TVB series + English songs = ears bleed (not in a good way)

[JJWong]

I noticed in recent series, TVB tried to incorporate English songs into the series. Even though I love lots of Chinese old songs, such as the one they had in Witness Insecurity, something about You and the Moon. On the other hand, I don't think that song fitted the Bosco & Linda characters; but that's a whole new topic. Anyways, back on topic.

I kudos them for stepping outside the box/boundery to find English songs, but my god! they do not fit into the stories at all! All those Adele songs in Ghetto Justice 2 were so out of place. Set Fire to the Rain as Law Ba's come-back song? WTF? There were a couple songs in Diva in Distresses also out of place, like Him/Mandy songs about calling you in the hotel room.

That's a horrible new trend. It's like they went half-way. If they're going to use Western songs, have the decency to use someone who understands and compable to use them correctly in the series. Besides, I think they should use more old Chinese songs. There are so many great classic Chinese songs. Just don't use the mandarin ones because I can't understand them all lol.

Disclaimer: my spellcheck isn't working ;(

[Ken Cheng]

This is not a new trend. TVB has incorporated English pop songs into their modern dramas since the 1970s.

[JJWong]

Hrm, I guess they didn't stand out until now. Or maybe they just suddenly picked horrible songs that don't really go with the theme or story... IDK. It just seems bluntly obvious for me in the last several modern series I watched.

[Ken Cheng]

Hrm, I guess they didn't stand out until now. Or maybe they just suddenly picked horrible songs that don't really go with the theme or story... IDK. It just seems bluntly obvious for me in the last several modern series I watched.

Classic TVB series from the 1970s and early 1980s such as THE BUND often used Pink Floyd as part of the soundtrack...quite effectively, I might add.

[Suet Seung]

I'm watching Ghetto Justice 2 and I noticed they kept on replaying Adele's songs, not just Set the Fire to the Rain, but also Someone like You every time there's like a love triangle scene or scene between Law Ba and Lynette. And Ding and SumSum,they kept playing The Rose. My goodness...stop over playing the songs.

[Ken Cheng]

I have not fully watched a *new* TVB series since the late 1980s, but based on what you all are describing, it seems like the present-day TVB directors simply have awful taste and no sense of dynamics. During the 1970s and 1980s, TVB's directors punctuated a few poignant scenes with suitable English pop music or incidental music, but generally didn't overdo it. It was tastefully done.

...and I suppose, since it was the 1970s and 1980s, there was a better body of pop music to choose from.

[almo89]

File of Justice series from the 90s also had a ton of english music especially when they were hanging out in the pubs

[JJWong]

I never watched 70s series. I don't remember much about 80s series. I believe I only watched ancient 90s series. So my comments are for the 2000s to present series.

I'm watching Ghetto Justice 2 and I noticed they kept on replaying Adele's songs, not just Set the Fire to the Rain, but also Someone like You every time there's like a love triangle scene or scene between Law Ba and Lynette. And Ding and SumSum,they kept playing The Rose. My goodness...stop over playing the songs.

I think "Eyes of the Tiger" is better fit for Law Ba than Fire to the Rain lol. It's a cheesy song but heck, it's very motivational and fist-pumping song lol. It makes you root for the underdog. :P

[kidd]

'4 In Love' usage of English songs in the series is pretty good.

[Krimzon]

I don't mind TVB series using English songs as long as they do not overdo it and not use the same two or three songs repeatedly. I too believe they are using English songs way to much in the series today. Look for it to be a trend in the future. Also look for people calling each other by their English name or English nickname in the future but that's a different topic.

I'm watching Ghetto Justice 2 and I noticed they kept on replaying Adele's songs, not just Set the Fire to the Rain, but also Someone like You every time there's like a love triangle scene or scene between Law Ba and Lynette. And Ding and SumSum,they kept playing The Rose. My goodness...stop over playing the songs.

I agree 110%. The person in charge of the music seems to now know of any other songs. They played those songs to death. I hear Adele's songs once or twice a day on the radio everyday on work. I go nuts every time I hear Adele's songs, especially those specific songs.

[Ken Cheng]

Also look for people calling each other by their English name or English nickname in the future but that's a different topic.

Young people have been doing that in Hong Kong since *at least* the 1960s, and possibly earlier. Nothing new there: Hong Kong was a British colony until 1997, and although fifteen years have passed since the return to Chinese rule, much of the city's English character has remained intact.

[Suet Seung]

I agree with Ken, characters in TVB serials have long used English names for decades, not just in recent years. Remember Raymond Lam Fung's role in Golden Faith, his name was Oscar. I think I remember some series in the 90s had characters with English names or nicknames.

[Krimzon]

It seems so frequent now. Maybe it wasn't as noticeable in the past because of the balance of ancient and modern series. I'm sure they used it a few times in the past but now half of the characters in the series are being called by their English name or nickname.

[JJWong]

Off topic: I think in the old series, only "high profiler" characters got English name, like rich people. The main ones were usually have Chinese name. With new series though, pretty much everyone has English name. I'm okay either way, until they throw in some weird English names. I don't particular remember the weird names, but they stood out when I watched it...

[smurf120]

Don't mind the use of songs, I think what I find grating is the use of songs as character themes in every single drama (this year). Like when the same song plays when a character or couple comes on screen - like the audience is too stupid to be able to identify them as a couple without having a song attributed to them. This can happen with the soundtrack, Chinese, or English songs.

I think they wink and nod at this phenomenon in Divas In Distress when the old song "Ching Yeuk Jen" comes on when Mimi Chu (also her character's name) comes onscreen.

[topten]

I think they wink and nod at this phenomenon in Divas In Distress when the old song "Ching Yeuk Jen" comes on when Mimi Chu (also her character's name) comes onscreen.

I heard that old song from 1983 Return of Condor Heroes, background song for love story between Yeung Gor (Andy Lau) and Siu Lung Lui (Idy Chan)

This is not a new trend. TVB has incorporated English pop songs into their modern dramas since the 1970s.

Agree. I often found out in some old TVB dramas, Blood of Good and Evil contained lots of popular English songs