What about Grand Production?
Since 2001, I already began to have the habit of collectiong TVB Program Highlights. My collectiong efforts helped me discovered many different things throughout the years.
Every year, TVB releases 5 different Program Highlights to the oversea fans ONLY. The first issue is always the big issue, which highlights the shows of the year. The other four are seasonal releases, which comes out every three months. Most TVB rental stores in oversea have the program highlights available for the fans who rent the series (that includes me ;-)
The big issue of the Program Highlight highlights almost everything, and it always talks about at least one Grand Production. In 2001, it was A Step Into the Past. In 2002, it was Burning Flame 2. Both Grand Productions got very good results.
In 2003, TVB started to film more and more Grand Productions, however, the results are very interesting... In 2003, Triumph in the Skies, Blade Heart, The W Files and Perish in the Name of Love were all Grand Productions. The results? Triumph in the Skies was really successful, that's no doubts, but Blade Heart ended up as one of the lowest air rating series of the year. The W Files was Gallen's latest series in TVB, however the show didn't grab everyone's attention. What happened? Who makes the decisision about the making of Grand Production? The question continues until today.
In 2004, Twin of Brothers, Riches and Stitches, War and Beauty were the Grand Productions. Of course, we don't have to talk about the success of TOB and W&B. The problem was Riches and Stitches, a grand production that was warehoused. To me, Riches and Stitches was a great show, the story was excellent and it was emotional. However, why did TVB warehoused a Grand Production? The answer remain unknow...
In 2005, we got Healing Hands 3, the worst Healing Hands series ever, but still was a grand production. Then, Lethal Weapons of Love and Passion, a 2005 Grand Production was facing the warehouse situation. TVB pushed back the release date of the series, and it wasn't aired until 2006. The result? Poor air rating, of course, as we all know. LWOLAP is one of the lowest air rating series of 2006. Who to blame? Why is a grand production not release in time?
Now, it is 2006, the situation gets worse. The Dance of Passion, War and Destiny were both Grand Productions. DOP was also a low air rating factor, as we all know, the series sucked even though the casts were excellent. For War and Destiny, it became a warehouse series. Once again. TVB decided to warehouse a grand production. We do see a repeat pattern from here...
What about 2007? We got two grand productions: First, The Drive of Life, a 60 episode series that celebrates TVB's 40th Anniversary and Hong Kong's return to China. This is a joint-production of TVB and CCTV, there is no way TVB going to warehouse this one. However, can this series bring back the excitement of TVB's grand productions? Second, 珠光寶氣, another grand production by the crew and cast of War and Beauty. Didn't they say the same thing about that for The Dance of Passion? You see how TVB likes to bring the old time back, but can they do it?
As I mentioned before, a repeat pattern of unsuccessful grand productions can be scary. Can 2007 be different? Let's hope so...
Every year, TVB releases 5 different Program Highlights to the oversea fans ONLY. The first issue is always the big issue, which highlights the shows of the year. The other four are seasonal releases, which comes out every three months. Most TVB rental stores in oversea have the program highlights available for the fans who rent the series (that includes me ;-)
The big issue of the Program Highlight highlights almost everything, and it always talks about at least one Grand Production. In 2001, it was A Step Into the Past. In 2002, it was Burning Flame 2. Both Grand Productions got very good results.
In 2003, TVB started to film more and more Grand Productions, however, the results are very interesting... In 2003, Triumph in the Skies, Blade Heart, The W Files and Perish in the Name of Love were all Grand Productions. The results? Triumph in the Skies was really successful, that's no doubts, but Blade Heart ended up as one of the lowest air rating series of the year. The W Files was Gallen's latest series in TVB, however the show didn't grab everyone's attention. What happened? Who makes the decisision about the making of Grand Production? The question continues until today.
In 2004, Twin of Brothers, Riches and Stitches, War and Beauty were the Grand Productions. Of course, we don't have to talk about the success of TOB and W&B. The problem was Riches and Stitches, a grand production that was warehoused. To me, Riches and Stitches was a great show, the story was excellent and it was emotional. However, why did TVB warehoused a Grand Production? The answer remain unknow...
In 2005, we got Healing Hands 3, the worst Healing Hands series ever, but still was a grand production. Then, Lethal Weapons of Love and Passion, a 2005 Grand Production was facing the warehouse situation. TVB pushed back the release date of the series, and it wasn't aired until 2006. The result? Poor air rating, of course, as we all know. LWOLAP is one of the lowest air rating series of 2006. Who to blame? Why is a grand production not release in time?
Now, it is 2006, the situation gets worse. The Dance of Passion, War and Destiny were both Grand Productions. DOP was also a low air rating factor, as we all know, the series sucked even though the casts were excellent. For War and Destiny, it became a warehouse series. Once again. TVB decided to warehouse a grand production. We do see a repeat pattern from here...
What about 2007? We got two grand productions: First, The Drive of Life, a 60 episode series that celebrates TVB's 40th Anniversary and Hong Kong's return to China. This is a joint-production of TVB and CCTV, there is no way TVB going to warehouse this one. However, can this series bring back the excitement of TVB's grand productions? Second, 珠光寶氣, another grand production by the crew and cast of War and Beauty. Didn't they say the same thing about that for The Dance of Passion? You see how TVB likes to bring the old time back, but can they do it?
As I mentioned before, a repeat pattern of unsuccessful grand productions can be scary. Can 2007 be different? Let's hope so...
posted by yingying @ 12:59 PM
2 Comments:
At December 03, 2006 7:03 AM,
masterliem said…
i confuse about Riches n Stiches and Blade Hard, wasn't Riches and Stiches produce in 2003 and Blade Heart in 2004 ?
i know, TVB grand production's quality has decreased from year to year. nowadays i neva found series which can satisfied me more like CBWH, SOTH,etc. the last series which can satisfied me was The Conqueror's Story, i think it should be labelled as Grand Production but it wasn't.
in my analyze, the quality decreased because all of Siu sungs n fadans leaved TVB one by one, maybe They(for example Ada, Jessica, Kenix) still starring in TVB but we know They didnt too concentrate with their job again.
New Siu Sung n Fadans like Bowie, Bobbie, Charmaine, Gigi dont ready to got that positions(i just feel there are something different between Old and new Fadan/siu sung, especially for Siu Sung, there is a gap, cannt describe it), They are great but not expert.They never filming in sensational series. How could u said some series is GRAND Production without strong cast inside ?? i d
looking from the cast of The Drive of Life, i'm pretty sure about the quality of this series, but i'm also pretty sure this series isnt as great as the old grand production.
At September 06, 2007 8:28 PM,
deb the DM said…
Tell me about it - I don't understand how or why they spent all these years to promote Charmaine Sheh or Gigi... it's just not the same. They only STARTED to realize that "grand productions" are important after all the good casts were already drained out from all the other productions in the past.
For instance, as old as we need to go to talk about grand productions, "The Breaking Point" with Leon and Kathy, or "Detective Investigation Files" with Kenix and Micahel - all were EXCELLENT even without all the fancy smancy effects of today. I'd say the only two series that REALLY measured up in the last few years were "The revolving doors of vengeance" and "Heart of Greed" - had a bit of the old time goodness without making it overdone and overdramatized. I liked Love Bond because I felt that TVB tried to do justice for Michael and Kenix's on screen coupledom, so that was good for me. I don't understand WHY they replaced Detective Investigation Files with crap like Charmaine and Anne Hoi and Louis Koo - it sucked SO much after that. Charmaine had no acting skills when she got so many awards - all her series make me want to gag because her acting was so bad - esp. with Gallen Lo and other ones.
I think TVB just plays favourites. But seriously, if they had put people like Ada Choi, Kenix Kwok, Maggie Cheung and others into something like "Drive of Life" it would be so much better. Raymod Lam, Myolie Wu, they are great! but there's a generation missing between them and Michael Miu's character. Like something like Kenix and Michael or Ada and Moses would have been effective. Charmaine and Raymond's storyline in "Drive of life" is just WEAK... he should have been with Myolie. In real life, you can't just go back like that because of one itty bit of misunderstanding after you are already in love with someone new. It's quite obvious TVB shapes their stories to promote whomever they choose, and by that, I mean even those without talent.
Post a Comment
<< Home