TVB Anniversary Awards 2018 will be held on 16th December 2018 (Sunday). This year, the awards ceremony returns to its usual mid-December slot after last year’s grand 50th anniversary celebration that saw the 2017 awards being pushed to January 2018. It is still fresh on our mind seeing Vincent Wong winning his first best actor win from his impressive performance in Legal Mavericks. On the other hand, I believe most of us could still not believe our eyes when we saw Natalie Tong being crowned best actress from an ordinary performance in My Unfair Lady.
Now, we move on to another year with another list of dramas and performances. Basically, the nomination list for TVB Anniversary Awards includes everyone and every drama that aired in that particular year. Hence, there is nothing exciting about it. TVB should reduce nominees for each categories to top 10 or top 5 to make the race for competitive. Now, the TVB artistes aren’t feeling anything and not even a little proud as basically, you will get nominated once you have a series released in that year.
(Image source: TVB official webpage)
I will post parts of the nomination list below alongside my usual thoughts for each categories: (highlighted in bold is my predicted top 5 while those with X at the back is my preferred top 5 picks)
Best Drama
Come Home Love: Lo and Behold <愛·回家之開心速遞>
The Forgotten Valley <平安谷之詭谷傳說>
Watch Out, Boss <波士早晨>
Threesome <三個女人一個「因」>
Birth of a Hero <翻生武林>
Apple-colada <果欄中的江湖大嫂>
Daddy Cool <逆緣> X
Stealing Seconds <棟仁的時光>
Deep in the Realm of Conscience <宮心計2深宮計>
Succession War <天命> X
Who Wants a Baby? <BB來了> X
The Stunt <特技人>
Another Era <再創世紀>
Life on the Line <跳躍生命線> X
OMG, Your Honour <是咁的，法官閣下>
Fist Fight <兄弟> X
Wife Interrupted <救妻同學會>
Learning Curve of a Warlord <大帥哥>
Predicted to win: Life On The Line
Wanted to win: Succession War / Daddy Cool
Opinion: Succession War is seriously underrated and I don’t get why it doesn’t get the popularity and rating it deserves. It is much more interesting and engaging that the draggy Deep In The Realm Of Conscience. The only downside to Succession War is Shaun Tam’s poor performance in it. So far besides than some cool actions, Fist Fight seems to be just fine. Learning Curve of a Warlord starring Dicky Cheung would have aired only 10 episodes by the time the ceremony comes and it should be pushed to next year’s list instead.
Best Actor
Lau Kong for The Forgotten Valley X
Raymond Wong Ho-yin for Apple-colada
Wayne Lai for Daddy Cool X
Carlos Chan for Daddy Cool
Kenneth Ma for Deep in the Realm of Conscience
Edwin Siu for Deep in the Realm of Conscience
Ruco Chan for Succession War X
Lai Lok-yi for Who Wants a Baby? X
Shaun Tam for The Stunt
Roger Kwok for Another Era
Benjamin Yuen for Another Era
Pakho Chau for Another Era
Joe Ma for Life on the Line
Matthew Ho for Line on the Line
Ben Wong for OMG, Your Honour
Eddie Kwan for OMG, Your Honour
Vincent Wong for Fist Fight X
Mat Yeung for Fist Fight
Dicky Cheung for The Learning Curve of a Warlord
Tony Hung for The Learning Curve of a Warlord
Predicted to win: Benjamin Yuen for Another Era / Joe Ma for Life On The Line
Wanted to win: Ruco Chan for Succession War / Vincent Wong for Fist Fight
Opinion: TVB is so crazy in love with Benjamin Yuen this year and is on their obvious path to heavily promote him. His acting improves but still there is a huge room of development before he can reach best actor material. After sweeping the two Favourite Lead Actor awards for Malaysia and Singapore recently which are totally too much for him (not deserving), it’s just not the time yet for him to win in TVB Anniversary Awards this year. I would rather see past TV king winners like Ruco or Vincent to win again this year. Dicky’s series would have been out for only 10 episodes as stated earlier and his chance is slim. And why is Steven Ma missing in the list but Kenneth Ma and Edwin Siu are there? Three of them were in Deep In The Realm Of Conscience and Steven is even the first male lead. This is absurd.
Best Actress
Louisa So for The Forgotten Valley X
Grace Chan for The Forgotten Valley
Mandy Wong for Threesome X
Eliza Sam for Apple-colada
Rosina Lam for Daddy Cool
Natalie Tong for Stealing Seconds
Nancy Wu for Deep in the Realm of Conscience
Alice Chan for Deep in the Realm of Conscience
Selena Lee for Succession War X
Elaine Yiu for Succession War
Ali Lee for Who Wants a Baby? X
Tavia Yeung for Another Era
Niki Chow for Another Era X
Moon Lau for Life on the Line
Grace Wong for OMG, Your Honour
Louisa Mak for OMG, Your Honour
Rebecca Zhu for Fist Fight
Sisley Choi for The Learning Curve of a Warlord
Predicted to win: Mandy Wong for Threesome
Wanted to win: Ali Lee for Who Wants A Baby? / Niki Chow for Another Era
Opinion: I wouldn’t have huge objection if Mandy wins, but wouldn’t it be nice to hand out the award to someone else who is deserving this year too such as Ali or Niki since Mandy already took two awards (Malaysia and Singapore).
Most Popular Male TV Character
Wayne Lai as Ho Wing-nin in Daddy Cool
Carlos Chan as Chung Ting-kwok in Daddy Cool X
Benjamin Yuen as Tsang Tung-yan in Stealing Seconds
Kenneth Ma as Yam Sam-shu in Deep in the Realm of Conscience X
Edwin Siu as Ho Lei in Deep in the Realm of Conscience
Ruco Chan as Heshen in Succession War X
Shaun Tam as the Jiaqing Emperor in Succession War
Lai Lok-yi as Elvis Yip in Who Wants a Baby?
Pakho Chau as Ching Hoi in Another Era
Joe Ma as Mak Tsoi-tin in Life on the Line
Matthew Ho as Cheuk Ka-kit in Life on the Line
Ben Wong as John Fan in OMG, Your Honour
Eddie Kwan as James Yiu in OMG, Your Honour
Oscar Leung as Charles Chiu in OMG, Your Honour
Hugo Wong as Michael Lai in OMG, Your Honour
Vincent Wong as “Fever” Cheung Fei-fan in Fist Fight X
Mat Yeung as Leo Ha in Fist Fight
Hubert Wu as Lee Yan-long in Wife Interrupted
Dicky Cheung as Dik Kei in The Learning Curve of a Warlord X
Tony Hung as Ma Tan in The Learning Curve of a Warlord
Predicted to win: Benjamin Yuen in Stealing Seconds / Vincent Wong in Fist Fight
Wanted to win: Carlos Chan in Daddy Cool
Opinion: If Benjamin Yuen won this, he will not win best actor. I would rather hoping this situation to happen. But in this category, I’m rooting for Carlos as his role as the great grandpa in Daddy Cool is funny and likable and he did very well in it.
Most Popular Female TV Character
Joyce Tang as Hung Sheung-sin in Come Home Love: Lo and Behold
Rebecca Zhu as Ku Man-yi in The Forgotten Valley
Mandy Wong as Evie Fong in Threesome X
Grace Chan as Sau Tsoi-sam in Birth of a Hero
Eliza Sam as Barika Lee in Apple-colada
Crystal Fung as Chan Yuk-man in Apple-colada
Rosina Lam as Aki Chong in Daddy Cool
Natalie Tong as Kris Ching in Stealing Seconds
Nancy Wu as Wong Chun in Deep in the Realm of Conscience X
Alice Chan as Princess Taiping in Deep in the Realm of Conscience X
Selena Lee as Empress Xiaoherui in Succession War X
Elaine Yiu as Changmei in Deep in the Realm of Conscience
Ali Lee as Ellen Tong in Who Wants a Baby? X
Samantha Ko as Katina Hui in Who Want a Baby?
Gloria Tang as Chu Siu-wai in Another Era
Kelly Cheung as Mandy Man in Life on the Line
Grace Wong as Ophelia Mok in OMG, Your Honour
Kaman Kong as “Sitting” Ma Sze-ting in Fist Fight
Moon Lau as Jill Chiu in Wife Interrupted
Sisley Choi as Cheung Yuen-yuen in The Learning Curve of a Warlord
Predicted to win: Ali Lee in Who Wants A Baby? / Mandy Wong in Threesome
Wanted to win: Selena Lee in Succession War
Opinion: If Mandy Wong win best actress, this award will then go to Ali Lee likely. I have this feeling that Ali Lee will not go home empty handed this year. My personal favourite for this category is actually Selena Lee. Her role in Succession War is again underrated. She did it so well and gracefully. She deserves some serious recognition and is overdue for TVB awards.
Best Supporting Actor
Jimmy Au for Come Home Love: Lo and Behold
Louis Yuen for The Forgotten Valley
David Chiang for Birth of a Hero
Jazz Lam for Apple-colada
Andrew Yuen for Apple-colada
Willie Wai for Deep in the Realm of Conscience
Savio Tsang for Deep in the Realm of Conscience
Joel Chan for Succession War X
Jonathan Cheung for Succession War X
Tsui Wing for Who Wants a Baby? X
Bowie Wu for Another Era
Karl Ting for Another Era
Joey Law for Life on the Line
Arnold Kwok for Life on the Line
Bob Cheung for Life on the Line X
Oscar Leung for OMG, Your Honour X
Hugo Wong for OMG, Your Honour
Jackson Lai for OMG, Your Honour
Telford Wong for Wife, Interrupted
Raymond Wong for The Learning Curve of a Warlord
Predicted to win: Jimmy Au for Come Home Love: Lo And Behold
Wanted to win: Bob Cheung for Life On The Line
Opinion: Looks like the race for supporting actor this year is nothing exciting. I have a feeling that since Jimmy Au missed out the chance to win last year and so this year will be the time to compensate.
Best Supporting Actress
Joyce Tang for Come Home Love: Lo and Behold
Mandy Lam for Come Home Love: Lo and Behold
Zoie Tam for The Forgotten Valley
Crystal Fung for Apple-colada X
Kaman Kong for Apple-colada
Elvina Kong for Daddy, Cool
Jacqueline Wong for Deep in the Realm of Conscience X
Susan Tse for Deep in the Realm of Conscience
Akina Hong for Deep in the Realm of Conscience
Stephanie Ho for Succession War
Angelina Lo for Who Wants a Baby? X
Samantha Ko for Who Wants a Baby? X
Gloria Tang for Another Era
Jeannie Chan for Life on the Line
Kelly Cheung for Life on the Line X
Pinky Cheung for Life on the Line
Kirby Lam for OMG, Your Honour
Tiffany Lau for Fist Fight
Toby Chan for Fist Fight
Vivien Yeo for The Learning Curve of a Warlord
Predicted to win: Jacqueline Wong for Deep In The Realm Of Conscience
Wanted to win: Angelina Lo for Who Wants A Baby?
Opinion: TVB usually likes to contribute shock in this category (even Rebecca Zhu is shocked to win this award last year when she heard her name called out). TVB would want to hand out this to Jacqueline Wong so that she won’t be that ‘far behind’ her boyfriend, Kenneth Ma. Angelina Lo stood out in this race for her powerful performance in Who Wants A Baby? and this wonderful veteran actress deserves it more than anyone else this year.
There are some other categories too but I won’t be putting my focus on those.