EPISODE 11

Another very emotional episode and a clear indicator of the events of coming episodes. First the cases...



Sperm Donor Case

The judge accepted the DNA test (as it is the law except in USA I think but in most Commonwealth countries, the court is not concerned with how you obtain the evidence as long as it is relevant and the prejudice to the Defendant does not outweigh the relevance of it - something like that) but after hearing some very emotional closing arguments by Ling (something like the child must have a right to know her father if not she will regret it and this will be a time bomb) and Sister Na (who gave a brilliant argument that the child shouldn't be disturbed, she knew her adopted father as her real father, this would disrupt a 6 year old kid too young to understand), the judge ruled that donor does not have custody of child (I mean so what if he's rich and they're poor? He can always pay her money to keep the child right?) and no visitation rights either until teh child is 18 years of age when this court order lapses (as 18 is adult and she can do whateve she wants) because the court does not want to disrupt the child's stable life.



Ling was angry, saying that shouldn't be the case and when Ben tried to reason with her with the one dialogue I have been expecting, "Of course now you see it differently, what if you were 6? How would you have felt having known such a truth?". Ling could not answer him and said this wasn't the case. Ling, I beg to differ. You're using an adult's perspective to evaluate what a child would feel. You might have felt traumatised if you knew the truth when you were 16.



Anyway the case as expected had a happy ending. The mother gave the donor the permission to spend time with the little girl, thanking Ling for making her realise the whole thing. But the little girl only knows this man as UNCLE and in time when they got closer, she will reveal the truth to that girl. I find this solution brilliant but you know I bet the girl will still feel angry when she's grown up, having been in a lie and all. The same old argument but this would have to do for now.



Two new cases, pretty interesting.



Accident Causing Death Case

Marco, the lawyer from Stanton Law Firm was driving and talking business over the phone when a guy ran out into the street, and as witnessed by that man's wife, Marco's car struck that guy and he died. Marco to give him credit didn't drive away but made police reports. He knew he had it, but since when he knocked down the guy he was doing business on behalf of the firm, the firm may be sued and the firm must pay this widow compensation. The law is simple. A firm is a pertnership and so all partners are equally and together liable for the firm's losses. Marco worried that he will drag down his fellow partners. Then of course why should the firm be held liable? This is called vicarious liability, an employer is liable for an employee's wrongdoings done during carrying his work function for his employer. So Marco thought he might lose, and he even engaged Vincent as his lawyer but Vincent very confidently said, every case has its loopholes, find the loophole and win the case. I wonder what he will do?



Arson Case

A very pitiful case, given to Ben by the Legal Aid (those centres which provides free legal representation to poor people - lawyers doing volunteer work-who says lawyers are sharks and heartless? I don't see doctors doing medical aid work except in very very very poor countries). A young man was accused of setting fire to a shop after having an argument with the landlord who accused him of trying to steal his car but young man denied it all. He said he was admiring the car (sometimes I do that too at parking lots). Ben believed him. Poor guy was so hungry that Ben had to buy him not just 1 but 2 sandwiches. When Ben got his bail done, that man ran away and back home to a tiny hut and gave that sandwich to his younger sister who was eating bread crumbs. Apparently their parents died young, younger sister was placed with forster care but was abused, when bro turned 18 he took back his sister and has since lived in proverty, but happy. Poor guy thought 100% he will sure lose but Ben thought otherwise.



Tomorrow we will see Ben suspecting the sister as the real arsonist and this is probably one of the worst dilemma a lawyer can ever have to deal. Imagine this, your client is not guilty but his pitiful sister is, do you turn in the sister to save the brother though the brother would rather die than let you do that?



Arghhhhhhh... the complexities of the law and human nature. At this point I want to comment about that statue you will see at the end of the opening song, a lady (like a Greek statue) blindfolded, in one hand she has a what you call that thing, that weight measure thing (you know in Malaysia Barisan Nasional's logo) and the other hand a sword. This is the ultimate symbol of the law. Blindfolded means everybody is equal in the eyes of law(no one gets better treatment), the weight measure thing which is equal (and not loopsided) means equality, fair justice for all (I think but there may be a better way to describe this) and the sword I think means the execution of justice in a fair and just manner. Why a woman? Maybe more compassionate? I don't know. I never studied that in law school. Now many might view this differently. Blindfolded means the law is blind, can't see a thing, so can't see right from wrong, as in no eyes to see anymore, the weight measure thing is whoever richer gets more and the sword? Definitely as a weapon for more money? A woman? Emotional being? JOKING! But like I said, there's always two sides to every coin.



Anyway back to relationship.



This episode I absolutely hate Ling for the way she screamed at her adopted mom. Her mom even secretly cleaned Sister Na's house, cooked for her, told Ben to take her sweater to her and even went to see her at court and what did Ling do? Cry, scream, blame, run, in that order. The mom could only cry. I was hoping the mom would faint or something, more dramatic. When Ling saw the donor's happy ending, she happily said every child should have that right to know (in fact she was too eager to help the donor, discounting the fact that the child's mother is also the child's biological father and Sister Na asked the donor's wife who was willing to accept the child a very good question: "When you have children with this man, will you say you will love this child just as much?"-no answer!). Ben then said something which I thought was very well said, very good script. Anyway Ben said "Your adopted mom loves you too, what about her?", Ling said "She deprived me of knowing my real mother, hacking off the tie that I have to her, I will never know my real mother, she died" and she went quiet. Then she said "I will never be able to have that relationship with her" and Ben said this gem of an advice, "All the more you should appreciate and forgive your adopted mother. Since your real mother is dead, that is in the past. If you continue like this, you might lose this chance to love your adopted mother, since sorry to say, bad things might happen, who knows? You should use this time to appreciate this mother of yours ...".



Yes Ben, tell that too Ling! So hate her for pushing her mother away.



Then Ling went back home to Sister Na's place and saw her mom (peculiarly dressing in very nice dress, like going to a wedding or something) cleaning the apartment. Ling coldly said, "What are you doing here?" and there these mom and daughter went, crying, one still blaming, the other feeling regret. The mom didn't want Ling to know because at first she wanted to but May told her real mom died already and mom was afraid Ling will act the way she did and so she continued to lie. Ling asked her mom, "Why you are even here after how I treated you?" and mom tearfully said, "Because you're my daughter, I raised you, I love you". The mom in an emotional plea said to Ling "I know you will never forgive me, I will never forgive myself, I will leave" and crying and crying and Ling (that is Myolie Wu's best acting moment in this series thus far) cried and cried and then ran to her mother, hugged her very tight and cried " Mommy, I missed you, I love you". Ahhh brought tears to my eyes. Thanks to Ben and Jess of course who gave the mom the keys. But Ling still wanted to stay from home, to learn to be independant.



At this point I must pause for a while and just list a few questions ...



1. why on Earth Ling whilst crying so emotional in that scene with her mom still holding on to her handbag?



2. where is the culprit, the perpetrator that is Ling's dad? Where is he?



And MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ...



3. in earlier scene when Ben followed suspected arsonist home to his shack, he said "I am your brother's lawyer" and at the end of that scene the girl said "Brother Ben ...". Can't remember what she said thereafter. My question is Ben never introduced himself to that girl, brother never said Ben's name, in fact Ben introduced himself as Lok Bun to the brother at the police station so how on Earth the girl knew Ben is called Ben?



Now Vincent, Vincent, Vincent is heading for trouble! I suspect he will use despicable means in Marco's case. Anyway he's famous now after the ISP-$10-00 case. Jess was in awe of him as usual. But he was never there for poor Ling. So Ling was so angry she refused to speak to him. Vincent then used the same old trick, flowers, air tickets to Japan! (where has he got all that money eh?) They booked the trip, Jess felt "Aiyahhhh they're going on trip which means ..." well intimate moments) and then Marco's case popped up and the trip is cancelled. So again Vincent used the other trick, a cup of specially brewed coffee AND a specially self made blueberry cheese cake to win Ling's heart again. But Ling wasn't really angry. And that was when tonight's episode stopped.



Storywise I find today's episode very emotional and the entire episode is totally Myolie's moment of greatness. That confrontation with her mom was so well done, the camera had to move away from Lui San's suffering method of acting (good acting but I could imagine a better actress could have made this scene even better) to Myolie's teary eyes and stricken face. That is why I have always said Myolie has natural talent, from her first series (where her only fault was being way too young) to now, a grown person capable of possibly better and better acting. This is one actress who continues to grow and gets better each time. Love her though hated her Ling.



Sammul Chan's Vincent is back to smug smiles, nothing much today. I just long to see that evil glint in his eyes, or maybe more accurately that jealous glint. Sammul should be a villain.



Raymond Lam also gave a very good performance, his laid back style of acting in here is so pleasant to watch. I was so afraid he might do the Michelle Yip you know, opera acting? Well, so far his performance is natural and yet controlled. Great for him of course. Love Ben.



Bernice Liu is cute today, but nothing else really.



The end of my episodic thoughts.



Anyway I was thinking and thinking about Raymond and Myolie when I suddenly realised they were both in Golden Faith, and they both played brother and sister and Myolie played a mentally challenged girl whilst Raymond was positively unreasonable in there and with his over the top opera eyes type of acting (as in BULGING EYES). That was like so long ago when it wasn't. A little older, a little more experienced and see their transformation here! Of course Golden Faith is also one of my favourite series, Gallen Lo was magnificent together with Deric Wan created a dream team in acting and Raymond was quite ok but Myolie was the star in there. You may fault the story of Golden Faith but you can's find fault with the acting of several key players. In fact I thought the story in Golden Faith and its characters very memorable. Just watch Golden Faith and then this series just to see how much these two key players have improved. They no longer need a Gallen Lo or a Deric Wan to carry the series, they can do it themselves, especially Myolie and that ladies and gentleman, is what I call a true acting talent with screen presence, leading man/woman qualities and charisma. They're not gorgeous in physical appearance but longevity in acting industry is not by being just beautiful, having an X factor is also a bonus point.



I hope to see Myolie as a villain. By the way she was superb in Doomed to Oblivion.