Kids' Lives Matter (2021)

While not perfect, it is a quality production that deserves more attention and likes

This may not be the perfect medical drama, but it is a quality production that deserves more attention and likes than just the 370 watchers it currently has.

What are good:
1. The story is multifaceted on various heartbreaking cases of kids needing surgery at an established hospital, and layered with the reality of healthcare affordability and accessibility for the privileged and the less privileged, and politics in the hospital administration and procurement.
2. The drama is not all dark and gloomy throughout, with two very fun loving and responsible doctors played by Kevin Cheng and Linda Chung, who not only brighten up and bring laughter to the kids awaiting surgery at the hospital, but also bring and give them hope of recovery.
3. Stellar cast and performance by the four main leads. Ex-TVB anchor leads Kevin and Linda returned to a TVB drama after leaving TVB for at least 5 years or more and effortlessly charm the sick kids in the drama and viewers with their goofy, fun, kind, loving hearts and sizzling chemistry and budding romance between them. Linda’s loss was heartwrecking. Kenneth Ma and Catherine Chau, exude professionalism of senior doctors juggling between hospital politics and giving the patients the best treatment.
4. See Kenneth in his 14th doctor role, and how he has matured from his inaugural doc role as a junior pediatric doc in rural Guangxi in The Last Breakthrough (also a TVB anniversary drama in 2004, and my fave medical drama (read more in my separate detailed review)) to a senior pediatric surgeon at an established hospital in this drama.
5. Very detailed surgery scenes, showing the professional details and production quality of this drama.
6. It currently has a douban rating of 8.8, with a high of 9.1.

What are not so good:
It takes a lot of courage to finish watching this drama:
1. The very detailed surgery scenes can be disturbing for some viewers – try to avoid watching during meal times.
2. Too many surgery cases, almost one surgery per episode, with the mechanical opening surgery scene of a surgical knife slitting on the skin, with blood oozing out.
3. The many realistic stories of kids needing surgeries, the helplessness of the parents, and inability for the less privileged to access treatment can be too heartbreaking for some viewers to continue the drama.

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