Fraxer
Chennai, India
Story: It's just your run of the mill high school romcom with the two female leads being twins. Nothing new about it - one's an extrovert, the other an insecure introvert. And nothing new about the execution either with too many loose ends. Only the feelings of the boys were clear, not the girls. The romance was so feeble that even if the pairings were swapped in the end, no one would've cared (or even noticed, for that matter). I'm not a fan of cheesy romance, but I would've even lapped that up here. The story was supposed to be about two twins and their realization about their individuality, but till the end, neither are they convinced nor are the audience.
Acting/Cast: The casting was pretty much spot on though. I think Huang Peijia is made for schoolgirl roles (I absolutely disliked her role in Be With You - she looks like a kid opposite Bobby Dou). Yogurt was cheeky, Ping even more so.
Music: No background score - and I mean absolutely nothing. And it seems I can't give 0, so lemme just make it 1.
Rewatch Value: One good thing about it is that its short. So on a boring day, I won't mind rewatching Yogurt trying to woo Mini.
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Story: It catalogs the struggles of lower and middle class residents of Hong Kong as they try to buy a house. Starts off pretty well, but after a while monotony creeps in and refuses to leave. It also did become predictable at times.
Acting/Cast: The main couple was little better than passable. Their chemistry as friends/flatmates absolutely rocked, but as lovers? Something was amiss. I wish Jack was shown to be have some more backbone. Even after half the series is over, he's still attached to his ex who dumped him for a rich guy. Selena Li as Cecelia does a decent job, though I feel she's not suitable for teary scenes.
Peggy is good as the youthful character in the show and House provides the much needed comic relief. Too many other characters who tend to go in circles (a lot!).
The story keeps losing steam and eventually the "feel-good" ending is not as convincing as it ought to be.
Music: Not a fan of HK music, and this one's nothing special.
Rewatch: Probably not, maybe if it was a 10-episode series...!
Concluding Thoughts: I started writing this with the aim of writing a detailed review, but somehow couldn't and have to stop with a half-baked one. Probably coz though I liked the series in bits and pieces, I never found reasons to love it. Not very recommended, but if you have ample time at hand, why not!
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Story: A variety of people gather in the Wonderful Harbour Hotel on a particular day when a Mexican diplomat staying there contracts a new strain of influenza. Keeping up with the health laws, the whole hotel along with its residents is quarantined for 7 days. The story follows these 7 days, as the viewers gain insights into the reasons such an odd group of people turned up there at the same time. This is based on a true event from 2009, when the first H1N1 case was reported in a hotel in Wanchai and the hotel was sealed off for 7 days.
Characters (this might be long, but I'll try to keep it short):
Chiu Chin Lung: A typical 'act first, talk later' cop. He can't ignore injustice, which leads to him taking matters into his hands and landing him in trouble. He's investigating the kidnapping of a boy and ends up in the hotel while chasing the suspects.
Tong Ching: An enthusiastic journalist, who gets to know Lung the day before the quarantine. She enters the hotel to get evidence of an affair between a rich businessman and a bank superintendent. She joins hands with Lung to track down the kidnappers.
Yik Cho On / Calvin: A professional thief (a la Robin Hood?) who robs the rich and donates a fraction of the loot to charity. He disguises as a Thai Chinese businessman. As is expected, we get glimpses into his past, showing why he became what he is.
Wong Ka Yu / Christy: Calvin's partner and girlfriend, disguised as the wife of a rich Shanghai businessman. Though her rational personality clashes with Calvin's impulsive one, they care for each other deeply.
Ho Chan: The jack of all trades at the hotel. He is nicknamed Chief and seems to have a hidden past, which once revealed, can throw many lives into disarray. He helps Lung and Ching with their investigations.
Tai Siu Nam: The bellboy at the hotel, who is in cahoots with the kidnappers.
Liu Ho Yan / Judy: The hotel concierge, who chases rich men and falls in love with Calvin.
Yao Dan: A supermodel (but is she really who she claims she is?)
Au Yeung Ka Ka: An escort, who gets called out by a businessman staying at the hotel and ends up getting quarantined. One of the few who actually enjoy the situation.
Kwok Wing-mui: Lung's mother who's obsessed with getting him married.
Acting/Cast: Most of the actors did a great job, especially Cheng Joyce. She really shines as your plain Jane. The scenes between her and Bosco Wan are a treat to watch. No romance, its just a pair of incidental friends poking around. Ma Steven and Kwok Sonija share a great on-screen chemistry with their constant on-off relation. Barring maybe one or two, you just don't get to hate anyone ^_^
Music: I'm no big fan of HK music, but I found this one entertaining (enduring?)
Rewatch: This can be categorized as a thriller with a dose of comedy and romance. There are really not many unnecessary scenes. One of the few dramas I feel I can rewatch without using the fast-forward option!
Concluding Thoughts: This is really an awesome drama with a highly convincing ending. It can be seen as an "everyone gets what they want" scenario, but you do feel sorry for the most unlikely people. With so many stories tied-in, the director did a meticulous job of keeping the audience occupied. When the bunch of unconnected people start to bond together, you really start cheering for them. After all, no man is an island.
It might not have the glamour of many other dramas, but that is not what it was meant to be. TVB dramas are known for their outlook at reality and this drama excels with that perspective. If you appreciate a good story with good acting, this is the one for you. Highly recommended!
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Story: It's the story of genius boy Toma So who graduated from MIT as a teenager and returns to Japan to enjoy high school life. There he meets Mizuhara Kana, a highly energetic girl and member of the kendo club. They get involved in various cases which they solve using his brain and her brawn.
Acting/Cast: If I had not read the manga, I would've appreciated the acting more, but now I'm unable to do so. Being a manga fanatic, I like to see characters portrayed accurately, which didn't happen here.
Music: Worth listening to a few times, nothing more.
Rewatch: In two minds here, though I guess I'll give it another try sometime.
Verdict: if you've read the manga, you might be disappointed. If you've not, watch this first and then read the manga - you'll appreciate it more that way,
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