The Last Breakthrough

Cast:
Nick Cheung as Wong Po Fan
Sonija Kwok as Hong Kiu
Raymond Lam as Ken Chai Pak Hang
Leila Tong as Ha Hiu Ching
Andrew Lin as Hor Jing
Sharon Chan as YoYo

Kiki Sheung as Helen Wong Po Chai
Waise Lee as Jack Chai
Bosco Wong as Tong Tsi Sum
Margaret Chung as Susan
Lok Ying Kwan as Kalvin (K.K.)

Guest Appearances:
GiGi Leung as Ha Hiu Tung
Ellesmere Choi
Power Chan
Kenneth Ma
Lo Hoi Pang
Hon Ma Lei

Theme:
Several individuals are brought together through the medical outreach program Life Force and by a common desire to improve the health condition of people around them. Though doctors or nurses themselves, they all have lessons of their own to learn as they grow to find their true loves and to face the challenges of life and death in the reality of their own lives.

Character Analysis (Spoiler Warning):
Wong Po Fan, after experiencing the sudden death of his beloved girlfriend Hiu Tung, changes from a confident, career-oriented young cardiologist to a sociable and self-sacrificial obstetrician. He functions his own clinic and regularly helps with Life Force, an international medical mission program. His enthusiasm and humility earn him many supporters, and they stay by his side through all his personal struggles.

Hong Kiu is a caring and responsible young nurse who falls in love with the helpful Fan. She is ever diligent in caring for her sick brother, and her cheerful nature makes her quite lovable. Kind as she may be, Hong Kiu is a persevering character in both duty and romance. In the pursuit of her love, her ideals, or her child, Hong Kiu shows unbending resolution as she holds on to what she deems best.

Ken Chai is an essentially perfect, though impressively well-rounded, character. A gifted young doctor who is plagued by his parents' past, Ken wanders the world for several years without meeting his father. Under Fan's influence, Ken returns to his father and stepmother. As Ken matures into a skilled and sincere doctor, he holds a high sense of responsibility and perseveres loyally in his love for Hiu Ching. When liver cancer strikes, he is forced to learn to give as well as to accept support. Fearing a recurrence of his illness, Ken decides to pursue his personal dreams for some years before settling down. Yet this time around, his dreams lay in aiding those in need, and he is reunited with Hiu Ching when they meet as Life Force workers in Kenya.

Ha Hiu Ching (Ching Ching) is the kind and willful younger sister of Fan's former girlfriend. Having prejudice against the affluent Ken, she initially rejects his suite. Though she gradually falls for him, her friendship with Ken's admirer YoYo keeps her from pursuing her own feelings. Yet when she is faced with the knowledge of Ken's disease, Ching Ching hurries home from Africa to stay by his side. Their romance forms upon Ken's cancer, and the young couple is engaged in the end.

Hor Ching is Fan's handsome associate doctor who falls for the beautiful Hong Kiu. It is Kiu's support that leads him to reconcile with his own family, and though she rejects him, Hor Ching willingly let Kiu choose her own true love. When the newlywed Fan and Kiu disagree over Kiu's cancer, it is Hor Ching who returns to their side to repay their friendship with his support.

YoYo is the most mischievous and inconsiderate spoiled brat one could imagine. Though she may claim to do many things out of affection for Ken, her foolishness and outright insensitivity make her annoying indeed. Her immature infatuation over Ken seems no justifying reason for Ching Ching to pity her, though YoYo's depressing loneliness might be an actual factor in the growth of their friendship. Her character is made to mature in the series, and she finally learns to be independent.

Script:
"The Last Breakthrough" is one genuinely touching series from TVB. While the plot may not show inspiring originality, the portrayal of realistic heroes captures acute emotions that will truly cause audiences to identify. The tale of doctors and nurses is saved from cliché by the fact that not every patient is miraculously saved. No buildings are bombed, no cars thrown into the sea, no apartments set to fire, no genetic mysteries solves, and no inheritance quarrels are brought to court, but the seemingly simplistic theme works around emotions that regularly warm or rend the heart.

Although the script owns a perfect grasp on human emotion, it is faulty in its details. The development is rather choppy, and the first half was sorely predictable. The strong positive message is refreshing in an era of television series that focus on criminal offenses, interpersonal scheming, or oaths of vengeance. However, the illogical actions or words at times, added to some inconsistent character dynamics, detract from its artistic value.

Cast Analysis:
Nick Cheung does a wonderful job in his portrayal of the unconventional Doctor Wong Po. The character is perfect for Nick's half-drama, half-comic abilities, and he successfully enlivens the energetic Fan. The only complaint goes to his poor "doctor" actions (e.g. CPR, injections). Yet altogether, Nick still impresses with a strong performance that explores the limits of his acting range as he charms with his wit in the beginning and moves with his tears near the end.

Sonija offers a considerably good performance as Hong Kiu. Like many former Miss Hong Kong's, she has better looks than acting skills. Her smile is indeed gorgeous, but she seriously over-smiles for most of the series. She manages to cry, but she moves the audience only in the final few episodes. Sonija also has a bad habit of keeping an unnaturally small mouth while speaking. Her chemistry with Nick is quite limited. Though she is never actually bad in this series, these things flaw her acting, and thus her performance.

Raymond Lam is nothing short of amazing in this series. Although the perfect character may seem to demand little acting, Raymond incorporates a subtlety that is extremely rare and admirable for his age. Instead of using intense expressions or strong body language, Raymond plays the role with a tender accuracy that makes Ken all the more lovable. He is able to act well no matter what the emotion (anger, romance, frustration, etc.) and no matter what the relationship with his screen partner (parent-child, doctor-patient, friends, etc.). His English is also in constant improvement. If there should be any complaint, it is that there is not enough of Ken. But who could get enough? Though the performance may not have a dashing initial appeal, careful observation will show why Raymond Lam's father is allowing him to stay in the industry.

Leila Tong's portrayal of the outspoken Ha Hiu Ching is nice, though it may not be her best. Her crying skills are impressive, though her English skills are terrible. The director was smart enough to stop her English speaking for the second half of the series. She couldn't even understand what her screen partners were saying, how could she speak it herself? Yet in spite of liabilities she may have elsewhere, Leila heightens her performance with her touching chemistry with Raymond. The couple was united quite too late in the series, and I hardly had enough of them.

Andrew Lin is an extremely handsome actor whose looks let him get away with any level of acting. That being said, Andrew is quite a decent actor, as he smiles charmingly and weeps sufficiently whenever necessary. Though he lacks depth in certain scenes of overriding emotions, his skills are adequate for his role, and his portrayal of the kind and generous Hor Ching rightly enhances the series.

Sharon Chan delivers a competent performance, irritating as her character may be. She renders mischievous grins, grumpy frowns, and selfish advances towards Ken quite credibly, and there is no pretension about her character nor performance. I like Sharon so much more in these lively roles than in serene, pitiable ones.

Kiki Sheung may not be as pretty as most actresses are, but she does a solid job in her portrayal of Helen, successful female doctor having to cope with the pressures and expectations of marriage and step-motherhood. Her sibling chemistry with Nick is merely fair, but her dynamics with Waise and Raymond are very touching. Her reactions to Raymond's cancer late in the series display her depth and experience as an actress.

Waise Lee does not immediately captivate as Jack Chai, but his performance blooms as the character transforms from a materialistic board member to a softened father. I never enjoyed his character completely, but Waise delivers well.

Bosco Wong, in his years as a supporting actor, offers a likable but forgettable depiction of Ching Ching's friend and admirer Tong Tsi Sum. Even in a smaller role, however, Bosco's acting reflects his diligent and humble real-life persona. There is an approachable quality about him, and Tong Tsi Sum's lack of a partner in the end furthermore highlights the character's selflessness.

Margaret Chung is very notable as the multilingual Susan. Even though the role may be peripheral, its representation of the Life Force philosophy makes it memorable. Susan is one of the few cast members who can truly speak English, and she is the only one whose acting does not suffer because of the language shift. Margaret may not be an actress of leading material, but she is perfectly suited for roles such as these.

The Enhancers:
1) Good supporting cast even in small roles
2) Real babies
3) Heartwarming, down-to-earth heroes as opposed to romanticized experts
4) Refreshing scenes from Kenya that add an "other-worldly" quality to the series
5) Strong direction

The Detractors:
1) Fake-looking prop tummies for the pregnant women
2) Female hairdos that constantly look overgrown
3) The fact that Fan ridiculously stopped saving his teacher to witness his death
4) Zero remorse over pre-marital pregnancies
5) Too much cancer
6) Weak editing
7) A 30-episode story that would have been better off in 20

Conclusion:
This is another one of those series that will remain distinct in viewers' memories. The obvious lack of twists and momentum taxed the ratings severely in Hong Kong, and this series is not worth watching on television. However, the series should be quite acceptable for rented or bought entertainment. Aside from the few pre-marital relationships that remained uncondemned, the series as a whole will also serve as good family entertainment.