My Better Half

I didn't have any expectations for MBH but I thought it couldn't be too bad because the cast was pretty good and this is Maggie Cheung's comeback drama. MBH started out okay and it made me laugh at some scenes but as a drama overall, it failed to be good or memorable. I didn't really care for the plot or the characters and I only finished this because I already have the whole drama so I thought might as well try to finish it, it was something for me to do while I train in "Final Fantasy III" on the Nintendo DS, and I really wanted to see Maggie onscreen since I haven't seen her since "War and Beauty" (I have only seen parts of The Conqueror's Story"). MBH was too repetitive and redundant since the problems/misunderstandings were annoying to watch after awhile.

Maggie Cheung: She was fun to watch in here as the mean wife in the beginning but I didn't care for her too much after she had a miscarriage. I felt this role was a waste for Maggie since she could do a lot better; her talents were wasted in here. 4****

Michael Miu: A very sweet but extremely unrealistic husband. Michael did a good job with what he was given. 4****

Michael Tse: A sort of interesting character and he really fits the character of a perverted playboy. 4****

Teresa Lee: She was good in here; one of her better roles so far. 4****

Mandy Cho: I find her to be so pretty in here but her character wasn't that great. 4****

Derek Kwok: His character was pretty funny as a supporting role; he achieved what his character was supposed to be. 4****

Mimi Lo: Not a very important character but she's always a joy to watch. 4****

Jamie Chik: I love how she had a guest star role in here; so random but it was nice seeing her onscreen with her husband, Michael Miu. 3***

Maggie+Michael Miu: They were not a bad couple and actually look really cute together. 4****

Maggie+Zac Koo: I wouldn't really call them a couple but Zac really does look like the younger version of Michael Miu. 1*

Michael Tse+Teresa: They were okay in here. 3***

Michael Tse+Mandy: Another drama in which Mandy loses Michael to another woman...is this going to be a trend from now on? 3***

Derek+Mimi: 4****

Themesong by Michael Miu and Michael Tse: 2**

Rating: 2**

The Season of Fate

TSOF had a great cast, lovable characters, and an okay plot. The plot was not as bad as everybody else made it to be; although I have to admit that it was pretty slow and draggy. TSOF is also Esther Kwan's second comeback drama after "Best Selling Secrets".

Esther Kwan: I love her in here and her character was so pitiable. After watching her in here, I remembered how much I love watching her act; Esther is a fantastic actress. 5*****

Roger Kwok: His character was lovable even though he was a con artist and selfish at times. I love Roger and he never disappoints in any dramas he's in. 5*****

Derek Kwok: I love him in here! Derek is such a fantastic actor since he was so believable as a feminine eunuch. I felt so bad for him since he never does get the love of his life even though it was understandable why he didn't. 5*****

Michelle Yim: She was so great as a "teenager"! I can't believe a 54-year-old actress can portray a "teenager" so well; this is evidence that Michelle is a fantastic actress! She was cute as a "teenager" in here and I wished she was like this the whole time since she became "mean" when she acted her "age". 5*****

Ng Wai Kwok: I have only seen him portrayed as a good person so it was a nice change in here. He was convincing as a man with two faces. 5*****

Oscar Leung: I think this is Oscar's largest role to date and he did a good job; although I don't think he's ready for the leading role yet. 3***

Vivien Yeo: She was okay in here; I am pretty indifferent towards her character. 3***

Elena Kong: Another ATV-turned-TVB actress and Elena was okay in here; her role wasn't large enough for me to see her acting skills. 3***

Regen Cheung: She was cute but she still needs improvements. 3***

Mimi Lo: I like the change of character for Mimi in here. I wished she had a larger role though. 4****

Esther+Roger: They were adorable in here. 4****

Esther+Derek: A part of me wanted them to end up together but I think I liked Esther with Roger a little bit better. 4****

Esther+Roger+Derek: A great love triangle and I think this can be on par with Tavia Yeung, Steven Ma, and Raymond Wong's love triangle in "Sweetness in the Salt". I also had a hard time choosing which person Esther should end up. 5*****

Esther+Savio Tsang: There were barely any scenes between them. 1*

Michelle+Savio Tsang: There were also barely any scenes between them but from the flashbacks and stories, they seem nice together. 2**

Ng Wai Kwok+Elena: They don't really act like husband and wife most of the time. It might be because of Elena's limited screen time. 2**

Ng Wai Kwok+Mimi: I don't see why Mimi's character was so madly in love with Ng Wai Kwok's character. 1*

Oscar+Vivien: They were okay. I felt like Vivien was Oscar's older sister even though Oscar is older than her in real life. 3***

Michelle+Ng Wai Kwok: They were nice as "brother and sister" but that was really it. 2**

Michelle+Roger: They actually looked okay together. 2**

Themesong by Michael Tse: I didn't know Michael was a singer and dancer before he became a actor (this makes a lot of sense on why he likes to dance so much in his dramas...) so I was surprised when I found out this was sung by him. I love this song a lot and it's one of my favorite themesongs this year so far. 5*****

Rating: 4****

The Beauty of the Game

I had pretty high expectations for TBOTG since it revolves around the Hong Kong entertainment industry, its secrets, and its drama. There are mixed reviews around TBOTG and for the most part, I thought it was enjoyable to watch. Although the plot, the casting, and the production could have been better, it was still a decent TVB drama.

Christine Ng: She looks great in here; she doesn't seem to ever age! Even though her character was evil, I understood her actions and she was a delight to watch. She made this character extremely believable and she was what made this drama so addicting to watch. 5*****

Kate Tsui: If a better actress was to replace Kate, I think TBOTG would have been a lot better. Kate was annoying (I hated her huge hair clips!) and her acting was really stiff in here. Kate was passable when she became evil though so she was decent in the last half. 3***

Sharon Chan: Not a breakthrough role for Sharon yet but she was good for the most part. I thought she could have portrayed a better drug addict but she was good overall. I thought her character was more selfish than evil in here though. 4****

Kingdom Yuen: She looks pretty and mature in here. Her acting never disappoints so she was a joy to watch in here. 5*****

Chris Lai: His acting was pretty decent in here, but it's probably because his character is adorable so it's pretty easy to portray. This is probably Chris's best role to date for me. 3***

Stephen Huynh: He was good in here but he didn't have to show many emotions so I'm still not too sure about his acting. 3***

Wong Cho Lam: His character served as a comic relief, but it took me awhile to get used to him though since I thought his character was annoying and useless in the beginning. He's really good at comedies though. 4****

Mimi Lo: She's adorable in here but her character wasn't too developed. 4****

Christine+Henry Yue: I don't really know why Christine's character loves him so much since I thought she was only with him because of money. 2**

Christine+Evergreen Mak: 2**

Kate+Chris: They don't have any chemistry together and they were better suited as friends. 2**

Kate+Wong Cho Lam: A random and funny couple. 1*

Sharon+Chris: My favorite couple in here and I'm glad they got their happy ending. 4****

Sharon+Stephen: They don't look bad together but their relationship was so messed up. 3***

Wong Cho Lam+Mimi: They are such a random couple since it seems like they hooked up only because there were nobody else for them. 1*

Themesong by Denise Ho: 5*****

Rating: 4****

D.I.E. Again

I thought the first one was overrated since it was only an okay drama, but the second one was surprising pretty good. It's probably because I didn't get my hopes up this time around, but I thought the cases were slightly better since although it was still predictable on who the bad guys were, the process of getting there was interesting. I also like the addition of some of the new cast (Macy Chan, Him Law, and Zac Koo). However, I don't get why TVB made a big deal that Roger Kwok and Sonija Kwok's baby would have a big role in here though because the baby wasn't all that important until the end. Also, the last case was really similar to the "Saw" series; maybe it was supposed to be a parody?

Roger Kwok: I love Roger in here since his character is so cute and smart! It was kind of random that there was no explanation for how he didn't died in the first one though since I didn't get to watch the alternative ending. 5*****

Sonija Kwok: She was slightly less annoying in here since I grew to like her stubborn and impulsive nature. Her constant chasing of Wong Ching was also hilarious. 4****

Derek Kwok: His character is sweet so it was sad that he couldn't end up with Margie Tsang. 5*****

Nancy Wu: Her haircut was really ugly in here but she was good. 4****

Mimi Lo: Her character is hilarious in here! I wished she had more screen time though. 5*****

Stephen Huynh: He looks really good in here and I like the chemistry he has with Mimi. 4****

Macy Chan: Her character reminded me a lot of her character in "Forensic Heroes II"; it was cute but too repetitive. 3***

Him Law: This is the first time I have seen him act and he's pretty good. He's pretty cute and funny. 3***

Rain Lau: She's always a great actress! 5*****

Kitty Yuen: Her character was interesting in here. I didn't like her too much in the first one but she was interesting to watch in here. 3***

Zac Koo: His character cracked me up with his vanity. This is also the first time I have seen him act and he was pretty good. He reminds me so much of Michael Miu when he was young though! 3***

Jessie Shum: She portrayed the icy, but has a hidden "wild" side, forensic scientist well. Her character was underdeveloped though; I thought she was going to be the love interest for either Roger or Stephen. 3***

Roger+Sonija: Their characters are still cute together. 4****

Roger+Anita Chan: Their teenage love was cute. 3***

Derek+Nancy: I like Derek and Margie better but Derek and Nancy were surprising not too bad as a couple. 3***

Nancy+Edwin: They look better as a couple in terms of looks but there weren't really any chemistry. 2**

Mimi+Stephen: I really like them together and it was cute watching their married life. 4****

Macy+Him: I'm assuming they ended up together since it wasn't too clear. They're really cute together too. 4****

Macy+Zac: I like Macy with Him better but they were not bad together either. 3***

Themesong by Roger Kwok: It's pretty much just the remix of the first one. 3***

Rating: 4**** A lot better than the first one but too bad it's underrated.

Lady Fan

An interesting drama in the first half but LF got draggy in the second half.

Jessica Hsuan: 5*****

Joe Ma: 3***

Power Chan: 4****

Cherie Kong: 2**

Mimi Lo: 3***

Jessica+Joe: 2**

Joe+Cherie: 1*

Power+Mimi: 5*****

Themesong by Candy Lo: 5*****

Rating: 2**

A Handful Of Love

I watched this purely for Jessica Hsuan but even Jessica couldn't save AHOL since the plot was weak and draggy.

Jessica Hsuan: 4****

Joe Ma: 3***

Mimi Lo: 3***

Don Li: 2**

Jessica+Joe: I hate this pairing and can't believe that they were also a couple in "The Drive of Life". 1*

Joe+Mimi: 1*

Themesong by Don Li: 3***

Rating: 1*

Lofty Waters Verdant Bow

This drama pretty much doesn't have a plot but the chemistry between Raymond Lam and Michelle Yip is excellent. It was pretty much boring besides the scenes between Raymond and Michelle. The ending pretty much saved this drama since it was touching and nicely developed.

Raymond Lam: This is pretty much my least favorite character portrayed by Raymond since he was so clueless on who he loves until the very end. 4****

Michelle Yip: A breakthrough role for Michelle since she was the star of LWVB. 5*****

Rain Li: She was okay in the beginning but as the drama progresses, she got worse and worse. 1*

Mimi Lo: She was so funny with Power Chan in here. 5*****

Raymond+Michelle: 5*****

Raymond+Rain: 1*

Mimi+Power: They became a real-life couple after this. 5*****

Themesong by Raymond Lam: 5*****

Rating: 3*** Watch this only if you like Raymond and Michelle as a couple.

Lethal Weapons of Love and Passion

I was so excited to watch this drama but it was kind of a disappointment after I finished watching it since it was so boring in some scenes. Nevertheless, it was watchable because of Raymond Lam since his role was so complex because he's not the normal hero.

Raymond Lam: 5*****

Bosco Wong: 5*****

Charmaine Sheh: I was so bored with her character that I didn't really care that much about her. 4****

Sonija Kwok: She was pretty boring too but her scenes with Derek Kwok were watchable. 3***

Sharon Chan: 4****

Mimi Lo: She looks so pretty in here. 4****

Raymond+Charmaine: I don't like this couple at all since I find them mismatched together...they were a little bit better in The Drive of Life. 1*

Raymond+Sonija: What was TVB thinking...and I never understood why Raymond loved Sonija so much. 1*

Bosco+Sharon: They were so cute and funny together. 4****

Sonija+Derek Kwok: 3***

Mimi+Power Chan: 4****

Themesong by Raymond Lam: 5*****

Rating: 2.5** Watch this only if you're a Raymond Lam fan...

Blade Heart

A lot of people don't like this drama but I thought it wasn't too bad. The first half is a lot better than the second half since it ended with a lot of unanswered questions.

Adam Cheng: Brilliant as always. 5*****

Liza Wang: I like her in here since she was a clever woman. 5*****

Raymond: I felt so sad for his character since he went through so many hardships. 5*****

Mimi Lo: I really like her in here but her character was pitiful. 5*****

Shirley Yeung: Her character was extremely pitiful since she died and the love of her life was her half-brother. Shirley was really likable in here. 4****

Adam+Liza: They always make a good couple but it was sad that they didn't end up together at the end. 5*****

Raymond+Mimi: They were cute but it was really sad that Raymond didn't realize he loves Mimi until near the ending. 4****

Raymond+Shirley: I really wanted them to end up together but sadly, they're related. 4****

Themesong by Adam Cheng: A good song. 4****

Rating: 3*** The second half and the ending could have been better.

D.I.E.

After hearing so many great reviews for this, I was excited to watch this. Although a good drama, it didn't really appeal to me until the second half since the first half seem too ridiculous, Sonija Kwok's character was kind of annoying, and the cases were too easily solved by me. I do give TVB props for creating a surprising ending even if it wasn't a great one. This ending kind of reminded me of "To Catch the Uncatchable's" ending.

Roger Kwok: Roger never fails to disappoint me since he has excellent acting in every role he acts in. He also gets more cute and handsome as he ages. 5*****

Sonija Kwok: I have come to like Sonija's acting since she was convincing in here and I like how she's taking on different roles. I found her character annoying in the beginning but she's such a strong, independent woman that you can't really hate her. 4****

Kenneth Ma: Kenneth looks so handsome in here but his character is such a jerk for cheating. He does redeem himself at the end so he's more likable in here than in "The Master of Tai Chi". 3***

Margie Tsang: I am so glad she's acting again because she was an actress during the 1980's that I like. Although she's not as pretty as before, I like how she's natural and her acting was fantastic. 5*****

Mimi Lo: I love her character in here since she's so funny! She can be annoying in the beginning since she's obsessed with Roger but she gets better after she gives up on him. 4****

Roger+Sonija: I initially didn't like them together because Roger is too old for Sonija but their characters were cute together. Too bad it was a sad ending for them... 4****

Sonija+Kenneth: Sonija looks older than Kenneth even though I think they're about the same age in real life? They had cute scenes together but there wasn't enough chemistry between them. 3***

Kenneth+Queenie Chu: They look better as a couple but I don't think either one of them truly loved each other since their relationship formed because of lust and responsibility. 3***

Margie+Derek Kwok: Margie looked older than Derek but they were cute together. 4****

Mimi+Stephen Huynh: They were adorable together but I wished there were more scenes of them together and there should at least have been an explanation on how they hook up since it was out of nowhere that they became a couple. 4****

Themesong by Roger Kwok: I like the song but I think I would have like it even more if another singer sang it since Roger is a fantastic actor but not that great of a singer. 3***

Rating: 3*** I think I got my hopes up but I'm looking forward to the sequel.

A Change of Destiny

I was going to skip this too through to its weak cast but some people liked it so I decided to give it a try. It was an okay drama; nothing too special. Some of the scenes were boring.

Steven Ma: He was funny and he, along with Yuen Wah, saved this drama. 5*****

Benny Chan: Not a very likable role and I never knew when the turning point was for his evilness. I thought he did better in other roles. 3***

Shirley Yeung: One of her better roles and she's improving. 3***

Selena Li: A very pitiful character and she's improving too. 3***

Mimi Lo: I loved her character in the beginning but she became boring and annoying when she fell in love with Benny. 3***

Steven+Shirley: They were cute together but when did Steven started to love Shirley; it was out of nowhere. 4****

Benny+Selena: They were cute but I don't get what the rave was all about. 3***

Benny+Mimi: It was awkward, forced, and one-sided. 2**

Themesong by Steven Ma and Joel Chan: Very catching and nice to listen to. 5*****

Rating: 2** I would only watch it again for Steven and Yuen Wah.

Actresses Part I

Favorites:

1. Jessica Hsuan - this is sad but I don't even remember when I started to like Jessica since I watched so many of her dramas but I guess I starting to like her in the year 1999 with dramas like Detective Investigative Files IV, Game of Deceit, and Witness to Persecution.
   
2. Gigi Lai - I love Gigi in The Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber 2000.
   
3. Charmaine Sheh - Although I like Charmaine because of The Flying Fox of the Snowy Mountain 1999, I won't watch this drama again.
   
4. Leila Tong - I initially didn't like Leila because of her role in Square Pegs; however, she became one of my favorites after I watched The Legend of Love.
   
5. Michelle Yip - I love Michelle in Eternal Happiness and Lofty Water Verdant Bow but that's pretty much it. Although I hate to admit this, her later dramas are not as great except for Hero/World's Finest. I feel like she doesn't have the "spark" that she had in EH and LWVB. Maybe I just need to watch her newer works since I last seen Michelle in Central Affairs II and I wasn't too impressed.
   
6. Mimi Lo - I know Mimi is not really famous but she won me ever since I saw her in The Battle Against Evil. Although she's not as promoted as the other actresses, I always enjoy watching her on screen. Plus, she's really nice in real life.
   
7. Annie Man - I'm sad that Annie is not in dramas anymore since she's a really good actress, especially in Coincidentally.