loserlemon

I am a huge fan of Raymond Lam and Tavia Yeung, especially when these two are paired together. They were easily my ultimate favorite TVB couple. That said, even they could not make me want to rewatch The Mysteries of Love. And it is not their fault at all. If anything, this drama just made me question what the writers were thinking.

The most frustrating part of the drama was the storyline between Nicole and Gordon. There was way too much push and pull, and they had far too much screen time. It completely dragged the pacing down. I read somewhere that Bernice Liu was originally supposed to be a special guest, but she wanted a bigger role, and honestly, it shows. Her character felt awkwardly placed, like she was never meant to be fully integrated into the story. Her presence just did not feel right, and by that I mean the character itself did not belong.

I get that she was a photographer who traveled a lot, which explains her constant absences, but if you watched the drama, you would be wondering why a so called special guest was given so much screen time. Then Adrian was added into the mix, turning it into a full blown love triangle. At that point, they might as well have let those three carry the drama, because there was barely any focus on the actual lead couple.

Raymond Lam is a solid actor, but this role did him no justice. His character came off as cringy and awkward, and while that might have been intentional, it did not make the character any easier to watch.

Kingsley’s character was another letdown. He was incredibly boring and very much a mama’s boy. There is nothing wrong with that, but his inability to stand up for his girlfriend was frustrating. His mother constantly made hurtful comments about Siu Lai, and instead of protecting her, he eventually chose to break up with her. This drama really shows that someone can be book smart, but that does not mean they are emotionally smart.

Tsui Siu Lai’s character was written as extremely selfless, giving, strong, naive, and considerate to a fault. After the breakup, she becomes emotionally unstable, which makes sense given everything she went through. What did not make sense was how easily she forgave Kingsley. It honestly felt like a slap in the face. Kingsley’s family looked down on her simply because she did not come from an educated background, and his mother was the main reason their relationship fell apart.

Then suddenly, Kingsley gives a dramatic speech during an award acceptance, saying that if anyone could invent a time machine to help him, he would go back and not hurt the girl he loves. And just like that, everything is forgiven. Siu Lai forgives him. Her family forgives him, despite being there for her and watching her grieve through the breakup. Kingsley’s mother suddenly acts innocent, asking for forgiveness on her son’s behalf. It all felt rushed, unrealistic, and deeply unsatisfying. Honestly, I really suspect that if they had not dragged out the love triangle between Adrian, Nicole, and Gordon, we could have seen far more meaningful development between Kingsley and Siu Lai.

For a drama with such a strong cast and a beloved pairing, The Mysteries of Love missed the mark. It had all the ingredients to be great, but poor writing, uneven focus, and an unbelievable resolution dragged it down. It is one of those dramas that reminds you that even the best actors cannot save a story when the writing fails them.