Upcoming TVB television drama, Bullet Brain <神探高倫布>, is a paradox. It is a crime story that is not about crime, a fantasy story that is more real than reality, and a love story that is dishonest but mingles with emotion. Bullet Brain, which debuts in Hong Kong next Monday, April 8, is a period drama about the life of the fictional Detective Columbo, an infamous police inspector during 1960s British Hong Kong. The character is loosely inspired from the American television series, Columbo, which aired on NBC during the 1970s. Produced by award-winning producer Lee Tim Sing (李添勝), the serial stars Wayne Lai (黎耀祥), Ngo Ka Nin (敖嘉年), Sire Ma (馬賽), Edwin Siu (蕭正楠), and Natalie Tong (唐詩詠). “It is a story about intelligence,” said Tim Gor. “Intelligence is capable to help us solve our problems, but it is also capable to create big catastrophes.” Story of Ko Dai Hei Ko Dai Hei (Wayne Lai), a simple-minded and kind-hearted man who resides in the countryside of mainland China, travels to Hong Kong to arrange for his father’s funeral. He comes across Hong Kong’s Secretary of Security Kam Lo Yee (Joe Junior), who was his father’s best friend. Yee admires Hei’s pure, loyal, and dauntless nature, and decides to recruit Hei into the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. Hei is best friends with the British-born Pao Ping On (Ngo Ka Nin), a police sergeant. The two friends often lean on each other for support. Though kind and tender, On lacks one important quality that Hei does have – courage. Hei almost sacrificed himself once again to save On’s mother and On’s wife, Joanna Rose (Corinna Chamberlain 陳明恩), in a fire disaster. Hei nearly sacrificed himself again to save On during a crossfire mission. Although he is shot straight in the head by a bullet, Hei survives the accident. The bullet fragments that are left inside Hei’s head, however, triggers Hei’s brain cells to enhance the area of the brain that controls general intelligence. Hei’s intelligence quotient rises rapidly, increasing from an IQ of 100 to an IQ of 283. Hei’s newfound quick-thinking and powerful deduction abilities enable him to solve countless cases. In a matter of months, Hei is promoted from a lowly police constable to a high-ranking police inspector. Hei becomes the British colony’s most famous detective, Columbo. Story of Columbo The altered structure of Columbo’s brain has severely impacted the region of his brain that specializes in emotion, shrinking the structure into a near-zero surface area. Columbo becomes someone ruthless, cruel, selfish, and unscrupulous. Although Columbo still gives some regard to his old friend On, he does not hesitate to use On for his own benefit, which gives rise to an emotionally abusive friendship. Becoming increasingly threatened by Columbo’s rising power and inhuman behavior, Yee orders his daughter, Eva (Sire Ma), to spy on Columbo. Eva attended a cadet academy in Scotland and has recently been promoted to inspector by the police force. With the help of distinguished police constable Choi Fei Lung (Edwin Siu), Eva starts off an underground inspection on Columbo. Columbo is aware of Eva’s intention and concocts ways to limit Eva and her father’s control on him. Though head-strong and persistent, Eva harbors the heart of a damsel who longs for the love of a hero. She is quickly seduced by Columbo’s charisma as a result. However, Columbo is hotly in love with Mui Mui (Natalie Tong), his childhood sweetheart. Unwilling to move back to the countryside as an unloved peasant, Mui Mui is willing to step over all bounds to defeat Eva in this fight for love. During this time, Eva unknowingly falls in love with the heroic Lung, whose impressive fighting dexterity, impeccable aiming, and strong adaptability skills greatly exceed her own. Lung also gives Eva his unconditional support whenever she suffers from Columbo’s unwanted affection. Despite Columbo’s domineering style, On chooses to stick by Columbo’s side, hoping that one day Columbo will admit his faults and return to his old self as Ko Dai Hei. But the longer On waited, the more heartless Columbo becomes. On devises a plan to bring Hei back, but the plan almost fails. Columbo is injured, and another change of temperament happens. Words by Lee Tim Sing Bullet Brain is produced by golden producer Lee Tim Sing, who has been with TVB since the early 1970s. The serial is also Ip Kwong Yam’s (葉廣蔭) comeback as a scriptwriter for TVB. Tim Gor stressed that while Bullet Brain is considered to be detective fiction, the serial’s main plot does not follow typical crime dramas. The only major case that will be explored in depth throughout the serial will be a case about a cooked corpse, a case that is inspired from a real case that happened in Hong Kong in 1989. Bullet Brain will instead be a character-driven drama that will narrate Columbo’s story starting from his innocence, to his moral downfall, and finally to his redemption. Another important topic that will be explored in the drama will be about the features of the brain, the key tool in driving Columbo’s capricious personalities. “Today’s technology is developed, but our knowledge of the human brain is still limited. [The brain’s] ability for development is unlimited.” The series will also delve into themes of love, including brotherly love and romantic love. “The story will start off with the contradicting friendships between Ka Nin and Wayne. Afterwards, some elements of romantic love between Wayne, Sire, and Natalie are included.”
