Beyond The Realm Of Conscience

After Mediacorp dramas, I now progress to watching TVB dramas. Don't get me wrong. It's not that I have not watched TVB dramas before. In fact, I've always watched TVB dramas on television since my school days, and they were really entertaining.

In the past few years however, I have not been watching, being occupied with other things in life. But now, I am starting to watch again. Since 4 months ago, I've watched 6 different dramas, and there hasn't been any that failed to entertain!

I have just finished watching "Beyond The Realm Of Conscience" or 宮心計, and what strikes me the most about this drama is that it really appeals to the sense of sight - good-looking actors and pretty actresses, elaborate sets, strikingly colourful costumes and accessories. I just love the lavish Tang Dynasty costumes and hairdo on the female actresses. Since the story is set in the palace, the royalty were dressed to the nines! The palace workers wore uniforms, but those too, were beautifully designed and tailored!

The storyline was well-written, with a lot of twists and turns which I had not expected. For instance, I did not expect that Yuen Choi Wan (Susanna Kwan) was involved romantically with a palace guard in her younger days, and had even abandoned her own child.

I had never liked Charmaine Sheh before this. But now, I sincerely think that she has matured and improved much in her acting. As the protagonist of this drama, she was kind, generous, soft-spoken, yet strong and resilient. I think Charmaine portrayed the different nuances of Sam Ho's character very well.

Moses Chan of course, portrayed the retarded Prince Kwong very well. I really like Moses Chan in goofy characters like this. Later as a righteous Emperor, he was firm, eloquent, and authoritative.

Tavia Yeung's role was evil, but she failed me make me hate her, even after I had finished watching the drama. Not to say that her acting was not good. But maybe, she just did not exude that hateful kind of feeling.

Kevin Cheng's character, Ko Hin-Yeung, however, did not make much of an impression on me. He was a good man in the drama. But somehow, his role was not impactful.

There were many scenes that I liked, notably these two :

1) Lee Yi's ascension to throne; when it was realised that he was only feigning retardation, the shock on their faces of his antoginists were apparent;

2) Lee Yi's Emperor Suen Tsung appointed Sam Ho to be his concubine and it surprised everyone in the Court.

Well, in this drama, I prefer the Moses - Charmaine pairing, rather than the Kevin - Charmaine pairing, which I think exuded more chemistry onscreen. And did Ko Hin-Yeung suffer from amnesia towards the end? Hmn, I suppose he did as he could not even recognise Sam Ho. So sad.

This drama is mainly about the schemes in the Imperial palace household, and though full of grandeur, the palace does not seem to be a very conducive place to live at all. It is where the fittest will survive, and where we see masters and servants plot against each other to usurp power authority.

Quite an enjoyable show, overall. Recommended to those who have nothing much on their hands and are looking for some entertainment to fill their time.