5 Reasons Why TVB’s “Big White Duel” is a Must-Watch
TVB’s Big White Duel <白色強人>, a medical drama produced by Marco Law (羅永賢), will premiere on June 10th. The 25-episode drama is highly anticipated for many reasons—in a season when TVB’s prime time slots are mainly occupied by mainland dramas or other international productions, local productions like Big White Duel is a refreshing welcome.
Starring Roger Kwok (郭富城), Kenneth Ma (馬國明), Natalie Tong (唐詩詠), Ali Lee (李佳芯), Matthew Ho (何廣沛), and Kelly Cheung (張曦雯), Big White Duel follows the lives of physicians in Hong Kong’s number one public hospital, the fictional Ming Shing North Hospital. Here are five reasons why Big White Duel is a must-watch for all television fans this summer.
1. Down to Earth
TVB medical dramas have always been well received in the past, such as the Healing Hands <妙手仁心> series, The Hippocratic Crush <On Call 36小時> series, and more recently Life on the Line <跳躍生命線>. While the above three series traditionally focused on the themes of life and loss, Big White Duel focuses on the politics behind the healthcare industry in Hong Kong.
It centers on Dr. Yeung (Roger Kwok), the deputy director of Ming Shing North Hospital. He proposes a plan to completely change the hospital’s bureaucratic model, but is met with opposition from Dr. Tong (Kenneth Ma), head of the hospital’s cardiology department. Tong believed that Yeung’s proposed changes could affect the poor’s accessibility to healthcare.
Big White Duel is not based on a true story, but its content is relatable and relevant to Hong Kong’s current health care system. Producer Law hopes that big White Duel would inspire viewers to open up more discussion on the medical industry and related topics.
2. Conscientious Production
A large portion of Big White Duel was shot in Mainland China, specifically in Shenzhen. Large-scale operation rooms were built for the purpose of surgery scenes. The crew rented real surgical equipment and instruments for a more realistic approach. The cast had to take lessons learning medical terminology and observed surgeons. A consulting physician was on set for every scene.
3. Good-looking Cast
Led by actors Roger Kwok and Kenneth Ma, Big White Duel is supported by popular actresses, including Ali Lee, Natalie Tong, Kelly Cheung, Crystal Fung (馮盈盈), and Ashley Chu (朱智賢).
4. Captivating Relationships
Close real life friends Kenneth Ma and Natalie Tong play a couple for the first time onscreen. After their divorce, Kenneth Ma meets Ali Lee, and the two share an ambiguous relationship. Roger Kwok plays their mentor, but the political forces running the hospital puts a strain in their relationship. Matthew Ho and Crystal Fung play a young couple, while Kelly Cheung, a young doctor, deeply admires Roger Kwok.
5. Star-Studded Cast
Roger Kwok is a three-time TVB Best Actor winner, co-starring with Best Actress winners Natalie Tong and Ali Lee. It also boasts a supporting cast that is both respected and talented—David Chiang, Ram Chiang (蔣志光) and Timothy Cheng (鄭子誠).
Source: Yahoo HK
This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.
Watching for Steven Wong. He’s hot.
@m0m0 Who’s Steven Wong? I want to see how hot? 😀 lol
@wm2017 it’s Stephen Wong. He’s on the 2nd from the left
@m0m0 Haha I slways thought he was too. Shame he didnt make it big with bad acting.
@megamiaow
Stephen Wong is tall and very good looking. Unfortunately, he was never promoted by TVB …………. probably for his poor acting.
There are poorer actors like Matthew ho. He had a lead role one time but he was just painful to watch. I think it’s more about who you know rather than actual skills in showbiz.
Roger Kwok (郭富城) ??
@wm2017
Roger Kwok should be 郭晉安, not 郭富城.
@orchid123 Lol…this article is full of errors. It’s also not David Chiang, it’s John Chiang (John gor had said in interviews in the past that people assume his English name is David because of his Chinese name but it’s actually John….he said people kept calling him by the wrong name throughout his career — it got to the point where he would start ignoring everyone who calls him David because that’s not his name)…
The only reason to watch is to support Kenneth Ma.
Sorry but those 5 reasons are not compelling enough to convince me, especially with TVB’s production standards nowadays. There are plenty of classic series that fulfill those 5 reasons and then some — I’d rather re-watch old series.