Together, Forever

I've been held captive by the Ch 8 series Together for the past month or so; My excuse was that I was writing a comment piece on it (incidentally, it's out this week in 8 Days) but I've grown enthralled:
It’s not difficult to say what qualities make this series so riveting for me, although the plot is conventional and characters stock. There’s life in Together, and a quirky, original charm even though it’s yet another nostalgic blast from the past drama.
A coming of age story set purportedly in North Bridge Road in the '60s, it’s a period that my mother can identify with. There’s never a dull moment with the relentless plot twists and turns, but a major draw is the star studded cast, in particular, the hansome young leads. No less important is the great support of the veteran character actors that prevent this series from sinking into ‘idol drama’ territory (even though j'adore idol drama).
Dai Yangtian carries the role off on his sloping shoulders and has all the qualities of a leading man; He has the looks (the eyes!) and the gravitas, that makes him stand out from the line up of gorgeous young actors Together showcases (the male parade includes Desmond Tan as a bad cop, and Yuan Shuai as the good cop, and Zhang Zhenhuan who plays a wimp who was forced work on Bugis Street in drag to entice American sailors). Whether selling panties from a push cart or swaddled in the widest bell bottoms (amongst other indignities), Dai remains a star throughout. And that voice!
Jeanette Aw’s Little Nyonya Yueniang and Jianhong characters are one and the same: But that’s because they share the actress that plays them. Jeanette Aw plays both with grim virtue and as a model of icy Confucian stoicism; In fact she plays herself, and all her roles thus far are humourless and pained. To say that the Jianhong character is long suffering would be an understatement. Aw toughs through her role, hair pulled into the tightest ponytail, mouth dour, her body a rigid armour even when she’s dancing a rumba with a greasy towkay or a cha-cha with Constance Song. Song plays bad girl Lucy, a very senior lady of the night that recruits the virgin Jianhong into the life of vice. Song plays Lucy like a lazy adder, her reptilian eyes heavy with hinted debauchery; One wishes Lucy wasn’t killed off, she imbues the series with true evil, as the other villains merely cardboard tokens of the plot.
In a career-defining role, Elvin Ng plays Tarzan (the series is a wonderland of characters catchily named: A fat wrestler is called Mountain Wolf; A wanton mee seller is called $5.60; and Jianhong is betrothed to a roast suckling boss named Pork Bones). Elvin is my new crush, and he plays this simpleton with unbridled joy and gusto – and the most-ever gratuitous topless shots seen on Ch 8. He's simply dazzling (the blinding face-splitting smile is worth sitting up for really), so tan, smooth and fat-free. Although Aw and Dai are touted as the romantic leads, it is the ‘bromance’ between Dai and Elvin that forms the emotional core of the series. They would make a lovely couple. The kids would be so pretty.
Eelyn Kok is Jinhao, the vain fame-seeking bitch, the role originally meant for Fiona Xie. Kok is effervescent, and vulnerable at once, endowing this role with pathos, and making it a star turn all her own, so much so that I can’t imagine Ms Xie in it, for better or for worse. Jinhao is a serial pageant contestant, whose titles keep eluding her (Mattress Queen, then Miss Swimsuit, then Mooncake Princess...and many more pageants in between) is lovely to watch this erstwhile D-lister become a star right before your eyes.
The wonderful Aileen Tan plays an illegal bookie called Maomao. Tan’s performance (always hilarious and very good) is authentic shrew: Full of vim and earthiness and immediately recognisable. The set piece catfight between Maomao and Lucy, an orgy of hair pulling and flying heels will make you laugh out loud.
Without the pedagogical aspects of Little Nonya, Together is a campy romp in period duds (and repetitive scenes of Elvin sweatily making toast and roasting of coffee beans don't hurt) but it sparkles with some of the best performances from its ensemble. And that’s all one wants from a TV series: Performances to make us laugh and new stars to make us dream together.
(You can read the complete PG article in 8 Days)