The 'W' Files (衛斯理) is a 2003 Hong Kong science fantasy-action-adventure-mystery television period drama serial based on Ni Kuang's novel series Wisely Series, starring Gallen Lo as Wisely. The series was first broadcast on TVB in Hong Kong from 2 June to 11 July 2003. The 30-episodes long series contains a total of eight different stories, set in China in the 1930s.
Plot In the 1930s, Wisely returns to China from his overseas studies and runs a detective agency in Shanghai to investigate paranormal events. He meets a doctor named Pak So and she becomes his love interest, but they encounter several trials and tribulations to test their love before they finally get together. The series is divided into eight different stories, with Wisely and his team setting off to investigate and crack each mystery case. The stories are listed as follows: Paper Monkey (紙猴) Deadly Body Change (屍變) Charcoal (木炭) Searching Dreams (尋夢) Bug Suspect (蠱惑) Supernatural Beings (神仙) Ghost Story (鬼混) Disturbing Graves (盜墓)
Cast
Detective agency CastRoleDescriptionGallen Lo Wisely Boss of the detective agencyTavia Yeung Wong Hung-hung Wisely's cousinMak Cheung-ching Kwok Tsak-ching Wisely's assistantPower Chan Chan Cheung-ching Wisely's assistantFiona Yuen Choi May-sin Wisely's secretary
Pak family CastRoleDescriptionEddy Ko Boss Pak Boss of the Green GangMichael Tong Pak Kei-wai Boss Pak's son; Pa-chu's husbandYoyo Mung Pak So Boss Pak's daughter; Wisely's girlfriendHalina Tam Pa-chu Pak Kei-wai's wifeSuet Nei Aunt Ho Pak family's servant
Green Gang CastRoleDescriptionBenz Hui Sung Kin Sung Fuk's brotherChan Wing-chun Sung Fuk Sung Kin's brotherYeung Ka-nok To Chung Daniel Kwok Ma Cheung Peter Pang Shum Ming Tsui Wing Chow Chung Lee Kai-kit Ho Mou Lee Kong-lung Ching Yee Leo Tsang Hon Sam Hoi Sang Lee Lau Ah-kan
Wan family CastRoleDescriptionMimi Chu Mrs. Wan Medicine shop bossWan Po-yu's motherMat Yeung Wan Po-yu News journalistSharon Chan Lam Tai-yuk Wan Po-yu's cousinYu Mo-lin Deaf Granny Wan family's servant
Shanghai Police Bureau CastRoleDescriptionBowie Wu Keung Wai-tai Shanghai Police Bureau ChiefJimmy Au Tit-dan Police Inspector; Wisely's former classmateNgo Ka-nin Wong Tong Senior PolicemanKam Chi-ching Policeman Adam Ip Policeman Hoffman Cheng Policeman
Others CastRoleDescriptionChun Wong Old Choi Wisely's housekeeperApple Ha Sister Fan Wisely's house servantJohn Tang Wu Suet DoctorJoe Junior Uncle Sam Performer in restaurantDeno Cheung Gobi Inventor; Wisely's friendDavid Do Desert Inventor; Wisely's friendKen Lok Lei Yau-wai Newspaper agency bossBrian Wong Ha Kwai-jo ReporterWilson Tsui Uncle Po Pawn shop boss; Chan Cheung-ching's uncleHo Man-kit Pau Siu-lung Pawn shop workerNancy Wu Lau Lai-ling's fan Train station extra; appears in Ep. 11
Characters in Paper Monkey CastRoleDescriptionLau Kong Chun Cheng-hei Wong Man-piu Yu Ting-man Cheng Fan-sang Ka Number Two Luk Chun-kwong Kwai Fu Bong Suen Kwai-hing Factory supervisor
Characters in Deadly Body Change CastRoleDescriptionKu Feng Cheng Tin-luk Deceased patriarch of Cheng familyLaw Lan Mrs Cheng Deceased wife of Cheng Tin-lukTimothy Cheng Cheng Po-wan Cheng Tin-luk's sonEric Chung Dr Fai Kak Wong Wai-tung Ah-sing Catherine Chau Ah-sing's girlfriend So Lai-ming Cheng Po-wan's secretary Yau Piu Cheng family's servant Ngai Wai-man Cheng family's servant
Characters in Charcoal CastRoleDescriptionFelix Lok Kai Sei Ellesmere Choi Lam Tsi-yunLam Pak-chun Lam Pak-chun is Lam Tsi-yun's sonRaymond Tsang Bin Ng Kai Say's followerKwan Ching Lam Yuk-sing Lam family's ancestorJanice Shum Lam Tsi-yun's wife
Characters in Searching Dreams CastRoleDescriptionRoger Kwok(Guest star) Yeung Lap-kwan ArchitectAnne Heung(Guest star) Lau Lai-ling Singer; introduced in Ep. 11Lau Yuk-tsui Hung Yuk-tsing Yeung Lap-kwan's wifeChan Tik-hak Wu Hip-sing Chu Kin-kwan Siu Chin Yeung Lap-kwan's previous incarnationWah Chung-nam Wong Sing Wu Hip-sing's previous incarnationTse Po-law Leung Pak-tsung Hung Yuk-tsing's previous incarnationKwok Tak-shun Lam Kei-lung Chan Min-leung Chin Yung Ling Lai-man Uncle Chik Wong Tsi-wai Yeung Lap-kwan's secretary Ting Chu-wai Ah-say
Characters in Bug Suspect CastRoleDescriptionKong Hon King-ban Tribal chiefMok Ka-yiu Mang-kor Reyan Yan Pa-tsi To Chung's girlfriendKing Kong Lam Yat-ting King-ban's sonFung Hiu-man Aunt Kam-fa Pa-chu's auntAnders Nelsson Dr. Stone
Characters in Supernatural Beings CastRoleDescriptionKwok Fung Ka Yuk-tsan Yu Tze-ming Lau SingLau Hoi Lau Sing and Lau Hoi are brothersDickson Lee San-kau Ya-tsat Japanese generalCheng On-tung Fung Yuen-yee To Chung's wifeYu Tin-wai Old immortal Ngan Kin-kwok Young immortal
Characters in Ghost Story CastRoleDescriptionLiu Kai-chi Chai-wong Voodoo masterWong Ching Si-noi Voodoo master; Chai-wong's apprentice brotherEileen Yeow Yu Fa / Chuen-to Fa-tsi San-kau Ya-tsat's followerHo Chi-cheung San-kau Ya-tsat's henchman Cheung Hon-ban San-kau Ya-tsat's henchman
Characters in Disturbing Graves CastRoleDescriptionDerek Kok Colonel Ching-lung Savio Tsang Tsai-pak Pak Kei-wai's friendYu Yeung Brigade General Wong Ching-lung's bossGregory Charles Rivers Nelson American secret agentLaw Tin-chi Nelson's follower Cheung Hak Man in black Chuk Man-kwan Lin-heung
Popular Culture Trivia It Had to Be You (released in 1924) is a popular, romantic song that was written by Gus Kahn and composed by Isham Jones. Joe Junior performed the song throughout the series. Ruan Lingyu was a popular silent film actress in Shanghai from 1927 to 1935. Her fame and tragic suicide were occasionally mentioned throughout the series whenever the characters read articles about Ruan Lingyu from the newspaper. After their movie date, Choi May-sin discussed briefly with Wisely about Ruan's character in her notable film The Goddess (1934 film). When Will You Return? - 何日君再來 is a classic song that was released in 1937, Shanghai and was first performed by Zhou Xuan in the same year. Lau Lai-ling performed a segment of this song in the Searching Dreams story. Loch Ness has garnered national attention in 1933 due to the public's interest in the Loch Ness Monster. At the end of the series, Wisely and Pak So ended up together on a small boat in a lake. Pak So asked Wisely, "This lake is so big. Can you guess what lake is this?" Wisely responded, "I don't care what lake this is, as long as there's no strange things/events that will occur to interrupt our alone time together." The camera zoomed out and showed the sign Loch Ness and then zoomed out even further showing a giant creature swimming and howling underwater.
See also Wisely Series, the novel series by Ni Kuang Films and television series adapted from the Wisely Series: The Seventh Curse, a 1986 Hong Kong film starring Chow Yun-fat as Wisely The Legend of Wisely, a 1987 Hong Kong film starring Sam Hui as Wisely The Cat (1992 film), a 1998 Hong Kong film starring Waise Lee as Wisely The New Adventures of Wisely, a 1998 Singaporean television series starring Michael Tao as Wisely The Wesley's Mysterious File, a 2002 Hong Kong film starring Andy Lau as Wisely
External links Official TVB site