On The Track Or Off
Jade, 9.15pm
TVB launches three new Cantonese drama series this week. While most will miss the extraordinarily popular and high-rating The Duke Of Mount Deer (and actor Cheung Wai-kin), others will be glad to see the end of Broadcast Life. Criticised for being pointless, poorly acted and scripted, the Canto sitcom managed to upset hordes of devoted Leslie Cheung fans several weeks ago with its gag on 'peculiar men' wearing skirts, thus satirising the Canto-pop king's alternative dress sense. Well, Kung Fu Master From Guangdong, starring Wong Yat-wa and Jay Leung, has now taken over the half-hour slot at 10.20pm. Another period costume drama, The New Heaven Sword And The Dragon Sabre, will take the slot previously occupied by melodrama Reaching Out at 7.30pm. It is based on a popular Louis Cha martial art classic and stars veteran actors Damian Lau Chung-yan and Michelle Yim.
On The Track Or Off, a modern-day drama, now comes on at 9.15pm. This new series is about the 'exciting world' of horse racing, where its characters - played by Steven Ma, Ada Choi (both above), Bondy Chiu and Frankie Lam - pursue their dreams. We'll see how well all these new productions fare in the next few weeks, but my bet is none will do badly. Why? Next Magazine recently commissioned and published a poll on the top Hong Kong TV personalities and shows in the past 12 months. Of the top 10 programmes, nine are TVB productions, with Healing Hands II voted the best series. Flora Chan (who also appeared in the medical drama) came top as the most popular TV personality - for the third consecutive year. ATV's Stories From Away III made it to eighth place in the poll. I am now looking forward to ATV's production of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, due to start at the end of this month, which is expected to breathe some fresh air into Chinese-language TV programming. It has just announced its hotline number - 9006 080 8888.
Wild South America
World, 9pm