WRITTEN BY FUNN LIM
Decided to combine these 2 episodes because I watched them one after the other and the joke is, these 2 episodes are the one I have been hoping, praying and crying for and yet when the one I want most to watch arrive, I feel strangely detached mainly because this series should have been near ending by now. Imagine this; Holiday has yet to start her cadet program. Yeap, a loooooooooooooong way to go. But at least enough with the past and now back to present and moving forward to the future.
I am tempted to say this will be my last recap for this series. But since I haven't decided yet, I will continue until I do feel it will be my last recap for this series.
RECAP!
Summer waits for Isaac but after waiting for hours, she leaves to go sightseeing. And this scene really is based on reality; as is missing phone, gallivanting in Paris and poor Isaac, knowing he is like 4 hours later decides to look for her. Not that Paris is small but I suppose just hit the tourist spot? Moreover not many Chinese around. As for Roy, he decides to go back to hotel to sleep, much to the disgust of Isaac.
Summer takes photos, looks at beautiful buildings and Isaac also running at the same place. Raining, only 2 people not holding umbrellas and it is the actors by the way. When Isaac almost gives up, he hears a voice; "So easy giving up on finding me?" and it is Summer and he is happy, she is happy, about 3 times he almost bloody kiss her except each time interrupted by that idiot Roy's call and in the end he wants to kiss her but she moves away. URGHHH! ARGHHHH!! KISS LARRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!
Anyway they walk away together, happy until a street artiste stops her and says she is finally back, so he can complete the sketch and he is holding a half done Zoe portrait. Summer is shocked she looks almost like Zoe (here I laughed again. Remember 90% lookalike? What a funny funny line!) and Isaac suddenly looks at her grimly and backs away from her. Summer could sense Isaac's reluctance and Summer decides to sit down to complete the painting which doesn't make Isaac feeling better and he asks why she bothers and Summer says this is for Sam. And so Isaac stares as she sits down and frankly I can see what he is thinking. Like "she's my sis in law!! I can't date my sis in law!!". The truth is actually more noble. It is not like he loves Summer less but it is just that he loves Sam more. Sam may look strong but everyone knows the issue of Zoe is still highly sensitive.
Back in Skylette plane, Roy sits between Isaac and Summer and he declares he is now happy, relaxed and free and flirts with Rachel. But he also wonders why Isaac and Summer are both so quiet, he tried to chat them up but both ignore him.
When Isaac comes home, Coco also back home, her IVF successful. Usually takes a long time but Coco got it so soon! Anyway being pregnant Sam pampers her and Isaac is also attentive. One day she says she wants to eat... errrr... duck's tongue? From Taiwan and Coco says so loudly and Isaac stares at her with a warning and Sam looks glum and grim and Coco realises she has mentioned something she shouldn't and Sam brushes that away. But he is upset.
Isaac has the Zoe/Summer painting and I can't remember what happened but I do remember Sam going into Isaac's room and seeing the painting he is very very upset as he confronted Isaac and asks "Is this supposed to be Zoe or Summer?" and Isaac explains how he got the sketch completed but Sam is still very very upset. I think some flashback here as to how the incomplete sketch comes about; Zoe wasn't feeling well and has promised to come back the next day to complete the sketch but she never did. Because she saw how her illness was affecting him and so one night he came home to see Zoe missing. He went in search of her like a mad man (literally looking like a hobo mad man and Francis always does have this aura of a mad man if he is acting like a mad man) and when he can't find her, her drops to his knees crying out for her (like a mad man).
Pause.
As much as I love this scene and tear up for Sam, Francis here admittedly kinda overacted, a lot. But hey, he was looking for this love of his life, LIKE A MADMAN. I believe that was when Zoe flew to Taiwan and met Holly and died there. Very very sad. TVB, I HATE YOU!!! Can't you make a bloody sequel without bloody killing off a bloody main character?! Why can't you show them happy and wants a child but can't and so Coco volunteers as surrogate mother? Huh? Huh?!
Continue.
Later Isaac is discussing the whole Zoe/Summer conflict with Coco and Coco advises him if he can hold on the romance with Summer, then do it because Sam is still not comfortable with Zoe's passing. Isaac wonders if he can just hold on an impending love but he also says Sam seems cool about the sketch. But he agrees with Coco; he can't risk Sam being hurt again so he decides to not pursue Summer.
At Skylette, Sam is with Tony I think discussing about PPP graduates and looking at westerners applying for cadet program and wonders if theirs can measure up to the westerners and they feel confident they can. Anyway then comes the funniest scene for both episodes.
Jayden walks in in his captain's uniform with his Rayban on and he looks, without a doubt, so sulky he is ready to kill with his sulkiness. Sam is wondering why Jayden looks so sulky and I think Tony is the one who said 2 captains are injured or unavailable so Jayden has to fly more to cover for the 2 missing captains. Jayden walks to them and sulkily observes that he will have to fly a few times and asks why not Sam help out and Sam is ready until he hears he has to fly to Kaoshiung and he stiffens as Jayden dryly says "Oh yeah, you won't fly to Kaoshiung right? Unlike you, I am not the top brass so I can't pick and choose my destination" and Sam shamed into agreeing to help Jayden.
Pause.
I love this Jayden sulky moment. He can really sulk! And his sarcastic zing of a remark was really funny!
Continue.
I can't remember when was this scene but Sam at some point saw Jayden rather intimate with another girl and he worries for Holiday.
Meanwhile Holiday is at home waiting for Jayden to come back and she complains that he is probably out there fooling around. He comes back, he teases her, she plays hard to get, and they end up on bed. What they do next is out of camera range but we can all guess. Anyway he promises to appease her by agreeing to whatever she wants and she says she wants them both to....
FLY A PLANE!
Yeap, there she is with a humongous camera (Nikon?) and taking pictures and going OOOOHHHH AHHHHHH WAHHHH WOWWWWWW YEAHHHHHHH and I feel like wow, what a fake awed expression. Sorry Fala, it was terrible.
At night in bed truly not very sexy (in tank tops and what nots) they both look up admiring their ceiling and it is a ceiling with a huge picture of the sky and clouds.
By the way Holiday is invited to Kaiteng (?) Taiwan for Daniel's sister's wedding. Of course she is going. On the way to the airport, at the car park, she sees Sam in captain's uniform and is surprised to know he is flying to Kaoshiung. Jayden says it is his undoing as he forced Sam to take the flying duty and Sam humbly says he is an employee, he goes where the boss tells him to go. Jayden playfully tells Sam he is handing over Holiday for Sam to take good care of. Jayden goes away, Sam wonders if he should tell Holiday what he saw and Holiday assures Sam Jayden treats her very very well.
During the flight, only Sam and Roy. Roy tries to start small chat, like complimenting Sam's hair but Sam dismissed Roy politely and says he doesn't chat during flight and so Roy shuts up, nervously. Sam is solemn. Holiday meanwhile looks at photos of clouds and sky all signed by Daniel and she tears up a bit.
Once in Kaoshiung, everyone plans to go shopping, etc as they need to spend a night there but Sam refuses to leave the airport and just change and sits at the terminal and read.
Holiday in the taxi and by now I think 2nd time Adele's song is played in this episode. Also very funny is the taxi will go back and forth the airport for the same 2 customers. I was chuckling at that idea. Anyway Holiday suddenly realises she forgot her friend's wedding gift and she calls Sam asking him to get the package for her from the plane and he agrees and then she asks if he could come to Kaiteng to meet her but Sam flat out refuses and Holiday says she can't make the wedding if she has to come back but Sam says no, politely and Holly has no choice but to ask the taxi driver to turn back.
There she strolls in with her luggage and she sees him already out of his uniform and feels a bit frustrated he doesn't help her by going to Kaiteng. But she knows why and she gently urges him to go out but Sam refuses and Holly, frustrated scolds Sam not to just stay in there, to live a little, that Zoe wouldn't want him to behave that way and why he has to lie about being by Zoe's side when she died and he wasn't there and Sam gets so angry he shouted at her to stop bringing up Zoe and Sam is near exploding in anger at the mere mention of Zoe and throws his book on the chair as everyone looks at him and Holiday mentions how Sam tore up his favourite book to show to her how to move on and why can't he do the same but Sam is very very angry and in the end Holiday also as angry leaves. Sam is now near exploding with anger at Holiday's busybodiness, if there is such a word.
Sam is crying, silently in the airport, glum and angry when Holiday in the taxi keeps calling him, out of guilt. He refuses to take her call but finally he takes the call and Holiday tries to apologise for being too harsh on him, that she understands what he is going through when suddenly the taxi swerves avoiding a woman and Holiday cries out ahhhhhhhh and call stops and Sam is now panicking, because he is afraid what happened to Holiday. In a taxi he calls some public service dept and is told there was such an accident, 2 people are injured but not sure how seriously. He rushes to the hospital only to see Holiday walking out with a plaster on her forehead as she explains what happened, which was rather funny and Sam says he's here to check if she's ok. Holly is very happy to see Sam out of the airport but Sam doesn't look happy. He in fact is walking away slowly, his face changing from concern to glum to horrified as Holly wonders why he is acting that way and tries to talk to him about his feelings, Zoe and all that when Sam cries out "STOP! STOPPP!!!! CAN YOU NOT TALK ABOUT ZOE ANYMORE?!?!?" and he basically runs/walks away and Holiday is now alarmed, and with her luggage in tow she follows him. I am afraid she won't be able to get to the wedding.
We then see why Sam is so traumatised. That is the same hospital where he identified and collected Zoe's body (at the morgue) and we see him look at her body on the table, crying.
I see! I see! Sam is actually in denial.
He cuts a lonely figure as he walks and walks to this amazing seaside view with rocks and all (sea quite volatile and all, kinda reflects his mood and inner struggle at his guilt) when Holly walks up to him and I think she says sorry or something and that she understands why he lied about being with Zoe when she died when he wasn't with her since he can't share his grief with those who probably can't understand and I think this is where she explains how she met Zoe, how she got the tri-angel, how Zoe told her to return her tri-angel to her husband and tell him she doesn't blame him, she wants him to live well and how because not long after Daniel died and she too becomes too preoccupied with her own problems but Sam is now calming down and admits Holly is right, he should not be in denial, he should move on with life and not be dragged down by guilt and that he finally is able to let go of the past and unlock his heart's dilemma so to speak. Holly in turn thanks Sam for helping her too and that she too finally unlocks her heart's dilemma with regards to Daniel.
Now that he is ok, Holly rushes to the wedding but no taxi. She sees a small lorry and stops it and climbs on it with Sam and they both enjoy the view and laugh at each other and appreciate the beautiful blue skies.
Sam is about to fly back and they chit chat on the phone and Holly tells him she arrived when the wedding was over but the bride is happy she made it in the end.
On Skylette plane, Sam suddenly strike up a conversation with Roy and Roy is relieved and notes that Sam seems so relaxed after the trip. Sam apologises for his rudeness before and lets Roy land the plane later on which Roy happily agrees.
Back at home, Coco enjoys the duck tongue bought by Sam but constantly goes to the toilet. I need to tell you this because of Jim Jim. Anyway earlier or maybe in this scene Coco on the advice of Sam and Isaac decide not to reveal her pregnancy and take long leave when her bump shows. Meanwhile she can still work.
Holly alone at home waiting for Jayden and she decides to take an umbrella out as it is raining and she remembers Daniel and how she always mistaken Jayden as Daniel, and she is in fact in love with his back because from the back he looks like Daniel. When Jayden arrives in a taxi again in intimate embrace with a woman, she stares at him as he happily runs to her and she makes a decision. She announces to Jayden "I think we should break up" and that shocks Jayden except he doesn't look as shocked.
A few minutes later back in the apartment, Jayden says it has been a few minutes between lift and apartment and he asks her again if she means it and she says she does. He asks if it is because of that taxi and the girl which he assures her that woman is just a friend and moreover, why is Holly so serious now, aren't they supposed to be casual and Holly says since they're casual then he will be ok with the breakup and she confesses that she is with Jayden because of that locked bracelet opened by Jayden and all that and she thought they were fated but she now realises she still loves Daniel and Jayden is only a substitute. She cries hard and Jayden hugs her. I thought he looks a bit offended. But Jayden is super cool, he is a survivor, he will be ok.
At Skylette, the PPP graduates meet up and is happy all of them made it into the cadet program. Even Mr Sulky Teddy also. They all asks if maybe they should celebrate together with the instructors, including Mr Koo and Holly announces she is no longer with Jayden, which Sam overhears and he looks.. pleased? Coco is introduced as she is one of the air stewardess training teacher and of course there's Pink Pink walking in, unbelievably. So I think there ends her ballet career.
Anyway Jim Jim sees Coco again and looks at her and later when alone in the lift, he suddenly asks her which school she was in (primary school I think) and even calls her by her full name which Coco reminds him no one calls her that except her family. Suddenly she has stomach ache and Jim Jim takes her to the clinic and he overhears she is pregnant. He politely asks maybe he should inform the father of the unborn child and Coco reminds him to mind his own business and tell no one, absolutely no one and he agrees.
Technician team at home having breakfast and is happy for Teddy getting into the program and they take Sanya trip as celebratory trip except they're not sure if they should ask Isaac and Teddy diplomatically says Summer should decide and Summer says she will ask Isaac then. Josie at the kitchen and Summer sees her taking out a huge pill box and she thinks Josie is taking diet pills but Josie does not correct her. Josie asks if she could join in the Sanya trip and Summer says they barely know each other and Josie says then this is the time to know one another. So Summer says ok and Josie is very very happy.
Summer with Jayden with Summer buying and bringing lunch to Jayden. As Jayden is eating Summer asks where is Holiday and he reveals they've broken up and she has moved away. Summer is shocked to hear that but Jayden tells her very important lesson in life; better to be friends than to part ways badly. Lovers can change but friends are here to stay. Summer wonders if 2 people can really be friends after a break up and Jayden is alarmed as he asks if she is with or was with someone and she cryptically asks what makes him think she never dated before? But Jayden advises if parting can be amicable and still stay as friends, then that's more important and Summer considers that wisdom as Jayden asks again if she is seeing someone. She remains coy.
Isaac in his room alone staring at Summer/Zoe portrait (now THIS is creepy because that's half Zoe, half Summer!) when Summer sms-es him and asking if he wants to join the Sanya trip. He hesitates and I think he agrees because next scene he is there with Summer and gang getting ready for the trip when Josie joins them and she asks Isaac if he is ok she follows them and Isaac is ok and Summer looks at Isaac who doesn't really look at her but she is having a small smile.
THE END.
Performance wise, Fala is a huge fail, especially in approximately 3 scenes where she wonders, she cries, she feels sad and all that. I thought she just looks like "reading scripture" sort of acting. I feel nothing for her. NOTHING.
Francis I agree faltered a bit during the whole emotional scene and he looks at times like almost bored. You know? Like not his best take. But even at his worst he is way better than everyone. One sene I did not recap above is that flashback scene with Zoe and you can see the chemistry and they fed one another the awful tasting souffle and Francis like not intentionally but we know is part of his acting performance use his finger to wipe Myolie's lips in a very very affectionate way and I thought it is that sort of natural acting moments that a lot of TVB actors can't do without looking deliberate. He made it look so effortlessly romantic. That is why I love Francis in this series. Everything he does is a calculative move as an actor interpreting his role and yet they all look so natural. Compare than to Fala in that scene crying to Chilam about her dead Daniel. The camera on her face the entire time and I just feel awful for her because she was so awful I wish the camera cut away to Chilam just for a few seconds to spare me the fakery I see.
Chilam on the other hand is absolutely amazing. I seriously love that bitchy moment he had, that sulky scene where he had to fly a few more rounds and his sarcastic remark, that zinger he delivered to Francis' Sam. That is perfect timing of a a zinger.
Myolie is getting better but still too self aware and too controlled to the point she looks like she is as if calculating her next move. Like Fala, she is obviously acting and nothing natural, unlike Fala, she is not a pain to watch and there's no fakery, just too self aware.
Ron Ng is truly one of the breakout star in this series and I consider this series his best performance todate. His Isaac is witty, nice and all round the best sidekick ever. His acting is only so much but Isaac is definitely written for him.
Kenneth is still so silly.
A note about Him Law. However much I dislike his past or his fake-dating Tavia to save his crumbling image, I suppose behind every troubled star is a potential for greatness. Him Law without a doubt can act. His bumbling naive Jim Jim here is endearing and I look forward to his story with Coco. I love his awkwardness and his shyness and I feel he has that natural ability to emote well which is rare amongst TVB actors. He is one of those to lookout for and I suppose maybe his best test will be when he does a wuxia series, if he hasn't been in one already. But so far he is clearly rather good in modern day series and I feel he has improved much as an actor who had potential to begin with.
Other than that, not much comment about the others. Still hate Adrian Chau, am happy I do not have to see Rebecca Zhu much.
And at the end of my long recap for these 2 episodes, I regret to inform and I have decided that this is to be my last recap for this series. I think I should end on a high note, where most of the past is unlocked and the characters are now moving forward. I feel nothing much to recap now since this series is moving forward and I might as well just enjoy watching it rather than taking down notes. Whatever happens after this, I will summarise in my eventual super long review if I do write one. Not to say I don't enjoy recapping this series but I do not feel motivated enough to follow through with it, unlike my previous recaps. I feel to say so little for such a long series is truly a snail paced series for me and I can't take it anymore. I was hoping I could complete this but when I don't feel like rushing to my computer to write, I know this is when I should quit because my passion for this series is waning. I will still continue to watch but as you know, recapping means I need to concentrate more and I hate having to count how many times Adele's songs are played, unconsciously. Maybe another better series either more terrible or much better will encourage me more. The problem with this series is it started great but at mid point, it is at best average, It is neither terrible or awesome. For my readers who are following my recaps, a thousand apologies for not completing this and a million thanks for the many corrections, comments and suggestions whether here at my blog or any Jaynestars.
If you're reading this here at my blog, the comments are still open so do feel free to post your comments.
Thank you again.
