Unbeatables 1 to 3

[beansprouts]

Yes I laughed when I saw the pictures of the first series, the cast looked so young... oh well that's becasue they were young

I watched the first 2 series faithfully, followed every single episode and was totally into the story. The third installation bothered me alot. Cos I think its a pathetic attempt by Mediacorp to chalk up ratings by banking in on the success of the first 2. The 3rd series had a bad story, bad acting, bad cast and too many (lousy) computer effects.

And yes, i hated the son too, he was irritating, annoying, stupid, lazy and boring. I hated both version of the son. Ugh. Eh, i did not quite make it through the 3rd series, just watch snippets of it when i channel surf.

[convoy]

It's a pity that the son ended up so irritating and annoying in part 3. Stupid scriptwriters.

Look at him in part 2, so cute and filial to his father.

[goddessofhonour]

Hehe, I agree with you guys. The son was extremely annoying!!! Oh my goodness, I wanted to slap him everytime he was onscreen. I have to say though that I perfered the second version of him. I liked that guy much better then the "original." He was less annoying to look at and once he came on I felt as if his character changed a bit more towards the good side regardless of his bad actions still

Zoe and Li Nanxing really changed from the first part to the 3rd!!! They definately look very much more stylish and awsome, hehe. Espically Li Nanxing, so darn dashing.

[metwin1]

I'm Singaporean. I remember watching all 3 serieses when they broadcasted it in Singapore.

I was very young when they showed Unbeatables 1. So I don't remember much about it. But what I remembered of it, I liked very much. That one started the entire Long/Yan saga, and how Yan Fei and Long Jiajia (commonly known as Luo Qifang) got caught up in it. Yan Kun suffered a great deal under Long Tingguang, so he wanted revenge. It was a classical Romeo and Juliet story, with the casino and gambling as the backdrop. Like Romeo and Juliet, Unbeatables 1 did not end in a happy note, which sort of set the stage for an Unbeatables 2.

In Unbeatables 2, Yan Kun had understood the futility of revenge and just wanted to enjoy what family he had left. It was Long Tingguang's turn to seek revenge. Plus new baddies such as Ye Zhong and I-cannot-remember-his-name, made Unbeatables 2 watchable. In some ways, Unbeatables 2 was as good as, if not better Unbeatables 1. It felt that more money had been put to make the sets and stuff for Unbeatables 2. The storyline was a natural continuation of Unbeatables 1, because there were so much unresolved unhappiness in Unbeatables 1. Unbeatables 2 ended happily ever. I remember thinking then, that now that the hatred between Long and Yan had ended with the deaths of Yan Kun and Long Tingguang, it should be the end of the entire saga.

Imagine my surprise, when Mediacorp decided to release a Unbeatables 3. I was shocked. What made Unbeatables 1 and 2 so good, beyond the acting and the baddies and the special effects, was the entire storyline about how 2 people who were totally suited for, and loved each other could not be together because of various reasons and pressures which had all ended by the end of Unbeatables 2. Unbeatables 3's storyline was in two words: contrived, and bad. Yan Xing was a sweet little boy in Unbeatables 2. He was a spoilt brat in Unbeatables 3. Watching Yan Fei and Qifang quarrel was very painful. Some of their quarrels, I felt were petty considering how much they had to overcome to be together. The supporting cast made this series more watchable. Didn't like the twins too much though, they perpetrate the myth of good twin/evil twin which I really don't like. (I'm a twin myself, and I take all the ridiculous stereotypes of twins personally). Lee San San's role in the story was good, though I wished Yan Fei didn't stray (yes he had annesia, but still that's a betrayal to Qifang; I blame the script). What happened in Unbeatables 3 was that the storylines of the supporting cast became more interesting than Yan Fei and Qifang's story. I believe that Yan Fei and Qifang are one of the most well-loved screen couple in the history of Singapore television. And to render this couple to playing the second fiddle simply because Mediacorp refused to sto flogging a dead horse was in my mind, unforgivable. The introduction of Yan Hui at the end surprising. And at that time, absolutely unnecessary. Unless they considered setting the stage for an Unbeatables 4. Which was impossible, or so I thought in 2002.

I just went to linanxing.com and learnt to my horror that talks for a Unbeatables 4 are ongoing. Zoe Tay is pregnant right now, so they'll have to wait till next year at the very earliest to film this series, if the series actually gets green light. Good grief. If they actually start filming the story, I hope to goodness that they write the script properly. And please, let Yan Hui not be evil like Yan Xing was.

[beansprouts]

Waaaaaaah, looks like somebody is a big fan of the Unbeatables .

An unbeatables 4 coming up?? Oh my god, what other dumb and horrible story can they come up with?? I seriously do not want to see it. My memory of the unbeatables stops at Unbeatables 2, the 2nd sequel does not exist for me.... too painful to watch.

[goddessofhonour]

Wowe metwin1!!!! I'm very impressed by your analysis of the three parts!!

I definately agree with you though. I think that in the 3rd part, the supporting casts and their pairings were more enjoyable to watch then Li Nanxing and Zoe themselves. I for one perfered watching Allan and Vivian togehter.

A fourth part? I wonder how they are going to take the storyline? Yan Xing releasing out of jail maybe? I don't think I would want one. I think that Vivian's ending in the 3rd part really took a big toll on me.....

[convoy]

metwin1, I couldn't agree with you more!

[Ky]

I think the script writers should stop letting people get raped and/or have amnesia. Even Yan Fei got raped.

Another thing I disliked was that "King" of Gamblers kept losing.

[xenogear81]

does anyone know the instrument song where the wife finally forgive the husband for after that 3yrs arguement? the song start to play when the wife walk in the house, it kinda like guitar style? it also play very often in the movie. thanks btw this take place in part 3. anyone know where i can get the instrument song? it doesnt matter which format. thanks

[blood3]

If they do, do a part 4..It could work..Have it revolve around the 2 sons in say 10yrs time and get two very cute guys to play the role but what would 'The Unbeatable' be without Zoe Tay and the guy that plays her husband..Totally has to be around them also..They are what attract the viewers to watch it and TU 1,2, was very good..3 was ok...

This series has to be S'pores most popular and well known series of all time..I totally know only these 2 actor and actresses except for maybe Christopher Lee...

[beansprouts]

If they want the Unbeatables 4 to work, they have to have an excellent plot and a great cast to go along. Which I think it not very possible, look at what a disaster Unbeatables 3 was. I rather they not spoil the memory of Unbeatables anymore by making another crap sequel. People will just remember what rubbish sequels the series have rather than what a great show the original was.

[princessares]

I'm from Singapore too :-D

I remember the series in bits and pieces - But hardly any at all of Unbeatables 3... Couldn't stomach what was going on... I can't imagine what they're going to do in U4 to equal U1 & 2!...

I love the pairing of Zoe and Nanxing though... Their onscreen chemistry is simply unparalleled by any other local match-ups! My childhood idols are the best!

[HynAvian]

Hi all singaporeans,

Wah, im very enthusiastic when i hear news of an unbeatable 4. But I do hope that it will not be a disappointment. Part 3 did spend ALOT to make. And part 4 better match up to those special effects.

[convoy]

Hi all singaporeans,

Wah, im very enthusiastic when i hear news of an unbeatable 4. But I do hope that it will not be a disappointment. Part 3 did spend ALOT to make. And part 4 better match up to those special effects.

Actually I feel the special effects are not well done.
I prefer them to use real props as in part 1 and 2.

Don't get me started about the effects for gunfires in part 3. They are among the worst I have ever seen.

[Guo Xiang]

Yan Xing was very young when he's still very sweet. He was five or something in part 2? Can't remember, but it's quite unfair to compare the grown up Yan Xing with the kid he once was.

Yan Xing seems like a pretty realistic character to me in the few episodes I've watched, and I've come to realized that when a character is very close to what a real person is, the more disliked he or she would be.

And yes, Unbeatables should have ended at part 2... Even if there's a part3, they should probably touch on a new storyplot and characters, instead of dragging out the oldies from part 1 and part 2. I mean, it's getting raw after sometime, isn't it?

And goddess, have you managed to get part1 yet? The marriage scene of Yan Fei (not with Qifang though) was great! It's such a heartbreak!

[Arisa]

one was good fun. two was nice for the vegas scenes but heck i didnt like the zoe-tay amnesia plot. i did not watch 3.

[princessares]

Yan Fei got raped? How/Why?!? It's starting to sound really gimmicky...

[metwin1]

No he didn't get raped. Not in the way you are thinking.

He had amnesia, and the character that Lee Shan Shan was playing found him and saved him. The amnestic Yan Fei fell for her (you know, patient falling for care-giver) and he strayed.

I was livid that something like this happened, given that "perfect couple" image that Yan Fei and Qifang had then. I liked Lee Shan Shan's character, but I felt that she should have resisted his advances. For Pete's sake, she knew he was happily married, and that he loved his wife.

What the heck. The fault lies totally with the script writers. They butchered three perfectly wonderful characters.

[HynAvian]

What the heck. The fault lies totally with the script writers. They butchered three perfectly wonderful characters.

Yes and part 2 ended with Lee Shan Shan having a son without yan fei's knowledge. Can u all believe it? I wonder how they are going to continue this story though. Maybe travel 20 years into the future and cast ynafei as some old man where Lee Shan Shan's son return to have his revenge on him?

[convoy]

Yes and part 2 ended with Lee Shan Shan having a son without yan fei's knowledge. Can u all believe it? I wonder how they are going to continue this story though. Maybe travel 20 years into the future and cast ynafei as some old man where Lee Shan Shan's son return to have his revenge on him?

I hope they don't continue the story. It is fun the first and second time, but the third time is horribly contrived. I can't imagine how the fourth will be.