Set in the 1920s to early 1940s early Republic of China era, No Return follows the lives of Tang Kwai Sim "7th Master", and Chai 17. Tang Kwai Sim is a successful businesswoman in charge of Wing Yip Bank left to her by her late father. She is feared by many as "7th Master" being one of the ten most influential tycoons in the Shanghai Concession. She is also the only woman among the cadre of the top businesspersons. Under her ruthlessness, lies a vulnerable young woman facing adversity in both her professional and personal life. There she encounters Chai 17, an out-of-luck businessman, one who's able to give sound business advice, but unable to personally prosper. Chai 17 grudgingly saves her life and the bank from going under, and the two develop a professional relationship that blossoms into a friendship. A friendship to which both were willing to give up everything and their lives for each other.[7] Along the way they encounter many adversaries, including Lam Mo Choi, a manipulative villain with three separate, yet identical identities. He holds a grudge against the Tang Family, and is bent on destroying 7th Master and her allies.
Chai Man Yee's son Business wizard His abilities made him prideful, he offends many people, rarely talks politely to others[8] Tang Kwai Sim's friend Kwai Fa Heung's friend Benefactor of the Luk Family He rescued 7th Master several times from danger He is named after the 17th Hexagram of the I Ching, overcomes all odds, drawn toward noble people, influential and successful[9]
Owner of Wing Lok Textile Mill. Founder of Wing Yip Bank Sze Wai Ngaa's husband. Father of Tang Kwai Lan, Kwai Sang, Kwai San, Kwai Sim. Father to Kwai Ping through an extra marital affair with Ms. Lam.
Ms. Tang 鄧老太 Tang Wing So's wife. Mother of Tang Kwai Lan, Kwai Sang, Kwai San, and Kwai Sim. Adoptive mother to Kwai Ping, but merely tolerated him. Her closest bond was to her daughter Kwai Sim.
7th Master 七爺 Shanghai business tycoon Principal owner of Wing Yip Bank She greedy, duplicitious, cunning and deceitful[8] Younger sister of Tang Kwai Lan, Kwai Sang, and Kwai San. Tang Kwai Ping's half-sister. Tang Kwai Sim was the only one in the family who gave the most attention to Kwai Ping Loves Chai 17. She rescued Chai 17 on several occasions including wielding a gun playing Russian roulette, wagering her life to save him from dying in the hands of Governor Long in episode 16.
Her name means Osmanthus perfume. Kwai Ting Fung and Chow Gee Ning's daughter. Osmanthus restaurant's head cook Chai 17's friend. Wai Ho's childhood schoolmate, in episode 3, Kwai Fa Heung mentions Wai Ho's childhood "Lau Chi Keung" 劉志強. Years later met him again as "Wai Ho", became friends, and eventually his wife. She has a caring personality[8]
Ning Lai's closest friend, and partner in crime. Kwai Fa Heung's childhood schoolmate. Years later met her again, became friends, and eventually her husband. Fraternal brother with Master Hao. Assassin, rickshaw driver, later working in the restaurant as a waiter.
Wai Ho's closest friend, partner in crime, and benefactor having rescued him from trouble. In love with Wai Ho. Became jealous when Wai Ho and Kwai Fa Heung became closer together. Master Hao's god-daughter. Skilled in mimicry. Took refuge in the restaurant working as a waiter. She has a gentle like water personality, eloquent[8]
2nd Master / Master San Schemed a bank run against Wing Yip Bank. Schemed to dismiss Tang Kwai Sim from the general manager position by shareholder vote.
Aunt May's god brother. Tried to intimidate 7th Master. episodes 18, 19
黃福增
Slanted Head Man 歪頭漢
A famous assassin couple from Dongbei. After the death of her mother Sze Wai Ngaa, 7th Master hired assassins to kill Lam Mo Choi, but Chai 17 convinced her to abort the mission, episode 12
Filming took place at the Dream Bund backlot at Hengdian World Studios in Dongyang, Zhejiang Province, China. The Dream Bund, opened right after the COVID-19 pandemic, recreates the look and feel of Old Shanghai with streets and buildings built on a 1:1 scale.[8] Nancy Wu mentioned in an interview that the spacious sets and rich details at Hengdian made one feel as though one was in Shanghai. Compared to shooting period dramas at Early Republic Street (民初街) in TVB City in Hong Kong, the pictures shot in Hengdian would be more realistic, and actors have much more sense of space when acting.[15][16]
Art director Sai Wan Lau designed and produced over 200 period costumes for the No Return, 30 costumes of which were for Nancy Wu's character, who wears both Chinese, and Western influenced clothing together.[17] The artistic director said the hat style worn by Nancy not only added elegance to the costumes, but represented 1930s Western upper class society, and culture.[18][19]
Lead actress Nancy Wu mentioned the strenous nature of the film shoot, taking place within a span of just over two months, with dozens of scenes daily, resulted in her losing weight.[15][20] Additionally, Wu said it was mentally and emotionally draining playing the 7th Master as her character was very complex, requiring a high degree of emotional expression on top of the acting nuances required for a period drama.[21][22] Wayne Lai also agreed on the intensity of the daily shooting schedule, scenes comprised of many pages of dialogue.[23]
Rosanne Lui said it took close to 8 hours of auditioning different hair and makeup styles to find the right look for her character. She also said many scenes were done in one take because morale was high, and everybody was focused on performing.[24] Lisa Ch'ng mentioned the hairstyle she wears was inspired by 1920-30s era department store window dolls. She said the art director was really good, able to pick out the most appropiate hairstyle based on photos of us.[25]
Producer Dave Fong was satisfied with the performances of the new generation of actors Joey Law, Hera Chan, and Celina Harto, saying they were very attentive, and expressed the personalities of their characters very well.[5]
He mentioned Hera Chan has an excellent temperament and performed brilliantly in the crying scene, she has the best crying scene presently at TVB.[26] The producer said Celina Harto grasped the essence of her role very well, somebody who looks very scheming, but actually a simple, and pitiful person.[27] Celina Harto's performance also won approval from mainland Chinese netizens for her portrayal of a Green Tea Bitch "綠茶婊". Celina Harto mentioned she spent time researching the role, trying several variations of the personality before choosing one that was ruthless enough, but not extremely so.[28] Dave Fong also praised Lisa Ch'ng for her outstanding, and professional performance; and Wayne Lai agreed that she deserved a more important role in the drama.[29]
The sequence of flashback scenes with Wayne Lai and Nancy Wu in a coffin was a continuous 2 minute shot done in one take.
[30]
The teahouse shootout scene was Joey Law's first action role since joining the industry. The 3 minute sequence took 2 days to film, one scene requiring over 30 takes. The director encouraged him do a Tiffany Lau kneel and spin referring to the action moves the TVB actress does in her recent dramas.[31]
Nancy Wu originally was to wear knee pads to run and fall to the ground during the night curfew action scene, but she asked to take them off because the close-up shot could have reduced the realism of the scene. She also suggested her character remove her stilettos before getting up to run away which was noted in the script.[32]
No Return represents Wayne Lai and Nancy Wu's 8th TVB collaboration together.[33]
In regards to netizen comments comparing her performance with Sheren Tang in the first two installments of the Rosy Business franchise, Nancy Wu said it's understandable because Rosy Business and No Regrets were such TV classics. She said she doesn't think about it, only wanting to focus on her own interpretation and play her character well.[34] Wayne Lai added, the Heroine series is just a concept, the characters are all different in each season, and hopes the audience will treat it as such; there's no need to compare, and we're not under any pressure.[35]
No Return is the third co-produced drama by Tencent Penguin Pictures under their Hong Kong Drama Project "港劇計劃" platform.[36] Containing elements of mystery and suspense in the narrative, light comedy in a period drama, and high production values, producers hope No Return will attract new audiences, and old fans, to a new style of Hong Kong dramas.[37][38]
The Chinese name for the series 巾幗梟雄 means Ambitious strong Woman. The Chinese name for the 4th installment 懸崖 means Precipice, or symbolically, at the edge of no return.
Viewership Ratings
The following table reflects viewers who watched episodes live on TVB Jade television and on TVB apps online.
^"巾幗梟雄之前世今生". Ming Pao Weekly 明報周刋. 2024-11-01. Archived from the original on 2024-12-21.
^"巾幗梟雄之前世今生". Ming Pao Weekly 明報周刋. 2024-11-01. Archived from the original on 2024-12-21. 張華標由二○一○年離開無綫，到二○二四年帶着《巾幗梟雄之懸崖》回歸港劇創作
^ ab"专访TVB艺人胡定欣：从配角到主演，与《巾帼枭雄》的缘分用"七爷"来完成". Shanghai Observer 上观新闻 (in Simplified Chinese). 2024-11-06. Archived from the original on 2024-12-21. 过往在香港拍一些年代剧的时候，香港的环境不够去应付那么丰富的画面。 ... 身为演员，站在那个场景里，有景深、很真实，可以让你很自然地投入剧情中。
^"劇組助力演活《巾幗》「七爺」 胡定欣認藝人身份礙覓好姻緣". Wen Wei Po. 2024-11-15. Archived from the original on 2024-12-29. 「以前在公司的民初街拍攝，景深與在橫店拍攝都有不同效果，畫面（橫店拍攝）出來會真實很多，令演員去演戲時的空間感也多一些。」
^"胡定欣專訪丨胡定欣演「七爺」外剛內柔 女強人激罕曝露柔弱一面：唔係樣樣都咁強勢". TVB. 2024-11-13. Archived from the original on 2024-12-21. 「每日都係『頂天立地』嘅通告，我嘅場口唔同桂花香或韋豪比較談情簡單啲，我嗰啲真係要動腦筋，同埋都有好長嘅對白。而且，一套年代戲嘅內容同對白，要用某程度上較戲劇性嘅演繹先達到嗰個效果，變相兩個人鬥嘴吵架個能量都係比其他戲高好多，所以最大挑戰係身心體能消耗好大。」
^"看好合拍劇前景 望與內地多合作 方駿釗讚新生代演技有提升". Wen Wei Po. 2024-12-01. Archived from the original on 2024-12-25. 「我在某部劇中看到了陳楨怡的演出，她外表給人一種很有心機的感覺，但實際上她很單純。這種外表和性格的反差讓她很貼合這個角色，她也很快就掌握了角色的精髓。」
