Episodic Thoughts: “Triumph in the Skies 2” Episode 21

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 21

“Anyway, a good episode with awesome scenery with their Da Vinci trail through Paris.”

Fans of Ron and Myolie will want to watch this episode because 70% of the contents is about them and their sudden blossomed love. In fact it came out of nowhere I sorta pitied Josie the cafe girl.

But first I need to find out the name of Stefan Wong’s air stewardess character which I did towards the end of his story in this episode which again is no longer a momentum killer because even the main stories are now momentum killers. This series should by now have gone towards acceleration of plot stuff but instead it is draggyyyyyyyyyyyy. But a huge mystery ahead so that it is sorta fresh even if really draggyyyyyyyyyyyy.

RECAP.

Vivien Yeo guest stars as a Malaysian tourist rushing to Macau to meet her beloved who will I think propose to her, except she listened to a fellow passenger and let her terminal and checked into HK instead of Macau so she can’t go back in or something like that. In the MOST POINTLESS PR scene ever, we are shown how nice, efficient and helpful the terminal staff are and how efficient Apple is and how in the end she gets to go to Macau via HK-Macau Jetty route. Yeah! Let’s all applaud at that eh? Anyway even more pointless we have Stefan who is actually FERGUS by the way chatting with Apple about her story and we are not shown any flashback when this is the perfect time to do so. No, she just narrates what we already know and has hopes her parents will find her one day. He asks if she wants a sibling and she says sure and if she prefers a big brother or little brother, etc and she says in the end a big brother because big brothers always love their little sisters and Fergus looks pleased.

Pause.

Do you see a pattern here? How many double pairs and storyline must we have of the same sort? Why are older brothers in this series always missing their little sisters like Jayden and now Fergus? How many dead loved ones causing grief to their living beloved like Sam and Holiday? How many playboys like Jayden and Roy? How many serious dudes in love with the same actress like Sam and Isaac? Rude people hating everyone but their closest family or friends like Teddy and Pink Pink?

How many? HOW MANYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!

Continue.

Oh by the way Fergus asks Apple her real age and she asks him to guess and he says…. listen to this… 18!! HA HA HA HA HA!! Yeah right! Well to her credit, even Apple rubbished that and says she doesn’t know her real age since she was abandoned as a child and I presume without a birth certificate. But I am sure later on we will be told she wasn’t abandoned, she just got lost and all that BS. TVB will never show cruel parents, it will show cruel parents with a cause.

Anyway Sam at the Skylette offices and sees Summer posting something on the board and approaches her. He looks awkward, she looks awkward and we need more of such scenes! Anyway she has a room free (I was thinking Teddy shamefaced must have moved out, but to save you the suspense, no he didn’t. No one moved out and so where’s the free room coming from?) and Sam seems interested as he asks for lower rent because that someone he is asking for isn’t earning much. Summer does not answer, as usual she doesn’t say yes no maybe whatever.

At the cafe with Josie and Apple and we find out Josie has been given short notice to get out of her rented place and Sam arrives and tells her the good news of a place at Summer’s and he feels she will be fine there. Suddenly Fergus appears and is concerned when he thought he heard Apple has no place to live as Apple explains it isn’t her, moreover she is staying put where she is since she wants to take care of Grandma Suen who took care of her when Apple was in an orphanage. At this point I thought bring out a lamb for Apple to caress and coo and you can see a halo on top of her *not 18 year old* head. Anyway Sam thinks Fergus seems too attentive to Apple and even Josie notices that but Apple denies any romantic ideas although come to think of it, this is seriously becoming near K-drama don’t you think? Sam teases Apple so much she flees. Sam really likes Fergus, thinks he is handsome and a decent fellow and is hoping Apple and Fergus could be together. At this point I really see how Isaac and Sam is so alike; both as serious, both not dating, both as busybody as the other. Anyway Summer arrives, is introduced to Josie who gives her her favourite drink and Summer is impressed with Josie’s thoughtfulness. She confirms she can move in any time and welcomes Josie.

Pause.

Do you see the potential problem here? 2 people fighting over same guy? Later on as we are told of a certain plot development I will speculate something. But not yet.

Continue.

At Summer’s house, Josie moves in and everyone is there to greet her and even Fergus is there to be her chauffeur and Summer is impressed with Josie’s memory as she can remember everyone’s names after being told just once. Apple arrives and finds Josie in her room and Apple likes the room and Josie teases Apple about Fergus and Apple says she can’t consider Fergus since he hasn’t made his intentions clear. Which means .. OMG!! Bro-sis love!! Anyway suddenly Josie has some breathing problem and apparently she is asthmatic. And here I was thinking for a moment Sam married Zoe who had heart problems and now Isaac might potentially be in love with someone as sickly? Talk about repetition!

Anyway a more interesting moment coming up.

Jayden and Summer at Jayden’s place. Jayden suddenly very grim hands Summer an envelope and tells her to look at the contents. She sees a picture of a young girl and curiously asks if this is Jayden’s illegitimate child. He tells her to look at the letter and she reads and she is shocked to find out that is her half sister living in Paris. Jayden confesses he has that letter for months now and he hates how he has to deal with his father’s promiscuous and flamboyant past. Summer sees there’s a birth certificate and she says this must be their half sister because no one will have their father’s name which is Koo Foong Lau (Foong Lau in Cantonese sounds like flamboyant as in lothario-ish). Summer asks what they should do and Jayden says he refuses to deal with that at all as he proclaims he has only ONE little sister. Quite a believable reaction. Summer observes since he always goes to Paris, why not give her a visit and see how things are? After all she is part family but Jayden flat out refuses and simply tells Summer; “I will be very busy then, if I have to visit every sisters and brothers thanks to our flamboyant father”. Basically it is up to Summer.

Pause!

I speculate Josie is that little girl. Why? A hunch. If not, any new or somewhat new names not appeared yet?

Continue.

Isaac and Roy together and Roy in his Rayban, hiding his face because of the embarrassment at being slapped and dumped by 2 girls on board of Skylette. Very silly man. Anyway Isaac is chums with the technicians and all that but has to sit with Roy who is hiding away, much to Summer’s disappointment. With Roy, Isaac advises if he is so troubled by it all, why not get away for a while and for some vacation? Roy loves the idea and asks Isaac to join him then. Isaac in his deadpan humour says “So my leaves is to be utilised for you is it?” but Roy insists and says why don’t they go to London which Isaac feels is redundant since they always fly to London but Roy says this time is for vacation and they can visit Manna and check out pretty girls. Isaac doesn’t look pleased and frets about it and finally agrees. Josie overhears and says she hopes to go too and Isaac invites her but she has to think about it. I think Apple is there as well and teases Isaac about Josie and he seems.. shy? Not aware of her affections? Because I thought she confessed, remember? I am confused. Anyway I think Summer also overheard.

Anyway Apple and Josie at the clinic and the doctor advises Josie she can’t go to London due to her health. Apple tells Josie to forget about the trip and Josie agrees.

Summer at the hangar with her men when Chiu approaches and tells her that he will process her leave form and everyone wonders why she is taking leave as she says it is for personal reasons and she is going to London (1. because Isaac will be in London 2. because Skylette has no landing rights at Paris?) and Chiu says she should take some time off anyway and will delegate the guys to other depts whilst she is on holiday (what? they can’t function as a team without Summer?) and Summer reminds everyone to work hard!

Isaac and Roy (in Rayban) at the airport and Roy is hiding and acting suspiciously, much to the chagrin of Isaac who basically scolds Roy for behaving like some celebrity. He sees Summer and is pleased to know Summer is also going to London but for personal reasons. On the plane, they are all conveniently sitting together, stranger Summer in the middle of Isaac and Roy. Rachel serves Roy with a little smile and Roy tells Isaac Rachel is laughing at him and Isaac says “Our Skylette staff are all trained to smile and look friendly” but Roy isn’t convinced. Anyway Roy looks at Summer and suddenly asks a lot of questions like are you cold? Want a blanket? etc and Roy apologises as he mistaken her as Zoe and so sees her as sis in law which he calls her that as well. Summer isn’t offended, just awkward.

In London, customary scenes of London scenery and I believe next to London Bridge? Anyway Roy is there screaming “JOANEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I AM SO SORRYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!! PHYLLISSSSSSSSSSSS!! I AM SO SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” like very dramatically and Isaac is there looking at him like WTF and Summer also there. Roy says he wanted to scream on some hill which Isaac refuses to go. Anyway they all decided to go for lunch and Roy asks if they could come back here after lunch so he can scream some more.

Pause.

I will say this much; these scenes are funny. Roy is just silly. Alone he is a chore to watch. But by balancing his goofiness with that of Isaac’s deadpan seriousness and Summer’s awkwardness, Roy is funny and his scenes work well.

Continue.

Lunch at a very happening place! Got a lot of people, real restaurant and performances as well. Roy is chatting with Summer and accidentally calls her sis in law again. He apologises as he can’t get his mind out of the fact that she is not Zoe. Isaac dryly asks “How can a guy like you get to date 2 women at the same time?” and Roy sadly says “That is why I got dumped by them both”. Anyway Summer confirms she is going to Paris tomorrow for some family matter. I am not sure of she tells Isaac why she is going there, could be in this scene or sometime later, anyway he and Roy volunteers to go with her and she happily accepts his offer.

And wow wow wow, train station, was told it is Eurostar train? Not sure. Anyway what a place!! Huge, statues, beautiful and Roy asks why not Isaac and Summer take a picture and Isaac puts his hands on her shoulder and Roy isn’t happy and says why not closer and he pushes them face to face and each look at each other shyly and Roy demands they kiss and when they won’t, Roy muscles his way to Summer and says “Let me demonstrate how!” and Isaac roughly pushes Roy out of the camera range and exclaims “Oh go away you pervert” and I swear, in the background some local people and one guy was smiling at the actors’ antics. It was funny.

Anyway obligatory tour of Paris scenes and oh so nice! Summer arrives at a restaurant as requested by the letter and given a note which asks her to go to some bookshop which she goes there and finds nothing except for Roy can’t decide between buying an art book or a porno magazine, much to the chagrin of Isaac. He buys the porno book and Isaac pushes him away to avoid Summer looking at what he bought. Meanwhile Summer finds a storybook which her father read to her when she was a child and the bookshop owner gives her a note and the note says the girl is waiting for the person reading the note at the Notre-Dame Cathedral.

And they’re there and I was like WOW WOW WOW! What a background! Gorgeous!

Pause.

And I just realised they’re on their own Da Vinci trail! Notes and all.

Continue.

Roy wants to know what Summer is doing but Isaac doesn’t tell him. Summer appears and says the priest gave her a note and the girl writes she waited for half a month and no one turned up and so she will go back to HK and … cue suspense background music … seek…revenge!!!!!!!!

Definitely Josie.

Roy being a busybody here and Isaac keeps pushing him away. Isaac seeing Summer sorta upset takes her to a bookshop called Shakespeare bookshop and WOW WOW WOW inside like my dream bookshop. Anyway Roy is bored with all the books and leaves and Isaac like Sam would have reacted shouted REMEMBER TO COMMUNICATE BY PHONE!! Isaac finds out they can spend a night at the bookshop if they help to clear out the mess and put back the books which both did so and in the end they end up chatting. Isaac asks why she loves books so much and she explains when she was young she was a loner and lonely. Her father walked out, her mother dead, her brother in the army and she was raised by her servant/nanny so books were her constant companion. Isaac too feels the same way as he explains he was luckier than Summer as in he has a sister who turns out to be his mom and when he was lonely he reads wushu books and imagine he is one those characters in the wushu book and he won’t feel so lonely anymore. Later they end up reading and when Isaac is asleep, Summer crawls to him and very near she looks at him sleeping. Isaac awakes and they stare at one another as Isaac gently takes her hand and holds it and Summer moves her hand to his and they look at each other with intensity and a small smile but no… no kissing! WHY?!?!??!?! Anyway they take some books as pillows and sleep next to each other and I think holding hands.

Pause.

I am surprised by Isaac’s reaction. I wished there is a scene like thunder and all to show suddenly he realises he loves Summer. To me this is too sudden.

Continue.

Isaac awakes pre dawn and gets a call from Roy who cries that Paris has lots of thieves and he lost his passport, wallet and even his book!! Isaac is not pleased by Roy’s disturbance but being a loyal friend, he goes to Roy to rescue him.

Summer wakes up and sees his note explaining everything and asks to meet at the Eiffel Tower at 10am (yeah, how can not show the Eiffel tower?!) and she rushes to the window and sees Isaac walking away. She shouts “ISAAC!!!” and he looks back and Isaac promises “Wait for me to come back ok?!” and Summer smiles sweetly at the promise.

And I was thinking so is it the bookshop OR the Eiffel Tower? So confused!

Anyway very sweet of Isaac and if he is anything like Sam, he is dependable.

I kinda love this episode because it has Isaac and a whole leap in plot thing. Also Roy is funny because of how Isaac is. One super serious, one super goofy. I also like how sweet he and Summer was when together. However I am not liking the whole half sister thing and Isaac suddenly in love with Summer. It isn’t gradual, it is like a huge leap.

Anyway, a good episode with awesome scenery with their Da Vinci trail through Paris.

Performance wise, all are ok. A special kudos to an improved Ron Ng who does very very well as Isaac. Kenneth Ma is funny and that scene where Ron shoves him aside is seriously funny. His Roy works because of Ron’s Isaac. Myolie looks sweet and all but I find her rather awkward not character wise but performance wise. And I hate how her scarf never leaves her neck. What an uptight girl and an uptight performance. She must loosen up more. And I demand for a kiss scene!!

Everybody else is forgettable in unimportant role except for Francis, still my acting God in this series.

By the way fans of Stefan Wong will like his performance here since his character Fergus does look like an air stewardess and is a nice guy. But no way a guy as handsome as he is related to Toby *18 years old* Leung’s Apple.

This series has wayyyyy too much of characters. I wished TVB knew the art of brevity and focus on the main characters rather than trying to drown out the inconsistency with way too many characters.

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)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 5)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 6)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 7)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 8)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 9)
• 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)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 13)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 14)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 15)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 16)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 17)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 18)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 19)
• Episodic Thoughts: Triumph in the Skies 2 (Episode 20)

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