EPISODE 38

Today's episode is something I would say it's not great, it's not bad, just too draggy. This series as it ends should really hopefully end with a bang but the way it goes...I am getting bored with it. My rating for it is going down, down down. Basically today we have Zoe-Sam and Belle-Vincent.

Anyway story continues where that dumb girl refused to leave the plane. Sam told her there was a bomb but she thought it was her husband's (or maybe fiancee's) trick to get her off the plane. Zoe meanwhile was worried sick and suddenly that husband ran into the plane, knocking Zoe over and she cut her hand. There is a significance to this scene as I shall reveal later.

Once inside, he begged her to leave the plane but she went on and on about him shouldn't call his ex-girlfriend, if he wanted her, then just go back to that woman, you know, Vincent-Belle-Sam situation. Sam then said "actually I have been through such a similar phase in my life, believe me, if this man doesn't love you, he wouldn't be wearing the ring.." and the girl softened a bit and she left with him. I was wondering, can the airport authorities fine her for being such a pain in the arse? Anyway I must say, what a bad bad performance by this actress. Bored to death with her monotomous delivery.

Anyway Zoe saw Sam coming out and she immediately hugged him, worried sick. Back at home, Sam finally convinced Zoe to give their relationship another chance and when he was about to kiss her, she fainted.

At the hospital, the doctor was about to tell her the ugly truth but she agreed to let Sam hear the news also as she promised him no more secrets. Then the doctor revealed her heart was weakened by the infection caused by that cut on her hand. She must be warded immediately and Sam was worried sick. He refused to believe the doctor but when he calmed down, he was scared for Zoe. At the hospital, Zoe was well taken care of, her uncle and aunt visited her often and Sam took time off to be with her. But Zoe insisted that he went on with his life, go to work. He did but he was still worried sick about her and was afraid she might die that he cried on her lap but Zoe comforted him, being optimistic and all.

Back at home, Sam was especially quiet and his family finally found out why. Belle went visiting Zoe and they had this very serious discussion where Belle was getting increasingly disillusioned with life. She didn't understand, first it was Vincent and now Zoe, both good people. But when Sam walked in, Belle smiled again and left but Sam and Zoe were both worried about her.

Anyway Zoe wanted to leave the hospital because she didn't want to wait to die and she didn't want to die waiting. Sam refused to let her do so and then Sam knew Zoe was hiding something from him. Zoe finally confessed that she had probably weeks to a few months to live. Sam was shocked and he scolded Zoe for being so secretive and Zoe almost tearfully told him "I didn't want you to be hurt" and Sam almost tearfully said "Do you think by not telling me the truth you will spare me the pain?". Zoe immediately hugged Sam and said she will listen to his advice and stay at the hospital but Sam realised Zoe should be free to do whatever she wanted before her time is up though they were both optimistic that she will find a donor heart. So Zoe left the hospital and resumed work, but less hectic as a PR face for the airport. So we have about 8 minutes or maybe lesser of Zoe introducing the airport in a mock promotional video which was a total waste of my time. My patience was running out.

Then we have something interesting. Zoe fainted again and she was brought again to the hospital and Sam was haggard, worried sick when he received a phone call from Ruby expressing worries for Belle. Sam thought Belle was ok but Ruby said Belle was missing work these days, when asked why and Belle would say she was attending some theraphy but when asked what theraphy, Belle avoided Ruby. Sam said he will look into it.

He followed Belle out of Ruby's house and Belle went to her old apartment, her love nest with Vincent. Sam immediately knew Belle was pretending to be fine. Once inside, we see Belle sitting alone at the empty apartment when Sam knocked and knocked. Belle refused to answer Sam but Sam was insistent, Sam said "I know you're in there Belle". So Belle had no choice but to open the door and Sam immediately went to Belle and asked why she was here. Belle said "I wanted to see Vincent again.." and Sam said "You and I both know Vincent is dead...I knew him longer than you did Belle, sometimes you must learn to let go.." but Belle said "I just want to fill myself with my memories of him, sitting here give me comfort, please let me sit here for awhile...please" and Sam knew he had no choice but to let her do so. He left, but only after Belle said it will just be for a moment and this would be the last time. When Sam left, Belle sat on the living room floor and tearfully said "Vincent, can you hear me? Please come out, please Vincent, I need to see you..please..." and she cried alone knowing Vincent would never appear again.

I will have to say this; that last scene as Belle wept and pleading Vincent to see her, that was such a sad scene. Flora Chan did well by really having tears, a sense of desperation and no mumbling. She handled that scene with grace and I really pity Belle. Imagine this, losing someone you realise only after he is dead that he is the one for you...I was almost in tears. Next episode we will see Belle committing suicide as Zoe's condition got worse and worse. I do wonder; will Zoe's new heart come from Belle? I hope not. Belle shouldn't die. She should learn to move on.

Francis Ng did an amazing job tonight as the very haggard looking Sam. You could see worry, you could see fatique, you could see tiredness.. a sense of almost hopelesness though he tried to be optimistic. And now he had to worry about Belle too.

I don't think Belle's condition is annoying. Some might find her tiring due to her constant delusions but I actually find it all very sad and very pitiful. For once I like watching Belle and I feel miserable watching her actually. It is interesting that Zoe, a very sick girl never giving up hope whilst Belle, a healthy woman physically finding it increasingly hard to live on.

At this juncture, I kinda remembered this great TV character, Dr Jeffrey Geiger from the series Chicago Hope, probably TV's most interesting character. He once said of his routine in life after the death of his son who was drowned by his insane wife.."I wake up, I breath, I shower, I eat, I go to work, I come home, I eat, I breath, I sleep and it is the same everyday...". Belle was exactly like that. Very sad.

What annoyed me though is the overlong scenes of Zoe coping with her sickness. She didn't look pale enough, her sickness was repetetive and Sam's constant worry and Zoe's very optimistic outlook though she knew she had little chance of survival if she didn't get a new heart soon was very very very tiring to watch. The scene went on and on and on with her trying to tell Sam to be optimistic and Sam looking very worried. Entire 45 minutes was on this sole single issue and this was from way back a few episodes before. Must the series drag on until they hit number 40? I am afraid I might be bored to death if Zoe hadn't died of her heart disease. Each episode since almost 4 or 5 episodes ago is like detailing Zoe's slow digression of health due to her disease. This is not a medical documentary. I need more than just Zoe, Zoe, Zoe, Zoe. I love her but too much of her just irritates me. So when Belle appeared, I was so happy when previously I was so irritated by her. This series is not only losing its focus, it is losing it's consistency and to make each scene matters. But right now it was like waste of film to be so long winded. 1 hour felt like 2 hours and I found myself counting the days this series would end so that I can watch Point of No Return!

Anyway, it is still a sad episode but having milked too much of the viewers' sympathy for the past few episodes, this episode lacked surprise. The only surprise would be the preview of tomorrow's episode and I just don't like it if Belle killed herself and Zoe got her heart. That would be just too tragic.

Addition
I forgot to mention this when I posted this thought about one major scene. It was Sam flying the plane with his brother Isaac after the time he found out how serious Zoe's condition was. Calm and cool as usual, suddenly guest star Ellesmere Choi after hearing a phone call in mid air started to beg everybody to let the plane fly straight to Singapore instead of stopping at Thailand to transit to Singapore. Usually there is scchedule integrity. But when Sam found out Ellesmere was in such a stricken state because his young son was in urgent need of I think liver transplant and he as the father was the suitable donor, Sam after getting the whole plane's consent flew straight to Singapore. The boy was saved of course. He did what he did because he thought of Zoe. Whilst I think this scene was oh so touching, I wonder have there been any precedent that a plane would skip the scheduled destination? I know of sick patients and emergency landing but what if one boy is dying in Thailand and another in Singapore? Now what would Sam do? What would you do?