[Review] The Trading Floor Episode 1 & 2: A Pleasant Surprise for Hong Kong Drama
FOX's first Hong Kong drama, The Trading Floor (東方華爾街), recently premiered. Curious, I decided to watch the first two episodes, and to my delight, I was so impressed that I immediately felt compelled to write this review.
Those who follow the Chill Meh website or Facebook page know that I've rarely, if ever, mentioned Hong Kong dramas in the past. The simple reason is that I genuinely don't watch them. I believe many would agree that once you get accustomed to the quality of American dramas, it becomes difficult to accept the standards of mainstream local productions, leading to a disconnect from Hong Kong dramas altogether. As an American drama enthusiast, I've used FOX+ to watch American series and films. When I noticed The Trading Floor was premiering, I watched the first two episodes with low expectations, merely out of curiosity. To my pleasant surprise, not only was I thoroughly impressed, but I've also decided to continue following it, binge-watching it at the pace I would an American drama. Perhaps some might think I'm exaggerating, but I truly see the potential of this series from its first two episodes and eagerly await the development of the remaining three episodes of its first season.
As someone accustomed to American dramas, I've always felt that Hong Kong dramas have considerable room for improvement in terms of subject matter, cinematography, music, and pacing. The Trading Floor has reaffirmed my conviction that if Hong Kong dramas address these areas, their quality can absolutely rival series from other regions, and even American dramas. First, regarding subject matter, I've always found local dramas to be somewhat limited, particularly lacking series related to politics, finance, and media, perhaps due to the sensitive nature of these topics. Of course, period dramas also involve plenty of politics and power struggles, but the historical setting inevitably creates a sense of distance for the audience, unlike contemporary political dramas. This time, The Trading Floor's focus on finance and politics is a bold attempt. Hong Kong, as an international financial hub, has many people working in the financial sector, but the general public's understanding of finance and economics remains limited, making the subject matter of The Trading Floor somewhat challenging to grasp. The series consists of only five episodes, so it wastes no time, immediately diving into numerous financial and stock market plots from the very beginning of the first episode. I don't work in this industry and haven't had much exposure to it in the past. While I can't claim to fully understand every plot detail, I can generally grasp what's happening. Even if viewers don't fully comprehend the financial intricacies, they can always understand the complex relationships within the business and political spheres, and the power struggles between the various characters.
Perhaps also due to the sensitive subject matter, the series is not set in Hong Kong itself, but in a fictional city which is remarkably similar to Hong Kong. Even if the names of government departments, positions, and financial groups in the drama differ slightly from those in real-life Hong Kong, I believe this won't hinder the audience's immersion in this world. Especially certain character setups, such as several legislators, will easily remind viewers of real-world figures. Furthermore, the second episode, in explaining character backgrounds, involves many historical events related to the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis and the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, which local audiences will likely find familiar. Additionally, the social issues addressed in the series, including minimum wage and future development, are almost identical to real-life Hong Kong issues, allowing audiences to perhaps hear some unspoken implications. The Trading Floor is directed by Wong Kwok-keung. I recall being very excited a few years ago when I watched the first episode of The Election, also directed by him, but the quality of that series declined as the plot progressed. This time, The Trading Floor only has five episodes, and the two episodes I've watched already constitute almost half of the first season. I hope the remaining half of the series won't disappoint!
The Trading Floor's first season has only five episodes, so the first episode, in just over forty minutes, had to introduce multiple characters and establish the series' setting. The pace of the first episode is very brisk, and because it involves finance and stocks, it might even feel a bit rushed, leaving some viewers unable to process the information in time. The first thirty minutes of the first episode are essentially a battle of wits between Anthony Yip (Francis Ng) and Wai Hong (Joseph Chang), while also providing some background on their animosity. It's only after thirty minutes that there's a flashback sequence and a musical interlude. While the timing and necessity of this flashback and music might be debatable, it does provide the audience with a moment to breathe. When watching the first episode, I genuinely felt that the series seemed a bit overly condensed, and the plot was perhaps too dramatic, hindering audience comprehension, thought, and engagement. However, the pace of the second episode significantly improved, making it more engaging than the first, and also helped me understand the intent behind the first episode. The second episode brilliantly uses flashbacks to explain the relationships, history, and conflicts between the protagonists, doing so very naturally. The series briefly introduces the feud between Yip and Wai in the first episode, then elaborates on it in the second episode's flashbacks, with a slight twist, deepening their conflict and allowing viewers to connect more deeply with the characters. Additionally, I highly appreciate the series' use of flashbacks in the second episode, interweaving flashbacks from 1997 and 2008 with present-day 2018 scenes. This approach allows audiences to understand past events while also gaining a broader perspective on the series' historical context and suspense, and to some extent, anticipate future plot developments.
Despite some imperfections in the script and pacing, the series' cinematography, editing, and music are all of very high quality. Compared to mainstream local dramas, The Trading Floor clearly put more thought and money into its cinematography and set design. The sets for the Legislative Council, meeting rooms, and CASH offices are already quite grand, but my favorite scenes are the two where Cheung Yung (Law Kar-ying) and Anthony Yip each look at paintings. Both scenes use wide shots and effective lighting, appearing truly aesthetic. At the same time, the series' editing and music are also very well done, especially the montages and choir music in several scenes, which are usually only seen in films in Hong Kong. I also appreciate how the series effectively uses minor characters, particularly in the second episode. While they are not crucial to the main plot and their backgrounds aren't extensively detailed, the writers skillfully use them to enhance the series' dramatic effect. The scene where the character engages in stock trading and then jumps from a building is presented in a montage, offering the audience another perspective on the events. Moreover, the second episode itself is a very complete story, centered around Anthony Yip and using the myth of Sisyphus about "futile efforts" as its theme. This segment further deepens the exploration of this theme and drives Yip's character development. When I first saw the painting of Sisyphus, I was genuinely surprised and excited, wanting to know how the writers would use this theme and if they would ultimately "spell it out too much." Their choice to explain it through narration was also a very good approach.
As for the cast, Francis Ng plays economics professor Anthony Yip in The Trading Floor. Although I don't watch many Hong Kong films, I still remember Ng playing a similar role in Laughing Gor - Turning Point several years ago. This character is taciturn, highly intelligent, and cunning, so Ng's performance is fittingly restrained. Fortunately, in a flashback scene towards the end of the second episode, we finally see his emotional side, and Ng's gaze and expressions undergo a clear transformation. This not only allows us to appreciate Ng's acting skills but also increases the plot's tension, helping us understand the series' suspense and the true nature of the feud between the two main protagonists. Regarding other characters, the series features several veteran Hong Kong actors, including Liu Kai-chi, Law Kar-ying, and Maggie Cheung Ho-yee, which local audiences will surely find comforting. However, I found some characterizations a bit exaggerated, as mentioned earlier, too dramatic, which might make it difficult for some viewers to fully engage. In the first two episodes, Francis Ng's character has a larger role, and he gradually moves towards the core of power in the drama. I wonder if Joseph Chang's Wai Hong will have more opportunities to shine in the remaining three episodes? In a montage scene in the second episode, Wai and his colleagues vigorously promote the shares they've invested in, executing their scheme. This scene bears a striking resemblance to Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street from a few years ago, with Joseph Chang's movements and dialogue immediately reminding me of Leonardo DiCaprio.
Beyond the cinematography and music, the series' meticulously produced opening credits are worth mentioning. With finance as its theme, the opening sequence uses a Monopoly board motif, incorporating buildings in the fictional city and "Chance" cards relevant to the plot. Upon seeing this opening, I immediately thought of the opening sequences of American dramas like Game of Thrones and The Crown; their animations are incredibly high-quality and exude grandeur. Furthermore, the Monopoly board itself also appears in the second episode, thus connecting with the plot. Overall, the series represents a significant breakthrough for Hong Kong dramas in many aspects, and the production team's dedication and sincerity are commendable. As an American drama enthusiast, I noticed that this series drew inspiration from American dramas in many ways. Of course, Hong Kong dramas have their own unique characteristics, and blindly following the American drama path may not necessarily be a good thing. However, at the very least, The Trading Floor is a new attempt, showing audiences and investors the potential of Hong Kong dramas.
Now that The Trading Floor has finally premiered, I believe many local viewers will inevitably compare it to mainstream local productions. But my concern isn't solely about how The Trading Floor's quality surpasses mainstream dramas, but rather how it can promote the diversified development of Hong Kong dramas. Those familiar with American dramas know that American series primarily exist on three platforms: Network, Cable, and Streaming. Network dramas target a general audience, so their production quality, standards, and themes are relatively lower. Cable and Streaming dramas typically have more funding, and their relatively smaller target audiences allow for greater creative freedom in terms of subject matter and content boundaries. In Hong Kong, we often only get to watch mainstream dramas, and "mainstream drama" seems to be synonymous with "Hong Kong drama." This time, The Trading Floor, produced by FOX, provides a great opportunity to develop dramas that rival the quality of American Cable and Streaming series, allowing Hong Kong dramas to truly flourish. Moreover, The Trading Floor is distributed by FOX, so audiences in Asia and other regions will likely have the opportunity to access this series. I wonder if this will attract more investment in Hong Kong dramas, thereby further elevating their standard? However, rather than relying on foreign audiences, I believe local audiences must first support these high-quality Hong Kong dramas.
In the past few years, several television stations have launched (one unsuccessfully) and released locally produced dramas. I believe many local viewers, like myself, felt that local dramas were finally due for a change, a blossoming of diversity. However, several years have passed, and the local drama industry seems to have remained largely unchanged. I wonder if The Trading Floor and FOX's subsequent dramas will truly bring about genuine change this time?