Labels: [A] Introduction
From the first scene, the doctor came in and told Sam that they found a donor heart. Zoe was safe! But she was still very weak, and Sam constantly by her side with Belle, waited patiently and suddenly Zoe opened her eyes and everybody was happy.
Zoe then got a visit by Tai Hung (remember Patrick Tang's character with tha dumb girlfriend who refused to leave the plane despite bomb threats? The girl's name is Ding Dong by the way, how apt) and they all asked where is Ding Dong? Tai Hung then said Ding Dong got hit by a car and was brain dead so he donated her internal organs. He didn't know the heart went to Zoe and everybody deduced that Zoe got Ding Dong's heart. Although saddened Zoe vowed to live a happy life, which was something she has been doing for the past 39 episodes anyway. So all ok?
Noooooo, more drama. Zoe got fever, there was signs of infection BUT NOT REJECTION OF THE HEART. Sam and Belle were again by her side, very very very very worried when next morning Zoe woke up, free from fever. Sam and Belle were so happy they hugged each other and Sam planted a kiss on Belle's cheek. Ruby and Paul saw that and Ruby talked to Belle whilst Paul asked Sam whether they were both lovers or friends? They both laughed.
Back outside, Sam and Belle had another heart to heart talk. They both acknowledged their relationship has gone beyond ex-lovers or friends. They were family and as Belle wished Sam the best of everything with Zoe, Belle said that she wanted to leave HK for a while and visit her mom and dad in law as well as Coco. Sam bade a very happy farewell to his "Vincent" in a way of course. And Belle went to the place where she took Vincent's ashes and threw it in mid-air and in her heart talked to Vincent for one last time, that she was ok.
Now the Zita-Isaac-Donald dilemma must end right? Donald told Isaac that he wanted a fair chance to woo Zita. Both gentlemen agreed. But Zita had a tough time choosing though neither had made their move yet. Zita felt for both she said, her mom Tina ran away when asked who she should choose, then Zita got a call from Isaac, and the same time the same call from Donald, both asking her out.
Perhaps HK's most favourite destination for confessions of love and going on ones own way that is the beach, Zita met Isaac and Donald, both coming from her left and right, she looked cornered. Anyway Zita wanted them to be honest. Isaac said "You must choose Donald. He was with you first.." whilst Donald quickly said "No! Choose Isaac, because you liked him first". And Zita said in effect let's be friends again and the 3 agreed. So that's it I guess.
Zoe left the hospital a healthy and happy girl. She didn't look sick even at her worst. Anyway, Sam took her to the landing site (you know where planes land) and Zoe was complaining why he took her there and Sam said; "We met at the airport, we fell in love at the airport and I just wanted to ask you to marry me right here..." and Zoe was shocked but she said "Let's close our eyes and count to 3, if there is a silver bird (plane) flying past us..." and they did and guess what? Yep, a plane flew by. Like it was so strange eh since they were at the airport!
So they planned their wedding and Belle sent Zoe a gift, a wedding dress whilst Coco gave Sam her best wishes. Belle said she will come back for the wedding.
And so they held their wedding at the airport and Belle was late. As Zoe and Sam walked down the aisle, both Sam and Zoe slowed down their pace and suddenly Belle appeared, smiling clapping happily. Then Belle took the place of Vincent and gave the "best man's" speech, saying fate brought them all together and they must cherish it.
One month later, Belle went back to work as a ground crew as she was before. She met Zoe and Sam after they came back from their honeymoon. The 3 stood together at the upper floor and observed the happenings below...
- Paul and Ruby pak-toh whilst working.
- Zita, Isaac, Roy, Chris (all in uniform) and Donald (in a very smart looking suit-he did say he might go back to become a pilot once his dad is ok but you and I know that will never happen) all walked together, laughing happily like they did when they were cadets
- New cadets making the rounds with Taylor and Tony guiding them
- Coco and fellow air stewardess and stewards walking and chatting
- Tina doing the rounds with newbies
And the series ended with Zoe, Sam and Belle walking together, laughing and acknowledging that the airport was where all fates entertwined and all walks of life can be seen.
How I see it? Life goes on, and that is what the airport is all about, saying goodbyes, saying hellos, in the end life goes on.
My only problem is this;
- where the heck is Zoe's 7 brothers AND Paul when she was almost dying, TWICE?? Even at her wedding, nobody! Why? I think her parents is dead but brothers, where art thou?
- hmmm right after surgery Zoe had make up on and very little tubes in and out of her body. Very strange eh?
Anyway one interesting fact. Check out the almost ending scene as Belle, Sam and Zoe were talking to one another, you will see lights flashing at their direction! Ahh fans taking pictures.
As for the ending, the actual ending, I would have to say this ending is pretty comprehensive. I like the ending, I like the way the camera zoomed over everybody, and telling us what will be their ending. But that little voice wanted a different ending... hear me out..
I wanted Belle to find a new guy, or the chance of a new love. I wanted to see the ending where she again dropped her bracelet without realising it and as Zoe, Sam and Belle all walked towards wherever they were walking as in tonight's episode for the ending, I was hoping a handsome popular guest star (maybe Tony Leung, maybe somebody really famous) ran towards Belle and asking her.."Miss, is this yours?" and Belle smiled and said yes and as Belle walked away I wanted the guy to look at her in a very charmed and besotted way and as Sam and Zoe teased her about this guy, she looked back and that guy who was walking away also looked back, both locked eyes and smiled and then went their own ways BUT with the possibility that Belle will find love again.
Wouldn't that be just romantic??
Anyway the ending wasn't like that. I was just glad TVB didn't end it with everybody standing in line and say something really preachy like "Airport, the window to hellos and goodbyes".
The performance? Since tonight is the end, I won't say much. I will talk more in my review proper.
Thank you for reading my thoughts and sharing with me your thoughts.
Labels: Episode 40 [Final Episode]
One more episode till the big finale. My fear that I mentioned in the previous episode almost came true, but it didn't. This has got to be the most emotionally charged episode, better than when Vincent died, better than any other episodes, because the emotions were so raw, so real and the performances were nothing but exceptional in one single scene that lasted about 8 minutes or so. Maybe 10 minutes. Never imagined myself saying this, fans of Flora must pay attention to this episode because this is her at her best. But of course it went downhill later. I am not too sure of the sequence of this episode but what happened in tonight's episode will be detailed in here.
Belle was alone in the house crying, wailing for Vincent, knowing he wasn't there.
Anyway Zoe's condition worsened but she still managed to smile and stay optimistic. Constant worry and running out had taken its toll on Sam who looked haggard, even had some messy hair. He was worried about losing Zoe, and he cried on her bossom as Zoe lightly comforted him and he even stayed with her and slept with her on the hospital bed, but this time it was Zoe offering her shoulder to him. She went out of the hospital and saw the rainbow. Sam professed his undying love for her and lightlyand gently kissed her lips and Zoe knew her death will hurt Sam really really bad.
Then Belle appeared. She visited Zoe at the hospital but she looked even more pale than the patient. She didn't look like she was paying any attention to the encouraging words Zoe was saying and Belle mumbled to herself Zoe's misfortune and how this wasn't supposed to be the way life is. Belle told Zoe that Zoe will be fine, told Zoe to hang in there, that Zoe must not have any regrets like Belle was having and Belle left looking as distracted as ever.
Sam came and Zoe quickly told Sam she was worried about Belle. Then Zoe felt her heart a bit of pain and Sam was quickly on his feet, asking if she was alright whilst Zoe tried to tell Sam about Belle. Sam was very distracted and tired but Zoe insisted that he goes to Belle's apartment and check her out. Sam by this time was fed up with Belle as he thought Zoe's condition merited his attention more. But he went anyway and he loudly banged on Belle's door, screaming if Belle was in there, looking very fed up with Belle. Suddenly Belle opened the door, and she looked frighteningly pale, a few messy hair and very big dark eye circles. Sam didn't quite noticed all that and he took Belle by the shoulders and roughly shook her, scolding her that "You promised me Belle, you promised me the last time will be the last, you will not think about Vincent anymore...I miss him too Belle, Wake up! Wake up!" but Belle was beyond listening and she weakly slumped to the floor. Sam noticed something was wrong when she kept saying "This will be the last time, it will be the last time" and he saw bottles which I suspect were sleeping pills. He knew immediately Belle was trying to kill herself and as he slumped to the floor with her he took teh phone and wanted to call of the ambulance. Belle took the phone from him and wailed, saying "No! I want to be with Vincent, do you know the pain of missing the one you love, the regret, it is too much to bear..." and Sam was in tears, desperate to try to take the phone and he ended up hugging Belle tightly, telling her his heartfelt words .."Belle, please don't do this...Vincent is already dead, Zoe is dying, please don't die, I will have no one left, please don't die...please...", begging Belle to hang on and weakly Belle said, "This is Zoe's chance to live..we have the same blood group, she can have my heart Sam, think about her..don't call please...let me be..." and Belle moved away and fainted whilst Sam thought for just awhile and quickly grabbed the phone.
Once at the hospital, Belle was inconsolable. Sam said "I know you blame me for saving you..but I can't let you die..." and Belle was too depressed to hear anything.
At the same hospital, Zoe saw Belle at the garden and Zoe approached Belle. Zoe sat down and said some comforting words that if she died she wouldn't want her loved ones to worry, she would want them to live on and she was convinced Vincent would feel the same and she felt. Belle suddenly looked at Zoe and her face brightened up. When Zoe left, Belle saw Vincent who told her it was time for her to let go. Belle finally understood and she let go of her grief and her regret and decided to be her old self again and Vincent disappeared forever.
I must say, is Vincent a ghost?? Joking, joking but Belle seemed to be still delusional but let got of her delusions. Whatever works for her to deal with her grief, or more like regret.
Anyway Zoe slipped into a deep coma and she had one night for a new heart, if not she will die. Sam was worried sick, didn't know what to do and for once the calm cool man ran out and Belle followed him and in Belle's arms he cried. They both tried to remain positive but they knew if Zoe didn't get a new heart by the end of that day, they would lose her forever.
Tomorrow will be last episode but no worries, a happy ending. Question is, whose heart will Zoe get? Definitely not Belle's.
I love tonight's episode as it showed Zoe's strength and Sam's vulnerability in full force. I was pretty bored with Zoe's optimism, but it was Sam's fear, pain and tears that really made tonight's episode the all time high. Francis Ng's performance was flawless. This man showed every worry, every frustration, every pain. When he held Zoe, he had fear and hopelessness, that he couldn't save the woman he loves. When with Belle, he looked fed up and then quickly turned to concern when Belle was in a more emotionally serious condition. His scene with Flora when as Belle she was trying to kill herself was emotionally raw. Flora did very good in that scene, she didn't mumble and she had the pain, the regret, the grief, all rolled into one. The best scene had to be Sam begging Belle to not die, because he had lost his best friend, he might lose the woman he loved, he couldn't handle another death. The grief was so real, I had tears in my eyes as Belle closed her eyes. I knew she will not die but you know who knows? Like that ridiculous Donald-Zita breakup scene, anything is possible. I didn't always like Belle but her grief was understandable as like she said, nothing is worse in life than having regrets.
What I didn't like though is Vincent's appearance, as a ghost-like figure when we all know he is just Belle's imagination, as if her inner voice talking to herself. It just made Belle looked like a lunatic. It was meant to be a good bye scene but for a woman so in grief, I was thinking she never once visited Vincent's grave. Then I realised Vincent became ashes and his ashes were thrown off the plane and into the air! A better plot would be burying him somewhere and Belle spending her days talking to his headstone and the goodbye scene with her saying a tender goodbye to Vincent at his grave, and then she sees a very handsome Vincent smiling at her and he lightly brushed her cheeks lovingly and happily drifting away, like as if Belle in her mind knew by letting go of her grief she will be releasing Vincent in a spiritual way. Wouldn't that be just poetic?
Everybody else does not exist in this series unfortunately. One thing I really don't get; Zoe is seriously ill, she is dying but Paul, where is Paul? Where are her brothers and sisters in law? Would they appear in the last episode? Wouldn't it be better to show them arriving in full force at the hospital, keeping vigil, praying and all? I mean Paul appeared for a while when he should be there as worried as Sam, even more worried than Sam.
As for Belle, shouldn't Ruby her bestest friend be in here somewhere? Where is she?
What I like though is Belle slowly taking Vincent's place as Sam's new best friend. They both lost someone they loved dearly, Belle lost the man she loved, Sam might lose the woman he loved, so there is a connection on a very emotional level. She and Sam became soul mates towards the end of this series, a relationship far stronger and spiritually fulfilling than being lovers.
The rest of the episode is between repetetive and a bit overdone. I am quite bored with Zoe's sickness actually.
Don't miss this one.
Labels: Episode 39
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?
Labels: Episode 38
The story with Belle continues. Sam immediately knew Belle was imagining Vincent was there with her but Belle kinda told Sam to mind his own business. Then Sam and Zoe turned up at her apartment and saw her in bathrobes. Immediately Sam tried to shake Belle and to wake her up but Belle who knew Vincent was dead refused to believe he didn't come back to be with her in the form of a spirit. She said she made a wish at Rome at the fountain for Vincent to be back with her and she was convinced Vincent was back. She rushed Sam out of the house, saying she rather have no friends if they were to force her to give up on Vincent's memory in the form of a spirit but Sam was very fierce. He said Vincent wouldn't want Belle to act this way and he refused to leave, until Zoe pulled him out and said give Belle some space.
Next day they went to a psychiatrist seeking advice and we see some intercut scenes. As the doctor explained perhaps Belle may be suffering from some depression causing some major delusions as she knew Vincent was dead but she refused to move on, we see Belle actually going on with her life everyday as if Vincent was there, talking, chatting, etc. It was quite eerie actually. Where is Coco? She should be with Belle!
Anyway Ruby, Sam and Zoe immediately went to see Belle and Ruby asked Belle to move in back with her and Zoe even said either in this episode or the previous episode that if she wants, Zoe can move in with Belle. Belle refused and she went into her room I think. There she saw Vincent who told her "You know I am dead...you must listen to Sam..stop this Belle". And so Belle thought for awhile and then said to Ruby she will move back with her and she left happily.
A pause here. It is interesting that Belle knows that Vincent is dead, she hides the fact that she is talking with him from others so she knows the reality but she refuse to acknowledge it. I find this very real in a way. And Vincent was like her inner voice, she knew what Sam said was right and yet she wanted to live in this illusion. But the way she quickly said yet to move back with Ruby, the delusions ended in a mere one episode or so. But i don't think so. I shall speculate here; she moved back and brought along with her her memory of Vincent. So she was still delusional, but she was trying to lie to everyone including herself.
I kinda remembered Sam or Ruby saying they just wanted Belle to be happy instead of being insane. But I personally thought she has never been happier since Vincent died. I mean she saw Vincent in her mind, maybe that is insanity but sometimes unable to cope with grief, a lie is somewhat better than reality, so why not let her bask in it for awhile? Yeah it is wrong to let her be but to me Belle needs time to check back with reality and now she was further into her delusions as she hid from everyone the truth and went on with her life when maybe in the middle of the night she may be up speaking with the dead Vincent. Sam, Ruby and Zoe never really look into this more. I suspect more tragedy in the making for Belle.
Meanwhile Ruby denied having a relationship with Paul in front of Paul's parents saying she wasn't good enough for him when Paul thought she meant the opposite. So when he went home late, he said to Ruby the relationship was over. As he was packing, Belle showed to Ruby Vincent's last message and told Ruby to appreciate what she had, if not like her she might missed it one day. Ruby thought for awhile and confronted Paul who was steadfast in moving until Ruby said let's tell everybody about the relationship. Then we know he was just trying to pressure her into having an open relationship. Interesting plot for tonight which speaks for how little is happening tonight. I mean a lot happened but none logical except for this one.
As for Donald, poor thing. He was on his way to save his father's company and Chris, having too his side kinda fell out of favour with his 2 other best friends. But Chris didn't mind. Zita went on with her life. Then Isaac azked Zita to go to a concert with him, effectively a date and Zita quickly said yes.
Sorry to say, I have very little respect for this character Zita. Yesterday's episode she ran away and with her she had Isaac's music box. Today she readily said yes, never once questioned why Donald did what he did. Never even suspected and she went along with Donald's plans. I just feel she never really loved Donald whilst Donald was so crazy about her. It was like in her heart there was still Isaac and Donald won her over with his sincerity but never really won her heart. She did cry, but I find this plot very unconvincing.
Anyway Zoe saw Donald at the hospital staring happily at a picture (him and Zita) and immediately she suspected something was wrong. She tried to ask Donald but Donald coldly brushed her aside. Then she saw Donald leaving with his crippled father.
Zoe was perhaps the only reasonable one in this episode. She did what Zita should have done but didn't bother to do. She went to see Chris who was alone, poor man. She asked Chris for the truth. I myself wondered what was the reason. No reason actually and Zoe said something I truly agreed with. Zoe said "Donald was stupid to have this plan but you're more stupid to even go along with him..as his friend you should have advised him..." and Chris acknowledged he was wrong and he felt guilty. But he made Zoe swear that she musn't tell Donald he told her the truth, if not "I would lose my only remaining friend"! Quite pitiful actually.
Zoe asked Sam if she should tell Zita and Isaac and Sam said yes, because look at the Vincent-Sam-Bell mess he said. So they saw Isaac and Zita chatting happily and Zoe was reluctant since she knew they were almost about to date one another. Urged by Sam, she told them the truth. They went to Chris and Chris apologised. But Donald was away in Australia for a very important meeting. Zita and Isaac so happened to be there and they all greeted each other happily and I suspect Chris called Donald beforehand. When they were flying back, Donald was in a rush to reach HK to speak to the bankers. The captain and his first officer suffered from food poisoning (though earlier in this series they did mentioned the captain and his co-pilot never eat the same stuff to avoid this same problem) and it was Zita and Isaac who did the landing. Donald went to see them to say sorry and thank you and when he left, Zita told Isaac that maybe the concert date was ...and before she can finish her sentence Isaac agreed. So there goes for the budding romance.
Then they all went to visit Donald and they were friends again BUT no word on Donald and Zita. I think they remain as friends.
Zoe meanwhile who wanted to remain as friends with Sam didn't because she met with a couple who were her friends on their way to I think Hawaii and they said eh bring you boyfriend along and she said yes and she called Sam or Sam called her and she said this couple invited him as well so it is confirmed; they're still a couple but Sam didn't know it yet.
But then Zoe met the same couple arguing just minutes later about the guy's ex girlfriend (I think the actress is De something, seen her before whilst the guy is Patrick Tang I think) and this woman tore up the guy's ticket, took his passport and ran into the plane. The guy couldn't get in and the stewardess tried to get back the passport but couldn't and the guy left with another attendant. Suddenly Zoe hear that there was an anonymous bomb threat on that very same flight and the plane had to be vacated. She suspected it was the guy who made false phone call or even put the bomb on the plane (how I do not know since he never got on the plane) as he threatened before that if he can't get in, the plane will not be flying. The police arrested him for questioning but he denied ever doing so. I believe him. Zoe was worried sick about Sam who was left behind with some crew member to persuade that airhead woman to leave that bloody plane. She simply refused, thinking her husband was the one playing a practical joke to get her off plane and Sam told everybody to leave and he stayed behind. Last scene was Zoe's worried face whilst that husband escaped everybody and ran into the plane.
And there I was thinking "eh dumb woman, don't you feel a bit like an idiot for sitting in the plane all alone when everybody vacated it?".
Anyway the passengers thought it was some mechanical failure.
Was there a bomb? I bet there wasnt't but that husband didn't make that phone call either.
Next episode Zoe's condition worsens. But for someone with a heart disease and in urgent need of a transplant, she can definitely walk, run and be so normal. Shouldn't she be out of breath? Having frequent chest pains instead of just "Oh, pain"?
And today's episode clearly highlighted one major plot problem. I still didn't get the part WHY Donald had to pretend to be so mean to Zita and be so mean to everybody. I mean when they all found out they were very supportive of him. I mean wouldn't Donald want such support? As for Zita, wouldn't you love this man more? I don't get it, I never will. Never ever.
Performance wise, all ok except for that guest starring role by that Carina something something as that dumb wife. Ohhhh what bad acting, such monotone, but luckily just for a few minutes. But her character quickly established herself as all time dumb one. Donald a close second for his ridiculous non reason for what he did. Eeeesssshhhhhh....waste of plot, waste of time, draggggggggggging factor only.
Belle is a-ok, strange eh? Flora Chan was like a schizophrenic in here. Her performance as in suddenly ok, suddenly not. Not very consistent but like I said not all is a-ok with Belle.
There was Joe Ma, as a guest starring character he did very well. I just don't want to see him so often.
Francis Ng rules whilst Myolie had little to do actually. She can carry the entire episode with just one expression but still remain credible.
The best tonight was the pair, Jerry Lam and Louisa So. Very interesting but convincing pairing. Jerry Lam did very well, he was very funny as the friend and warm as the loving cousin. Louisa So is so pretty.
And that is that for tonight's recap.
Labels: Episode 37
I missed episode 35 but from the first scene, Donald visiting his very sick father at the hospital, I deduce and I was actually told that Donald's father at last accepted his son's ambition as he himself was failing in his own business but then suffered a heart attack. He woke up paralysed and Donald was worried sick. Then he made a life changing decision; he knew his father's company was in heavy debt and his father couldn't just let the company die such a horrible death. Now something very illogical happened after this scene.
Donald told Chris he must help him to ditch Zita and Zita overheard that Donald pursued her as a dare with Chris to see who can get to kiss her first and Zita, heart broken ran away. Roy and Isaac stopped being Donald's friends who was very cold to them and naturally Isaac ran to Zita to offer her his shoulders to cry on.
I have to say this was such a lame plot. This is the only excuse TVB can find to get Zita into Isaac's arms and to create some tension in the group? I mean was Donald's father involved in some hostile takeover of Solar Airlines where 99% of the employees will be axed and Donald will have to carry out that work? Nope. Was Donald being involved in his father's company will make Zita lose out certain things? Nope. So I didn't get it at all why Donald had to do what he did. And shouldn't Zita just ask "Bastard! How can you treat me like this?" when overhearing what Donald said to Chris instead of just running away without ever confronting Donald? How can Isaac and Roy believe what Donald said when Chris was still by his side and the day after Donald actually quit as pilot? Can't intelligent beings like them deduce that perhaps Donald was facing some personal crisis? Can't Donald just tell Zita what he told Chris that "Chris, I have to go back to my father's company, he is sick, he is alone, I need to help him, I have to quit my dreams" and as Zita, wouldn't you feel more in love with such a noble being who gave up his dreams for his father's dreams? But noooooo..I don't understand. "Dim gai?" "Why?" Tell me why?
Anyway ridiculous as this plot may sound, it give credibility to what I am going to say next with regards to Belle.
Finally Belle heard that bloody tape. My neck was so long waiting to hear what Vincent had to say and he said something quite right...
"Belle! I finally understood! Belle! Belle, listen to me, you lost that bracelet 3 times, I found it once..don't you get it? Your fate with Sam was not meant to be because it is something you can't hold on to but with me, once and you married me...Belle, I want to start all over again with you, please give me a chance, remember this date Belle, remember today's date..."
Belle was of course crying like a total maniac and Flora Chan, every time she cries she mumbles and so the entire sentimental scene was killed by her tearless cries and her mumbling. What did she say? I don't know. Anyway thereafter Belle suddenly saw Vincent, and Vincent said he will have to leave and Belle must go on with life but Belle hugged him and said no no no, he will stay with her, he is back with her.
At this point, we all know it was all hullicination or Belle is going bonkers in a less sophisticated language. But after that whole Donald-Zita incident, I really actually do believe Vincent's ghost came back to haunt Belle. Oh yes, this is like Seven Sisters now. Why not? If Donald can leave Zita for no apparent reason and Zita can let Donald dump her for no apparent reason, would seeing Vincent's ghost that far fetched? I don't think so.
Ok ok, Belle was delusional. Anyway for the next few days, she refused to see her friends, always busy busy busy. Then Sam and Zoe gave her a surprise visit and found her having a candlelight dinner with no one, she dressed fabulously, magazines about cars opened on the dinner table and Belle quickly tell them to leave. Zoe was very worried and Sam when talking to Belle noticed she wasn't paying attention. Scary stuff.
Meanwhile, Zoe's heart is saying I QUIT!! Doctor advised her to check into the hospital but she refused. Sam was very worried but Zoe dismissed his worries and insisted on being friends with him. Sam was of course heartbroken but said very little.
At this moment I must stress for someone's whose heart was giving up on her, Zoe seems very energetic, full of life and more importantly healthy. Shouldn't she be a bit pale, have some breathing difficulties? I mean she can still walk all over like no problem. Very unrealistic.
But we all know Zoe still love Sam because she saw him giving tours to little kids who wanted Zoe to give them chocolate and cheapskate big brother Sam gave them a story that Zoe once told him. Hmmm "brother pilot, can I have my chocolate now??"
Anyway Zoe clearly was still in love with Sam but as she said earlier, she wanted them to be just friends so that if she ever ever have to leave this Earth, he would not be that sad which to be is a bunch of B.S. But her actions were thoughtful; it is often hardest to say goodbye to the one you love, more so when you see them dying slowly. But Sam didn't know how serious Zoe's condition was.
Last scene, Sa found Belle sitting alone at the airport lounge, nobody around but she was clearly besotted and touching an unseen figure opposite her. Sam sat opposite her and called "Belle?", looking very worried.
The end.
One mention, Taylor asked Tina to marry him but Tina wanted to be just friends. Then Zita came back very upset due to Donald's supposed betrayal and Taylor comforted her like a father would and Tina then said to Taylor let's give their relationship a try. And so began a very boring relationship. I wonder what happened to Tina's previous boyfriends??
This episode I don't get it at all. Why Donald must leave Zita? It is illogical, to the point of him hurting even his friends. Donald was all alone with his problems and there were indications Isaac may take this opportunity to woo Zita, something he wanted to many many episodes before.
As for Belle, pure drama. Such a long time for her to become delusional and for me to hear the tape recording, when I do hear it it was of not much impact because the wait was far too long, the impact all gone.
Performance wise, you will get to see Joe Ma, I suspect returning because of viewers' popular request. But I was joking about him being a ghost in here. Everybody did well, however illogical the plot may be. I must mention this; Flora had a bit too much blush on her cheeks, Myolie too much powder on her face, Michelle too much gloss on her lips and this drama getting increasingly draggy and slow. Just 4 more episodes and it felt like a lifetime.
Labels: Episode 36
Missed tonight's episode. I hope it's not the one where finally I will get to hear Vincent's recording.
Please tell me this isn't the one.
Anyone care to share what happened tonight?
Labels: Episode 35
I missed the 1st 30 minutes because I was busy watching Michael Jackson's parents talking about their son. Wasted my time for nothing.
Anyway, the moment I switched channels, I saw Sam's mom hugging Phillip saying she didn't care about his impotence. Ahh happy ending.
Next Zoe was back in the picture, having dinner with Sam's family. I suspect she must have been told her heart was failing and she was dying like what I saw in the preview yesterday. Anyway she asked Sam's parents how would you know he's the one? They said at first glance, fated, that moment when two souls meet, you will know. Sam could see Zoe was thinking about something.
Next thing Zoe mailed the Triangel back to Belle with a note attached saying the Triangel originally belonged to Belle, so Belle was fated to be with Sam and not her. Then next day she met Sam at the beach and whilst Sam was telling her about his eyes, everything ok so he will fly again, but not as captain as he needed to re-train first. Zoe told Sam she wanted to break off the relationship with the reason as follows:-
"Then it is time for me to leave.. it is time for me to look after myself, to find myself...Maybe the person fated for you is Belle, you were not looking for me, but looking for Belle whilst I was looking for you but maybe we are not meant to be...we can still be friends and I will support you in everything you do. It is time for me to visit my family, I haven't seen them for quite awhile. Go find the one in your heart, go find Belle...", then she left leaving Sam very very confused and almost in tears. But Sam accepted it.
And then Belle found out from Ruby they broke up and Ruby told Belle this was the time to sort things out and to which Belle still answered I don't know. I thought previous episode Belle told Sam they could be best friends, the past is the past, so how come we have the same old garbage again? Is this like a recycle bin, again and again and again we hear the same bloody question. Can't we move on??? Belle had yet to receive that package from Zoe nor hear what Vincent had to say. I am morphing into a giraffe, long neck over the waiting.
Of course Zoe left for Rome, like where else? Can't they change location, like maybe Venice? As fate would have it Sam and Belle were working on the same flight. Then big drama happened.
One guy went into the toilet and smoked, and the forgot to put out his cigarette causing a fire which destroyed the toilet. Everybody panicked and Sam made a suggestion to go back to HK to check the damage, but (and this part I didn't know so I learned something) the captain said with a full tank of petrol, they can't land like that. So they needed to throw away some petrol and the passengers thought the plane was going down and panicked big time.
Belle asked Sam to come to meet the passengers and that guy who caused the whole problem began speaking very loud, saying his incident was small compared to the plane going down and Sam in a very smooth, clear and quiet voice said to that guy "Sir, if you do not stop causing a scene, I have the power to handcuff you". Then he shut up! Yeah!
But people still panicking although Sam explained all he could and then entered Belle, very emotional, almost crying screaming "I am a passenger too! I trust my crew with my life, I would give my life to them, please please trust them, pleaseeeeeeeee".
The end.
Tomorrow, some infuriating scenes like them with that orange again like in ther first 2 episodes and them kissing I think but Sam realised he loved Zoe and Belle loved Vincent and they had that speech about being friends again but Zoe seems unmoved by it all. Garbage, total garbage.
This series is killed by repetition, the uncertainty of Belle again and again and again and the whole thing about fate, destiny, love all between Belle and Sam. How many times must I go through the same torture?
Vincent's last message to Belle better be good!
Performance wise, Myolie Wu was more subdued and gave a very mature performance. What a delight to watch, now that I don't need to see her too perky.
Flora Chan really should try to vary her acting, her emotions. Of course her Belle is an emotional wreck, but there must be more to emotional wreck than looking uncertain and crying. Can't she look happy but uncertain? Maybe crying but happy? You know, more variety?
Francis Ng was the best of the best of the best. His best scene was with Zoe at the beach as Zoe tried to tell him why they must part ways and his Sam looked so pitiful, so confused, like wondering what went wrong? I was hoping Sam would ask Zoe "Why?" but he didn't, he looked confused and in tears. Definitely the best scene of tonight's garbage episode.
End credits we have someone explaining about...what was that? Can't remember. I was hoping they would explain about the dumping of petrol in mid air, very interesting stuff or power to arrest someone during flight. Like what happened to Ronald Cheng!!
Anyway, this series is ending in 5 more episodes then will be replaced by another big and heavily promoted production, Point Of No Return. Imagine this, 5 more episodes. I can't take it anymore.
This series is a prime example of going on for far too long and losing it's sight on what to say and ended up with nothing more to say.
Labels: Episode 34
Nothing much happened today which I shall call this episode the "Busybody episode". Oh ya, loads of plot about busybody busy with other bodies, so to speak. And again repetetive.
For one, Phillip simply refused to tell everybody his embarrassing problem, so wife left for Rome leaving Sam rather frustrated.
Zoe was still trying to get Sam to go on a holiday with her. What is the significance of this holiday? May I be bold to suggest that a holiday involves living in the same room and thus sleeping on the same bed so more intimacy? I mean they can just pak-tor in HK but Zoe was pretty insistent, and thanks to Paul, she gave an excuse of going to Rome to try and persuade Sam's mom to come home. Sam said ok but not about the trip but about what she intended to do in the trip.
Meanwhile, Sam and Zoe still quite ok, Zoe still didn't tell Sam about her heart ailment and Sam still running to Belle whenever she asked him to, in a way. I find it very irritating that Zoe was so giving. No girlfriend will be that understanding, more so when you had planned for a BBQ trip, bought everything and suddenly Sam received a call from Belle who didn't say anything much and Sam looked like he wanted to see her and Zoe out of genuine concern immediately say yes. We must remember before this Belle met Sam at the beach and said the past is the past, let's be best friends but both looked rather reluctant to stop their relationship there.
Back at Belle's place, she said she asked Sam to come because she found some tapes that Vincent filmed and wanted to watch them. She did, she cried, she watched and cried some more. And I am still wondering when will I get to hear Vincent's last message? Why such a slow pace? Why draggggggggggggggg?!
Anyway, then we have same old plot about Isaac and Donald and Zita. Out of the blue we have the scene of Donald detecting a bird flying on the runway and warned the captain and the captain complimented him. A very odd scene, maybe to remind us all that
a. this series has more than Sam, Belle and Zoe
b. Donald is still very much alive and is a pilot, never forget that.
Anyway again, Zita seemed pretty much settled with her love life with Donald, writing love letters and all. Very good but Isaac looked like he still longed for her, which is dead boring because I have seen this every 2 episodes, like Belle crying every episode, Sam longing got Belle and Belle longing for Sam every other episode and Zoe planning a trip with Sam every 3 episodes. When are we going to move on??
Back at Rome, Sam's mom refused to go home. Then we have another odd story within a story where Sam's mom had a neighbour (upstairs neighbour) whose husband left her for another woman some 15 years or more before. The truth known to everybody was that man died in a car accident many years ago, something that woman didn't know and the woman was still living with the hope that he might return one day and so she never left the apartment for a stroll however beautiful Rome may be. Zoe devised a way to make that woman happy after reading a news of a sunken ship that sunk some 15 years ago and they found letters. So she managed to forge a letter and gave it to that woman who may have read that letter (so assuming her husband drowned instead of dying in a car accident with the other woman) and Zoe and Sam saw her finally strolling on the streets, buying groceries. Zoe's reason for doing so is to give the woman an answer; that her husband has died but he died wanting to return to her which was not the truth. Sam looked at Zoe admiringly and the end.
Tomorrow Zoe will break off her relationship with a very confused Sam.
I wonder though what is that woman after having read that letter realised the one reason for her still living had died decided to jump off a building to be with her dead husband? How will Zoe feel? I mean if that woman wants to wait for her husband let her be. But she went ahead and forged some letters. What if the end results are negative? I mean if I know that the man I have been waiting for decades is dead and died still loving me I might
a. like Zoe anticipated, live on
b. just jump off the building since that's the end.
What a busybody.
Anyway performance wise, I am beginning to be very irritated with Myolie Wu's constant smiling and perky self. Nothing wrong but getting very tired of it all. Also very tired with Sam's I love I don't know emotional roller coaster though Francis Ng was brilliant whilst very bored with Belle's constant crying when she was still longing for another man's embrace.
Boring boring boring episode.
Looking forward to some tragedy because this series' plot is getting stale, and getting nowhere.
End credits we have someone explaining about luggage.
Labels: Episode 33
This episode is very frustrating to watch, because of its over the top plot or rather confusing plot.
You see, Zoe fainted right? Once at the hospital taken there by Paul, she found out her heart may be the culprit but needed some tests. Sam of course waited at the house and Paul told Zoe to tell Sam but she didn't. She concocted some lies. At that point I finally understood why Belle told Sam instead of Vincent about her HIV scare, because you can't really confide in the man you love, as this series preaches to us all. So Sam was in the dark. And he continued to be in the dark throughout.
Frustrating plot one : Why didn't Paul, a very loving and concerned cousin of Zoe marched right up to Sam and just scold Sam for not even noticing Zoe was sick? Of course it would be an unfair accusation but it would be a reasonable action. Wouldn't you as Paul itching to tell Sam to just pay more attention to Zoe seeing her going through such heartbreak? But Paul here did show concern but not enough. It must be more than just words of advice and hoping Zoe will do the rest.
Frustrating plot two : Sam is now Belle, Zoe now Vincent and Belle is like Sam. We have the same confusion, same dilemma, same old bloody plot all over again.
Then Zoe found out indeed her heart ailment came back. She was indeed sick. She was at the hospital at the same time Sam was there who was having his eye check up. For Sam it was good news, his brain thingy is getting ok and he might fly again whilst to Zoe, it was bad news. Paul was there for her and saw the amount of medicine she had to take and immediately knew she was sick like she was before. Anyway Sam was there. First person he called about the good news? BELLE. But he couldn't find her so he called Zoe who saw Sam but hid in some corner and Sam again didn't know anything. Zoe sounded happy but Sam could detect a certain coldness in Zoe's tone though it wasn't coldness, it was rather fear, Zoe didn't know what she should do.
Frustrating plot three : Sam is getting on my nerves. He called Belle first. He still had feelings for that woman. And guess what? She is very very very available right now. But more on this later.
Frustrating plot four : More like a complaint. Zoe, you must tell Sam!!! What kind of relationship is this? Happiness we share, sadness I take all? No way! Make Sam suffer too!
Then Belle came back and she wanted to start work immediately. She was quite ok until she was in a restaurant and the waiter recognised her as Vincent's wife and we have some flashback, rather necessary to remind us how stupid Belle was to say I Don't Know before and she is still saying I don't know when Ruby asked her. What is this man?? Anyway she ran into the toilet in tears and Zoe was there to comfort her.
Frustrating plot five : Again, I don't know. That really much hated quote of this series. After Vincent's death and all, she still said I don't know though she missed Vincent, she mourned him, she refused to stay in their matrimonial home. Surely these were all signs of love she felt for Vincent but this woman denied her inner voice. Ruby said tell Sam the truth, he needed to know but Belle again didn't know what to do. Again the same old bloody plot again and again and again and again and again. Like a wheel of torture, again and again and again and again.
Anyway Belle was on board a plane working, happily when I think it was Donald who gave her a piece of paper which had something to do with Vincent and again she felt saddddd. And as she was serving a customer, this jerk touched her hand and then I think touched her waist and almost her buttocks. She lost her patience in the most polite way and some water spilled onto that guy who made a big ruckus at how unprofessional she was. Belle tried to explain he wasn't proper but her superior (Zita's mom) politely excused Belle and apologised to that guy. Back at the airport, Sam received the jerk's complaints about Belle and his supervisor interviewed Belle and even advised her to change jobs as perhaps Belle was too emotional to react as she did. Belle was very offended with that remark. Sam on the other hand took Belle's side and advised her she should have just reported the incident to her supervisor, then change crew to serve that guy but Belle didn't think of all that. She placed customer service as first in her priorities. Investigations were made and Belle was ok. Anyway there was a point when Sam was comforting Belle, he touched her hand, they looked at each other, something went on in their eyes and they let go of each other's hands.
Frustrating plot six : I know it is good to portray a very good image of the airline crew but to the point of ridiculousness? I mean that guy touched her buttocks and what was she supposed to do? Carry on and smile eventhough she was sexually molested? I know for a fact the airline will not tolerate misbehaviour on the plane or such conduct. I thought Belle carried her admirably but that HR woman, to suggest Belle overreacted was like slapping Belle and trivialising such a big issue. It just show how inept these people are and I just can't understand how she can say what she said? Totally stupid scene.
Frustrating plot seven : That hand in hand scene. Sam, she is a widow now. Belle, you're a widow now. Forget about Vincent. Forget about Zoe. Just get back together so that we the viewers can get on with the show! I mean how many times must I see them uncertain, I don't know, longing for one another despite the fact Sam seemed to care a lot for Zoe and intended to make the relationship work whilst Belle cried at every mention of Vincent? It just made the whole series into such a repetetive thing, so tired type of plot. And in real life, Sam gives me an impression that if Belle insisted they be together, he could have pushed Zoe aside whilst if Sam wanted her, Belle would have run to him. Zoe left in the lurch.
Frustrating plot eight : Zoe, I love her. But her character is getting too overly over the top too tolerant and nice. She encouraged Sam to comfort Belle, without a tinge of jealousy. Maybe a little fear.Maybe she thought she was sick so she wanted Sam to get back with Belle. Who knows? But really Zoe is not human.
Then of course the plot about Phillip. What was wrong with him? My guess was right. He and Natalie were lovers before but not now, he was just helping her find a job. His wife was ok with that. And then Natalie wanted to seduce Phillip for old time's sake and this time she left a clue for the wife to find the hotel (like a piece of paper, address and all) and find them in very compromising position; Phillip's short unbuttoned and that girl very clingy. Wife left in a huff and that girl left in a huff leaving Phillip alone. The reason why Phillip acted so strangely was because he couldn't perform. I think it is erectile dysfunction, in other words maybe called impotent as he can't get "it" up. So he wanted to use Natalie as a test, whether can he lust for her but it wasn't working. But of course nobody else knew about this problem. Phillip did look sick and pale. Maybe Sek Sau was sick and pale then.
Back to Zoe. She was still confused as to what she should do when she met volunteer pianist for the airport lounge, famous pianist Mr Wong (guest starring Dave Wang). I couldn't catch his name. It was either George or Josh. I think it must be George Wong. Anyway he explained to Zoe he was sick of his fame and wanted a holiday when he was asked to do this stint and he agreed. And in doing so he realised this was what he loved best; performing. Nothing else mattered. Zoe of course finally understood. She must enjoy the process, irregardless of the outcome. So she became chirpy again and called a very surprised Sam to a date. Sam immediately agreed. And the end.
Frustrating plot nine : The song selection by that famous pianist was horrendous.
One funny scene though. When George was playing the piano and talking to Zoe, notice one gwailo at the back looking over Zoe's head. I think they were acting right below some notice board because that guy didn't look like an extra!
Tomorrow will be more on Zoe, Belle and Sam. Finally maybe an answer other than I don't know. Still haven't a clue on what Vincent said to Belle. My sister speculated that perhaps Vincent said "Belle, go with Sam! I finally understood. You belong to each other". I still stick to my original analysis some thoughts before.
End credits someone explained something about the plane. Can't remember. I actually thought they might be explaining what happens if there is some misconduct on the plane? Will they throw the guy a parachute and ask him to jump off the plane (joking!) or arrest him? No mention.
Performance wise no comment. Really running out of comments since Joe Ma died in this series. I was rather impressed with the girl who played Natalie. She portrayed her role very convincingly and she was the only reason to watch Life Begins At Forty.
What I don't like about this episode is that this series is running out of things to say. It should end now before it becomes melodramatic and repetetive. I am becoming a bit bored with it now. I am also frustrated that nobody seems to know what they want. Such uncertainty makes for boring plot.
Labels: Episode 32
Tonight's episode is the in between episode. I can't say nothing happened, or nothing of significance happened and I can't say a lot of things happened because not much happened for the 1st 45 minutes. Anyway here goes the plot.
Vincent is dead. Very dead and the first scene we saw tonight was his face, black and white in his pilot uniform, like IC photo on top of a plane. Belle took his urn up to the sky and threw out his ashes into the sky whilst friends and family cried down below. Belle was ok, Sam was almost inconsolable but he didn't cry. Zoe looked at him, worried.
Later Belle went away with Coco and Vincent's parents for a holiday whilst Sam continued to work. Zoe met up with Sam and asked him with a very suffocating concern for Sam's well being whether he was ok and all Sam could say was "I will give you an answer..remember you asked me whether I have any feelings for Belle, whether I still have those feelings and the truth is..." and Zoe panicking said "You don't have to make a decision now..go take a holiday..not with me but just go think about it, don't tell me now" because she was afraid he would say I dump you for Belle since Belle is very available right now. Sam just said what Belle said and is fast becoming this series' most famous quote.."I don't know". That was Sam's answer and to Zoe it was like "Yes, I still have feelings for Belle". Later that night Zoe had some heart to heart talk with Paul and Paul said this will be the time to move forward with Sam, don't waste time but Zoe wanted to give him space and Zoe said "If he doesn't love me, I will leave but I could feel it, I could feel that I still have a chance...". Poor Zoe. Now Sam is becoming like Belle and Zoe like Vincent you know. Why can't Sam make up his bloody mind?!
Then we shift to Isaac who told Taylor that he wanted to change simulation flight partner (that will be Zita) and Taylor asked Zita if something was wrong between she and Isaac when they were all celebrating Zita's mom's birthday and Donald overheard and was I don't know, either guilty or worried. You must remember he overheard Chris and Roy said Zita loved Isaac first and Isaac had some feelings for Zita.
Anyway Zita went to Isaac and told him what happened in the past was the past. She's with Donald now, very happy with him and Isaac then told Taylor everything was ok.
Then Zita ran into some work problems. When at a restaurant, a Mandarin speaking man asked Zita to take a photo of him and his wife (guest starring Lily Lee) and the camera couldn't work. That man immediately blamed Zita and said she spoilt his camera but Zita walked away from that nonsense. That chauvinistic man then scolded his wife all the way to the airport departure gate and saw Zita walking by in her uniform. He stopped her and said he refused to fly in a plane she is flying as she can't even be trusted with a camera. Zita wanted to argue her innocence but Henry arrived and told Zita to get ready for the flight. Then Henry told that guy they will change flights for him but first must wait. The Captain then received a notice that the flight must be delayed 15 minutes to get that man's luggage and Zita was very apologetic since the problem started with her but the Captain said that man was unreasonable.
At this point I do wonder is an airport that accomodating? If I were Henry I would say stick to schedule integrity and that man will have to wait for his luggage to return with the return flight. Anyway, for a moment I thought Henry would say "Zita you're off the flight, customer is always NUMBER ONE".
Zita was upset but not that upset. Donald told Zita she could just quit her job and she can be a manager in his company and everybody will be happy. Hmmm sounded like his father which was strange as Donald never intended to work for his father, so how come he suggested what he suggested? Then Isaac overheard and Isaac told Zita to follow her dreams and Zita said she will never quit, Donald was just thinking what was best for her and Donald overheard and Donald was..jealous or ashamed, I really don't know. A lot of people overhearing stuff tonight.
Back to Zoe who didn't want to bother Sam in his times of confusion but Paul said call the mother, have lunch with her and she did. Mom called Sam but Phillip couldn't come, busy he said. Earlier there was this scene where mom said Phillip was avoiding her and Sam and Isaac saw dad doing yoga! Then Phillip wanted a new secretary and mom hired someone very young and Phillip looked, I don't know guilty or lusty. Then Sam was at the restaurant and he saw Phillip walking in with his secretary then he approached Phillip and saw him playing kissy-kissy hands with secretary and Sam warned his dad but Phillip said it was nothing. Back at home Sam warned Phillip again and Phillip said she was just his secretary. Strange though. Because for 20 odd years Phillip was never seen with another in front of the camera and suddenly now he is the lusty old man? I don't know what is going on, maybe mid life crisis or worse, dad has some life threatening disease and doing this to drive away mom? I don't know, we shall see as the series go along at its slow mo pace.
At the meantime Sam was guilty for neglecting Zoe and so he called Zoe for a dinner date. Zoe was very happy of course and was ready to leave her house when Paul said her face looked red, her body felt very hot and Paul was very worried so he asked Zoe to go see a doctor now! But Zoe sneaked out of the house and Sam also noticed she looked red all over. But Sam didn't suspect a thing and Sam was confessing to her how he was so sorry for neglecting her and how he will make it up to her when Zoe was getting worse and worse. Suddenly Zoe stood up, apologised to Sam saying it was nothing, it was not his fault and she ran out leaving Sam thinking she was still angry with him for neglecting her. Outside of the restaurant, Zoe fainted and Paul came just in time to see her fainting.
Tomorrow we shall know why Zoe fainted and her decision about her relationship with Sam. Very interesting but melodramatic stuff.
Performance wise, Francis had little to do whilst Myolie was just a bit too much. But I can see why. Her Zoe is supposed to be very understanding and yet very afraid Sam would leave her and yet tried to be cool about it. So she had to bee overeager.
Everybody else was ok.
I am still sore though the story between Isaac and Zoe never took off because tonight, Isaac approached Zoe advising her about her problems with Sam and I thought in real life, Isaac would be secretly in love with Zoe. The body language said so.
As for tonight's plot, I am very confused with Phillip's sudden change of behaviour and Sam's I don't know mentality and yet he knows later on. Very hot and cold. And also the Donald knowing Isaac loved Zita and Zita loved Isaac because that plot was redundant. Nothing was made out of it and frankly the whole plot of the S4 and its members were rather redundant. Nothing much happened with them anyway. As for Belle I was also very confused. One episode earlier she was almost hysterical with grief whilst on the plane imagining Vincent was still there and yet tonight she was all calm and cool. She could even laugh. I could even see lip gloss and shiny perfect hair. Shouldn't she be a bit more like a grieving widow since Vincent just died? And no news on what Vincent said on the phone message, maybe after that she will become hysterical. Even Vincent's parents were cool, cried a bit but generally not that grieving. I guess some people take everything as it comes, but imagine your only son died at such a young age, shouldn't the mom look lost or something? At least a tiny little bit?
End credits we have I can't remember, I think Sammul Chan explaining the power source of a plane.
Labels: Episode 31
Oh the tragedy! Oh the tears! Oh Vincent, oh Vincent, gone but not quite gone, dead but not that dead! Vincent...oh! You will definitely need your Kleenex, but not when Vincent died, but when seeing how Sam reacted to the news that Vincent died.
Story continues today with Vincent about to leave for Rome and Belle crying like no control. They were saying goodbye as if Vincent was never coming back (which was true) and then when he left, Belle ran into the arms of Sam, crying which was exactly what Vincent didn't want her to do. This woman really really was getting to me.
Anyway Vincent was in Rome and Sam and Belle trying to talk things out. Before that Zoe did approached Sam and asked him is everything a-ok, should she be worried about Belle in Sam's life but Sam said silly, don't think such stupid thoughts. But Zoe was worried, very very worried. One thing good about Zoe is when she is worried, she is not like Belle, going to everybody BUT the source. Zoe will go straight to the source that is Sam and basically all a-ok for now.
But Sam needed to talk to Vincent, and he called Vincent, left him a message saying words to the effect that "Hey buddy! Don't worry; I won't seduce your wife, friendship is more important than women". Don't know if Vincent got the message.
Then Sam asked to see Belle and whilst they talked about their relationship, Belle confessing her answer to Vincent was the classic I don't knowwwwww, Sam said he didn't give Vincent an answer because he felt saying I don't know was an answer in itself. In a way Sam was confessing that indeed he was still thinking about Belle. Now Belle was confused but they continued their talks.
Then Vincent at Rome was still quite miserable when he saw a lady dropping her bracelet and the newspaper vendor picking it up, ran to the lady and they were chatting like old friends. Suddenly Vincent was smiling happily, ran to a phone booth (which was a work of art, such a beautiful phone booth) and called Belle but Belle wasn't home as she was with Sam. So he left a message saying "Belle, I finally understood, I finally got it! Belle..." and we will never know what he said as I am sure that would be left for Belle to listen in a more dramatic scene later. But I suspect this;
At this juncture my family were having this argument, that what he meant by saying he understood. My second sister, the one with the most vocal opinion said Vincent was right to dump Belle as he should never settle for less than 100% love. In a way I agree. Vincent gave Belle the ultimatum; take me 100%, love me 100%, give me 100% of your heart or nothing at all! But I for one was of the opinion Vincent knew what he was getting into. In a way he was right to leave Belle with that ultimatum, to give her the chance to choose all over again, either him 100% or nothing at all. But it was a bit unfair to Belle as sometimes, women get very nostalgic when it comes to forst love. There was no denying Belle loved Sam first and will always love him, think about him, talk to him but she does love Vincent in her own way. Maybe not 100%, maybe 80%. But if Vincent can't take 80% only, I guess it will be for the best to leave her because this woman is incapable of giving more than what she can. It's not that she's not prepared to give Vincent that much, it's just that her memories of a strong intense past love prevented her, she is tied emotionally to Sam in some ways. Of course my second sister disagreed as one should not settle for less but I countered saying in life, if you want to achieve a certain level of happiness, you must settle for less, but not less to the point that it becomes a liability but less to a point that sometimes maximum isn't 100%. My eldest sister summed up our discussion by saying "Shut up! This is just a TV series, it will never happen in real life, moreover, Belle deserves to be miserable, she can't even make up her bloody mind!". Well, I find this complex emotions very real. Everyday, many women married a man they may like but not passionately in love with for a variety of reasons whilst men, seek affairs to rekindle the passion they once had but that may not mean real true love. It's very real.
Anyway, enough of that. Back to the plot...
Vincent was walking happily, because I think he accepted the less than 100% but gained more than he could get from Belle concept when he saw this stupid little girl playing in the middle of the road and a car was fast (actually slowly) approaching and Vincent ran towards the girl's direction. We never see the impact but we will get to see two shocked bystanders running to Vincent and there he was, flat on his back hugging the little girl tightly and his head was bleeding and the guys were panicking. The little girl was ok but Vincent was dying since he got this massive head injuries, only that I didn't really see that massive head injury except for a tiny pool of blood but it was true, Vincent was dying.
Now let me digress a bit about Vincent, his dying moment and Joe Ma.
This episode clearly illustrated two acting powerhouse, as in one fully charged powerhouse and one in serious need of power.
Imagine you were Vincent, you finally accepted whatever you accepted, you were eager to go back to see Belle, because you finally understood, assuming of course you wanted Belle back. You have many happy thoughts, many words to say to her, you haven't had a chance to tell her face to face, you were smiling because you knew moments later you would be seeing her and telling her your innermost thoughts and your happy decision. Then you got hit by a car and you lay there dying. You knew you were dying since you were knocked head on, and you were unable to move. In that very last moment of your life, you must be thinking a whole lot of things like perhaps your friendship with Sam, your marriage with Belle and how happy you were, you decision, your happy thoughts, the moments before where you reached an important decision that involved you and Belle and it must be a positive one since you were so darn happy just moments before, and the realisation that you will not be able to see Belle again, Sam, all, gone in a few moments. You were dying with the regret of knowing you will never get to tell Belle how much you love her, assuming you wanted to get back with her. How would you look?
a. pain, anguish, sadness
b. shocked, numbed, disbelief
c. regret, remorse, pitiful
d. happy, you die smiling, you die smiling like an idiot whilst lying on the street.
Just moments before Vincent's death, he was smiling. Oh yes. I do not know what he was thinking, but I am sure someone as young as Vincent and with some unfinished business and was about to die will not die smiling like a happy contented man. This is not some Korean drama where Belle who died earlier is waiting for Vincent at Heaven and he will be meeting her soon in Heaven. Belle is still very much alive. Joe Ma gave the worst performance in that scene. You may argue he was probably in shocked, since he was smiling moments before, probably he was about to die and that shock didn't really leave him so he had this happy look, frozen by shock. I don't think so. He looked like he was dying a very happy man when he still had a little sister waiting for him back in HK. The worst performance and I am glad Vincent died because I can't stand another second of Joe Ma with his bad English, standard text book acting, uncharismatic presence and in the end, his very inadequate acting. Maybe he had his own interpretation but I didn't see all that. I was sorting out my older reviews and I actually had good comments about this actor in those earlier reviews, that was when he was just a second fiddle with line and some scenes but when he took on significant amount of air time and more lines with more prominent roles, that was when my comments became more and more negative. I want to see him get a role tailor made for him but the problem is I can't see his siganature role yet and he doesn't have the acting capacity to give more. Oh yeah, as a viewer am I ready to accept 60% of effort from him and just ignore my other 40% expectation? Maybe in love but not when it comes to my viewing pleasure. Maybe the writer was bad, maybe the director was bad, or maybe, just maybe, and sorry to all Joe Ma's fans, just maybe Joe Ma doesn't have it. That it being more than the usual acting. He can act, he can act decently, sometimes he can act well, he can be watcheable, he can be entertaining, he can be cute and he can be funny. But he can't take on more than he can handle, and he can't take on roles that require him to be a lead because this is one actor who has no charisma, no screen presence, who when needed to deliver can't deliver and who does not have a personality one can see onscreen. I hope he will get a role that will make me eat my own words because he got the height, he got the looks, he seems like a nice guy with wholesome image but he just lacks the leading man quality. He bores me, even when his Vincent was dying. The only scene he gave more than I expected and a bit more than he usually give was when he was giving this speech for Sam. But those moments are so rare. Vincent is not my favourite character in here but he has his moments and his virtues and I shall miss Vincent but I won't say I will miss Joe Ma. A much better actor may be able to garner our pity, to make us go "Damn! He still needs to go home to Belle, to see her, to tell her all he wanted to say, how can YOUUUU do this!! DAMN!!!" but none of that was coming from my mouth. My only question after all those thoughts of what was going through Vincent's mind as he laid there dying was.."Hmmm, maybe if the director had shown Vincent being hit and thrown a few metres away, that may be more effective or maybe a tear from Vincent".
Anyway, Sam and Belle were still thinking what they didn't dare to say and admit when Zoe ran to them and took the longest of time and in tears to tell Belle, almost hysterical now with worry that Vincent died in Rome. Then we see Henry explaining what happened, and Sam took Belle and a very tearful Coco home.
At this point I must salute Francis Ng who gave his best performance in this series tonight. His Sam walked into the house, already in tears but wiped it away and bravely told his family that it was fated, they had to accept it. He then told them he will accompany Belle to Rome to take Vincent back home whilst Coco will go to her parents and take them to HK. Belle refused the airlines' offer to arrange the funeral as she wanted to arrange it herself.
Back at home and alone in his room, Sam was almost in tears when Zoe, worried sick walked in and volunteered in the wrong time to accompany Sam to Rome. Sam kept saying no, he can handle it but Zoe was becoming far too insistent and Sam really scolded Zoe to back off, to go away and let him grief alone. Zoe was pale with shocked and dutifully left.
Once at home, Zoe confessed to Paul that she was worried that perhaps Sam didn't love her, perhaps Sam didn't want her around when Ruby walked up and right so, gave Zoe a piece of advice in a very harsh way but gentle enough. She said.."If you want others to stop treating you like an immature little kid, you should stop acting like one. You shouldn't think so much into Sam's actions. I too am worried about Belle, I am her best friend but sometimes you must back off and let them grief in their own pace and own time." Zoe realised she was wrong to push Sam so much and she agreed to back off but she was still worried about Sam and Belle of course.
Back home, Belle laid down Vincent's uniform and she cried and cried. She had yet to hear the message from Vincent yet. Sam meanwhile was looking through the old childhood photos and I can tell you to get ready with your Kleenex. Sam then broke down and cried really hard and I was almost in tears. Sam lost his only friend actually, someone he knew for over 20 years. Poor Coco too.
Next day, they went to Rome and took home Vincent. They saw the little girl and her mom praying for Vincent by the road side and suddenly Belle couldn't take it. She was hysterical and Sam had to calm her down as she begged for Vincent to come home. I think she finally realised she loved Vincent more than she thought she did. Very sad actually but Flora killed the sadness and I shall explain later. Back on the plane, Belle thought Vincent was still alove as she was served with her favourite drink when Sam calmed her down and said it was him not Vincent who told the air stewardess to serve her that drink. I think Belle is suffering from delusions, denial, guilt and later, nervous breakdown.
Back home, Sam was told he wil be given the award Most Outstanding Youth and Henry asked Sam to go but Sam didn't want to. Henry said it will be Vincent's wish for Sam to go since Vincent recommended him and Belle said please go.
Of course strange thing was such an award which should take place in a hotel took place at the airport and everybody was there, even I think Vincent's grieving parents which was ridiculous of course. Then the whole ceremony started off with Sam and ended as Vincent's make-do funeral as Sam delivered a heartfelt obituary after he heard Vincent said what he said one episode before. Sam was in tears and everybody was in tears actually. Strange was Vincent's parents wasn't in that much of tears. Are they his parents??
Anyway the scene ended there and as the credits rolled, we learn about backbox.
Then when the song ended, Wah Lai Toi showed a short tribute to Vincent and ended with Vincent's not so smiling face, the last one we saw as Sam saw during the ceremony, freeze framed with that eagle pendant or whatever you call it with the series' title right across his face. It was like a tribute to Vincent, his obituary but it was creepy as it looked like Joe Ma's obituary when he is still very much alive. TVB of course wanted to be sentimental but the ugly truth is, the tears induring part wasn't when Vincent died, not by Vincent dying that it was sad but it was how Sam reacted to it. I thought his death scene was very lame.
Now performances.
Francis Ng was perfect in here. His tearful eyes, not wanting to cry, controlling his emotions and letting it all go when he was alone in the room. I can't fault his performance tonight. He deserves an award for this episode, truly amazing performance.
Myolie Wu gave Zoe a very pester-eager kinda attitude tonight and I feel very apt because Zoe being much too young didn't quite understand sometimes people want to be alone for a little while. She too gave an amazing performance tonight. Fear all there. I think her Zoe insisted on going to Rome with Sam because she knew Belle was there and Sam and Belle were at their most vulnerable with Vincent's death. A bit selfish but totally understandable and Myolie gave Zoe such depth in her performance.
If Joe Ma gave the worst performance tonight, Belle certainly gave the second worse or the worse for a female actress. Whenever Flora cries, I can't hear her dialogue. She tends to mumble and I hate that. I didn't get a single word she was saying as she was crying and mumbling. And her crying was truly horrible. It was fake, it was crocodile tears, didn't see a single red eye (whilst Francis' eyes were really red) and her make up still perfect with her rosy cheeks when she should not look so impeccable. She should look old, tired and grieving. She didn't look grieving.
Everybody else looked shocked which was good because they should be.
Tonight's episode highlighted the weak writing, some really bad performances and of course showing to us why Francis Ng won so many awards.
One thing I must mention. I think being a captain at Solar Airlines is a jinx kinda job. First Sam, moments after becoming a captain suffered a devastating blow to his career and sometimes losing his eyesight whilst Vincent, on his first maiden flight as a captain DIED.
And I must also mention this. 2 episodes back, Vincent became a captain, something I forgot to mention. What was strange was Vincent was so upset Sam became the first captain and the airline made it very clear they had room for one captain only. Moments later Vincent became a captain. Maybe because most captains were retired and Sam was incapacitated.
And one more thing. Yesterday's episode, Vincent I think said his friendship with Sam was since primary school, some 23 years ago. He was very specific about the year. How old is Sam and Vincent? 36? Minus 23 years and that would make them 13? And they met when? Secondary school or primary school? Today, Sam said 20 years which was worse but the photos showed them perhaps 10? 11? Can't the writer be more consistent?
Next week drama!! Sam kisses Belle, Zoe's very very sick and Zoe said to Sam, no more relationship!! Oh the drama!
Anyway, RIP Vincent. At least Belle will not be confused anymore. Now it is Zoe's time to be confused!
Labels: Episode 30
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.
Labels: Episode 29
Belle was very very worried about that whole HIV scare and she wouldn't know the results until a few days later. So in times of deep fear, uncertainty and pain, she called not her husband but Sam. Sam consoled her the best he could. Vincent saw Belle taking some pills but didn't know what it was. Then he tried to have sex with her but she refused. He thought she was not feeling well as in cold and fever but Belle was very afraid; she was afraid she would infect everybody, and Sam consoled her the best he could. And because he wanted to be there for Belle, Sam refused to go with Zoe on their trip, though Zoe didn't know why but she trusted him. When Zoe went home, she was actually very very disappointed but as she held the triangel doll and said "What is destined to be yours is yours" and her eyes was almost in tears but she was smiling in an optimistic way, I kinda suspected she knew Sam saying no had something to do with Belle or perhaps with Sam's own refusal to actually really love Zoe wholeheartedly. I think it is funny that Sam met Belle for a day and he slept with her and yet with Zoe, when Isaac kinda playfully suggested the trip will be akin to a honeymoon kinda trip, Sam immediately told Isaac to mind his manners. Was this Sam saying he was not trully committed to Zoe? What will it take for him to be committed? Zoe dying? I was very disappointed with Sam and his wishy washy ways and I pity Zoe who truly gave her heart to Sam who didn't give her his because his already given to someone else. And Belle too because when she went to take the results and she was ok, she hugged Sam and Vincent was there to witnessed it. He consulted his friend about Belle's pills and found out from his friend it was for HIV positive patients. When Belle went home, Vincent was very very cold towards her. Belle kinda knew why and she immediately told him about the whole HIV scare. Whilst I thought Vincent could have been more open minded about the whole issue about Belle, HIV, secrecy and Sam, I thought it wasn't baseless for him to ask that one question we all might ask our spouse if the other spouse did what Belle did;
"When you were afraid, who did you call? You called Sam..."
And that was that. Vincent was utterly devastated by Belle's behaviour. He also suggested something might be going on between Sam and Belle, at least when it comes to matters of the heart and Belle tried to deny it but Vincent left. Then Belle sat alone thinking about that one day at Rome and yes my fellow netizens, Belle indeed called Sam because in her heart there was still Sam. But I can understand it this way and maybe Vincent could.. that Belle was a romantic at heart and no woman will ever forget their first true love. She loved Vincent no doubt, but not with the burning intensity she felt for Sam and in some ways she may not have married the man she loved with such passion but she married a man she could spend the rest of her life with. Maybe Vincent didn't understand all that. I thought he was petty but yet I can truly understand why he was that angry.
I saw in the preview Vincent will propose a separation tomorrow. I guess he was fed up of being second fiddle but Vincent, you almost had it all, you were almost there, why can't you hang on? I can tell you why...Point of No Return is showing soon and Vincent has got to meeta fate so dramatic that it will alter Belle's life as well as Sam and Zoe's life. Call me a cynic but I thought today's Belle-Vincent-Sam issue was pure drama. But good drama actually.
Now back to Isaac-Zita-Donald. Whenever Zita was around with Donald, Isaac felt uneasy, so I guess he finally realised he actually liked her.
Anyway Donald took Zita home for dinner to see his parents and his mom took an instant liking to Zita. But daddy was truly horrible. This man was dead awful. He had total disrespect for his son and when they were having dinner, his father said to Donald he should return home for business and Donald argued he wanted to forge his own destiny and his father said his destiny, like himself has been set since Donald's grandfather started the family business and Donald said no he won't come back and his mother scolded his father saying Zita was here and she saw Zita as future daughter in law and his father asked Zita "Don't you agree with what I said? Donald joined the course to get near Zita and now that he has her, he should some home... Since you will be marrying my son, I will give you two a big banquet as long as Donald comes home to learn the business and as his wife and my daughter in law, you will encourage Donald to do so and assist him in the business" and Zita tried to say she didn't agree when Donald replied "Whether I marry Zita or come back to run the business is not the same issue!" and his mother said "I don't see the relevance!" and his father said the most hurtful words like "I do not want my son marrying a woman who will spend all his money and will be of no help, like the woman I married so Zita, you are not cut out to be part of this family!" and his mother was close to tears said "How can you say that on my birthday?" and Donald refused and his father left.
That entire scene was classic. I truly liked the tension and I pitied Donald. What a stupid and mean father.
Then back at home Isaac was packing his bage because he wanted to move back to Sam's place on the excuse that mommy wanted him to when in actual fact he couldn't bear to see Donald and Zita together. As he was upstairs packing, Chris and Roy went outside and away from Isaac.
Donald took Zita home and apologised to Zita and asked Zita "Will you be by my side always?" and Zita nodded and smiled sweetly and Donald. I guess Zita truly loved Donald now.
Donald went home and he overheard Chris and Roy saying Zita was in love with Isaac and now she is with Donald and Isaac couldn't stand it and he is moving...
Cue Donald's shocked face and I think the end. Didn't really pay attention tonight.
I want to talk more about Donald and his father.
I think his father just refused to see the changed Donald. Before the training and Zita, Donald I think was pretty arrogant and useless. But now he had a purpose, he had an objective and Zita was truly a good influence. The father not seeing past his own misery at having to run his own father's business now wanted to make Donald suffer but of course this wasn't said so blatantly in the series. I don't think his father loved him since he was never there for Donald at all. Really hate that father.
Anyway the plot is not getting thicker but getting more and more dramatic. Not sure if I like the direction it is heading.
Performance wise, nothing much to say except Flora should really brush up on her "I am crying so hard because I am so scared" look. She was truly awful in that scene where Sam tried to console Belle who was afraid of contaminating anything and infecting everyone. Awful.
Myolie Wu did very well with her fear and uncertainty scenes whilst I thought Sammul Chan was decent and Joe Ma was ok as the uncertain husband.
What will happen tomorrow? When will Vincent die? Will I bring out my kleenex for that scene or will Flora spoil it all with her dramatic crying scenes?
Only a few more episodes and I will know.
Labels: Episode 28
SPOILERS alert!
All opinion remains my own
Episodic thought is a detailed recap/summary and short review of each episode (as I watch them) with a dash of my own unique way of writing (basically it means if you're not into opinion that may differ from yours, please do not continue reading.
Your comments are most welcomed. Do use Post A Comment for the appropriate episode. Do remember to bookmark the episode so you may refer back when someone replies to your comments (if any). When commenting, please observe the rules of decorum and common courtesy. If this is a new series, please avoid posting future spoilers in earlier episodes, however you may post speculations.
This series was released in 2003 but was broadcast over ASTRO Wah Lai Toi in 2005. This episodic thoughts was written during that broadcast over ASTRO on a daily basis from Monday to Friday, episode per episode and it is officially completed when the series ended its run. Episodic Thoughts consists of summary of plot and a review of the current episode, all written by me, Funn Lim. The comments are still open so feel free to post your comments. Please be informed that the posts in here are full of spoilers. Thank you.
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