Life Made Simple

The Cast
Roger Kwok
Jessica Hsuan
Leila Tong
Bosco Wong
Paul Chun
Rebecca Chan
Angela Tong
Hui Sui Hung
Lo Yuen Yan
Savio Tsang

The Story (spoilers)

This series basically focuses on Roger who is a thirty-year old man with an IQ of a five-year-old. Described as silly and stupid by everyone except his mother and Jessica, he lives a very happy life. In the beginning we see him as very incapable, but as the series progresses he is portrayed as a somewhat “heroic” man. He goes through a lot, especially after he reunites with his father after the years that he had left them. At first he is one of Bosco's friends; however, when Bosco discovers that he is his older brother, he could not accept him.

Within the plot, there is also Bosco's crush on Jessica although Jessica soon accepts him as a boyfriend. Well, it turns out that Bosco dumped Jessica at the end instead. Throughout the series, Leila also attempts, even if it means using dirty tactics, to gain Bosco's attention.

The Characters

Roger Kwok

Although he is a dim-witted adult, he posses a very curious mind. He treats everyone with respect because that is what he is taught, even those who hate him and find him annoying, which is the majority, including Leila. However, there is one person who has a special place in his heart and that is Jessica, who has been one of his few childhood friends, his next-door neighbor and eventually becomes his wife. He evens goes as far as betraying his mother (something he won't do for anyone else) to satisfy Jessica's dreams of studying overseas.

His character starts to grow as he works for Bosco's company. He even contributed a few ideas to his designs that Bosco would not have thought of. Throughout the series, he ‘accomplishes' quite a lot, which is why I found this series very unrealistic and unlikely to happen in real life. Furthermore, Roger has a dream of meeting his father one day because her mother lied that he is an astronaut in space.

Unlike most people, I did not like his character at all. Yes, it was suppose to be funny, but I thought it was more annoying than comical. Moreover, it seems like the series focused entirely on him. He was the main character and it appears to me as if the series was done for him. There was a lack of development for the minor characters and it was like everyone else was there because of him. Although he is a good actor and was pretty convincing as this ‘silly' character, I lost interest in Roger because of his role in 'Life Made Simple' and quare Pegs'. While I'm still satisfied with him in 'Square Pegs', I can't seem to like him as an actor anymore. I loved Roger and he was one of my TVB favorites when I saw him in 'Greed Mask' and 'A Trust of a Lifetime'. To make long words short, he is a talented actor, but I don't like him taking silly roles. I prefer intelligent ones where he acts cool.

Jessica Hsuan

Roger's tutor and best friend, Jessica has known him since the first grade. She is a very principled person and believes that as long as one has motivation and confidence, one's dreams can come true. She has only one ambition: to study overseas and have a well-paid job so that her family could escape from poverty. However, although she returned to Hong Kong four years later after getting her degree, she founds herself in a difficult situation because Roger's mother has discovered that he had stolen all his money for Jessica.

Jessica experiences a lot of downs in this series. First, she has to pretend that she hates Roger so that he could grow up and also so that she can be with Michael. Secondly, she has to cope with Bosco's mother who refuses to take her in as her daughter-in-law due to her low status in society. Thirdly, she has to be tricked by Leila who betrays her every time something involves Bosco.

Like Roger, I did not find Jessica's character fascinating. While she is a very reputable actress with great acting skills, I was never crazy about her acting.

Leila Tong

Born into a rich family, she can easily afford a good university. Unintentionally, she meets Jessica overseas and they become instant friends. Leila only cares to go to college, not to get educated but to have a social life. At first, she and Jessica get along very well; she even helped her once. However, after she gets into Bosco's company, she uses dirty tactics to kick Jessica out just because she envies her for gaining Bosco's attention. Unlike Jessica, who believes that dreams can materialize with confidence, she believes that manipulation is better in this society.

Ironically, almost all her tactics against Jessica fail except for the first one. That is one of the reasons I don't really like her.

I would only find Leila's scenes worth mentioning. I loved it when she was angry at Jessica for winning the award at during the night of the fashion show. Leila had very nice and professional modern day costumes compared to the black suit Jessica wore to work everyday.

Numerous Jessica fans may develop a abhorrence for Leila's character for her deceitfulness. However, in my opinion, she is one of the characters - and Bosco is the other one - who makes the story interesting. Personally, I think TVB is being very unfair to Leila compared to Selena Li who is on the list of nominees for Best Supporting Actress. I would only say that Leila's voice gives her an disadvantage; otherwise, she is perfect for this role.

Bosco Wong

Born with a silver spoon in his mouth like Leila, he a talented, handsome, and over-ambitious individual who cannot lose. He has no doubt about his ability. He falls for Jessica once she entered his company, not because of her beauty of course, but because of her background and her ability. He thinks she is very unusual and men like him like to accept challenges. At first, Jessica rejects him as she suspects his motives and interest in her. Later, Jessica goes out with him, but seriously, I do not find any sparks of signs of love between them. They seem more like brother and sister. Maybe I'm biased because I know their age, but Jessica looks awfully older than Bosco.

Bosco's arrogance makes me dislike his character, especially when he opens his company and moves out of the house. Although I like characters with assertiveness, I don't like his over-confidence and the fact that he underestimates everyone else around him. His character and Leila's are the most interesting because they have ambitions and goals, although I am ashamed of Leila's aims.

One last comment: Bosco looks really handsome in the clothes he wears throughout the series. He really does have the looks for this role. Not much comment on his acting. It wasn't superb, but it was enough to pass.

The Others

Paul Chun was great as the father. Because he is so competent with fatherly roles, there is not much to say about him.

Rebecca Chan, who plays Paul's wife, is good at being the mother of Bosco. She loves her son dearly and does not want a daughter-in-law who is not at the same status as them. Instead, not knowing Leila's intentions, she prefers her and they even collaborate to eradicate Jessica.

Savio Tsang doesn't really have many scenes and the roles TVB gives him really gets on my nerves. I couldn't stand the villain roles TVB gives him. Although he is not necessarily the villain in this series, there's nothing significant about his character. As much as I like watching him, I really think he has aged a lot. I mean, he still looks ok in here, but he looks so old in 'The Charm Beneath', which aired in the same year, I believe. Actually, TVB hasn't had a great series in a long time. They have very bad scripts and boring and unoriginal characters that are not interesting at all, let alone their group of extremely unable artists.

Angela Tong, Roger's friend, is a very simple-minded girl who only wants Roger to marry her at first and have a job at the dessert café. I didn't think there was anything special in her acting so I don't think she deserves the Best Supporting Actress award. Angela does the best in flirty roles.

As a veteran actress, Lo Yuen Yan portrayed Roger's mother perfectly. She loved her son so much that she will do anything to protect him. Not much comment on her, but I have been seeing so much of her lately and she has done more than needed on each role.

Overall

I would not really recommend this series because of the lack of character development for the characters, except Roger, but since I've read many reviews that this has been a great series, maybe you would want to give it a try. I prefer modern-day mysteries and detective series. Usually, a series with erratic and complex characters are the best for me. It just evokes a sense of suspense. I don't like to watch comedy or simple series like this one. Actually, comedy is okay as long as my favorite actors are present, but I wouldn't really consider this series a comedy because it wasn't even funny. The most remarkable characters, although they are not that great if you compare them to other series, are Leila and Bosco. Bluntly, they aren't even that great, but if I had to choose, they are the better ones.