TVB series have recently been accused of copying elements from overseas productions. Ada Choi Siu Fun’s Fly With Me (飛女正傳); borrowed ideas from Hollywood movie, My Super Ex-Girlfriend. Jessica Hsuan’s Sisters of Pearl (掌上明珠); resembled Japanese drama Matriarchal Family. TVB’s prime-time dramas have become a case of duplicating overseas productions.
After Fly With Me airs its ending, TVB will broadcast The Mysteries of Love <談情說案> starring Raymond Lam Fung, Tavia Yeung Yi, Kenneth Ma Kwok Ming, Bernice Liu Bik Yee, and Lisa S. Raymond will play a genius physicist who assists police officer, Kenneth, in solving difficult cases. Tavia will play the role of a doltish police officer who falls in love with Raymond. Even audiences who do not closely follow Japanese dramas will see the similarities between The Mysteries of Love and Japanese drama, Detective Galileo.
Last year, when The Mysteries of Love began filming, the media had already accused TVB of copying Detective Galileo, which starred Fukuyama Masaharu. Raymond denied the accusation, “The two dramas have two different scripts. The different cast should result in a dissimilar interpretation and distinct outcomes.”
Even before its broadcast, netizens have uploaded photos of The Mysteries of Love and Detective Galileo, pointing out their similarities. We will have to see how the The Mysteries of Love’s ratings fare!
Styling for Characters
In The Mysteries of Love, Raymond often wears a white lab coat or a tie with a vest [which resembles Fukuyama Masaharu’s style in Detective Galileo]. Tavia’s suits and jackets also resemble Shibasaki Kou’s outfits from Detective Galileo as well. Fortunately, Tavia’s beauty and good acting may compare favorably with the Japanese version.
Copying the Plot
In the eighth episode of Detective Galileo, the spirit of a deceased girl appeared in front of Fukuyama. The Mysteries of Love also feature a scene where a middle-aged female ghost appears.
Duplicating the Cases
In Detective Galileo, Fukuyama often discusses his cases inside his laboratory. In The Mysteries of Love, Raymond also discusses the cases with other cast members inside his lab. The two series’ plots, characters, and style resemble each other closely. To avoid accusations that The Mysteries of Love copied Detective Galileo exactly, additional romantic arcs were added. Producer Lau Ka Ho said, “Although physics is used to solve the cases in The Mysteries of Love, the main focus is still the romantic relationships. Thus it is different than Detective Galileo.”
The romantic relationship between Raymond and Tavia also bear a strong resemblance to the characters in Detective Galileo. Raymond is a logical scientist who does not believe in love, while Tavia places love above all other priorities. As the pair get to know each other more, love sparks ignite.
Excerpt from Face Magazine #156
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