Line Walker Episodes 16 to 20 thoughts

One step forward, two steps back. That’s kinda what I felt after the fourth week. It wasn’t bad per se, not much happened in episodes 16 and 17 but I guess we have to take a breather after the action packed previous week. The main issue is we now have several impending developments that I’m not sure I will like. Plus there were quite a few illogical / inaccurate / I want to pull my hair out scenes I can’t ignore. You know how TVB has a habit of starting off great and then end poorly? I hope it doesn’t happen here.

 

We have our first casualty amongst our undercovers. Poor Ada (Skye Chan). Not surprising though since she’s not a famous actress.

 

Ratings are steadily going up though with an average of 29 points peaking at 33 points!

 

Fourth Week Developments

Kobe (Sammy Sum) / Yan (Sharon Chan)

Let’s start with them because Kobe had been my pet favourite since his appearance in episode 3. But why? What are you doing? His charade in episode 16 almost lost me as a fan. (Again) He wants to reinstate his identity after seeing what Foon Hei (Benz Hui) did to the guy who betrayed him. Kobe, don’t you remember what Cheuk Sir said a few episodes ago? You think you’ll come out alive if you just become a police officer again? Foon Hei will get you! How is stealing the $500 million HKD and point a gun to your head resolve anything?

 

I am rather frustrated with Kobe so in a way  I’ve slowly come to realise Bau Seed (Raymond Lam) is probably the ‘best’ undercover out of the four of them. Bau Seed is calm, thinks before he acts, understands the big picture and good with guns. Sorry I didn’t pay more attention to you before!

 

A lot of episodes 18 to 20 focus on Yip Sir (Patrick Tang) turning completely evil including killing Ada, tries to find the other undercovers and almost kills Yan and Kobe as well. I thought that part of the story was done quite well (especially the scene where all the undercovers were in that tunnel and Yip Sir tries to catch them) and was really intense. My heart was racing as I thought all four of them were trapped!

HOWEVER – even if you have all these good things one little detail can stick with you. And that little detail for me, was (episode 19) when Yip Sir found out Yan was investigating him, he tries to kill her, she runs UP the stairs onto some kind of balcony. Yes, logical writers! It’s not like she couldn’t run DOWN either. You know, like normal people would.

 

(Speaking of illogical plot points when Ada went missing for a few days why didn’t Yan call the police or something?)

 

Can I comment I am SO GLAD Yan found out Kobe is an undercover. Not because I really want to see them together (I think I’ve given up on liking her), but now we don’t have to see her whine about being so conflicted! YAY. Just accept you were WRONG defender of justice!

 

Now that Kobe has woken up from a coma and reconciled with Yan, he can get his head back on the mission, right? RIGHTTTT? He’s having headaches people! And in dramaland we all know what that means – He’s going to die?

 

Despite all my negative thoughts about Kobe this week I have to commend him for the crying scene in episode 16. The one where he stops her in the middle of the street and she tells him she lost their baby when he went to prison. Well, I do prefer the subtle scenes rather than the loud crying and screaming ones…

 

Bau Seed (Raymond Lam) / Ding Jeh (Charmaine Sheh)

This couple is probably the one step forward, two steps back I was referring to earlier. I wasn’t talking about the storyline, but rather, I mentioned last week if we need to go back to the serious tone (life and death situation wayyyy back in episode 1), then I need to start taking them seriously as a couple. The scenes earlier in the week (and their kiss) did that. But just as I was rejoicing that this couple is taking on a new direction, the whole ‘trying to have sex / buying condoms scenes’ very much ruined that. And we’re back in square one.

 

They were funny scenes though. But it does feel like I’m watching a different series when these two are together. (I’m probably repeating myself over and over on this point.) Unfortunately that’s not doing Raymond Lam any favours because in my view, he is much better in the ‘calm and collected’ roles and the subtle release of emotions than the mucking around with Charmaine scenes. There was a short time when he felt conflicted about being together with Ding Jeh since his life is so uncertain right now. I wished they played it out more.

 

Why won’t I like you? Why aren’t we together? Because I’m an undercover. I don’t even know what will happen tomorrow. What promise can I give you? You won’t be happy with me. The most important thing is, I don’t want you to be in danger because of me. Understand?

 

 

Oh well, it’s not like TVB will give him the Best Actor award now anyway. BOOHOO. Hang on, they might because TVB likes to pretend they’re FAIR. Whatever! So not bitter at all. It’s a long story.

 

 

Cheuk Sir (Michael Miu) / Mok Sin Ching aka Katie (Elena Kong)

Now that Sin Ching is BACKKKKKK to her ol’ confident, kick ass self they start calling her Katie. OKAYYYY.

 

If Bau Seed / Ding Jeh was one step forward, two steps back, then I don’t know how many steps we’ve taken back in this storyline, because I feel like pulling my hair out watching their scenes. Actually, it’s not really their fault. It’s the writers’ fault. But I’ll start with the good points.

 

I like that the writers are not rushing with their romance. Everything seems natural and at the end of the day, their romance is about two mature adults becoming friends, supporting each other. This is all well and good BUT…

Allow me to use this space to rant a bit. Skip if you think I’m making a big deal over nothing. 😉 The whole court case involving the cooking school was written poorly. I’m having a huge deja vu moment because I was complaining about the same thing during most of the cases in this producer (Man Wai Hung)’s earlier series Friendly Fire. I understand that whatever on TV cannot be 100% accurate because it will be super boring. However, you simply cannot ignore basic rules of evidence! This doesn’t just apply to that case Katie was working on, I was thinking about this during all of Cheuk Sir’s investigations. He might be in CIB but that’s not a free pass to just install listening devices on anyone he likes right? That would be scary. He wasn’t officially investigating Katie’s case. Crap, if he was he would’ve been on the stand testifying that landlord WAS the one in the recording, instead of some weird, roundabout way of ‘proving’ he was in the hotel just because he connected to the Wifi. (BTW – wouldn’t the hotel have security cameras?)

 

Oh, not to mention they have to introduce new evidence right at the end of the case. Like, that’s completely normal. Stop it!!!

 

Fifth Week Preview

In episode 20, it was hinted Foon Hei is possibly Ding Jeh’s father. Not sure I like this. In the scenes involving Foon Hei grieving for his son’s death, I think the writers are portraying him in a much more sympathetic light. I know a lot of people have been guessing Foon Hei could be an undercover, but I’m just not all that convinced. Or Foon Hei in reality is just some pawn and the mysterious Mr Sung is the real bad guy. Gees, we’re over half way through this series and I just don’t think introducing new characters now will help. I know there is still an important (?) supporting (?) cast member which hasn’t appeared yet and that could be a complete game changer.

 

I just really hope Line Walker can keep up the suspense, the decent enough writing and acting. It could DEFINITELY do with a new sub theme. Jinny Ng’s song was nice the first 10+ times you hear it but they play it for every single couple and I’m getting sick of it. Can’t they get Sammy Sum to sing a sub theme for his scenes? I was very surprised by how good he actually is.

 

This song would totally suit Kobe… it’s about seeing the person you love with someone else.

 

Or this one…

 

Comments

3 responses to “Line Walker Episodes 16 to 20 thoughts”

  1. Youranonymouse Avatar
    Youranonymouse

    If you realised she (Sharon) couldn’t run down because Patrick stopped her from going down so she had to run up to the balcony. So speaking of logical, they were going the right thing .

  2. an Avatar
    an

    noooo way i love jinny ng’s song!

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      I’ve always said I liked the song the first few times I heard it, but when it’s played multiple times per episode, for every couple, it became rather annoying!

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