Exclusive: ‘The Season’s’ producer and cast on portraying Hong Kong’s cut-throat high society

This struggle behind all the opulence is what fuels The Season’s revenge arc. The series, Tu says, reflects the “delicious, intriguing subculture” he observed as an outsider looking in. Without naming names, he explains that his characters are archetypes inspired by people he met during the nine years he lived in Hong Kong. The point, he says, isn’t to label anyone as good or bad, but to present what this exclusive world is like. “I’ve met people with inherited wealth striving to prove themselves, others who build empires through intelligence and grit, and some who mask insecurity through lavish spending. All of these traits are fascinating for television,” he says.

Li, whom you might recognise from Netflix fantasy series Shadow and Bone, was thrilled to portray such a complex character. “Cola believes her intentions are noble, but she ends up becoming as flawed as those she seeks to take down,” she says. “Every character wears a mask to hide their secret self. Even for the characters who are comic relief [have] moments when they’re really human [and vulnerable]. The final episode left me asking: what’s the true cost of success, and what must you sacrifice to attain it?”

Two of those in Cola’s sights are Fiona and Christopher Hext. Lam, who plays Fiona, the calculating matriarch of the powerful, old‑money family, describes her character as “a falcon nesting high among skyscrapers, fiercely protective of her family’s legacy and reputation. She never shows weakness; you see that in her armour of elaborate outfits, shoulder pads and sculpted hair. Anyone who threatens her will be bitten.” Stephens, who plays her husband, relates. “You’re ostensibly playing a really unpleasant character—so how do you humanise him so he’s not just a cardboard cut‑out of a greedy, unfeeling man?” He says the script makes him three‑dimensional in such a way that reminds viewers that power doesn’t always erase insecurity.

The show also delves into Hong Kong’s new‑money elite. Pang’s character Andrew Fung, unlike the Hexts, is a  hotelier whose confidence doesn’t come from family reputation but from flaunting his wealth in extreme ways to impress others. Pang says, “Every successful story is about the human condition. At the heart of this story is the duality of these characters, the façade, how you deal with that and how that eventually breaks. It’s all wrapped up in this lovely glitz and glam that’s going to make viewers come back because it’s exciting and splashy. I hope people can extract some of the deeper things that we’re trying to say, especially about the upper-wealthy elite world.”

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Beyond the champagne and yachts and lavish parties, The Season is also a celebration of the city in which it is set. Shot predominantly on location, it captures Hong Kong’s kaleidoscopic blend of natural landscapes, bustling streets and neighbourhood enclaves.

The cinematography also steers clear of moves away from more familiar portrayals, whether that’s dark, gritty cop films, energetic martial arts movies or artsy productions that render the city as this romantic place populated by beautiful but troubled women in sleek qipao. “Hong Kong feels like a character in the show. It’s so prominent. Even just in between scenes, we’ve got shots of the trams going by, and it feels like a very present place rather than nostalgic,” says Stephens. “People often romanticise old Hong Kong through films like In the Mood for Love, which is gorgeous, but that can feel like [tourism campaign]. This one, however, feels like the contemporary city we see today.”

Lam, the only main principal cast member based in Hong Kong, says: “I’ve lived here for 25 years, and sometimes we take the city for granted. Working on The Season has let me see Hong Kong anew, especially through our director’s and set designer’s lens. I’m so proud to share it with viewers around the world.”

For Pang, filming in the city was also a deeply personal experience. “I grew up in Australia, where TV and films were very white. I rarely saw anyone who looked like me on screen, so I gravitated towards Hong Kong cinema instead. Being here, hearing Cantonese spoken on set, reconnecting with my culture felt special,” he says. “Hong Kong is a beautiful city, and we made it a very important character—I’m really proud of how we portrayed it.”

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