Holland V (TV Series 2003) Poster

(2003)

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10/10
Generation Z
mfs_void19 June 2006
In a nutshell, Holland V is indeed an entertaining drama serial. However, the plots and storyline are haphazardly written in a manner that oversimplify one important element that is commonly referred to as "life".

I have come across individuals, especially youngsters who commented that the serial is predominantly & highly unrealistic; basing its evolving plots on themes and premises that most Singaporeans would find too hard to believe in.

Most of the times, the situation is presented in either black or white terms; good or bad; right or wrong; jubilant or depress; wise or dumb; rich or poor, etc. Whereas in real-life, most Singaporeans who are well-known as being pragmatic lots know instinctively that things are hardly defined, polished and distinguished as those depicted in the serial.

Cases in point. Richard Yu Hongzhi (aka Xiaoxin) who is repeatedly dubbed as a so-called computer whiz actually doesn't come across as the person he's touted to be. Seriously speaking, just because he's managed to fix a remote-controlled car, in other words, a toy, does not make him ultra intelligent.

His personality also doesn't rhyme with one who happens to be a successful corporate figure. And he's not just anybody, mind ya all. He is one of the leading personalities in the Silicon Valley!! Or so according to the drama serial.

Real-life technopreneurs or businessmen for that matter are hyper-aggressive; not the least whiny and wimpy like Xiaoxin. Steve Ballmer (Monkeyboy), Larry Ellison, Bill Gates, Scott McNealy, etc. The scriptwriters ought to have had researched the personalities' traits of these individuals before giving birth to the character of Hongzhi.

Next, Mo Yanyan. Every working adult would find it laughable and odd learning that someone of her stature can actually get away with doing what she did at her workplace. eg. getting into the office late; talking back to her immediate superior when she's being lambasted on; and when she's seated at her workstation, she doesn't even do her works.

Come on! In real-life, Yanyan would have long been asked to pack her stuff, and head out of the door. No employer would tolerate such behaviors at the workplace. Period!

It is no wonder then that most youngsters in Singapore are not keen on being glued to the telly, watching the locally-produced drama serials; with Holland V being one of them.

Holland V is at best produced for those who find solace and comfort in the idealistic relics that were highly prevalent in the past. Modern-day Singapore certainly doesn't allow for such a luxury. :-)

P/S:

"In fact also back then when it first aired in my country, it even broke down language barriers where even the non-Mandarin speaking Singaporeans do watch the show, and the English subtitles did helped them to understand the plot. Never really in the history of Singapore television as I know has happened such a thing".

Correction. Circa 1991 when Pretty Faces was being aired on Channel 8, I have personally known that a great number of non-Chinese Singaporeans and even Malaysians (those who live in JB) would diligently tune in to the Ch8 to catch Bobo (Zoe Tay) strutting her stuff. As such, Holland V isn't exactly the maiden serial which has caught the non-Chinese and non-Mandarin speaking folks to watch Chinese drama serials in the first place.
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8/10
Awesome and entertaining!
dy1581 June 2006
Never realised that there is an entry on one of my favourite TV drama serials till now actually. The show which was a ratings winner and had even won awards at our own TV awards. Something like our own version of the Emmys here, except it's for those shows in Mandarin. My mother tongue (English is my first language).

And even with now it's on repeat on late weekday afternoons here, it definitely brought back those memories.

Holland V, or Holland Village as it's being called otherwise, is all about a family of grown-up siblings who own a famous nasi lemak (a Malay dish there) restaurant in Holland Village and the various things they encountered along the way. The title of this drama serial, as in the place, actually does exist here in Singapore. But the plot is entirely fiction.

In fact, there was once I was flipping through the TV channels and I happened to see this drama series aired on a Malaysian TV station too. It was like last year. That is actually the level of popularity it gets.

Plenty of emotions are being roped into this drama series. In fact also back then when it first aired in my country, it even broke down language barriers where even the non-Mandarin speaking Singaporeans do watch the show, and the English subtitles did helped them to understand the plot. Never really in the history of Singapore television as I know has happened such a thing.

The unity between the siblings is one thing you got to hand it to them. No matter how there are always those who want to run over them, the siblings always faced it together as one. The eldest sister who is the 'leader', the second sister who is always worrying about her husband who is not afraid to speak his mind which at times almost landed him in trouble, the third sister who is often the sleepyhead and always want to be very rich, the fourth sister who is the simple-minded girl and helping out her eldest sister in the business, the fifth sister who is the most studious one and did went to university and the youngest is, a guy who has always want to step out of the sisters' shadow. One can always identify with either one of them.

Definitely entertaining!
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