About F.B.I.

The Voice
Genre: Singing competition
Number of episodes: 28 (~90 minutes)
Released year: 2009
Executive producer/company: TVB
Producer: Hong Kong – Mak Chan Tung and Stephen Chan | Shen Zhen – Lee Wai Ming and Chan Kwan Chung
Hosts: Prudence Liew (1-25), Gary Cao (4-6), Sammy Leung (7-11), Louis Cheung (12, 16-28), Amigo Choi (13-15), and King Kong (26-28)
Judges: Ronald Ng, Pong Nan, Justin Lo, Eric Kwok, Kay Tse, Leo Ku, David Lui, Chiu Tsang Hei, Edmond Leung, Wong Hiu Fung, Ivana Wong, Lau Chi Wah, Elisa Chan, Jam Hsiao, Mark Lui, Hins Cheung, Frances Yip, William So, Joey Tang, Hacken Lee, Kitman Mak, James Li Quan, Anthony Lun, Kenny Bee Chung Chan To, Wong Kwok Lun…
Number of times watched: 0.6

In 2009, both of the free TV stations in Hong Kong decided to have a singing competition. Before they were made or aired TVB claimed they started to have this idea of a singing competition (a year) before ATV did but they only had action after ATV said they were making one (too).
I think it’s true that TVB had the idea ‘first’ (none were first since singing competitions started way before either ‘had the idea’) but they only started to confirm it after ATV said they would do it. I wouldn’t say ATV ‘copied or followed’ TVB because ATV has signed a contract collaborating with a Taiwan’s TV station that made One Million Star which allowed or let or told ATV to do one too. Even though TVB is the big station and had more people signing up ATV wasn’t bad, in fact I liked it more than TVB’s The Voice.
Both of them ended airing on the same date but ATV aired theirs earlier (8:30 pm) and then TVB followed (10:00 pm) without overlapping. I am not a singing nor do I know how to judge others singing plus I don’t think judging the show would only depend on the contestants.

The reasons for liking AMS more than TV

1. I believe that a variety show really depends on the host(s). I don’t recall watching anything with Prudence (but was and still am debating on watching True Women For Sale which she was nominated for Best Actress in Hong Kong Film Awards and won Golden Horse Award’s Best Actress), but she is not a strong cantonese speaker and that’s probably why they had to add in other guest hosts to co-host with her. She seems really nice and can get along with the contestants but on the stage she can’t speak out what she really thinks or should (probably due to the many years in America/speaking English). On the other hand (or station) Jerry and Bowie are really compatible partners. Jerry is definitely good from the many years he has hosted with Bowie’s father Eric Tsang in Super Trio and DJing at Commercial Radio so there is no problem with seriousness and making the situation more relaxing. While Bowie is not a strong Cantonese speaker either I still think she still did a good job. She started off not saying the show name correctly (Sing “Kwong” Dai Do would be Sing “Kong” Dai Do) but she changed after a while and her numerous outfits really make it seem like a road to fame/light as the name of the show. Bowie also seems really sweet and a big sister looking after all of them (contestants). Even so it isn’t fair judging by the host since Bowie and Jerry have done lots of hosting while it was Prudence’s first time.

2. All the contestants seemed to be close friends and can play together but AMS actually shows it to the audiences, especially episode 10 when they went to Taiwan. Even the AMS judges would be closer to them, more tears and laughter. As an audience the AMS contestants were ‘closer’ and you could actually know more about them (sometimes they got a clip of a few minutes to talk about themselves and music). TV did it too but it wasn’t as good, they had it while having credits so it isn’t as good. TV hasn't finished airing but the chances of behind the screen stuff is not high (and I am not going to TVB's site to watch behind the scene clips, maybe if they upload onto their youtube account but not the TVB Official site, it takes forever to load).

3. The judges are a big part of the show too. TVB had way too many judges, you aren’t really seeing how they are or can be when you only seen them once or twice. If they are doing lots of judges then don’t make it into a ‘series’, make it a one time singing competition since you aren’t really seeing any improvements if you aren’t seeing them again. AMS had the same judges so they can watch them improving which I think is the main point of having so many episodes (other than Francis Yip who was only on for the last episode and the ones when they went to Taiwan).

4. Another good (or not so good) thing about AMS was when the contestant was going to leave (lost) they would read out something they wrote down at the beginning. As the saying ”The experience/friendship you earn is more than winning the champion”, it clearly shows.

One thing I don’t like about AMS is there will be the consistent advertising clips for the next episode after every advertising slot, the more episodes it got into the more. I don’t think it is that necessary since it has been airing for a while so if they are going to watch they will, so the ads were a little waste of time. The other was it is long… it isn’t actually that long (started with a full 1 hour and slowly increasing). I'm just too used to the 45 minute shows TVB makes so it feel long and it was a huge file, but at least I watched it till the very end and I dropped The Voice after episode 17, which is surprising I lasted so long. These 2 ‘reasons’ are really reasons to dislike the show, especially the time length. The advertising clips could have been deduced but then I guess it is rare for ATV to have a show that has ‘high’ (7~8) ratings so they wanted more people watching, just a little unnecessary while the show was airing.

I haven’t watched anything ATV produced for a long time. The last time was a series that had Dicky in it but I know the next ATV production I will be watching... Asian Million Star II! “Sing Kwong” Family!

My Rating: AMS – 7/10, won't re-watch | TV – 3/10, won't re-watch