epi 10 video clip and screencaps

My favorite scene in epi 10 has got to be how Ka Yeung so skillfully plays the pig to eat the tiger (扮豬吃老虎). Two words: ingenious, disingenuous. The pig-tiger ploy though time immemorial is so unexpected here; I was really curious as to how Ka Yeung would confront his uncle on the dubious expenditure account. When Ka Yeung was so agreeable and deferential to his more experienced elder's explanation, I thought that's the end of the matter, that Ka Yeung had just wanted his uncle to know he's onto him.  Little did I know then that Ka Yeung was in fact springing a trap on his uncle.  Having gotten his uncle all relax and off-guard by his 'understanding', Ka Yeung 'genially' and 'respectfully' springs the trap on his uncle successfully ensnaring the latter in his trap.  I couldn’t help but clap my hands with appreciation and laugh aloud at Sam Siu’s cunning, as he step by step nudges his crafty uncle into his entrapment.  What’s more he did all that so effortlessly, so ingeniously and so seamlessly. The look on his uncle’s face is truly priceless when belatedly he realizes that he has been had. Juxtaposition, look at that grinning, eager, expectant, disarming, ingenuous face of a disingenuous sam siu being ingenious. Haha! Steven’s performance was brilliant, simply brilliant! Haha! Steven’s performance was brilliant, simply brilliant!


        check out his posterior.


       listen so attentively to 2nd uncle's explanation/protestation

  Uncle ensnared

ingenuous, cunning sam siu

epi 9

Epi 9 -- woah! Things a diabolical Ka Yeung can do with a bike! lol! Such unbridled violence and anger. Sam Siu is truly frightening in his killing mood, if not stopped in time by BB he could well have killed that man.

Again, don't judge a book by its cover. That charming, elegant and cultured sam siu is not what he seems, certainly not someone to mess with.

Do not try this bike fighting stunt at home.

Updated Epi 8 Sam Siu -- the stealthy expert stalker; Ka Yeung and BB

note: I also posted my daily thoughts on the SIAC thread on Asianfanatics.net . Please post your thoughts and join in the discussion on AF.

In epi 8, the difference between Ka Yeung's and BB's characters and life experiences is further delineated and contrasted. First off, my praise to both for their fine performances - their shock, disbelief, devastation and a sense of betrayal, and how they collected themselves after the shock were all brilliantly portrayed. Their individual reactions emphasized their personalities and life exposures and experiences. Ka Yeung as a man exposed to worldly views and temptations is more accepting of Haw Yee's immorality vis-a-vis BB's sheltered upbringing and conservative character. There are no two more different people thrown together by circumstances, it will be interesting to watch how they bridge the chasm in their personalities, upbringing, social status and the closed feudal society to gradually change each other pov, accept each other and come together as lovers. Ka Yeung has already started to work on BB's dogmatism to wait for the return of her 'husband'. How is BB going to wrought changes in Ka Yeung's pov?

Epi 8 the 1st inkling of that ruthless, aggressive violence lurking inside sam siu when he viciously hits Chin Gan to make him speak.
                                                              

Plus he is such an expert stealthy stalker!  Flashing his innocuous smile!

Nothing can escape his penetrating all seeing eyes!

Up to episode 7: Thoughts on KA and BB

So,is KA & BB's love relationship one of the quintessential opposites attract theory? In the earlier episodes, viewers get glimpses of their individual personalities; while BB's personality is clearly delineated, her split personality notwithstanding, KA's personality is still very much a mystery to me.

BB - basically compassionate, righteous, loyal (can be blind too like her marriage), hardworking, and a transparent, outspoken personality; and on the cons, she can be impulsive and loud; not too bright at times; a prejudiced know-it-all (and definitely annoying). Undoubtedly, her innate personality is greatly shaped and influenced by the martial arts medicine practitioning environment she grew up in.

But as for Ka Yeung's personality -- a very big question mark?
- idealistic -- was, as a young untried man
- Courage is definitely one of his pros -- courage to defy his father to pursue his dreams; and courage in war and in the face of danger
- intelligent, shrewd, analytical, discerning, perceptive -- in short, a superior mind
- decisive
- coolheadedness, pragmatic,
- two faced personae-- affable and innocuous outside but devious and scheming inside
- two mental states -- outwardly normal vs inwardly tormented - a deserter, he's escape the outside war, but can't escape the insidious war waging inside his mind -- which side will finally control his mind?  Will the revelation of his sister's bad deeds or her murderer precipitate his inevitable mental collapse?

- Yep, KA is still very much an enigma to the audience so far. An innocent idealistic young man left home to become a doctor because he wanted to help hundreds of thousands of people; is that ideal still in the one who came back?

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Because of his exposure to all kinds of people and stuff and encounters etc during his 5 year as medic he had seen the worst and the best in people and things he encountered and experienced, moreover, despite his privileged background he has always sees others as equal (his scene with Cho Gao), undoubtedly his sense of equality for all men is further cemented by the war.

So his treatment of the very annoying, antagonistic, impulsive and loud BB though impatient sometimes even condescending but he is never antagonistic or dismissive to her; he listens to what she had to say despite her giving him attitude every time. In fact, I think maybe after 5 years of not being in a pretty albeit annoying female's presence, he might even be subconsciously entertained by her. His sister's death is a devastating blow to him, though he had had his doubts but BB's strong conviction unequivocally anchored those doubts into a certainly, he got to be at least grateful someone on the same waveline as his?  His feeling undergone a big turnaround to the positive towards BB not when he found out about her 'married' status (he was indeed surprised) but when he unexpectedly encountered her floating those lotus lanterns on the river to memorialize the 7th day of Hau Yee's death depicting her absolute devotion and loyalty towards his sister - that to me is the moment. How can he not like her when she is so true to his dead sister whom he loved with all his heart and a heroine he had looked up to all his life. As of now, I don't see any sign of his falling in love with her, just him having a positive feeling for her, that's all.

epi 7 snapshot

 Ka Yeung's heart broke to find evidence of Haw Yee's adultery. Steven acted Ka Yeung's devastation and disbelief brilliantly.

Episode 7
Never judge a book by its cover; a beautiful attractive cover does not always mean a book with substance so is the case with Tze Ching (Natalie), who outwardly is gentle and pretty but in truth, a materialistic fraud who is a consummate liar.  Compassionate BB is totally  hoodwinked by Tze Ching fabricated sob story while Cho Gao so blinded by her beauty falls head over heels in love with her at first sight.  But Yin Fung has taken an instant dislike to BB’s new ‘ward’; she has a natural ferret instinct as she immediately onto 1st young mistress’ scheme to cultivate her own personal group of employees loyal only to her and her husband.

Having overcome their years of misunderstanding and though they will never be close friends, Bik Wan and BB have come to an understanding based on mutual respect for each other.  Bik Wan informs BB of the rotten trick Yin Fung played on Tze Ching to prevent her from being hired.

Ka Yeung continues with his subtle investigation in his sister’s murder.  Having implanted himself in the factory to look for clues, he now turns his attention to inside his home, still playacting the easy-going, innocuous 3rd young master.  While playing mahjong with his mother, his aunt and his sister-in-law, he is in fact gathering and storing information from the ladies’ conversation, and his ploy is rewarded when he finds out about Hau Yee’s abnormal behavior a month before her death, how despite her busy schedule she frequented a nunnery instead of her usual preference for another .  After the mahjong he searched Hau Yee’s room once more and found a big key in her possessions and pocketed it. He talks to Hau Yee’s maid to glean more information about Hau Yee’s atypical behavior before her death.

Meanwhile, so reprimanded by her mother-in-law for her meddling in the factor, 1st young mistress complaints in the private to her husband who also reprimanded her for her meddling. Their relationship is that of a a typical ambitious wife with a mild, good natured husband.

The next Ka Yeung follows his mother to temple on the pretext he wants to spend time with him.  When his mother is so preoccupied he asks questions of the nuns about his sister’s visits in the nunnery.   The next day he meets with BB in the factory and asks her if she has noticed anything different in Hau Yee’s conduct the period before her death.  BB is not happy that she is to give him information before he would tell her his own finding, but she obliges.  And so putting her info and his finding together, they concluded that Hau Yee was pregnant – a bombshell has just been dropped on them – two lives one body – who’s the father?  Ka Yeung takes BB to the room in the nunnery for a thorough search through.  BB: Why did she come here? KY: If I knew I wouldn’t be standing here now, wondering, right?”  How come a perceptive man like KY did not even think to open the windows but BB did?   Anyway, there is this trail leading in the back woods from the room.  And following the trail they come upon a hut – obviously a lovers’ hideout.   

Thoughts on siac episode 6

A really enjoyable epi 6 because lots of Stevia's scenes, and what's more, BB has toned down her loud behavior and incomprehensible antagonism towards the handsome 3rd young master. Ka Yeung is devious with his pretend-to-leave-home plot to to allay his 2nd uncle and cousin's suspicion of him being onto them. I was totally taken in; so moved when old Mr. Pong came after KY to stop him from leaving. But do feel for Ka Hin seeing how his father never loves him as much as he loves his siblings. I also enjoyed Bik Wan and Ka Hin's love story flashback too. Ka Hin looked so funny in his wig. Natalie's character reminds me of Sonija Kwok's character in "Where the Legend Begins" in that she would probably turn on BB who has befriended her in her time of need. Overall, a light and entertaining episode.

Favorite scene:
Ka Yeung touring the factory as the newly appointed dual boss. He purposefully sets out to build a rapport with both his male and female employees, charming them all. Outwardly, he looks relaxed but his eyes are sharp and observant.

Analysis of Ka Yeung character - epi 1

Ka Yeung - a man with a past story to tell, a past so unbearable and indescribable the mere telling with words may well destroy his sanity if not his being, so he chooses to push that past in his deepest memory abyss. But his past is too volatile to stay put, a seemingly innocuous act can at anytime abruptly hijacked his mind leaving him vulnerable to its attack. He comes home looking for sanctuary but sanctuary his home is not.  His mind already under attack is further undermined by his most beloved 2nd sister's mysterious, violent death.  Just how much can a man's mind, albeit a superior one, withstand the constant bombardment of pain and betrayal from within and without? The viewers first saw him as this calm and decisive medic head, piercing eyes, clear-headed, authoritative and totally in control of his actions and his men. Behind the medic facade is a war weary, sad eyed, compassionate man who misses his home and family much. He has seen first hand the deathly work of the grim reaper.




Now for some fan's gushing --- ooh! Ka Yeung is so handsome when he made this big entrance as the dashing hero who saves the day (and face) for the Poon family.  So vibrant, so agile, so charming, so exciting, so melodramatic! ooh! Ka Yeung loves the limelight -- look at that confident smile on his face as he glides rapidly down the cable, and then take another look at his triumphant smile as his hand holds up the floral 'cannon' way up high to signal his win. I thoroughly enjoyed the excitement brought by Ka Yeung's entrance. In one short scene, Ka Yeung displays all different kinds of smiles that came straight from his heart lighting up both his face and eyes.  What a joyous homecoming for him despite his father's outward coolness to him but he has expected that.  

I love, love Ka Yeung in zhong shan costume, which absolutely brought out the class (氣質) in Steven, and brought life to Ka Yeung as a pre-modern character.  Just from his outer appearance, demeanor and posture, here's a superior man of his times: elegant, refined, insouciant, class, culture, intellectual, and confident.  (see fn1) But at closer look, the sad eyes belied his insouciance.

Feeling at peace in his familiar hometown, Ka Yeung smiles appreciatively at young innocent antics -- did the children's antics remind him of his childhood? But without warning, violent scene of his past abruptly hijacked his mind.  Scary, nightmarish scenes of war and torture and death!  No sanctuary even in his serene hometown landscape.  The idealistic young man who left home to pursue his dream as an altruistic doctor has come home from the war a changed man - what kind of man is he now?

--- read Tsui Yong Yong behind-scene reports

Updated 2/25/2014 with video SIAC 3rd promotional event

More pix on siac tvb.com

on.cc 2/22/2014
Today, the SIAC cast including Steven Ma, Evergreen Mak, Maggie Siu, Katy Kung and Matt Yeung (sans Tavia and Cilla due to other work) went to Zhang Zhou for a friendly soccer game with the local team to promote SIAC. Steven did not participate in the game itself but stayed on sideline to cheer for his team. The premier week SIAC garnered an average rating of 26 points peaked 28 pts in the epi 1. Steven is dissatisfied with the ratings and hopes they will rise.  But he is very happy with the good reception of the themesong.  He says that TVB has invited him to perform in JSG and that they also plan to do a mv for the themesong.  During dinner at night, the the organizers surprised Maggie and Matt with two birthdays for their upcoming individual birthdays.  Steven's tired just holding up the lion's head. (lol)

tvb8 source: 怡居-楊怡國際總站

Steven is so indulgent of Tavia.

Note: I wonder why pick Zhang Zhou as the promo venue?

credit as labeled