[E] OUTBOUND LOVE / 單戀雙城 [2014][TVB]

FUNNLING METRE

Before I begin this episode's also rather short recap, some interesting Malay words/Malaysian slang roundup from this episode;

Frankly I can't remember the others. Just use Post A Comment and I can explain the term. By the way thank god I didn't hear another word of "leceh" in this episode.

Ok, before recap, may I just say this episode can be divided into 2 segments. The first is to me irrelevant and makes my blood boil. The second is to me relevant but also makes my blood boil, for a different reason than the 1st.

Recap.

Yvonne and Sik Sik went to investigate what was going on and found out the young maid (the one Ruco lent MYR2,000-00 to) was accused of carelessly kinda sorta like maybe scratched or caused threads to be pulled from an expensive dress belonging to an unseen but very highly valued guest of the hotel. But the truth was it was the head chambermaid or whatever you call her whose ring she wore did it. Poor girl was scolded by Sky who insisted she quit and Sik Sik in verbal arguments with Sky tried to defend her. In fact their barbed exchange was interesting to watch but in the end, when it came to crunch time, Yvonne failed to do her duty as the owner and poor girl was fired. And thereafter I did not see the girl again. No follow up.

Meanwhile the 1st segment I mentioned began in earnest. Chun Chun saw Sik Sik who ran away, avoiding Chun Chun. Back at her restaurant, Chun Chun discovered...

You know what I will just summarise.

How much more stupid Chun Chun is gonna destroy? I am sure much more. The thing is Chun Chun is a nice girl. I just can't stand Lin Xiawei. I find her such a thorn that I can't shake off. What makes my blood boil is her put on little girl nasally voice. I had to endure that during the themesong. I had to endure it some more in this episode because half of the episode is about her and Chin Tsun. Then I had to endure the same thing at the ending because the same bloody themesong. I can't stand her. Why can't she just talk normally? Why must she put on the voice that I shall call that "BB" voice? WHY?! Boiling.

Then there's the character of Chin Tsun who is really annoying as well. I find him stalker-ish whenever with Sik Sik and he got angry on her behalf at the wrong people. He was terribly rude to Chun Chun eventhough at work I thought he was not as unfair boss as Chun Chun claimed him to be. But I still dislike him. Which is why when Ruco did what he did later on, I thought nothing of it. What I am trying to say is this 1st pair is abusive in a sense; Chin Tsun was never gentle with Chun Chun. 

Now comes the 2nd segment which to me has changed from angry to volatile.

Sik Sik and Yvonne saw Mary Hon (can't remember her character's name) being interviewed and again to Yvonne this famous rich hotelier said she wanted to buy over Lassie. Yvonne politely said no. Later Yvonne told Sik Sik Manager Sky was already a problem, now came the shark, Mary. She wanted to prove to these people she can manage Lassie. Well girl, start by standing up to Sky then!

Later Sik Sik at a bar saw Mary talking to Sky and they seemed friendly but due to the music and stupid Chun Chun, she could not hear nor follow them. Anyway whilst they seemed friendly, Sky did not seem like that sort who will betray Lassie. Bully, yes, traitor? Maybe not. But I am sure Sik Sik will make a huge issue out of that later on.

Pause.

Who is Mary? Could she be Ruco's mom? Mary is some high powered super rich hotelier and since Sky knows her, and is very close to Ruco, I believe Mary is Ruco's mom. At this moment I have yet to read any spoilers about Ruco's Luk Kung Tzi and very little is revealed about him thus far. So this will be one area to sustain my interest, barely.

Continue.

Sik Sik is openly hostile and verbally abusive to Ruco. Where is that sweet nice girl? She turned into an angry ogre whenever with him which made me think how she can then fall for him? The white knight thing? Well that will show her the jerk in the end. Anyway, Ruco also at fault. He teased her mercilessly, he dared to touch her in a way I interpret as molesting her because the girl didn't like him touching her that way; like sliding up her arms, etc. I can't blame Sik Sik for thinking the worst of Ruco but what I can't understand is when confronted with such an openly hostile woman, how can Ruco still maintain being playful? Will he ever get angry at being slandered as a lecherous cheat? Will he ever just ignore her and walk away? This is not like some cute pairing, bickering, etc. She was really angry, hostile and if she had a frying pan, she would have used it to knock on the head of this "frying pan". I can't understand what is so cute or funny or endearing about a woman who verbally abuses a man who did not deserve that level of abuse (much like how Chin Tsun was with Chun Chun) when she should have directed all these at Nik which she didn't (same as Chin Tsun) and I can never understand what is so romantic, gallant or attractive about a man who stalks the girls, touches her in ways she doesn't like and still be playful in the face of such an awful angry woman.

Where is the comedy? Where is the romance? Where is the lightheartedness promised by this series? I felt so burdened watching such angry people, careless people, stupid people, thick skinned people.

Anyway where was I?

Oh yes, remember Chun Chun liking Ruco? At the same time Sik Sik told her she hated a guy, but they never knew each was talking about Ruco. Ruco himself did not know he became their topic of gossips at night.

Can't remember the last scene as my mind shut down by then but the brief intro was by Tony Hung about Georgetown, the capital of Penang.

Story wise, I am brain dead to it. Like I said;

Where is the comedy? Where is the romance? Where is the lightheartedness promised by this series? 

I am bored with openly hostile characters when in the end we all know they all end up happily ever after. I felt like I was watching what I already know but much slower. If this series is made in a different format, as in  like J-drama with 10 episodes max, I will say it will work better.

Anyway less scenery also, more studio set pieces. Yes you will see market and some streets of Penang, but seriously the whole scenery thing is lacking.

Performance wise, only one made any impact and it was minimal but at least something and that was Ruco Chan. I am however losing my patience with his patience with Sik Sik.

Aimee Chan is ok during confrontational scenes or when she asserts her personality as someone angry and someone forceful. But overall, none of this bring out the charm that Sik Sik supposedly had. In fact this series is beginning to deviate from this central character.

Tony Hung suits his character, it is a competent performance but not a likable character.

You know how I feel about Lin Xiawei.

I was reading this article about Aimee Chan in Jaynestars where she said;

Aimee said that the love story in the series is very realistic

I beg to differ. It is very predictable but not very realistic.

Seriously, at some point I felt like I was watching an awful version of Hotelier. I was hoping Manager Han will appear and save the day. And then I remember this is supposed to be a love story and not about hotels and chefs. I guess the series itself is forgetting that too.

ADDENDUM
“Which is why when Ruco did what he did later on, I thought nothing of it. ”
Which is also why I totally forgot to add in why I thought nothing of it!! Anyway it involves candlelight dinner, openly hostile Sik Sik, an annoyed Chin Tsun, a thick skinned and cluelessRuco, 2 plates of delicious lamb steak, a nice bottle of wine, 3 good glasses and a dropped fork. Really not that important.