On the Fringe (1988 TV series)

On the Fringe is a Singaporean Chinese drama which was telecast on Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp Channel 8. It made its debut on 18 Apr 1988. This drama serial consisted of 25 episodes, and was broadcast every weekday night at 9.30 pm.

Cast

Li Nanxing as Chen Yong, the leader of the Roller Express gang. The lead role was originally offered to Eric Moo but was rejected by him.
Chen Bifeng as Meifeng
Zheng Wanling as Dangna
Duan Weiming as Xie Abao
Yang Libing as Zhang Xiaohua
Weng Jiahong as Haocai
Lin Meijiao
Huang Yiliang
Zheng Geping
Steven Woon
Dai Peng
Wang Xiuyun
Chen Juanjuan
Pan En
Liang Tian
Richard Low
Wu Weiqiang
Guan Xinyi
Cai Ducui
Li Yinzhu
Li Gongyu
Wang Changli
Chen Tianxiang
Zhu Zuquan
An Zheming
Huang Fa
Zeng Yaofeng
Liang Baozhu
Zhang Jinhua
Chen Meiguang
Yan Bingliang
Ye Shipin

Production

The drama's script is based on research from newspaper reports and interviews with students, teachers, social workers and probation officers.

Original soundtrack

The drama's theme song is 'On the Fringe' sung by Thomas Teo.

Reception

The drama received both positive and negative feedback from the public, warning that "this drama serial, to a large extent, glamorises gangs and gangsterism" while some said that it "enables adult viewers to understand the underlying cause... younger viewers realise the danger of hanging out with wrong people" and "unveiling the problems of these teenagers... deterring them from getting involved with gangsterism".