When Heaven Burns 《天與地》

[sehseh]

WHB has a good start. The storytelling is artistically done. Hope it will continue to maintain this quality.

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I wonder is that's the end of Bowman (Ben Hui) in the series. Will he still appear in later episodes or he's just a guest star? First episodes already divorce.

Welcome Kidd! Hug with tears coz spcnet TVB seems so... deserted.

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Ben said in his weibo that he will re-appear again, but very little, more like guest starring.

[galvatron]

Hello sehseh and everyone,do the late Chan Hung Lit feature in this serial?
Is this serial based on Hong Kong rock band Beyond?

Thanks.

[sehseh]

Hello sehseh and everyone,do the late Chan Hung Lit feature in this serial?
Is this serial based on Hong Kong rock band Beyond?

Thanks.

This is Chan Hung Lit last TVB series, he passed away during the filming period.

Nope, not based on Beyond. But they give tribute to Beyond by playing their songs in flashback.

[kidd]

Welcome Kidd! Hug with tears coz spcnet TVB seems so... deserted.

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Ben said in his weibo that he will re-appear again, but very little, more like guest starring.

I feel very bad for Bowman.

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To be able to forgive his cheating wife and let bygones be bygones, it shows that he really really loves his wife. He has a little smile when he heard Yan break up with Arthur (Tsui Wing). He must feel very optimistic at the moment. Then, he got a divorce bombshell from Yan. Feel like from top of the hill drop to the bottom. Very heart-breaking.

I like the tribute to Beyond. Can get to listen to Beyond's old songs.

[sehseh]

I feel very bad for Bowman.

click to show/hide spoilers

To be able to forgive his cheating wife and let bygones be bygones, it shows that he really really loves his wife. He has a little smile when he heard Yan break up with Arthur (Tsui Wing). He must feel very optimistic at the moment. Then, he got a divorce bombshell from Yan. Feel like from top of the hill drop to the bottom. Very heart-breaking.

I like the tribute to Beyond. Can get to listen to Beyond's old songs.

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Think Ben is very good in the breakup scene... his denial by saying that Yan never hurt him, that Yan was good to him. And then Yan outright say everything was fake (she never truly loved him). Talk about trampling a broken heart further!

[kidd]

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Think Ben is very good in the breakup scene... his denial by saying that Yan never hurt him, that Yan was good to him. And then Yan outright say everything was fake (she never truly loved him). Talk about trampling a broken heart further!

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Yeah, the poor man even asked 'have I given you any wrong idea (about not forgiving her) with my words or action?'. He was desperate. Poor man.

[smurf120]

The leads look great in ep. 1! The end scene was startling.

[smurf120]

wow, the series is just a tad more realistic and the complaints start rolling in:

http://grooveasia.com/news/33117/-39...ling-bed-scene

Do people in Hong Kong really live in giant cocoons?

[kidd]

wow, the series is just a tad more realistic and the complaints start rolling in:

http://grooveasia.com/news/33117/-39...ling-bed-scene

Do people in Hong Kong really live in giant cocoons?

Not all, since 'Love Is The Only Answer' did well in the boxoffice. But, there are some prudes in HK who like to make noise. Complaints are predicted already.

[kidd]

Episode 2 spoiler

Looking at the character profile in tvb.com

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I thought Bowie would be the one who lead in eating Ka Ming. Was very surprised that it's Kenny who made the first move.

The flashback is kinda confusing. In episode 1, Charmaine only talks to the younger self of people she knew, but, in episode 2, Bowie talks to his own younger self. Had me confused and I had to rewind back to see the scene. I thought I remember the actors who played the younger self wrongly until Bowie's younger self called the other 'Hak Jai' and Hak Jai called the other younger self 'gu lou' (drummer). Only then, I was sure Bowie was talking to his own younger self.

[sehseh]

Episode 2 spoiler

Looking at the character profile in tvb.com

click to show/hide spoilers

I thought Bowie would be the one who lead in eating Ka Ming. Was very surprised that it's Kenny who made the first move.

The flashback is kinda confusing. In episode 1, Charmaine only talks to the younger self of people she knew, but, in episode 2, Bowie talks to his own younger self. Had me confused and I had to rewind back to see the scene. I thought I remember the actors who played the younger self wrongly until Bowie's younger self called the other 'Hak Jai' and Hak Jai called the other younger self 'gu lou' (drummer). Only then, I was sure Bowie was talking to his own younger self.

Bowie has been struggling with his inner demons for years ie his younger self. I believe that the former him is the type which is quite cunning and calculative. Due to what happened on the mountain, he is burdened with his sins and switched to working for labor union as a sort of redemption (to be a good guy).

As for Moses, he uses pain and self injury from the boxing to numb his guilt. He convinced himself as a bad guy, the young Moses was a sweet guy, a law abiding youth.

This is what I read from interviews etc.

I'm more intrigued with Kenny's character

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What made him make the first move?

Bowie suggested and try to convince Moses to eat Ka Ming, but he doesn't dare to carry out his plan alone.
Moses refused to eat Ka Ming, but he was the first to eat him (when Kenny passed him the bloodied knife)
Kenny, the calm Mr Nice guy, took initiative and stabbed Ka Ming repeatedly.

Did he kill Ka Ming out of hunger/hallucinations?
Or did he heard Bowie and Moses conversation, and decide that himself should take the blame?
Or did he fear that they will eat him?

Another wild theory is that Ka Ming begged Kenny to kill him as he's suffering from heavy injuries and will not make it.

[kidd]

Bowie has been struggling with his inner demons for years ie his younger self. I believe that the former him is the type which is quite cunning and calculative. Due to what happened on the mountain, he is burdened with his sins and switched to working for labor union as a sort of redemption (to be a good guy).

As for Moses, he uses pain and self injury from the boxing to numb his guilt. He convinced himself as a bad guy, the young Moses was a sweet guy, a law abiding youth.

This is what I read from interviews etc.

I'm more intrigued with Kenny's character

click to show/hide spoilers

What made him make the first move?

Bowie suggested and try to convince Moses to eat Ka Ming, but he doesn't dare to carry out his plan alone.
Moses refused to eat Ka Ming, but he was the first to eat him (when Kenny passed him the bloodied knife)
Kenny, the calm Mr Nice guy, took initiative and stabbed Ka Ming repeatedly.

Did he kill Ka Ming out of hunger/hallucinations?
Or did he heard Bowie and Moses conversation, and decide that himself should take the blame?
Or did he fear that they will eat him?

Another wild theory is that Ka Ming begged Kenny to kill him as he's suffering from heavy injuries and will not make it.

It's interesting to see how differently Moses and Bowie due with the guilt. Moses convinces himself to be a bad guy while Bowie became a vegetarian who cannot even take a little bit of meat. Moses can still eat bloody meat (medium rare beef?).

Charmaine continue her promiscuous way to numb her pain. This series really show the darker side of modern HK society that seldom shown in TVB series. The drinking ladies discussing the male species in a derogatory way. Reminds me of Patrick Kong movies. These lost souls. A group of unhappy people.

I have not watch episode 3, so, cannot answer your questions. Have to wait for more reveals.

Update. Base on the info your provided, I think

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it is possible that Ka Ming asked young Kenny to kill him. Maybe he was in great pain and way to die and young Kenny relieve him of his pain.

[Suet Seung]

I wonder is that's the end of Bowman (Ben Wong) in the series.

click to show/hide spoilers

Will he still appear in later episodes or he's just a guest star? First episodes already divorce.

Yan's (Charmaine Sheh) action reminds me of Yang Guo in ROCH. When he was first separated from Little Dragon girl, he became attracted to every girl that slightly resembles Little Dragon Girl. He wants to kiss Lu Wu Shuang's eyes because her eyes resembles LDG's. In here, Yan is having affairs with guys who has some slight resemblance to her dead boyfriend. I wonder if Bowman also resembles Ka Ming in some way.

Well, in Romance in the Rain, Vicki Zhao and Ruby Lin's father married their mothers and had concubines that each resembled his first and true love, but no one knew until late in the story.

[sehseh]

I think Bowman naivety and attentiveness is similar to Ka Ming.

The friend mentioned during the wedding anniversary that Bowman was naive (dunno how to propose to Yan), and it showns that he is very attentive to Yan (showing concern, taking care of her travel, food etc).

[charbydis]

After watching ep 1, I just wish Ben should be nominated for a best supporting actor for Bowman. His changes in facial expressions are so subtle yet effective. From his role in LOS to WHB, there is such a vast difference in character portrayal and both are believable. I hope Ben would get more challenging roles from TVB in the future.

Though confusing, I like the disjointed yet suspenseful storytelling of what happened in the past. I think only a selected audience will enjoy this series. My parents hate it and my younger cousins find it boring.

I just wonder why was WHB not made one of the anniversary series? There is so much more quality and depth than any of the two anniversary series of this year.

Kenny's eye condition is Retinitis Pigmentosa which is a heriditary progressive deterioration of peripheral retina and leads to constriction of the visual fields. So it really freaks me up having Kenny drive at night since he would most probably have night blindness.

Regarding Bowie's change in character over the years, I think he is very guilty about what happened but his true character is only hidden and will resurface later when pushed.

[kidd]

Not only is Ben's facial expression good, his voice acting is also good. His voice conveys perfectly his feelings.

[sehseh]

There's also some dark humor in the series. I kinda like Maggie's character Emma.

She was curious of Long relationship with Gina (Astrid Chan), thinking they have something going on. Long explained that she is Hung's wife, and she shockingly replied: "Oh my god you having affair with someone's wife?!"

Tonight episode, the ending car scene is very funny and touching also.... hahaha they are really middle age guys liao.

[kidd]

Moses and Bowie keep avoiding Kenny, but, Kenny keep looking them up, inadvertently reminding them of the past they try to escape.

I agree with Charbydis. Only a selected audience will enjoy. I read a viewer who said this series is not innovative enough because some elements (recording nature sound, the main lead being a DJ, revenge plot) 'The Brave One', said the plot is not innovative because it involved a woman seeking revenge which has been done by past TVB series before. But, the series is more than that. It has suspense where the past is slowly revealed. It shows how the 2 people who were involved with the cannibal act deal with their guilt, their different approach to doing it. How the amnesic 3rd one try to get closer to his former best friends and experience/rekindle back the friendship he cherish before losing all his sight. Lots of things can be seen in this series.

[smurf120]

So sad for Yan (Charmaine) to be trapped and compare every relationship she ever has to someone who dissappeared 18 years ago. Bowie overcompensates and Moses becomes severely aggressive - so far its been pretty deep character study. I think this series is best understood by people in their 30's (at least fond memories of the 90s for me as a teenager).

I just had heated argument with someone (couple years younger - who favors more "active" dramas like MR) that said the subject matter is "insane" (cannibalism), women sleeping around, the storyline moves too slow (too wordy), and he hates Charmaine - why couldn't they use a prettier actress like Koni Lui....I told him that I might have to stab someone in the eye if they used Koni Lui for Yan's role.

[charbydis]

So sad for Yan (Charmaine) to be trapped and compare every relationship she ever has to someone who dissappeared 18 years ago. Bowie overcompensates and Moses becomes severely aggressive - so far its been pretty deep character study. I think this series is best understood by people in their 30's (at least fond memories of the 90s for me as a teenager).

I just had heated argument with someone (couple years younger - who favors more "active" dramas like MR) that said the subject matter is "insane" (cannibalism), women sleeping around, the storyline moves too slow (too wordy), and he hates Charmaine - why couldn't they use a prettier actress like Koni Lui....I told him that I might have to stab someone in the eye if they used Koni Lui for Yan's role.

You are funny!

I have had arguments too with people who dislikes this series, saying that everyone is too old to be playing in a band. But they have to understand, that this story is about middle-aged people who are trapped and tortured by their past. Any younger artistes will not suit the storytelling. I like action series too but I do not feel that this story is draggy at all.

Though I did like the explosive revenge approach used in the original sales presentation, I also an interested in this analytic perspective as well.

To me, Hazel/Yan is definately selfish in how she treats both Bowman and Arthur, but she shows she is not intentionally heartless. It is like a habit and obsession in her cycle of behaviour to act such a way, that she herself is unable to help herself, let alone control herself to stop hurting others.