The Seasons (TVB Program)
| The Seasons 季節 | |
|---|---|
| Starring |
Tang Pik-wan Chu Sui-tong Lo Hoi-pang Angelina Lo Kwok Fung Johnny Ngan Lam Kin-ming Gallen Lo Kiki Sheung Law Lan |
| Country of origin | Hong Kong |
| No. of episodes | 389 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 15 Minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | TVB |
| Picture format | Standard Definition Television |
| Original release | 1987 – 1988 |
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 Ching-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.
Reference 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.
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