More than four months ago, I expressed my belief that the 82-episode blockbuster The Gem of Life would become a modern classic. It had the largest budget to date, a list of experienced actors, and what seemed to be a script soaked in richness of twists and turns. Even with the passing of Gu Long adaptations in the 70’s and those of Jin Yong in the 80’s, I still harbored a thread of hope that TVB producers and writers today could deliver a very memorable series. Now, four months later, I must retract that earlier statement; Gem is neither a classic of the past nor present. It is rather an incomplete product with missing scenes and a lack of continuous flow, leaving viewers to answer their own questions and fill in the blanks. Another point often raised is the slow pace of buildup to climaxes or significant events, but the experience is less tiresome for me than for many others. Ironically, Gem is like a chiseled diamond, a gemstone robbed of its prestige. However, I disagree with some of the harsh comments on various forums declaring it to be the “worst series in TVB history” and that “the producer and writer should be fired” when Guts of Man, Devil’s Disciples, and other low-quality series have been given screen time. There are two factors that ultimately save Gem from being taken down a few more notches:
- Solid performances given by main cast members (e.g. Ada Choi and Bowie Lam)
- Existence of non-stock characters with ambiguous morality
Jessica is the only Hong sister who captures my attention, and if I were to resume the series later (white flag on episode 60), it would be to finish her story. On the other hand, I am not looking forward to Constance. She may be the “pure” sister of the trio, but the degree of stubbornness, ignorance, and whining she demonstrates rivals that of Terrence – they are truly made for each other. Of course, even with strong output from the cast and a few colorful roles, what still drags down Gem and its contemporaries is the lack of creative writing and direction. We are no longer seeing gut-wrenching dramas centering around revenge, such as 1992’s The Greed of Man, or others based on controversial themes that force us to think outside the box. Nearly every series uses the same formula and is approved for family viewing. For years writers have stopped experimenting, and if the trend continues, I may stop watching altogether.
