Episode 18

Is it only me that I find this episode exceedingly offensive? Anyway a recap first...

Missed the first 30 minutes of the episode because was forced to watch a rather entertaining but gory Criminal Minds. Switched to the channel and saw to my utter non-surprise Hing has reconciled with Kevin (that's his name! KEVIN! No more short guy but I shall have a new nickname for him later on) and Kevin was invited for dinner with Hor Ma and gang and everybody was there (Cho Ba included when next time I say everybody was there) and greeted him warmly. Hing was smiling happily and suddenly, DING-DONG...doorbell rings and guess who?

GUESS!! GUESS!! Guess who is so terrifying?

None other than Kevin's mom! She wasn't pleased, in fact she looked pissed, but politely pissed. By the way she has kidney problem and have to get dialysis everyday, and the significance of this is coming up in this recap.

"I am sorry but my son would have to leave not" declared Kevin's mom. Kevin looked rather not there at all and Cho Ba was surprised at that statement. Hor Ma not there. Hing knew what was coming and looked sad. Kevin's mom said "Come on Kevin, we have to go" and Kevin said like a total wimpy mother's boy "No mom, I want to stay" and Kevin's mom said whispering "Didn't you promise me you will not see Miss Kam again?" and Kevin looked stricken and Cho Ba curious asked "Why can't he?" and then she let it all out. "Miss Kam didn't you promise not to see my son again? Why did you break your promise?" and Cho Ba asked "But they love each other, they're young, let them decide" and Kevin's mom said "No, I can't! Miss Kam you have been disturbing my sons with all your emails!" and with that Auntie Sa, in her rare moment of usefulness retorted "Eh! I myself have taken dozens of calls from your son to Hing asking to speak with her! He is disturbing her too!" and Kevin's mom looked annoyed and said "Kevin, go now!" and Kevin refused but didn't say much and then Auntie Sa said "What is not good about Hing that you disapprove of them?!?" and Kevin's mom then said "What I disapprove? SHE IS MUTE! MUTE GIRL!" and Cho Ba was very offended and said "My daughter may be mute but she is a good girl!" and Auntie Sa said "Oh come on, you think your son is so great? At least Hing is the cherished daughter of a man who owns hundreds of shops, a rich man's daughter, who is your son?" which I agree and that woman just kept saying "I don't care! He is my son, and the fact is she is mute and so I disapprove! Kevin, come on, let's go" but Kevin refused yet again and poor Hing started to cry and I think Hou ran to her and said "Don't cry Hing don't cry" and to the woman "How can you speak of my sister like that? You hurt her feelings!" and Cho Ba went to Hing and comforted her "Hing Cho Ba is here. Don't worry" and to that woman "Hing is my only natural daughter! I love her very much and I will pay for the wedding of the century! I will give my daughter and your son the best wedding!" and Kevin's mom said "I don't care about money! I am not young anymore, and I have to go through dialysis everyday. My son has been taking care of me and when he marries I expect his wife to take care of me. She is mute. I can't start to learn sign language now. How will she understand my instruction on which button to push? How can I expect her to take care of me?" and Cho Ba exploded "You vile woman! Didn't you hear what you're saying? Me this, me that, me me me me me, it is all about you! What about them? What about your son and Hing? I will employ nurses to puch those buttons for you! How about that?!" and the woman said angrily but sadly "I don't care! Kevin, go!" and she pulled Kevin away and Kevin looked at Hing and Hing crying looked back and Auntie Sa argued some more.

Pause here.

Which is worse? Short guy or Wimpy guy? Because he was a total wimp in this scene. I will talk more. Very excited to go to what Hor Ma has to say so that for once I can blast her.

Hor Ma was in the shop and presumably someone called her and she said "WHAT? Stop them from fighting. I am coming back now"

At home Kevin was being dragged away and Hing crying and Cho Ba said "Ok you go! Go now! Please just leave!" and Hou came in front and emotionally said "come on! Leave now. Stop distressing my sister! Just leave the both of you!!" and Hor Ma came back in time and heard what Hou said and angrily said "HOU! What did I tell you about respecting your elders? *Kevin's mom* (I didn't catch her surname so I shall refer to her as *Kevin's mom*) is your elder. You're being so rude!" and Hou said "But Hor Ma! You have to hear what she called Hing. She kept calling Hing mute girl mute girl!!" and *Kevin's mom* looked quite ashamed at her own behaviour whilst Wimpy boy just looked wimpy. Hor Ma sternly said "Well, she is right about Hing. Hing is mute, and that is a fact! Even if they won't be together, we musn't treat our guest with such disrespect! And the fact is *Kevin's mom* is a good mother looking out for her son's interest" and Cho Ba said "Good mother? What sort of a good mother is she to.." and Hor Ma blasted back "Have you ever been a mother? No? Then shut up!" and Hor Ma gently said to *Kevin's mom* "I am so sorry for what happened. Please sit down and let us talk before you leave." *Kevin's mom* was ushered by Hor Ma to sit down and wimpy boy sat with her and everybody sat down and Hor Ma said "I am sorry for what happened. My family loves Hing very much and we have protected her all our lives. I know your feelings as a mother. You're sick and you must have felt that you have burdened your son for far too long, that he had to carry you, so if he marries Hing, someone with disability, he has to carry Hing as well. My daughter is mute, she has a disability and I was always worried about her, whether she can take care of herself. Which was why when they got back together, I have been taking Hing to job interviews so that she can show to you that she is independent and that your son need not carry her too, that she will not be his burden". With that *Kevin's mom* was crying very hard and *Kevin's mom* then gently said "You may leave now if you wish" and *Kevin's mom* crying said "Thank you very much for understanding" and Hor Ma said to Kevin "You're very lucky to have a good mother like her, take good care of her" and so they left with some lingering looks at Hing.

At this point my sister asked me "Oh how will it all end??" and I said "Well in 15 minutes we will know" and indeed in 15 minutes the crisis will be over!

But pause here.

I was offended by what Hor Ma said. I put it rather gently but the fact is she did call Hing mute, she admitted Hing has a disability, that Hing was a burden, that Hing has to work hard not to be a burden. I felt very very very offended. Hing is mute but not stupid. The way Hor Ma went about Hing was like some useless piece of crap. of course she was trying to disparage her daughter to appease *Kevin's mom* but *Kevin's mom* was also horrible. She repeated MUTE GIRL MUTE GIRL so many times, it kinda reminded me of playground bullies calling Hing MUTE GIRL! MUTE GIRL! MUTE GIRL! I felt Hou and Cho Ba and even Auntie Sa's outbursts were right and Cho Ba was even more right to scold that *Kevin's mom*. What surprises me was the utter uselessness of the wimpy boy. NOT ONE WORD. Not even "Mom, please stop calling Hing that" or "Mom I love her, why can't you understand" or "Mom, I can carry both of you, I don't mind" but nope. All he uttered was "Mom, no". WIMPY BOY!!! And Hing is in love with this piece of useless crap? He doesn't deserve her! Auntie Sa was right! Hing is a rich man's daughter! I was angry with Hor Ma by taking the soft approach. We all know that woman will be touched by what Hor Ma said but it is like a person saying your daughter is stupid and you go and say in front of everyone yeah lor she is stupid. I hate that approach and I was hoping Hor Ma will say get lost! My daughter deserves better!! But nope. Poor Hing, she is JUST MUTE, not even deaf.

The worse has yet to come.

Next scene Sum called Hou and Hou told her "Hing is alright. She is still sad eventhough she said she is ok. We are all taking turns to be with her to make sure she is fine" and Sum was glad Hing was well taken care of. I think them Sum got a lift from Bosco who passed by her and interestingly she calls him Gor Gor (as in brother) and he calls her Mui Mui (as in sister). What is this series' obssession with almost but not quite incestous relationships? Even if play pretend? Sum said "I would like to eat Sushi. You know somewhere good?" and I was thinking yeah sushi king? I mean HK no Sushi King? He said got and drove her to a parking lot and Sum was annoyed and asked "Where are you taking me?" and Bosco said "Well the best sushi is at the other side of the sea and to get there we take the ferry" and Sum said "But we don't have time. I also need to rest if I am late professor will scold me" but Bosco said "I promise I will take you home by midnight ok?" and so they went and guess what? They were at the other side and it was raining. Sum said "Well now I will be late" and then Bosco said "Well we are only a few weeks apart. Do you think we know ESP or something like that? Why don't we try?" and so for the next 5 minutes the most mundane scene ever, the play games guessing each other which I shall not repeat. Then someone announced "All ferry rides at 11pm are cancelled due to bad weather!!" and Sum panicked since she will be late for tomorrow but Bosco said "We will make it for the 10pm ferry" but Sum said "What? That's in 10 minutes!" and Bosco said "Well we run!!" and so they ran in the rain, Bosco giving her his jacket to shield herself and as they ran they... let's all speak the following words as we sigh deeply...HELD HANDS. Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhh...awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww....wowwowowowoowowowowowowowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwoooooowwww

Are you like touched by their blossoming love affair?

Or are you like me, all these while thinking "OI SUM!! WHO YOU LOVE AH? HOU OR THIS BOSCO? WHY YOU HOLDING HIS HANDS????"

and my sis reasoned that Hou was too quiet, didn't really say or do much. And I reasoned that the series is coming to an end so they must add a love affair and I tell you again, BOSCO IS A MISCAST!!!!

Back to the good stuff...

Hing was making cakes when she got a message from wimpy boy. So they're still contacting one another. Why Hing? Why lower your standards? Give Hing a better guy for god's sake. Just because she is mute doesn't mean she has to settle for that wimp!

Next scene Hing was at home, and everybody was there and she was ok and she told everybody "Everyone, I am ok, you don't have to accompany me anymore" and suddenly DING DONG!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh who ar? No need to second guess, you're right because the episode is nearing the end of the 15 minutes mark.

*Kevin's mom* and wimpy boy were here and Auntie Sa cried "What are you two doing here? Haven't insulted poor Hing enough?" and Hor Ma the sellout greeted them warmly and asked *Kevin's mom* to sit down. *Kevin's mom* said "You know Hor Ma, I realise that learning sign language isn't that difficult. In 2 weeks, I actually learned sign language!" and she stood up and began to do sign language for the following, translated by Hor Ma which is silly since everyone there knows sign language so why translate?

"My son was packing his bags to leave for *somewhere, New Zealand I think* as he was transferred there. Then I discovered they were both still emailing one another. At first I was very angry but then I read all the emails..."

Pause here.

Don't anyone have any privacy left? How old is the son? The mother reading his emails? Disgusting!

Continue...

"... and not one in any of those emails did Miss Kam ever berated me for opposing this relationship. I felt very terrible because I realised I have no reason to oppose this relationship. Hor Ma was right about my worries, I was thinking for my son and his burdens and what Hor Ma said affected me deeply. I know Miss Kam will not be my son's burden, he will not have to carry her" and she cried and Hing so happy hugged Hor Ma, Cho Ba , wimpy guy as everyone said "Congratulations Hing!" and so crisis is over.

Next episode, Hung wants Cho Ba to go on a 2 year world tour and children doesn't want him to go and Hor Ma tightens her grip on Cho Ba as Hung plans revenge. This time I am on team Hung. What's wrong with the vacation? Haven't heard of GPS or 3G or video conferencing? They have been doing all that for so many episodes. And for god's sake, it's not like Cho Ba is going to his grave!

Anyway, that last scene, when we have *Kevin's mom* signing and Hor Ma translation, all my mind was saying "Oi auntie, Hing may be MUTE, but she is not DEAF! You can say your lines lar!" 2 weeks and she can do all that? Must have taken a super duper fast effective sign language course. How ridiculous. Why not have her speak her lines, and Hing then sign something like "Thank you auntie" and the lady understanding what she was doing? And notice how Hing never hugged *Kevin's mom* in the end? Ahhhhh Hing is pissed!!

So my feelings for this episode? Oh well... ermm....well... I have seen better. I hate the whole Hing is mute MUTE MUTTTTTTTEEEEE scene. What a wimpy love story. Not even remotely affected, AT ALL.

Performance wise, Fala Chen was a standout as she wept pitifully. I think in real life Hing would resent *Kevin's mom*, after all she reminded her of her handicap. Anyway this Hing will of course forgive *Kevin's mom*.

Lee Sze Kei was wonderful BUT I hated how her Hor Ma responded to an adult bullying her poor daughter. Thet scene was supposed to touch hearts, but I don't see a need why she should justify her daughter's handicap and how she will not burden her son. Like I said, she is mute, not deaf and mute.

Har Yu was good as well, with the right amount of outburst of a very loving father, at this stage. I am beginning to warm to Cho Ba but I still don't understand why Cho Ba is still with Hung?

Everybody else is ok except Bosco who doesn't strike me as someone dashing or ideal boyfriend or atrractive in that sense and Linda Chung simply because her character at this point is wasted in bad writing.

Other than that, no comment.

Favourite quote/scene? Let me think ...

None whatsoever. This is one of those episode I would like to pretend it doesn't exist.