EPISODE 29

This episode is the episode before a big thing that will happen that will shake the very core of this series, I think. Remember Bee Gees' famous song?



TRA-GE-DYYYYYY (high pitched voice please).



Anyway, continuation. Belle really didn't know how to answer Vincent's question: who is in her heart, who does her heart belong to?



So Belle couldn't think, Vincent became very irrittable and even did the unimaginable; he snapped at Coco who didn't know what was going on and she refused to talk to her brother since. Sam asked Belle "Is everything ok with you and Vincent?" after hearing Coco saying something wrong with Belle and Vincent. And suddenly Belle asked "Was my decision at Adelaide the right one?". Cue flashback just in case you forgot where Belle confronted Sam about their little misunderstanding on the eve before her wedding to Vincent and they both agreed that Vincent would be good for Belle and Belle chose Vincent in part because Sam refused to run away with her, in a way. Sam was shocked but there was no reply as Belle took back her question and hurriedly left. Then Zoe came and Zoe didn't know what was happening and happily chatting about their impending holiday together and Sam was like "What holiday?" and Zoe thought he was joking and then Sam said "I can't take leave right now" and Zoe was again utterly disappointed. Me too because then Sam went home and took out that book he bought in Japan and didn't give it to Belle and cue flashback again. Sam Sam Sam, like Belle didn't know a good thing even if the thing was in front of them. I am surprised Zoe stuck with Sam who is becoming almost a jerk for the way he avoided intimacy and therefore commitment with Zoe. It made Zoe looked desperate when that wasn't the case as it was Sam who was too slow mo about it all. Then Vincent appeared and Vincent in Sam's room wanted Sam to be honest with him but before he can say what he wanted to say, Sam was called out by Isaac. Then Vincent saw that book and Vincent was very upset and he left and Sam didn't know why.



Back home Vincent confronted Belle and asked that question again and frankly I thought Vincent could have been a bit more open minded about it all at first about the whole HIV secrecy issue and Sam the first one Belle told about the whole fear issue but when your wife tells you "I don't know" to your question who lies in your heart, what would you do?



Vincent was more than upset, he was angry. He was angry that he lost to Sam, he confessed that to his ex-girlfriend who rightly said "You knew that she loved Sam, you knew she still loved Sam when she married you, you knew you were in the losing end when you married her and why are you now complaining?" and Vincent said "I know, I know but I can't accept it!".



Vincent was still very angry with Sam and refused to talk to Sam (though it wasn't Sam's fault but rather Belle's fault) when Henry said Sam won the Most Outstanding Young Person award as nominated by Vincent himself and Vincent was asked to give a short speech. Vincent reluctantly went for that short interview, he was later and he looked very sulky. And then he looked into the camera for the longest of time before he said what I thought was the best scene tonight..



"I knew Sam since we were in primary school. I was at a field when I accidentally destroyed his paper plane but he wasn't even angry, he even taught me how to make better paper planes. We didn't really plan to become a pilot then. Sam was a good friend. I remember looking into his report card and his teacher wrote 2 words which best described him..compassionate and considerate. Indeed he was. He was the most giving friend, he was the most considerate friend to me. Even when things didn't go his way, he never let his emotions rule his heart. He had done more things for me than I could ever be willing to do for him. He was indeed a very good friend and I count myself fortunate to have Sam as a friend. This award may be for his ability, a recognition to the fact he is the 1st Chinese Captain. But to me this award is more a recognition for the man he is, for a friend he is and for the person he is. I am happy for him as he deserves this award and this recognition."



His speech, in a nutshell. It was a very emotional tribute and then suddenly Vincent has made his decision.



He met Belle at the beach and told Belle it was best they go through a separation first. Belle begged him not to and said "Remember this bracelet? Sam picked it up twice but YOU, it was you who picked it up for the 3rd time, you're the one for me" and Vincent told Belle in an exasperated way "I wasn't the one. Sam was the one, he asked me to give it back to you...so you see Sam is the one, your destined one...Sam was the first one you ran too when you were scared about the HIV thing, not me". And guess what Belle said? "I don't know..I don't knowwwwww". I was, to say the least very very irritated with Belle and her indecision. And in a way I was also very irritated with Vincent's inability to understand Sam was Belle's first love, perhaps her true love but she did love Vincent.



At this point I was interrupted by my sister who said "Vincent was right to do what he did, after all he loved Belle very much" and I was thinking how many people have the luck of marrying their one true love, the one they're totally crazy about instead of marrying someone you kinda loved and could spend the rest of your life with, without going through a divorce? Vincent was lucky he married the woman he totally love with all his heart but it was unfair to expect the same from Belle though it was fair for Vincent to expect Belle to answer "Yes, I love you" instead of "I don't knowwwww".



Anyway Vincent decided that was that and he didn't tell Coco but he hinted many many times. Belle was awfully quiet and Vincent will be flying to Rome soon on a long term basis. Belle asked "Will be still see each other when you come back?" and Vincent said "Leave it to fate" but in a nice way. And they still slept together and Vincent asked "Can I hold your hands for the last time?" and Belle nodded and she cried. This woman doesn't know a good thing and Vincent is slipping away fast!



Then Vincent went to see Sam and they were ok again.



Tomorrow Vincent will die. Get ready with your Kleenex. I thought I would be happy to see Joe Ma gone but after tonight's episode, I realise I will miss Vincent.



This episode is interesting on many levels. You can say tonight is all about Vincent. I think he was angry at first, but when he sat down for that interview, he realised perhaps he was the barrier between Sam and Belle. He realised that Sam did so many things for him, including letting Belle go that Vincent thought his friendship with Sam was far more important than petty anger. I think he wanted to give Sam and Belle the chance and even if they didn't make it, he knew he wasn't the cause. I think in this way Vincent was very giving and in some ways, as considerate and compassionate as Sam could be. But he still loved Belle and I guess this was his way of telling Belle to make up her mind. Tomorrow he shouted into the pay phone happily that "I understand, I finally understand Belle". I think he meant that he will finally accept the fact that Belle may not love him as much as he loved her but at least she did marry him for love, like his ex-girlfriend said. But the he will die and the biggest loser is Belle.



I like tonight's episode, as in the characterisation of Vincent and how he arrived at his ultimatum for Belle. I cheered of course; this woman must be punished for her indecision but he actually meant well. In that respect Joe Ma gave an above average performance, emoting the expected emotions but truly, never really dwelve deeper into Vincent's mind. I know I may be asking too much but I find Vincent a bit hot and cold sometimes. He is not very consistent sometimes and I see that as Joe Ma's problem, not Vincent. A better actor would have given Vincent more angst than petty jealousy and then the moment of truth, when Belle said I don't knowwww, a better actor may be able to portray the betrayal, the disbelief instead of just anger. I am sure you would feel a whole lot more emotions when you wife said I don't knowwww when you expected you! I love you!! though you kinda expected her to say no! not you! Sam! Not you! But it was for Joe Ma alone a good enough performance.



Flora was unbearable tonight, in part due to her character Belle who was really irritating tonight and darn stupid. No wife would say I don't knowwwww. What a way to kill the marriage. But a large part is due to Flora's inability to cry like she meant it. I remember one time she was being interviewed by Lydia Shum in her show and she talked about the pain of going through a divorce, she was in tears but not hysterically in tears and I kinda deduced that decision for divorce didn't really come from her. Why can't she be like that as Belle? Why must she be so darn hysterical as Belle? And no tears too. What? Ran out of Optrex?



Francis is ok, nothing much for him though his Sam and the way Sam is treating Zoe is really becoming unbecoming of Sam.



Myolie Wu was wonderful; her disappointment when Sam said "No, I can't take leave" was truly a very good one second performance all though her eyes.



Ron Ng was in here tonight as a comic relief and well, love him but not enough for me to comment about his performance.



Nancy Wu was wonderful as Coco though she had little to do. I do enjoy the chemistry between she and Joe Ma who really looked like brother and sister and the way Vincent treated Coco, it was very close and very brother like. Only Coco can scold Vincent and I thought their scenes were very nice to watch.



Everybody else missing tonight.