Extraordinary surprise 2009-2011

Back in 2009, I started to write the “Extraordinary surprise 2009.  Amazing that it was almost 2 years ago, so much has changed. However, with Mary leaving tonight and CY having left yesterday, I think my “Extraordinary surprise” has at last come to an end. Truthfully, I haven’t re-watched a single episode of Op since the end of “Someday”. It has been an amazing experience and I am richer for this chapter in my life.  Thank you! 

Adios, amigo! 

Ps:  Isn’t it horrible that I wanted to add RIP after the dates on the title?!   

Pink roses for a friend… you will always be special.

Contradicting myself once again, pink roses… I love them.

Split personality? Or maybe I am emotionally and physically drained right now. Reflecting this past weekend, I have come to a crossroad of some sorts. Having put a television series that have ended in February in the past, the characters that graced the screen are now, only happy memories. The next step…

A couple of weeks ago, I posted one sentence, “An Outsider”. Thanks to many, I was comforted to the point of embarrassment. Understanding their good intentions made me felt even worse. The attention should have never been on me. They probably had much more of a headache than I do. Never one to wallow in self pity for long, I seriously decided that it was time to move on but… I couldn’t let go… It’s quite a mystery. People whom I have never met and even if I brushed against them on some street, I wouldn’t know them but I feel an affinity to them.   Through laughter and tears, we spent close to nine months together, developing tenuous bonds of friendships over the web.  Then this weekend…

A friend said goodbye… my face was wet and the tears wouldn’t stop.  Not knowing the reason and wasn’t going to pry, I was at lost.  Reading the email was just so heartbreaking, not understanding but accepting and respecting the decision were the only things that I could do.  Once again, realizing the term… 緣來緣去 is very prophetic. 

Now the storm seems to have gone out to sea… hopefully, never to come back and the sun will shine and the stars will twinkle once more. 

Treasure…

一時之氣，一次失落，一次的錯...值得抹殺過去的數次快樂時光嗎？

Friends… they make life much sweeter and warmer.

I grew up with too many rumors to count and yes, I was on many occasion on the blunt end of it.  I have seen it destroy marriages and destroy friendships.  I have learned the hard way to believe in myself and trust what I truly feel.  Even in certain instances, the eyes and ears could be deceiving us, so we have to listen with our hearts.  Friendships are fragile because it doesn’t have the basis of “family” involved.  The saying, “I can choose my friends but I cannot choose my family.”  is so true.  But friendships have their special place in our lives.  Who do you go to if you have a problem with your spouse or boyfriend… Your family?  Not always because you don’t want them to worry.  Your best friend… because she always there for you.  When you want to get together and have a drink… when you just want to chat till the sun rises… they are there.  Why do you think there are such a terms as “boys night out” or “girls night out”… Who do you think of ?  Friends always have a special place in my heart because they make my life sweeter and warmer.

Diabolical Charmed…

Black & White... or are there many Gray shades

Another finale today… closing the book.

Another chapter came to a close today on 畢打 , 雁雁 ended her story.  Her and Tortoise’s stories were the only ones I followed after the show ended and now with 雁雁’s story ended and 龜龜 going MIA.  It is really time to put the show and its characters behind and start finding other sources of entertainment.  I haven’t really gotten interested in any new series of TVB.  I watched some episodes but never finished even one series.  Back to watching US drama, at least the acting is much better and I can relate and understand the innuendos much more. 

戲劇浮生終於到手！

多謝花花！好開心收到呢份禮物！  好有紀念價值呢！

畢打奇緣…浪漫的心!

Amazing, isn’t it?  I know it isn’t pink… but did you know that it wasn’t pink in the show either?  What amazing lighting effects that could turn this red into pink!  This was a gift from a very, very special friend.  She gave me something other than memories to remember always for this wonderful journey that started with a television show 7277 miles away from Las Vegas.. ah.. the wonder of modern technology!  There were three other rings that came in the special package and with it a heartwarming bookmarker. 

Isn’t it beautiful?   

畢打奇緣 ~ Extraordinary Surprise 2009: Final Chapter!

最後呢個post，突然之間想用中文做標題… 我都覺得妙！

It’s final!  It has ended!  The story is finished!  After 337 episodes, 畢打自己人 has its final curtains dropped. The standing ovations are still resounding thru the forums and blogs. I thought I would feel desolate but I don’t, not really. The story ended with a flourish and left the three years to audiences’ imagination. The three years was probably needed due to the fact that Tina could be released from jail and Paula could return to “潮” with a flourish. (My only gripe was that I wished they could have used some other “voice” other than Paula’s, it was still hard on the ears when I listen to her speak Cantonese.) The last fifteen minutes was… different, it had nothing to do with the story or plot because it was a big dance party. But it was still great to see most of the characters all gathered for one last time.

Guess I have to conclude my “Extraordinary Surprise…” now that the show has finally ended. 337 episodes, 337 memories and much more… from the very first show to the very last, the characters became friends and family. The character, 殷賞, will be forever in my heart. I have never before in my entire life loved and become attached to a character more. I have never watched a TV show and became so immersed that her emotions became mine. As I stated in previous posts, the performance by Muse in 211 gripped me so hard that I was hooked beyond my wildest imagination. So hooked that I had to find共鳴 and I found it on TVB forum. Each character grew and matured in front of my eyes as the months progressed. The love life of 賞賞 was almost the main storyline even from the very beginning. In the end, I even come to love 閆汝大 and 琴姐！ I believe that the trials and tribulations that賞賞 and余家昇 went through were appealing to me because it wasn’t so… young. My feelings are that in HK television青春 is literally shoved down viewers’ throats. The young actors and actress are onscreen because of their “pretty” face and one is lucky if they can actually act! The cast for OP was just the opposite, it banded together a group of very talented mature performers taking the leads and the younger actors playing much smaller roles (which is great because the younger ones have an opportunity to tune their craft and learn from the best). Thank the heavens for the production team to having such foresight! Thank my lucky stars that the script writers were brave enough to take on this challenge. They have my deepest and sincerest gratitude for making one of the best shows in television history.

Now for the other part… because of this show, I met some very adorable people through the internet. Again, never before did I make friends that I haven’t met face to face. Thanks to the internet and幕後一員, I met貓貓, 電電, 雁雁, 花花, 龜龜, 伶伶, 小紅, 綠綠, 高層, 菜菜, 餃餃, 茶茶, 三水, 豬豬, 石頭, 晶晶, 青緣, 妍貓, 多多, 草草, 古力, nn, M, squall, sophie, jessiy, roro, Eri, Ding, kkkary, kit, terrain, Rachel, 1235, sweeteymichelle, pearl, Erised, and so many others (排名不分先後). For the last six months many of us have been very frequent visitors to $1’s blog. There one will find goodwill and graciousness, care and hugs, and every so often a joke or two to make the day go by easier. Of course, I can’t leave out all the discussions and after reviews/thoughts of each show. It is a奇緣 thru and thru… it brings a smile to my face every single time I think about it. I know this for a fact, even though OP’s final curtain has fallen, this other surprise has many chapters left… because some friendships are forever.

Extraordinary Surprise 2009 Part V: Countdown… one show left!

The shows finale will be aired on February 12, 2010 at 08:00 pm till 09:00 pm in Hong Kong.  327 episodes… so many memories… Many on $1’s blog are writing “thank you” notes… I haven’t written one yet… not that I don’t want to but… it will be too similar to closing a chapter in my life and that is always so difficult.  I am such a procrastinator, I will do it tomorrow… after I finished watching the final show.  Yes, I am trying to put it off for as long as I can.

Sitcom?

Yesterday, I went into TVB forum and found a very curious topic.

It was titled; “甚麼是處境劇的框框？？如何從「畢打自己人」中看到突破？？歡迎大家發表意見！^^”

I had wanted to put in my two cents then it suddenly dawned on me if I even knew the meaning of the term, 處景劇. Is it really the direct translation of what I know as “situation comedy” or because of cultural differences between the US and Hong Kong, that the term has a different meaning? I recall that a few months back, some “person” attacked OP by comparing it to “Friends”, a sitcom that was extremely popular in the US for years. At that time, I find it a bit sad and certain people could be arrogant and egotistical as to saying something so ridiculous. However, after one show that was painful, even I questioned whether this was a sitcom and even jokingly said that it should be termed a sitdram (situation drama). I had wanted something fun and light, and not something so heavy that had me contemplating for hours or even days of what the leading roles were going through. I had based on what I know at that time as the meaning of sitcom. Before I go on, I want to add that I did not stop watching OP, in fact, the show grabbed at me making me one of its diehard fans. So, when I saw this topic again, I did some research because I wanted to really get to know the history of sitcoms and how it has evolved over the decades. What are the “guidelines”? Are there any guidelines? Do we have to put OP into a category or genre of entertainment other than for the purpose of getting a nomination for an Outstanding Sitcom? I came to a very simple conclusion, if there is no change from the traditional sitcom when it first originated, we would still be listening to the radio. Please read some of the following excerpts from http://en.allexperts.com/e/s/si/situation_comedy.htm

A situation comedy (sitcom) is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio. Today they are found typically but not exclusively on television. Sitcoms usually consist of recurring characters in a format in which there are one or more humorous story lines centered on a common environment, such as a family, home or workplace. Today's American sitcoms often use deadpan humor.  (OP fits)

According to the 12th edition of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, the term sitcom was coined in 1951, making the term contemporaneous with I Love Lucy.

Characteristics

Traditionally, situation comedies featured individual episodes that were largely self-contained; the regular characters themselves remained largely static and events of the episode resolved themselves by the conclusion of the episode. Most sitcoms took this format; events of previous episodes would rarely be mentioned in subsequent episodes and while school friends or beloved relatives might appear, often they would only be seen once in the series, and they would rarely be mentioned in subsequent episode, something apparent in The Brady Bunch and many other programs.

More recently sitcoms have introduced some ongoing storylines. Friends, a hugely popular US sitcom of the 1990s-2000s, had an overall story arc similar to that of soap operas; in addition to using traditional sitcom stories which were introduced and resolved in the same episode, the show also always had two or three ongoing stories taking place at any given point in the show's run. Friends also used other soap opera elements such as regularly resorting to an end-of-season cliffhanger, and gradually developing the relationships of the characters over the course of the series.
Friends was not without precedent, however, as a sitcom with continuing storylines. The Beverly Hillbillies, for example, frequently had continuing stories during its successful 1960s-1970s run, and One Day At A Time frequently featured ongoing issues and four-part episodes.

Off Pedder is outstanding entertainment period. Who cares if it is a “traditional” sitcom or not? It touches audience with “heart”. That’s the only word that I can come up with now and it does not do the show justice.  Everything about this show is amazing.  The actors and actresses, the way the stories were written, the underlying plot, everything came into place, and it fitted like a piece of art that it is.  I don’t know if a show that was produced for a local audience could transcend to others in different cultures but for me, a person who has grown up living in the United States for over 40 years can relate and love this show as much as I have, then I would answer with a resounding “YES!” 

**This is the logical side of me writing this… the emotional side… tomorrow.

Extraordinary Surprise 2009 Part V: Countdown… single digits..(7)

Four more shows to go… stayed up till the wee hours of the morning…

A:  But you didn’t watch it until you got up.

B:  That was because the dl was so slow.  It was a bad decision to watch it anyway because the darn plumber kept interrupting, had to watch it twice and I can’t believe out of all the 賞昇 episodes, this one I cried the most.  When I go home tonight, I would probably re-watch it again… I am such a masochist!

A:  What made this show different?  I know you got teary eyed or upset with other shows before but I think this is the only one that had you grabbing the tissue box constantly. 

B:  (sigh)… it was a combination of things.  That look from 賞 in his apartment when she offered 昇 to trade stories… and the stoic refusal non-reply she got from him… really don’t blame her for storming out.  She used the blog to say what she couldn’t say to him face to face was so heartbreaking.  Her voice showed how tired and bleak she was… then when the show combined the shot with Tina reading the book… that was so touching.  Then when 昇 finally couldn’t hold onto his emotions anymore… his thoughts were so desolate and his soul so empty…  The scene in the conference room… (shaking my head) so… cold.  That was spooky… it was like… there was no feelings inside 昇, almost like a machine… so very cold.

A:  Hmm… you still empathize with 賞? 

B:  Yes… for most part but now I feel a little bit more sorry for 昇 and you know I have a soft spot for Tina.  That’s why this episode was so much more painful… You know, it’s a bit strange… when some of the gals said that they see hope after this show and $1 said after reflecting, this show is sweet… I am still trying to see the bright star in the cloudy skies.  Where is it?  If it is there, I must need to change glasses or at least have night vision specs because for the life of me, I… don’t see it.

A:  Supposedly this is a happy ending, you know.

B:  Is it?  My understanding of “Happy ending” is from fairy tales.  Somehow… happily ever after just don’t fit in right now. 

A:  Girl… you’ve got it bad.

B:  ………………..

Extraordinary Surprise 2009 Part V: Countdown… single digits (6)

B:  Hey… hey… wake up… you’re right, I want to finish this before the week starts.

A:  You’ve got to be kidding… the bed is nice and warm!  It’s cold…

B:  Shush!  Let me think, where were we?  Ah… yes, guys…

A:  Not guys, you dodo head.  昇, you were talking about 昇!  When did you start liking him?

B:  Dude!  Did I say I like him?  I never said that I like him, did I?  I mean in real life, I wouldn’t go near a guy like him and definitely won’t be attracted to him.

A:  Really?  So why..?!?! 

B:  Why what?  Hey, the storyline between him and 賞 was fun.  It was entertaining. 

A:  You are hedging…

B:  I am not!

A: Yes, you are… if you don’t like him, why would you feel so bad when he hurts 賞?

B: I… (sigh), look he is not my dream man, okay? But he seems to be 賞s other half. When 2 people are attracted to this extent, how can one not fall for the love story? You know, I am going to say this for the last time, I think it is because of my age. To see a love story between 2 “older” adults that both have a past is refreshing in Chinese entertainment. You don’t see it often, and I think that is why I can relate.

A: How can you relate when you don’t like him?

B: How can I explain this… I love 賞. I love everything about her character except (!) her wishy-washiness in dealing with 汝大. From the first episode till now, she is one adorable character. She has her faults but she has backbone and she can stand up to any challenge except in her personal life. Look how she dealt with 包公 when she finally had to tell him that she is not interested in him that way. What she said in that show is so true. How can you blow someone you love as a brother off by not hurting his feelings? And still maintain a bond of friendship. By the way, that was also one of favorite episodes.

A: I ask you about 昇 and you talk about 包公…

B: It is still connected… kind of…

A: Yeah… right…

B: Is that sarcasm I hear in my head? I want to talk about 賞賞.  Therefore, I would have to talk about her love life from the beginning, okay? After 包公, I want to say something about 汝大, then Ryan… then finally 昇.

A: That’s seems too long for one night… do this tomorrow… please…

B: …………..

Extraordinary Surprise 2009 Part V: Countdown… single digits (3)

Still only 5 shows left… hey it’s the weekend, okay?

A:  I’m back… don’t know what you said about 仁堅 but it seemed like you don’t like 仁. 

B:  Well… yes and no.  Oh oh… I am hedging again.  Can we talk about something else or another couple?

A:  Why?  Alright… whose next?

B:  Did you noticed that Chocolate really loves the relationship between Marco and Suki?  She adored them!  Me?  Nothing.  Nope, their relationship or the development of their relationship was… okay.  I hope I don’t get killed for this.  Theirs was kind of cliché.  Don’t take me wrong, I enjoyed Raymond’s acting but… their love didn’t move me.   I have to put it down to age again.

A:  Okay… you are going to killed!  Haha!   You are such an old fart!

B:  Hey, that’s not nice.  But it true… I think the Chinese way of calling it is 老餅!  Sometimes when I see the other girls getting all starry eyed, it is so cute.  Can’t remember that far back to have such “black & white” feelings about love.  There are so many gray areas for me. 

A:  What do you mean… gray areas?

B:  Well… first of all, this is a TV show, okay?  It reflects many aspects of our daily lives or even more so because this is a sitcom, but there has to be some “imagination” and creativity in there to make the show interesting.  Everything or most things, even relationships were set and planned out before it happens.  Do you get what I am talking about?  Take for example, Tina.  Here was one character that from the beginning was shown to be a tough conniving woman.  There were many episodes where I was able to see why she turns out like how she is.  One can hate her maybe because she doesn’t like 賞 or she has done some “selfish” things or even when she overlooks the dirtier side of doing business underhandedly.  But(!) for me, I like her character.  The only thing that rubbed me really wrong was her one night stand with Ryan.  That was disgusting!  Haha! 

A:  So you’re ok with her being “conniving” and what about her relationship with Ben?

B:  Wait!  I am not ok with her being conniving, it is just that I can understand how she has gotten like that.  Her insecurity is so obvious.  She like an eggshell… well… something a little tougher maybe on the outside but inside she is pretty hollow and that little girl so afraid of facing the emotional world may finally be able to acknowledged that her Dad and brother do love her very much.  As for Ben… what can I say?

A:  What can you say about Ben?

B:  You are really pushing it today…

A:  C’mon, you mind as well get it out of your system before the show is over.

B:  Argh!  Ben… is he really a simpleton?  After the most recent shows… I guess my answer would be no.  Sometimes, I think he is the flipped side of Tina.  It’s because he knows his standing with his Dad and his sister, they love him no matter what.  He doesn’t even have to have a “direction” in his life till now.  His love for Tina is giving him that sense of purpose.  He has finally started to apply himself to his full potential in the business world but… still emotionally, he has a little more to go.  Honestly, in the beginning some of his tactics and mishaps, I thought… what a buffoon!  How could Tina be with him?  It’s like baby sitting… then… this simpleton has so much heart.  His love for Tina… is warm.  How could a girl resist?  Haha!  This is weird… me talking to myself…

A:  ………………….

Extraordinary Surprise 2009 Part V: Countdown… single digits.. (2)

5 more to go…

A:  Okay, you’ve rested enough and dodged the question for one full day… so, what about the love stories in this show?

B:  Alright… where were we?  Ah… 211… or love stories?  Hmm… what makes you think I am dodging the question?  Sheesh!  Love story lines… how many were there?  Let me count,  賞昇，汝賞，仁賞, Ryan/賞，仁堅，Ben薇,  Richard/薇，大閆生Linda，Marco/Suki, Gary/Icy, Joyce 軒, 琴狗… did I miss anybody?

A:  That many, huh?  I think you’ve listed most of them, so which one do you want to start off with?

B:  Well… let’s start with the easiest one and the shortest.  Gary and Icy.  Haha… I picked this one because there is practically nothing to say… sorry!  Gary and Icy… their story was cut short because she left to find the one guy that she just met… it was kind of weird.   I guess it was due to the fact that the actress had to leave the show.  I can’t really identify with these two because maybe it is my age.  Hey, I am saying this only from recollection… it seemed like it was so long ago.  The only thing that I remember about their relationship was the fact that Icy was too proud and Gary was pretty harsh on her at first.  I don’t know if one can really say that there was  a “love” storyline here because it ended before it even got started.

A:  You are really hedging on this subject, aren’t you?   You haven’t mentioned 仁堅 in any of your previous posts, why?

B:  I’ve haven’t mentioned them is because… I can’t relate.  They don’t really move me.  From the beginning, I could see that these two will be together, and even then 包公 kept encouraging 堅 to be with any of the other guys other than himself.   With 堅 and her first boyfriend, with Richard, then with the first boyfriend again.  I mean as their love storyline was in the final stretch… I was so exasperated with them.  “Haha”.  I mean 包公 to me was a total idiot.  I can understand logically what he was thinking but… he still an idiot!  How can one judge or make the decision what is better for someone else, especially when it comes to emotional feelings.  He was trying to be logical about something emotional…  I mean there are no formula for love.  It is a feeling, an emotional attachment that somehow sneaks in and start to grow and somehow, someway finds a way to be nurtured.  As for 堅, I am glad that she finally realizes that she can’t marry that doctor just because he has all the right “qualities”.  But my overall feeling for these two was that they really lacked communication and because of this lack, they had to suffer through that turmoil.  This communication problem is not the same as the one with 賞昇, 堅 was never honest, I mean truly honest, about how she feels when 包公 puts her as second priority after his “brothers”.  Well, I think OP had a way of showing that when you’re single… what you do with your life is your decision and you live with the consequences but when you are a couple, many decisions should be made with much more consideration and that should come naturally because that significant other could be deeply affected by the outcome. 

A:  Okay, you got me a little confused… I think this time, I’ll go take a rest… be back soon!

B:  ……………..

Extraordinary Surprise 2009 Part V: Countdown… single digits..

Wow… six more shows to go till the finale.  Really!  Only six shows left of Off Pedder… let’s do an interview with myself… maybe that way, I can find out what I am really feeling… hmmm… (my split personality disorder is kicking in.. haha!)  [A=Interviewer, B=Charmed]

A:  So, Charmed… OP will show its finale next Friday… What do you think?

B:  Well, are you asking me what I think of the Finale or are you asking me what I think about the show finally ending?

A:  I am asking now that this so call surprise of yours is finally drawing to a close… how do you feel?

B:  Hmmm… is the surprise really drawing to a close?  The feeling is surreal.  Never in my life have I thought about making friends through the internet because of a TV show.  Now that the show is about to end, of course there is a feeling of eventual letdown.  The show was the sole basis of my entertainment outside of work for the six months.  Living in Las Vegas, I have come to realize that I have no social life… isn’t that awful?

A:  So… you think you will feel a letdown?  Why?  It is only a show.

B:  Yes, I know it is only a TV show.  AND before you ask the next question, I know it is only words that I see on $1’s blog.  BUT (!)… somehow there are emotional attachments…

A:  To the show?  Or to the people you’ve met?  Lets talk about the show first.

B:  Yes, to the show… to the characters… well…it’s more like to the love story between the two leads and because of the character of 殷賞 is so charismatic.  However, if she wasn’t paired up 余家昇, then the story might have lost some of it’s shine to me.  With two very contrasting characters attracted to each other and going thru so many ups and downs dragging audience like myself thru the wringer with them.  Truth be told, the show got 1000x more interesting when sparks seems to fly between them.  It didn’t matter whether the attraction was just shimmering below the surface or full blown starry eyed like in some episodes.

A:  But what about the rest of the characters?

B:  It’s like the age old question, does the egg come before the chicken… haha!  The cast itself for the show was more than decent.  I have always like 郭少云 and I think she is a great supporting actress.  Hmm.. the old timers are great, there are no questions there, but the younger cast members… I thought this would be a great learning experience for them, a platform where they can fine tune their skills and I must say, there was great improvement among them.  Joyce improved a lot and I think 軒仔 would have a very bright future in show business.  He has some qualities that could make him a star.  I believe the show became more “personal”… don’t know if that’s the word for it but it is the best one I can think of… when 烈哥 past away.

A:  Why? 

B:  Well… he was a big part of this shows’ family.  Even when 90% of my attention was on 賞昇, I did leave 10% for the rest…y’know… haha!  He was a great comic character but when he got serious like in a few of the episodes, he was really good.  Out of all the shows, I cried my hardest when I watched “一[麵]之緣”.  When it comes to family love and respect, that usually is a tear jerker for me.

A:  Really?  Hmm… what about the love stories?

B:  Haha!  I am a pessimist, well at least I think I am.  Seriously, the love stories in this show… I tend to feel anger, hurt and desolation more than I feel sorrow and heartbreak.  Don’t take me wrong, in 211, I went around in a frustrated daze for the whole weekend.   Hmm… I need to sleep now… think we can continue this tomorrow night?

A:  Okay… tomorrow, same time, same place…

327 預告...

Caption:  就咁剎咗我算喇!

嘩！ 賞賞好痛..昇好內疚！ 個天再次考驗呢兩個...能否真愛可敵任何障礙?  我以為我做晒心理準備，點知一見到繆思呢段預告..對眼即時紅，個心感到慼慼痛... 但係又好期待，好想睇到咁精彩既劇情同演技… 還有十集，好不捨!

點解繆思喊成咁，都可以咁靚！ 佩服到五體投地！ 哈哈！

不知不覺拖上你~~ 笑死我喇!!

 

全集賞賞在偷笑.....

(A wonderful preview of what it would be like if they were really together.)

隻眼開隻眼閉 ~ 靚菜﹕ Just for you!

哈哈！真係比我搵到！ 這個嘛… 應該是…

“唉，好累，仲要等幾耐賞昇先在一起?”