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The following series review contains possible spoilers, please be warned.
2006’s Trimming Success was first released overseas as a warehouse series. This might have meant that TVB didn’t have much expectation for the series. Nevertheless, that does not mean that the series itself is bad, there has been many well praised warehouse series released in the past and present. Trimming Success is not a grand production, but is a rather light, yet enjoyable series. Some might comment on how slow the series progressed, feeling like there was nothing to anticipate from the series. I watched the series from my personal angle, and found the overall story quite heartwarming. Trimming is another typical childhood-friends-turned-lovers story. Kevin Cheng plays Jason Fan Tin-Long, a well acclaimed hairstylist. He owns a successful salon and lives with girlfriend Choco Ko Cheuk-Kei (Sharon Chan). On the other hand, his relationship with his family is quite distant. Ever since he moved away from his home at Stanley, he has rarely been back. His father “Uncle George” (Lau Dan) is angry at him for selling their family house in order to start the salon, while his brother Kenny (Stephen Wong) is a slack off teenager who has no plans for his future. His mother Ying (Ching Hor-Wai) is a typical housewife who looked after the family’s everyday needs. Of all his friends and family, Jason feels that the only one that understands him is his childhood friend, Pang Ching (Nnadia Chan). Ching is an optimistic mechanical engineer who always places family and the well being of others as her top priorities. A series of events leads to one another upon the return of Johnny Ho Jo-Sing (Wayne Lai). Jason realizes how much his father means to him after Uncle George fainted at work and had to be hospitalized. Jason decides to be more devoted to his family, and hopes that Choco can support him while he makes changes in his life to include his family. However, Jason realizes that Choco cannot walk away from the once luxurious lifestyle they lived. He reluctantly breaks up with her, to start his new life. Fortunately, Jason has Ching supporting him all the way. With Ching’s help, Jason is able improve his relationship with his family and regain all the love he missed out on in the past. Ching stands by Jason through thick and thin: she helps him make the right decision when his salon experiences financial problems, comforts him when his mother unexpectedly passes away, and supports him when dealing with his father’s emotional disorder. As the two spends more time with each other, they realize the bond and the feeling they share was no longer plain friendship. Unknowingly, their friendship had evolved into love. When Choco returns for Jason, he encounters a dilemma. Jason and Ching did not want to hurt Choco, especially right after Choco and Ching became friends. After experiencing a life-or-death situation, Jason and Ching both knows that they want to spend the rest of their lives with each other. The couple confronts Choco, and in the end walks off together into marriage, with Choco’s blessing.
Acting wise, I must compliment Wayne and Ching Hor-Wai. Both were able to bring out the best of their characters; it’s amazing how much their acting have matured. It was quite interesting to compare their changes in appearance and performance from past to present. Plot wise, as commented previously, was very typical and predictable, yet how the story presented itself made the series very enjoyable to watch. I especially liked how Jason’s parents supported each other, walking hand-in-hand, caring for one another, just being there for each other. It was quite aching to watch Uncle George cope after he lost his beloved wife. It’s as if the mother was only one holding the Fan Family together; after she passed away, everything just fell apart. I’m glad the father and sons were able to pull together in the end, leave their sorrows behind and live onto a better tomorrow. I would recommend this series to anyone looking for some time away from all the stress from work, school, or just life in general. Trimming is a delightful piece of work.
Overall rating: 3.5 / 5
Posted on 06.07.2009.
