{{Short description|Hong Kong television drama}} {{more citations needed|date=November 2011}} {{Infobox television | native_name = 天梯 | image = Tlsa poster.jpg | caption = Official poster | alt_name = ''Ladder of Love''<br/>''Ladder to Heaven'' | genre = [[Period drama]]<br />[[Romantic fiction|Romance]] | creator = | developer = | writer = Chan Ching-yee<br />Shek Hoi-ting | director = | starring = [[Moses Chan]]<br />[[Maggie Cheung Ho-yee]]<br />[[Kenny Wong]]<br />[[Aimee Chan]]<br />[[Law Lan|Helena Law]]<br />[[Edwin Siu]]<br />[[:zh:張國強 (香港演員)|KK Cheung]]<br />[[Elliot Ngok]] | open_theme = "''Yat Sang Yat Sam''" (一生一心) by Hubert Wu | end_theme = | theme_music_composer = Yip Siu-chung | composer = | country = Hong Kong | language = Cantonese | num_episodes = 25 | list_episodes = | executive_producer = [[Lee Tim-shing]] | producer = | editor = | location = Hong Kong | camera = [[Multiple-camera setup|Multi camera]] | runtime = 45 minutes (each) | company = [[Television Broadcasts Limited|TVB]] | network = [[TVB Jade|Jade]]<br />HD Jade | first_aired = {{Start date|2012|09|17}} | last_aired = {{End date|2012|10|19}} | related = }} {{Infobox Chinese|title=''The Last Steep Ascent''|c={{linktext|天|梯}}|l="Sky Ladder"|j=Tin1 Tai1}}
'''''The Last Steep Ascent''''' is a [[Television in Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] television drama produced by [[TVB]] under executive producer [[Lee Tim-shing|Lee Tim-sing]].
==Background== The drama is a fictionalized account of a true love story between an older woman and a younger man in 1930s China.<ref name="true">{{cite news | url=http://www.weirdasianews.com/2007/12/15/man-carves-wife-a-6000-stair-path-in-mountain/ | title=Man carves wife a 6,000 stair path in mountain | date=2007-12-15 | accessdate=2011-10-23 | language=zh}}</ref> Koo Sun-yuet, the wife of a wealthy businessman, falls in love with Miu Tin, a man eight years her junior. The two elope to the countryside and lives modestly for the remainder of their lives. Before Tin dies, he handcarves a long stair path on the mountain so Yuet can travel down with ease.
==Production== A costume fitting press conference was held at [[TVB City]]'s Studio 1 in [[Tseung Kwan O]] on 20 September 2011.<ref name="presscon">{{cite news | title=New drama Yue Fu's Hidden Dragon costume fitting | date=2011-09-20 | work=TVB Channel | pages=1 | url=http://www.ihktv.com/ladder-style.html | accessdate=2011-05-08 | language=zh}}</ref> The blessing ceremony was held at the studios on 13 October 2011.
==Cast== *[[Maggie Cheung Ho-yee]] as Koo Sun-yuet ({{Lang|zh|顧新月|italic=no}}), the main protagonist. She is the wife of Ho Sai-cheung, a talented businessman in the [[Traditional Chinese medicine|Chinese medicine]] wholesaling business. Yuet falls in love with Miu Tin, a man eight years her junior, and the two elope to the countryside for a modest living. It is revealed that she met Miu Tin when he was younger during her journey to her wedding. *[[Moses Chan]] as Miu Tin ({{Lang|zh|苗天|italic=no}}), Yuet's lover who is eight years her junior. He is a peasant hailing from Ngau Yee Village, and plants Chinese herbs and medicine for a living. It is revealed that he met Yuet during his childhood, during which he asked her to touch his gums where he was missing two front teeth, believing that front teeth would grow quickly when a bride touches it. *[[Kenny Wong]] as Cheng Kiu ({{Lang|zh|鄭嬌|italic=no}}), Tin's best friend. His wife died with nobody to help her and Kiu, drinking with his friends, his child also died later regardless of his attempt to save his child. He is shown marrying Oi-tai in the last episode. *[[Aimee Chan]] as Tin Oi-tai ({{Lang|zh|田愛娣|italic=no}}), a maid from San Francisco, who has an affair with Sai-cheung. She is raped by a man who later comes back to haunt her, whilst she believes that the child she is impregnated with was Sai-cheung's. She eventually has a miscarriage, leading her to fall in love with Kiu who saved her from the rapist who assaulted her. She shares the latter part of her name, Oi-tai, with Kiu's previous wife, questioning if Kiu truly loved her. She is shown to marry Kiu in the last episode. *[[Edwin Siu]] as Ho Sai-ho ({{Lang|zh|賀世豪|italic=no}}), the main antagonist. He is the son of Kwan-yiu and cousin of Sai-cheung. He attempts to burn down the storage of the business which he took over, in order to escape with his wife and start over, whilst taking the majority of the money. This, however, is foiled by the police. *[[:zh:張國強 (香港演員)|KK Cheung]] as Ho Sai-cheung ({{Lang|zh|賀世章|italic=no}}), the husband of Sun-yuet, and the current executive officer of the Ho family's Chinese medicine business, Ho Ching Tong. He is the most powerful and successful figure in the Chinese medicine wholesaling business. He died in episode seven, from his sickness which had dormant since his time in San Francisco, of which he hid from his family. *[[Law Lan]] as Leung Mei-kuen ({{Lang|zh|梁美娟|italic=no}}), known as Old Mrs. Ho, Ho Sai-cheung's mother, the matriarch of the Ho family. *[[Cheung Yick]] as Ho Kwan-yiu ({{Lang|zh|賀坤堯|italic=no}}), Sai-ho's father and Sai-cheung's elder paternal uncle. *[[Joel Chan (actor)|Joel Chan]] as Lai Chai-man ({{Lang|zh|黎濟民|italic=no}}), a young, ambitious businessman who strives to achieve the top spot in the Chinese medicine wholesaling business. *[[Samantha Ko]] as Cheng Yim-ping ({{Lang|zh|鄭艷萍|italic=no}}), Chai-man's wife. *[[Benjamin Yuen]] as Ho Sai-leung ({{Lang|zh|賀世亮|italic=no}}), Sai-cheung's younger brother. *[[Katy Kung]] as Ho Sai-man ({{Lang|zh|賀世雯|italic=no}}), Sai-cheung and Sai-leung's younger sister. *[[Mat Yeung]] as Ngai Po-law ({{Lang|zh|魏保羅|italic=no}}), Sai-man's husband. *[[Tsui Wing]] as Kwan Kwong-tat ({{Lang|zh|關廣達|italic=no}}), known as Blackie Tat, one of Tin's friend. *[[Yvonne Ho]] as Kong Pik-kei ({{Lang|zh|江碧琪|italic=no}}), Sai-ho's wife. *[[Yeung Ching-wah]] as Liu Sam-kan ({{Lang|zh|廖三斤|italic=no}}), one of Tin's friend. *[[Raymond Chiu]] as Suen Man-wah ({{Lang|zh|孫文華|italic=no}}), an office clerk personally hired by Sai-cheung. *[[Eddie Li]] as Ho Yan Lung ({{Lang|zh|賀仁龍|italic=no}}), the founder of the Chinese medicine business, Ho Ching Tong, and Ho Kwan Yiu's father. *[[Yu Tze Ming]] as Chung Kam ({{Lang|zh|鍾鑑|italic=no}}), Ngau Yee Village's village chief. *[[Kaki Leung]] as Chung Lok-ho ({{Lang|zh|鍾樂荷|italic=no}}), the daughter of Kam. *[[Jim Tang]] as Lau Kar-ming ({{Lang|zh|劉家明|italic=no}}), a schoolteacher and the boyfriend of Lok-ho. *[[Chuk Man-kwan]] as Aunt Hung ({{Lang|zh|紅嫂|italic=no}}), Mrs. Ho's maid. *[[Elliot Ngok|Yueh Hua]] as Miu Hoi ({{Lang|zh|苗海|italic=no}}), Tin's father, died shortly after his wife died. *[[Suet Nei]] as Tsui Siu-mui ({{Lang|zh|徐小妹|italic=no}}), Tin's mother, shown to die naturally in the beginning.
===Ho Family tree=== {{Tree chart/start}} {{Tree chart | | | | |HK |~|y|~|Mh | |HK=Ho Kwan|Mh=Unknown}} {{Tree chart | | | | |,|-|-|-|^|-|-|.|}} {{Tree chart | | | | GFU | | | | | HYL |~|y|~| Mh| |GFU=Fourth Uncle|HYL=Ho Yan-lung|Mh=Unknown}} {{Tree chart | | | |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|.|}} {{Tree chart | | | HKY |~|y|~| Mh| | | | | | |MH |~|y|~| LMK |Mh=Unknown|HKY=Ho Kwan-yiu|MH=Ho Chung-yiu|LMK=Leung Mei-kuen}} {{Tree chart | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | | | | | | }} {{Tree chart | | | | | | |!| | | | |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.|}} {{Tree chart | | KBK|~| HSH | | | HSC |~|y|~| KSY | | HSL | | HSM |~|NPL|HSH=Ho Sai-ho|HSM=Ho Sai-man|KSY=Koo Sun-yuet|HSC=Ho Sai-cheung|HSL=Ho Sai-leung|KBK=Kong Bik-kei|NPL=Ngai Po-law}} {{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | | | | | | | | }} {{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | | | | }} {{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | | HZH | | HZY | | HZZ |HZH=Ho Sze-hang|HZZ=Ho Sze-chi|HZY=Ho Sze-yu}} {{Tree chart/end}}
==Awards and nominations== [[TVB Anniversary Awards|2012 TVB Anniversary Awards]]: *Nominated: [[TVB Anniversary Award for Best Drama|Best Drama]] *Nominated: [[TVB Anniversary Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] (Moses Chan) - Top 5 *Nominated: [[TVB Anniversary Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]] (Aimee Chan) *Nominated: [[TVB Anniversary Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]] (Kenny Wong) *Nominated: [[TVB Anniversary Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]] (Helena Law) *Nominated: [[TVB Anniversary Award for Most Popular Male Character|My Favourite Male Character]] (Moses Chan) *Nominated: [[TVB Anniversary Award for Most Improved Male Artiste|Most Improved Male Artiste]] (Edwin Siu) *Nominated: [[TVB Anniversary Award for Most Improved Female Artiste|Most Improved Female Artiste]] (Katy Kung)
==Viewership ratings== The following is a table that includes a list of the total ratings points based on [[Audience measurement|television viewership]]. {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Week ! Originally Aired ! Episodes ! Average Points ! Peaking Points ! References |- | '''1''' | 17–20 September 2012 | 1 — 4 | 28 | — | <ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010064156/http://asianuniverse.net/forums/TVB_Rating_Reports_17_09_2012_23_09_2012_t342837.html Week 1 Ratings]}}</ref> |- | '''2''' | 24–28 September 2012 | 5 — 9 | 28 | — | <ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20121007010455/http://asianuniverse.net/forums/TVB_Rating_Report_24_09_2012_30_09_2012_t343267.html Week 2 Ratings]}}</ref> |- | '''3''' | 1–5 October 2012 | 10 — 14 | 29 | — | <ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20121012004831/http://asianuniverse.net/forums/TVB_Rating_Reports_01_10_2012_07_10_2012_t343519.html Week 3 Ratings]}}</ref> |- | '''4''' | 8–12 October 2012 | 15 — 19 | 31 | 35 | <ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20131006141652/http://asianuniverse.net/forums/TVB_Rating_Reports_08_10_2012_14_10_2012_t343916.html Week 4 Ratings]}}</ref> |- | '''5''' | 15–18 October 2012 | 20 — 23 | 32 | — | <ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20131006141658/http://asianuniverse.net/forums/TVB_Rating_Reports_15_10_2012_21_10_2012_t344346.html Week 5 Ratings]}}</ref> |- | '''5''' | 19 October 2012 | 24 — 25 | 35 | 39 | <ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20131006141658/http://asianuniverse.net/forums/TVB_Rating_Reports_15_10_2012_21_10_2012_t344346.html Finale Ratings]}}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://programme.tvb.com/drama/thelaststeepascent/ Official TVB website] *[http://wenhousecrafts.com/people/2006/stepstoparadise.htm 6,000 Steps to Paradise]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Last Steep Ailment, The}} [[Category:TVB dramas]] [[Category:2012 Hong Kong television series debuts]] [[Category:2012 Hong Kong television series endings]] [[Category:Hong Kong romance television series]] [[Category:2010s romance television series]]