Shalom! I have no idea what brought you here but welcome. I've been a BL fan since 2012 and have great fondness for this rapidly growing genre. Honestly, I can't remember my first BL, but I remember my first BL series was Love Sick. Man, did that little show have such an impact for me.
Favorite shows include:
- A Tale of 1000 Stars
- Theory of Love
- History3: Trapped
- My Engineer
- Not Me
*Note: My favorite shows aren't ones I necessarily feel are "the best" shows. I favor great stories as well as characters and comedy. If I think a show is really funny or has fantastic characters, the show may win me over. That being said, I don't judge based on how funny a story is.
How I Make My Score:
There are so many factors that come into play when I make my score. Sometimes, I can be harsh, and other times, I'm forgiving. Generally, these are the things I take into consideration when scoring a show.
- Acting: If the actors can't convey emotions well, or they can't convince me that they're in love with one another, then there is a major problem. The actors, also, must have good chemistry between their love interests and the rest of the cast.
- Storyline: I don't need a revolutionary storyline, but there has to at least be one. If there is barely any plot, then the show tends to be lacking. Every storyline must tie together by the end of the show, and there should be little to no plot holes. There shouldn't be irrelevant side stories, too.
- Production: Though I can be more understanding of earlier shows, if the production quality is so bad that it takes away my enjoyment of the show, I have to consider that when making my score. I try to be fair since not everyone has a budget, but it is still something worth taking into account.
- Intention: I always ask, "Does the show come across the way it wanted to?" If the show is supposed to be a simplistic love story, did it successfully do such, or was it too convoluted? Did the show do well for its genre? Some BL will be horror and others may be mystery. Was the show too ambitious, or were its intention successfully presented?
- Words of affirmation: I need to have the characters verbally express their feelings. Communication is key to a relationship! If the characters don't say, "I like you," or "I love you," then I feel like the characters aren't on the same page or lack development.
- Pacing: Is the story too rushed? Do the scenes feel prolonged? Could the timing be shortened? If I feel like a show was given too much or little time, then something needs to be fixed. I dislike ten minute scenes that could've easily been two minutes.
- Characters: The characters don't have to be likeable, but they must feel like people. Even if they're caricatures of people, there has to be some realism. Character actions must make sense, especially to the character. Overall, there should be good characterization.
- Interest: If the show bores me, that's a major negative. The main purpose of a show, above all else, is to entertain.
- Music: I love tasteful music. It needs to be appropriately used. Music doesn't need to be in every scene, and the song choice must work for the scene, too.
- Cinematography: Not a high point on my list, but since shows are visual, I appreciate visual appeal. Shows that try to give great views of the set and generally capture great essence of the scene will win my love. We don't always need close-ups of the actors' faces!