Happy Can Already!

Happy Can Already! (Chinese: 欢喜就好; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Hoaⁿ‑hí-tō-hó) is a Singapore Chinese variety series which is telecast on Singapore's free-to-air channel, Mediacorp Channel 8. It stars Jack Neo, Mark Lee, Wang Lei, Benjamin Tan, Chua Lee Lian & Jaspers Lai as the casts of the series.[1] Happy Can Already! aired from 2 December 2016 to 3 February 2017, every Friday from 12:00pm to 12:30pm.

Happy Can Already!
Simplified欢喜就好
MandarinHuānxǐ Jiù Hǎo
HokkienHoaⁿ‑hí-tō-hó
GenreVariety
Comedy
Written by夏友庆 Ivan Ho
Directed byJack Neo 梁志强
StarringJack Neo 梁志强
Mark Lee 李国煌
Wang Lei 王雷
Benjamin Tan 陈俊铭
Chua Lee Lian 蔡礼莲
Jaspers Lai 赖宇涵
Opening theme欢喜就好啦 by Jack Neo
Country of originSingapore
Original languagesHokkien, Teochew & Cantonese with some Mandarin & English dialogue
No. of episodes11 (including 1 special)
Production
ProducerJack Neo 梁志强
Production locationsMediacorp Campus, 1 Stars Avenue, Singapore 138507
Running timeapprox. 23 minutes
Release
Original networkMediacorp Channel 8
Original release2 December 2016 (2016-12-02) 
3 February 2017 (2017-02-03)
Chronology
Preceded byEat Already?
Followed byEat Already? 2
Related showsHappy Can Already! 2 (2017)
Happy Can Already! 3 (2017)
Happy Can Already! 4 (2018)

This was the first non-Mandarin Chinese variety show to be produced on Channel 8 after a 30-year hiatus. This series is primarily targeted at Singaporean elderly as most of them speak Chinese dialects at home.

Plot

Liang Xi Mei (Jack Neo) and friends will reprise their characters from Comedy Nite, giving viewers an update on their lives since they last appeared on screen in 2003. Liang Xi Mei laments that most of her friends are not around anymore. Her eldest son Robert (Mark Lee) is now married to Mary (Chua Lee Lian) and they have a daughter Ah Girl (Toh Xin Hui). Her second son Albert (Benjamin Tan) is now in university, and Lion King (Henry Thia) has a son called Merlion King (Jaspers Lai).

Each episode will start with a guest performance and interview, before proceeding to the skit segment. Performers in this program include veteran getai singers such as Liu Lingling and Hao Hao. The skit segments will not only revolve around the lives of Liang Xi Mei and friends, but will also feature cameo appearances by Aunty Lucy (Dennis Chew).

Cast

Liang (Xi Mei) family

Cast Character Description Episodes Appeared
Wang Lei
王雷
Ah Gong
阿公
  • Liang Xi Mei's father-in-law
1
Jack Neo
梁智强
Liang Xi Mei
梁细妹

Cecilia Neo Sai Moi

  • Robert and Albert's mother
  • Ah Girl's grandmother
  • Mary's mother-in-law
1-10
Mark Lee
李国煌
Robert
  • Liang Xi Mei's elder son
  • Albert's older brother
  • Mary's husband
  • Ah Girl's father
  • Runs an online business
1, 3-10
Benjamin Tan
陈俊铭
Albert
  • Liang Xi Mei's younger son
  • Robert's younger brother
1-4, 7-10
Chua Lee Lian
蔡礼莲
Mary
  • Robert's wife
  • Liang Xi Mei's daughter-in-law
  • Ah Girl's mother
  • Works as an administrative manager
2-10
Toh Xin Hui
杜芯慧
Ah Girl
  • Robert and Mary's daughter
  • Liang Xi Mei's granddaughter
3-4, 9-10

Other characters

Cast Character Description Episodes Appeared
Jaspers Lai
赖宇涵
Merlion King
  • Friend of Robert
  • Lion King's son
  • Neighbour of Liang Xi Mei
  • Runs a chicken rice business
1, 5-6, 10
Wang Lei
王雷
Granny
阿婆

Guangdong Ah Ma (广东婆)

  • Neighbour of Liang Xi Mei
  • Tiny's mother
2-3, 7-8, 10
Elvis Presley
猫王
  • Friend of Albert and Kolianna Lotus
4

Cameo appearance

Cast Character Description Episodes Appeared
Leon Lim
承泽
Con man
骗子
2, 9
Liu Lingling
刘玲玲
Fat Auntie
大肥婆
  • Lent salt to Liang Xi Mei
3
Kolianna Lotus
可怜吶 莲花
  • Friend of Albert and Elvis Persley
4
Amy Khor
许连碹
Herself
as Senior Minister of State with the Ministry of Health
  • Introduced healthcare financing schemes and tips on healthy aging
3
Moses Lim
林益民
Ah Keow
阿娇

Auntie Keow (阿娇阿姨)

6
Dennis Chew
周崇庆
Aunty Lucy
露西阿姨
7
Kym Ng
钟琴
Miss Tan
陈小姐
  • Reprised her role from City Beat
8
Aileen Tan
陈丽贞
Yankee
新潮
  • Friend of Liang Xi Mei at village
9
Tay Yinyin
郑盈盈
Tiny
细细粒
  • Guangdong Ah Ma's daughter
10

Guest performers

Episode no. Performer(s) Song(s) performed
2Michael Huang
黃仲昆
  • The Past is My Comfort (往事就是我的安慰)
  • Empty Beach (无人的海边)
3Liu Lingling
刘玲玲
  • Bachelor Boy (十一哥)
4Angie Lau
刘心玲
  • Love is Everywhere (万水千山总是情)
5Hao Hao
皓皓
  • Let It Be (随缘)
6Leon Lim
承泽
  • Express Love Letter (爱情限时批)
Febe Huang
黄秀萍
7Marcus Chin
陈建彬
Desmond Ng
黄振隆
8Chee Hong Tat
徐芳达
  • Shanghai Bund (上海滩)

Development

This 10-episode dialect variety series is produced by MediaCorp and J Team, in collaboration with local director Jack Neo and the Ministry of Communications and Information. Through an entertaining format with informational components such as songs and skits, and using a language which seniors are most familiar with, each half-hour episode will reinforce relevant messages including health promotion, active ageing, retirement adequacy and support schemes for seniors (such as PGP and CHAS).

Production started on 15 November 2016.[2]

Music

Song title Song type Lyrics Composer Performer Producer
欢喜就好啦 Opening theme song Jack Neo 邓碧源 Jack Neo 麦如丽

Promotional events

Awards & Nominations

Star Awards 2017

It was only nominated for one category, Best Variety Programme .

Awards
Award Category Recipients (if any) Result
Star Awards 2017 Awards Ceremony 红星大奖2017颁奖礼 Best Variety Programme 最佳综艺节目 N/A Nominated

See also

  • List of variety and infotainment programmes broadcast by MediaCorp Channel 8
  • List of MediaCorp Channel 8 Chinese drama series (2010s)
  • Happy Can Already! 2

References

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