The Truth 谜图: FINAL REVIEW

May 3, 2008 in 2008 Dramas, Dramas

This 20-episode drama ended on Friday, 2nd May 2008, at the 9pm slot on Channel 8.

Created by the same people responsible for 2006’s “The Undisclosed” and 2007’s “The Homecoming”, I think that “The Truth” is undisputivedly the best of all. It has managed to keep my attention with its numerous plot twists and turns, and layers of secrets, which are revealed slowly as each episode goes by.

FINAL RATINGS: 4.0/5.0 (Good)

STORY:

Although complicated, this drama had very few characters – Su Zhenyuan (Zhu Houren), Chen Shuxian (Joanne Peh), Lu Zhiwei (Tay Ping Hui), Alex (Shaun Chen), Lu Rongguang (Richard Low), Chen Shufen (Rebecca Lim), and Susan (Zhu Yuye) – and the story revolved around them, with secrets and backstabbing, people with their own agendas complicating the plot.

It all began because of a treasure map.

Because of this treasure map, secrets were discovered, dug out and exposed. People resorted to underhanded means and ways to get the map, with no regard for kinship or friendship.
SECRETS

Su Zhenyuan is not who he says he is. 20 years ago, he was Chen Chunsheng, the real Su Zhenyuan’s assistant. As Su Zhenyuan was kidnapped in Indonesia, he later died in a car chase. Chunsheng, who was badly disfigured in that car accident, took Zhenyuan’s passport to a plastic surgeon and ‘got his identity and looks restored’. For 20 years, he managed the Su’s business Soho Group, and in the 1st episode, he receives the 2nd part of “his father’s” will – a treasure map which will be sought after throughout the entire show.

Chen Shuxian hides the fact that she was a kept woman years ago. But that issue is cleared up very quickly. Su Zhenyuan reveals his identity to her. On the surface, she acknowledges him, and helps him. She hides the fact that she has acknowledged him, not even telling her sister, Shufen, as Shufen hates their father for abandoning them years ago. Shuxian is determined to bring about his fall, as she believes he was responsible for her mother, Cai Ximei’s death.

Lu Rongguang and Susan hide the fact that they have been having an affair for years, and the fact on why Susan married Zhenyuan in the first place. Rongguang had asked her to marry into the Su family, so that they would be able to find the whereabouts of the treasure map when it finally appears. Rongguang is after the treasure, and Susan, unknowingly, is his pawn. They hide 2 more secrets — the fact that Zhiwei and Alex are their sons.

Lu Zhiwei suspects Zhenyuan’s identity, and Rongguang and Susan confirm he is not Zhenyuan, as he does not have a birthmark Zhenyuan did.

BACKSTABBING

Already with the intension to take away everything her father has, Shuxian is presented with the opportunity when Raymond (Rongguang) takes her under his wing, and introduces her to Winston — together, they siphon funds from a tech park project.

Next, Raymond kills Susan, as she was going to spill the beans on everything. Raymond tells Alex about Su Zhenyuan’s identity, and using that, he sets Alex against the Chen sisters.

MANUPILATION

As Shuxian has seen Raymond’s true colours after the tech park scandal, Alex becomes Raymond’s trusted pawn. But as one thing leads to another, what is supposed to be an act to convince Shufen is so convincing that she commits a murder. This weighs heavily on her mind and takes a toll on her mental health. In the end, she commits suicide, not being able to take the trials of life anymore.

ROMANCE

Shuxian and Zhiwei fall in love. But in the beginning, Su Zhenyuan urges her to keep her distance from him, as he smells a rat and suspects his true identity… Later, fuelled by revenge and hatred for the Chen Chunsheng, Alex tries to force himself on her. This causes deep hate between the 2 men- Alex and Zhiwei.

Alex soon realises that Shufen is very important to him, and even attempts to escape with her when she commits the murder. Her death causes a rift between him and Raymond.

THE FINALE

Deaths:
Cai Ximei, Susan and Winston — murdered by Raymond
P.I. George — murdered by Shufen, who later committed suicide
Raymond — murdered by Alex

After Shufen’s death, Zhenyuan gave up his treasure hunt, and gave Alex the map. Wanting to keep it for himself, he lied to Raymond. However, Raymond found out that he has it from Zhiwei. Alex meets Raymond, and Zhenyuan follows them. Before letting him look at the map, Alex interrogates Raymond on the deaths of Cai Ximei and Susan. Admitting to murdering Cai Ximei, as he thought the envelope Zhenyuan gave her contained the map, he also told Alex that Susan died because of an asthma attack, but it was also because he didn’t give her her medicine when that happened.

Plunging a knife into Raymond’s stomach, Alex runs when Zhiwei appears. In his last breath, Raymond begs Zhiwei to let his brother Alex off. Alex runs without the map. To retrieve it, he kidnaps Shuxian, using her in exchange for the map, now with Chunsheng and Zhiwei. After the exchange, Zhiwei points his gun at Alex. He doesn’t pull the trigger when he remembers what Raymond had told him before he died. The police arrive and take Alex away.

Shuxian and Zhiwei end up together. Chen Chunsheng burns the map

ACTING
Richard Low did brilliantly as the evil Raymond. His character was such that it enabled him to appear cowardly in certain scenes and also so evil that he could kill without batting an eyelid. You could actually see his eyes – how they hid secrets, how they were scheming and full of evilness – even though he was smiling. Really brilliant!

Shaun Chen did as well as I expected him to. He could also do the thing with his eyes, and have the look of hatred. Towards the end, he was overcome by greed and looking crazed… :) Well done!

As a newcomer, and in her first major role, Rebecca Lim had a challenging role, especially when her character, Shufen was feeling guilty and on the verge of a mental breakdown after she committed the murder. Her role was much more dynamic than the role Joanne Peh played. She did a good job in portraying the pains of her character, even though it was a little raw. When she acted, you could actually think that it was real because of her unpolished acting. In certain scenes where she was shouting or quarelling, her words didn’t come out clear – this is due to her unpolished acting – but this is also what makes it real. Think about it — who ever pronounces everything properly when they are angry, emotional and frustrated? Nevertheless, she did a good job as this role is actually quite challenging.

Nothing new from Tay Ping Hui. He’s played these miserable roles before. And when he was angry and agitated, it… well.. he’s done it many times before.

Joanne Peh — well… I’ve never thought much of her acting, and in this show, newcomer Rebecca Lim over-shadowed her with a role more dynamic and more unrestricted. Joanne hardly flared angrily in her role here. She kept everything inside her and was always looking rather miserable…

WHAT I THINK

The story was engaging, and a fresh concept from the usual romance or family stories. Upon knowing that it was a product from the same creators as “The Undisclosed” and “The Homecoming”, I didn’t dare have high expectations, as I expected it to disappoint, like the 2 shows mentioned above did.

I’m pleased to say that I enjoyed this drama. All the backstabbing and secrets were closely linked and simple enough for everyone to understand — siphoning funds, set-ups, scandals in the news etc.

But I felt that too many secrets were revealed too early in the show, leaving the later part of the show not as exciting…

THE THEME SONG 谜图 (Mi Tu) by Daren Tan set the mood. I like it! :)