There has been a notable decline in the quality of TVB dramas in recent years. In order to bring the ratings up, TVB tried pulling veteran actors back to the station. However, even with the help of Dayo Wong (黃子華), ratings hovered only in the twenties, causing ex-TVB artist, Sammul Chan (陳鍵鋒) to openly laugh at TVB’s lack of quality series. “Everyone can see the ratings of these series. Why are series with 27 and 28-point ratings worth celebrating? War of the Genders <男親女愛> received roughly 40 to 50 points and that’s why it was worth applauding. There’s more than a 10-point difference, why aren’t they embarrassed for putting on such a lavish celebration? Don’t try to cover the truth!” TVB’s Lack of Work Ethics Previously, artists that were locked down by long and tedious contracts had no choice but to stay with TVB. However, as the Mainland Chinese market is flourishing, many are heading north to earn more money. Sammul took the opportunity to excel in China. When Sammul was 18 years old, he signed with his current agent. While filming for TVB, he had no choice but to accept whatever conditions were thrown his way. Sammul revealed that TVB management possesses terrible ethics when getting artists to sign contracts. Describing it as an uncomfortable experience, Sammul disclosed that TVB management did not allow him to bring his manager into the negotiation room. At that time, TVB already prepared a contract and would not budge in terms of salary. “I don’t like the method they used; it was uncomfortable and full of pressure.” Creds: Apple Daily
