There is a web series called OCTB (反黑) taking HK and Mainland China by storm at the moment. The series is the result of a joint investment effort by a bunch of little known Mainland production companies who basically hired HK production company Visual Brothers to put the series together. Visual Brothers is jointly owned by HK actor Danny Chan Kwok Kwan and former actor (currently director / producer) Jones Soong – both Danny and Jones are listed in the credits as being producers and directors for this series and Danny also stars in it (along with his wife, singer Emme Wong).
One of the reasons I'm so hyped about this series is 1) it is currently blowing TVB's Line Walker 2 out of the water (as of today, OCTB's "ratings" in the internet world – which is based on "hits" or "real-time playback" I believe is the official term – has already surpassed 300 million in Mainland, compared to Line Walker 2's 200 million, thereby making OCTB the second most watched series in China at the moment, behind another Mainland series about cops); 2) from a quality standpoint, OCTB far surpasses almost all of the series TVB has produced in the last 10 years or so…of course, with OCTB's production costs topping 60 million HKD, that's a far cry from the "pennies" that TVB invests in their own productions (which is one reason among many why TVB's productions nowadays are all so crappy) – whether from a script perspective, casting, aesthetics, acting, etc., the production team for OCTB obviously put in the effort to make a high caliber series and it absolutely shows; 3) the number of veteran actors in this series is astounding!! The series is set in "80s/90s HK and is about cops, undercover agents, and triad / gangsters along the lines of "Young and Dangerous", so there is definitely a "old HK" feel to the series (and some would argue that the series feels a bit "dated" which to be honest I'm fine with because "dated" works if done right, which it obviously is in this case). A few of the older supporting actors were actually from the Y&D franchise (some even kept the same names as their characters from the movie, lol) -- aside from this, there are also boatloads of actors from the HK film industry who were never in Y&D but played significant roles in other HK movies…not only that, most of these veteran actors are ones that us HK entertainment old-timers grew up with, so getting to see all of them back on the screen again in one series definitely boosts the "watchability" factor for the series.
Indeed, one of the things I'm loving about OCTB is how it brings back so many memories. Almost all of the supporting actors in the series are artists whom I grew up watching – not only that, the director actually paid a lot of homage to these actors and the iconic roles that they had portrayed in the past, so for me, it's been a lot of fun watching and recognizing all the "inside jokes" and he nostalgic characters / events from various movies and remembering the heyday of the HK entertainment industry back in the 80s/early 90s.
I actually haven't had time to "chase" the series as others might have so I'm not completely current yet episode-wise (I think they released 10 episodes already? I'm only on like episode 3, lol). However I've been reading up about the series on the side – just FYI in case you're wondering why I know certain things about the series when I haven't gotten to a particular episode yet, lol.
Oh, the great thing about this series is that none of us have to worry about "how to watch legally" because, well, since it's a web series, it was meant to be watched online. Visual Brothers actually put the series up on Youtube and currently, that's the main platform that HK audiences are watching the series on (Mainland audiences are watching on streaming platform Youku). I've included the link to the series on YT below (the Cantonese version).
I'll try to update this post as I have time, but those who are watching this series feel free to comment / discuss below.
Enjoy!
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This is anon from Jayne! Thanks for writing this article up! Finally a place for me to read comments about how others feel about this web series, and I can also chime in wherever fits. It's too bad that Jayne never posted about this series. I also notice that no other TVB (English) fan sites mentioned about this series either like AF, spcnet, etc.
ReplyDeleteHi anon! Thanks for posting! Yea, definitely a shame that other English sites aren't covering it...in HK too though, not alot of sites have been covering it either...looks like this is going to be one of those HKTV situations where a certain niche of audiences who are tried of TVB's same old crap will support the series but everyone else who is already too far brainwashed by TVB won't bother. Since I seem to have so much to say about this series, I felt it was better to just write up a post on it so we can discuss on my blog rather than continuing to post on unrelated articles at JS.
ReplyDeleteAlso, stay tuned, as I've decided I'm going to write a few more posts on OCTB, as I've read quite a few fantastic articles on the series the past week that I feel really should be shared. Just today, HK01 did a really neat feature about the veteran actors in the series -- of course I know who all those veterans are since I grew up watching them, but alot of the younger audiences may have no clue who they are.
It's ironic that a mainland funded production is better than a local production from TVB. I hope this series does well so the budget would be higher for season 2.
ReplyDeleteYes, ironic indeed...though even more ironic to me is the fact that TVB, a HK company, is making series catered to Mainland audiences while this Mainland company is making series catered to HK audiences...its almost like they should switch roles or something.
DeleteI also hope this series does well...basically the more people who watch the series, the better it will do and the likelihood of them getting a bigger budget for season 2 is greater.
Hopefully the amount of hits on Yukou that this drama has had so far means there will be a season 2. The cast is great and it is a breath of fresh air for cantonese dramas (albeit the fact that it is super nostalgic). Admittedly I don't know any of the veteran actors in it - I'm too young for most of them, in fact I never even watched Young and Dangerous...but still I find this series enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, the number of hits on Youtube on the official channels seems to be a lot less than the "unofficial" channels also uploading it (like the unofficial channels has 410k views for episode 9 while the official one has 100k). I hope the other channel is actually banned in HK.
@Phixster: I agree. So far, things look really good for season 2, as the number of hits (Mainland and HK combined, though mostly Mainland) have exceeded 500 million. I haven't gotten very far watching it myself, but I got my mom watching the series and she is hooked (she loves that there are so many veteran actors in it, plus the acting is truly top notch and the plot, while not necessarily unique, is still "chase-worthy")...she is already up to date on whichever is the latest episode that came out (episode 15 I think?).
DeleteI actually didn't watch all of the Y&D franchise either (I think I only watched like the first 3...can't really remember) and of course it's not necessary to watch that franchise in order to enjoy this series (though there are some "inside joke" type stuff, like with the names and certain parts of the story, that only those who watched Y&D will notice). I'm actually planning on translating an article I found that gave a pretty good intro on who the veteran artists are (for those who may not know them, since majority weren't active in HK in the post 2000s era) -- though to be honest I think I might end up translating alot more articles, since HK01 (whose editors I suspect are huge fans of the series) has been coming out with at least 2 to 3 articles a day about the series and its artists. Unfortunately, time constraints will be an issue for me so hopefully I get to these soon and not have to make you guys wait too long.
Yea, I'm actually not sure about the "official" versus "unofficial" channel thing. In a way though, I don't think it really matters because I think the series has proven itself already, plus it's quite obvious that the number of "hits" they are mostly counting are the ones from Mainland netizens (those watching on Youku), which naturally will overshadow HK due to its population. For the HK version on Youtube, let's say every single person in HK watches (hypothetically speaking of course), that's only around 7 million people (the entire population of HK)...there's no way they are able to hit 500 million through HK alone. That's kind of why I'm not too concerned with the "ratings" in HK, since I've never been one to care about ratings (even with TVB's series) and also the HK number counts very little anyway.
With all that said though, I can't help once again praising the production team for looking past the numbers the first time around and making the series with 99% HK-based team (adding cast and crew together) in the first place and obviously target the series to HK, Cantonese speaking audience. Unlike TVB, which would rather target their series to Mainland audiences due to it being more lucrative and essentially neglect/abandon the HK audiences that made them who they are in the first place.
I noticed something weird. The Mandarin version is about 8 episodes ahead of the Cantonese version as of right now. I guess the mainlanders got a head start on this show. However, I found a site that has up to episode 22 but it's the Cantonese version. I thought the Cantonese version is only uploaded on the official YouTube channel and no where else?
ReplyDelete@ch1kusoo: I actually haven't read anything about Mainlanders being given any special viewing privileges -- given how "big" of an issue that is at the moment (due to TVB's "strategy" of allowing Mainlanders to watch ahead, which created quite a field day in the HK media world), I'm pretty sure the HK media would've said something by now. The only other reason I could think of why there are more episodes than what is officially out there is perhaps the episodes were leaked somehow and put up on all sorts of websites. Even with the episodes that are supposed to be out already, I don't doubt that it's posted elsewhere -- there are probably tons of duplicates on Youtube itself. I think part of the problem is that OCTB's production company is a relatively unknown one, so those searching to watch on Youtube probably just watch whichever version first pops up (which may not be the "official" version). When I was searching the series for my mom (since she watches on her Youtube app in Ipad), I put in the Chinese name for the series and literally dozens of versions of the series popped up, both in Cantonese and Mandarin -- I actually had to wade through all the listings to find the "official" one for my mom.
DeleteTotally agree with everyone that this series is definitely a breath of fresh air and chase-able. It has its flaws as far as acting and esthetic. However, I appreciate the script. It’s simple yet logical and presented in a logical, reason, and realistic way. It doesn’t try to mask it like some sort complex plot, like most TVB series, and ends up looking messy with a whole lot plot holes. Case in point, Unholy Alliance. Honestly, I don’t understand how HK audiences aren’t offended. TVB series makes me think that HK audiences are dumb and gullible with no sense of intelligence with the crap TVB cranks out.
ReplyDeleteBack about OCTB, the “lacks” show after 3rd or 4th episodes; mostly the acting from younger generations. Unfortunate that their talent pool isn’t as grand or wide as HKTV was. Like many had said, the older cast is great. Very, very nostalgic. Fun to see them in one small screen again. This underlines the problem in HK in general where there's no effort in grooming talents. Maybe there is but not able to have exposure or opportunity.
Anyways, I’m just glad that there are something new, has a lot potential to grow, and takes small screen protection seriously. This definitely worth supporting.
@jjwong: Agreed! I think the other thing that makes OCTB stand out is that it’s sincere in trying to present the whole “best of everything” package rather than the “one-sidedness” we often see in TVB series. For example, OCTB’s cast is a good balance of veteran actors + middle range artists + newbies, all with their roles to play in the series that advance the plot – there really isn’t emphasis on just one or two main artists and everyone else is relegated to “kelefe” status (which is what TVB series love to do)….the cast is well-balanced. Also, the nostalgia piece was well-done – subtle enough so that those of us who’ve been around awhile and know the artists and the movies, etc. can appreciate the memories that it generates while not detracting from the series itself – it feels “refreshing” rather than “recycled”….compare this to Wong Jing’s notorious over-the-top, in-your-face method (both movies and TV series) where he makes the nostalgia so obvious that it’s technically the main selling point of the movie/TV series – all the other elements (plot, script, acting, etc.) can go to hell (this is the same way TVB currently operates as well).
DeleteI totally agree about the flow of OCTB’s script – it’s so refreshing to see a script that isn’t “tailored” to particular artists and isn’t being used as a “political” tool! Often, with TVB’s series, there is so much unnecessary fluff that it’s pretty obvious some of the scenes in their series were specifically written to accommodate certain artists at the expense of the plot and story. Several veteran TVB producers / scriptwriters have talked about how they’ve had to “tailor” scripts for certain artists that management want to promote or add roles /characters into the script that weren’t there originally so that they could include artists who management specifically asked them to put into the series (in exchange for a particular artist that the producer might want). Basically, TVB’s scripts are used as bargaining chips in the power struggle between management and production team, with management often prevailing and dictating how the script should look like rather than letting the scriptwriter do their job and allowing the story to flow naturally -- that’s one of the reasons why so many of TVB’s series nowadays suck.
Hey guys - thanks for the discussions so far, they've been great! :-)
ReplyDeleteI’m actually working on the post about the veterans, but meanwhile, wanted to share a “fun fact” of sorts (interesting due to this being a series about cops and traids) --out of the cast of veterans that they invited to film this series, I noticed that there are at least 3 who I know for sure used to be cops in real life. Michael Chan Wai Mun was once a correctional officer and later switched to regular cop, but he left the force and actually was once part of the triads, so he actually knows people from “both sides”. Philip Chan Yan Kin was a cop for many years back in the 50s/60s and at one point was even the superintendent of police (one of the highest positions in the police force). Dominic Lam Ka Wah also used to be a police officer (forgot which rank though) who, before officially joining the entertainment industry, was known for hosting police informational shows. It’s interesting that in OCTB, all 3 play a version of their real life selves – Michael Chan plays the triad leader of Wo Hing Sing, Philip Chan plays the high ranking “Dai Sir” (Jordan Chan’s boss in the first few episodes), and Dominic Lam also plays a high ranking cop in charge of UC agents (Danny Chan’s UC liaison).
Also, I read some spoilers today about upcoming episodes….not going to reveal the plot of course but just a note of caution that there will be some pretty “graphic” scenes coming up so just be ready. One thing we should remember is that this is a web series, which has the advantage of not being under the jurisdiction of the HK Broadcasting Ordinance, so there is no restriction to the types of content it can include….I say this because it means those audiences who are used to watching TVB’s formulaic series may need to adjust their mindsets so that they don’t go into “how could they put that on TV” mode, lol. Luckily, most of those “chasing” OCTB aren’t the typical housewife audiences that TVB targets – otherwise, the “complaints” about the series being “a bad influence on children” would start pouring in left and right…ah, the beauty of web series!!
Ok it's official, I have started "chasing" this series and watching on youtube everyday when the episode comes out. The script actually flows quite well and although there are a lot of characters, everyone gets their turn to shine and become a major character in each story section.
ReplyDeleteI can't really fault any of their actors for their acting (except maybe Jordan's diction) but the veteran actors/actresses are top notch. The actress playing Lui tai is so good with acting through her eyes. There was a scene where she was just sitting listening to other people talk but the glances and the body language was just amazing.
I'm really hoping that this company can keep producing "HK series" after the success of OCTB. OCTB 2 would be nice but I'm always worried about the quality of sequels so I would rather they leave this one to become a "classic" and do something completely new (with all the production team and cast)
@Phixster: Yay! My mom has actually been doing the same thing – she won’t sleep until she watches the latest episode of OCTB, lol.
DeleteI absolutely agree about the script – I love the simplicity of it. I read an interview that Danny Chan did yesterday where he talked about how they (meaning the production team) are so shocked by the series’ success and that they actually did not do anything “special” in terms of production. The script was kept as simple as possible, filming as well – also , the part that I admire most is the fact that they did absolutely zero “censorship” editing on the series despite selling broadcasting rights to Mainland China. Danny said that the only thing the team insisted upon was that the series be 100% HK production, both cast and crew (which is true for the most part, though I would say it’s more like 99% because there are a few Mainland artists in the series – BUT they have to learn Cantonese and speak the language in the series rather than Mandarin). He said that the most difficult thing in producing this series was recruiting the veteran actors to participate in it…like Ng Man Tat for example, Danny pretty much “begged” him to participate. Tat Gor declined at first because of his health scare a few years back, he reduced his workload and basically refuses to film TV series because of the grueling schedule. Since Tat Gor knew Danny from before (their “connection” being Stephen Chow), he agreed to at least read the script for the few episodes that his character would be in….after that, Tat Gor asked Danny for the script for the rest of the series and after reading it, he finally agreed to participate). I think OCTB is a great example of what happens when you are sincere about putting forth a quality production without any gimmicks, ratings, and other “fluff” stuff in mind. See, this goes to show that it IS possible to achieve success going about things the right way (OCTB production team) without having to resort to tricks and deception (TVB’s method). I honestly feel that OCTB currently trumps all of TVB’s series that they’ve produced in the last decade….
@Phixster: I also hope that this production company makes more series, as they’ve proven to me that they are worthy of support. But first things first – season 2 of OCTB has already been confirmed, as the latest viewership numbers on the Mainland have already exceeded 800 million (wow – that’s got to be a record…I wonder if the viewership will break 1 billion by the time the series is over). According to Danny, they’ve got another “who’s who” list of veterans lined up for season 2, which will commence filming early next year. Of course he won’t reveal who those veterans are, though it’s pretty much a given that those characters who make it to the end will continue to next season (in Danny’s words – “most of us [the characters in the series] will not have good endings” so we will have to see who – I read spoilers so I already know of a few who won’t make it). Part of me is super-excited given how good season 1 was, however the more rational part of me, like you, also has reservations about sequels….but looking on the positive side, this production company has already shown us that they are not TVB, so perhaps they won’t take the traditional path and actually make the sequel a worthy follow up to the original…I can only cross my fingers and pray at this point, lol…
DeleteBtw, the actress who plays Mrs. Lui is Carrie Ng, veteran television and movie actress from the 80s/90s who has also won multiple movie industry awards (including Best Actress at Golden Horse Awards). She actually has quite a prolific career and has remained active over the years (mostly in Mainland) as both actress and producer. She’s one of those actresses who is beautiful but also talented, though she was typecasted a lot back in the day playing sexy vixens and such (she was in a few category III movies too, though they were more ‘high quality’ ones). I am actually thoroughly impressed by all the veterans in this series – their acting is indeed top notch and the awesome part is that many of the younger audiences recognize it too!
Hi Llwy not sure if you posted info about the company. I was wondering if this new company had production people who used to work for HKTV? Somehow the single camera shooting and all real location as well as lighting was very similar to HKTV's style.
ReplyDeleteNice to know this series is successful though the HK media didn't really seem to hype it up or report about it. Still have yet to watch it but I know a series is good when my dad doesn't spend time playing games on his phone at all.
It was smart of them to air it to compete against a lower quality and boring Line Walker 2.
@sport: Hi there! I posted some stuff about the company here and there in the comments sections but nothing really concrete. My understanding though is no, there’s no HKTV affiliation in terms of production staff (the main players at least…don’t know about the staff who work for them). I think the similarities in style are mostly coincidental…the series’ producer and director (and co-owner of the production company Visual Brothers) Jones Soong used to be an actor eons ago but it never really worked out, so he took his passion for movies behind-the-scenes and studied filmmaking / directing for many years…plus he watches a lot of movies and actually pays attention to technique, style, etc….in a way, he’s applying everything he learned to this series.
DeleteYea, it IS quite a shame that the mainstream media in HK has been choosing to cover TVB’s series over everyone else’s. The only media outlet that has been covering non-TVB stuff it seems is HK01 – they’ve been coming out with articles everyday on OCTB as well as ViuTV’s series (plus they cover Mainland, Taiwanese, Korean, and Japanese series / programs as well). On the English side, it’s even worse, since most of the fan sites out there are TVB-oriented so everyone else gets barely a mention. This is one of the reasons why I decided to open a post for OCTB on my blog….it’s the whole HKTV “supporting the underdog” thing for me all over again, lol.
One thing is for sure, I hope this company will try other topics and have more than 1 production. Obviously not everyone will be into the gang related and violent type of series.
ReplyDeleteAgree that this isn't a typical housewives series. In fact I think the majority who truly enjoy this series are male audience who haven't had such an intense HK tv series in a while! People like my mom wouldn't even give it a try!
ReplyDeleteMy mom has actually been chasing OCTB and actually loves the series, though a huge reason is because of all the veterans in there, all of whom she knows really well (she never watched Young and Dangerous so to her, that piece is irrelevant). I do agree though that the audiences chasing the series are most likely not the typical TVB audiences (my mom is definitely an exception, lol, though she’s not typical TVB audience either I guess, since she has always watched non-TVB stuff from the beginning as well)…I think the fact that it’s a 100% web series already speaks to the fact that they aren’t targeting TVB’s audiences, since many of the older housewives still struggle with the technology anyway.
DeleteOne thing I read yesterday is that it looks like OCTB is having an effect on others because now other companies are clamoring to do web series. Emperor Entertainment just announced that they will be remaking the film PTU into a web series and will be inviting Anthony Wong to star in it. Looks like OCTB season 2 will have some competition….but I’m still supporting OCTB and Visual Brothers over the other production companies because I already know the other companies don’t have the same mindset/vision and will focus on catering to Mainland rather than HK audiences.
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