Episodic Thoughts: “Triumph in the Skies 2” Episode 13

Triumph in the Skies 2 <衝上雲霄II>
TVB Series 2013

Cast: Francis Ng, Chilam Cheung, Myolie Wu, Fala Chen, Ron Ng, Kenneth Ma, Elena Kong, Him Law, Nancy Wu, Rebecca Zhu, Eliza Sam, and Kelly Fu.

Disclaimer: This is a watch as I write episodic thoughts and some information may not be accurate since this is memory based. Certain dialogue is reproduced with some creative license adopted. I apologize if there is any mistake. All opinion remains my own.

EPISODE 13

“This is a very important book to me. It was my first aviation book, I loved it. But it is only a book. Ho Nin Hei, leave PPP. Stop wasting time, stop wasting resources”

Way too much dialogue tonight, especially between my favourite characters, and these are like the last 20 minutes or so that I can’t keep up. Tonight’s episode is the one where finally most major favourite characters will FINALLY be in one scene together, or at the same place, and this happens towards the end which promises a more interesting episode 14. Episode 13 is like a prep. Still got a major momentum killer that came out of nowhere, leaving me with Sam’s favourite expression for like 10 minutes or so. However it is also because of that scene that makes me feel that Eliza Sum should have been Holiday, perhaps Nancy Wu should be given a chance as Summer and Myolie should just continue to be Zoe. Fala? A new role, the sister of Adrian who helps run the company and falls for Jayden and Sam. Something like that. If you feel “Funn they’re not famous enough to take on the leading lady roles”, well, we already have not one but TWO dynamite leading men who can take on Kong Wah’s famous duties in TVB when he was with TVB back then; ‘babysit’ the up and coming ones in some transitional role or something. I mean why not? Triumph In The Skies 2 is huge enough to make any good actress into a star instead of making an already established actress into a better one. Remember Myolie back then? So at this point, in episode 13, I seriously feel Fala Chen did a terrible, terrible job whilst Myolie could have been better not as Summer.

Also to save you some potentially heart stopping moment whilst waiting to reach that part of the recap, like maybe you’re tearing your hair out over the suspense of it all (yeah right!), yes, Daniel the missing boyfriend is officially a goner. Plane crashed into the sea, as predicted by me. And no, he won’t return since the actor in that role is as far as I know a nobody. And in TVB’s world, a nobody never returns to reclaim his place. Someone more famous will replace his place, thus making him dispensable. Sad but true. But there IS a twist.

Ok, RECAP!!

Still on Sam and Holly bust up except this has more dialogue than yesterday’s last scene if I remember correctly. Sam practically sorta whispers in frustrating tone, “This is enough…” and Holly still not getting it gets shouted at “When are you EVER gonna wake up? The love is DEAD. DEAD! It is gone! Let it be! Wake up!” and Holly cries “SHUT UP! You’re just an old man who knows nothing at all! Don’t pretend that you know everything, you know nothing!” and Holly, in what I will write as the ABSOLUTE total breakdown cries hard and runs away as Sam looks on in a … you know the word … manner.

And so we have the obligatory scene of Holiday running away from her sadness, her fears, her heartbreak, this time, up a hill and crying hard except Fala can’t cry hard enough and she can’t even run like her Holly is about to fall sort of way, can’t even stumble right and basically this scene convinces me Fala Chen is totally wrong for this role. But yeah, Holiday is crying very hard with Adele’s haunting voice as her sad song moment. This is like 5th time Adele’s song played, except this is a repeat of the 4th song. Might as well just keep running the Adele album. What happened to Chinese songs? Why keep using English songs?

By the way, this episode has the worst music editing ever. Music just stops, like suddenly and probably the CD machine blew up out of frustration like -why just Adele? What about others?- way and some background music just got cut, continued with another music or same music but for unknown reason somehow got cut. Probably for commercials but what a bad moment to go into commercials if you ask me.

By the way at the top of the hill I do remember Holiday screaming; “DANIELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL” with all the heartbreak and longing she can muster and in Fala’s case … not much at all. If she did not do that, well, I wished she did.

11.30pm, Sam is worried. Holly is nowhere to be seen, he feels a bit guilty for being so harsh on her perhaps. Holly does come home to see Manna at the door, they hug and cheerfully they go for a walk. Must be really cold in London, every woman (TVB that is) is wrapped up like rice dumpling aka zong. Holly looks way too cheerful and suddenly she asks Manna if Manna will pay for her fees if she leaves PPP and still goes on to learn flying? Those 2 seater ones? And Manna smiles and say as long as Holiday is happy, she will gladly give her a Manna scholarship. Holly gratefully hugs Manna.

And Sam is right. She should leave PPP. She has absolutely no interest in learning to be a commercial pilot. All she wants is to fly up, so she can always use a hot air balloon. Much cheaper. And she should get herself a job to pay for her course instead of depending on Manna. What a lazy bum.

Next day, Sam goes to see a friend who is a bookshop owner. They chit chat for a while, and Sam then asks the bookshop owner; “Remember a book about aviation that I gave you some time ago? I am hoping to get it back” but the friend (unknown actor so he will disappear after this scene) says “I am so sorry Sam. I lent it to Daniel” and my god, the world IS small. Sam says “Daniel?” and guy says “Yes, Daniel. He was my customer. He loved to fly and he saw your book and was so fascinated by it, he wanted to borrow it so much that I did. Unfortunately I don’t think you can get it back”

Pause.

In Chinese, there is no present, past or future tense. So in this scene when Sam was told about Daniel, he didn’t hear the word WAS but in English I had to write it that way.

Continue.

Sam, curious asks “Why?” and friend says “He died. He was flying and his plane crashed into the sea due to bad weather. I knew he wanted to propose to his girlfriend that night, that night with meteor shower” and Sam looks like ahhhh … I see.

Holiday reading a book by the pier. Nice place. Sam appears and says unemotionally “You’re actually reading my book” and Holly goes “Huh? This is Daniel’s book” and Sam as matter of fact points to something on the cover and says “See? That’s my signature on the cover, it is my book” and Holly seems dumbfounded when Sam in a rather unsympathetic sort of way says “And you know he is dead” and Holly looks at him, almost crying now as she says in a reflecting on the past sort of way, again in her dream world as she says “I met him in my meteorology class. He was in aviation class, but he wanted to learn meteorology, met me and he liked meteorology. But I never liked flying. I felt flying was so dangerous, I never had the passion for it as much as he did. But he said if I agree to marry him, he will take me to this place in Bolivia called Salar de Uyuni where it is a salt flat. He told me that’s where the sky touches the ground, and there I can experience the sky without flying. He also promised me he will not fly anymore. But he lied. The day when he was suppose to propose to me, he went flying. That was when his plane crashed into the sea” and Holiday cries.

Pause.

I feel Fala should have gone Flora in crying here. This is where we all know all those emails, all those “Daniel, where are youuuuu” scenes were fakes. She knew he was deader than dead but she was living in this denial, clinging onto his memory for her own survival. But why does she want to fly?

Anyway, Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is gorgeous. Like a mirror image. Because the salt flats is like a huge mirror, the sky seems like touching the flats. See pictures here at http://media.baotintuc.vn/2013/03/24/16/51/salt9.jpg. WOW!

Continue.

Holiday continues “I don’t understand, I don’t get why he must fly? I don’t get why the sky is so attractive to Daniel. I wanted to understand him, his love for the sky, his need to fly. That day, when you took me up to the sky, I finally understand Daniel’s love for the sky. It was so big up there, so free, so nice. Now I understand and that is why I want to learn to fly. So that I can fly up there and be with Daniel”

And mind you, a very touching story and all but I love Sam’s reaction. I know it is a bit heartless but Sam is right and he cares and he is a no nonsense man. instead of going “Holiday, I support you”, he reacts in a very very opposite way.

Sam, angrier than ever takes the book and tears it into half as Holly cries in shock. Sam says angrily “You’re still in your dreamland. You’re not fit to be a commercial air pilot. You think only of your dead boyfriend but what about the safety of hundreds of passengers on the plane? Have you thought about them? Snap out of it! You can’t be so emotional so as to let emotions control you, dictate you!” and he takes the half book and throws it at Holly who catches it as he angrily says “If the book is so important to you, here, TAKE IT AND GLUE IT BACK TOGETHER” and then he slowly peels each page away and throw it into the sea (TVB will have to clean up that mess later, for sure!) as he says “This is a very important book to me. It was my first aviation book, I loved it. But it is only a book. Ho Nin Hei, leave PPP. Stop wasting time, stop wasting resources” and he continues to peel off the pages. Holly thinks for awhile, tearful, confused, shocked and then it dawned on her, this is her life to live. Daniel is dead, those are just longings, dreams but this is reality. She then takes her half of the book and together with Sam, peels off one page at a time and throw it into the sea.

Pause.

It could be a great scene if Fala was more believable as the love sick unwilling to let go sort of girl. Francis however was fantastic. I know some of you might think Sam is so insensitive or rather unsympathetic. But he is trying very hard to tell this girl that it is time for her to move on. He is not heartless; he is practical. I am sure he also told himself the same thing when Zoe died and in a way he and Holly have experienced the same heartbreak, the same regret, the same pain so he knew what Holly was going through. But he was also a man of reason, a practical man and like how he persisted in baking the souffle and then finally returned to work, he must have felt Holly had already found her “souffle” and should be back to real life and live. This is his way of consoling Holly. To me it shows Sam to be perhaps a man too in control of his emotions when he should have been breaking down or more emotional, that he bottled up too much inside but he is right.

Next scene show the contrast with Jayden, a man so cool, so unemotional like nothing could shake him on the surface but deep down, he is a die hard romantic and a man full of emotions he is not willing to show.

Both men are right. It is a matter of approach.

Continue.

Jayden and Jim Jim together, Jim Jim earnestly asks “Mr Koo, tell me honestly, can I become a pilot?” and Jayden asks “You were a swimmer. So why fly?” and Jim Jim says “For my brother. He lived his life for me and my swimming career so much so he could not have his own life to live. Now that I have changed career, he can now live his life” and Jayden asks maybe in an incredulous matter, “You want to be a cadet for your brother?” and Jim Jim says “Also for a career, something I can do for the rest of my life and earn a living”. Jayden teases “Well even if Adrian is very helpful in your career, I won’t just pass you because of that” and the next few moments which I did not record down in my notes see Jayden openly comparing Jim Jim to that of someone he knows and Jim Jim thoughtfully says someone like that is usually quite emotional deep down and things will be better but Jayden did say (and he means Summer) that that person is truly an “iron” person, meaning strong, unmoved. Then Jim Jim gets a call and it is his brother and greeted one another and Jayden looks at Jim Jim on the phone wistfully and suddenly he talks to the air aloud as he says “Ha Sun, brother here. Don’t worry, I am fine here. Love ya!” and he smiles a little sadly and walks away.

Pause.

Lovely scene. I am intrigued by Jim Jim and his choices. I find him a bit like Holly that is he wants a career in aviation for his brother, to have a job, not like the others who love flying. A practical way. But much better than Holly. And poor poor Jayden. I do find him rather pitiful sometimes. All the women in the world, but none he loves more, and longs more than for Summer and yet he wronged Summer the most.

Anyway, imagine if it was Jayden with Holly and Sam with Jim Jim. Sam will certainly question Jim Jim’s choices, maybe give him a lecture or 2 instead of how Jayden dealt with it, with encouragement, probably because in Jim Jim he sees Summer. If Jayden was with Holly, he would have been more sympathetic, give her a hug or 2 and some words of encouragement, maybe some seduction. But that man knows when to do what so he may not act inappropriately.

Continue.

A sorta heartwarming scene I suppose, because here is Sam teaching Holiday how to fly an imaginary plane, and also lecturing her a bit but Holly cheerfully listens and finally wants to learn to fly for real and for herself. These 2 can talk to one another and this scene and previous ones is telling us quite bluntly she may be dreaming about Daniel, thinking Jayden is Daniel but her true love is Sam. You just need to wait maybe another 20 episodes for it.

Still in London. Class visits plane museum and a special zoom into a board with the name British European Airways. I wonder who sponsored this scene? Anyway I think I see a Concorde. Tony and friend see Jayden getting the number of a gwaipo and Tony laughs at Jayden’s never changing Lothario ways. Sam and Holly together looking at planes and Sam tells Holly that if she wants to look up on planes, try finding Old Bird. Holly is intrigued.

Picnic time and some student-teacher bonding time. Jayden has left with the gwaipo it seems.

Holly is in the museum’s bookshop and she asks the customer service rep “Do you know where I can find Old Bird?” thinking Sam is talking about a plane. The lady confused then says “You mean Hilda Hewlett?” and she takes out a book and the title of the book is Old Bird and Holly stares at it.

Pause.

Googled her. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_Hewlett – what a woman!

Continue.

Holly sits by herself looking at the book and Sam walks by and says “You have found Old Bird?” and Holly says “It is a woman. In her youth she was called Blue Bird. She was the first English female pilot at the age of 47 and opened many schools” or something like that. Sam says “Her husband did not support her dreams, said that women can’t be pilot equal to men but she persevered and succeeded by not letting her emotions got the better of her” and Holly smiles and says “I understand what you’re trying to say to me”.

Skylette plane, first class, Tracy is dealing with a difficult customer who wants beer and peanuts and Tracy, unusually rude says curtly “We have ran out of peanuts, no more beer”, rolled her eyes and walked on as the old lady looked at her in distress.

Pause.

I thought Tracy’s curt reply is funny. However seriously I do not understand the necessity of this entire scene, nonetheless, for completion sake, here is my recap.

Continue.

Back there, Coco gently tells Tracy to act more professionally, unless she wants to go back to serving the economy class and Tracy scared and smiled and said she will do better. Stefan Wong is in this scene. I swear all the actors and actresses picked to play air stewardess when in uniform does look like one! Anyway it is revealed that that lady in 2A is actually Tracy’s mom and why Tracy is so curt to her is because her health does not allow her to eat peanuts and beer. I think Coco knows this but insists Tracy still be a bit professional. Anyway Tracy is excited that a 3 time best actress winner is on board and long to serve her which she will in the next scene.

The 3 time best actress winner is played by Lui San. She is very curious about Tracy, asks a lot of question about why she wants to be an air stewardess, etc and is about to ask her to make her a drink when Coco comes and tells Tracy 2A is asking for her and she has to leave. Coco wants to serve the actress but she wants to wait for Tracy.

Night time, still the plane. Actress who is Miss Kong is happily looking at her tablet, all pictures of Tracy and Coco notices and Kong sees that Coco notices. Coco just smiles. Coco goes back to her station, drinking (many bottles of wine there, I thought maybe Coco is drinking wine as well) when Miss Kong appears and says Coco must be curious why Kong takes so many photos of Tracy. Coco smiles and replies that whatever a customer does in her private time is really none of her business. Kong asks Coco whether whatever she will say to Coco will remain private and confidential and Coco says yes. Kong then says “I sacrificed a lot to be where I am today, a 3 time best actress winner. I sacrificed my life, my love … and my daughter. I have been thinking of reconnecting with my daughter but I know I have no right to do so. I left her when she was so little, I was a bad mother” and here I don’t quite understand. Coco knows she is talking about Tracy? And yet she doesn’t slow the slightest bit of change of expression, like shocked to understanding. I feel the acting is off here. Anyway Coco says “Tracy is a very friendly cheerful girl. Everyone who meets her, likes her. And she has a very good relationship with her mother” and Kong surprised says “Mother?” and Coco says “The passenger sitting in 2A”.

Later, Coco asks Tracy to take warm milk to Kong and Kong asks Tracy about whether the passenger in 2A has been giving her problems. Tracy smiles cheerfully and says “Not much at all. She is my mother, or rather my stepmother. Oh no, not those evil step mom in storybooks. In fact she loves and dotes on me a lot. My dad died when I was 10. We had no money. My stepmom woke up early in the morning to sell vegetables at the market to raise me. She loves me a lot and sacrificed so much for me. That is why I love her a lot” and Kong smiles and asks “Do you hate your real mother, for not being there?” and I don’t think Tracy actually answered her at all when Tracy asks “The last time you wanted me to make you a drink? Why not I make you one now?” and Kong says “Yes, please do. I want Gin tonic, with salt on the rim of the glass. Oh and do add 2 drops of vanilla into it” and suddenly Tracy looks very shocked.

Tracy slowly makes the drink like she is in a trance, tears welling up in her eyes when Coco sees her like that and asks if she is ok and Tracy now crying tearfully says “This drink that Miss Kong asks for, it is called Katrina the Vanilla. Only my father knows how to make it because it is the drink that represents the love between my father and my real mother. And only one other person knows how to order it” and Coco listens attentively as Tracy now sobbing sadly says “My father told me to remember this drink.”

Pause.

I do know a lot of you do not like Eliza Sum but I do feel she is one of the best potential amongst the new actresses out there. Her Cantonese is off but is improving. But her acting convinces me in this scene. The shaking hands, the trance like shock, the sobbing, the revelation, the yearning, her comic timing, her cuteness, her cheerfulness. This scene alone convinces me she should have been Holiday. I feel more for Tracy and her sudden reunion with her mom than for Holly and her revelation of her longing for her dead lover.

Continue.

Disembarking time. Tracy sees Miss Kong who has yet to cry YOU ARE MY DAUGHTER!! but rather thanks Tracy for the drink Katrina the Vanilla and shakes her hand as Tracy emotionally says “I will watch more HK films, especially your movies” and there is an understanding between them of something unspoken, that they both know the truth but will not reveal it. They touch each other’s hands, tearfully when someone runs to Tracy and say 2A has problem.

Tracy with her stepmom in 2A, who can’t stand up and Tracy scolds her stepmom for eating foods she is not supposed to eat considering her health and the mother promises to listen to her daughter so she must not be angry and Tracy smiles as her colleagues smile as well.

Kong in her car and faraway she sees her daughter, Tracy holding her stepmom’s hand as they walk and chatting and all that and Kong smiles, knowing her daughter was well loved and is in good hands.

Pause.

Like I said I do not get the purpose of this scene, sort of a momentum killer but because I was curious about Eliza Sum, I paid attention and I find it more naturally moving scene than that Colby-Vincent tear fest or even Holly-Sam argument. Like I said, I do like Eliza Sum and I feel she should have been Holiday. She may be a tad too young for Francis but at this point, I’d rather a suitable actress in a role rather than matching the age and looks. I am sure she will have chemistry with Francis and Chilam.

Continue.

Summer in Skylette plane on the way to London and my first thought is she goes on holiday? Seriously? Isaac also on the same plane to London and he cheerfully greets her and Summer pretends not to care but oh she does, that small smile on her lips when she sees Isaac. Summer explains Chiu allows her some time off for some holiday and Isaac is happy for her and teases her that she is smart to use the discount Skylette gives to their employees. Anyway Isaac sees a poster for the Plane Museum with Summer and knows where she is going but Summer did say that museum is closed for group tour only for now but she hopes she can get in. Isaac invites her to visit their brothers at PPP, and before she can answer he rushes off to the toilet and will talk to her more later. Summer smiles a little.

In London, Isaac rushes into Sam’s room as Sam is watching some movie on his monitor and Isaac hysterically makes an OTT pose and announces “Surprise! I am here!” but Sam doesn’t react. Isaac blocks his view and says “Hey, I am here!” and Sam says “Get lost! Don’t block it. The movie is finishing” and Isaac asks “What movie is so important that you will ignore your brother?” and sees the movie and it is about Amelia Earhart and tells Sam the ending. Sam continues to watch and Isaac continues to pester him as Sam hands him biscuits and food which Isaac doesn’t want and hysterically hands Isaac a pink lollipop as Sam in his deadpan way says “Here, pink lollipop, same like you, as flirtatious”. Sam finally finishes the movie and hysterically in his deadpan manner says “Oh the ending is just like you said it is, very sad”.

Pause.

I was laughing very hard at their antics and their interaction! The end sentence by Sam was really funny. In fact it was all so deadpan and Isaac was like a kid trying to get Sam’s attention. The pink lollipop scene, Sam in Chinese actually says the word “Hau” as in “as HAU as you” and in English it could be flirtatious but when someone says hau in a serious manner, it can be quite derogatory, like to describe those young women doing all seductive things and throw themselves at the feet of those older rich guys. In a joke context, it is a tease and here, flirtatious is quite apt for this scene but in the real equivalent, the beauty of Chinese words, in fact beauty of Cantonese words is sometimes there are just no equivalent. Like the word “Jin” as in “As Jin as the mud under the earth” statement. You can find a lot of near meanings but as powerful and sometimes insulting and effective as that one word? Not close at all. Anyway I love this scene.

Continue.

In a pub, Jayden, Sam, Isaac and Tony chit chatting and Jayden is teased about his Lothario ways and I think Tony asks how come he has never seen Isaac flirting with another girl and Sam says “That is why. Because you don’t happen to see him flirting” and it was a good come back line. Meaning Isaac doesn’t seem to have a love life.

Jayden then kinda rub salt into wound over Isaac’s failure at the exams but again it was more teasing than mean insults. Sam says he has confidence in Isaac, and got 2 more years and Jayden’s reaction is it is only just 2 more years and in 2 more chances ONLY, better be worried and all that but again he was teasing. Isaac fretted and pretended to be offended (nothing can offend Isaac) as he loudly says “Ok ok, rub salt into my wound. Considering I accompanied Ha Sun to London, was on the same plane as Ha Sun and even in the same hotel as Ha Sun” which basically is his way of telling Jayden, hey Ha Sun is in London! and Jayden’s expression suddenly changes into very serious expression, like surprise and Isaac tells them Summer wants to visit the off limits museum and I think it is Sam who suggested she should drop by at PPP and all that and Jayden then he recovered as he says lightly “Hey, where you’re staying? Since you probably need a lift back to your hotel, I volunteer to drive you back” and Isaac knowing what Jayden actually means lightly says “Sure”.

Once in the hotel, Isaac wants to go back to his room but Jayden looks around the lobby and lightly says “Well since we are here, hey, let’s.. have a drink” and Isaac also knowing Jayden’s meaning again says “Sure”. So they sit down and Isaac sees Summer and says “There’s Ha Sun” and Jayden looks over, acts like he doesn’t care as Isaac goes to Summer and greets her and she sees Jayden and her expression changes as Isaac explains “He is just here because he happens to drive me back here” as Jayden kinda looks around nonchalantly and says lightly “Oh I am here just to use the internet connection to surf the net” and Summer stares at him and continues with Isaac that she couldn’t get into the museum and Isaac says “Didn’t I tell you so?” as I think Jayden goes to her and says “What if I tell you I can get you in?” and Summer is interested to hear more and Jayden says “On one condition. You will let me join you” and Summer’s expression hardened as she says in monotone “You really know how to take advantage of the situation” and Jayden says “Well you know I am such a person” and Summer says “Well I am such a person too” as in stubborn and Jayden says “I know you’re also that sort of person who will not be satisfied until you’ve seen at least the screws in that museum” as Issac whispers to Summer “You know, you can accept his offer. You can dish out your revenge later” and Jayden looks at Isaac and asks “What dish out what revenge?” and Jayden doesn’t wait for her reply as Summer rushes to Jayden and says “Ok, you can go with me” and Jayden says in serious face “Ok then. I will arrange the time and I will inform Isaac who will inform you” and as Summer walks away Jayden says “”I promise! A promise is a promise!”” and Summer listens and walks away, face softening as Jayden then smiles happily, happier than when he scored the best looking girl in the universe.

End of this episode.

Anyway love the last scene. Love Jayden’s expression, love his interaction with Isaac especially like the oh you going to hotel I drive you and Isaac’s oh sure thanks, that sort. Like as if by the way, as if didn’t care but deep down you know, Jayden cares, a lot. Summer on her own is not an interesting character to watch, too wooden, too stoic, too hard. But when she is between Isaac and Jayden, she relaxes a tiny little bit and is more interesting to watch. Love the brothers’ interaction, and the dialogue as well in deadpan manner.

Hated the background music and the jarring way it stopped and began and stopped. Sort of snapped me out of the moment of whatever scene in that particular moment. Hated the irrelevant scene but I do like and am touched by the Tracy-Kong-2A moments even if I was having a huge Sam’s reaction moment. You know, bewildered.

Tonight’s episode is one of the better ones and a must watch. I am looking forward to when Summer-Isaac-Sam-Jayden-Holly’s world collide for some spark.

As for Holiday, I still don’t like her. I get her distress, I get her pain and I hated how for more than 10 episodes we are led to believe she didn’t know where Daniel was and suddenly here, Sam exposed her and she actually knew but was living in her dreamworld. I get the whole longing thing but I think it was done badly, so I saw very little of it. I also hated to be misled. This is not some detective series so there is no need for that twist of twist and then some more twist. However you can also interpret the earlier Holly-Sam-Camera scene in London many moons ago where she shouted “Where are you Daniel?” or when she saw Jayden she saw Daniel as she knew he was dead but she was in total and absolute denial. But I took the literal meaning she didn’t know. Now that she knew, it would explain her behaviour as seeing Jayden as her Daniel as something like a person in so much grief that she is in total denial. If you see it that way, Holiday is actually a very sad character. This is like a contrast to Sam, who was never in any denial at all at Zoe’s death but just regret. Sadly though, all these isn’t seen on screen because let me repeat again, Fala Chen did not connect with me on that level. In a small way in a more minor way, Eliza Sum connected with me more. I find Fala’s performance not up to par. Now don’t give me that argument that if the director felt the same way he would have made Fala do the scenes again and again and again. Yeah, as if TVB has loads of films to waste and the time to do the scene until perfection. TVB doesn’t do that. If they do, we won’t have even crappier performance than Fala in many many series.

I do feel Fala is wrongly cast. She by herself is not a bad actress. In fact if she is willing to cut her hair short, she can be Summer. She kinda looks a bit like the female Chilam anyway. She can play proud, she can play nice, she can play stubborn, but she can’t be Holiday.

Myolie is much better to watch here because you will have Chilam and Ron distracting you from paying full attention to her facial expressions which is between the serious pained look to the small smile look. At least 2 expressions, a great leap from just 1 expression. I will say Myolie is not a bad decision as Summer but I still find her lacking.

Chilam is so subtle today, I am just in awe. That scene where he was told Ha Sun is in London, look at his expression. One second that smug look, the next that sorta shocked look, the look which is also quite calculative in a good way, probably like “Oh she’s here, I got chance”. Whilst Myolie’s never changing in her expression, Chilam shows us how it is done. Fantastic performance. I will say this is probably his best performance ever.

Francis Ng is to me I can just repeat whatever I said earlier again and again to the point you can just recite everything. Yes he has some minor issues, that bewildered look etc. But then he is in a lot of situations where it will make anyone looking bewildered. But I love those unsympathetic and unbending scenes of him with Fala’s Holly. Sometimes I thought I saw a bit of fear in Fala’s eyes when Francis unleashed his temper as Sam. Maybe I am imagining things. Francis was great in those explosive moments, which is explosive as Sam can be. In the end I love the fact that despite their flaws, there is no villain in here, just 2 guys, Jayden and Sam who are opposites in character and temperament but both are good guys, great instructors.

Ron Ng deserves more love than just some love. His Isaac makes any scene so enjoyable, so delightful to watch. Love his chemistry with various actors, especially with Francis Ng. I wonder do they get along in real life? Because they seem so comfortable with one another, and Ron isn’t such a great actor to be able to mask any dislike for his fellow actor if any. So I feel they really genuinely like and respect one another. Ron has improved a lot. His comic timing, with his never changing expression both great (comic timing) and baffling (one expression guy).

Nancy Wu you can say is totally wasted in this episode and even in this series, because so far her Coco is like that lead’s follower. She has no moment of her own, and even her own big moment, that proposal scene was hijacked by an unconnected tear fest of 2 characters I really don’t care about.

Eliza Sum’s Tracy is ditzy and I feel she is so underused here for someone who was lead in another series but Eliza Sum as an actress is someone I like a lot since Diva In Distress which is basically her show. She stole the show. Pure and simple. But I appreciate her presence in a way I lament the fact that she should be Holiday. She is a talented actress and a rising star. She is cute, she can act, she is believable and I find her performance earnest. I know a lot doesn’t like her much but I feel you just wait and see; she is like Myolie before the surgery, Bosco and the glazed eyes taking over. I hope Eliza doesn’t change, too much.

Everybody else, including Lui San looking elegant and beautiful were very good. No complaints.

No Kenneth today which to me is no big deal.

And please, no more Adele.

One final note. I have been recapping this series for 13 episodes now. My notes are getting longer and longer, as I pay more attention to details although I can’t write fast enough for the dialogue. However much I am enjoying this series, I can ever only watch it once. I find it has no repeat value for me. TV is showing again the first series but I have no desire to re-watch or even to re-read my recap here at http://p2e-tits.blogspot.com/. I just don’t feel like watching the episodes again. But when I was watching for the 1st time, and making notes and then recapping it about a day later (rather than immediately, so that to calm down a bit and not make too much mistakes – hopefully no face-palm for this one), I do find that particular episode, any particular episode to be very very interesting to watch. I read with a bit of pride that many are reading my recaps instead of watching the series, as I do with many k-dramas but also with a bit of dismay because let me be honest here; a lot of things I did not include in my recaps which you must discover for yourself. No amount of words can ever replace the delight (or dismay) in watching a performance. I intend my recaps as perhaps for those who don’t mind a spoiler-filled synopsis with a bit of me in it.

So if you’re not watching the series but is reading my episodic thoughts, here is my thought for you;

I urge you to watch this series. Right now no other releases is as good as this, and this may have problems but it is really worth checking out for the performances (good and bad). You know TVB is at its best at depicting siblings and friendships which this series has plenty of. Fans of Francis Ng, Chilam and even Ron Ng will do their idol a disservice to miss what is probably one of the best performances of their lives, thus far at episode 13. Fans of the first series may feel that since no Zoe and Belle, then let’s not watch. First series emphasises a lot on love but this second series is more wider in the sense it goes beyond that of love thus far. It is slow I know but which series isn’t these days? 2nd series can be a standalone series by itself. So I urge you, please do give it a chance and watch it. And then come back here or to each episodic thoughts and let’s have a lively discussion. Let’s share our opinion. That’s the joy of TVB community; we all share the same love, that is TVB series, we all share the same disappointment, that is also TVB series. TVB community is a huge community made of fans who are either die hard fans or those like me, skeptical fans but fans nonetheless. I am happy to choose Triumph In The Skies 2 as a platform for those discussions. At the end of the day, this is by a fan for fans. I look forward to your insights for this series.

And for those who reads my recap for whatever reason, I am happy my recaps are useful to you in any which way.

Thank you for reading and roll on episode 14 which I bet will be about Summer-Jayden-Isaac.

RELATED ARTICLES

• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 1)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 2)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 3)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 4)
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• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 6)
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• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 10)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 11)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 12)

This Episodic Thoughts was written by Funn Lim, a Contributing Writer at JayneStars.com, and was originally posted at http://p2e-tits2.blogspot.com/.