Episode 14

Another weird episode or rather badly written episode that feels so out of character that I cringe watching it. Meaning, NOT a good episode at all. Episodes like this kind of kills the magic of this series, frustratingly.

Anyway, the story this time is on Hing and Cho Ba.

Cho Ba seems increasingly drawn to Hor Ma's side and often he flashbacks to the past and he began to miss Hor Ma and the children. And the children, all 6 of them, even Sum sometimes spend their time at Hor Ma full time now. So Cho Ba visited often and often Hung didn't know but when she knew she felt deep jealousy.

Anyway I missed the 1st 15 minutes which must be the scenes where Hung asked Cho Ba to give all PR work of the company to Yuen instead of Ka. Cho Ba must have felt pressured but of course must have agreed. Yuen looked rather scared of Hung apart from all the guilt factor. And Hung didn't like Cho Ba spending so much time with Hor Ma and with the backing of grandma, Cho Ba again was cornered to promise never to visit Hor Ma ever again. Of couse an empty promise, spurred on by the children. But Cho Ba decided to heed grandma's advice and often spent his time at home, whilst the children, grandpa, Hor Ma and even Auntie Sa would go picnic and then call Cho Ba and had some 3G video conferencing with all of them asking Cho Ba to join them but Cho Ba being a coward reluctantly refused. Hung of course never knew he called them and all. Then there was another gathering, and this time Cho Ba was asked to join again and again Cho Ba refused. One day Cho Ba was window shopping and saw a funny mask with moustach and he remembered when the children were younger, Hor Ma was using the same mask with silly wig singing to Hing as Hing was upset and she wanted to cheer Hing up. She failed and Cho Ba came into the picture, wore the same mask and did a funny routine to a song that made Hing smiled again. Cho Ba so missed that time that he bought the mask, went home, wore the mask and lip synch to a song in his room like he did to Hing. Grandma saw what he did and laughed but in actual fact Cho Ba did it because he was remembering the past where he was much happier. Cho Ba of course spent time with Hung and they were an old copy walking by the road, looking rather romantic but in actual fact Cho BA was thinking about the other family and of course Hung didn't quite realised it.

Pause here.

I know that Cho Ba was much happier in the past as the series kept reminding us with their over the top happy family time. But if it was such a solid happy family, one woman surely can't destroy it overnight? Let's not forget they were having an affair for 1 year prior to Hor Ma finding out and though I don't know the timeline of the children back then, seeing some big ones I suppose it was right smack in the middle of the affair. That would make hin a hypocrite. I am still not convinced by Cho Ba and his desire to reunite with the family or Hor Ma, which he had yet to express yet, maybe next week. I just feel if a happy is THAT happy it can't be demolished overnight. So therefore there was an underlying problem. Whilst I feel what Hung did was clearly vile and despicable, but the way the series is going, it is done in such a way that Cho Ba seems faultless or rather forgivable. I disagree. Hung can't be the only one to shoulder the blame of the breakdown of the family and I feel Cho Ba was more despicable in the sense he let the family broke apart and rot for 12 years and suddenly at this episode he is so involved with the children, and suddenly so interested in their affairs. It seems too easy and again for the 3rd time perhaps I feel a sense of unfairness for Hung who will be shouldering the blame solely. It is clear to me Cho BA just loves to sneak around. When he was Hor Ma, he sneaked around with Hung. Now with HUng, he sneaked around with Hor Ma. Some people are just perpetual serial bigamist or jerks and it just so happened Cho Ba is like stuck in a 3 wheel affair between the same 2 women for decades. I still don't like him at all. And to me it shows inadequate writing for such a sudden and dramatic change to pave the way for the final and of course inevitable reunion of the entire family. How ridiculous. Hor MA can't forgive him, she must not forgive him.

Anyway Hing was having a problem. Suddenly one day she told Hou she was quitting her job at the ad agency because she was being changed to a different department and she can't cope. Hou being a concerned brother asked Sum who recommended Hing for the job. Sum was dead tired from her job. In case we all forgot, she is a doctor. And may I just add...

Sum in doctor's costume - 1 time until todate
Sum performing doctor's duties actually shown - Zero until todate
Sum actually in a hospital - including cafeteria, twice until todate
Sum having friends other than Hor Ma's side - Zero until todate
Everybody else having a social life other then siblings, family gatherings - Zero until todate

So this is why everybody ends up marrying within the family. They have NO SOCIAL LIFE AT ALL. Any social life until todate is in the form of miss and they're gone boyfriends and girlfriends, max 2 episodes that is Yuet and Hou.

So what a surprise when Sum said she spoke with the boss of the ad agency and said curiously they all liked Hing very much and that she wasn't transferred at all. So Hou was curious.

Halfway in Sum's car, Hou and Sum saw an upset looking Hing. A good thing about sign language is from afar if you know what they're signing you can just look and understand. And Hou saw Hing signing furiously at her immediate supervisor, that bespectacled short man whom I have predicted many episodes earlier Hing will marry. Of course the man was holding an envelope and said "Hing, please take back the envelope. You don't have to leave the company" and Hing insisted "I must. I can't go on like this anymore. It is best I leave" and of course Hou saw how the guy kept pestering Hing and he came to her rescue accusing the guy sexually harassing her but Hing quickly ran into the minibus and left.

So Hou and Sum went looking for HIng until nightfall and Hing messaged she wanted to be alone for a while. Panicking, they looked until they saw Hing by the same telephone booth Yuet stood when she was running away. I shall call the telephone booth the runaway point. So Hing was squatting at the runaway point and Hou told Sum to drive home to sleep but Sum gamely said "I can sleep anywhere remember? I will sleep here" and so Sum slept whilst Hou sat in tha car looking at Hing, not disturbing her at the runaway point. Sometime later HIng messaged Hou "Hou, it is so quiet and late here. Not even a taxi or a bus. Can you come and fetch me?" and Hou smiled and Sum woke up of course and they both drove in front of Hing and said "Hing!" and Hing looked over and smiled.

Next scene everybody in same clothing, early morning but Sum was in a different dress. BAD EDITING. Anyway Hing confessed "He truly is a good guy. I can't think of a single bad thing to say about him. He treated me well and after a while he was often working late into the night, even when he didn't have any project to do. I told myself don't be ridiculous, he doesn't have feelings for you but somehow I felt maybe he did. After some time he stopped driving and even started taking bus rides with me. He looked like he wanted to talk to me but he didn't and even in the bus he was sitting one side and I on the other. It must sometime later I found out he was worried about me and so accompanied me. One day he was at the cafeteria engrossed in a book and In walked to him to say Hi and I saw that he was reading a book on sign language. It was then he confessed he liked me very much. I didn't know what to do at first but I really liked him and so we started dating. It was for 3 months. I didn't tell anyone, neither did he. One day we were walking hand in hand and suddenly he let go of my hand. He saw his mother and he introduced me as his colleague. That hurt a lot. As I walked away I heard his mother said what a pity she is mute, how is she going to live on the rest of her life? It was then I decided we can't continue with this relationship. It is doomed from the beginning. That was why I quit the job. needed to get away, to get away from him. It was difficult, it still is because I really love him but I can't let this go on any further as the relationship is without a good end".

What Hou and Sum could say? Nothing really.

Hing saw the man again and again he asked her to reconsider her decision but Hing steadfastly said "We are over" and walked away but actually she was hurting inside. I think Cho Ba saw what happened. What he did next I can't remember. I think he didn't do anything.

Sitting alone by the pier, she looked glum and sad. Suddenly Cho Ba appeared with that wig and face mask with a song player (can't remember if it was a radio) and he mimed to the song like he did when she was little and slowly she smiled with tears in her eyes. Then everybody was there and I mean everybody (except the non existing son called Yuen) and even Auntie Sa was there, each signing to the song and miming to the song and Hing laughed as she cried and ran to hug Cho Ba and gang.

Solved? Not yet because the guy will propose. We all know that but not today.

Meanwhile Cho Ba decided to join the gang for a dinner which Ka organised. He was happily buying fish and ingrediants when his handphone ran out of battery. At home they were all busy cooking. Hung just came back from a business trip (that was why Cho Ba agreed lar!) and the nosy relative became a spy and said in the call to Hung "He has been calling you twice for the entire trip but he called them 45 times! Each time very long talk time and he has been communicating with them!" and Hung said "Enough". In the car with grandma Hung suddenly said "Why not we visit the children at Hor's place?" and grandma said "I would love to but that woman will be there, are you sure you are ok with that?" and Hung smiled and said "Why shouldn't I be? I can't avoid her forever. Moreover we are visiting the children" and so they went.

Door bell, Hing opened the door thinking it was Cho Ba when it was grandma and Hung and nosy female relative. All was shocked but greated Grandma warmly and the rest greeted Hung reluctantly. Hor Ma was surprised to see them but greeted them warmly. Grandma chatted with them and Ka at the back whispered to Hou "You must go downstairs and wait for Cho Ba. Warn him not to come up" and both told grandma they were going down to buy drinks when Grandma suddenly had headache and all were worried. Grandma blamed it on something minor but she looked quite pale and so the children said "Come on grandma we take you home to rest" and so grandma stood up to leave whilst Hung looked disappointed that they didn't catch Cho Ba yet.

Going out, Cho Ba heard their voices and so ran into the elevator to go to ground floor. As he reached ground floor so did they and so he quickly ran out and suddenly Hung and gang heard a screeching car and a sudden stop. They all looked and saw Cho Ba standing up from in front of the taxi and the taxi driver was scolding Cho Ba "Why you suddenly run out? Can't you see the cars here?!" and Hou, grandma and Hung ran to Cho Ba, concerned if he was ok when Cho Ba said "No no I am fine. Get my glasses please" and Hou gave him his glasses which he wore when suddenly Cho Ba panicked and said "Why is everything twisted? Why are they upside down? What is going on?!?!?" and so... next episode ...

Next episode which will be next Monday since it is the weekends now Cho Ba probably has a concussion and was temporarily blinded. He called for Hor Ma making Hung very angry and later on he hugged Hung asking Hung to be a bit more generous but Hung looked murderous.

I would too if I was her. I kinda pity Hung sometimes.

Anyway like I said what a weird episode as I have explained about Cho Ba. Cringe worthy especially the whole singing scene to Hing. I know supposed to be heart warming but just so Heart Of Greed. And the actors looked uncomfortable doing that scene, at least Moses looked unconvinced and uncomfortable. But the worst, the absolute worst, no not the bad continuity or editing or Yuen still not having a solid story until now or the actor as Chung being probably the worst of the lot without the camera ever fixing it's lenses on him so until now I still haven't got a good look of him or even Hor Ma now officially considered the third party (eh,Hung and Cho Ba is legally married so that makes Hor Ma the adulteress in the end?!??!) BUT it was the idea or rather the accepted fact THAT everybody now suddenly understands sign language! Auntie Sa who didn't know now could just look at Hing and know. Even Cho Ba who didn't know a lot in the beginning suddenly can do sign language and read so well. Even Chung, never exposed to this sister for bloody 12 years who can't understand or even speak English suddenly could read and understand sign language. Even Ka who was away for 12 years could know so much. Even GRANDMA could understand. Or rather they pretended to understand? All of a sudden a miracal happened; no language barrier and what stigma? There is no stigma. And I hate the so called forced stigma when the guy's mother said how Hing will live for the rest of her life. Eh auntie, she has already lived like 20 odd years just fine without your smart aleck comment!! And guess what? Again suddenly a relationship developed out of camera, shoved down our throats to expect Hing suddenly had this dilemma, that she would go dating 3 months not even telling Yuet her best friend and that she was now facing a love dilemma. I can't buy all that and the sooner they marry the sooner this story arc is done. It just seems all these love relationships are so under or badly developed that I find Nin Chi Yung's scenes with Hor Ma better developed and more touching! How many more sudden relationships we are gonna see? Because they're waste of time. Go back to Hung-Cho Ba-Hor Ma story arc. Very clumsy writing and storytelling.

Performance wise, Lee Sze Kei has little role in this episode and so no comment.

Michelle Yim was fantastic as the very angry Hung who had to swallow her anger most of the time.

Chris Lai is still having the same expression and his character is still so not connected to anybody in the series. Calling him an apparition may not be so nice but maybe calling him the invisible one is appropriate. His character is like just there and when needed thawed out to deliver a few lines and then back into the refrigirator to be thawed out again later. What a bad role and unnecessary character. Yes yes to create tension also to have one on Hung's side but seems rather forced don't you think?

Everybody else is ok except for that Chung actor and that Hing's boyfriend. Such non acting, so not convincing. And so no chemistry between Fala Chan and that short guy. Who is he anyway??

although I can't understand why Auntie Sa, who hated Cho Ba now suddenly is the main instigator in getting him and Hor Ma to reconcile. Hatred for Hung perhaps?

The spotlight is on Fala Chan and although her story is like sudden and badly written and underdeveloped, her performance was of course top notch, that the writing didn't deserve such a good performance. She looked like she was in dilemma, she looked like she was confused, she looked torn, etc so she was convincing. By the way did she learn sign language from scratch or did she know?

Anyway I know the story of a mute girl and a high flying ad agency manager or whatever is supposed to be touching. Especially how he actually learned sign language was of course a rather romantic gesture. But all said in 10 minutes flashback seems forced and unconvincing. It also reminded me of a better series to watch; there was this Japanese series, very short called Your Hand Is Whispering. Same story of colleagues, handsome guy, mute pretty girl with very low confidence, how the guy actually learned sign language, how they married, how the husband tried to build her confidence whilst she had constant fear her daughter would be deaf and mute, how she dealt with the daughter. All very well acted, well written and very moving. Even the title is fantastic. If Hing and ad guy gonna have the similar story path? I suppose these are the scenes we have to get through to get to the good bits. Get Your Hand Is Whispering. A better series on this subject.

Kidd is right; every dilemma is solved in max 2 episodes. Kinda like short term soap opera. I do enjoy this series and I do enjoy writing these episodic thoughts than I have ever been since the last full one I did but I am beginning to feel perhaps the best has already passed and now I a left with crumbs that aren't worth my attention and effort. Has the series or the story by this episode beginning to suffer from burn out?

Favourite scene tonight? Frankly none. So I won't quote any.