Phoenix Quartet - 鳳凰四重奏

Rating: 5 out of 5
Type: TVB
Date: 2006
Episodes: 30

Casts: Charmaine Sheh
Joe Ma
Sammul Chan
Kiki Sheung
Sherming Yiu

Synopsis: Centers around a restaurant, Phoenix, owned by four generation of women. Each generation shows how the women in that time sees love.

Review: A very good series from the Qing period to the modern day. I like how they incorporated the restaurant into each period. Although the third generation seemed like a drama on its own, the other periods tied together. I am not a big Charmaine fan but I do feel she did a good job portraying each character for the four generation. I don’t think Joe and Charmaine looked good as a couple, but all in all did a good enough job.

Land of Wealth - 匯通天下

Rating: 5 out of 5
Type: TVB
Date: 2006
Episodes: 32

Casts: Moses Chan Ho – Chai Pak Tsun, Fan Chi Chai
Stephen Ma – Cheung Shung Man
Tavia Yeung – Qui Chun
Sonia Kwok – Ba Ba Ha Yi Go Wah
John Chiang – Qui Bun Yip
Kenny Wong Dak Bun
Claire Yiu
Chan Hung Lit
Lau Dan
Lai Lok Yi

Synopsis: Story about the first bank’s of China. Set during the Qing Dynasty in Bejing. Focus on Qui Family bank business during the whole corrupted time period of the government officials.

Review: I heard this was a lowest rating series of 2006 even though it was highly anticipated series with a strong cast. I loved the series. What a breath of fresh air for a while from TVB. Loved Stephen and Moses character. Tavia did a great job portraying a daughter that wishes she could do more for her dad but unfortunately she is female.

The Dance of Passion - 火舞黃沙

Rating: 2 out of 5
Type: TVB
Date: 2006
Episodes: 32

Casts: Bowie Lam Bo Yee – Yim Man Hei
Moses Chan Ho – Sung Dong Sing
Ada Choi Siu Fun – Jiu Yuk
Gigi Lai Ji – Gai Ming Fung
Charmaine Sheh Si Man – Ga Chun Fun
Maggie Shiu Mei Kei – Long Yuet
Kenny Wong Dak Bun – Sung Dong Yeung

The Gist of it: About a small village in China called Yim Ga Po. Set in the mid 1900’s. The plot shows twists and turn between two families in the village trying to rule over the other.

Review: Goodness I just got tired after the first 5 episodes because I can’t get over the yellowness of the background and setting. With most of the cast from ‘War and Beauty’ I expected a good series with all the rave reviews. I found it lacking in story and character development. A waste of star actors and actresses in this story.

La Femme Desperado - 女人唔易做

Rating: 5 out of 5
Type: TVB
Date: 2006
Episodes: 22

Casts: Melissa Ng Mei Hang as Ko Ji Ling (Ling)
Raymond Lam Fung as Chai Foon (Siu Chai)
Sheren Tang Sui Man as Hilda
Michael Tse Tin Wah as Man King Leung (Man)
Kenneth Ma Kwok Ming as Ko Ji Lik (Lik)
Kate Tsui as Hoi Suen (Ida)

Synopsis: A story about the life of women in today’s modern society. You have one very career oriented women who will stop at nothing to get ahead. Then you have a very weak and traditional minded women who is afraid to speak up or do what she feels because she is minds what others think about her.

Review: I especially loved Sheren’s portrayal of the strong career oriented women. She plays these parts very well. I felt for Melissa’s character as I know I feel the same way. I just loved Raymond’s portrayal as Siu Chai. He is just so sweet and cute!

Men in Pain - 男人之苦

Rating: 4 out of 5
Type: TVB
Date: 2006
Episodes: 21

Casts: Hong Tin Yam Damian Lau Chung-Yun
Hong Sai Hei Ron Ng Cheuk-Hei
Wong Dak Kiu Louisa So Yuk-Wa
Go Fun Toby Leung Ching-Kei

Synopsis: A story about hardships of being a man in society today. The generation of a man being in his late 40s worried about work, family, and above all impotence because of all the responsibilities in his life. The other generation of man being young and married and expecting a baby at the same time.

Review: Damian was very good in this series acting as the main character. The is the first series I liked Ron Ng in because he really portrayed his character well.

Meteor Garden - 流星花園

Rating: 3 out of 5
Type: Taiwan
Date: 2001
Episodes: 11

Casts: Barbie Hsu as Shan Cai
Jerry Yan as Dao Ming S
Vic Zhou as Hua Zhe Lei
Ken Chu as Xi Men
Vanness Wu as Mei Zuo

Synopsis: Adopted the story from Hana yori Dango.

Review: Because I saw Hana Yori Dango first, I couldn’t help but compare the two series. I still like the Japanese version more because I think Matsumoto Jun did a better job in portraying Doumyouji Tsukasa.

Hana Yori Dango II - 花より男子 II

Rating: 5 out of 5
Type: JDrama
Date: 2007
Episodes: 11

Casts: Inoue Mao as Tsukushi Makino
Matsumoto Jun as Doumyouji Tsukasa
Oguri Shun as Hanazawa Rui
Matsuda Shota as Nishikado Soujiroh
Abe Tsuyoshi as Mimasaka Akira
Kato Natsuki as Okawahara Shigeru

Synopsis: Sequel to Hana yori Dango. This story continues on with Doumyoji being in NY. More development of the love story between Doumyoji and Tsukushi.

Review: Loved the sequel. You will fall in love with Matsumoto Jun as Doumyoji Tsukasa. You will also feel bad for Oguri Shun as Hanazawa Rui. I like how this series didn't drag. It just gets to the point.

Hani Yori Dango - 花より男子

Rating: 4 out of 5
Type: JDrama
Date: 2005
Episodes: 9

Casts: Inoue Mao as Tsukushi Makino
Matsumoto Jun as Doumyouji Tsukasa
Oguri Shun as Hanazawa Rui
Matsuda Shota as Nishikado Soujiroh
Abe Tsuyoshi as Mimasaka Akira
Sato Megumi as Sanjou Sakurako

Synopsis: Hana yori Dango evolves around a story about a poor girl who enters into an elite high school where she encounters a group of 4 young powerful rich boys in that school. From then she encounters various problems and troubles. She also starts a Spring love story.

Review: Loved the series. It has the drama and romance in it. I also like the comedy throughout the series as well.