Reception
Initial audience anticipation of the series before airing was mostly positive, reported as being a highly anticipated drama following its sales presentation. Some audience also looked forward to Tavia Yeung being cast as a villain for the first time. Some viewers also criticised Charmaine Sheh's character of "Lau Sam Ho" as being "too perfect" and therefore unrealistic.
Tavia Yeung's acting skills initially received criticism from viewers saying that she was not "evil" enough for her role as "Yiu Gam Ling", however by the end of the series she won praise for her facial acting, which showed off her villainy. Her role as "Yiu Gam Ling" was a favorite to win the best actress award in the 2009 TVB Anniversary Awards, however rather than Best Actress she won the awards for Best Performance and My Favorite Female Character. Netizens also strongly praised her character, which replaced the character of the Empress Dowager, portrayed by Susan Tse, as the lead villain in the series from episode 17. Charmaine also received praise for he acting, in particular in the final episode. The series also received acclaim from critics for its elaborate costumes and plot.
The comparison of the series to TVB's 2004 War and Beauty received much retaliation from fans. The plotting and scheming of the characters in Beyond the Realm of Conscience was repeatedly inferior to that of War and Beauty. Others argued that the series was superior in portraying the vulnerability of those less powerful. Charmaine and Moses Chan, who starred in both series, defended the popularity of both series.
Ratings wise the drama performed extremely well from the start, the first episode received an index rating of 34 points (2.14 million viewers) and peaking at 36 points (2.29 million viewers), breaking TVB’s 2003 record for a first episode. The second week of the series was better received, with a peak of 41 points for episode 6. It maintained a steady progress in subsequent weeks. Charmaine Sheh also hoped that Beyond the Realm of Conscience, would break Jewel in the Palace’s record. For the final episode the series managed to receive 50 points for the scene in which the characters of Sam Ho and Ko Hin Yeung were reunited. The announcement that the drama attracted 1% more viewers than Jewel in the Palace, with 98% of viewers against the formers's 97%, pleased both drama's producer and cast, and meant that Beyond the Realm of Conscience finished as TVB's most viewed series for 2009.
Read more about this topic: Beyond The Realm Of Conscience
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