The Seasons (Chinese: 季節) was a 389-episode drama series that was shown during Enjoy Yourself Tonight on Hong Kong TV station TVB from 1987 to 1988. The show, being a section of the main program, Enjoy Yourself Tonight (EYT), meant that it was only 15 minutes long, a rarity in Hong Kong television drama programs. Another rarity is that each episode ends in the same shot: a flower being tossed into the water.
Cast
Tong family First Generation Cast Role Description Chu Sui-tong Tong Tai唐泰 Tang Pik-wan Lee Suk-duk李淑德Tong Tai's wife Sheung Kei Leung Wing-kam梁詠琴 Tong Tai's mistress Lo Hoi-pang Tong Yan唐仁 Tong Tai's younger half brother Chan Ka-yi Lan Tong Yan's wife Angelina Lo Tong Lai-chu唐麗珠 Tong Tai's younger sister Tam Ping-man Lee Wing-leung李永良Lee Suk-duk's brother Chong Man-Ching Tam Fung-mei譚鳳媚Lee Wing-leung's second wife Law Lan Fong Lee Suk-duk's maid Second Generation Cast Role Description Samuel Kwok Tong Gui-chuan唐貴全Tong Tai's illegitimate son Johnny Ngan Tong Ka-wai唐家偉Tong Tai and Lee Suk-dak's eldest son Lam Kin-ming Wu Yuk-ho胡玉河Tong Ka-wai's wife Gallen Lo Tong Ka-lai唐家禮Tong Tai and Lee Suk-dak's second son Yiu Ching-ching Tong Ka-man唐嘉文Tong Tai and Lee Suk-dak's daughter Tony Leung Chiu-wai 3d Tong Tai and Lee Suk-dak's youngest son Dickson Lee Hong Tong Yan's son Yuen Chun-yu Lee Chi-tim李志添Lee Wing-leung's son Lee Ka-ting Sing Wu Yuk-ho's elder brother Other cast Cast Role Description Yi Lei Uncle Lai孻叔 Kiki Sheung Chow Pui-ching周珮青 Tong Gui-Chuan's Wife Yu Chi-ming 富 Jamie Chik 冰 TVB Actress Carrie Ng Hong Tsz-mei康子媚 Tong Ka-Wai's mistress Rebecca Chan Yip Ching葉青 Francis Ng Mr. Cheung aka King Sandra Lang Mrs. Chow Chow Pui-ching's mother Maria Cordero Maria Filipino maid Margie Tsang Maggie Maria's daughter Kenneth Tsang Hak 鍾克強 Lydia Shum Mrs. Ho 何太 Hak's sister Eddie Cheung Ivan Tong Lai-Chu's brother in-law Elliot Ngok Ah Ho 阿豪 Ying Ying's Father Sara Lee Ying Ying 瑩瑩 Ellen Chan Carol Cheng Alex Man Dominic Lam Ng Man Tat Wayne Lai Chow Pui-ching's cousin Bobby Au-yeung Chow Pui-ching's old boyfriend Tai Chi-wai Yip Ching's husband
Background In the 1980s. EYT was steadily losing viewers as other modes of entertainment becomes available. The program was conceived by EYT producers to counter the loss of viewership. The show, along with two other short-form programs (one was a mystery program, the other a comedy), did much to revive EYT, and allowed it to return to viewership supremacy.
References in popular culture Due to the immense popularity of the show, the show was referenced in the movie It's a Mad Mad Mad World 2, starring fellow EYT alum Lydia Shum. In a section of the film, Shum's character, along with her husband (portrayed by Bill Tung), desperately needed money to return to Canada. They returned to the Public Housing estate where they used to live, and try to find their old mahjong-playing neighbors for emergency cash. When they arrived, they found these neighbors children playing mahjong, who said that their parents are watching The Seasons, and will not move or go anywhere unless a fire has started. This led to the couple screaming fire, resulting in everyone from the estate streaming out of their homes.
References