Young and lively but lacking identity

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Caution: Spoilers ahead!


Have you watched the Pupil? It's Singapore’s first locally-produced legal drama series and is catching the eyes of Singaporeans not for its basis in real-life cases or experienced cast, but for its cinematography.

The Singaporean lawyers of The Pupil may turn out to have more controversial backgrounds than the cases they handle in court.
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The Pupil focuses on Singapore’s legal scene – inspired by actual cases, encompassing local issues like National Service and following the trail of Singaporean lawyers with backgrounds perhaps more controversial than the cases they handle in court.


The pupil Wendy Lim begins her apprenticeship at law firm Roberts and Fong, but is also looking for her missing father.
-- Picture: http://thepupil.mediacorptv.sg/thepupil_cast.htm

The English drama series is about Wendy Lim, a young Malaysian who comes to Singapore searching for her missing father. She begins her apprenticeship at Roberts & Fong, her uncle’s law firm, and in looking for her father gets tangled in a web of twists and turns that may threaten her own life.

Since its premier last month, The Pupil’s surprised Singaporeans with its dramatic camerawork and fast-paced flow unique in Singapore’s local television scene. Here's what some of them think!

“The first episode was very well presented,” said teacher Andrea Lee, who has followed other legal dramas like Judging Amy. “I was extremely stunned at the steadicam shots because they were very creative and engaging.”

Catch steadicam shots in The Pupil:
Episode 1, Part 1 - 3:00 minutes
Episode 3, Part 3 - 4.55 minutes

With a steadicam, a cameraman follows characters through one continuous shot instead of taking several shots that are combined later. Viewers are then treated to a scene uninterrupted by cuts and capable of bringing out enhanced motion and interaction.

“I’ve watched quite a few episodes,” said Rosli bin Suleiman, a second-year Nanyang Polytechnic student. “The variety of camera angles plus the climatic music makes the whole experience quite different, very exciting.”

Indeed, The Pupil is produced by one of Singapore’s independent production houses, Film Formations, and differs in style from MediaCorp productions like last year’s Red Thread.

Script-wise, however, some Singaporeans feel the English series should do more to establish its own identity.

“It’s sort of a compilation of Singaporean issues and a storyline,” said Amelia Tan, “but just a
combination without something defining the series.” The Marketing Consultant hopes to see the series develop a characteristic that makes it recognisable, the way “Boston Legal is humorously insightful” and “The Practice has its seriousness.”

For first-year Nanyang Polytechnic student Joshua Tay, the series “spends too much time on effects and too little time on essence.”

“Sometimes they spend too much time showing an actor’s emotional look,” he elaborates, “probably for dramatic effect. But it’s quite easy to guess the plot turns sometimes – there’s little depth.”



Actor Lim Kay Tong plays Wendy's cool-headed uncle Harris Fong, who may actually turn out to have dangerous connections from his past.

-- Picture: http://thepupil.mediacorptv.sg/thepupil_cast_harris.htm

If you've watched The Pupil, what are your views on its camerawork and storyline?

(You can catch The Pupil every Thursday at 8.30pm.)