| Native Name: | 逆潮 |
| Genre: | Drama Suspense Psychological thriller |
| Story: | Phang Kai Yee 彭凯毅 |
| Director: | Loh Woon Woon 罗温温 Lim Mee Nah 林美娜 Lin Mingzhe 林明哲 |
| Starring: | Christopher Lee Rui En Desmond Tan Paige Chua Zhang Zhenhuan Xu Bin Carrie Wong Zheng Geping |
| Opentheme: | Black Winged Soul (黑翼心灵) by Lin Si Tong |
| Endtheme: | Love Hurt Crime (伤爱罪) by Antonio Huang |
| Country: | Singapore |
| Language: | Mandarin with English and Chinese Subtitles |
| Num Episodes: | 23 |
| List Episodes: | List of Against The Tide episodes |
| Executive Producer: | Soh Bee Lian 苏美莲 |
| Producer: | Paul Yuen 袁树伟 |
| Cinematography: | Ang Soon Bee 洪顺美 |
| Runtime: | approx. 45 minutes |
| Network: | Mediacorp Channel 8 |
Against the Tide is a psychological thriller drama produced by MediaCorp Channel 8. This drama features different crime cases. Each case lasts 3-5 episodes and features a main character of the case. The drama began production in March 2014 and wrapped up its filming in May 2014. It was aired from 24 September 2014 to 24 October 2014 and has a total of 23 episodes.
Acclaimed novelist Di Shen's mission is to expose evil in humans, as he believes that all humans are born depraved. While Di Shen is doing a television interview, a girl escapes her captivity in which she was tortured and abused. As police officers Zhou Jianfeng and Guo Jingcheng fail to obtain information from the girl, they ask for help from the psychiatrist Qiu Xueqing who, through hypnosis reveals that the assailant had a copy of Di Shen's novel. Xueqing asks the novelist to help solve the case believing that the culprit is an imitator of his novels, but for Jianfeng, Di shen is the main suspect.
| Cast | Role | Description | Episodes Appeared |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Lee 李铭顺 | Di Shen 狄深 | Younger version played by Zong Zijie
| 1-23 |
| Rui En 瑞恩 | Qiu Xueqing 邱雪清 | Dr. Snow, Snow White (白雪公主)
| 1-23 |
| Desmond Tan 陈炯江 | Zhou Jianfeng 周健锋 |
| 1–8, 11–16, 18-23 |
| Paige Chua 蔡琦慧 | Zhang Jing Xuan 张静璇 | Teenage version played by Alicia Lo
| 3, 6–10, 12–14, 17–20, 22 |
| Zhang Zhenhuan 张振寰 | Zhuo Dingkang 卓定康 |
| 6–10, 12–14, 17–20, 22-23 |
| Carrie Wong 黄思恬 | Di Yao 狄遥 | Younger version played by Lorraine Koh
| 1–18, 20-23 |
| Scarlet |
| 14–17, 21-23 | |
| Zheng Geping 郑各评 | Qiu Gangyi 邱刚毅 | Nails (铁钉)
| 1–4, 6–12, 14-19 |
| Xu Bin 徐彬 | Guo Jingcheng 郭精诚 | Cartoon
| 1–8, 11-14 |
| Zhang Zhenxuan | Shadow Walker |
| 3–5, 7–8, 11, 17, 19, 22-23 |
| Cast | Character | Description | Episodes Appeared | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Fong | Anton | Police detective working under Zhou Jianfeng | 1–6, 8, 11–12, 14–16, 18-22 | |
| 江熙祥 | Julius | Police detective working under Zhou Jianfeng | 2–6, 8, 11–16, 20-22 | |
| Rio Chan 曾佳平 | Ah Hu 阿虎 | Police detective working under Zhou Jianfeng | 1–6, 8, 11–17, 20-22 | |
| 巫满文 | Da Tou 大头 | Police detective working under Zhou Jianfeng | 16–17, 20 |
| Cast | Character | Description | Episodes Appeared | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 秋文 | Zhou Yongjun 周勇骏 | Provision shop owner Guo Yalan's husband Zhou Jianfeng's father | 21-23 | |
| Teo Ser Lee | Guo Yalan 郭雅兰 | Provision shop lady boss Zhou Yongjun's wife Zhou Jianfeng's mother | 21-22 |
| Cast | Role | Description | Episodes Appeared | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen Chen | Yang Zhenye 杨振业 | Jack J. Fighters Club shareholder Appears in Di Shen's book event in episode 1 Jennie's boyfriend A serial kidnapper and killer Murdered Agnes Lim Killed Jennie on her own request after getting tortured by kidnappers for failing to get a ransom | 1-3 | |
| Tang Lingyi | Agnes Lim | Qiu Xueqing's patient Murdered by Yang Zhenye (Deceased - Episode 1) | 1 | |
| Narelle Kheng 金甄旗 | Jennie | Yang Zhenye's girlfriend Killed by Yang Zhenye on her own request after getting tortured by kidnappers for failing to get a ransom | 2-3 | |
| 徐啸天 | Tom | J. Fighters Club shareholder | 1, 3 | |
| Chen Ning | Female Host 女主持人 | Host of the television show | 1 | |
| Louis Wu | Tony | Di Shen's loyal fan Appears in Di Shen's book event in episode 1 | 1 |
| Cast | Role | Description | Episodes Appeared | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liu Zebang 刘泽邦 | Mastermind of the 'Tear Gas Bombing' incidents Liu Xiaojing's elder brother Chemist at a laboratory Di Yao's patient and best friend Likes Di Yao | 3-6 | ||
| Liu Xiaojing 刘晓静 | Liu Zebang's younger sister Hospitalized due to kidney disease | 3-6 | ||
| Judith Tan | Chen Baisheng's daughter College student | 4-5 | ||
| Dylan Quek 郭景豪 | Nicholas Goh | Dr. Goh | 5 | |
| Marcus Mok | Chen Baisheng 陈百胜 | Dr. Tan | 5 |
| Cast | Role | Description | Episodes Appeared | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zheng Tianrui 郑天瑞 | Qiu Xueqing's patient | 6-8 | ||
| 陈思燕 | Zena Ng | Zheng Tianrui's neighbour | 7-8 | |
| Zakk Lim 林绍凯 | Huang Zhiqiang 黄志强 | Zena Ng's father; sexually abused her | 7-8 |
| Cast | Role | Description | Episodes Appeared |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luo Jinzhu 罗金珠 | Hostel Cleaner Luo Baoqiang's mother | 9–11, 19 | |
| Zheng Rongming | Tang Rongyao 唐荣耀 | Qiu Gangzheng's student | 9 |
| Jayley Woo | Huang Liqi 黄莉琦 | Studies in the same university as Li Aiqin, Xie An Ni and Tina Loh Li Aiqin's best friend Di Shen's fan | 9-10 |
| Ivan Tan 陈永文 | Luo Baoqiang 罗宝强 | Intellectually disabled Luo Jinzhu's son | 10–11, 19 |
| 林楚璇 | Li Aiqin 李爱琴 | Studies in the same university as Xie An Ni, Tina Loh and Huang Liqi | 9, 11 |
| Shine Koh | Chen Lina 陈丽娜 | Qiu Gangzheng's student and rumoured lover Di Yao's secondary school friend | 9-11 |
| 蔡龙 | Wu Zhiguang 吴智光 | A sexual pervert | 10 |
| Kwek Hock Choon 郭福春 | Lina's father 丽娜父 | Chen Lina's father | 10 |
| Cast | Role | Description | Episodes Appeared | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chen Zhifeng 陈志丰 | Mastermind behind the Hammering Assault incidents | 11-14 | ||
| Tan Si Yan 陈思燕 | Jolie | 12-13 | ||
| Tracer Wong 王裕香 | Meiyun 美韵 | |||
| Alicia Tan 陈欣如 | Female Passerby 女路人 | 12-13 |
| Cast | Role | Description | Episodes Appeared | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhao Keji 赵克已 | Zhao Junlong's son
| 15-21 | ||
| Zhao Junlong 赵俊龙 | Police Qiu Gangyi's colleague and friend Zhao Keji's father | 15-19 | ||
| 王紫绮 | Zhang Xiaoyang 张晓阳 | Lin Guoliang's worker Ivy's mother | 15 | |
| 陈天赐 | Gu De An 顾德安 | One of Zhao Keji's past accomplice's uncle | 15 | |
| 郑瑞和 | Wang Youren 王友仁 | One of Zhao Keji's past accomplice's uncle | 18-19 |
| Cast | Role | Description | Episodes Appeared | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Thang | Jimmy and Zen's friend In a love-hate relationship with Scarlet | 15-18 | ||
| 林伟胜 | Zen | Jacob and Jimmy's pal | 15-17 | |
| 林祚纬 | Jimmy | Jacob and Zen's pal | 15-17 |
| 张华珉 | Wu Zhiqun 吴智群 | New Shadow Walker organisation's first target | 19-20 |
| Cast | Role | Description | Episodes Appeared | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tracer Wong | Liao Meiyun 廖美韵 | Di Shen and Di Yao's mother | 6–7, 12–13, 20-21 | |
| He Hailiang 何海量 | Owner and stock taker of a chain of convenience stores Shuzhen's husband He Meiting's father Zhou Jianfeng's family previous part-time driver | 21-23 | ||
| Welyn Ang | Shuzhen 淑珍 | He Hailiang's wife He Meiting's mother | 21-22 | |
| Tan Mei Kee | He Meiting 何美婷 | He Hailiang and Shuzhen's daughter | 21 | |
| Remus Teng 丁森炎 | Hong Qiming 洪启明 | 23 |
Against The Tide had an average of 937,000 views, becoming the 7th most watched drama series of 2014, following behind Three Wishes, C.L.I.F. 3, The Caregivers, Blessings, , and World at Your Feet. Viewership in 2014 increased significantly, with the top-rated drama serial of 2013, C.L.I.F. 2, only having 901,000 viewers, and the top 10 drama serials having at least 930,000.
Against The Tide has the second most number of nominations for Star Awards 2015 behind with 16 nominations in 13 awards, winning 3 of them - Best Programme Promo, Best Director and Best Cameraman.
| Star Awards – Acting Awards | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominees | Accolades | Category | Result |
| 《黑翼心灵》 by Lin Si Tong 林思彤 | Star Awards 2015 Show 1 红星大奖2015 | Best Theme Song 最佳主题曲 | |
| Kee Chee Wee 纪志威 | Best Programme Promo 最佳宣传短片 | ||
| Loh Woon Woon 罗温温 | Best Director 最佳导演 | ||
| Phang Kai Yee 彭凯毅 | Best Screenplay 最佳剧本 | ||
| Ang Soon Bee 洪顺美 | Best Cameraman for Drama Programme 最佳戏剧摄影 | ||
| Gao Jun Wei 高俊玮 and Yong Chin Liang 杨俊亮 | Best Music and Sound Design 最佳音乐与音效设计 | ||
| Xu Bin 徐彬 | Favourite Male Character 最喜爱男角色 | ||
| Rui En 瑞恩 | Favourite Female Character 最喜爱女角色 | ||
| Aloysius Pang 冯伟衷 | Rocket Award 年度飞跃奖 | ||
| Paige Chua 蔡琦慧 | |||
| Christopher Lee 李铭顺 | Star Awards 2015 Show 2 红星大奖2015 | Best Actor 最佳男主角 | |
| Rui En 瑞恩 | Best Actress 最佳女主角 | ||
| Aloysius Pang 冯伟衷 | Best Supporting Actor 最佳男配角 | ||
| Zhang Zhen Huan 张振寰 | |||
| Paige Chua 蔡琦慧 | Best Supporting Actress 最佳女配角 | ||
| Paige Chua 蔡琦慧 | Tokyo Bust Express Sexy Babe Award 观众票选性感宝贝奖 | ||
| Best Drama Serial 最佳电视剧 | |||