I expressed thoughts of my First Impressions for K9 Cops earlier. Although the initial episodes didn’t completely set us up for something very interesting, I still gave the series another try to support the cast. For the next eight episodes, the series goes deeper into exploring the characters and their vulnerabilities, but at the end, it’s still nothing more than an idol teen drama. Raymond and Tracy’s handsome guy and pretty girl couple is quite on point and TVB scripts and casting departments doesn’t simultaneously churn out couples that are worth fan-girling anymore. This couple is an exception despite the two being from different generations.
Still, the praises Tracy has received from netizens are well deserved and she seems to share a fair amount of screen time with lead actress, Linda. If anything, Tracy seems to drive the series more than Linda, whose character is more of a drag than it is up-lifting. Previously, I thought Tracy’s character was more on the demanding and selfish side, but it’s exposed that there is some vulnerabilities behind her actions. That’s not to say that the script is original and makes you want to watch episode after episode, but I applaud Tracy for being able to make the notorious money-oriented, demanding, and high-maintenance Hong Kong girl to be consistently entertaining and equally cute.
Tracy fans, rest assured, if the amount of screen time and a good performance is what it takes to bring home an award, the odds are definitely on her side this year. At least, so far.
Unfortunately, even Raymond who has long been playing lead actor seems to be overshadowed by Tracy. At times, I wish he’d man up, but for a romance drama, that’s what you get. The formula only works if it’s the guy who suffers.
While Raymond and Tracy are busy sorting out their marital issues, Bosco and Linda’s relationship also grows closer after he learns that Linda’s mother is his demanding boss. Bosco’s side of the storyline is driven more by humor than by romance though Linda just doesn’t seem to have that comedic gene in her at all. Still within a rather weak script, Bosco manages to make you laugh here and there, and most notably in the scene when he demanded Linda to count all his positive qualities or else he’ll drop her on the floor.
I’m sorry Linda, but it seems like Tracy will win Most Improved Actress before you win Best Actress. Although her character is warming up to Bosco and Oscar, she simply doesn’t have a likable character here. She spends too much of her time looking (or being) mad at others, holding grudges, looking worried, having nit-picky phobias, and saying “Oh boy” in English. And let’s not forget all the times she offended people using logic with her IQ of 135 — even though logic was on her side.
It’s good that Angel Chiang is breaking out of the immature little sister mold (not really since she still is immature and still the youngest of the three sisters here), but that means TVB immediately bumped her up to being a wife and mother. Being the father who almost encouraged his wife to get an abortion because he wasn’t ready for the responsibility, the series doesn’t do any goodness for Oscar Leung either. Koo Ming Wah seems to finally get his chance at a love storyline with Kayi Cheung here, but like I’d expected, I don’t care much for it.
For the series to be named after cops or dogs at all is an overestimation of how much time they really spent on those two topics. Linda is a vet with an enormous love for animals and close-to-zero mercy for humans even though both are living creatures; but in these last eight episodes, she hasn’t done much other than saying, “Good boy” every time the dog behaves. Besides Bosco who is now a dog handler and training with the dogs, everyone else on the show isn’t remotely related to the topic. Not that I’m complaining anyway.
To say that Bosco and Raymond are cops is also an overestimation of how much time they spent acting like one too — which is close to none. It’s definitely not a procedural drama — and that’s a good thing because it won’t be an exhilarating ride. Not with dogs anyway. I’d admit it’s better off being an idol drama about relationships. At least, it’s good exposure and experience for Tracy. With Raymond and Bosco’s years of experience, it’s slightly embarrassing and a waste of talent. For Linda, it seems so deliberate for TVB to bring back that depressing, inhibited, and damsel-in-distress side of Linda from Witness Insecurity. If anything made Witness memorable, it wasn’t that side of her.
It’s definitely a slow-paced and kids’ drama. Teen drama, is probably the more appropriate term, but Raymond and Bosco are too experienced to be participating in something so silly. Take it in like a sitcom so you won’t be impatient along the way. For a comedy, you get a weak chuckle here and there, but it isn’t the weakest TVB series of 2016. Speed of Life has already claimed that spot.
The Verdict
At this point, I find Raymond and Tracy’s relationship to be more interesting of the two main relationships, but I won’t be continuing the series anymore so consider this my review after 12/20 episodes; I found something else that holds my heart at the moment. 😉 I would definitely hope to see Raymond and Tracy collaborate again when a more substantial script comes along though!
Rating: 3/5 stars
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