Eat Already? () is a Singaporean Hokkien-language drama series which is telecast on Singapore's free-to-air channel, Mediacorp Channel 8. It stars Li Yinzhu, Elvin Ng, Marcus Chin, Aileen Tan, Wang Lei, Aden Tan and He Yingying of the series.
Due to the restrictions of the Speak Mandarin Campaign, this series and Happy Can Already! were the first non-Mandarin Chinese shows produced for local television in more than three decades. Primarily in Singaporean Hokkien, the show targets Singaporean seniors, many of whom still speak non-Mandarin Chinese varieties, including Cantonese and Teochew, at home. It gives them various tips for healthy living and aging. While most of the characters speak Hokkien, Teochew was used by Chen Liping and Zoe Tay in several episodes.
Plot The series is set in a coffee shop and it focuses on an elderly widow, Ah Niu Sao (Li Yinzhu), who works as a dishwasher and cleaner in a coffee shop in order to support her two sons. They are Ah Bee (Elvin Ng), who is formerly a gambler and currently a chef, and Ah Kiong (Aden Tan), who is a disabled person. As the series progresses, she faces many kinds of difficulties in life but manages to pull through due to the help from her neighbours and various healthcare support schemes.
Cast Li Yinzhu as Ah Niu Sao Elvin Ng as Tan Chee Boon Aden Tan as Tan Chee Kiong He Ying Ying as Meimei Marcus Chin as Ah Shun Aileen Tan as Ah Shun Sao Wang Lei as Niao Wang Brandon Wong as Daniel Chen Liping as Ms. Tan Kym Ng as Dr. Tay Zoe Tay as Dr. Tay Nick Teo as Meimei Brother
Episodes
Reception Despite being intended for an elderly audience, the show has gained some popularity among Singaporeans of other age groups. Eat Already became the second Channel 8 series known to have Cabinet Ministers make cameo appearances. Low Yen Ling had introduced the courses offered by the Lifelong Learning Institute in her capacity as then-Parliamentary Secretary for Education (now Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Culture, Community and Youth), while Chee Hong Tat engaged senior citizens in his Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC in his capacity as Minister of State for Communications and Information (now Minister of State for Transport and Foreign Affairs). The series received positive acclaim with 250,000 viewers on average, and has garnered over 1.6 million online views on Youtube.
Awards and nominations Organisation Year Category Nominee(s) ResultRefStar Awards 2017 Best Theme Song Dream FZ
References