ATV’s “The Men of Justice” Win Critical Acclaim Despite Poor Ratings
ATV is currently broadcasting The Men of Justice <法網群英>, created and produced by the Gary Tang Tak Hei. The cast includes Lawrence Ng Kai Wah, Amy Chen Sau Man, Kenneth Chan Kai Tai, Pinky Cheung, Jacky Lui Chung Yin, and William So Wing Hong. Since its broadcast, The Men of Justice has averaged five to six points in ratings. Although the series has helped ATV double its normal ratings performance, which is considered good results for the station. Many Internet users in online forums have praised the series for its courage and the professional manner in which the court scenes were written.
Incorporating several controversial cases, The Men of Justice focuses on the perpetual conflict between law enforcement and criminal activities. The series incorporates elements from current events that the audience is familiar with. It also includes a battle-of-wits little-known outside the court system, such as how to skillfully use legal procedures, and how to choose members of the jury for important cases. Interspersed between the development of the characters’ relationships are the legal cases, which include: a medical malpractice case; corruption within the police force; a witness failing to help a traffic accident victim, which ultimately led to the person’s death; the death of a wealthy tycoon and the subsequent dispute over his will.
This week’s highlight in The Men of Justice involves the romantic arc between Jo Koo Cho Lam and Lawrence Ng. After Jo’s secret crush turns into an obvious pursuit, Lawrence becomes embarrassed and does not know how to convey his reluctance in starting a new relationship.
Source: Wenweipo
Jayne: Gary Tang has produced another critically acclaimed series in The Men of Justice. Although the ratings are very poor, he mentioned that in today’s internet age, a good series can be enjoyed by the global audience and not be measured only by Hong Kong ratings results.
In a recent East Magazine article, Gary spoke poorly about his former employer, TVB. After he found success in Files of Justice and Healing Hands I and became a “superstar” producer, there was a lot of political in-fighting from his colleagues. He also bashed TVB series for their silly dialogue and lack of progression in production–the methods have remained the same for the last ten years. Gary said he may not necessarily be better than other producers, but the standards and norm in the industry are just too low. Despite this, the Hong Kong audience has gotten used to watching TVB series.
Gary said that the Hong Kong market does not allow the survival of independent television producers such as himself. He was very harsh about the low quality of TVB’s series. Yes, all of Gary ’s criticisms are true! TVB wins the ratings war but some of their series are very low quality and poorly scripted. TVB is great at marketing and have “pushed” their series upon the audience quite well.
We need more progressive and creative thinkers like Gary Tang, otherwise the quality of Hong Kong television series will continue to decline!
I hope Gary Tang join back to TVB, seriously TVB is sh—.
ATV lately needs money to produce series, its too bad because of poor management decision. They could sure be using some money to promote the series and could have gain 7 to 8 point rating.
But it is really sad that Men of Justice last week average rating was a 4. Luck for ATV, TVB last week rating for top rate shows was 20s.
If the cases are professionally written, that is what I want to see as well. In the TV war, unfortunately whether a series is poorly written or not doesn’t really matter when the ratings, ads and audiences are with TVB. What Gary Tang should have also said is that TVB has the network and the cash to promote their series, and ATV has none. In fact if this series do badly, ATV should shoulder the blame for lack of promotion. Sometimes just because it has a star lineup does not mean viewers will watch. What TVB has is mass audience, who grew up with TVB and who knew, such as myself eventhough their series may be inconsistent in quality, but they’re consistent in promotion and information. I feel Gary has a point in bashing TVB but to say what he said could insult the intelligence of the audiences. TVB has strong management but you play by their rules. ATV has zero management and your product suffered in the result. We all know there are power plays and to survive in it perhaps it is better to play by the rules and then break it once in a while.
Larry, Gary will not join back TVB with the way he criticised TVB. TVB remembers grudges.
^^ Lots of people have grudges with TVB, yet they go back. There is a chance he may well go back to TVB since ATV is sinking,
Other then that RTHK or iCable and Now TV to get in and make money, otherwise he’ll end up in China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or even a movie industry.
I don’t know. I think FOJ 1 was good, but, it gets worse subsequently. By, FOJ5, the series is all about relationships instead of the cases.
TVB has never produced good quality dramas. Even their “best” dramas are lacking compared to the quality of TV series produced in other parts of the world. While other TV industries are advancing TVB is still keeping the out-of-date drama style. This is a bad situation. While I still like some of the actors and actresses, I’m despising the company and secretly hoping that sooner or later my favourite actors and actresses can get another better company 😛
Well, The Men of Justice is actually a pretty good series from ATV.
I agree with Funn Lim that ATV is lacking promotion. with a stella cast ATV should be spending up in the marketing & promotion blitz in HK to get people to watch as the product is very good.
No point having a good product without the backup in marketing it.
This is where ATV is lacking consistently against TVB, lack of promotion..
I disagree with Masaharu’s
“TVB has never produced good quality dramas. Even their “best” dramas are lacking compared to the quality of TV series produced in other parts of the world.”
To say never is not accurate. But to say rarely may be a better word. One look at Journey To The West will show what quality production and storytelling is. Go back older to Chow Yun Fatt years or Tony Leung years as well as Stephen Chow years and Alex Man years will show TVB at their best is capable of instant classics.
It is just this recent decades, very rarely there is anything remotely near a classic but there is of course, depending on how you see it.
ATV on the other hand has been consistently poor in promotion. Lack of funds maybe but more like lack of a strong management. ATV has good writers which TVB lacks, but again TVB has good PR which ATV lacks. I actually thought ATV is dead or closing shop, so I was surprised to hear this series. But again look at their cast. They tend to use big names (well I would argue some are has beens) which probably drain their promotion resources. Maybe ATV should go back to emphasising the story and make their actors into stars that way instead of using established stars.
I mean I would watch a series that is well produced and acted and a story well told if it lacks star names as long as I am aware of it. Which means ATV should revamp their entire company.
With the exception of a few notable series, TVB series in recent years lack compelling storylines and characterizations. The series are packaged very well though, with nicer sets, clothes sponsors, and modern themes that keep up with the times (such as series about different professional industries). TVB keeps up with street trends, as indicated by the street-smart dialogue. From these indications, the scriptwriting department majority may be mostly younger writers who indeed keep up with trends, yet there is not much deeper to offer.
The growing trend in series is marked by love triangles or women arguing with each other overtaking whatever professional trade the series is supposed to portray. Series such as Rosy Business, which explores themes of courage, loyalty, and self-sacrifice (while not overwhelmed by the love relationships) are extremely rare. That’s because Producer Lee Tim Sing is probably a diminishing class of producers from the 80s that actually likes to delve into these golden themes of the past that TVB is famous for.
If Gary Tang is that talented of producer, then he does not need to worry about being unemployed. He can go to China, Singapore,Malaysia,etc…
I totally agree with his comments about TVB. I really miss the old glory 80s days when everything seemed golden. Some of the series of today are ok, but it seemed to have lost the magic that it had back in the days. I really miss the old days very much and wished that TVB can be just as good as before. I used to watch 90% TVB but now I only watch about 10% TVB and 90% China, Taiwan and other productions. TVB used to not have as much competition as well since back then, there were hardly any mainland Chinese series. There also weren’t any Korean series or many from other productions and countries, but now there is just so much more for TVB to compete against. However, TVB is lucky to still have a strong audience and loyal viewers due to their good marketing skills.
I’m watching this series now and it’s got a great modern kick to it, similar to American TV series. With or without the stellar class, this would be a very popular series because of its unique story line.
And as many of you guys have said, the ratings really show nothing other than the average HK citizen do not prefer these kind of dramas. I know they are aware of this series being broadcast. In addition, for those of you criticizing the PR department not doing a good job promoting the series – I personally object to this. TVB has saturated the market for several decades thus establish a strong relationship with big vendors. So not only are they contractually connected, they are also financially and emotionally.
It’s going to be hard for ATV to ever surpass TVB due to politics but at the very least … the people are allowed more and more choices. In time, there will be a station that will make TVB up its game.
problem now for ATV is next week TVB is airing “Cant Buy me Love” which has a big cast with Moses Chan & Charmaine Sheh. The Men of Justice is getting into the final episodes, a shame not more HK people are watching this series
Every TVB’s series will get rating of 19 and above.I’m sure it wasn’t because the series was good . I think those people just turn their TV on everyday lol.
Funn: Yes maybe I overexaggerated at that part. Haha. I have never watched those classic oldies so maybe I got clouded by only what I experienced. Or maybe I just grew up with too much Western and Japanese series. Korean and Taiwanese too but I won’t count these two since many of their productions are packaged with “style over substance”. Of course there are exceptions.
HK movies isn’t as prestigious too. The recent Triple Tap for example didn’t live up to the glory of Double Tap. I still love Daniel though no matter how one dimensional he is in that movie 😛
I personally think that ATV has better storyline than TVB back in the 90s especially my whole family watch ATV instead of TVB back then. some of the good series produced by ATV are SHanghai GOdfather, Reincarnated and etc. those are def better than some of the TVB series today!!!
the ending of this sucked pretty badly ;(
This drama is actually very decent comparative to a lot of TVB dramas recently. Overall the story is interesting and mostly all scenes are on location which is very impressive.
It’s too bad not a lot of people turn to ATV when it comes to drama (lack of stars). With new management coming in, I hope atv can develop high quality local (HK) dramas and bring back some audience and have a good competition with TVB.
I’m searching for this show online right now, would love to see this! I think ATV series can be melodramatic at times but I’ve always liked the casts… and in some ways I feel that the story lines are more ‘genuine’ – as if the scriptwriter put more thoughts into the story.
it is not true that TVB had never produced any good TV series. I think TVB dramas back in the 80s and 90s are just marvelous and beautifully done. in fact TVB series back in those days are better than china, korea, taiwan series made recently. But when it enter the new millennium, its production were all rubbish except for a few series. these new series usually focus on women fighting for attention, over exaggerated love stories, crime fighting,etc. which has lost the varieties TVB used to have in the past. those excellent wuxia series that i used to enjoyed watching in the 80s were a thing in the past. i do agreed ATV loose out in promotion and packaging instead of story line but if TVB could bring back those varieties they used to have in the 80s and 90s, ATV will never be able to surpass TVB even in story line.
I don’t agree with you completely because a lot of series of today from China can be really good too. However, not many of them are good. TVB series were the best in the 80s I think and some were from the 90s and even some from the 2000s were good as well but it varies from series to series. Basically, every company and time period had good and bad series. We should not stereotype that all TVB series are good or that all China series are bad or vice versa. ATV made some really good series back then as well so we should give them credit as well.
This is an ambitious, not to say brave, serial out of Hong Kong and worth watching.
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/the-men-of-justice-or-fa-wang-qun-ying-—-review-of-episodes-1-20/
This is really a one of a kind HK series. The format is so different from the usual HK series. More like US series.
It doesn’t have a lot of intense or explosive moments, but, nonetheless, the cases are interesting. And it’s not completely out of humour. William So provide a few moments of good humour in the series.
Btw, I notice that this series has quite a number of homosexual characters.