Kai is just a man, with a simple wish- for this family to live harmoniously under one roof. He enjoys the simple pleasures in life, and of course, the occasional abalone. But it's never so simple, is it? Ha Yue plays Tong Yan Kai, the pushover husband and father so well, that when in the rare moments that Tai Bao actually explodes in anger at his family, it's great to watch.



Michelle Yim Mai Shuet as Ling Lei/Lei Yee
I watched Michelle Yim in the 'Tai Nui Fa' drama ages ago with my mother and I felt she was much a better Princess Cheung Ping than Charmaine Sheh was in Perish in the Name of Love. I also remember her in a long-running comedy whose name eludes me now, but it also starred Waise Lee, and had characters named "Wah Di". Can anyone remember that? But anyway, back to the point, Michelle has been one of my favourite veterans since. She was magnificent as Sung Kam Chi in Brink of Law, and I was afraid that she would play the same role again (because let's face it, every drama like this one here needs a villain). But she didn't, and her Ling Lei is a joy to watch. Ling Lei is strong, straightforward, capable and caring on the outside, but already from the beginning, you can tell that that's not all there is to her. She is a character with many layers and possibly an unexpected history, and Michelle brings that to life. A lesser actress definitely couldn't.



Susanna Kwan as Wong Sau Kam/Sai Kai
Wow. I've never watched Glittering Days, so this is the first time I'm seeing her in action. A very effective villain. I judge how good villainous acting is by how much you feel hatred for that character that is being played, and Susanna has got it in the bag, because I can't stand Wong Sau Kam, for her greed and her jealousy. Sai Kai has plenty of pointed lines, in which the words are masked knives, and Susanna does them all with conviction. She plays a woman scorned very well. Brilliant. I enjoyed the fighting scenes between her and Michelle when Sai Kai and Ah Lei were at odds. The chemistry was so apparent.



Moses Chan Ho as Tong Chi On/Dak Dak Dei/Sai Bao
I must say, I never envisioned Moses in a role like this when I heard about it. But now, when I watch the series, and I see how perfectly he immerses himself in Sai Bao's character, I simply cannot think of anyone else. I've always said Moses was a brilliant comedic actor, and this series further cements that. He's made me laugh like a lunatic so many times just in the first nine episodes (my housemate thought I was going a little insane, lol) and I'm sure there's more to come. All his scenes are a joy to watch; with every member of the Tong family, Sheung Joi Sum, even the Filipino woman who was teaching him to sing!



Bosco Wong Chung Chak as Tong Chi Yat/Gilbert/Gil Gil
Can I just first say that I love this look for Bosco? He looks every bit like what you would imagine the MBA-holding son of a rich family would look like. So far, I haven't seen any of the wooden acting that everyone's been complaining about, but that could be because the first nine episodes have been pretty comedic thus far. Even when the women are at odds with one another, the three Tong boys have been trying to add humour to the situation to solve things. The few dramatic scenes he's had have been with Tavia, and I found those great. They've been acting together long enough, so there's none of that inconsistent chemistry with the both of them.



Chris Lai Lok Yi as Tong Chi Foon
I know I've said this a lot of times, but here it is another time- I cannot picture a better actor for this job. Heart of Greed succeeds because the producer understood the acting capacity of each actor and casted them appropriately. Chris is not by any means the best young actor on the block, but what he can do is perfect for the character of Chi Foon. Chi Foon is your average university student- he just wants to have fun... and pass all his units at school; not having his mother at odds with the rest of the family. Chris Lai does the unaffected young adult well.



Fala Chen as Tong Chi Yan
Again, I have to commend the casting. I can only think of one other actress who would have suited this role- Natalie Tong, which I really like. But Natalie has played the youngest sister so many times, that she could do it in her sleep. Casting Fala was a wise choice, because the audience has seen Natalie so many times. Fala is a breath of fresh air, and again, does the whole unaffected teenager thing very well. I have to admit though, she such a rumour magnet, but if you ignore all that and just watch her, she's very pleasant to watch as Ah Yan. Yet another thumbs up for the casting. This is a great break for both her and Chris Lai.



Linda Chung as Sheung Joi Sum
First of, a completely random thought; I really like her character's name in this series, and the way they keep on saying it in whole, hee. As for Linda, I've never been a fan. I saw bits of Always Ready and The Bitter Bitten, and she didn't impress me. However, she has most definitely improved since then. Her acting in Heart of Greed is better and her role is of more substance. This year would be a great year for her to win Most Improved Actress instead of last year, IMO. I still don't see any semblance of romantic chemistry between her and Moses, but, I think she's a great choice for this role.



Tavia Yeung as Cheuk Man Lei/Jackie
I haven't seen much of Tavia, but what I've seen, I've liked. You can already tell that there's a bit of a stubborn streak in her character, judging by her actions. That scene the screencap is from, between her and Bosco was so bittersweet and angsty, but very well done by the both of them. Tavia's also come a long way in her crying since Golden Faith where she ran down the street wailing. She's managed to master the art of crying beautifully, which not a lot of actresses can do. Again, great casting.



Yoyo Mung Kar Wai as Shui Mak Mak
That's a truly awful name; someone please tell me it's just her nickname and not her birth name? Because I would be really annoyed at my parents if it were me, hah. This is the first I've seen Yoyo in such an independent, extroverted, sexy character. I've always seen her in more subdued roles, so this is a nice change. I liked her in Burning Flame II but since then she's neither been a like or dislike for me, but it's a nice change to see her playing a character like this. TVB needs to mix it up more often like this.



Raymond Lam as Alfred
Yes, that's the only glimpse of him that's in the first nine episodes, save for the opening credits. Incredibly sad, isn't it? I've been told that his scenes with Linda are adorable, and I really want to watch those. That aside, Raymond always, always delivers a solid performance and this should be no exception. It'll be interesting to watch him act as a two-timing ass.


Louis Yuen as Ling Bo/Kau Fu Bo
Couldn't find a screencap of him, unfortunately. As always, Louis Yuen is a great reliable supporting character. He is so annoying and irritating as Ah Bo, that you know it's great acting, like I said about Susanna above. Again, great selection of actor (are you getting bored with me saying this yet?); I read from Lavendar_Bluez that it was initially supposed to be the equally formidable Wayne Lai in this role, but I think Louis Yuen would have been better, because the audience has gotten so used to him in his long-running part in Virtues of Harmony and this would be an intriguing change.



Again, I love the family camaraderie these actors share as a family. It's obvious that they all get along in real life, and I love how that transpires onto film. It's a joy to watch, and I might be saying this too early with Drive of Life and Jewel's Splendour not even out yet, but I feel that at least one or two from this cast deserve an award at this year's TVB Awards. But then again, who knows? TVB loves to spring us surprises during its awards ceremony, and I don't mean that in a good way.

Also, the script is great. That's another huge aspect as to why I'm enjoying it so much. It is smart, has heart and is witty. There's a difference between lame humour and wit, and thankfully, it is the latter that is apparent here.


What do you think? Is all the buzz from watching the first few episodes getting to me? Do you agree with the casting choices in Heart of Greed? Come on, don't keep quiet like the picture above (which I love, btw).

Oh, but no spoilers, please! Don't ruin the ending for me!

P/S: All the wonderful screencaps courtesy of the lovely K for TVB. Visit her site for more insightful recaps of Heart of Greed!