The Trainee (2024)

I was left disappointed

first of all, I started this because I wanted to watch a BL and OffGun… but in both, it was disappointing for me. It was not BL focus, which I wasn’t expecting. I wish I knew before starting, maybe I wouldn’t have been left disappointed

I will keep it short, not motivated to write a review right now

I really liked the first few eps, I thought it was funny and we were getting to know the characters. My rating was like 8,5-9 at some point

what I liked :
- the friendship
- seeing the development of the trainee at work to at the end becoming mentors to their own trainees. even if we didn’t get much with Ryan character I think
- the comedy, had some good funny moments
- I absolutely loved Off character (minus maybe for the last ep a bit) and he looked so good here
- the acting was decent
- I also liked Pah and Pie, Baimon too actually
- chemistry, the few good scenes we got of Jane and Ryan
- Ryan after work

what went wrong for me :
- Bah-Mhee was mostly unlikable
- The hole plot with Tae and Ba-Mhee / Tae, Ba-Mhee and Judy : that was really uninteresting to me and it took to much screentime. It really felt more like a straight couple story with a side BL couple. And how it’s all turned out… how their relationship was, the cheating, them getting back together… couldn’t care less. Annoying that they got a better and longer ending
- Feel like the relationship between Jane and Ryan wasn’t written, development well. We really didn’t see enough of them and the development of their story. And what was that stupid time jump at the end, it was also 5 years… that’s a lot! and they just got back together just like that as if nothing happened and the love is still there as if they never separated? We almost got nothing of them dating and they get back together in the last part of the last ep… didn’t get a proper scene or dialogue either

I watched 4 BL with OffGun, sadly my least favorite unfortunately. Many people said Cooking Crush was bad and boring, but I think it was much better

I guess I could still recommend even with the plot kinda weak, lacking of BL,…. It was still funny.

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That's BORING AF!!!

I'll change my review!!!!
Before changing, i really love this series so much because it's kinda different story and have nice lil plot but, after bahmee and tee broke up, it's getting boring af like what do they just focus on 2nd lead and not in main couple??? Likwe what?????? Ryan and jane have lil bit screentime, even it's not noticeable because story prefer 2nd couple. I really disappointed with this series, they just prefer to Bahmee/Tee than main couple/Pah/Pie, it's absolutely teribble and bad. Before that i give it 9 stars, and now, idk, probably less that 5 or smt.

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False Advertising much?

If you are going in to watch this expecting OffGun to be the stars of the show then you will be left feeling unsatisfied.
First the good things:
The show started off with great promise and the cinematography is wonderful. The cast have done full justice to their characters with Off as Jane being a standout and scene stealer. That man is so drool worthy handsome in each scene and hence my re-watch value is high only cuz of him.
OffGun deliver really well on the JaneRyan chemistry and even with the little screentime they were given they had some heart fluttering scenes.
Now the bad things:
So much time wasted on the TaeBahmeeJudy plotline and ngl they are annoying till the end. Idek why anyone thought they were a good relationship to focus on.
Hence why I call this series just plain false Advertising. They sold this show as an OffGun show but they had the screentime of a side couple. Not to mention they didn't give us enough of Jane who was the most interesting character out of them all.
A show with good potential ruined by bad directing

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Good production, but that's it

although i came into this with really high expectations, not only for the directing stye but also for offgun to get something new, this series went from mildly boring to extremely frustrating. still don't know how i kept any interest to finish it.

though we got some semblance of a story about ryan, most of the episodes were not even about him or jane. i would understand if there were less episodes, but getting 3 episodes of a cheating, inappropriate mentor/intern relationship, and people that just do not show character growth, anything positive was quickly overshadowed by all that mess. i thought i would like it more, as it did start really interestingly and the colors, editing, etc were a fresh style for anything BL related by gmmtv.

and as for the biggest disappointment: minimal offgun. what was the point in even having them as leads? we got one episode that was mostly dedicated to them and even that felt like a very forced and quick attempt to satisfy viewers that were watching for this pairing. there was some story to both of them, but overall i found this series extremely underwhelming for what it could've been. the cheap cop-out of having jane leave, without even bothering to discuss it with ryan or even just prepare him, made me so angry. the lack of communication during those five years was INSANE. how do you do that to someone you love?? with these two, just the most insane lines would blindside me so bad, it felt like just drama for the sake of it.

the script was terrible, the stories were worse (judy should've never been kept in this!), and the lack of any substance to pah and pie was actually sad too. pie never showed growth until the last episode, and her failing to apologize to ryan BOTH times really just about set me off.

finally, poon was such a great casting choice for this series. he made it the most tolerable for me apart from offgun.

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I sat here for a long time waffling over this rating, because there were things it did so right and I adored it for that. But the things it did wrong really bothered me, and the last two episodes highlighted it in ways that I couldn't ignore.

First of all, the great. I loved the work atmosphere - it felt like places I've worked myself at times, for better and worse. And yes, I'm including the workplace relationships in that. People who think that this was a lot amuse me because I've worked in places where so much more happened on the regular, to the point that it's a wonder any work was getting done. I also really appreciated the little insights into how the industry works from that side of things - a lot of it was stuff I already knew or suspected but it was nice to see it clarified. Ryan's after work bits were always fun.

I also loved the relationships between all the interns - yes, even Ba Mhee and Tae. I have steadily maintained since I started watching that their relationship was believable to me, both the way it broke down and the way that it started up again. And I loved the friendships and the way that the interns grew up as they went along. They all learned things about themselves and became more confident in their abilities and who they wanted to be, and they did it in ways that felt realistic - stumbling a little because that's what we all do, but coming out of each new problem a little smarter and a little more able to handle the next. I also really liked that it wasn't just the interns who were growing - everyone was, a little. Because the honest truth is you don't stop learning just because you're out of school and in the real world, and you don't stop making mistakes, either.

Jane. Jane was amazing almost all the way through. I have never liked Off so much as I did in this role. The way he played Jane spoke to me so much to me - the mix of assuredness in his job but dissatisfaction with the same, the way you could tell even before he said anything that his life had hit a bit of a rut and he had no clue what to do about it. I think in that way Ryan breathed some fresh air into him - dude had no clue what he wanted to do or why but his contentedness to be where he was just helping I think helped Jane see how very not content he actually was. In reassuring Ryan that it was okay to just want to get by doing your day to day (a lesson that I think that many people need to take to heart), he realized that he did not want to do that anymore. I loved the second to last episode for what it did for Jane - how it showcased exactly how long he'd been struggling and pushing it back, seeing someone else be put in front of him and seeing how he thrived. The way his own timidity and need to please shot him in the foot. And how it came to bite him again years later. Great stuff.

The not so great, though...

I am not one who cares much about the romance in this show, but I still wanted more than we got. I have never been an OffGun fan and while i appreciated how realistic the Tae and Ba Mhee relationship was, I did not like Judy being used as a facilitator for a breakup that was coming anyway. And while I appreciated that the show did showcase them both working to communicate better and make changes in their relationship, it still did not feel to me like one that would stick. Apparently I was wrong about that, but it did detract from the show a bit for me.

As for Jane and Ryan, they were cute but I was annoyed by Jane disappearing for five years with no word and then coming back expecting to pick up where they left off, and Ryan just being like "sure." That is not romantic to me in the least.

I was also very frustrated with Ryan as a character. He had some growth and I appreciate that, but I wanted more out of him. There were some shades of that in the final episode - he seems like a competent creative director - but then it seemed to walk it back the second that Jane appeared again, and I really hated that, although I was pleased to see him being sassy in the last Ryan after work segment. In general though, his utter passivity with Jane - the way he kept turning into this wide eyed ingenue whenever he had to interact with him - annoyed me.

I feel like Ryan began as an observer in his own show - and his own life - and then instead of growing to be less so, he ended it that way, too. And maybe that was the point - it does tie into the theme of accepting doing what you can and not having to be the best to be good and satisfied with life - but it didn't work for me personally and thus, lowered my rating.

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Underwhelming

Well this was bland... really really bland.

It starts off kind of funny with some relatable lines and and a nice cold meets shy and sweet, office friendships and some kind of helping each other out spirit but then it just goes flat predictable and lacks that spark to keep it interesting.

Those who are in it for OffGun do get to see Off and Gun interact but without anything to actually set Off Gun to create the fireworks we have been spoiled by in the past. I am not saying their chemistry is Off, it is more of a lack of processess in the story telling than an acting issue.

There is a side couple part stereotypical dumb girl, part geek inspired by a Bruno Mars Song that gives us and okay plotline with interesting development, but that too takes a turn to the meeh leaving me with a feeling of what a waist of time and cast. That said it is not a bad drama it is just not very good.

So if you are in the mood for Off Gun I sugest you go watch/rewatch pretty much any other one of their dramas. If you still want to watch this after reading this, go for it just be set your expectations low and prepared to be underwhelmed.

P.S. there is also this cringe educational theme to it... especially at the end of each episode that made me role my eyes... Sorry

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Pleasant low angst office romance.

Hehhh. I'm torn now. I eyerolled so much while watching this series that I may have permanently damaged at least some of my cranial nerves. And yet I watched it in one sitting, annoyingly(Ba-Mhee&Tae&Judy), romantic (Ryan&Jane) and inexplicably entertained. Go figure.
I liked Ryan and Jane a lot. The way their relationship develops is exactly what I love in stories like this one. They are incredibly sweet and tender with each other. The moments between them were my favourite part of the story. Jane was my favorite. God I loved him! He is a sweet mix of confident and vulnerable.
The love triangle - no, no, no
It was meant to be intense and heart-wrenching, but I felt nothing other than pure annoyance. I wanted Ba-Mhee to just shut up.
There was some very good stuff, but there was some stuff that wasn’t for me that detracted from my enjoyment.
Overall sweet, light and funny.

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Identity Problem

I placed spoilers at the end of this review.

Overall, this was a very cute series. However, you will need to change your mind set before you start watching it because this series had an identity problem. It seems the marketing department and production team received two different memo’s and were not on the same page. It’s marketed as a BL series, but the script had more of a slice of life vibe involving an ensemble cast. There is a BL couple and storyline, but it’s incorporated with other random storylines. For the positive, the relationship development between Jane and Ryan was great and had a nice, even pace. I also liked how all the interns supported each other and formed a good friendly working relationship, well most of the time. The Ryan after Work sections at the end of each episode were cute and informative. Now for the negative, there were big sections that didn’t involve the two main characters which is one aspect that created the series identity problem. The other aspect is there is one storyline that seems completely out of place when you watch this with a BL series mind set. However, it does make senses if you watch this from a slice of life viewpoint. The quality of the script was also inconsistent. There were parts that were very good, but were mixed with long periods of boring scenes. The comedy was also not quite right and there were too many sound effects.

Random Note:

The ending was ok, but it has one story element that I’m getting sick of seeing wrapped up in another story element that I’ve always found annoying.

The scene location used for Judy and Ba-Mhee’s work area was also used in the series GAP (Work section that Mon was assigned to).

******Spoiler Alert******

The storyline with Tae and Ba-Mhee quickly became annoying.

Beside the fact it was poorly written, the storyline with Tae, Ba-Mhee, and Judy seemed very out of place in a BL series.

Not only do we get a study abroad component, it comes with a 5-year time jump. The study abroad concept has been around for a long time, but it seems to be very popular lately.

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OffGun Magic Saves the Day Again!!

“The Trainee” is a lighthearted BL series featuring OffGun in prominent roles. The series revolves around internships, careers, and personal growth. It follows the story of Ryan, Tae, Pie, Pah, and Ba-Mhee, recent college graduates who meet at an internship interview at GoodPick. Gun Atthaphan plays the character of Ryan, who is unsure about which company to choose for his internship. After listening to the advice of his close friend, he decides to apply for an internship at Goodpick. He gets selected as an intern in the Assistant Director department, where he meets Jane (Off Jumpol), his supervisor. Jane is strict but kind-hearted. Despite being strict, he teaches Ryan to be more open and brave in making decisions. The chemistry between Off and Gun is wonderful, and they are very comfortable with each other. Pie starts as a stiff and almost like a loner character, but as the series continues, her character becomes softer, more jolly, and open. She is a very talented character and View Benyapa did a great job playing “Pie”. Finally, let’s talk about our adorable couple, Tae and Ba-Mhee.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/10/09/the-trainee-series-review-ep-3-to-12/

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