TVB’s Police Tactical Unit 2019 (機動部隊 2019) is not to be confused with the one screened by Viu TV which carries the same name. In fact, both are being screened in the same month in Hong Kong that many might think they are the same drama. But they are totally different productions by different companies. The TVB version is more like a movie with an edutainment slant. I will do the TVB Police Tactical Unit 2019 review first which you can read below. The Viu PTU 2019 review will be done later when it has been fully released.
Episodes: 4 (about 20 minutes each episode)
Type: Crime
Aired: May 2019
Images Credit: TVB
The Cast
- Matt Yeung Ming as Ah Pok
- Sisley Choi Sze-Pui as Ah Sum
- Max Cheung Tat-Lun as Kit Kor
- Yeung Chiu-Hoi as Hoi Kor
- Chan Wing-Chun as Pok Pa
Main Characters
Ah Pok
Ah Pok is a member of a PTU team that includes Ah Sum and a few others. He loves his job although there are also times that he has doubts and feels dissatisfied when faced with problems while carrying out his duties. He is a filial son who has to take care of his aging father since his mother had passed away.
Ah Sum
Like Ah Pok, Ah sum is a member of a PTU team. She already has a boyfriend but the nature of her job tends to create miscommunication between them at times.
Kit Kor
Kit Kor is a sergeant in Ah Pok’s team. As he is a senior member, he tends to play the role of a listener and advisor to the younger members on how to deal with their problems and unhappiness.
Hoi Kor
Hoi Kor belongs to the Marine team that polices the waters off Hong Kong. He is depicted as a family man with a wife and daughter.
Pok Pa
Pok Pa is Ah Pok’s father who is suffering from dementia. Due to his failing memory, he tends to get confused about the timing of events that have happened in his life.
Synopsis
Police Tactical Unit 2019 is actually a short documentary-like drama that is produced to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Hong Kong police force. The show is to project the professionalism, dedication, and pride of the police force in serving the public. In the process, it also aims to increase the public’s understanding of the officers’ work and duties.
So, this drama really has no specific plot to speak of. It is just a show that documents the professional lives of a few officers as they go about their daily duties, particularly Ah Pok, against the backdrop of personal and family problems that are commonly faced by all of us.
Ah Pok has to grapple with the guilt of being a police officer as his aging father, who is suffering from dementia, is not keen on his career choice. Ah Sum is being pressured to get married by her boyfriend while Hoi Kor’s duties could mean spending long hours at work at the expense of family. This gives a human face to the police officers who might appear very dedicated and professional in a risky profession but also faces the same pressure in their private lives as everyone else.
Police Tactical Unit 2019 Review – Is This TVB Drama Worth A Watch?
First of all, this is a movie-length drama that is broken down into four 20-25 minutes episodes. In actual fact, it is more like a made-for-TV movie rather than a drama. So, in that sense, it is easy to digest since it is ditched out in small doses. The feel of the show is also rather melancholy with a darker hue rather than in normal bright colors. So, if the message that the drama wants to convey is that police officers too are human with a heavy weight on their shoulders, then it has somewhat succeeded with the darker tone.
However, if you are expecting a typical TVB police drama that entails suspense, investigation and solving cases such as The Defected, then Police Tactical Unit 2019 would be a disappointment. There is neither strong character development nor storyline to keep you interested. Most of the time is spent detailing the PTU team undergoing training, walking the beat, and encountering different suspects along the way. The drama moves pretty fast this way as the scenes jump rather abruptly to show viewers the different situations that a PTU team might encounter on their rounds. Their personal stories then become fillers in between.
My Verdict
For the Police Tactical Unit 2019 review, I would say give the drama a miss. For a drama that has no particular plot to draw your attention but focuses more on the people and the things that they do, I think one will need good acting skills by the cast to help carry the show. Unfortunately, there is none here. No doubt it isn’t fair to compare this production to a normal full-length drama since it has to carry informational content too. But it certainly can be better done with better casting and more story development rather than a mix and match tale of the various characters.
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