The Four 《少年四大名捕》

[kidd]

I'm pretty disappointed with the screentime and development Sammul and Ron have. I love Sammul's character but he's like a walking prop.

Agree. His character is the least develope. He doesn't even have his own storyline. Lang Huet (Ron), at least, has a little of his background revealed and he has the 'rescue of the prince' plot.

[raymond_obsessed]

Actually I agree that I should have made myself clearer. More like major imbalance in relation to Ron and Sammul's screentime. As between Kenneth and Raymond, it's less so, but Kenneth has the most screentime and is probably the only one with a real story. Almost one week was devoted to him and his family and his love story. Everyone else is underdeveloped in that aspect. Raymond keeps appearing, but it has little to do with him as a character (as opposed to a constable) until much later.

I'm pretty disappointed with the screentime and development Sammul and Ron have. I love Sammul's character but he's like a walking prop.

I totally agree. I waited so long to watch this series, and now that I have, I wish that I didn't. They should've given all four guys an in depth story about their background, instead of it revolving around Kenneth and Ray's families...They never let Ron warm up as much as he should...and Sammul was the only comic relief to this whole thing. I thought it was gonna respectively display each individual constable, their personalities, and their love lives...I'm glad there were cases, that's the only thing that made the series interesting.

I liked Kate until I remembered she was a spy, and I hate her so much now...especially after episode 21, and I have yet to see 22...There have been plenty of spies like her in the past, in other series, but you grow to like them, to feel sorry for them, to understand why they do the things they do...I can't name any series at the top of my head, but I know I've seen some good spy-related series, where the bad person turns good after falling in love with the good person...but Kate is so hate-able...there's nothing I can like about her, because no matter what she may express to Mou Qing, it seems so fake, because there's no sign of remorse after she's done something wrong. You'd think she'd grow to care about the Super Sheriff's Office because of the good people that they are, but she doesn't...she doesn't care that Mou Qing loves her, because she hurts everyone around him, while using him...I hate seeing her pretend to be innocent when she's not...especially at the end of episode 21...I cried so much for Kenneth, and it made me think of Mou Qing as being so stupid...He's so smart, but when it comes to Chi Yin, he doesn't use his brain...How is it that they make her be smarter than everyone in the whole series? With her elaborate plans, and ideas that just pop up into her head...It's one thing to be told what to do by Choi King, but it's a totally different thing to come up with your own ideas...like the whole framing Tit Sau thing was her idea...She let Yeuk-fei live with her, even though she's the reason why Yeuk-fei's dad is dead. Grr...I'm so irritated with her character, they could've done without her....The only way she could redeem herself is if she died for someone...because everything she's done was for her own benefit, she's just so selfish and evil...

Btw, what has happened to TVB? They used to make great series out of novels, but what happened here? I grew up loving Chinese series because of the strong loyalties and bonds the characters had...or the deep love two people shared...What happened to stories like The Grand Canal? The forbidden love between a princess and a thief...how everyone on each side was against them...how the princess was being used by her brother and didn't even know it...all the misunderstandings between the two, feeling betrayed...That was a good love story and a good series. What happened to good love stories? The kind you can never forget? Like the one between student and teacher in Return of the Condor Heroes?

I'm just so disappointed in this series...I was expecting it to be soooo good, but it turned out to be not so great. Ron barely has a love story, they didn't let him give that girl a chance...

[stn9384]

OMG! I cant believe Ron is not the 2nd lead but Kenneth is. Thats mess up.

[kidd]

Btw, what has happened to TVB? They used to make great series out of novels, but what happened here? I grew up loving Chinese series because of the strong loyalties and bonds the characters had...or the deep love two people shared...What happened to stories like The Grand Canal? The forbidden love between a princess and a thief...how everyone on each side was against them...how the princess was being used by her brother and didn't even know it...all the misunderstandings between the two, feeling betrayed...That was a good love story and a good series. What happened to good love stories? The kind you can never forget? Like the one between student and teacher in Return of the Condor Heroes?

That sounds more like a tried and tested formulaic love story to me. Honestly, how many hundreds of stories have used this plot before? Star-crossed lovers, lovers from rivaling family, lovers of different social class.

I hate Song Chi Yin, but, I have respect for her as a spy. At least, she's not like so many wuxia girls out there who are intelligent and competant, but, when they meet the heroes, all turn good and tame.

[kidd]

I like this article written by Lolly-Pop in asianfanatics. So, I repost it here. I don't go so far to like Chi Yin like Lolly-Pop, but, I like what he/she wrote. Chi Yin might not be a good romance heroine, but, she's an interesting character.

Yes, I loved Chi Yin. My love of her grew even more when I knew that she is the undercover. I think female characters who have the minds of shrewd and deep are interesting - especially those who has stolen the hearts of the male protagonists - in this case, Mo Ching. Yes, call me a person who would love my favorite character and also love his dog.
Yet with that said, Chi Yin was really a character who is able to steal the limelight from others devil-ish female characters and Ms Nam Yeuk Fei too. The other female assaisns like Li Sheng Nan was able to betray her master because of her [& this drama really reminds me of Michelle&Raymond pairing]. But Chi Yan isn't the same - perhaps till the last minute, where she drank the potions and showed her [s]vague[/s] love for Mo Ching!
Chi Yin's character was vivid - she was emotionless all the time that you wouldn't know her feelings - truly a assassin!
Chi Yin's down-right scheming was especially proved in Ep 21. As the saying goes "a woman is a source of trouble", Chi Yin's used herself as a woman to the fullest advantage. She deliberately caused the misunderstanding between the 2 brothers [Ching and Sau] by pretending that she is weak woman who doesn't know how to protect herself! Too wonderful! I felt like pounding the table when I watched it but I was in the class so.. heheh
Yet, as bad begets bad, I think it would be a enjoyable one to watch Chi Yin's ending.
You noticed that I loved Chi Yin - but not Kate. Yes, Chi Yin is to be as emotionless as a robot but Kate didn't showed her expression when needed. When she is secretly meeting the master, she should have at least showed her wicked expression - but no, expressionless was the word. Nevertheless, her acting was mediocre if not, of a average. Chi Yin was a challenging character and it's good that Kate got this character but it instead reveal her acting's' weaknesses.

Ep 22
Ep 22 was a breakthrough for Chi Yin - it was the time for her to face the music. I thought Chi Yin would have used the women most formidable weapon - tears - by crying or bathing her cheeks to ask for forgiveness when facing Mo Ching. But to think of it, I would have lost my respect for Chi Yin if she actually did it - because Chi Yin isn't your Tom, Dick or Harry. And I'm glad Kate didn't exaggerate her acting - the atmosphere was built up nicely. But Chi Yin didn't teared - her tears were well up in her eyes but it didn't flow down. [Or perhaps I'm not watching it on HDTV :tricky: ]. I thought that was good - for Kate's acting and Chi Yin's character.
I was really puzzled like Mo Ching during the scenes where the latter was locked up. One minute, she was persuading Mo Ching and confessing her love for him. But in the next minute, the drama showed you the scenes where she was obeying the orders of her master. Then again, she tried to use her last resort to convince Mo Ching again. So it was all a feigning again, you might asked?! Was it really a put-on or that she really loved Mo Ching or both? At the end, you would never be able to figure out what's this woman thinking about. This woman, once again, makes me :worship
At the end of the day, I still wishes her a happy ending. If one will to live like Chi Yin in the reality, he / she would have too many burdens. :unsure:

[raymond_obsessed]

I don't like Ray in this series...in the end, he became such a big hypocrite. He let go of a merciless killer because he had feelings for her, and yet, he gave Tit Sau a hard time for not being able to arrest his own brother, when all he did was kill people that deserved to die...not innocent, good people.

If Chi Yin was supposed to be an all out villain, then yeah, she did a great job at being cold-blooded and heartless, titles that shoudl've been rewarded to her and not Ron and Ray. But isn't Ray supposed to be the lead in this series? So she's his female lead...in LWVB, Michelle was second to Rain's sad character...and the bad girls always end up changing for the men they love, even though those men don't love them in return. Her loyalty to Choi King doesn't make sense to me...I get that he saved her life, but she killed innocent people to repay him? How is that right? She still feels that she's right, when that girl (such an unforgettable character that girl that loves Ron is) would betray her own dad because she knew he was doing bad things, plus, she really liked Ron who showed no emotion towards her...and that's her only father...Yeah, she didn't cry when Mou Qing exposed her, but I was so mad it took her so long to confess...she pretended to be so innocent when she knew that Mou Qing already knew the truth...to keep saying, "Well, how do you know I'm the spy if that's all the evidence you have," or whatever...when everything he said made perfect sense. Ugh! I can't believe he let her go, which I knew he would. If love shouldn't be a reason for Chi Yin to be good, then love shouldn't have been the reason for Mou Qing to let her go. No matter how much you love someone, if they go around killing innocent people, and framing others for it, then you have to do what's right. I wanted them to let Tit Sau punch Mou Qing more than that one punch, I didn't care how powerful his punches are. After going behind Tit Sau's back to ambush his brother, then setting up that trap in the forest to hurt Fok Ching...and have the self-righteousness to tell Tit Sau he doesn't deserve to be a constable...that speech or whatever was useless and made Mou Qing a complete hypocrite. Mou Qing has no excuse...he gave Tit Sau a hard time for helping his only blood, and being part of the cause of his death, and yet, he lets the real murderer walk? Chi Yin never hesitates to hurt people, and maybe some people like that, but I don't. Yeah, maybe in the end things will work out, but as of right now, this series sucks for me. I'm so disappointed with Ray's character, he was so smart, but yet, ended up being dumber than everyone else. He used to say Tit Sau's innocence was stupid, when he's the dumb one, to get tricked by a girl, and refusing to see what's right in front of you until it's too late.

It's bad enough they didn't give anyone else much screen time or background story, but to have the evil spy chick be smarter than everyone else? She better die, after all the people she's hurt and killed...I'm sorry to say that even about a character.

Look, I just have a very strong opinion on this series, so if you get offended or indignant, please don't bite my head off...I waited forever to watch this, and it wasn't worth the wait...I'm so sad...plus, it didn't help to watch Kate play another evil role after I hated her Ka-mei in MR.

[raymond_obsessed]

That sounds more like a tried and tested formulaic love story to me. Honestly, how many hundreds of stories have used this plot before? Star-crossed lovers, lovers from rivaling family, lovers of different social class.

I hate Song Chi Yin, but, I have respect for her as a spy. At least, she's not like so many wuxia girls out there who are intelligent and competant, but, when they meet the heroes, all turn good and tame.

I just like the idea that love can change people, I'd like to believe all people, real or characters, have some kind of good in them that can be brought out just by someone loving them, trusting them, or having faith in them...and I like the memorable love stories...it's for the hopeless romantics like me.

[kidd]

Look, I just have a very strong opinion on this series, so if you get offended or indignant, please don't bite my head off...I waited forever to watch this, and it wasn't worth the wait...I'm so sad...plus, it didn't help to watch Kate play another evil role after I hated her Ka-mei in MR.

Oh please. So, you have strong opinion about the series and bash the series, bash the characters (which you have every right to do so). But when I disagree with you and give another POV for Chi Yin's character, you call that 'bite your head off'?

Just because you have strong opinion, people can't reply and disagree with you?

I think the one who is offended and indignant is you, not me.

[Cesare]

OMG! I cant believe Ron is not the 2nd lead but Kenneth is. Thats mess up.

How so? :-) Kenneth does a great job.

I agree the show should be longer and allow more screen time and development to Zhui Ming and Lang Huet - but so far that's my only complaint. (Ideal solution would be a sequel, but I guess that ain't going to happen...)

I actually like the conflicts and dissensions in the team. Given that these are supposed to be their beginnings and their loyalties and mutual trust and friendship are still forming and developping...
Such dramatically different personalities are bound to get into some conflicts, especially in difficult times like this (and with regard to their personal histories).

raymond_obsessed: As for Mou Ching and his current (I've seen 21 eps so far) behaviour - call me cynical, but that's what hormones do to people. And Mou Ching has been through some difficult times lately, too. Not to mention that unlike Tit Sau, he's got an Ego (with capital E) to overcome...:-)

[sehseh]

Come join me in Tit Sau's camp (waving~~)

[bbfreak]

Come join me in Tit Sau's camp (waving~~)

I'm in ...I'm in! Tit Sau is so amazing haha!

[sehseh]

I'm in ...I'm in! Tit Sau is so amazing haha!

That's the spirit!

$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1626/f5124d54b6c6774e574e006zr1.jpg')

[Cesare]

I like all the boys...

...
But I'm in!

[LuNaR]

i hate raymond's character too so i guess i'll join the tit sau camp

but if given a choice i'll be in the zhu gok jin er party or sammul/ron

[sagiescorp85]

i hate raymond's character too so i guess i'll join the tit sau camp

but if given a choice i'll be in the zhu gok jin er party or sammul/ron

Wonder if its really the character that you hate..

[LuNaR]

Wonder if its really the character that you hate..

yes it is

[bbfreak]

haha..yay! so many ppl in the TS camp! woohoo!

[kidd]

i hate raymond's character too so i guess i'll join the tit sau camp

but if given a choice i'll be in the zhu gok jin er party or sammul/ron

I thought you have stopped watching since episode 10?

[LuNaR]

I thought you have stopped watching since episode 10?

i did, i skimmed eps 11,12,13, then the case about kenneth's brother got me interested again, but this series i still average.

mainly its because last one standing ended so i have nothing to watch

btw gem of life is pretty good

[raymond_obsessed]

Oh please. So, you have strong opinion about the series and bash the series, bash the characters (which you have every right to do so). But when I disagree with you and give another POV for Chi Yin's character, you call that 'bite your head off'?

Just because you have strong opinion, people can't reply and disagree with you?

I think the one who is offended and indignant is you, not me.

Not really...I wasn't saying that towards you, I was saying it towards others...sorry I didn't clarify. I'm fine with your opinion...but I've had some bad experiences with people taking my opinions the wrong way, that's why I stated that.

I don't get offended with people disagreeing with me, I like to see differing opinions, it's only when people purposely get into arguments with me that I was trying to avoid.

How so? :-) Kenneth does a great job.

I agree the show should be longer and allow more screen time and development to Zhui Ming and Lang Huet - but so far that's my only complaint. (Ideal solution would be a sequel, but I guess that ain't going to happen...)

I actually like the conflicts and dissensions in the team. Given that these are supposed to be their beginnings and their loyalties and mutual trust and friendship are still forming and developping...
Such dramatically different personalities are bound to get into some conflicts, especially in difficult times like this (and with regard to their personal histories).

raymond_obsessed: As for Mou Ching and his current (I've seen 21 eps so far) behaviour - call me cynical, but that's what hormones do to people. And Mou Ching has been through some difficult times lately, too. Not to mention that unlike Tit Sau, he's got an Ego (with capital E) to overcome...:-)

I didn't notice or feel that Tit Sau had an ego...I felt that Mou Qing was the one with the ego, since the beginning.