TVB’s “Slow Boat Home” Gets Positive Reception
Taking over the time slot of Bullet Brain <神探高倫布>, a drama that many critics and casual TVB viewers seemed to have loathed, it seems that Leung Choi Yuen’s (梁材遠) Slow Boat Home <情越海岸線> may have the chance to become TVB’s next big breakout this television season. Although only two episodes of Slow Boat Home have aired so far, the reception has been nothing less than positive, with some netizens exclaiming, “Finally something to watch!”
Slow Boat Home, a romantic comedy drama that takes place in Cheung Chau, stars Raymond Wong (黃浩然) as 28-year-old Cheung Po Tsai, a sluggish and seemingly useless slacker who always causes trouble for his father. He is best friends with city doctor, Fit Wing (Ruco Chan 陳展鵬), and Cheung Chau mailman, Shuttle (Matt Yeung 揚明), since high school, and the trio are collectively known as the “Cheung Chau jewels.” Cheung Po Tsai’s life gets an interesting turn after Fit Wing’s high school sweetheart, Heidi (Selena Li 李詩韻), returns to Cheung Chau to work on a mysterious business project.
Netizens praised the drama’s sunshine, youthfulness, and glamour noting that the positiveness of the series makes a great change from TVB’s past “schizophrenic” dramas. The online TV goers also praised the casting, gushing that Raymond, Ruco, and Matt “are being themselves rather than acting their roles.” The series was also praised for its well-written characters, decent pacing, and clever humor.
But critical reception was not one hundred percent positive. Slow Boat Home’s first episode garnered mixed reactions, with some critics expressing that the episode’s dialogue was “written like a commercial.” Others found the episode corny and unexciting.
The second episode, however, received a much more generous response. The appearance of Selena Li lightened up the so-called “testosterone atmosphere,” and some viewers are now referring to Selena as “BB” for her cute and sexy appearance. Ruco and Selena’s steamy make out session on the couch was also a “sweet eye-opener” for many netizens. Portraying their teenager selves, the flashback scene concerning Selena’s history with the Cheung Chau jewels during high school was laughable and unrealistic, but some viewers noted that the illogical portrayals were intended.
Produced at 25 episodes, Slow Boat Home also stars Aimee Chan (陳茵媺), Elaine Yiu (姚子羚), Elliot Ngok (岳華), Ram Chiang (蔣志光), Susan Tse (謝雪心), Oceane Zhu (謝雪心), Angelina Lo (盧宛茵), and Cheung Kwok Keung (張國強).
The premiere episode garnered only 26 points and peaked at 27 points, with 1.67 million viewers tuning in. Nevertheless, critics noted that its viewership performance is already outshining Bullet Brain’s lukewarm finale week, and it is predicted Slow Boat Home’s ratings and online viewership will eventually reach to a higher level.
Sources: Apple Daily, Yahoo.com.hk
This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.
That’s good.
An entertaining tv series!
Too few showing on the channel.
I like this drama more than that boring drama war of beauty ,is more easy to understand and keep me a wake ,war of beauty shall cancel now if i was tvb owner.
Absolutely. My whole family condemns and dropped WAB sequel. The sequel failed to follow the greatness of the predecessor.
They need to do more series like this.
Jacky Wong is so big now. He was so cute when he was little.
I actually wasn’t sure was that even him at first. Omg, he looks so different but he still has those baby cheeks.
lol, any series can beat BAW and BB
TVB need to make more cute series like this and less pretentious series like WAB and Bullet Brain. Ruco is the best. His character is awesome and he look amazing in glasses. Congrats to SBH! Thr first episode was amazing.
Yes I agree with you. Ruco= HOT!
Ruco indeed is hot and gentleman. His acting is magnificent so far in the two episodes and his glasses makes him hot.
Can’t agree more.
Selena Li looks great as a high school student. She’s very pretty and is a great actress.
Of Course, Selena Li’s acting is 100% better than Sire Ma! I love to watch this drama too! Free, easy & catchable show – have actors like Ruco Chan, Raymond cho & Matt! Very good drama !
Selena has also been in the entertainment industry longer than Sire. But I hope to see more of Selena, Sire and Kaki Leung 😀
Yes of course. What a good feeling to be free from Sire Ma’s acting and met Selena who not only gorgeous and looks younger than her age, but also acts naturally. How old is Sire Ma? She looks old in BB although she behaves like a brat.
Selena acts naturally? Seriously?!
Selena equals hot.
Great chemistry among the male leads. Liking it so far.
I like the way these three guys interacting, natural and funny
Spin the PR wheel TVB, Spin it!
SBH is great and Ruco is very handsome and looks like a white horse prince. All the male actors have great chemistry and Selena Li is great as the main female actress. If you don’t like, don’t watch.
If everyone doesn’t like and never even watch, then that’s it for this series! I do not doubt Ruco and gang but Selena? All fluffy and pretty and sweet pop corn and all? Now I must watch!
That means you just don’t like Selena. The series is mainly about the three guys so don’t worry much, Selena doesn’t get thaf much screentime so you can stilll gushing over the three hot handsome males. Finally TVB gives us a youthful and fun summer drama to refresh the day after the failure and pretentious script and acting of Bullet Brain and BAW which mostly contain 40 year olds.
SBH ratings will rise to 29-30s soon. Overall looks like great reviews for this series. Well done Ruco and the gang.
“youthful and fun summer drama”
I find it funny though to call this youthful drama when the actors are above 30. Nothing youthful but yes after the dread gloom and over serious series of the past few ones, I welcome a lighthearted one, especially since it features Malaysia!
However Raymond Wong looks terrible.
you can be above 30 and still be youthful.
Young at heart, yes but youthful is stretching it.
I disagree.
Definition of youthful: having the vitality or freshness of youth
TVB has always been good with Bromance storylines. Looking forward to watching this trio.
I like the cast and this series is indeed like a breath of fresh air after the airing of Bullet Brain and War At Beauty. So far, Slow Boat Home is my favourite after Inbound Troubles and Reality Check this year.
I agree with Funn Lim on Selena Li. There`s something conceited and contrived about her, which is probably why she hasn`t made it in the entertainment industry yet. Franky, I`d rather watch Aimee.
Funny enough, I enjoy her personality in her youtube beauty videos.
definitely not Aimee chan._.
shes about the same as sire ma… cant really act
I always liked selena li and her acting. I’m a girl but IMO she’s really beautiful, more than other actresses who are more successful. Hope she gets more projects in the future
Yuppie! This is a good drama! I love Selena!
Aimee will have her trademark broccoli hairstyle again in the drama….is there any reason for her to have the same hairstyle again and again? Or is it because she is Moses’s girlfriend, that no one dare to cut off her hair. Im sick and bored of it.
Maybe she looks way too young with long hair LOL like in Master of Play.
You want her to shave her head bald to make it look better? 🙂
Gosh, Aimee’s acting is really cringe-worthy. I actually found her quite refreshing when she first sported a short crop in “Off Pedder” and “Burning Flame III” but now that she’s being given bigger roles, her poor acting (or lack thereof) is really starting to show.
In all her scenes with Cheung Po Tsai, she utters every line with this roll in her eyes, thinking that that’s how you play the part of a bickering couple, but there is no variety in her acting at all – just same tone and manner throughout. Her delivery sounds even more forced and unnatural with the mix of Chinese and English…and I partly blame the writers for this.
I don’t even think this is a good series. This is a 師奶剧, anyone can understand them. Selena is doing a great job so far. Aimee Chan sucks, she can’t act.
It’s kind of a 師奶剧 but I think it appeals to a larger audience than let’s say, a palace drama.
hardly a breakout series with those ratings. Media being a tad extreme. It’s still not looking good for TVB if they are happy with these ratings.
Its not even good to watch!!! Obviously viewers would like this new series cause they are comparing it to two other crappy series.
Yay so Raymond does end up loosing the horrible wig!!! I hope Selena will get most improved for this role