Can't Buy Me Love (2010 TV series)
Introduction '''''Can't Buy Me Love''''' (Chinese: 公主嫁到) is a 2010 Hong Kong television series. It is a grand production by TVB and starred Charmaine Sheh and Moses Chan as the lead casts while Linda Chung, Raymond Wong, Kenneth Ma and Fala Chen as the main cast for this series.The television series was released in Hong Kong on TVB Jade network on 23 August 2010, in the third-line time slot (starting at around 21:30 in UTC+8), airing between Monday-Friday every night at this hour.Like many TVB series, especially comedies, the name of the series is a pun. "公主嫁到" means "The Princess Comes by Marriage", while its homonym "公主駕到" which roughly translates to "The Princess Cometh" is a phase used to formally announce the arrival of a princess.
Synopsis Set during the Tang dynasty of China, ''Can't Buy Me Love'' tells the story of the Third Princess, Princess Chiu Yeung (Charmaine Sheh), of the Tang Emperor (Samuel Kwok), who is beautiful but very unreasonable, and, as such, no one wants to marry her.The Kam family is the largest gold manufacturer in the grand capital Chang'an, but because they are deceived, the business runs into troubles. The second son of the Kam family Kam Tuo Luk (Moses Chan) has to marry the Third Princess to save the family business, because then they will have the right to manufacture gold pieces for the Tang Palace, the Third Princess only agreeing to the marriage because otherwise she would be married off to the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo, as schemed by the evil Concubine Wei (Kara Hui).The Princess brings many servants to the Kam family after marrying Kam Tuo Luk, and constantly comes into conflict with the members of the Kam family (Lee Heung Kam, Susanna Kwan, Louis Yuen, Raymond Wong Ho-yin). The Princess brings Szeto Ngan Ping (Fala Chen), with her to the Kam family, who has been awarded "Best Servant" by the Concubine Dowager Chui (Susan Tse) and later became wife of Ding Yau Wai (Kenneth Ma).The Princess originally decides to leave the house, but when she misunderstands that the Kam family speaks negatively of her, she stubbornly stays. Later, she and Kam Tuo Luk fall in love. When the Kam family is convicted of a capital offence, she divorces Kam Tuo Luk to secretly save the Kam family.
Development After the huge success of ''Beyond the Realm of Conscience'', the filming of a similarly set costume drama comedy was announced. ''Can't Buy Me Love'' was featured in the TVB 2010 sales presentation clip, which was released shortly after the TVB Awards Presentation.The drama became popular compared to ''Beyond the Realm of Conscience'' due to its similar lavish costumes and sets, cast members, and close time period (both set during the Tang dynasty of China). They were also compared to since ''Can't Buy Me Love'' also had links with the Tang imperial palace, though it had far more scenes outside the palace. It has also been widely and popularly named the indirect sequel (although it should really be a prequel, due to it being set during Taizong's reign) to its predecessor, despite their entirely different genres (''Can't Buy Me Love'' being a romantic comedy, while ''Beyond the Realm of Conscience'' being a historical drama). The two series share the same producer, Mui Siu Ching.To capture the grandeur of the Tang dynasty, custom-made elaborate costumes and sets were created for the series, resembling those of ''Beyond the Realm of Conscience'' in a comical way. Elaborate costumes have been made for grand series produced by TVB in the past, especially costume dramas including ''War and Beauty'' and ''The Charm Beneath''. A costume fitting featuring majority of the cast was held on 17 December 2009 at 12:30 pm in Hong Kong, in front of the Shaolin Temple in TVB City's Ancient Street, Tseung Kwan O. A blessing ceremony was held for ''Can't Buy Me Love'' on 26 February 2010.Filming was completed in April 2010.Especially grand was Charmaine Sheh's wedding ceremony headgear. The heavy headwear proved to be difficult for the cast and resulted in injuries and discomforts during filming. Television Broadcasts Limited created much hype prior to the release of the series, having numerous news on the progress of the series' filming published on TVB Weekly magazine and letting out news on the filming progress.Three official trailers were released near the date of release, the first making a parody out of ''Beyond the Realm of Conscience''. Malaysia's Astro on Demand channel also showed previews of the drama. Because of the drama's high ratings during the early episodes (the series reportedly managed a peak of 36 points in its first week) and a celebratory event was scheduled. However, because of the hostage-taking incident in the Philippines, the event was cancelled and the Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority received complaints for a comedy being aired at a tragic time.
Format The television series is a romantic comedy costume drama, featuring lavish costumes and sets intended to capture the luxury and grandeur of the Tang dynasty, and makes parodies out of other Hong Kong television shows, including dramas and varieties. The show regularly utilizes numerous original poems throughout the series for comedic effect, the poems being a hybrid between classical Chinese compositions and modern rap in terms of both structure and word choice.The drama is set to have 32 episodes, with a definitive beginning and ending to the story. Each episode is around 45 minutes long. Bickering is a major part of the comedic aspect of the drama. Apart from this romantic plot, the series also focuses on the protagonists under threat from villains, and therefore part of the plot focuses on scheming in the palace. This theme (especially those within the imperial harem, such as imperial concubines) have long been in existence in TVB dramas, especially after the hit 2004 TVB series ''War and Beauty''.The series, apart from the main couple, Charmaine Sheh and Moses Chan, two supporting couples, Linda Chung and Raymond Wong Ho-yin, Fala Chen and Kenneth Ma also share a romantic storyline.
Historical trivia * None of the princesses featured in the drama are historically recorded princesses, though their names are loosely based on popular characters given to imperial princesses. The princesses in the drama are named, in descending age or ranking, Princess Yonghe the Eldest (Sharon Chan), Princess Qingyun (Tracy Ip), Princess Zhaoyang (Charmaine Sheh), Princess Qinping (Yoyo Chen), Princess Qinhui (Charmaine Li) and Princess Dexin (Linda Chung), none of whom are historically recorded imperial princesses. * It is revealed that the fictional Princess Yonghe's (Sharon Chan) mother was Empress Zhangsun, who is revered as one of the most benevolent empresses of Chinese history. Empress Zhangsun made notable contributions to peasantry and labour, and even towards Chinese technology despite her elevated status as an Empress during her lifetime. * The Emperor featured in the series is Emperor Taizong of Tang, the second Emperor of the Tang dynasty. Princess Zhaoyang (Charmaine Sheh) explicitly admires her father. Emperor Taizong, while still only a duke's son, assisted his father, then the Duke of Tang, to overthrow the brief Sui dynasty, thus establishing the Tang dynasty and paving the road for one of China's golden ages. * The series reveals (fictionally) a reason for Princess Wencheng's famed political marriage to Songtsen Gampo of the Tibetan Empire. Princess Wencheng was probably not an imperial princess but a niece or maid of Emperor Taizong's or the Imperial Household's, who was married to Songtsen Gampo, forging an alliance between the Tang Empire and the Tibetan Empire. Princess Wencheng would later help to develop technology and more civilised and idealistic standards of living in Tuoba, which was then regarded by the Chinese as an almost barbaric empire. * The series mentions (and probably exaggerates) gender equality during the Tang dynasty. The Tang dynasty was in fact a period of a Chinese history in which women were fairly liberated, with records of outspoken courtesans and women of prominent families playing the Persian sport of polo with gentry men. The first instance of feminism in the Tang dynasty was established very early on, when the daughter of the Tang's founding father Emperor Gaozu, Princess Pingyang, made large military contributions and in fact led military forces to help overthrow the Sui and establish the Tang. * Emperor Taizong was the first husband of the young Wu Zetian, who would later become a favourite of Emperor Gaozong's, then his Empress consort, a regent power and eventually an Empress regnant in her own right, interrupting the Tang dynasty's early stages with the Later Zhou. Wu Zetian would rule as the only historically recorded female imperial monarch of Chinese history, and she would even further contribute to gender equality in the Tang after Princess Pingyang. Her efforts would include the installing Shangguan Wan'er as a political and literary scholar. * The series references trade with foreign empires. China at the time was by far the world's largest economy, and many foreign empires and states paid homage to China and traded with China. Trade with the West flourished for China under the Tang. China also imported aspects of foreign culture. Chang'an, the Tang capital, was a cosmopolitan area boasting a huge population. Christianity reached China for the first time around the time setting of the series. Buddhism was imported during the Northern and Southern Dynasties from India and its presence was solidified under the Tang. Chinese hanfu also made major alterations, adopting some of the court styles of the Persian Empire. Sports, philosophies and consumer goods were all imported, as well as exported.
Lead cast : ''Note: Some of the characters' names are in Cantonese romanisation. '''''Cast''''''Role''''''Description'''Charmaine Sheh Princess Chiu Yeung  昭陽公主  Third Princess of Tang Palace  Kam Tuo Luk's wife  Was framed for being an impostor by Concubine Wei and becomes a civilian in '''Episode 23'''  Becomes Princess again after the truth was revealed in '''Episode 28'''  Gets kidnapped in '''Episode 29'''  Gets rescued by Kam Dor Luk in '''Episode 31'''  Had a daughter in '''Episode 32'''Moses Chan Kam Duo Lok  金多祿  Second son of Kam family  Kam Tai Fu Yan's grandson  Ding Loi Hei's stepson  Princess Chiu Yeung's husband. Also has a daughter in '''episode 32'''
Main cast : ''Note: Some of the characters' names are in Cantonese romanisation. '''''Cast''''''Role''''''Description'''Linda Chung Ng Sze Tak  吳四德  Kam family's maid, then housekeeper  Becomes "3rd Princess" in '''Episode 23''', after Concubine Wei frames Chiu Yeung as an impostor(Later found out to be the fake princess)  Princess Chiu Yeung's adoptive sister in '''Episode 28'''  Kam Duo Sao's wife in '''Episode 32'''Raymond Wong Ho-yin Kam Duo Sao  金多壽  Third son of Kam family  Kam Tai Fu Yan's grandson  Ding Loi Hei's son  Ng Sze Tak's husband in '''Episode 32'''Fala ChenSzeto Ngan Ping  司徒銀屏  Third Princess's servant and friend as well as body guard  Concubine Dowager Cui awards her "No. 1 Servant"  Ding Yau Wai's wife in '''Episode 32'''Kenneth MaDing Yau Wai 丁有維  Matchmaker  Lo Tou-yun and Fong Hak-lan's son  Szeto Ngan Ping's husband in '''Episode 32'''
Recurring cast : ''Note: Some of the characters' names are in Cantonese romanisation. '''''Cast''''''Role''''''Description'''Susanna Kwan Ding Loi Hei 丁來喜  Boss of Kam Kam Ho Gold Shop  Kam Tai Fu Yan's daughter-in-law  Kam Tuo Fuk and Kam Tuo Luk's stepmother  Kam Tuo Sao's mother  Yuen Siu Yuk and Princess Chiu Yeung's stepmother-in-law  Ng Sze Tak's mother-in-law  Ding Choi Wong's cousin and enemy/rival later became friends  her father is Ding Loi Hei's Father, her mother is Ding Loi Hei's MotherLee Heung-kam Kam Tai Fu Yan  金太夫人  Ding Loi Hei's mother-in-law  Kam Tuo Fuk, Kam Tuo Luk, Kam Tuo Sao's grandmother  Suffered from Alzheimer's disease later and cured after seeing Guanyin in her dreamsSharon Chan  Princess Wing Ho  永河公主  First Princess  Chiu Wan's wife  Daughter of Emperor Taizong of Tang and Empress Zhangsun  Enemy of Princess Chiu Yeung  Depreciated to a commoner, expelled from the Palace, and went mentally unstable in '''Episode 15'''  Was mentioned to be mending her ways later  (Villain)Louis Yuen  Kam Duo Fok  金多福  Eldest son of Kam family  Kam Tai Fu Yan's grandson  Ding Loi Hei's stepson  Yuen Siu Yuk's husband and have five children while his wife is pregnant with anotherEdwin Siu  Chiu Wan  趙弘  Princess Wing Ho's abused husband  Leave the Palace to live with Princess Wing Ho in '''Episode 15'''Selena Li  Yuen Siu Yuk  阮小玉  Kam Tuo Fuk's wife  Have four daughters and a son while pregnant with another Kwok Fung  Emperor Taizong of Tang  唐太宗  Princesses Yonghe, Qingyun, Chiu Yeung, Chuanping, Chunhui's father  Deshan's adoptive father  Concubine Wei and Concubine Xuan's husband Susan Tse  Concubine Dowager Cui  崔太妃  Emperor Gaozu of Tang's concubine Kara Hui  Concubine Wei  韋貴妃  Emperor Taizong of Tang's concubine  Enemy of Princess Chiu Yeung and Kam family  Committed suicide (by stabbing a sharp headpiece into her chest) in '''Episode 28'''  (Main Villain) Griselda Yeung  Concubine Xun  孫貴妃  Emperor Taizong of Tang's concubine Tracy Ip  Princess Qingyun  清雲公主  Second Princess  Hung Che-gong's wife  Enemy of Princess Chiu Yeung later friends  (Semi-villain) Matthew Ko  Hung Che-gong  孔志恭  Princess Qingyun's husband Yoyo Chen  Princess Chuanping  川平公主  Fourth Princess  Cheng Po Wife  Enemy of Princess Chiu Yeung later friends  (Semi-villain) Eric Li  Cheng Po  鄭浦  Princess Chuanping's husband Charmaine Li  Princess Jinhuai 晉懷公主  Fifth Princess  Tai Dak Leung Wife but divorced in '''Episode 28'''  Enemy of Princess Chiu Yeung later friends  (Semi-villain) Jonathan Cheung  Tai Dak Leung  泰德亮  Princess Chuanhuai's husband, but divorced because he can't stand her attitude in '''Episode 28''' Joseph Lee (李國麟)  Ding Choi Wong 丁財旺  Boss of Ding Fung Ho Gold Shop  Ding Loi Hei's cousin and enemy  Mai Yan Che's husband  Ding Yau Wai's adopted father Mary Hon  Mai Yan Che  米仁慈  Ding Choi Wong's wife  Ding Yau Wai's adopted mother Ram Chiang (蔣志光)  Lo Tou-yun  羅道遠  Turkic peoples  Fong Hak-lan's husband  Ding Yau-wai's father  Yu-Man Kit's subordinate  Determined to overthrow Tang dynasty with Yu-Man Kit  Killed and sacrificed himself to protect his recently found son when fighting with Wong Mang in '''Episode 32'''  (Main villain) Meini Cheung (張美妮) Fong Hak-lan  方克蘭  Lo Tou-yun's wife  Ding Yau Wai's mother  Deceased Vincent Wong  Yu-Man kit  宇文傑  A disguised philanthropist, actually a Turkic prince  Lo Tuo-yun and Wong Mang's supervisor  Determined to overthrow Tang dynasty with Lo Tou-yun and Wong Mang  Committed suicide when his plans failed and caught by Tang army in '''Episode 32''' ( Main villain) Tai Chi-wai (戴志偉) Wong Mang  王猛  A Turkic General  Yu-Man Kit's subordinate  Determined to overthrow Tang dynasty with Yu-Man Kit  Killed when fighting with Lo Tou-yun in '''Episode 32'''  (Villain) Yu Tsz-ming (余子明)  Uncle Wing  榮叔  Kam Kam Ho's ex-shop manager, then Ding Fung Ho's ex-shop manager  Threatened Kam Kam Ho to pay for his gambling debts  Fired by Kam Kam Ho and Ding Fung Ho successively  (Villain) Tsui Wing  Uncle Po  寶叔  Ding Fung Ho's shop manager  Plot with gangsters to kidnapped Mai Yan Che, but killed by gangsters in '''Episode 16'''  (Villain) Elaine Yiu  Cho Kiu  楚　翹  A prostitute  Kam Tuo Luk's dream woman  Bribed by Princess Wing Ho to seduce Kam Duo Luk and separate him and Chiu Yeong Lily Li  Aunt Mei  媚 姨  A brothel's operator  Bribed by Princess Wing Ho to assist Cho Kiu to seduce Kam Duo Luk Deno Cheung (張松枝)  Boss Mak  麥老闆  Boss of Mak Lee Ho, another gold store  Incriminated Kam Kam Ho to sell fake gold  (Villain) Au Sui-wai (歐瑞偉)  Wong Ka-tung  王家棟  An assassin  Ordered by Concubine Wai to determine to kill Princess Chiu Yeung  Killed by poisoning by Concubine Wai in '''Episode 23'''  (Villain) Rosanne Lui (呂珊)  Chui Sim  徐嬋  Proclaimed to be Ding Choi-wong's cousin  Stole Lo Tou-yun's son (i.e. Ding Yau-wai) and sold him to Ding Choi-wong  Killed by Lo Tou-yun in '''Episode 26'''  (Villain) Li Hung-kit (李鴻杰) Buk Yat Buk  卜一卜  A fortune-teller  Kam Tuo-luk's friend  Promoted to court astronomer for being very accurate in his predictions in '''Episode 31''' Stephen Huynh  Luk Tung-chan  祿東贊  A Tibetan ambassador Tam Bing-man (譚炳文) Uncle Lam Tin  林天叔  A former gang leader Fung So Bor (馮素波) –  Grandmother of Princess Chiu Yeung  Deceased Chuk Man-kwan  –  Mother of Ding Loi Hei  Incriminated by Ding Choi Wong  Deceased
International broadcast  Region  Network  Notes   TV2 & 8TV  Dubbed in Mandarin (Mandarin Dubbed and Malay subtitles on TV2)  Cartoon Network and Disney Channel  Dubbed in English Hungama TV and Pogo TV  Dubbed in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil  RCTI  Dubbed in Indonesian    VV Drama  Dubbed in Mandarin Mediacorp Channel 8  Astro Prima  Dubbed in Malaysian
Accolades ===42nd Ming Pao Anniversary Awards 2010=== Nominees  Accolades  Results Charmaine Sheh  My Most Supportive Performance  Moses Chan  Outstanding Actor in Television  Charmaine Sheh  Outstanding Actress in Television            Outstanding Programme  ===TVB Anniversary Awards (2010)=== Nominees  Accolades  Results        Best Drama   Moses Chan  Best Actor   Charmaine Sheh  Best Actress   Louis Yuen  Best Supporting Actor   Susanna Kwan  Best Supporting Actress   Moses Chan  My Favourite Male Character   Louis Yuen   Charmaine Sheh  My Favourite Female Character   Linda Chung   Fala Chen   Susanna Kwan   Lee Heung Kam   Raymond Wong  Most Improved Actor   Selena Li  Most Improved Actress  ===16th Asian Television Awards 2011=== Nominees  Accolades  Results Charmaine Sheh  Best Actress in a Leading Role            Best Drama Serial
Viewership ratings WeekEpisodesAverage PointsPeaking PointsReferences  '''1''' 23–27 August 2010  1 – 5  33  37  '''2''' 30 August – 3 September 2010  6 – 10  33  35  '''3''' 6–10 September 2010  11 – 15  33  35  '''4''' 13–16 September 2010  16 – 19  33  —  '''5''' 20–24 September 2010  20 – 24  32  36 '''6''' 27 September – 1 October 2010  25 – 29  35  37 2 October 2010  30  34  36 3 October 2010  31 – 32  42  45
References
External links * TVB.com ''Can't Buy Me Love'' – Official Website * K for TVB ''Can't Buy Me Love'' – English Synopsis*List of Can't Buy Me Love episodes