Emergency Unit, better known as simply E.U. is a 2009 Hong Kong television drama created and produced by Wong Wai-sing. It is the direct sequel to 2007's On the First Beat and the third installment in The Academy series. E.U. stars Ron Ng and Sammul Chan from the original series, with the addition of Michael Miu, Kathy Chow, Michael Tse, and Elanne Kong. The popularity of Tse's role, Laughing Gor, spawned two film spin-offs and a television drama spin-off of the character.
Unlike the two previous installments, E.U. focuses on one particular secret triad, while the first two focuses more on the general lives of the characters. E.U. stands for Emergency Unit, a traffic and criminal operation wing under the Hong Kong Police Force. The series was meant to be followed by a sequel, however, production dropped the sequel, but reused the majority of its cast in an alternate series, Relic of an Emissary.
Cast
The Kong family Cast Role Description Michael Miu Kong Sai-Hau江世孝 Become boss of Chun Hing Triad after To Yik-Tin died (main villain) Elanne Kong Kong Yau-yau江悠悠 Kong Sai-Hau's daughter Chung Lap Man's girlfriend
Police unit Cast Role Description Dominic Lam Wu Cheuk-Yan(Wu Sir)胡卓仁 Senior Superintendent Of Police (SSP) Department Head of OCTBChung Lap Man's undercover handler SSP39384 Sammul Chan Lee Pak-Kiu李柏翹 Police Constable (PC) Later promoted to Probationary Inspector of Police PI66341 Emergency Unit (E.U.)OCTB Team B Leader Fa Yeuk-Bo's husband Ron Ng Chung Lap-Man鍾立文Police Constable PC66336 of CID Unit Kong Yau-Yau's boyfriend (distant)Undercover Police Officer Joined OCTB Team B at the endsLee Pak Kiu's best friend Kaki Leung (梁嘉琪) Fa Yeuk-Bo花若葆 Police Constable WPC66914 Emergency Unit (E.U.)Ching Yeuk-Sam's younger half sisterMa Ying Oi's daughterLee Pak-Kiu's wife Lee Ka Sing (李家聲) Lam Suk-Chuen 林叔泉 Police Constable PC66340 Police Constable Emergency Unit (E.U.)OCTB Team B Constable Casper Chan (陳思齊) Yiu Ling Ling(Cho Ling) 姚玲玲 Police Constable WPC66550 Police Constable Emergency Unit (E.U.)Kwok Kai-Bong's Wife Jason Pai (白彪) Si To Chiu 司徒超 Sergeant SGT38401Emergency Unit (E.U.)Leung Siu Tong's and Fa Yeuk-Bo's mentor Aimee Chan Chiu Wan-De(Wendy)趙雲迪 Police Constable WPC66349Leung Siu Tong's ex-girlfriendDies in episode 16 Felix Lok Kwok Pui郭培 Senior Superintendent Of Police (SSP) Kwok Kai-Chiu's and Kwok Kai-Bong's fatherLeung Siu Tong's Undercover handler Ellesmere Choi Kwok Kai-Chiu郭啟超 Senior Inspector Of Police (SIP)Kwok Kai-Bong's older brother
Triad Cast Role Description Lam Lee (林利) To Yik-Tin杜亦天 Boss of Chun Hing TriadShot and killed in Episode 6 Kathy Chow Ching Yeuk-Sam程若芯 To Yik-Tin's wife, later Kong Sai-Hau's fianceeFa Yeuk-Bo's older half-sisterMa Ying Oi's daughterShot and killed by Kong Sai-Hau in Episode 28 Michael Tse Leung Siu Tong (Laughing) 梁笑棠 Triad LeaderShot and killed in Episode 22Undercover cop PC66715Has a crush on Ching Yeuk-Sam Joel Chan Fai Wing-Lun費永倫 Fai Hung's sonTriad Leader King Kong Lee (金剛) Zhong韓志忠 Kong Sai-Hau's most trusted assistant Alex Lam (林子善) La Ba劉國強 Kong Yau-Yau's roommate Chung Lap-Man's mate Chun Wong (秦煌) Fai Hung費雄 Fai Wing-Lun's fatherTriad Elder Dexter Young "Chicken" (Lat Gai)/Chu Wing-Fuk朱永福 Triad Boss of New Territories
Other Cast Role Description Angelina Lo (盧宛茵) Fa Ma Ying Ngoi花馬英愛 Fa Yeuk-Bo's and Ching Yeuk-Sam's mother Wada Hiromi (裕美) 娟 Student Jess Shum Ho Wing-chi何詠芝 Fai Wing-Lun's wife Oscar Chan (陳堃) Kwok Kai-Bong郭啟邦 Yiu Ling Ling's (Cho Ling) husbandOwner of bookstore Annie Chong Shopkeeper Chiu Shek Man (招石文) Chiu Wan-Di's father Alice Fung So-bor Chiu Wan-Di's mother
Reception The series shifted into a much darker theme compared to the last two instalments with its focus more on triads. It received mostly positive responses, particularly for Michael Tse's performance. His performance in E.U. is regarded as one of the best performances in his career. He is also favored to win Best Supporting Actor award in 2009's TVB Anniversary Awards. Due to overwhelming criticism of Tse's character's demise, Tse appeared and spoke in the last scene of the series and a prequel of E.U based on Laughing's life, entitled Turning Point, was produced. It was premiered on August 10, 2009 and was released in cinemas on 13 August 2009. The television spinoff Lives of Omission was released in 2011 based on his character.
However, Leung Ka Ki's role as "Fa Yeuk-Bo" receive almost complete negative response from viewers; this is somehow odd given that Ka Ki's role in the series is supposed to be a "good character", although one possible reason is the character's stereotypical attitude towards the triads.
Notes Joey Yung didn't reprise her role as Cheung Nim-Yan, Chung Lap-Man's (Ron Ng) girlfriend. To end her involvement in the series, it's been explained that the couple had separated and she left Hong Kong after marrying another man. Kate Tsui from the previous installment also left the series. Michael Tao's character doesn't return to the series either but references to his character are made. His newborn son and him immigrated sometime between On the First Beat and E.U.
Awards and nominations TVB Anniversary Awards (2009)
Won Best Supporting Actor (Michael Tse) Most Improved Actress (Aimee Chan) Nominated Best Drama Best Actor (Michael Miu) Best Actress (Kathy Chow) Best Supporting Actor (Joel Chan) Best Supporting Actress (Elanne Kong) My Favourite Male Character (Michael Miu) My Favourite Male Character (Michael Tse) My Favourite Female Character (Kathy Chow)
Viewership ratings Week Episode Average Points Peaking Points References February 16–20, 2009 Week 1 Ratings February 23–27, 2009 March 2–6, 2009 Week 3 Ratings March 9–13, 2009 Week 4 Ratings March 16–20, 2009 Week 5 Ratings March 23–27, 2009 March 27, 2009
See also Turning Point (2009 action film) Lives of Omission Relic of an Emissary
References
External links TVB.com E.U. - Official Website K for TVB E.U. - Screen Captures and Summary