Good drama but with some flaws (spoilers ahead!)

I didn't really have any expectations about this series, so went in with a fairly open mind. The casting looked good and the acting certainly was much better than what we're sometimes used to from many of GMMTV's other programs. No slapstick comedy, the characters felt more real and down to earth. No heavy make-up and perfect surroundings. It was gritty and dark, but had love, hopes and dreams as well. I liked the style of directing, the choice of music and the bold topics covered which I can imagine are borderline taboo in Thailand considering its political situation. It was refreshing to see a series which touched on several of these difficult topics, sparked debate and highlighted the plight and issues faced by many in society - including the feeling of helplessness but also the power normal people can have to force change. For all that I applaud the director/writer(s).

The acting was good. A special shout out to First who did a superb job portraying Yok as confident, cocky and self sure but also vulnerable, loyal, loving and a cute hopeless romantic. He embodied the character really well and his acting skills have really improved. I can tell he takes his craft seriously. Overall the entire cast did a very good job and the directing was also very good, and you could see the actors feeling comfortable with the topics and conveying the messages.

I think where I struggled was some parts of the story. There were many loose ends and undeveloped arcs. For instance Tod's storyline. At the start he seemed to be a central character to the mystery and you suspected he was involved in the beating of Black somehow. He was the reason White was brought back to "replace" Black so as not to rouse attention of what he had done, and to allow the gang to continue with their attempts to bring Tawi down so Tod could increase his own power. I'm willing to buy that, and it did turn out in the end that he was behind Black's beating. But then his character didn't really go anywhere. We didn't really see his rivalry with Tawi. For several episodes it just seemed to be him and Black randomly fighting, until the very end when we see Tod in hospital - presumably beaten up by Black. Was that it? I would have expected the rivalry between Tod and Tawi to manifest itself somehow on the gang. Apart from White and Black, the others were oblivious to Tod's existence. Even White's interactions with him suddenly stopped. Meanwhile what happened to Tawi and his empire? The gang was rescued from being kidnapped by the people protesting, and then we didn't hear or see anything more.

I also find it hard to believe that Gumpa knew all along who White was but didn't say anything knowing what was at stake. It's somehow not believable. I would've believed it if Gumpa had confronted White early on and said he was onto him but would keep it a secret from the others. It would give White a chance to explain what happened to his brother and it would open up a whole new arc and possibility to the story. In the end Black came back, beat everyone up and then went away somewhere. Meanwhile Sean and White rode off into the sunset.

I'm going to say something which is going to be controversial and many of you won't like, but I don't think the relationship between Sean and White added anything to the story - nor did it progress it in a significant way (if at all). I actually thought it was a mistake. Unlike Yok and Dan's relationship which was linked to the overall storyline, White and Sean's relationship didn't really make an impact. It took up a lot of time which could have been used to tie up all the loose ends, plug the gaps and expand the mystery. I know this isn't a BL, and I'm sure the creators didn't want it to be a BL - but the fact that so much time and focus was spent on Sean & White it pretty much took it in that direction anyway and it ended up being one. The actual storyline in some ways became secondary to them. The two actors work well together and have chemistry, and I am generally an OffGun fan but in this drama I think it was superfluous.

It would have been enough to have the relationship between Yok and Dan and Gram and Eugene. Yok and Dan's relationship to my mind was much more intriguing, interesting and playful - and could've been even more integral to the part of the story considering Dan was a police officer. First and Gawin did a terrific job and they had great chemistry. I hope they get another series together. It was nice to see a happy ending to their relationship, but it would have been good to see them going back to Dan's hometown as he had promised Yok.

So in summary: I did not, not enjoy this, but I think I was left feeling I needed "more". Not more episodes, just more tying up of loose ends and a more cohesive storyline between the characters. There were some missed opportunities with this one. Maybe there will be a season two - who knows? - where the story will get expanded. I hope so at it has a decent base to build on, and good characters.

Aside from the gripes, it was well acted and brought to light many important issues which should never be ignored in any society, and I applaud the team and actors for taking that risk and pulling it off.

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A missed opportunity

I have been contemplating for some time whether to write a review about this, but I was struggling to get my thoughts together as I was left feeling quite disappointed by the end of this series. It held quite a lot of promise, and the premise of the show was good when it was first introduced. It also had an overall good cast with talented actors, and incorporated mature themes about real life and real life situations.

Did it deliver? Only partially. I'm going against the grain here I know - I've seen a lot of reviews give it a 10. Come on guys a 10? The perfect series? Is any series perfect? Please be realistic in your reviews. As the famous philosopher Socrates said: “Think not those faithful who praise all thy words and actions; but those who kindly reprove thy faults.”

I don't know about you, but I personally ignore any review that gives a series a 10.

Anyway, let's start with some positives.

1) Acting. This was probably its strongest point, although at times it was a bit hit and miss and there were a couple of miscasts.
2) Production. The production was good with decent locations, settings etc.
3) Messaging. I think some of the messages and points it conveyed were valid and important.

So why do I think it only partially delivered. My issue is with the writing and story. It was too overengineered. Too many undeveloped arcs, events that took up time but did not add to the outcome, situations that were unrealistic etc. I found myself wondering what this series was about. A love triangle? Being poor? Homophobia? Working class people? Inequality? Growing old? Cheating? Relationships? Growing up? Teen angst? Coming of age? Sadness and loss? Unrequited love? Disability? It's almost like they tried to fit all of it in and it fell flat.

Bearing in mind that only 8 episodes were filmed (albeit some more than 1h long so it's more like 10 based on a normal series), there's only so much you can fit in and I think the story went way overboard with stuff which ended up distracting me as a viewer. Examples:

1. The property development project. Time was spent on this as if it was integral to the storyline and outcome but nothing came out of it. In the end Jim just walked away.
2. Jim's search for a title deed to get a loan. Didn't come to anything in the end. Again, he just walked away.
3. All the deaths and accidents, like Gaipa's mum dying and Alan getting into an accident needing therapy, and Jim's ex-bf's death in a fiery boat accident (this one was absolutely ridiculous).
4. Saleng getting his girlfriend pregnant and somehow making it Jim's problem.
5. Wen taking up a job at the restaurant (even though he's a full time architect?).
...and my biggest issue...
6. Time spent on Heart / Li Ming's relationship. Almost half the time is spent on their relationship. This series is (was?) supposed to revolve around adult relationships and situations, and the hardships they face, yet the majority of the time is spent on Heart / Li Ming hanging out. Don’t get me wrong, the characters were well acted and portrayed by Fourth and Gemini, and I am a fan of both, but the amount of airtime their relationship received overtook much of the rest of the story. It would have been better to "introduce them" and give them a separate spinoff series.

There were other things that just did not make sense or were factually incorrect. Here's a few:

1) Jim's attempt to get a loan. I know I already mentioned this but what was it for? If your landlord is selling the property to a developer to tear it down, and your lease is up, what do you need a loan for?

2) Wen working for the developer/architect didn't seem to bother Jim. "Oh don't worry love, I know you and your employer are trying to destroy mine and other's livelihood, but I'll shag you anyway. As long as we don't complicate things". Wouldn't you say Wen's involvement in the project is a wee bit of a complication...?

3) Gaipa's mum's life insurance . His mum had a precondition so she wouldn't be able to get insurance in the first place. And why was her insurance important? Comments at the funeral: "I know his mum has died but he's set for life now!". Wow. Really? Or was it all so the writers had a reason to introduce Alan to Gaipa? Gaipa obviously couldn't just visit the bank to open a savings account and bump into him.

4) Li Ming's move to the US. Come on, some lady with dodgy English hands you a form to sign and you're off to the US? All this after reading a pamphlet? There is no chance in hell he would be allowed anywhere near the US.

It's lazy writing. Character development at times is all over the place. We go from nice guy, to douche bag, to selfish. Too many things distracting the viewer. A common thread is missing.

They should have picked a story to focus on and developed it properly. In my view that should have been the love triangle between Alan, Wen and Jim and possibly Gaipa as well - along with the business/property developer. Episode 5 (and parts of 4) with the breakdown of Alan and Wen's relationship is very good. First is excellent in it and and so is Mix. It felt like it had taken inspiration from Ingmar Bergman's masterpiece film "scenes from a marriage" (brilliant film by the way, you should watch it). I actually thought it was finally starting to get better but unfortunately past episode 5 it just went downhill again. Alan just dipped in and out - this time with crutches, Wen and Jim had long walks at the beach while Heart and Li Ming were drinking more boba tea.

Stick to simple and effective, with the focus on the relationships between the people, the feelings, the emotion and the dialogue. This would be my idea:

- Alan and Wen have been together but their relationship is starting to get shaky. Alan doesn't understand why Wen is being distant. They have a fight, Wen goes out stumbles upon the chicken shop, gets drunk and has a one night stand with the owner. Alan finds out and drama starts.
- Wen grows more distant and goes back to pursuing Jim, who doesn't want the drama as he has better things to worry about, such as a failing business, a developer trying to tear down the property and a sulky teenager. Gaipa also has a business with his mum nearby, and is equally worried about the future due to the proposed development. He has fancied Jim for some time, but Jim is not responsive.
-Wen is involved in the project threatening the businesses. Jim finds out and more drama ensues. Gaipa is also mad. Wen is torn between his career, his love for Jim, the impact his company has on Jim's business and on top of that he still struggles with Alan.
- Wen and Alan have another massive argument and Wen leaves again and goes to stay with a friend. Alan thinks he's gone to Jim so he goes to face him and they end up fighting. Alan and Wen finally break up. Wen approaches Jim again and something begins. Wen begins to re-evaluates his career choice.
- Meanwhile Gaipa wants to help save his mum's business from the developers (and in the process save other local businesses too), so he rallies the locals including Jim to preserve the historic location and starts a campaign to make it a historical tourist destination.
- He goes to the bank to see if he can maybe get a business loan and perhaps be able buy the property himself where he meets Alan. He approaches the local council to see if the buildings can be listed as historical so it can't be bought and redeveloped.
- Alan likes him and his passion, loyalty, and is starting to fall for him etc. He gets involved in the campaign and gets closer and closer to Gaipa and their relationship blooms. Wen and Jim also enter the campaign with the locals.
- The campaign is finally successful and the area and property is eventually listed as historical with funds assigned from the council and government to restore it and making it a destination. Businesses are saved.
- Wen and Jim get together and so does Alan and Gaipa. In time mutual respect develops between all of them. Li Ming grows up and goes to University with Heart.

There you go.

And finally, in the above I would have made Jim/Alan/Wen/Gaipa around the same age, i.e. late 20s early 30s. Poor Earth was terribly miscast as a 40 year old man and, through no fault of his own, has received a lot of criticism for his portrayal.

This review ended up being longer than I expected. Apologies for that. But it's my two cents anyway. On to the next series...

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Cute LGBTQ drama

I must admit I wasn't too bothered when I watched the trailer so didn't give this much thought when it first came out, however, I have finished watching it now and I quite enjoyed it.

I was a bit concerned at first with the heart transplant situation that this was going to go down the route of "I'm not actually gay it's because I have a woman's heart that I'm attracted to you" but thankfully this wasn't pushed. None this nonsense of "I'm only really gay for you" (*cough* SOTUS, 2gether).

The main end scene with Tian/Phupha could have been done slightly differently in my view which would have flowed better, and it drags on a bit at times but they are minor gripes. Other than that I would probably echo most of the positive comments and reviews and won't bore you with the same things again.

I just wanted to say though that Mix's acting in this is very good for a rookie actor. He should be very proud of himself, and I hope GMMTV appreciates it. Sadly, I'm not sure they will as they seem to want to stick to their usual pretty but talentless cash cows which is a shame. But who knows - maybe I will be proven wrong this time.

Earth does a decent job as well but Mix really steals his scenes in this for me. White as Tul also does a good job - he only has as few scenes but they are memorable so a good job from him as well.

All and all a decent series with good acting and an interesting story.

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Funnier than expected

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I'm not usually a fan of the slapstick comedy which I know is popular in Thailand, so was expecting to find it a bit cringey, but the slapstick comedy was well timed and made me chuckle a few times. The storyline is simple but fairly effective. Acting is pretty decent and comedic timing is good.

I liked that they incorporated some of the social themes and issues in Thailand such as the "rich kid" managing to escape the law (an obvious nod to recent events in Thailand) - played by First who does steal his scenes. I must admit, the boy does have great stage presence.

The story does lose a bit of momentum and steam toward the end. The ending is left a bit open which suggests there may be another film in the works where First's character (called "Great") plays a more prominent role along with the rest of the cast. It would be fun to see where they take it next.

Worth a watch if you have some spare time .

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Good character and relationship development but a couple flaws with the storyline

I was looking forward to this as I am a First fan and I'm happy to see his star is on the rise. He does a very good job in this as do the rest of the cast. I'm also impressed with Khaotung. I've only ever seen him on 1000 stars before, but his character in that series was not particularly prominent. However in this series he and First shine together with great chemistry.

This series has sort of split my opinion in two, so this review will consist of two parts - what I liked and what I struggled with.

Let's start with what I liked: character development, and build-up of relationships (especially Akk and Aye's).

The relationship between Akk and Aye - Some excellent acting from First and Khaotung to portray this. They brought this relationship to life. Their interactions stood out and came across as natural, flirty, shy, playful and romantic. It's definitely the highlight of this series, and when you watch them interact you get that warm, happy, fuzzy feeling which is nice. I found myself looking forward to their moments and interactions on screen.

Character development - Akk: I liked Akk's complex character and how First portrayed him. A student from a poor rural background taken advantage of by the school with promises. There was conflict within him, torn between his loyalties and the questioning of his own actions. I didn't, however, agree with the creators idea to make him commit such violent and dangerous acts (but more on that further down). That aside, First does a great job, and you can see how his acting skills are continuously improving. He's unafraid to embody the character and comes across naturally. And finally - an actual coming out scene in a BL series for a character.

Character development - Aye: Aye's character development was also nice to see and good work from Khaotung. He underwent a transformation from a melancholic, angry young man not knowing what to do with his rage, sadness and depression, to channelling it with Akk and slowly coming to terms with himself. Like First, Khaotung also does a great job portraying his character. He is playful, flirty, daring, and quite mischievous toward Akk which is fun to watch. Interesting also to note that he is willing to compromise his beliefs and principles to protect Akk.

As always with BL there is usually a second pairing and in this series it was Neo and Louis with Thuan and Khan. Whilst I'm generally not a fan of the "token second relationship", they both did a very good job. AJ as Wat was also good, portraying the struggle between what you want, the expectations of others around you and the pressure you feel when you end up pleasing everyone else apart from yourself.

Now for what I struggled with. This was mainly elements of the underlying storyline with the school - i.e. the curse, the teachers etc. It was trying to incorporate twists and turns and surprises, however, it didn't quite work.

The "hardships" of the students were not elaborated enough for me. Also, the "world remembers" group felt a bit caricaturist. Maybe this may be a case of "lost in translation". I have read snippets of an interview where the director talked about the "rotten Thai educational system". Perhaps the hardships were more obvious to Thai fans. 

The curse - I felt there were better ways to show students being intimidated. Students could be bullied, threatened with repercussions, unfairly punished etc. They do this briefly with Aye when he is targeted by the teachers, so I don't see why this could not be done to the others as well. The whole curse thing gets a bit tedious. Someone said it represents religion in Thailand and how it's used to oppress so maybe it just got lost in translation again. Akk committing such violent acts was a over the top. I'm not saying he should've been an angel, him realising the error of his ways and changing is part of the story, but making him into a violent criminal was excessive. Releasing a hand brake to injure (if not kill) unsuspecting students? It's a tad extreme. 

Chadok & Dika - They were engaged to marry and buy a house, yet Chadok was oblivious to the fact that Dika had a nephew? It's just hard to believe. Also, if Chadok was a nice guy, why was he being so harsh to students? What was his motivation? I don't quite buy it. We saw a flashback of him being a bully in the past, and this is when the curse started apparently. But then that was not followed through to the present day. Finally he was confronted, cried, admitted to his relationship, said sorry - and that was it? It confused me.  

Thua's actions - not entirely sure about the point of his actions? To force the truth? It ruins his character and makes him look like a really crappy friend.

So, the final verdict? I enjoyed the series despite some of the issues - mainly thanks to the focus on the Akk/Aye interactions and their characters. But there were issues with the story itself.  

I'm happy that so much investment is going into BL and there has been improvement with better acting and directing. Eclipse is an example of that despite its flaws, but it would greatly benefit the series if a bit more attention was paid to the storyline. It would be a shame if the talent of these young actors gets overlooked by weaknesses in the overall storylines.

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One of GMMTV's better shows

3 will be free is one of GMMTV's better series with good acting and an interesting storyline. Tay does some of his best acting in this series (in my opinion), and I like the way he portrayed his character. I also like how the character was written, none of the usual BL or gay caricaturist nonsense. Shin is a confident young gay man who knows who he is without shame and internalised homophobia. The character is very cute and Tay manages to pull of a sexy geek. Neo does a very good job as well considering this is one of his first acting roles, and I like how he seems really comfortable with himself, the topic, the character, and just dives in to the role without fear. It was also refreshing to see a pan/bisexual character in a series. Mild is a fairly seasoned actress but this is a somewhat different role for her, and I enjoyed her interpretation as an independent strong young woman who doesn't take crap from anyone. None of this "barbie doll" nonsense you normally get which annoys me. Give us strong independent women! All three main characters are very likeable.

The premise and storyline are good. 3 individuals from different backgrounds who don't know each other end up on the run due to circumstances beyond their control. I won't go into too much detail so as not to spoil it for anyone. The story starts quite strong, intriguing and exciting. The cinematography is really good and risks have been taken which in my view have paid off. It feels dark and gritty which I like as it's a refreshing change from the usual perfect school/university/rich surroundings we get from most shows.

I would've given this a higher score if it wasn't for the final episodes and how the story concluded. I think it lost its way a bit toward the end, it's almost like they needed to quickly wrap it up. Parts of the ending got a bit convoluted and slightly far fetched in my view.

A really good series though, and one of my favourites to come out of GMMTV thus far. I think it's quite underrated as well, as most people seem to prefer the fluffy stuff instead, so this hasn't received as much attention as it deserves. I think GMMTV should do more of this type of series and showcase some greater diversity in their programmes. It also gives their actors an opportunity to prove themselves. There's a preference to have "perfect" environments in the shows but this can get a bit tiresome and repetitive. Better to shake it up once in a while and I'm glad they took a chance with this.

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