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The Shell Game

1980–1981 · 2 seasons

A slow, talky period drama of rivalries and high-stakes gambling, carried by its stars and its old Guangzhou atmosphere.

Created by
Wong Tin-lam
Genres
Drama
Starring
Patrick Tse Yin, Liza Wong, Simon Yam
Overview
Set in 1930s Guangdong, when the gambling industry was in full bloom. One of the greatest gamblers in all of Southern China is Law Sei Hoi, who is dubbed as "Divine Eyes of the South" due to his keen eyesight, which he has used to win a great number of games. In addition to his recognition as a highly-skilled gambler, Law Sei Hoi is the owner of a number of casinos in Guangzhou. Tam Sing, an orphan, wanting to be a gambler himself, pursues Law Sei Hoi, asking him to accept him as a disciple. A blossoming romance begins to emerge between his teacher, Law Sei Hoi and his older sister, Tam Siu Tong, who is a well-known Cantonese opera singer. Hung Biu, the rival of Lo Sei Hoi and a gambling tycoon from Guangxi, however, plans to take over the Guangzhou gambling industry.

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In the UKNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.
Created by
Wong Tin-lam
Genres
Drama
Starring
Patrick Tse Yin, Liza Wong, Simon Yam
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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
    Pacing
    measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
    Attention
    engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
    Themes
    • ambition
    • obsession
    • power
    • betrayal
    • family
    Places
    • big city
    Era
    period
    Audience
    adult
    Form
    • serialised
    Content intensity
    • Gore none
    • Language mild
    • Violence mild
    • Sex mild
    All scales, 0 to 10
    Scales, 0 to 10
    ScaleValue0 to 10
    Action3
    Horror1
    Humour3
    Realism7
    Romance4
    Tension5
    Darkness5
    Complexity5
    Emotional weight5

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    Where to watch in the UK

    No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

    Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

    Details

    Genres
    drama
    Created by
    Wong Tin-lam
    Starring
    Patrick Tse Yin, Liza Wong, Simon Yam, Chow Yun-Fat, Peter Yang Kwan, Sidney Yim, Karen Chan Ga-Yee, Richard Ng Man-tat
    Length
    2 seasons, 45 episodes
    Network
    TVB Jade
    Country
    Hong Kong
    Languages
    Cantonese

    TMDBWikidata