Don't Stop Believin' (TV series)
Don't Stop Believin' is a Singaporean Chinese drama which was telecast on Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp Channel 8. It made its debut on 14 August 2012. This drama serial consists of 20 episodes and was screened on weekdays at 9:00 pm. It stars Felicia Chin, Elvin Ng, Romeo Tan, Edwin Goh, Kimberly Chia, Ian Fang & Xu Bin as the casts of this series.
Plot
Du Siman is a passionate teacher of a top school. After clashing with the principal over a student, she decides to join Brilliante Secondary School, the school with the worst academic results in Singapore as it accepts pupils who have failed the Primary School Leaving Examinations at least twice. Through sheer determination, she manages to convince the principal, Zhou Yaoguang and vice principal Li Shengchun, to recruit her. Unfortunately, Siman's first day at the school turns out disastrous.Wu Yanbin is a counselor in the school. Initially, Siman was furious with Yanbin after he did not respond to her calls for help when she was locked inside a recreation room. He even seemingly rejects Siman's profession of love for him. However, her stance towards him softened after she found out that Yanbin suffers from frequent bouts of sudden deafness.
In Siman's class is a student by the name of Bai Zhixiang. If not for a home visit, she will not have believed that in a prosperous First World country like Singapore, there exists such a poor family who not only cannot pay their utility bills, they do not even have gas at home. Then there is another student Cai Wensheng who is studying, and working at the same time to support the family at such a tender age because his father, Tianshi, is mentally unwell. Emotions well up when Siman and the new volunteer teacher Angel see these students rushing off to work right after school.
Zhong Guo'an is the disciplinary master of the school. In front of the whole school, he canes Junliang who is involved in a case where a female student, Jessie is molested. Feeling maligned, the indignant Junliang throws a bag of urine at Jessie sneakily. Unfortunately, Guo'an slips and is rendered paralysed as a result. He is wheelchair- bound for life. Full of guilt, Junliang wants to visit Guo'an in hospital but is stopped by Yaoguang. Out of guilt, he protests about not being allowed to see his own father.
Zhixiang has his first taste of love when he falls for a classmate, Yilin, who rejects him. Yilin confides in Yanbin every now and then. Once, when Yilin suffers a nosebleed, Yanbin carefully helps her to stop the bleeding. The young girl somehow develops feelings for him despite knowing that Yanbin is in love with someone else...
Jin Zhengnan, Yanbin's good friend, is fond of Siman after meeting her for the time. To get close to her, he volunteers to conduct a bakery class for the students of Brilliante Secondary School. Siman's heart, however, is with Yanbin. Once, Siman sums up her courage to express her feelings for Yanbin. Unfortunately, Yanbin's hearing defect leads to Siman mistaking him for rejecting her love. Disappointed, Siman finally gives in to Zhengnan's wooing.
Siman and Yanbin take the students on an overseas tour. They find out unexpectedly that Yilin is suffering from a terminal illness. In fact, Yilin knows about it all along but chooses to hide the truth from her teachers and classmates. As her condition worsens, she is unable to participate in the culinary competition organized by the TV station. She can only hope that her teammates will fulfill her wish.
Alex, a problem student who bears a grudge against Yanbin for punishing him, threatens another student into accusing Yanbin of molestation. He even trumps up a load of evidence and produces false witnesses, leaving Yanbin defenceless. In view of the damning evidence, the school board unanimously decides to fire Yanbin. Yaoguang goes all out to defend Yanbin, and makes up his mind to pursue the matter with him. He vows to resign as Principal if Yanbin is dismissed from his job. Siman is roused to join their camp.
Cast
Teachers
Students
Parents / Other cast
Du Siman's Family
Cai Wensheng's Family
Deng Yilin's Family
Zhong Junliang's Family
Production
Filming for Don't Stop Believin started on 10 May 2012 and ended on 16 July 2012. The school scenes would be filmed at East Coast Primary School and the production studio. Out-of-studio filmed scenes included locations like NEX, City Square Mall, Punggol, Serangoon, Bishan and Sentosa.Producer Soh Bee Lian said that there might be a sequel to Don't Stop Believin, though this sequel would involve a new cast and would take some time to produce. The sequel may replace Unriddle 2 in having a third instalment.
Reception
Don't Stop Believin' was well received by Singaporean viewers. It was the most-watched television drama of 2012 in Singapore, garnering an average viewership of 919,000 over its 20 episodes. Although its debut episode garnered only 852,000 viewers, the drama's last episode was attracted a total of 1,047,800 viewers, beating the previous viewership record of 993,000 viewers set by the period drama Joys of Life.A review in The Straits Times described this drama as "refreshing". It also praised "the energy of the young cast", who "makes the drama more enjoyable than you expect it to be". However, it added that "At second sight, Channel 8 touches, such as repetitive lines and ideas, are more apparent". Overall, the newspaper gave this television drama a rating of 3 out of 5 stars.
Overseas broadcast
This drama is one of the first dramas to be broadcast exclusive in Malaysia after its first telecast of two weeks, but there are possible plans to broadcast worldwide.| Country of Broadcast | Broadcasting Network | Debut | Finale | Preceded by | Followed by |
| Astro Shuang Xing | 30 August 2012 at 4.30pm, weekdays | 26 September 2012 | Joys of Life | Poetic Justice |
Awards & Nominations
[Star Awards 2013]
Don't Stop Believin' clinched 4 out of 10 nominations in the Star Awards 2013, including Top Rated Drama Serial of the year. The other dramas nominated for Best Drama Series Poetic Justice, Unriddle 2, Game Plan & Pillow Talk. The other dramas that are nominated for Best Theme Song are It Takes Two, Joys Of Life, Show Hand & Yours Fatefully.| Nominee / Work | Award | Accolade | Result |
| 《真善美》sung by Tay Kewei and Wei En 郑可为、薇恩 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Best Theme Song 最佳主题曲 | |
| Lau Ching Poon 刘清盆 Cynthia Chong Mei Ying 张湄纭 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Best Screenplay 最佳剧本 | |
| Xu Bin 徐彬 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Favourite Male Character 最喜爱男角色 | |
| Kimberly Chia 谢静仪 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Favourite Female Character 最喜爱女角色 | |
| Felicia Chin 陈靓瑄 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Favourite Female Character 最喜爱女角色 | |
| Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Top Rated Drama Serial 2012 最高收视率电视剧 2012 | ||
| Ian Fang 方伟杰 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Rocket 年度飞跃奖 | |
| Ian Fang 方伟杰 | Star Awards 2013 红星大奖2013 | Best Newcomer 最佳新人奖 | |
| Edwin Goh 吴劲威 | Star Awards 2013 红星大奖2013 | Best Newcomer 最佳新人奖 | |
| Constance Song 宋怡霏 | Star Awards 2013 红星大奖2013 | Best Supporting Actress 最佳女配角 | |
| Star Awards 2013 红星大奖2013 | Best Drama Serial 最佳电视剧 |