Excellent Star Award 2025 (draft)

24 August 2025

My personal preference, favourite and recognition for the local TV scene for Calendar Year 2025; as CY2025 is still on-going, this list will be updated accoringly with the premiere of new shows.

Best Drama:
人生酱美味 Another Wok of Life
小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill
带剑女孩 The Spirit Hunter

Best Actor:
许瑞奇 Richie Koh (人生酱美味 Another Wok of Life)
陈罗密欧 Romeo Tan (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
张哲通 Teoh Ze Tong (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
邓伟徳 Tyler Ten (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
许瑞奇 Richie Koh (带剑女孩 The Spirit Hunter)
邓伟徳 Tyler Ten (带剑女孩 The Spirit Hunter)

Best Actress:
沈家玉 Jasmine Sim (人生酱美味 Another Wok of Life)
罗美仪 Bonnie Loo (人生酱美味 Another Wok of Life)
黄晶玲 Ferlyn G (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
黄暄婷 Chantelle Ng (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
刘怡伶 Tasha Low (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
洪凌 Hong Ling (带剑女孩 The Spirit Hunter)
黄晶玲 Ferlyn G (带剑女孩 The Spirit Hunter)

Best Supporting Actor:
谢俊峰 James Seah (人生酱美味 Another Wok of Life)
田铭耀 Jeremy Chan (人生酱美味 Another Wok of Life)
郭亮 Guo Liang (人生酱美味 Another Wok of Life)
翟思铭 Zhai Siming (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
张奕恺 Nick Teo (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
赖宏恩 Eric Lay (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
黎沸揮 Roy Li (带剑女孩 The Spirit Hunter)


Best Supporting Actress:
芳榕 Fang Rong (人生酱美味 Another Wok of Life)
欧萱 Jeanette Aw (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
陈莉萍 Chen Li Ping (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
姚懿珊 Dawn Yeoh (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
吴俐璇 Jojo Goh (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
沈琳宸 Sheila Sim (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
郑六月 Juin Teh (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
卓芳娴 Yunis To (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)

Best Theme Song:
一剑世间 / 黄晶玲 Ferlyn G (带剑女孩 The Spirit Hunter)

Most Improved Artist:
邓伟徳 Tyler Ten (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
姚懿珊 Dawn Yeoh (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
翟思铭 Zhai Siming (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
郑六月 Juin Teh (小娘惹之翡翠山 The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill)
邓伟徳 Tyler Ten (带剑女孩 The Spirit Hunter)

Best Overseas Drama:
家族榮耀之繼承者 The Heir to the Throne
成为饭吧 A Good Supper

Worst Drama:
青春小鸟 I Believe I Can Fly
庭外的一角 Devil Behind The Gate
心有所依 Where The Heart Belongs

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Excellent Star Award 2025 (draft)   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

Excellent Star Award 2024

31 December 2024

SG TV aired quite a lot of really lousy local dramas this year. I had shortlisted "时光倾城 Moments", "宠他，还是爱我? Furever Yours" & "不可饶恕的罪恶 Unforgiveable" for the "Worst Drama of 2024". However, as these 3 dramas are really bad in different aspects (i.e. nonsensical story, poor script, bad casting & poor acting for "时光倾城 Moments"; I really dislike the pets theme for "宠他，还是爱我? Furever Yours", which doesnt make me even interested to watch it; good concept but poor story, boring script, below expectation acting from cast, very bad cinematography for "不可饶恕的罪恶 Unforgiveable"), so I have difficulty deciding which of these 3 drama shall be crowned as the "Worst Drama of 2024". Nevertheless, I think "时光倾城 Moments" will clinch the title for the "Worst Drama of 2024".

Best Drama:
孺子可教也 Born To Shine
非爱不可 To Be Loved
完全省錢戀愛手冊 Love on a shoestring
浴水重生 Hope Afloat
最佳遗产 Never Too Late
爱不虚拟 Coded Love
异家人 Uniquely Ours

Best Actor:
陈邦鋆 Andie Tan (孺子可教也 Born To Shine)
张耀栋 Zhang Yao Dong (孺子可教也 Born To Shine)
林明伦 Darren Lim (孺子可教也 Born To Shine)
崇喆 Gavin Teo (非爱不可 To Be Loved)
张哲通 Teoh Ze Tong (浴水重生 Hope Afloat)
翟思铭 Zhai Siming (最佳遗产 Never Too Late)
许瑞奇 Richie Koh (爱不虚拟 Coded Love)
徐鸣杰 Jeffrey Xu (爱不虚拟 Coded Love)
姚彣隆 San Yow (爱不虚拟 Coded Love)
李南星 Li Nanxing (异家人 Uniquely Ours)

Best Actress:
黄晶玲 Ferlyn G (嫁给不同世界的你 I Do, Do I?)
美心 Macy Chen (孺子可教也 Born To Shine)
林昭婷 Kiki Lim (非爱不可 To Be Loved)
周智彗 Cheryl Chou (完全省錢戀愛手冊 Love on a shoestring)
黄暄婷 Chantelle Ng (浴水重生 Hope Afloat)
刘怡伶 Tasha Low (浴水重生 Hope Afloat)
陈楚寰 Denise Camillia Tan (最佳遗产 Never Too Late)
何盈莹 He Ying Ying (最佳遗产 Never Too Late)
陈子颖 Emily Chan (爱不虚拟 Coded Love)
许美珍 Cynthia Koh (爱不虚拟 Coded Love)
雅慧 Ya Hui (爱不虚拟 Coded Love)
黃思恬 Carrie Wong (爱不虚拟 Coded Love)
雅慧 Ya Hui (异家人 Uniquely Ours)

Best Supporting Actor:
陈建彬 Marcus Chin (嫁给不同世界的你 I Do, Do I?)
张哲通 Teoh Ze Tong (那一年的除夕夜 Once Upon A New Year's Eve)
洪国锐 Hong Guo Rui (孺子可教也 Born To Shine)
苏梽诚 Calvin Soh (孺子可教也 Born To Shine)
郭亮 Guo Liang (浴水重生 Hope Afloat)
徐鸣杰 Jeffrey Xu (最佳遗产 Never Too Late)
翟思铭 Zhai Siming (异家人 Uniquely Ours)
黄振隆 Desmond Ng (异家人 Uniquely Ours)
刘谦益 Richard Low (异家人 Uniquely Ours)

Best Supporting Actress:
陈丽贞 Aileen Tan (嫁给不同世界的你 I Do, Do I?)
许美珍 Cynthia Koh (嫁给不同世界的你 I Do, Do I?)
林茹萍 Lin Ru Ping (孺子可教也 Born To Shine)
刘玲玲 Liu Ling Ling (非爱不可 To Be Loved)
洪爱玲 Irene Ang (非爱不可 To Be Loved)
许美珍 Cynthia Koh (浴水重生 Hope Afloat)
张嘉轩 Grace Teo (浴水重生 Hope Afloat)
陈丽贞 Aileen Tan (最佳遗产 Never Too Late)
郭妃丽 Phyllis Quek (异家人 Uniquely Ours)

Best Theme Song:
非爱不可 / 佳旺 Keon Chia (非爱不可 To Be Loved)
让爱蔓延 / 崇喆 Gavin Teo (非爱不可 To Be Loved)
虚构 / 王思涵 Colbie (爱不虚拟 Coded Love)
加成一个家 / 黄振隆 Desmond Ng (异家人 Uniquely Ours)

Most Improved Artist:
林昭婷 Kiki Lim (非爱不可 To Be Loved)
翟思铭 Zhai Siming (异家人 Uniquely Ours)

Best Overseas Drama:
有種好男人 A Perfect Man
新闻女王 The Queen of News
法言人 Speakers of Law

Worst Drama:
时光倾城 Moments
宠他，还是爱我? Furever Yours
不可饶恕的罪恶 Unforgiveable
巨舞霸 The Blockbusters
再见明天 If Tomorrow Comes

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Excellent Star Award 2024   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

新闻女王 The Queen of News

01 July 2024

"新闻女王" (The Queen of News) 真的很好看! 早前在网上看了粤语原音版 (看字幕, 不会广东... 广东话真的太复杂, 太太太难了! 只会几个单字. 如果不是因为没华语版, 我才不看广东版...). 所以后来在 Ch8 9pm 看了华语配音版. 虽然失去了演员说话时的语气和情感, 但不用看字幕简单方便多了.

佘诗曼不愧是 'TVB 最后的一姐'. 她一人撑起了 "新闻女王" 整部剧 (马国明 George 太花瓶了, 有点浪费).

从 "刑事偵緝檔案4" 的 '阿Man' 就开始注意佘诗曼, "金枝欲孽" 的 '尔淳' 让我觉得她的演技进步了很多. 而 "法證先鋒 2" 的 '马帼英' 让我开始喜欢和欣赏佘诗曼的演技. 继 "延禧宫略" 的 '娴妃' 后, 佘诗曼多次在剧中呈现了在超短时间内变换多个表情的精致表演. 而每个表情和情绪发挥的时间点与力度都拿捏得刚刚好.

"新闻女王" 所有角色的人物性格鲜明, 多数主要演员和单元主角的表现也不错. 众多角色中, 最喜欢陈子杰 (杰哥) 和刘艳; 方太最恶心.

全剧出了许多名言和经典台词. 开场和结尾都以 "抢独家, 抢头条, 抢画面" 作呼应.

最后, 黄宗泽这位神秘的国王帅气登场也非常耐人寻味... Stay Hungry, Stay Stupid.

期待 "新闻女王 2" 的拍摄与播出.

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新闻女王 The Queen of News   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

Predictions for Star Awards 2024

07 April 2024

Earlier, I had expressed my thought and disappointment on the nomination for Singapore Star Awards (新加坡红星大奖) 2024, which was announced on 22 Feb 2024.

While I am still baffled on why Romeo Tan (Shero), He Ying Ying (Cash On Delivery) and Carrie Wong (Shero) were not nominated for Best Actor or Best Actress, whereas the trashy and poor viewership rating “金色大道 All That Glitters” drama garnered so many nominations, I still think many of the nominees do deserve recognition for their performance.

After scrutinizing the nominees, I have pick the following favourites and dark horses who will likely cling the respective award. I have also wrote a short critique on why the selected nominee deserves the award, and why I didnt pick the others.

Best Drama:
- 送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery {My Pick!} [the pandemic is still fresh in our mind. this drama accurately teleport audience back to 2020 with high accuracy in details, emotions & sentiments on ground. plus, there is multiple storylines happening, telling the lives of the average Singaporeans fighting and struggling during 2020. furthermore, the entire cast act well.]
- 陪你到最后 Till The End {Dark Horse!} [While styled like a stereotypical family comedy-drama, this drama touched on the topic of death, after-death planning, and forgiveness. The main cast act reasonably well and are quite on point for the comical moments.]
- 欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae [the trailers look boring and uninspiring (mediacorpse really sucks in creating trailers to promote their dramas), but I ended up enjoy watching this drama, which is a satire of office politics, vicious cycle rat race, how everyone is replaceable in work, the average OL’s obsession with K-drama, urban loneliness, etc. I love the bff chemistry between Rui En and Macy. Casting is appropriate, with the biggest surprise being Cynthia Koh hurling Korean vulgarities. As this is an ‘outsourced’ drama, as much as I like it, I doubt it will win.]
- Shero [I like this drama. It is one of the rare ‘better’ break from the typical family dramas that MediaCorpse is famous for producing. However, there is quite a few loopholes throughout the drama, and some of these loopholes are quite critical (mainly on how Yinchen handles & deal with the news of Xiao Xi, which is unrealistic). nonetheless, the overall concept is refreshing for an in-house production.]
- 金色大道 All That Glitters [Definitely one of the worse (if not the worst) drama of 2023. the script is surprisingly disappointing, considering it is from renowned scriptwriter Ang Eng Tee. it seems to be written in the 1990s, but was not filmed for some reason… but the plot was not updated for the story to be relevant in its time setting (i.e. who still ‘invest’ in Gold with the hope to make it big in 2010? the plot will be more realistic if it is set in 1990s). furthermore, the cinematography is really messy! the star-studded cast did not managed to save this drama. If this drama wins this award, it just proved that Mark Lee was right in saying the award usually goes to big budget ‘blockbuster’, even if it flopped in terms of viewership and review. I would prefer “密宅 Silent Walls” to be nominated instead.]

Best Actor:
- 陈邦鋆 Andie Chen (密宅 Silent Walls) {My Pick!} [Andie acting has been consistent since his breakthrough performance for “十年…你还好吗?” in 2016. He did exceptionally well for the 2023 chapter of “Silent Walls”, which he started as the ’suspect’, before being revealed to be a loving husband who did his best to protect Jojo. His emotions for the last few scenes were well portrayed.]
- 许瑞奇 Richie Koh (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery) {Dark Horse!} [Richie acting has always been on point since his “When Duty Calls” debut. He is able to ditch the ‘Tiancai’ image for “Cash On Delivery” and “Till The End”. However, I dont think Mediacorpse will give him another ‘Best Actor’ award for 2 consecutive years, unless Mediacorpse wants to push him to Ah Ge status immediately. tbh I don’t mind Richie win this award again as his performance is really good, especially in the scenes that he bid farewell to his beloved grandma Jin Yinji.]
- 陈汉玮 Chen Han Wei (天公疼憨人 Whatever Will Be, Will Be) [How many more ‘Best Actor’ trophy does CHW needs to prove he can act? However, I will not be surprised if Mediacorpse decides to give him the award again this year. Well, 2 more before his ascension to the ‘Best Actor of All Time’ altar.]
- 陈泂江 Desmond Tan (金色大道 All That Glitters) [Desmond acting used to be good, but has been pretty stagnant since he cringed his 1st ‘Best Actor’ award for “When Duty Calls” in 2017. He needs to pick better role/script to break the ‘收视毒药’ & ‘main lead of lousy script drama’ curse, as his recent dramas such as “CTRL”, “When Duty Calls 2”, “All That Glitters” are pretty bad in plot and rating.]
- 田铭耀 Jeremy Chan (金色大道 All That Glitters) [Jeremy has been constantly improving on his acting skill, but I really do not think he is ready to be crowned ‘Best Actor’ yet. As an actor, I prefer his performance for “My Agent Is A Hero” and “Crouching Tiger Hidden Ghost”.]

Best Actress:
- 鐘琴 Kym Ng (陪你到最后 Till The End) {My Pick!} [Kym is no doubt the most popular female host of Singapore. However, she has proved numerous time that she can also act too, for her performance in “It Takes Two”, “When Duty Calls”, “Daybreak” & “My Guardian Angels”. actually I thought she might won ‘Best Actress’ with “My Guardian Angels”, as I think she acted much better than Zoe in that drama. Kym performed relatively well in “Till The End”, being much more natural than her daughter Boon Hui Lu. however, there were a few scenes that she looks comical (at the brink of bursting into laugher even though she is just being very serious and emotional.]
- 胡煜诗 Jernelle Oh (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery) {Dark Horse!} [Jernelle is definitely the dark horse among the Star Search 2019 alumnus. she was a very plain-jane-looking contestant without star power during SS19 (whom i dont think she could progress to the final), to a promising actress who can handle any role assigned to her (e.g. Ji Lian, Chai Lai, Mei Zhen, Ya Ya). her portraying of ‘美少女 Mei Zhen' is 'just nice', not too over. can tell she did her homework in observing and interacting with people with special needs. most importantly, Jernelle can act with her eyes, as she is masked up for most of the show.]
- 瑞恩 Rui En (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae) [I always thought Rui En has the best acting among the 7 princesses, and I really like her personality. Perhaps Rui En can consider acting as a mama-san for her next drama?]
- 黄暄婷 Chantalle Ng (金色大道 All That Glitters) [Chantalle did ok as a visually-handicapped person. but i think she did much better for “My Star Bride”, “Leave No Soul Behind”, “The Unbreakable Bond” & “Love at First Bite”. she basically missed the bus for “My Star Bride”, as she deserved the 'Best Actress' award for her portrayal of Fang Cao. with her capabilities (among the best for her generation), she will definitely bag this award soon.]
- 白薇秀 Joanne Peh (Shero) [I really think Joanne's acting improve leaps and bounds after her marriage. she really impressed me in “The Journey: Turbultuous Times” (2014), “Say Cheese” (2018) and “Mind Jumper” (2021). in fact, she should had won her 3rd & 4th 'Best Actress' for“Say Cheese” & “Mind Jumper”. however, her performances in "Shero" is really not up to expectation; quite far off from her usual standard. perhaps this is not a role suitable for her current calibre (i.e. she is too good for this character). while Joanne did great for her emotions in learning that her sister is missing, her reactions when she found Xiao Xi being alive and standing before her eyes is ridiculously inaccurate for someone who is so desperate in finding her presumably dead sister. it is also baffling that she is constantly loved-blinded and refused to believe Xiao Xi that Rui Xiang / Max is suspicious and might be responsible for her MIA. this contradicts sharply with her inner thoughts of loving and protecting her sister. perhaps the scriptwriter should be responsible for these faults, but I though a senior actress like Joanne should had highlighted these issues with the production team? in addition, the constant screaming and wailing of 'Xiao Xi' is annoying to the max. i feel Carrie should had being nominated for Xiao Xi instead.]

Best Supporting Actor:
- 陈邦鋆 Andie Chen (天公疼憨人 Whatever Will Be, Will Be) {My Pick!} [Andie is the highlight of this dialect show, and I think he acted much better than CHW in this drama. His pairing with Yvonne Lim is also cute and natural. Will Andie be the next XSG to cling ‘Best Actor’, ‘Best Supporting’ and ‘Top 10’ in the same year? We shall see.]
- 朱厚任 Zhu Hou Ren (天公疼憨人 Whatever Will Be, Will Be) {Dark Horse!} [actually Zhu Hou Ren character is the main lead of this drama, as the entire plot evolves around him. but he is nominated for supporting in mediacorpse universe (similar to Xiang Yun, who was always nominated for supporting even when her character is obviously a lead or co-lead). I personally prefers Zhu Hou Ren's performance in "陪你到最后 Till The End”, which his emotions are always on point, especially when he deals with the passing of his son.]
- 林明伦 Darren Lim (Shero) [Darren Lim is someone who can act and host well. however, I dont recall much of Darren's character in "Shero" (the client who always molest Tay Ying?)! perhaps he stands a better chance of winning if he is nominated for his performance in “Silent Walls” (pervertic manipulator) or “The Sky Is Still Blue” (kind and caring father of Ferlyn).]
- 宏荣 Peter Yu (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery) [his performance is ok, but this role is too similar to his comeback role in “Hero” (the 2016 comedy drama based at Dakota.]
- 张哲通 Zhang Ze Tong (金色大道 All That Glitters) [I feel Ze Tong peaked in Star Search 2019. his acting (which is always those same few expressions) is quite lacklustre for a Star Search champion. should had nominated Brandon Wong for “Shero” instead.]

Best Supporting Actress:
- 陈丽贞 Aileen Tan (Shero) {My Pick!} [Aileen send chills down my spine for this villain role. on the surface, she appears to be a caring and nurturing mother of Rui Xiang, but she is actually a viscous and cunning leader of a gang and drug cartel. she will do anything for her own selfish gains, including worsening Max's schizophrenic condition, sacrificing her husband and lover. she is also damn skillful in manipulating Rayson Tan and Brandon Wong to her bidding. it has been a long while since Aileen leave such a strong impression for her role (perhaps since “Beautiful Connection” and “Mars vs Venus”!]
- 陈莉萍 Chen Li Ping (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue) {Dark Horse!} [i will say it will be a very fierce battle between Aileen Tan, Chen Li Ping & Jin Yinji; all 3 act really well for their respective nomination. CLP is the caring mother of Sheryl Ang who also treats her bffs like her own kids, and the understanding boss of the old-school neighbourhood laundry shop. i love the chemistry between CLP & Sheryl, which really reassemble a real mother-child relationship off reel. the nomination clip nicely shows the scene that she was agitated by Wang Yuqing till she had a stroke. this is definitely CLP best scene in the drama.]
- 金银姬 Jin Yinji (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery) {Dark Horse!} [for the 1st time, i think Jin yinji can act! I never like her acting, as I always feel she survived in mediacorpse due to her seniority. her so-called acting in the past lacks inner depth, as she just forced it all out through her exaggerated facial expressions, something that works for theatre stage play, but not for drama or movie. this is the 1st drama that her acting is very natural, and she does not speak with her Korean accent! did she attended drama and chinese classes for these magic to happen? moreover, her chemistry with Richie is marvellous!]
- 洪慧芳 Hong Hui Fang (黄金巨塔 Strike Gold) [HHF is an established actress since the 80s. However, this nomination is for a rather bland auntie role, which does not stand out when compared with Aileen, CLP or Jin Yinji.]
- 雅慧 Ya Hui (家人之间 Family Ties) [while objectively, i feel Ya Hui's acting had stagnant, with no memorable roles since "118”. it is quite sad to see her being sidelined and ‘demoted' to 'supporting' category after her contract saga. furthermore, she was nominated for a role that has very limited room for her to perform. to rub salt into her wound, her nomination clip was a 'slutty' scene that is not representative of this single mum role. should had cut a better scene, or might as well nominate Constance Song or Bonnie Loo from the same show instead. if i am Ya Hui, I will feel very insulted.]

Best Programme Host:
- 陈澍城 Chen Shu Cheng (三吃客 Foodie Trio) {My Pick!} [Chen Shu Cheng is a veteran in the industry and an established host in the early 1990s. it has been a long while since he hosted a programme again. It is time to give him due recognition for his hosting capabilities. furthermore, he is extremely friendly in person (i am fortunate to bump into him at Shinjuku Hermes in 2014).]
- 林明伦 Darren Lim (线人 4 Fixer 4) {Dark Horse!} [Darren started off as a host for travelogue shows in the 1990s. he is consistently one of the better local infotainment male host who is still active (the other being Danny Yeo).]
- 鐘琴 Kym Ng (古早味侦探 4 Old Taste Detective S4) [I think Kym delivered within her expected standard for this documentary, nothing bad, nothing outstanding. objectively, i though those episodes by Bryan Wong is slightly more entertaining.]
- 郭亮 Guo Liang (惠眼说亮话 The Zoe and Liang Show) [no comments for a mewach exclusive online programme that is not even screened on tv. No doubt that Guo Liang is the best male host in Singapore. Therefore, Guo Liang needs a comeback from those Wonder Shop nonsenses.]
- 权怡凤 Quan Yi Fong (权听你说 4 Hear U Out S4) [Similar to CHW, i dont think QYF needs another ‘Best Host’ award to prove that she can host. while she ventured overseas to interview superstars of HK and TW for this season, there isnt much difference in her interview technique and skills from the previous seasons that makes her performance stand out. furthermore, this is the nth time she got nominated based on this show. yes, this is her signature programme and objectively it is interesting to watch. but if she is still hungry for this award, she needs to start a new ground-breaking programme that can wow audience again.]

Best Audio Personality:
- 陈宁 Chen Ning {My Pick!} [tbh, i couldnt care less about this award, as I dont listen to MediaCorp radio channels. objectively, a good DJ, needs to have a good pleasant voice, nice humble personality, and the ability to churn out quality content. based on these criteria, i think Chen Ning might be the better fit for this award.]
- 张颖双 Hazelle Teo {Dark Horse!} [she is definitely one of the poster girl that the station is grooming! she is on radio, hosting variety shows and live gigs, appearing in dramas and other guest appearances.]
- 周崇庆 Dennis Chew [as long as he move on with life and stop reviving Auntie Lucy to annoy audience.]
- 钟坤华 Zhong Kunhua [i think he is ok, but lesser impression than Chen Ning and Hazelle. I pretty much remembered him for his house tour, Esso ads and random cameo in dramas.]
- 林灵芝 Lim Leng Kee [my impression of Leng Kee still stops at her time with fm1003 >20years ago (when I was still in primary school).]

Young Talent Award:
- 王勇畯 Alfred Ong (金色大道 All That Glitters) {My Pick!} [Alfred Ong has been very consistent in his acting. His breakthrough was “Mind Jumper” and he is constantly improving. however, as he won this award last year, so I wonder whether he will continue his winning streak for this title again this year.]
- 洪宇恒 Ang Yu Heng Tesla (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery) {Dark Horse!} [Tesla acted well for his character who suffers from ADHD. his chemistry with his ‘father’ Calvin Soh is touching.]
- 张敬元 Andre Teo Jing Yuan (三吃客 Foodie Trio) [rare for a kid to host a variety show, and even rarer to get nominated for it.]
- 谢芷萱 Chia Zhi Xuan Ivory (金色大道 All That Glitters) [no comments]
- 陈宥蒽 Natalie Mae Tan (金色大道 All That Glitters) [no comments]

Best Rising Star:
- 黄诗敏 Karyn Wong (游走的歌王 Battle of the Buskers) {My Pick!} [she is a much better and more professional host than Lee Teng in this show! she has the potential to be a reliable live host.]
- 王硕瀚 Hank Wang (熟悉的陌生人 Stranger in the Dark) {Dark Horse!} [I knew Hank Wang through “女人我最大”. i’m surprised that he gets nominated, as he is not based locally. he acts ok in this drama.]
- 卓芳娴 Yunis To (熟悉的陌生人 Stranger in the Dark) [she was a standout in this drama even though she has much lesser screentime than the leads.]
- 楊言 Yang Yan (熟悉的陌生人 Stranger in the Dark) [i remember him more as an artist signed under Noon Talk, and his guest performance during the “Sheng Siong Show”.]
- 郭慧萱 Isabelle Quek (小岛国大发现 Curious City S2) [it is already baffling for someone who cant speak proper chinese to be selected to host a chinese infotainment programme. It is even more (extremely) baffling for this person to be nominated for ‘Best Newbies’ for such horrible delivery. tbh it is really not funny to endure her broken chinese for such documentary, with Desmond and Herman constantly required to save her from embarrassment. when I thought Kele was bad, Isabelle is worst.]

Best Entertainment Programme:
- 星牌运动员 The Star Athlete {My Pick!} [not an original programme, as it is an obvious copy of similar shows from Japan, Korea & Taiwan. nevertheless, it is entertaining, promoting healthy lifestyle and introduced various sports to audience. it also features various professional sportsmen/sportswomen, artists and even politicians. usually star-stubbed variety shows will win this award.]
- 小团剧 The Reunion {Dark Horse!} [it is quite commendable for the production team to gather so many past artists to talk about the filming of past hit dramas.]
- 三吃客 Foodie Trio [interesting concept to pair a veteran host with a newbie and a kid.]
- 游走的歌王-大决赛 Battle of the Buskers - Grand Final [Lee Teng needs to work on his live hosting and interviews skills. there is too many verbal faux pas to ignore, and some were quite offensive (e.g. when he interviewed Cloud&Party). why this show does not reward the 2nd & 3rd place?]
- 权听你说 4 Hear U Out S4 [not again?]

Best Infotainment Programme:
- 战地食谱 Wartime Food {My Pick!} [i do think this show was conceptualized due to the Ukraine War. nevertheless, it is a very good documentary that used food to narrate the history and suffering of various wars and conflicts. i like how the history were summarized concisely, yet informative. furthermore, the hosts are good.]
- 光照不到的角落 Two Worlds Apart {Dark Horse!} [good documentary that highlighted the life of the underprivileged and outcast.]
- 狮城奇案之罪案现场 Inside Crime Scene S2 [good documentary on various high-profile major crimes committed in Singapore.]
- 极境之旅 Forbidding No More S2 [I prefer episodes hosted by Ge Fan. perhaps Ayden Sng can consider hosting more programme? after all, it is a good platform for him to showcase his perfect chinese.]
- 古早味侦探 4 Old Taste Detective S4 [tbh i though it is a little lame to get the host/chefs to search and re-create the original recipe of popular local cuisines. i thought it is difficult to prove that whatever was revived is indeed the ‘original taste’ of that dish. probably a show with a good concept, but the delivery gets lost somehow.]

Best Theme Song:
- 觉醒 / 铃凯 Ling Kai (Shero) {My Pick!} [it is rare to hear a heavy metal song being selected as the theme for a local drama. whatsoever, it fits the concept and mood of the drama perfectly. Ling Kai also delivered a strong rendition with her wide vocal range and technique. this song would be a hit if it was released as a drama theme song in Japan.]
- 来自星际的风 / 金在勲 Kim Jae Hoon (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae) {Dark Horse!} [this song has the k-drama vibes, which ties in seamlessly with the drama. it does makes the ambient of this drama resemble a typical korean love drama. Kim Jae Hoon sings pretty well for this OST.]
- 取暖 / 郑可为 Tay Kewei & 沈志豪 Alfred Sim (只此一家 My One and Only) [this is a very heart-warming duet from the couple. it fits the 30min real estate sitcom well. i am able to hymn a little of this song after listening to it almost daily.]
- 陪你到最后 / 文慧如 Boon Hui Lu (陪你到最后 Till The End) [it is nostalgic for the lead actress to sing the theme song, like what it used to be in the 90s.]
- 断舍离 / 插班生 The Freshman (整你的人生 Fix My Life) [seriously not a fan of 插班生 [quite surprising to see how they are still active in the industry for so long with their lack of achievement.]

Top 10 Most Popular Male Artist:
{My Pick!} [my preferred winner(s); i.e. my personal preference]
1. Romeo Tan
2. Richie Koh
3. Desmond Ng
4. James Seah
5. Shaun Chen
6. Shane Pow
7. Andie Chen
8. Zhang Yao Dong
9. Darren Lim
10. Pornsak

{My Prediction} [who i think will win (predicted based on their popularity)]
1. Romeo Tan
2. Desmond Tan
3. Richie Koh
4. Marcus Chin
5. Shaun Chen
6. Guo Liang
7. Jeffrey Xu
8. Jeremy Chan
9. Ben Yeo
10. Desmond Ng

{Dark Horse!} [who i think might win (stands a chance, but lower probability)]
11. Pornsak
12. Zhang Yao Dong
13. Shane Pow
14. James Seah
15. Andie Chen

Top 10 Most Popular Female Artist:
{My Pick!} [my preferred winner(s); i.e. my personal preference]
1. He Ying Ying
2. Hong Ling
3. Tasha Low
4. Chantelle Ng
5. Ferlyn G
6. Bonnie Loo
7. Denise Camillia Tan
8. Macy (Mei Xin)
9. Belinda Lee
10. Yvonne Lim

{My Prediction} [who i think will win (predicted based on their popularity)]
1. Carrie Wong
2. Ya Hui
3. He Ying Ying
4. Hong Ling
5. Chantelle Ng
6. Tasha Low
7. Gao Mei Gui
8. Fang Rong
9. Hazelle Teo
10. Yvonne Lim

{Dark Horse!} [who i think might win (stands a chance, but lower probability)]
11. Lina Ng
12. Evelyn Tan
13. Tay Ying
14. Xixi Lim
15. Boon Hui Lu

Most Popular Rising Stars:
{My Pick!} [my preferred winner(s); i.e. my personal preference]
1. Sheryl Ang
2. Shawn Thia
3. Jernelle Oh

{My Prediction} [who i think will win (predicted based on their popularity)]
1. Ayden Sng
2. Das DD
3. Zhu Ze Liang

{Dark Horse!} [who i think might win (stands a chance, but lower probability)]
4. Tyler Ten
5. Zhang Ze Tong
6. Jernelle Oh

[I think it is only fair to have a separate category for DJ (Radio Personality), because the current criteria is not fair for both artists and DJs. artist needs to be lead for at least 1 drama, supporting for at least 3 dramas, or accumulate a total of 30 episodes of appearance in dramas. whereas, DJs can be nominated so long they are the main host of a radio programme (which is a lot easier to achieve). furthermore, DJ can consistently promote themselves during their airtime daily. however, most TV audience are not familiar with DJs, as most of them do not crossover to host or act. having a separate “Most Popular Radio Personality” creates a fairer playing field for all. it can be awarded to top 3 only, and a mixed-gender category similar to “Most Popular Rising Stars”.]

Favourite CP:
{My Pick!} [my preferred winner(s); i.e. my personal preference]
Richie Koh & He Ying Ying

{My Prediction} [who i think will win (predicted based on their popularity)]
Rui En & Kim Jae Hoon

{Dark Horse!} [who i think might win (stands a chance, but lower probability)]
Richie Koh & He Ying Ying

Show Stealer:
{My Pick!} [my preferred winner(s); i.e. my personal preference]
Jernelle Oh

{My Prediction} [who i think will win (predicted based on their popularity)]
Jernelle Oh

{Dark Horse!} [who i think might win (stands a chance, but lower probability)]
Richie Koh

Most Hated Villain:
{My Pick!} [my preferred winner(s); i.e. my personal preference]
Shaun Chen

{My Prediction} [who i think will win (predicted based on their popularity)]
Brandon Wong

{Dark Horse!} [who i think might win (stands a chance, but lower probability)]
Jeffrey Xu

[note: I deliberately left out those random sponsored consolation prizes, as the winners for these awards are often ‘fixed’ by sponsors already.]

We are currently 2 weeks away from the award ceremony on 21 April 2024 (Sun). I shall see whether I share the same preferences as the judges.

I have a feeling that MediaCorp will likely announce a new run of Star Search (possibly with final in November 2024) during the ceremony. after all, it has been 5years since Star Search 2019, the SS19 alumni are doing pretty well now, and there are not enough young talents for lead roles. if this is the case, Star Search alumnus (especially past winners such as Andie, Aileen, Ze Tong) will bag the 'Best' awards, as an 'encouragement' to call for participants. not forgetting that Ann Kok (SS93 alumni) will be anointed to the altar this year.

Do watch the Star Awards 2024 Live on Channel 8, Channel U, MeWatch, or Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube Channel.

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Predictions for Star Awards 2024   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

[文彬影评] 2022版 "飞狐外传"

01 March 2024

[文彬影评] 现在正追看Ch8 11pm 播出的 "飞狐外传" (无意间忘记关电视, 看到第19集后, 就开始追看).



改篇自"飞狐外传"和"雪山飞狐" 两部比较少拍成电视剧的金庸武侠小说, 这版 (2022秦俊杰版) "飞狐外传" 真的很不错! 可以说是近几年金庸翻拍剧比较成功的. "飞狐外传 2022" 忠于原著, 情节紧奏, 实景拍摄, 打斗场面也很真实 (不是电脑特效), 服装与造型不难看, 选角也算成功 (虽然除了何润东 刘雪华 吕良伟 翁虹 之外, 其他的主要演员我都不认识). 演员们的演技也在线.

"飞狐外传" 的部分应该要结尾了 (所以还蛮舍不得程灵素) ... 但也期待长大后的苗若兰, 还有胡斐最后会不会在悬崖砍下那一刀, 或保留开放式结局?

rating 8/10 good

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[文彬影评] 2022版 "飞狐外传"   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

Thoughts on Nomination for Star Awards 2024

23 February 2024

Nomination for Singapore Star Awards (新加坡红星大奖) 2024 was announced on 22 February 2024.

I have been watching most of the local dramas since 2019 due to my sabbatical for MUP, pandemic lockdown in 2020, WFH flexibility and my health condition. Objectively, there were quite a few good local dramas produced in the past 5years (e.g. "触心罪探 Mind Jumper", "剃头刀 - 阿签传奇 Titoudao", "森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor", "心里住着老灵魂 Soul Old Yet So Young", "关键证人 Key Witness", "你的世界我们懂 Your World In Mine", etc.). At the other end of the spectrum, there are also quite a number of crappy shows produced (e.g. "卫国先锋2 When Duty Calls 2", “医生不是神 Healing Heroes, “操控 CTRL" and “金色大道 All That Glitters" being some of the worst).

Therefore, as an audience, I am quite puzzled and disappointed with the nomination for Singapore Star Awards (新加坡红星大奖) 2024. This is because in my opinion, many actors/actresses who performed well and are more deserving of recognition were not nominated, probably because they are not among the favourite/bias of Mediacorpse. Hence, I feel the Star Awards is becoming more and more like an internal award ceremony or D&D in terms of rewarding Mediacorpse contracted employees, than true recognition of performance excellence in Singapore local drama production over the years.

There is also a persistent issue of veterans like Xiang Yun, Zoe Tay and Chen Hanwei hogging the ‘best’ awards. Perhaps mediacorpse should create a new ‘altar’ for Best Actor/Actress and Best Supporting Actor/Actress (i.e. induction to the altar after winning 5 'best' award), so that other younger talented actors/actresses are able to shine. It is also becoming a joke that younger actor/actress are getting nomination and award overseas, but are not recognised locally. After all, it is also quite pathetic if veterans of their rank, experience and status still need to hog a local award to prove their ‘worth’ or the fact that they can act. Furthermore, it is to note that it is not that their acting is bad, but the acting for many of their recent nominations are pretty much within their expected standard, nothing outstanding to rave about. Therefore, if they really ambitious or capable, they should aim to be nominated for international awards (i.e. like how Christopher Lee, Yeo Yann Yann, Chen Tian Wen, Hong Hui Fang, Mark Lee, etc. were nominated overseas). Favouritism/kelong within a monopoly also needs a limit.

As such, I came up with my own “Excellence Star Awards”, which indicated my personal preference and recognition for the local TV scene in the past Calendar Year.

Instead of restricting myself to only 5 or 6 nominees for each award category, I ‘nominated’ all actors, actress and works that are exceptional in performance. The actor, actress or work that I feel are worthy of that award are in bold.



Excellent Star Award 2023
Best Drama:
密宅 Silent Walls
欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae
送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery
Shero
从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue
陪你到最后 Till The End

Best Actor:
包勋评 Shane Pow (密宅 Silent Walls: 1963)
黄振隆 Desmond Ng (密宅 Silent Walls: 1988)
陈邦鋆 Andie Tan (密宅 Silent Walls: 2023)
金在勲 Kim Jae Hoon (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae)
许瑞奇 Richie Koh (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
陈罗密欧 Romeo Tan (Shero)
谢俊峰 James Seah (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue)
宗子杰 Zong Zijie (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue)
陈罗密欧 Romeo Tan (陪你到最后 Till The End
许瑞奇 Richie Koh (陪你到最后 Till The End

Best Actress:
黄晶玲 Ferlyn G (密宅 Silent Walls: 1963)
吴俐璇 Jojo Goh (密宅 Silent Walls: 2023)
瑞恩 Rui En (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae)
刘怡伶 Tasha Low (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae)
何盈莹 He Ying Ying (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
黃思恬 Carrie Wong (Shero)
洪丽婷 Sheryl Ang (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue)
鐘琴 Kym Ng (陪你到最后 Till The End

Best Supporting Actor:
林明伦 Darren Lim (密宅 Silent Walls: 1938)
陈澍城 Chen Shu Cheng (密宅 Silent Walls: 2023)
苏梽诚 Calvin Soh (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
陈天文 Chen Tian Wen (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
陈泰铭 Rayson Tan (Shero)
黃炯耀 Brandon Wong (Shero)
王昱清 Wang Yuqing (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue)
林明伦 Darren Lim (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue)
朱厚任 Zhu Hou Ren (陪你到最后 Till The End

Best Supporting Actress:
黄嫊芳 Lina Ng (密宅 Silent Walls: 1938)
美心 Macy Chen (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae)
许美珍 Cynthia Koh (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae)
胡煜诗 Jernelle Oh (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
金银姬 Jin Yinji (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
陈丽贞 Aileen Tan (Shero)
陈莉萍 Chen Li Ping (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue)

Best Theme Song:
来自星际的风 / 金在勲 Kim Jae Hoon (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae)
一份一份的爱 / 苏梽诚 Calvin Soh (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
觉醒 / 铃凯 Ling Kai (Shero)
陪你到最后 / 文慧如 Boon Hui Lu (陪你到最后 Till The End)
取暖 / 郑可为 Tay Kewei & 沈志豪 Alfred Sim (只此一家 My One and Only)

Best New Artist:
孙英豪 Alfred Sng (密宅 Silent Walls: 1988)
周智彗 Cheryl Chou (密宅 Silent Walls: 2023)

Most Improved Artist:
郑颖 Tay Ying (Shero)

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Thoughts on Nomination for Star Awards 2024   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

Excellent Star Award

I have been watching most of the local dramas since 2019 due to my sabbatical for MUP, pandemic lockdown in 2020, WFH flexibility and my health condition. Objectively, there were quite a few good local dramas produced in the past 5years. At the other end of the spectrum, there are also quite a number of crappy shows produced.

As an audience, I am also quite puzzled and disappointed with the nomination and recipient for several Singapore Star Awards (新加坡红星大奖). This is because in my opinion, many actors/actresses who performed well and are more deserving of recognition were not nominated or awarded.

As such, I came up with my own “Excellence Star Awards”, which indicated my personal preference and recognition for the local TV scene in the past Calendar Year.

Instead of restricting myself to only 5 or 6 nominees for each award category, I ‘nominated’ all actors, actress and works that are exceptional in performance. The actor, actress or work that are worthy of that award.

Please see below for my nominees for each “Excellence Star Awards”:

- Excellent Star Award 2024 (draft)

- Excellent Star Award 2023

- Excellent Star Award 2022

- Excellent Star Award 2021

- Excellent Star Award 2020

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Excellent Star Award   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

Excellent Star Award 2023

Best Drama:
密宅 Silent Walls
欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae
送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery
Shero
从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue
陪你到最后 Till The End

Best Actor:
包勋评 Shane Pow (密宅 Silent Walls: 1963)
黄振隆 Desmond Ng (密宅 Silent Walls: 1988)
陈邦鋆 Andie Tan (密宅 Silent Walls: 2023)
金在勲 Kim Jae Hoon (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae)
许瑞奇 Richie Koh (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
陈罗密欧 Romeo Tan (Shero)
谢俊峰 James Seah (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue)
宗子杰 Zong Zijie (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue)
陈罗密欧 Romeo Tan (陪你到最后 Till The End)
许瑞奇 Richie Koh (陪你到最后 Till The End)

Best Actress:
黄晶玲 Ferlyn G (密宅 Silent Walls: 1963)
吴俐璇 Jojo Goh (密宅 Silent Walls: 2023)
瑞恩 Rui En (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae)
刘怡伶 Tasha Low (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae)
何盈莹 He Ying Ying (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
黃思恬 Carrie Wong (Shero)
洪丽婷 Sheryl Ang (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue)
鐘琴 Kym Ng (陪你到最后 Till The End)

Best Supporting Actor:
林明伦 Darren Lim (密宅 Silent Walls: 1938)
陈澍城 Chen Shu Cheng (密宅 Silent Walls: 2023)
苏梽诚 Calvin Soh (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
陈天文 Chen Tian Wen (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
陈泰铭 Rayson Tan (Shero)
黃炯耀 Brandon Wong (Shero)
王昱清 Wang Yuqing (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue)
林明伦 Darren Lim (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue)
朱厚任 Zhu Hou Ren (陪你到最后 Till The End)

Best Supporting Actress:
黄嫊芳 Lina Ng (密宅 Silent Walls: 1938)
美心 Macy Chen (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae)
许美珍 Cynthia Koh (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae)
胡煜诗 Jernelle Oh (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
金银姬 Jin Yinji (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
陈丽贞 Aileen Tan (Shero)
陈莉萍 Chen Li Ping (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue)

Best Theme Song:
来自星际的风 / 金在勲 Kim Jae Hoon (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae)
一份一份的爱 / 苏梽诚 Calvin Soh (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery)
觉醒 / 铃凯 Ling Kai (Shero)
陪你到最后 / 文慧如 Boon Hui Lu (陪你到最后 Till The End)
取暖 / 郑可为 Tay Kewei & 沈志豪 Alfred Sim (只此一家 My One and Only)

Best New Artist:
孙英豪 Alfred Sng (密宅 Silent Walls: 1988)
周智彗 Cheryl Chou (密宅 Silent Walls: 2023)

Most Improved Artist:
郑颖 Tay Ying (Shero)

Best Overseas Drama:
木棘证人 The Witness [HK]
白色强人 Big White Duel 2 [HK]

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Excellent Star Award 2023   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

TV Review

09 April 2023

Local (Singapore) Drama
- “剃头刀” (Titoudao) (8/10 good)
- "Silent Walls" (密宅) (9/10 very good)

Korean Drama
- SKY Castle (10/10 excellent)

Chinese Drama
- 天龙八部 (2021) (2/10 very bad)
- 飞狐外传 (2022) (8/10 good)

Rating scoring system for TV Review
0/10 horrible (not recommended)
1/10 terrible
2/10 very bad
3/10 bad
4/10 poor
5/10 ok
6/10 average
7/10 above average
8/10 good
9/10 very good
10/10 excellent

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TV Review   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

"Silent Walls" (密宅)

"Silent Walls" (密宅) is exceptionally good for a local drama.

been staying at home, catching up with sleep & rest for the past few weeks. while awake, i have been reading, doing some personal stuff, light exercises & also watching tv to kill time while recuperating.

tbh, i didnt have much expectation for "Silent Walls". i only started watching episode 6 (the 1st episode of the 2nd story) on the night upon discharged & i was mesmerized by it. therefore, i continue watching & catch-up the 1st story thru meWatch. it has been a while since i follow a drama so closely (think the last time was "SKY Castle"). in fact, i finished chionging the last 2 episodes thru meWatch yesterday.

from the genre, themes, scriptwriting, casting, cinematography, attention to details & quality, i'm not surprised to find out that "Silent Walls" is produced by award-winning Ochre Pictures [which also produced "Mind Jumper" (触心罪探)]. after all, it is rare for MediaCorpse to produce good quality drama, let alone a suspense thriller. ["Say Cheese" (西瓜甜不甜), "Titoudao" (剃头刀), "My Star Bride" (过江新娘) & "Your World In Mine" (你的世界我们懂) are pretty much outliers among recent MediaCorpse productions, whereas "为国先疯2" & "医生不像医生" etc are their norm in terms of quality.]

"Silent Walls" narrates the stories of 4 families living in a black&white bungalow at the foot of Mount Faber during 4 different eras (1938, 1963, 1988 & 2023). each story comprises 5 episodes & feature an ensemble cast. the main leads are generally up&rising actresses, supported by more senior actors/actresses, including the surprise comeback of many veteran actors/actresses who retired from the screen (at least 1 in every story) & quite a few newbies.
[1938 story: Tasha Low, Ayden Sng, Tay Ying, Mindee Ong, Darren Lim, Lina Ng, Charlie Goh, Alfred Ong]
[1963 story: Ferlyn G, Fang Rong, Shane Pow, Johnny Ng, Constance Song, Tracer Wong]
[1988 story: Meixin, Desmond Ng, Shen Jing Xin, Alfred Sng, Tang Miao Ling, Yan Bin Liang, Regina Lim, Bernard Tan]
[2023 story: Jojo Goh, Andie Chen, Chen Shucheng, Cheryl Chou, Eelyn Kok, Chen Huihui, Hong Zhao Rong]

the 4 stories are technically standalone, but yet metaphorically linked. i enjoyed the storylines & the numerous unexpected plot twists. the mastermind/murderer is almost always the most unexpected character. i also applauded the acting from the cast, which proves again that local actors/actresses can act, but local tv lacks good scripts (likely too much interference from the G on 'messaging') & the courage to experiment. i like how "Silent Walls" dare to push the boundaries of local drama with several controversial themes, characters & plots. there is a lot of sex scenes (couples are very fertile too), LGBT storylines (2 lesbian & 1 gay confessions), paedophile rape/molest, stepmom-stepson affairs, schizophrenia, dissociative identity disorder, dysfunctional family structure, etc. while most of these are just subtle hints, i would say it is already quite a progression for the local tv scene.

perhaps i shall re-watch the NC16 telemovie edit.

Watch "Silent Walls" (密宅) at meWatch.
rating 9/10 very good

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"Silent Walls" (密宅)   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

Excellent Star Award 2022

16 February 2023

Best Drama:
守护星 In Safe Hands
灵医 Soul Doctor
快跑吧, 丽娇 Sisters Stand Tall
寄生 The Unbreakable Bond
你的世界我们懂 Your World In Mine
黑天使 Dark Angel
遇见你, 真香 Love At First Bite

Best Actor:
陈罗密欧 Romeo Tan (守护星 In Safe Hands)
邓伟徳 Tyler Ten (守护星 In Safe Hands)
方展发 Pierre Png (灵医 Soul Doctor)
谢俊峰 James Seah (寄生 The Unbreakable Bond)
许瑞奇 Richie Koh (你的世界我们懂 Your World In Mine)
戚玉武 Qi Yuwu (黑天使 Dark Angel)
徐彬 Xu Bin (遇见你, 真香 Love At First Bite)

Best Actress:
陈楚寰 Denise Camillia Tan (守护星 In Safe Hands)
芳榕 Fang Rong (守护星 In Safe Hands)
林慧玲 Rebecca Lim (灵医 Soul Doctor)
黄暄婷 Chantelle Ng (寄生 The Unbreakable Bond)
黃碧仁 Huang Biren (你的世界我们懂 Your World In Mine)
郑惠玉 Zoe Tay (黑天使 Dark Angel)
刘怡伶 Tasha Low (遇见你, 真香 Love At First Bite)

Best Supporting Actor:
陈政序 Benjamin Tan (灵医 Soul Doctor)
陈天文 Chen Tian Wen (灵医 Soul Doctor)
姚彣隆 San Yow (你的世界我们懂 Your World In Mine)
宗子杰 Zong Zijie (你的世界我们懂 Your World In Mine)
黄振隆 Desmond Ng (你的世界我们懂 Your World In Mine)
朱厚任 Zhu Hou Ren (你的世界我们懂 Your World In Mine)
吴劲威 Edwin Goh (卫国先锋2 When Duty Calls 2)
周初明 Chew Chor Meng (黑天使 Dark Angel)
苏梽诚 Calvin Soh (黑天使 Dark Angel)

Best Supporting Actress:
潘玲玲 Pan Ling Ling (灵医 Soul Doctor)
洪凌 Hong Ling (你的世界我们懂 Your World In Mine)
向云 Xiang Yun (你的世界我们懂 Your World In Mine)
朱秀凤 Zhu Xiu Feng (你的世界我们懂 Your World In Mine)
陈丽贞 Aileen Tan (黑天使 Dark Angel)
何盈莹 He Ying Ying (黑天使 Dark Angel)

Best Theme Song:
你的世界 / 林健辉 (你的世界我们懂 Your World In Mine)

Best New Artist:
张嘉轩 Grace Teo (灵医 Soul Doctor)
周智彗 Cheryl Chou (灵医 Soul Doctor)

Most Improved Artist:
崇喆 Gavin Teo (黑天使 Dark Angel)

Best Overseas Drama:
星空下的仁医 Kids' Lives Matter [HK]
家族荣耀 Modern Dynasty [HK]

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Excellent Star Award 2022   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

[文彬影评] 2021版 "天龙八部"

06 October 2022

[文彬影评] 现在正在追看 2021版 "天龙八部" (ch822 8pm/12mn). 看了一半, 忍不住想吐槽了... 因为觉得这版有点毁经典.



真的觉得这版最严重问题是选角. 除了阿朱, 阿紫, 木婉清, 慕容复 符合原著形象 & 乔峰还可以过关之外, 非常多主要角色的选角都非常不合适, 演技也不合格. 其中选角问题又以段誉最严重; 这版段誉又丑又娘又白痴... 完全被2013版的金起范的颜值&演技给压垮. 2003版的林志颖就更不用说了. 虽然因该没有人可以超越2003刘亦菲版的王语嫣了, 但没有仙气的文咏珊, 气质确实不适合演神仙姐姐 (文咏珊其实可以演钟灵). 钟灵更是奇丑, 造型也完全不符合原著 (莫名其妙的造型太像哪吒了)! 马夫人康敏不够艳丽变态 (太良家妇女了). 游坦之也很丑很娘... 刀白凤 & 玄慈方丈 也太年轻了吧? 而甘宝宝又太老太丑? 虽然 吕良伟 (汪剑通), 黄奕 (秦红棉), 刘玉翠 (从1997版阿紫升格为阿紫她妈阮星竹) 算是不错的惊喜, 但这类惊喜不比2013版的 '2003 倚天屠龙记校友会' 友情出演 (苏有朋, 贾静雯, 高圆圆, 陈秀丽, 陈紫函, 阎青妤) 来的更惊喜.

也许是更注重武打场面 (这版的武打戏拍的不错), 很多重要故事情节不是被跳过, 简化, 就是被魔改. 以至人物之间的感情线都非常单薄. 毕竟总导演于荣光是武打明星出生, 所以可以理解感情处理不可能比张纪中或赖水清来的细致. 然而, 被省略掉的重要情节, 反被乱加的一些原著没有的情节取代, 就很莫名其妙.

演员之间的火花也欠佳. 杨祐宁 (萧峰) & 苏青 (阿朱) 的演技算交差 (苏青完全摆脱尔晴的印象), 但苦命鸳鸯一点火花也没有, 相处的剧情又太短, 所以两人的爱情悲剧完全不能和2013版的钟汉良(萧峰) & 贾青(阿朱) 的感人程度相比. 希望 杨祐宁 & 何泓姗 (阿紫) 接下来的互动可以弥补这个缺憾.

而且人物的出场顺序也不尊从原著; 除了阿紫之外, 所有主角 (段誉, 乔峰, 虚竹, 阿朱, 王语嫣, 木婉清, 钟灵, 慕容复, 四大恶人, 鸠摩智) 很早都迅速登场了! 然后就以超快速胡乱跳拍转换3位男主角的故事线, 而非原著由段誉故事开始, 慢慢引出乔峰与虚竹, 再将所有故事串联起来.

因为经常不满意这版的剧情处理, 所以看完一集就常常回去重温 2013版 & 2003版对那些重要剧情的拍摄. 如: 阿朱易容恶整鸠摩智救段誉, 杏子林事变, 萧峰误杀阿朱, 阿紫折磨康敏... 不然总觉得少了一点感觉.

演员们的造型 & 化妆也蛮失败的! '假到不可以再假'的长发一看就知道是品质很差的 synthetic fibre. 女主角们的痘痘都超明显的, 脸也经常泛油光... 还有, 段正淳的夫人团与木婉清都把脚车椅垫当帽子戴? 难道这些奇怪的帽子是大理国当时最时尚的潮流吗? 看了就觉得很搞笑与出戏.

最后, 灯光也打的非常暗, 像是在拍恐怖片一样... 外景也常常拍到许多虫子漫天飞舞, 几恶心一下, 又很煞风景, 一点烂漫的感觉都没有.

"天龙八部" 是金庸最有深度的武侠小说. 单单是将小说主要人物设计成对应佛教天龙八部的八部众 (天众: 乔峰, 龙众: 段誉, 夜叉: 四大恶人 段正淳夫人团 木婉清 钟灵, 乾闼婆: 阿朱, 阿修罗: 慕容复 王语嫣 康敏, 迦楼罗: 鸠摩智, 紧那罗: 阿紫, 摩睺罗伽: 虚竹), 以文学的角度来欣赏, 就已经很有艺术性了. 再加上宋辽金西夏大理历史背景, 豪迈侠义精神, 及复杂有层次的感情关系, 是我本人最喜欢的金庸武侠小说.

rating 2/10 very bad
[应该有20年没有写那么多中文了. 这应该是我高中以来这十几年写最多中文的一次了.]

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[文彬影评] 2021版 "天龙八部"   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

Excellent Star Award 2021

16 February 2022

Best Drama:
小心啊! 谢宇航 Watch Out! Alexius
过江新娘 My Star Bride
触心罪探 Mind Jumper
臥虎藏鬼 Crouching Tiger Hidden Ghost
心里住着老灵魂 Soul Old Yet So Young
很久以后的未来 My Mini-Me and Me
关键证人 Key Witness
邻里帮 The Heartland Hero
大大的梦想 Live Your Dreams
21点灵 Leave No Soul Behind

Best Actor:
张耀栋 Zhang Yao Dong (小心啊! 谢宇航 Watch Out! Alexius)
徐彬 Xu Bin (过江新娘 My Star Bride)
谢俊峰 James Seah (触心罪探 Mind Jumper)
田铭耀 Jeremy Chan (臥虎藏鬼 Crouching Tiger Hidden Ghost)
陈罗密欧 Romeo Tan (心里住着老灵魂 Soul Old Yet So Young)
徐彬 Xu Bin (很久以后的未来 My Mini-Me and Me)
陳泂江 Desmond Tan (关键证人 Key Witness)
黄俊雄 Elvin Ng (邻里帮 The Heartland Hero)
许瑞奇 Richie Koh (大大的梦想 Live Your Dreams)
黃炯耀 Brandon Wong (21点灵 Leave No Soul Behind)

Best Actress:
林慧玲 Rebecca Lim (小心啊! 谢宇航 Watch Out! Alexius)
黄暄婷 Chantelle Ng (过江新娘 My Star Bride)
白薇秀 Joanne Peh (触心罪探 Mind Jumper)
刘子绚 Jesseca Liu (臥虎藏鬼 Crouching Tiger Hidden Ghost)
何盈莹 He Ying Ying (心里住着老灵魂 Soul Old Yet So Young)
美心 Macy Chen (很久以后的未来 My Mini-Me and Me)
姚懿珊 Dawn Yeoh (很久以后的未来 My Mini-Me and Me)
陈楚寰 Denise Camillia Tan (关键证人 Key Witness)
洪丽婷 Sheryl Ang (关键证人 Key Witness)
蔡琦慧 Paige Chua (邻里帮 The Heartland Hero)
刘怡伶 Tasha Low (大大的梦想 Live Your Dreams)
刘子绚 Jesseca Liu (肃战肃绝 The Takedown)
陈凤玲 Felicia Chin (21点灵 Leave No Soul Behind)
黄暄婷 Chantelle Ng (21点灵 Leave No Soul Behind)

Best Supporting Actor:
黄振隆 Desmond Ng (过江新娘 My Star Bride)
吴劲威 Edwin Goh (过江新娘 My Star Bride)
朱厚任 Zhu Hou Ren (过江新娘 My Star Bride)
洪国锐 Hong Guo Rui (触心罪探 Mind Jumper)
杨子文 Daryl Yong (触心罪探 Mind Jumper)
宗子杰 Zong Zijie (臥虎藏鬼 Crouching Tiger Hidden Ghost)
徐鸣杰 Jeffrey Xu (很久以后的未来 My Mini-Me and Me)
郑各评 Zheng Geping (关键证人 Key Witness)
陈天文 Chen Tian Wen (关键证人 Key Witness)
周初明 Chew Chor Meng (邻里帮 The Heartland Hero)
陈政序 Benjamin Tan (邻里帮 The Heartland Hero)
戚玉武 Qi Yuwu (大大的梦想 Live Your Dreams)
张耀栋 Zhang Yao Dong (大大的梦想 Live Your Dreams)
张耀栋 Zhang Yao Dong (21点灵 Leave No Soul Behind)
陈泰铭 Rayson Tan (21点灵 Leave No Soul Behind)

Best Supporting Actress:
许美珍 Cynthia Koh (过江新娘 My Star Bride)
林梅娇 Lin Mei Jiao (过江新娘 My Star Bride)
美心 Macy Chen (触心罪探 Mind Jumper)
黄嫊芳 Lina Ng (触心罪探 Mind Jumper)
郭蕙雯 Eelyn Kok (触心罪探 Mind Jumper)
罗美仪 Bonnie Loo (臥虎藏鬼 Crouching Tiger Hidden Ghost)
刘玲玲 Liu Ling Ling (心里住着老灵魂 Soul Old Yet So Young)
蔡琦慧 Paige Chua (心里住着老灵魂 Soul Old Yet So Young)
洪凌 Hong Ling (心里住着老灵魂 Soul Old Yet So Young)
向云 Xiang Yun (关键证人 Key Witness)
朱秀凤 Zhu Xiu Feng (关键证人 Key Witness)
曾诗梅 Priscilla Chan (关键证人 Key Witness)
罗美仪 Bonnie Loo (邻里帮 The Heartland Hero)
胡煜诗 Jernelle Oh (邻里帮 The Heartland Hero)
沈琳宸 Sheila Sim (大大的梦想 Live Your Dreams)

Best Theme Song: 温习 / 郭美美 Jocie Guo (过江新娘 My Star Bride)
感同身受 / Al4ha (过江新娘 My Star Bride)
乱掉 / 田铭耀 Jeremy Chan (臥虎藏鬼 Crouching Tiger Hidden Ghost)
是谁 / DaDa Dream (大大的梦想 Live Your Dreams)

Best New Artist:
胡煜诗 Jernelle Oh (过江新娘 My Star Bride)
曾晓晴 Gini Chang (过江新娘 My Star Bride)
郭坤耀 Herman Keh (触心罪探 Mind Jumper)
黄晶玲 Ferlyn G (触心罪探 Mind Jumper)
洪丽婷 Sheryl Ang (关键证人 Key Witness)
郑六月 Juin Teh (关键证人 Key Witness)

Most Improved Artist:
黄暄婷 Chantelle Ng (过江新娘 My Star Bride)
谢俊峰 James Seah (触心罪探 Mind Jumper)

Best Overseas Drama:
我唯一的守護者 My Only One [K-drama long]

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Excellent Star Award 2021   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

Excellent Star Award 2020

04 February 2021

Best Drama:
快乐王子 Happy Prince
爱... 没有距离 Loving You
单翼天使 My Guardian Angels
至2020的我们 Best Friends Forever
剃头刀 - 阿签传奇 Titoudao
森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor
花花公子 Mister Flower

Best Actor:
陈罗密欧 Romeo Tan (快乐王子 Happy Prince)
孙政 Ayden Sng (爱... 没有距离 Loving You)
方展发 Pierre Png (单翼天使 My Guardian Angels)
程家颉 Shawn Thia (剃头刀 - 阿签传奇 Titoudao)
戚玉武 Qi Yuwu (我的女侠罗明依 A Quest To Heal)
方展发 Pierre Png (森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor)
黄俊雄 Elvin Ng (花花公子 Mister Flower)

Best Actress:
蔡琦慧 Paige Chua (快乐王子 Happy Prince)
陈楚寰 Denise Camillia Tan (快乐王子 Happy Prince)
刘子绚 Jesseca Liu (爱... 没有距离 Loving You)
郑惠玉 Zoe Tay (单翼天使 My Guardian Angels)
鐘琴 Kym Ng (单翼天使 My Guardian Angels)
洪凌 Hong Ling (单翼天使 My Guardian Angels)
高艺 Koe Yeet (剃头刀 - 阿签传奇 Titoudao)
林慧玲 Rebecca Lim (森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor)
陈凤玲 Felicia Chin (森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor)
瑞恩 Rui En (花花公子 Mister Flower)

Best Supporting Actor:
林明伦 Darren Lim (爱... 没有距离 Loving You)
黃炯耀 Brandon Wong (单翼天使 My Guardian Angels)
陈天文 Chen Tian Wen (单翼天使 My Guardian Angels)
吴劲威 Edwin Goh (单翼天使 My Guardian Angels)
朱哲伟 Joel Choo (剃头刀 - 阿签传奇 Titoudao)
沈炜竣 Nick Shen (剃头刀 - 阿签传奇 Titoudao)
王禄江 Bryan Wong (我的女侠罗明依 A Quest To Heal)
张哲通 Teoh Ze Tong (森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor)
张耀栋 Zhang Yao Dong (森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor)
陈澍城 Chen Shu Cheng (森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor)
郭亮 Guo Liang (森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor)
张钧淯 Nick Teo (花花公子 Mister Flower)

Best Supporting Actress:
姚懿珊 Dawn Yeoh (爱... 没有距离 Loving You)
吉娜 Gina Tan (爱... 没有距离 Loving You)
芳榕 Fang Rong (单翼天使 My Guardian Angels)
金银姬 Jin Yinji (单翼天使 My Guardian Angels)
范文芳 Fann Wong (剃头刀 - 阿签传奇 Titoudao)
刘怡伶 Tasha Low (剃头刀 - 阿签传奇 Titoudao)
黄嫊芳 Lina Ng (剃头刀 - 阿签传奇 Titoudao)
许美珍 Cynthia Koh (我的女侠罗明依 A Quest To Heal)
何盈莹 He Ying Ying (森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor)
莫小玲 Patricia Mok (森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor)
曾诗梅 Priscilla Chan (森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor)
徐绮 Joey Swee (森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor)
刘玲玲 Liu Ling Ling (花花公子 Mister Flower)
洪凌 Hong Ling (花花公子 Mister Flower)
陈欣淇 Julie Tan (花花公子 Mister Flower)

Best Theme Song:
花花世界 / 苏荟琦 (花花公子 Mister Flower)

Best New Artist:
孙政 Ayden Sng (爱... 没有距离 Loving You)
陈政序 Benjamin Tan (单翼天使 My Guardian Angels)
芳榕 Fang Rong (单翼天使 My Guardian Angels)
陈锦宏 Chase Tan (单翼天使 My Guardian Angels)
刘怡伶 Tasha Low (剃头刀 - 阿签传奇 Titoudao)
程家颉 Shawn Thia (剃头刀 - 阿签传奇 Titoudao)
张哲通 Teoh Ze Tong (森林生存记 A Jungle Survivor)

Most Improved Artist:
洪凌 Hong Ling (错的时间, 不错的人 The Right Time)

Best Overseas Drama:
白色强人Big White Duel [HK]
SKY Castle [K-drama]

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Excellent Star Award 2020   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

Op GP Journal 8: SKY Castle

15 July 2020

We all lie... at some point of our life, to make ourself feel better.

tell you the truth, “SKY Castle” is a dark, satire, psychological thriller that turns out to be an unexpected addiction.

love how this black comedy parodied different style of parenting, the insane logic of tuition, paper chase, social inequality, social mobility & mental torture. it is a 1st world problem that is quite relatable among developed countries. we can easily replaced ‘SKY’, an abbreviation of Seoul National University, Korea University & Yonsei University, with ‘NNS’, short for NUS, NTU & SMU.

as the plot develops, the acting by some of the leads do send chill down my spine. Especially so for the tutor Kim Joo-young (played by Kim Seoul-hyung, best known for her role as the mistress Shin Ae-ri in “Temptation of Wife”). the beautiful melody & honest lyrics of the ost “We all lie” gives me goosebumps too. Ha-Jin’s hollow vocal sounds like she is mocking the ladies whenever something is about to happen...

“We all lie, tell you the truth. Sometimes, we laugh and easily lie.”

rating 10/10 excellent

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Op GP Journal 8: SKY Castle   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

Op GP Journal 2: “剃头刀” (Titoudao)

04 June 2020

“剃头刀” (Titoudao) is a local drama based on the life story of a celebrated wayang star Mdm Oon Ah Chiam.

good storyline, well-developed characters & great choice of cast. “剃头刀” is indeed 1 of the best local dramas in a while; matching standards of “西瓜甜不甜” (my favourite from the 2010s), “幸福双人床” (my favourite from the 2000s) & “福满人间” (my favourite from the 1990s).

the only thing i’ll pick on is the inconsistency of 娟姐’s flip-flop addressing of Nick Shen as 师兄/师父 thruout the show). & of coz, the feeling will be different if this show was entirely filmed in hokkien.

“剃头刀” also proves that if mediacorpse is willing to pour in effort, resources & support, they are still capable of producing good shows.

Watch “剃头刀” (Titoudao) at meWatch.
rating 8/10 good

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Op GP Journal 2: “剃头刀” (Titoudao)   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.