Alas, I begin with a rant.

After watching The Ultimatum for 2 weeks, I am convinced that it is not actually a TV series but an exercise in how to make a blockbuster go bust. Think about it. If there was no penultimate aim to this Ultimatum, then why would they do the following:

1)   Cast Li Nanxing in the same role again.

If one didn’t know any better, one would have thought Li Nanxing walked out of The Golden Path and accidentally landed in The Ultimatum because, honestly, haven’t you seen this Li Nanxing before? Several times, in fact? Or should I say, every time, in fact? This guy is always either the God of Gamblers or the Ah Beng. And he is always the SAME God of Gamblers or Ah Beng–the names may have changed but the characters remain the same…(cue scary music: wooooooooo). Sometimes, for the sake of variety, he is even supposed to be a YOUNGER version of that Ah Beng (I say “supposed” because it is hard to take him seriously when his idea of being youthful is to gesticulate wildly, bounce like Tigger and behave like Barney). In The Ultimatum, we get all 3. The Ultimate Li Nanxing bonus compilation. Whoopee.

2)   Cast Li Nanxing as Zoe Tay’s love interest. Again. In a plotline that goes nowhere.

Why is Li Nanxing’s character part of the story? How do the writers figure his subplot will develop, complicate or even add value to the main one? Is he supposed to be a mysterious character? Are we meant to be curious–is he or isn’t he the God of Gamblers (Wooooooo)? If so, it is not working. Li Nanxing’s attempt at playing a young man is more irritating than intriguing (see reasons above). Is it meant for us to sympathise with the Zoe Tay character? Or give it depth because she has a great unforgettable love? If so, it is also not working. All we get is a montage of Zoe Tay and Li Nanxing prancing around in Macau. Montages pass time. They do not grand passions make. Furthermore, can they not find another love interest for Zoe Tay except the perenial God of Gamblers? I mean, look, he’s lost his memory. He may not be the one. The story speaks for itself. It’s time to let go. Move on. Please. This plot is tired already. This audience is tired already.

3)   Have us believe that Zoe Tay and Fann Wong are the same age.

Seriously. There’s suspension of disbelief and then there’s this little nugget. How do I say this delicately? Suspension of disbelief requires some element of plausibility. It is already a stretch for us to believe that Zoe Tay is a young woman in her early thirties. It requires special effects to have us believe that she is the same age as Fann Wong.

4)   Cast Benedict Goh.

I have only one thing to say about this: why? Why would you want to remind us that his superpower is that he has only one expression? Have you forgotten this blast from the past?:

Now, do you believe me? If not, stay tuned. I betcha there’s more.