Never Let Me Go (2022)

awful, but perth carried

This is my first review on MDL but I feel so strongly about this series that I felt the need to do it…

My advice: If you’re gonna watch it, do it for Perth , it will save you time and be somewhat actually enjoyable.

First few episodes were bearable; as the characters are introduced you feel like it somewhat makes sense (in a thai drama way, the teenager son of the driver for a rich family having to be the untrained bodyguard of the rich heir…)

Acting is also somewhat okay for the leads at the start, as they discover their feelings, have some regular teenager high school drama with jealousy and miscommunications, etc.

But then halfway we get to the turning point that is, one would have guessed it, the beach trip!
Both leads… escape to a remote island in fears of getting killed by the rich heir’s uncle all the while leaving behind his mom who’s just been shot and is in a coma in the city (very much at the mercy of the murderous uncle but we don’t talk about that)

Ensue pretty cute scenes ngl, but all very tone deaf considering the seriousness of the situation the leads are in (since when playing in the sea, rolling around in bed, going shopping for gifts at the market a priority when you’re both wanted for dead?? Was calling the police ever considered???)

Anyways, at one point they’re found and have to come back to the city, on their way the rich heir drugs his boyfriend he just promised he’s never gonna leave behind and gets back to his mansion unscathed, then pulls up in front of his uncle barehanded. Makes one wonder why they ever left the city at all if it was that easy to confront the bad guy…

At this point the whole story turns to complete nonsense, it’s plot holes after plot holes and Phuwin’s crying scenes become unbearable. Both leads in that matter have a very hard time acting, and you can’t attribute that entirely to the writing as Perth and Chimon did incredibly well considering the atrocious plot and so little screentime they’re given…

I honestly did not bother watching this at regular speed after episode 8, the writers trying to make us believe that a highschooler could suddenly manage a multi million dollars hotel business while wanted dead by his own jealous uncle who tries to corrupt the teenager bodyguard into killing his boyfriend’s mom for good, then when this doesn’t work tries kidnapping the heir (why was this so easy, are even his professional bodyguards that incompetent??) and being stopped only when his own son shots him…. anyways y’all understand IT WAS A COMPLETE MESS!

TL;DR: painful to watch, both leads can hardly act and the plot holes make it even worse, PerthChimmon had an actual cute and believable relationship but they were robbed of screentime, watch it for them if you’re convinced on wasting your time with this show…

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It's perfect to me

This show is in a unique boat for a couple of reasons. Possibly the most noteworthy reason is that I felt endeared by the characters regardless of the quality of each actor's performance. I managed to not recognize Phuwin until the end of the show, and when I realized he was the annoying kid from The Gifted: Graduation it made his performance in NLMG funnier. He has an animated way of speaking that's over-the-top for a more serious drama like this, but it adds dimension to a character that would otherwise be too boring if he was less dynamic. Nueng is a great character, and Phuwin was a great choice to play him. I'd never seen Pond act before, and my first impression is that he kind of sucks, but I can also give him the benefit of playing a character like Palm that doesn't require much effort. Compared to Phuwin, he seems more convincing on the surface, but his character makes him stand out less. He is, however, extremely and unwarrantedly good looking. Him and Phuwin are as perfect a visual match as one can hope for.
Chimon by default is a better actor than the two leads, and he plays a likeable character (unpopular opinion) which makes for an overall likeable performance. I won't flatter him though, everyone knows he's a decent actor already but he completely lacks any romantic potential. Luckily the character of Ben didn't really require it. Perth acts circles around anyone he shares a frame with, and putting him with the other most competent young actor in the show was a good choice. It's honestly a pleasure to see him.

As actors, the two leads aren't amazing. But together, they balance each other out in a way that showcases good chemistry. Phuwin might not be fully convincing in a serious role, but he carries a scene wonderfully when it's lighthearted and you need to smile. There are still gems in his more serious performances, like his facial expressions during their slow dance in episode 9, one of his best moments in the show. Pond's performance was almost completely one dimensional, but there was no question his character was in love. What he lacks in line delivery, he makes up for with his eyes. Any good director being keen to to this, Palm was a character of few words. Putting these actors' strengths together allows a viewer to cruise through scenes with differing moods without feeling awkward. The main couple's synergy is at its best in scenes like the ep. 8 beach scene where Nueng explains Plato's origin of love to Palm, a scene that is just genuinely so nice and cute and un-awkward that I thought "that was beautiful" after I watched it. I cringe at absolutely everything, but I hardly cringed a single time watching this show. That's a fucking miracle.

Ben and Chopper's scenes after the main couple's retreat honestly slot perfectly into the rest of the show. They aren't just a side couple off on their own mission, and they don't take anything away from the main couple. Credit can definitely be given to the superior talent of these supporting actors but I also found the story itself satisfying. It's a small redemption arc for both boys, and serves multiple purposes, of which my favorite is the simple yet effective showcase of character growth and the power of friendship.

I'm not joking when I say that the display of good communication, good morals, good friendship, and good actions are what make the show perfect for me. It is absolutely a fairytale, and that's obvious in every part of the show. Mafia vibes but set in high school? A fellow teenager as a bodyguard for your millionaire son? Fleeing to a picturesque beach? The show takes itself seriously, but it doesn't need to be taken suuuper seriously. NLMG is most obviously appealing to an audience of young adults and teenagers, and I think it's the right amount of seriousness for that audience. If your perspective is based on this being comparable to KinnPorsche, then you're already approaching NLMG from entirely the wrong angle. Lighten up and think of it as something sweet for the fucking kids. That's legitimately what it's supposed to be.

I've never seen characters in a show talk to each other and explain their feelings as clearly and directly as in this show. Whether it's stating a boundary, expressing emotions, asking for permission before kissing, etc. NLMG is a case study for good communication. I could pull quotes to use as examples but there's so many I wouldn't know which ones to choose. Not just counting the four boys, but the exploration of mother-son relationships made the show even stronger. The relationship between Nueng and his mother is absolutely comforting, and although Palm and his mother lack a relationship, she's still able to talk to him and express her situation in a way that provides some sort of peace between the two of them. Yes NLMG is completely idealistic and no one in real life communicates as smoothly and effectively as these characters do, but if depravity in fiction is green-lit then I see no reason why incorruptible characters should be a setback for shows like NLMG.

NLMG is also super low-stakes and low-stress. That's a buzzkill for a lot of people, and understandably so. But I'm serious when I say it works. I don't like romance and I like watching things that are scary or miserable or both. NLMG holds your hand the entire time you watch it, while showing you endearing moments between a young couple. It's actually insane that I loved this show so much, and that speaks to its comforting quality.

I have to also give flowers to the music in the show. It was corny and cheesy and it fit the show perfectly. You really have to appreciate the first kiss scene on the rooftop, classical music is just too good. It's crazy that scene was just minutes before the scene with Nueng and his mom where she expresses her support for him. I think I saw another comment about how the music is too cheerful in that scene, and honestly it does resemble Roblox obby music but I was too busy crying for it to affect me negatively!

I really loved this show which is why I give it a 10 overall. I'm always overjoyed when I come across a show that provides both comfort and good examples for its audience. Not suffering is really fun sometimes. NLMG is now officially one of my favorites.

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Why?

The question that will run through your head the whole time: why?

Neung is just the most annoying person on this planet: he's spoiled, rude to Palm since day 1. And that's fine, we all love the character development. Yet, he just act childish all the time: you can't say why he does most of the things. Why getting back to the house where people want you dead? I'm still in shock about Neung putting drugs on his DRUNK BOYFRIEND BEER. How can someone do something like that and still think it's safe?
Palm has the vitality of a plant. When he realizes he got drugged by Neung he just shrugs it off. He has no point in life, he doesn't have any passion, he just like survives doing and living other people's dream. I'll save my comment about his behavior in ep 12, but he's no better than Neungdiao.

The whole show is about pointless violence scenes, incoherent behaviors, people having the most artificial conversations. It's like when you read a bad fanfiction and the characters keep on suffering without any sense. I don't know what the writers were thinking while making this drama, but they got to ruin two amazing actors' chemistry.
What a waste.

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EPIC!!

Don't believe the low rating reviews!! This series is the best of 2023! If I were to describe it in one word :Epic! It has everything :romance, action, beautiful scenery, entertaining plot, fitting soundtracks, the best bl actors❤️
Watch it and you'll find out why is hard to let go...
10/10
It some how reminds me of Your name Engraved herein, but with a happy ending! The way they continued the story in Our Skyy2 it's just WOW! Young, talented actors, Pond Naravit and Phuwin Tangsakyuen ...I can't picture anyone else for this series.. The roles were made for them! I can't wait for their future projects! I didn't invested much feelings into BL series , until now. They bewitched me!

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Never Again

This is an easy review -

Story - supercilious drivel; plotless, pointless, inhabited by paper-thin characters made to constantly pass the stupid ball, by the end crowded with filler scenes to merely pad out the episode count, and not bring any kind of reasonable conclusion.

Though the opening sequence was able to intro the series tie-in merch effectively.

Acting - None that I could see (exceptions Perth and Chimon).

Looking good shirtless does not bestow upon one spark and skill, and neither Pond nor Phuwin have improved one whit from the wooden sticks of FUTS. In every scene they are merely reading lines into a camera, that's it. And that is definitely NOT acting, and this remarkable dearth of talent should not be accepted as the norm (and on the same level as other brilliant actors within GMMTV), nor is it praiseworthy. Truly mind-boggling this series' MDL score. And the sub-basement mediocrity that some BL viewers champion.

Music - The First Noel? Also, the volume level for many of the seemingly endless montage sequences, way too loud.

Production - Color grading good. Basic camera work. Sound issues galore

And here I thought "Unforgotten Night" was bad fake mafia.

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one of the greatest bls of 2023

Since they performed in their first show together, fish upon the sky, I have been a fan of Pond and Phuwin. Never let me go has been something I've been eagerly anticipating, and the series did not let me down. The fact that nlmg hasn't garnered more attention for the amazing masterpiece that it is, truly astounds me. This is the only other bl that gmmtv has produced with a distinctive and unique plot, aside from the not me series. In all honesty, too many people are oblivious to the romance and intense feelings displayed by the main characters and all the other characters in nlmg, because they are distracted by the cliche bls that have the same plot and storyline.
After their first series, pond phuwin have improved dramatically in terms of acting. It is lovely to witness how their characters, palm neung, two innocent souls who have been wounded by the harsh world around them find comfort and solace from one another. This show is a true masterpiece in every way; the emotions, ost, and cinematography are all astounding. Absolutely a must watch series. <3

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Wish I could give a 7.8 in this website

First of all: I wanna congratulate Pond and Phuwin for this. They were STUNNING. I've never seen they look so good and act so well. Second of all: I gave it an 8 only because it wasn't a 7.5, but for me it's not an 8 either. Here's why: this show was well produced and it was beautiful to watch. The story was interesting and the main couple had me dying with their love. But there was so much unnecessary plots, like so many times they would fight, hit or abandon each other for "protection" but it would just be way better if they sticked and fought together against the bad guys. Maybe a lot of things would have been avoided. The fact that Palm had a fucking tattoo of Neung Diao's name and named the bar after him but he just went to live there alone and never contacted him even after everything was resolved... I don't know. There were some gaps here and there that got me thinking. (I'm not gonna say anything about the secondary couple, I'll just say I don't like Ben.) ALSO there was a plot hole about the mom because he was shot in the spine and then at the end she appears WALKING NORMALLY.

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AFTER I FINISH WATCHING THE DRAMA
When I started watching this drama, I had really high expectations for it. However, after a few episodes, my expectations began to decrease. I noticed more and more shortcomings. Also, constantly leaving each other despite declarations of love was unnecessary and irritating in my opinion. It was more of a time filler than an interesting element of drama. Overall, I'm disappointed with the shortcomings of this drama, but I liked the colors and the music until the very end.

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AFTER I WATCHED 10 EPISODES
Rating: 7/10
I watched ten episodes, there are only two left and I still can't decide fully how I feel about this drama. It's such a love-hate relationship for me with a rollercoaster of negative and positive things.

I see how much the trends in Thai bl dramas have changed in the last few years. I also noticed that Phuwin's acting has improved since his role in "'Cause You're My Boy". He is quite good at conveying positive emotions, but when it comes to negative ones, in my opinion, he lacks a lot. And in this drama, there are quite a lot of scenes where the actor has to show, for example, sadness or anger. Sometimes audio sounds unprofessional and the timing isn't always clear. I also don't like how it felt like we got Nueng's character development and then kind of regressed to his earlier behavior a moment later. I guess it's not established yet or it's just a little bit of poor writing.

Of the very positive things about this drama, I like the overall plot idea. Therefore, for now, I feel a certain disappointment and dissatisfaction with the shortcomings that have appeared. In this drama, I really love the color selection most of the time and the music is really well-matched.

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The romance saved the series for me

I finished the series in the span of 3 days. While the plot was very disappointing, the romance was what kept me watching until the very end. The love story between the two main characters also takes up the majority of the series, way more than the plot, so I believe it's enough to make the rating higher overall.

Starting from the plot: it's definitely the weakest part of the series. It's supposed to be about the son of a mafia boss, but to be honest I kept forgetting about it - the characters only seemed a bunch of rich people who use guns from time to time. It's never clear what are Nuengdiao or Palm's feelings about this "business" either, whether they don't believe it's a big deal or they're just convinced that they're "the good mafia". Another reason why it was hard to keep in mind the "mafia" aspect of the story was the complete lack of organization and proper use of resources in the group: where are the bodyguards? Where are the security systems? This sloppy depiction and lack of care for the theme forced me to suspend my disbelief in front of several situations.
The plot itself suffers from a similar problem: it was neglected to the point that it looks more like a draft. There were many situations that could have been easily solved or avoided based on the premises, but they just happen anyway, which made the story frustrating to keep up with. There are even instances where the characters seem to actively avoid solving the problems just to let the story last longer. The events were extremely predictable, so the lack of proper action and the plot holes did nothing but annoy me even more.

The romance, on the other hand, was very fun and sweet. I liked how Nuengdiao and Palm started off with a rather cold relationship forced by their circumstances, but then gradually warmed up to each other. The main conflict for them was about their feelings getting in the way of their duty and vice-versa, and seeing this theme being used so thoroughly was a joy for me! I really like the bodyguard trope and I was hoping for something like this. Both Palm and Nuengdiao are far from being perfect: they make mistakes and hurt each other, but it's all backed up by their inner conflicts, fears, and desires, so nothing ever felt out of place for either of them.
The relationships between characters overall were well detailed too. Ben and Chopper in particular have their own inner conflicts and desires and they're all portrayed properly on the screen, but Nueng and Palm's parents were also great characters in their own right. The acting was pretty good, but I especially enjoyed the performances from Phuwin and Perth.

In conclusion, I believe that one might like or dislike this series based on what do they look for in a BL. If you're looking for an interesting and well-written plot, then this is absolutely not for you. If you're looking for a romantic love story with some action sprinkled in, then this might be just right!

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