Series synopsis
Shades of Life, also known as 我們的天空 is a drama television series that premiered on TVB Jade on May 5, 2014. It ended on May 20, 2014. It stars Henry Yu Yang, Jack Wu, Elaine Yiu and Zoie Tam.
Yu Yang is a highly respected retired principal. He has a deep affection for traditional Chinese culture and places an emphasis on family values. His eldest son Jack Wu graduated with a journalism degree and works as a magazine editor. Jack likes to get to the bottom of things and sometimes has different opinions than his father on certain social issues. Yu Yang and his daughter Zoie Tam, being 40 years apart, have a major generation gap. Yu Yang finds it difficult to adjust to the rapidly chang ...
Premise
Yu Yang is a highly respected retired principal. He has a deep affection for traditional Chinese culture and places an emphasis on family values. His eldest son Jack Wu graduated with a journalism degree and works as a magazine editor. Jack likes to get to the bottom of things and sometimes has different opinions than his father on certain social issues. Yu Yang and his daughter Zoie Tam, being 40 years apart, have a major generation gap. Yu Yang finds it difficult to adjust to the rapidly changing technology era. Fortunately, his daughter-in-law Elaine Yiu is a good mother and wife, and keeps the household in perfect order. But as her son grows older, the family is faced with decisions about his education, which brings out the nerves of everyone. The series explores a number of critical issues for Hong Kongers, including education, housing, an aging population, declining competitiveness of youth, Mainland relations, and the immigration trend.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Henry Yu Yang
- Jack Wu
- Elaine Yiu
- Zoie Tam
- Lau Gwai-Fong
- Lee Hoi-Sang
- Andy Shiu Cheuk-Yiu
- Ben Wong Chi-Yin
Supporting cast
- Rachel Kan
- Janice Shum
- Law Lok-Lam
- Lau Kong
- Jacky Wong Shu-Hei
- Brian Chu
- Hero Yuen
- Poon Fong-Fong
- William Chak
- Leanne Li
- Chow Chung
- Raymond Chiu
Guest cast
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 12 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 12 | May 5, 2014 | May 20, 2014 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 The slogan "Learning: It's more than scoring" reflects the new culture of teaching and learning that is recently promoted by Hong Kong schools. However, in reality, nothing ever goes as planned. Nowadays, most "Monster Parents" have great expectations of their children, who, ever since their infancy, have already attended the course namely "Let your child win at the starting line". The couple, TUNG OI-CHING and KO HO-PANG, take very much care of their son KO SHAN-CHING. Although KO SHAN-CHING is an average student, he is given much freedom by his parents. One day, OI-CHING is surprised that her son's classmates are very competitive, so she has no alternative but to pave the way for her son, hoping her son will be admitted to a famous secondary school. Unexpectedly, she witnesses the sacrifice that another pair of "Tiger Parents", LAU CHI-YAN and his wife, made after pushing their beloved son to this battlefield in person...... |
May 5, 2014 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 This is the story about two senior citizens who both live in a subdivided flat. One of them is called FRANKIE, who used to be a police inspector with high academic qualifications, but he ends up in poverty after using up all his money and becomes the rent collector. The other is called Uncle FUNG, who, although has lots of children and grandchildren, left his home in dismay to stay in the poorest place in Hong Kong, hoping to change his family members' living environment. Through his interview with the two, HO-PANG exposes that the poverty-stricken people are living in inadequate housing in Hong Kong, and at the back of this is subtly hidden an episode of suffering and bitterness. Hong Kong people are known to be optimistic. However, can we remain the same when facing such an extreme living environment? |
May 6, 2014 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Principal MA WUI-CHUNG has decided to take the plunge and give up his million-dollar annual incomes, stepping out of the Hong Kong educational system and establishing a free-of-charge tutorial school that is specifically for the students in poverty. He hopes that knowledge can help them get rid of poverty and change their destiny. However, it's certainly not easy for him to fulfil his philosophy of Equal educational opportunities. His family is on the verge of breaking down, whereas his tutorial school will be forced to close because they have no income and cannot afford the expensive rent. For the sake of these "hardworking yet still below average" students, how far can the extraordinary principal go? |
May 7, 2014 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | TVB Jade |
|---|---|
| First aired | May 5, 2014 |
| Last aired | May 20, 2014 |
| Runtime | 45 minutes |
| Status | ended |