Daddy Good Deeds

Year produced
2012

How long
20 episodes

Foreword
This is a television comedy serial that tests the cast's ability. A pawn shop owner has to hide the truth of one of his children's identity of being an abandoned child, the symbolic "collateral" in a good luck ritual made many years previously.

When the receipt for the transaction comes to light, first speculation about the truth, and then the truth itself, threatens the family that he has given everything for and he must fight to keep his family together. How are all of them going to overcome it?

Story/Introduction on characters

1. Ha Yu - Ko Yi-man
He is Tak Kwong pawn shop owner. They stay on the 38th floor. He becomes the chairman of the condo. He is a great cook and is helpful to others but is strict in choosing his son-in-law. He has thought Fat will not make the mark but gives in upon seeing how he is in love with Yu-chu.

He has mellowed down a lot in his acting. This becomes more natural as compared to Moonlight Resonance. He shows Yi-man's love for his children very well.

2. Mak Cheung Ching - Ko Wai-ting
He is the eldest brother and adopted son. He is initially an opticians manager but resigned when he isn't promoted and is forced to be the scapegoat of his superior's adultery. He becomes the promotion company CEO that Yuen-han works and they share the office.

From the clues, ha has thought that Yu-chu is the adopted child as her likes are different from the family. But when he is found to be the one, he is badly affected. Yuen-han regrets for being so nosey to keep wanting to probe into it.

Lam Sam-ling (Tse Suet Sam) leaves Wai-ting in Tak Kwong Pawn Brokers when he was a baby to seek an acting career in Malaysia. She is made pregnant by an irresponsible man at the age of 18. She has asked around to know that Yi-mun is a nice man to make the decision to leave him there. Yi-man then adopts him to treat him as his own.

After becoming the second wife of a rich man, she only dares to come to acknowledge him. Alas, she realises that money can't buy him over now even though Yi-man is involved in a law suit. Wai-ting initially feels that he is an outsider and feels bad for causing his sisters to share a room. Their concern for him wins him over. Wai-ting later becomes a happy father of two boys.

3. Ng Ding Yan - Wan Yuen-han
She is Yi-man's daughter-in-law and becomes Wai-ting's wife after 6 years of courtship. She seems to be calculative and career-minded but she is very kind. How many people can stay with in-laws these days? She knows how close her in-laws are and maintains a good relationship with them. Her dream is to move out as she finds it squeezy. What are they going to do if they have kids? But it seems that Yi-mun wants the whole family to be together.

However, she finds certain times unbearable and decides to have a change. They finally get to stay on the 18th floor. She is normally concerned to keep her figure but after knowing Wai-ting's parentage, she decides to start a family with him. A good refreshing change for Ding Yan who often gets slutty roles.

4. Chung Kar Yan - Ko Yu-chu
She is Yi-man's eldest daughter. She is also Fat's friend, later girlfriend and wife. She is a policewoman who later works as a plainclothes officer. She is clumsy but is also kind. She usually doesn't see eye to eye with Fat and they often pick on each other.

Lap Shun ( Lai Nok Yee) is Yu-chu's lover but later breaks up with her as he is married and she is a third party. She carries a torch for Kok Ming for a while but is very embarrassed to know that he already has a girlfriend, Ivy. Kok Ming only asks her out in order to help Ivy to complete her masters thesis on pawnshops. The guys quickly get her out from the place.

She doesn't know how to face Kok Ming after that and they come to her aid again. Unknown to her, both have started falling for her. Fat is for a long time while Kwai after kissing her by accident. Yi-man worries for her the most as she is often wounded. She later becomes interested in Fat and waits for him to woo her. She becomes a senior inspector in the end. Kar Yan tries hard at comedy but is partially successful. I think the guys do a better job.

5. Lok Tung - Ko Yu-po
She is Yi-man's youngest daughter. Graduated from a third-rate university overseas and majoring in cultures, she doesn't get a job for long as she is not serious enough. Her family spoils her rotten and that is why Yuen-han quarrels with her in-laws as she finds them pampering Yu-po too much.

She is The Voice competitor and later loses as she tries too much to act cute. Still, she is touched that her family helps her all along. Kwai gets into the finals instead but she wins the popularity award. She becomes the promotion company junior assistant after she matures and is later the girlfriend of Wong Wai-leung

6. Chow Chung - Lam A-lui
He is the pawn shop employee and is Fat's father. He is also Kwai's godfather. He is a glutton who loves food despite his health. Thus, Fat gets Kwai to watch on his diet when at work. He is grateful to Yi-man for letting him back 4 times he resigns so he writes a transaction document to him. If he needs money forbids law suit, he can get money from him. He is thrifty and only sponges on Yi-man on meals. He also grumbles that he doesn't have the luck like Yi-mun to meet a physician to get free treatment.

Still, he isn't a bad guy and often thinks for the others. In fact, I find his fatherly love for Fat more acceptable than the Kos. Theirs can be overbearing when they do it over the top to keep prying into each other's affairs while his will be nagging at Fat.

7. Ma Chun Wai – Lam Fat
He is A-lui's son who works very hard for his father to give him a better life. He is a television station location scout employee/taxi driver/Part-time badminton trainer/crazybuy coupons CEO. Due to Yi-man's recommendation, he buys an apartment at their same block and become their neighbours on the 28th floor.

He often helps others unconditionally. His ex-girlfriend cheats his savings due to this. After knowing that Yi-man's family needs extra tickets to watch Yu-po's television performance, he uses all his connections to get them. He buys Yu-chu's favourite bracelet after knowing she likes it. He gives it to her to cheer her up.

He has a daughter, Fung. He is now the location scout manager and he shakes his heads at others having many sidelines. He shows his talents in acting again! Chun Wai is indeed a versatile actor. He will make you feel that he isn't acting but is really the character.

8. Siu Cheng Nam - Yip Kwai
He is the grandson of Yi-man's benefactor, his distant relative. Thus, Yi-man has to get him a job at his pawn shop nearing to A-lui's retirement. He becomes the pawn shop trainee and learns the ropes fast. At first, he stays with Yi-man but later finds it inconvenient as he likes to wear singlets and boxers at home.

He later stays with A-lui and both father and son like him very much. He is an expert in cooking and A-lui likes him so much that he becomes his godfather. Fat treats him like a younger brother and trains him for a contest. He is also The Voice competitor – partly to prevent Yu-bo from being led astray and also to find his first love, Lui Keung who loses contact with him.

His coconut hairstyle and oldies songs attract attention although his singing is bland. In fact, he and Yu-bo score the lowest points and the judges keep them just in order to gain viewership. Lui Keung is hiding from Dr Fong in Malaysia initially as she is a third party. She likes Kwai only for a while. She only marries Dr Fong after he is divorced and now she hides from Kwai. Kwai feels sad but recovers well from the breakup. Kwai wins the most touching singer award.

Fat brings him for a makeover. He becomes more presentable in nicer outfits and better hairstyle. He is actually a master of languages and seeks to upgrade himself with a law degree. A-lui is jealous to know that he and Fat plan to woo Yu-chu so he wants to ruin his chances but later he sorts his feelings. To overcome his fear for lizards, he keeps looking at their posters to want to protect her. Later, he finds true love to get married to be a father of a son soon.

Cheng Nam really makes me laugh! He has played too many strict and also one-dimensional good guy roles in the past. He looks so different here to provide so many laughs and also not afraid to make himself look ugly in so many scenes. He must be happy to show off his singing skills too.

9. Tsang Wai Kuen - Lee Kwok Ming He is a Police CID Senior Inspector and is Yu-chu's superior. He goes all out to catch criminals to gain glory. They call him 'Sharp Sir' as he often solves cases. He does not like Yu-chu to join his team initially as she nearly ruins his previous operations with her loud voice. Later, he treats her like his younger sister.

When Ivy spites him to be with another inspector, he forces all to work OT. When they lose in a match, he gets drunk and puts the ring he plans to propose to Ivy on Yu-chu's later. Have fun seeing him trying to pull it out to want to woo Ivy again at the airport. He has discovered it to be a misunderstanding. All are happy for him when the couple marries in Les Vegas.

He gives Yu-chu a pair of earrings. He will leave Fat to give her the precious ring. He has seen how concerned Fat is when he nearly hurts Yu-chu's finger to pull the ring out. Tsang has been as good as always – also a different person from his usual evil roles.

10. Cheung King Shun - Wong Wai-leung He joins the Voice out of fun. He is very knowledgeable to be an exchange student from Harvard university. He claims to be Wen Tian Xiang's descendent. Yu-bo picks up her books again to become an accountant under his encouragment.

11. Ma Ka Lun – Lui He is the promotion company manager and Yuen-han's subordinate. He loves to gossip and often gets first hand news to alert Yuen-han.

12. Chiu Ching Yee – Lam She is the promotion company senior officer and Yuen-han's subordinate. She is single but keeps many things unconnected to her – even a pregnancy kit to teach Yuen-han to use it. But it is faulty as it is past the expiry date to give Yuen-han false hopes that she is pregnant.

13. Ng Fung - Ko Chung-sun He is Yi-man's uncle who points against Yi-man to depend on himself when he first come to Hong Kong from China. He is stingy and is jealous that Yi-man's family is so united. He is stingy to his own son so his daughter-in-law fakes pregnancy. As he quarrels with Yi-man and refuses to rent the pawnshop to him after buying it, Yi-man is peeved and knocks him against a table to cause a bump on his head.

When he reaches home, he is pushed down by his son and goes into a coma. Chung-sun's son accuses Yi-man of causing this and demands compensation. Wai-ting nearly wants to return to his mother to get a loan but Yi-man forbids it. Luckily, Chung-sun wakes up to tell the truth. He also patches up with Yi-man to rent the pawnshop to him at half price.

14. Yeung Sau Wai - Kong Chui See
She is Yu-chu's friend who loves seeking everyone's fortune using taro cards. She and Yu-chu are the last pair of unmarried gals among their circle of female friends. She has thought that Fat is her future boyfriend as he has saved her from drowning in the past and orders an ice drink.

Kwai isn't angry that he loses to Fat over Yu-chu but observes that Chui See will cause unhappiness. He goes to see her and is amazed that she has taken a photo of him when he is a tour guide in Malaysia. He proves to be the correct Mr Right and she marries him. Both stay with A-lu after marriage.

15. Yee Chi Yuen – Simson He is the director and is also in charge of The Voice. He buys coupons from Fat but can be tough if he wants to change scene locations suddenly to make Fat tear his hair. He has looked down on Yu-bo and Kwai but is touched by Yu-bo's speech on thanking her family when losing that he cries too like the rest.

Interesting scenes
Yu-Chu shouting Kok Ming's name when his team is capturing a criminal. Their cover is nearly blow.

Yu-chu takes out her notebook but is dismayed when her male colleagues use high-tech gadgets to take notes when Kok Ming explains.

Kok Ming trying to remove the ring – you can see how hard he pulls till Yu-chu's finger turns red.

Yu-chu gets to arrest two criminals – by chance – you have to see how she does it.

Fat gets tired when his kid opponents are not learning from him but sparing with him over badminton.

Kwai moves around at home in his casual clothes. Fat gets frightened at the way he walks and how he looks for him at night – is he gay?

Wai-ting gets bullied at work – that is really worse than cyberbulling.

Kwai sees through the others feigning to ill-treat him to force him to go for a music career. He is touched and decides to stay instead.

Fat and Kwai pretend to be wooing Yu-chu at the police station. Kok Ming sees through their ploy as Fat borrows the clothes from Forensic Heroes III. He has seen the actors wearing the same clothes on a magazine cover.

The struggle in Fat to decide whether to woo Yu-chu – the angel and demon keeps talking sense to him.

Interesting facts
This was producer Mui Siu-ching's last series for TVB after being with the station for 25 years. This is also the last production from Ha Yu and Ma Chun Wai. Some character names are hinted at some artistes. The drama contain many references to past TVB series produced by Mui Siu Ching such as the Forensic Heroes franchise, Can't Buy Me Love, Beyond the Realm of Conscience and Fathers and Sons爸爸閉翳 to name a few. More can be seen below :

From Wikipedia – For who and what

Artiste character relationship hints
1.Doi Yiu Ming insect beautiful the voice host Sum Mei
2. Li Yee Mun smile sweetly the voice host Tin Yu Lui
3 Lui San Miss Ching the voice head judge Chan Kit Ling
4. Ng Heung Lun Rosa – always against Ching the voice judge Teresa
5. Lo Tin Chi Chan Chiu Wan Judge Tan Han Jin
6. Wong Tak Sang Ma Fai Wong (hint :Lau Wai Wong) contestant – connections with top Lam Shi Kit

Hints for dramas :
1.鮑魚風暴(abalone struggle)：溏心風暴(heart of greed)
2. Forensic heroesIV法證先鋒IV：well, we don't have this drama as yet.
3. Why Sir is a madam 點解阿Sir係Madam：點解阿Sir係阿Sir(Yes sir, sorry sir)
4. Who has no nuts at home? 誰家枕頭無腰果：誰家灶頭無煙火Be home for dinner
5.超音巨聲：節目超級巨聲
6. Home rice居家飯團：居家兵團home troopers
7 Beyond the Realm of Conscience II宮心計II：There is no part 2
8 Using the best plan in the palace 宮心計上計：宮心計
9 f lowers filling the garden 花好滿園：家好月圓Moonlight Resonance
10 ruthless sea四海無情：義海豪情No regrets
11 don't worry when you expose yourself走光唔使慌：九江十二坊River of Wine

People
Best actor Cheung視帝祥：黎耀祥Lai Yiu Cheung
Lee Black李黑人：歌手李克勤 Lee Hak Ken
Alumni 校友：歌手張學友Cheung Hok Yau
Elder Sister Mui梅姐：歌手梅艳芳 Mui Yim Fong
God of songs Hui歌神許：歌手許冠傑
Cheng O程傲：演員陳豪Chan Hou
The cops from Kok Ming's CID uint It hints on the four heavenly kings
Dr Sheh Sheh : Sheh See Mun
The fun part was to get Super $ to shoot the MTV promotion for the contest.

The songs sung are during the competition are:
Wai Leung sings Rosy business巾幗梟雄主題曲「紅蝴蝶,
Beyond the Realm of Conscience宮心計主題曲「攻心計」
Yes sir, sorry sir點解阿Sir係阿Sir主題曲「春風化雨」
No regrets:唱巾幗梟雄之義海豪情主題曲「義海豪情」
Forensic Heroes II唱法證先鋒III主題曲「目擊」姓名影射﹕劉威煌，角色疑似影射﹕林師傑
《超音巨聲》參賽者8號
The other truth唱真相主題曲「潛伏」《超音巨聲》參賽者9號
Yu-bo sings Wong Ming Kuen汪明荃的「凍咖啡」cold coffee
Kwai sings Hak Ken's李克勤的「舊歡如夢」old dreams in semi final（半決賽）, Hok Yau's張學友的「遙遠的她」faraway her in finals（總決賽）

It was highest at 35 points. Many loved the contest part but wondered why only most TVB theme songs were sung – weren't there other songs?

Most favourite character
Fat, he is a very nice guy and is very thoughtful for others. The Kos are like his second family so he shows concern to each member. A close second is Kwai, he is also filial to A-lu to watch his diet.

Most hated character
Chung-san, he knows very well that the Kos want to buy over the pawnshop to the extent of forking out their savings and mortgage their flat. But this man deliberately buys it over at a high price from their landlord to spite back at them.

Song
It is 'Never Exist' from Cheng Nam. It is quite heart-warming.

Conclusion

It can be cheesy at times to see how overly 'united' this family is when they recite many lines together to stress how they are a family. That makes it no difference from Moonlight Resonance. The final ending on how the two old men repeat on how lucky they are is too long-winded. It seems that the producer does not know how to end the drama.

However, I like this drama as it creates plenty of sense and humour. The two young actors are excellent – their exchanges are wacky and so is Chung. This veteran actor can keep a straight face while reciting funny lines – I wonder how he does this? As for the rest, they have given a lot of effort. Although this is not a blockbuster, they manage to make it a drama which is uplifting and hearty.

Sukting's ratings :

On acting : ***1/2 (Scale of 5)

On story : *** (Scale of 5)

On song : ***1/2 (Scale of 5)