Triumph in the Skies 2: Episode 1-3 thoughts

Hella, I guess I have nothing better to do until I got my job notice
And hopefully, Triumph in the Skies 2 did come in the right time
Maybe I couldn't really catch the finale on time, as I'm pretty sure I'll be already working that time

I actually want to put Episode 1 to 5 in 1 post. Just realized it is because the first episode has more to tell, have to make it short to Episode 3 only.

The promotional poster has been out and catching people's attention for quite sometimes. A half brand new crowd of actors compared to the first series. 

Episode 1

Before heading to my thoughts on this episode, I believed everyone was stunned by the opening theme sang by George Lam. It did surprise me when it first play, however, as a song itself, the song is good. It just doesn't match the drama theme. If you didn't skip the opening theme, couple pairing among the characters in this series are pretty obvious shown.

I know right, everyone miss Eason Chen's version that brought back the memories of how oomphh the first series was.

Episode 1 was basically more of characters introduction (for the new one) as well as characters reintroduction (for the old casts)

Samuel "Sam" Tong (by Francis Ng) was first showed briefly in the beginning of the drama.


Issac Tong (by Ron Ng) and Roy Ko (by Kenneth Ma) were both re-introduced next, where both has been promoted as co-pilot. Both seen in the first series chasing their dream as pilots and have very different personality. It is really cool how they see each other being such a grown up in this scene and still competing. In my thought, Issac (younger brother of Samuel) seems to have change a lot compared to the first series.

In this scene, Roy decided to join Skylette Airlines after working in an airlines in Taiwan.

I've no idea why his "Issac" was spelled with double "s" than double "a", it was been this way since the first series.

Which girl doesn't go awwww when he appeared, right? Okay, at least I did.

Captain Jayden "Cool" Koo (by Julian Cheung), a new character in the series, the next person in line I am anticipate to watch after Samuel Tong. I think the last time I saw him in TVB series was The Rippling Blossom as a sushi chef, this character has a way opposite personality.

Basically the first episode shows a lot of Captian Cool's characteristics (especially the flirtatious part) compared to the other characters. This scene shows his attitude and strictness towards his team and the new member, Roy. 

After this scene, a bunch of air-stewardesses joined them following close behind Captain Cool and his interaction with them were a total opposite from how he communicates with the guys.

After having to take his boss' briefcase, confused looking Roy was told that he was treated differently because he isn't a female. 

Being the boss in his team flying from Hong Kong to London with the co-pilots, Isaac and Roy. The guy on the right, Tucker (by William Chak) as second officer.

Another cast from the previous installment, Coco Ling (by Nancy Wu), the cabin crew (on the right of this picture) still looked the same after 10 years. How she keeps it that way *jeng jeng jeng*

In this series, well like I said, everyone already grown up and more mature in handling their respective job, so do Coco.

Joined her on the left was Tracy Mok (by Eliza Sam, another new well-promoted actress by TVB)

I love this scene in the first episode.

How they came up together to pull a prank on Roy after the landed in London, as a welcome gift after everyone gave him the intense atmosphere throughout the flight. What I like about this scene was Roy's reaction towards it (shows how much Kenneth has improved since then) and the strict Captain Cool joined their game.

After that, the remaining of the episode 1 was filmed in London.

Holiday Ho (by Fala Chen), the new cast in the series first shown waking up on a bench in London. The blue book on top of her backpack (if you paid attention to the title) did actually give me the clues what she's going to be throughout this series, even though the promotional poster shows it all. The book wasn't really on focus in this episode. However, it will be clearly showed to audience in Episode 3.

This part did showed her expertise in observing the wind and cloud characteristics when she used her scarf to test it out. 

The character was portrayed sleeping in the public place and later in the show, her Mom has to call her multiple times to go home, which I pretty sure to show her direction-less personality. With that book on top of that, what I thought was that she's on her way pursuing on something but keeping it a secret on her mom. Still have a lot to dig in this character.

By the way, when the storyline came to Holiday, it became really draggy. The only thing I can do was to watch the beautiful Fala Chen, wearing multiples earrings, blings and black nail polish. Something to show that she grows up in the West?

Manna (by Michelle Yim), as Holiday's mom also the owner of the eatery in London, where Sam works for her on his long break. In this part, Sam was showed to have great skills in baking dessert. So, it is like a pilot-turn-into-a-chef?

Sam's character is the only one that gives me a solid flashback from the first installment 10 years ago. Francis Ng's great acting skills were the thing that make this series worth watching by keeping his character Sam the way we sees it long long time ago.

Roy, Issac and Coco were then seen joining Sam and Manna for dinner. Roy was trying his very best to convince Sam to become a pilot again but to no avail.

This episode ends with Sam first encountering Holiday, not knowing she is Manna's daughter for a signed Arsenal football jersey. Well, it was Holiday's fault in this matter, for money. She bought the jersey from the buyer that was supposed to sell it to Sam. When Sam approached her, she speaks Korean and get away with the jersey.

Episode 2

On the previous episode, during the dinner, they mentioned about attending Zoe's birthday party and left it to audience's curiosity. The 2nd episode started with these guys decorating the garden for the party. The curiosity was answered when Sam's made a cake with the "5" candle on top of it. 

This did caught me attention when I thought the Zoe they mentioned was the character from previous series, portrayed by Myolie Wu. Until the cake scene with the candle, then I know it was someone else. The story on how Manna and Sam met the now 5-year old Zoe was then told (the screenshot below the cake)

The little Zoe told Sam that she wants to see him flying the aeroplane. It was then revealed that Roy bought the Arsenal jersey from Holiday and corrupted Zoe. He just won't give up, LOL!

How cute right, they are still wearing their party hat and Issac holding the teddy bear!

This is the Zoe (by Myolie Wu) that I was thinking when the first mentioned Zoe. An airport ground staff from the previous series, married to Sam and this flashback was to inform the audience that Zoe is dead.

I wasn't in great shock. The starting of this series in the 1st episode shows Sam looking in the sky on his own and Roy convinced him to be pilot again, with more clues like staying over Manna's place, making dessert for her shop. This are clues Sam couldn't get over Zoe's death. For me, I wasn't surprised. Not sure why Jaynestar's reviewer was so shocked by this though.

Manna then found her daughter, Holiday sneaked home to look for the telescope warranty card. That is when I know why she called herself Holiday when her Mom called her "Ho Nin Hei" That was her Chinese name read in Cantonese. So it is, Ho Nin Hei = Holiday.

Only then Sam realized the so-called Korean girl she met in the street was Holiday. He tried to explain to Manna how he had ever encountered Holiday but was snapped by Holiday afterwards. 

Due to not seeing her daughter for a long time and being real excited, Manna believed her daughter that she won't be buying a jersey in the street as she is working for NASA as a meteorologist (if I'm not mistaken, they talked about observing the starts and sky for NASA, LOL)

This is my favorite scene in episode 2

Later, Holiday went to Paris to have her telescope fixed. She was filmed speaking on the phone in French. She then sold her boyfriend's jacket for money to fix the telescope, I suppose. Not long after she sold the jacket and more flashback on how happy she used to be with her boyfriend that wasn't show in the series, she ran back to the shop hoping to have the jacket back.

A guy (who was actually Captain Jayden Cool) walked out from the shop wearing the jacket she had just sold, she rushed towards him and hugged him from the back saying "Don't leave me".

I don't know whether is it because Jayden, being a playboy, already get used to having girls butterfly-ing around him. He wasn't even in shocked when Holiday hugged him suddenly. His reaction was still so cool, haha!

Holiday was stunned when her thought was back into the reality, that the guy she hug wasn't her boyfriend. Jayden then said he saw her in London before, and now they met in Paris.

Holiday told Jayden that she needs the jacket back and she will give him the money she got from selling the jacket previously. The flirtatious Jayden asked for a kiss instead when she couldn't pay the price he bought the jacket. I thought Holiday will get really angry with the request. I guess it was to show how much she wanted the jacket, she told Jayden "No tongue" and puckered up her lips.

He then threw the jacket on her face and leave, as cool as always.

The first 2 episodes joined by a model, Kate (by Oceana Zhu), who took the same flight to London and then purposely took the same flight back to Hong Kong for the sake of Captain Jayden Cool.

The guest starring character, Kate shows the different personality of passenger in a flight deal by the cabin crew, as well as to prove the attractiveness of Captain Cool.

Heather, the Senior Purser standing in the picture also called as Head jie by the other cabin crew (by Elena Kong) portrayed her professionalism when Kate decided to play around when she couldn't meet Captain Cool after a few request.

The "female killer" Captain Cool strikes again and make Kate leaves him foever and ever. This playboy definitely has lots of way to avoid commitment and stay flirtatious. Interesting.

Near the end of the episode, a waitress in the airport coffee shop Josie (by Kelly Fu) was shown when she was helping Nick to plan his marriage proposal on Coco.

However, the whole plan failed when Coco mentioned how independent she was and have a discussion about ring with the other cabin crews. She did not noticed the ring Nick planned to propose that was wrapped inside the chocolate beside her cup of java.

Until now, Jayden (Julian Cheung) still dominate the screen time.

Episode 3

Another guest star in the show portrayed by Sharon Chan.

Her character, Pansy, a reporter that was tailing Captain Cool while taking picture of him. She was then tracked by Captain Cool aka Jayden, and he snapped a picture of her instead. 

Back at home, while Issac was revising, he has flashback those moments he had with his brother, Sam when he was still new in the career. How Sam being so strict to him that has eventually change him. The irresponsible and immature Issac turns out so manly when he put on Sam's captain uniform and talking to himself in front of the mirror.

Coco, who stays in the same house teased him when she witnessed the whole incidence of him talking to himself.

Well, I kind of like the chemistry between Ron Ng and Nancy Wu here. So relaxing and fun!

FYI, Coco is Vincent's sister (portrayed by Joe Ma in first series), good friend of Sam and Issac. They treated Coco like their own brother, that is why they stay together. I think. Haha!

The next day, out of Issac's expectation, Roy and Nick came for the flight simulation test as well, with Captain Cool as their examiner. The two reacted fast when they were asked who to go first. Issac, who was still in shocked came in last in order for the exam.

I like this scene, so cool right. The pilot having their flight simulation test in this simulator.

If I'm not mistaken, the 3 of them have the same trigger for their exam. 

"Hurricane warning 8, 35 knots" 

With lots of term used by them, which I don't understand. Hehe!

Nick went first, and they had the same question "Do you think you can land?"

He looked so nervous, well who doesn't when Captain Cool is watching. I think he had really bad landing and Captain Cool angrily told him why he bother to come when he wasn't prepared.

Roy came in next, looked quite steady and serious. He was given the same question and he replied that he is not going to land.

Coming in last, Issac took his seat, prepare himself. The same situation and question. After hesitating for a moment, he attempted to land. Halfway through that, he aborted the landing and flies back up again. 

In the end, Captain Cool praised Roy for the solid reasons he gave for not landing and has no comment to both Nick and Issac. This leave Issac in real disappointment.

The next scene shows Coco confronting Nick and Roy for betraying Issac because nobody would have  thought that the two will go for the exam to compete with Issac. The scene is a bit unnecessary for me, though. Coco was a bit over supportive towards Issac in front of her boyfriend, Nick. Hmmmm....

This is one of my favourite scene this episode! 

The bromance chemistry between Ron Ng, Kenneth Ma and Julian Cheung!

Issac and Roy went for the second attempt with Captain Cool, saying that they will compete with each other fair and square. Not very impressed with their determination, Captain Cool gave them another go with a new exam.

They were required to make a circuit, the fastest person win. 

Here's the rule:

No. 1 There is no rule

No. 2 Remember rule number 1

No. 3 Do not crash

Interesting isn't it?

Both Issac and Roy end up finishing the circuit in their own style in 5 minutes 1 second. The unimpressive Captain Cool did a demonstration and finishing it in 1 minute 55 seconds that stunned both Issac and Roy. Captain Cool then revealed he did a dumbbell turn and the two became more confused as the question was to do a circuit!

"Remember what I said? Rule number 1, there is no rule!"

Well well well, that's our beloved Captain Cool

This is definitely my favourite phrase of all, by Captain Cool.

Translation of the subtitles

"One of you are chocolate flavored shit, another one was shit flavored chocolate. How to choose?"

Something like that, when he commented on both Issac and Roy's performance.

Here comes her screen time.

Remember the blue book I mentioned in Episode 1 when we first met Holiday in London?

This time, they make this book obvious to the audience. 

*hint hint*

Her job as meteorologist in NASA turned out to be a big lie and she was secretly reading this book called "Introduction to Private Pilot".

Holiday then carried her broken telescope, wearing a red dress paired with jacket and scarf to a place where he used to have a promise with her boyfriend. Sam followed her, as he has promised Manna to take care of Holiday.

While Sam helped to take a look at the unfixed telescope, he found out there was something inside the telescope. Holiday then found a ring and puts it on her ring finger, and become emotional as she said "He wants to propose actually"

I think, in this scene, she failed to cry and with lots of take, she has to cover her face with her hand and had her hair around the face to act. 

Since her "not sure he is dead or missing" boyfriend promised to watch the meteor shower with her and didn't turn up. Sam pitied her and convinced her that he will bring her to witness meteor shower. They walked to a higher spot, Sam took a picture of the city and the lights, showed it to Holiday. The blurred picture of the city with multiple lights kinda looks like a meteor shower.

After 3 episodes, the *hint hint* here is that Holiday is either going to pair up with Sam or Jayden.

Isn't Sam a bit too old for Holiday?

Personality wise, they did cancel each other though

Love