Outraged by the TVB show, psychiatrists and scholars have come together to say the broadcaster should help protect society by pulling the plug on Bride Wannabes immediately and pledging not to produce more shows like it. They launched a Facebook group called "Say No To Bride Wannabes," which has close to 2,000 "likes."
But that's not how TVB is thinking, said deputy controller of external affairs Tsang Sing-ming. Rather than stopping the show, TVB plans to add to the desperate women with a male version.
Literally translated, the title reads as "Blossomed Women," with characters that play on the fact there are more women than men in Hong Kong.
The 10-episode show began on Monday of last week and the finale will be on Friday.
The five single thirtysomething women have undergone a series of makeovers by stylists and a life coach so that they can find a partner. But that means the program teaches people to become fakes in order to attract men, argue some of its detractors.
A member of the Facebook group, psychiatrist Tsang Fan-kwong, said he has never come across the theories being pumped out by the show.
One calls for a woman to look at a man from a 45-degree angle and not to show excitement no matter what he says or promises. Tsang asked: "Why 45 degrees? Why not 35 d
egrees? Any angle is good enough as long as the conversation is conducted naturally. Those `professionals' on the show are merely making silly suggestions to earn money. They are shaming themselves."
A market fish hawker could offer better advice than the life coaches, he added with a snort.
Tsang said he also fears for the five participating women as netizens are likely to dig into their backgrounds to make fun of them.
Ho Chi-kwan, a former social science associate professor at the Polytechnic University, said the show is also flawed as it teaches women to behave in the same way to attract men.
It is more of an advertising package than a reality show, she added. For there appeared to be 23 commercial operators - dating companies, beauty salons and restaurants - in the first five shows.
But Tsang Sing-ming's thoughts are on more of the same. TVB has had requests from viewers for a male version, he said, though nothing is finalized.
"Hong Kong is a place with the freedom of speech," he said, and "while we receive criticism we also receive applause."
The Communications Authority had received 41 complaints against the show by last night.
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