TVB Burning Flame III Review (Ep 01 – 12)

The last few big TVB productions that I have watched have failed to live up to their “grand production” expectations.   I remember Gem of Life was such a let down for me, I suffered through 60 or so episodes and couldn’t even bear to finish the last 10 or so.  But I wasn’t going to let that affect my hopes for Burning Flame III (BF3).  I mean, here we have the BF brand name (with the amazing BF1 + 2), Wong Hei and the themes of sacrifice, honour and heroism.

Getting stabbed, one of the many risks of high-rise window washing.

Wong Hei and Kevin Rivalry

This was unexpected.  I didn’t think they would start out as enemies because usually TVB have their characters start out as friends, then enemies, then at the last episode become friends again (or one of them dies, whatever).  But when I saw them both being so inchy towards eachother I was intrigued.  What was their backstory, what happened between them?

Wong-Hei describing the size of something Kevin has; Kevin doesn't like it.

It’s lucky they did that because it was only for that reason I sat through the overdose of flashbacks TVB unleashed.  Who’s idea was it to have the audience sit through 2 entire flashback-mode mode episodes?  I’m talking about using high-contrast, washed out colours, blurry edges to symbolize flashbacks.  Now imagine 2 entire episodes of completely non-stop flashback in order to explain the backstory.  Way to make use of HDTV TVB.

One of the few major explosions NOT CGI. It'd be impressive if not for the flashback mode.

The amount of time spent on the rivalry between them early on made me expect that the series was going for a philosophical angle here and debate whose style and methods were the best suited for the job of a firefighter and play up the competition.  I was all for that, but it seems TVB had something else in mind.

Wong-Hei and Myolie and Kevin

If there’s anything to say about Wong-Hei and Myolie in BF3, it’s that they are portrayed realistically. Neither Wong-Hei nor Myolie were perfect mates to eachother, and their relationship is pretty tough to watch.  It’s easy to say both were right, and also both were completely wrong in the way they treated eachother.  Suffice it to say they are completely incompatible.

And yet Wong-Hei, due to a personality flaw, WILL NOT give her up.  And this just sets the stage up for a series long love triangle between the 2 guys and the girl.  That’s right,  BF3 has sunk to what is basically a romantic drama with firefighters.  The dangers firefighters face, the sacrifices they give, the meaning behind the occupation, is now irrelevant.  They only get in the way of the romance plot.

One thing I will say is that you should tune in when Wong-Hei and Myolie break up and he begins his downward spiral.  He lived his life believing as long as you put the effort into whatever you’re doing, you will succeed.  What he didn’t understand is that love doesn’t work that way.  Watching him struggle with his personal conflict was quite affecting, and Wong-Hei as usual does a good job.

Wong-Hei sad; I'd be sad too if I knew how BF3 was going to turn out

Conclusion

Episode 12 ends with Wong-Hei suffering an accident while fighting a fire and falls into a coma.  Episodes 1-12 are also  the first act of the series and are good, but not great.  The fire emergencies were plentiful, but their importance was diminished.  This is a romance series first and foremost, not action and not about the bond between firefighters.

What just happened?

Remember the entry in November 2008 where I signed off with a vague “I got an interview with a CA firm later”?  Well enough time has passed that I don’t feel so bad and can write about it.

Not only was it the first job interview since graduating, it was the biggest job interview of my life.  I mean an interview with an approved CA training office, if I get the job I’m set.  You should’ve seen me, my hands were shaking, my teeth were clattering.  I probably walked in circles for 10 minutes trying to calm myself down before heading to the office.

I meet the interviewer and we get started.  “So tell me about yourself” he asks.  That was  easy enough to answer, probably the first question asked in any interview.  But looking back now I laugh at the answer I gave.  It was rehearsed and stiff.  *Wishes I can go back and slap myself silly*

A few more pretty general questions about taking the subway, that C+ on my transcript, and when I plan on taking the UFE.  But then he goes on a 10 minute speech about the firm, their experience with previous CA students, and their clients.  Wait, what’s going on?  I’m just sitting there listening to him talk, commenting when I get the chance.  I ask the questions I’ve prepared at the end, shake hands and leave.

That was it!?  In and out in 15 minutes, with questions that I would basically deem as small talk.  Is this how smaller CA firms do it?  Is it because they don’t have an actual HR department to conduct a proper and rigourous interview so therefore it’s more casual and based more on personality?  Or is it because they’ve hired tons of CA students year after year and gotten so good at it that they know who’s CA material just by looking at them and their resumé?  The former seemed to be the general opinion I got from a few of my friends.  Still, something didn’t seem right.

A few weeks go by and no word.  So I call them.  The receptionist picks up and I ask for the interviewer.  She puts me on hold.  A few seconds go by and its the receptionist again…uhoh.  It seems the interviewer is in a meeting and I should leave a voicemail.  “It’s ok, I’ll call again later.”  She insists on leaving a voicemail.  Oh…is that how it is?  I get it now.  I leave my voicemail and went to grab a shovel to bury my pipedream.

The rejection letter arrives a week later.  No chance for feedback.

So what happened?  Dunno.  Was it me?  Dunno.  Was it them, did they already know who they were hiring?  Dunno.

Lessons learned: Calm down, be natural, don’t sound rehearsed.

Reboot

It’s been more than a few months since my disappearance and lately I’ve been having the urge to write again.  There’s been a few developments during this time that I feel like getting off my chest over the next little while. I’ll talk about my work now, my thoughts/fears about the future, and also recount what happened during my hiatus.

First things first, the CA “dream” is on the back burner indefinitely.   Some day, maybe.  Not now or the foreseeable future though.  CGA seems more likely.

So, a little update on where I am right now.  I currently have a contract position in the “finance” department with a company.  Finance is in quotes because I’m REALLY in a sub-department WITHIN the finance department, and the work I do is only tangentially related to accounting/finance.  But the people are nice, the surroundings are comfortable and the work is new and interesting…for now.

Sometimes I think about the route of a new grad who scores a Big4 position.  They’re already on their way to a designation and within 3 years time they’ll be a fully qualified CA, possibly in a manager position and opportunities to jump into industry.  It’ll be a tough 3 years for them but if the propaganda is true there’s a bucket of gold waiting for them at the end.

Then I try to see what kind of route I’ll take.  Long, winding, with equal odds the path will take me to a bucket of coal.