1626 (2023)

Should've happened before Pieces of Me

It was much better than I expected. Especially considering what we were told it will be at first. I was very concerned about the original plot (Nick pretending to be 16 to get with Tod), so seeing that they changed it made me very happy. I do think it was better done this way.

However, the two parts did seem to drag on a bit, especially the second. The acting wasn’t very believable at times, which I think made it difficult to really feel the emotions in the more emotional scenes. They also ruined the ending by scheduling these two episodes after Pieces of Me. We already had a good idea of what to expect, which kind of prevent the buildup of what would happen in the end. Maybe switching the order of Pieces of Me and 1626 would be better.

Another complaint I have is about the time – when things happen, how do different events follow each other, etc. I found it very hard to keep up with what is past and what is present. There was no clear distinction between the two.

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Pluto, Black Holes and Revolutions

This was actually a pretty poignant little story, just like the previous miniseries in this anthology. A story about separation and fledgling feelings, done in a different way than expected.

The story is from the POV of Tod from Pisces of Love, his experience since he moved to Khon Kaen at the beginning of the previous anthology, and his memories involving Nick, his tutor in Bangkok, and someone he left behind. Through flashbacks and narration, we see the events that transpired from the moment they first met to the moment they separated.

What's incredibly obvious is that they're both very important to each other. Nick definitely sees Tod as a younger brother, and whether Tod sees him as something more is left upto ambiguity. Regardless, they have a huge significance in the other's life. The ending is bittersweet and kind of open, since this was more of an exploration of their feelings and thoughts more than anything, it made sense.

A good miniseries, slow at times and not really one that has a plot per se, but compared to the way they marketed this, I'd say it's a relief they took this approach.

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Do not try to understand everything. Sometimes....

...it is not meant to be understood. Just accepted.

This is a quote on the wall behind Tod and Nick. I liked it. So I put it here as well.

The stories in this anthology series are all of different quality, and this one is definitely one of the best. It follows or it takes place at the same time as the previous story, Pisces of Me with the same characters. While there Tod was a third lead, here we get to know his story and why he was the way he was in the previous episodes.

I like the synopsis above: it is poetic and completely incomprehensible if you have not seen these two episodes.

Tod was an unruly high schooler so his mother got him a tutor, Nick who managed to set him straight. They click together, they are close and spend a lot of time talking and confiding in each other. Tod likes and admires NIck. If ever there are feelings brewing between them, they are never told or explicitly shown. When his parents need to move away from Bangkok for work, the boys keep in touch, with Tod even planning to go back to finish high school there and live with Nick. But Nick has his own dreams and when they become reality, he is torn as to how to make everything work, how to keep his promise and how to live his dream. When Tod finds out the truth, he realizes he had been selfish and lets Nick go through a small white lie.

The title of the episodes, 1626, refers to their respective ages. This is a story of the first love which doesn't say its name. Nick is being a responsible adult and never crossed the line (there is a parallel story in Pisces of You: a tutor actually crossing the line and aggressing the admiring pupil!). Tod's feeling are never really clear, almost until the end: is he in love with Nick or does he want him for an older brother? Tod only admits to incredulous Kun when he tells him the story of Nick, that they only ever touched twice during the time they knew each other and both times was to apply ointment!

The parents are surprisingly open and warm even though they seem too busy, they notice more than Tod thinks they do which comes as a huge surprise to him. They are not judgemental and accept Tod's decisions within the realm of possible. They do not impose their opinions on Tod but let him make his conclusions as to what to do by giving him the facts.

The story is well written, subtle and emotional, a slow burn kind of story. I loved the space references: Pluto and Black Hole were the names the MCs gave themselves, explaining how they felt about their lives. The whole drama special has a poetic, ethereal feel about it, like a dream parenthesis in the harsh reality.
The characters grow and change and mature as the story progresses. The acting is better than in the previous episodes. The production is good: the cinematography, the sets... The editing is a bit messy: to story goes back and forth, past and present and sometimes is difficult to know when a scene is taking place. But that is just a minor flaw. I probably was not paying enough attention, or at least not as much as I should have since these four episodes(Pisces Of Me & 1626) demand and deserve full attention. The endings are open: the boys are young and they will grow and mature and meet new people and have new loves.

But these moments were those which formed their characters for the better!

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