The Middleman's Love

Cute and Adorkable.

I'll be honest, after the first episode of this show I was giving it 4/10, and I thought that was generous. I found it awkward, weird and very cringey. I don't think I laughed once during the first episode.
I also felt a lot of whiplash knowing this was set in the same world, with many of the same characters, as Bed Friend. Because the tone of this show almost couldn't be more different than that show.

But I wanted to give the show a couple of episodes in case it got better. Episode 2 was a 6/10.
And when I reached episode 3 it was a 9/10. And I found myself laughing and smiling through the whole thing. Where I at first found Jade's character annoying and cringey, I now found him dorky and utterly adorable. At first I thought that maybe the show had just improved over the three episodes. So I went back and watched episode 1 again, and I kind of loved it!

Honestly I have no idea what happened. I feel like I might have slightly lost my mind. But regardless, right now I am counting down the days to the next episodes.

In conclusion. I suspect that this show will be somewhat polarizing. And that everybody won't gel with it like I ended up doing. But I hope you do. Because I'm loving it!

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7 Episodes of Chase

This show makes me so angry... I enjoyed watching it to an extent, because I like Yim & Tutor, have since Cutie Pie and I liked Yim's character in Bed Friends but their chemistry in this one felt a little off to me, I'm not sure If the characters are supposed to be a little awkward (i haven't read the novel) but Jade didn't seem like this in Bed Friends.

Jade & Mai - These two made me mad, for 7 episodes They were playing chase with each other, and then of course on the last episode we saw them being cute and cuddly and it just made me upset because I like these two together and would've like to see them in love more than one episode - I hope they get another series together soon- also the beginning of Ep 8 when they kiss, Toturs big lips devor Yim and i needed more of that.

Uea & King - I will forever love these two, I know that this show isn't about them and they were just the side helping BUT I needed more of them, just like a little more. Their spicy chemistry is next level and I wish we could've seen just a smidge more of them.

Tong & Gus - Same for these two, I have loved them together since Friends Forever but we didn't get to see much of them, I hope they can have another show together. I think what we got of them was so good and they have great chemistry

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A different love story

Sorry people, but I loved Jade/Mia story. I get that many were expecting a continuation of the Bed Friend theme, however, this was different and it was IMO good. This was not a season 2 of Bed Friend. I binged the entire series and my heart hurt for Mia, because his love for Jade was pure, and the good old misunderstanding and lack of communication trope reared its head. I loved the side couples Tong/Gus and King/Ueau, the new and the old, showed the value of friends that know you. Can a series be better, always in some opinions. I watch for pure enjoyment and to be entertained by the characters, and I was involved in their stories and the issues they presented. I connected with this story and my rating reflex my feelings.
I appreciate the efforts of all involved, from the actors to the caterers, this is work people. This is my first review, usually I ignore reviews and decide for myself, however, because the bashing being handed out seemed very harsh for the story and presentation, I wanted to show my support.

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Watched for the side couples

Oh my Lord, why did they let Yim act this way? Jade was too over the top and I have trouble feeling like Mai would have any interest in him. There were a few times I felt Jade wasn’t too bad but that was only when he was acting serious. I’m really not a fan of Tutor and Yim. I would have stopped watching if not for the side couples.

I’m a huge fan of Net and James! I had to continue watching the series to see them and what (if anything) would happen between them. There wasn’t much but they made it worth watching.

And, I have to say, I’m sort of digging the new couple (Leo and Tai). Tai is just an adorable actor and I hope to see him go far.

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Light and fun show with a hidden message.

I have to say: I review this show having read the novel before, so I'm sorry if I compare the two things a lot. I just can't help it.
The Middleman's Love could have been either a full-comedy show or something really deep and emotional. If you read the novel, Jade is such a goofy character, but he has some insecurities that eat him alive and give deepness to his persona. The novel is basically a journey through an average person's mind, someone who couldn't just believe to have something good. It's a topic we all relate to, I guess.
What the producer did here is taking the novel and exaggerate the comedic part, trying to have a more entertaining show, with what they had. Maybe a budget matter, or maybe it's just a choice of the production team, but they went all-in toward the comedic genre.
I personally don't like this choice since I loved the book so much, but I still think this is a great show. The main flaw is visible since episode 1: Jade's behavior appears just immature for a 28-year-old man, it exceeds goofiness. Does it make The Middleman's Love a bad show? I don't think so. It's light, fun, and something you want to watch after a long and tiring day at work. The romance is there, both the main actors did a magistral job portraying their characters. Even if we can't see much of Jade's most intimate secrets, we can see how affected he is by people's thoughts and words, and how much he tries to keep himself safe from being hurt furthermore by love. As soon as you hit episode 5, you understand how that smiley mask... is just a mask. And I do admire the production team for this kind of message.

The biggest flaw is the little screen time of the side-couple. We don't even get to understand what is going on between them. It makes me mad how they left their story hanging for everyone, but those who can watch the uncut version.

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starts getting really good at ep3

I think this is one of the only series where I was disappointed after watching the first episode, because it didn’t reach my expectations. But, then as the episodes went by, it got better and better and in the end I really enjoyed the story and the actors performances. If you can get theough episode 1, and drop your negative feelings during episode 2, then from 3 and onwards it’s actually a really great story.

The story really hooked me, and struck a cord in me as I myself have been a Jade in the sense that I have been struggling with self-acceptance and self-confidence. The thourough stary telling of why Jade is who he is and how that has affected him till this day, makes him a very familiar character whom you have symphathy for. Mai is delightful and Tutor does an excellent job in making him communicative without saying much. Their chemistry was great and the acting top-notch. Their story hooked me and I became invested quite easily.

The side-couples are also great, however I would have liked more time spent on them, but I guess a show is in the works for them as well? Idk, but I’m invested in them as well.

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Superficial but fluffy

Most hate this drama because yes Jade is exaggerative and over-the-top, but if you enjoy slapstick comedy and understand what it's like to feel overlooked or in the middle of it all, it's the show for you!

I genuinely enjoyed this drama unlike most because it was sweet, funny, and relatable in a lot of aspects. As someone who's been in the middle of all of my friends marriages (I'm almost the last single standing at this point) and in the middle of cousins and siblings, it's very easy to feel overlooked. You know you're family and friends love you, but to believe someone else (who in this story is extremely attractive ans friendly to everyone in the job) would actually like you over any of your friends kind of seems unbelievable in the moment. Jade is extremely oblivious and has some experience in the past that make things a little frustrating for most watchers when it's VERY obvious Mai likes him. But the main point of this story is of learning to accept yourself and accept love in your life even when it's hard.

The story is VERY superficial and definitely obvious for the very beginning. There are no crazy twists or surprises as it's very predictable. So if you're looking for a fluffy BL to pass time amd not looking for anything tok deep, I'd suggest trying it! TutorYim are adorable and I'd rewatch between other series!

Note: I do understand why people would get frustrated or bored, but this I definitely feel is better than all of the toxic BL's that I've seen this year even with its snail pace

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cute but cringe at the same time

I was really looking forward for this because I really liked TutorYim in Cutie Pie and this is their first Main Role but sadly the series disappointed in many aspects: Jade is way more over the top as he was in Bedfriend. most of the time I have 2nd Hand embarrassment because of him and the soundeffects are making this worse. I totally adore Mai and he ist really sweet with Jade but we never really got to know why he liked him so much from the get go. I liked the second lead couple and their story wichkept me watching every week. And of course I wanted to see more of King and Uea but sadly there reduced to just comedic moments and maybe one or to more romantic ones.
It wasn't as bad as some series and I still wanted to know, how their story would end but it sadly didn't meet my expectations.

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This show deserves more love, like Jade

I believe this show deserves more love and credit, in the same vein that a person like Jade deserve love and appreciation.

Look, it definitely came out at a time where BL shows with very textbook/likeable lead characters, plots beefed up with twists and steamy scenes were appearing left and right— and therefore there is the risk for the audience to undermine the simplicity and humour of The Middle Man’s Love.

What this show attempts to tell is that even a slightly off-beat guy, who masks his insecurities with his positivity and denseness, is deserving of a person who will love him and will see his “flaws” as a part of what makes his character charming and loveable.

I’m sure there’s a person out there who can resonate with Jade or knows someone like him, and we’ve often misjudged this person as not capable of finding love or attracting someone “out of this league”. I think the writers did well in making Jade’s character close to reality as an awkward human being, with some slight exaggeration to match the comedic approach of the show. One might say he’s an anti hero, but I saw myself rooting for Jade after ep1.

I also appreciate Mai’s character immensely, he complements Jade’s personality and continuously communicates well with him. He’s genuine, honest and patient, without toxic traits, which is exactly the kind of person Jade needs to surround himself with.

The show also lightheartedly tackles the theme of how insecurities and past relationship trauma can impact the way we deal with emotions. These moments appear in the most common situations, which we can all relate too.

The office dynamic is also cute and comical. It doesn’t try too hard. No toxic boses, no abusive or predatory behaviors. Intern/mentor ships are not uncommon in the BL world (even in the real world), so let’s not pretend to be holy beings here by calling that out.

Don’t get me wrong, the show is not perfect, but it’s not bad at all and does not deserve so much hate. The first time I tried to watch it, I was indeed overwhelmed by the hyperactivity of episode 1. But after giving it another chance, I started understanding its intentions and appreciating its approach and what it brings to the BL world. Eventually, I got used to Jade’s volume level and understood why that’s part of his character, as someone who tends to overcompensate.

The plot is not the thickest but it also doesn’t try to be that show. It doesn’t force crazy subplots nor introduce unnecessary characters nor overcomplicate situations which we often see in some Thai BLs. It rather focuses on the height of people’s emotions, how one would overthink and make conclusions, and situations that I honestly was able to relate to on a personal level. I’m an avid BL watcher but I’ve not written ANY reviews except for this one as I feel the need to defend it.

I’ve dropped a number of shows in the past and this one made me stay and I wish people will also give it another chance.

Overall, I genuinely enjoyed The Middleman’s Love and the TutorYim ship. They did a fantastic job as a love team.

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I cried when I watched the series

As a fan of both actors, I was excited to see the series. However, once the trailer was released, I questioned this excitement. The truth is, I wasn't a big fan of Bedfriends (its predecessor) for two main reasons: the acting and the editing. Today, it is these very aspects that bother me.

I believe the director of this series has significant issues in directing the performances of his main actors. I realized this after analyzing that the character Jade in Bedfriends—despite being peculiar—had a much more focused, stable, and profound personality, which is not present in this continuation.

In Middleman’s Love, we see how the Jade we knew disappeared (not to mention the one from the novel). I know that Yim can act because the Jade he portrayed in Bedfriends was a good character (and the same with Syn in CutiePie). Jade (Bedfriends), Jade (Middleman’s Love), and Syn (Cutie Pie) share the commonality of being strange, awkward, and even a bit weird characters. However, Jade in Middleman’s Love is the only one who doesn't achieve those characteristics because he ends up being absurd, foolish, and almost like a five-year-old child.

On the other hand, Tutor had the easiest job since his character hardly speaks in the series (he does, but every time he does, they overlay him with unbearable music). This is a point I want to make clear. Whoever edits at Domundi (excluding Cutie Pie) doesn't know how to do it. Anyone who knows a bit about shots understands that for a fast-forward or flashback, you shouldn't use the same shots in a row, or the effect won't work (and if you're going to do it, you must know how to do it, or it ends up being a failure). They abuse this in the first episode.

In addition to that, there is a problem with the editing. The music is excessive on many occasions (not to say all), they cling to this resource and don't let go because there is not a single second where you can hear the characters simply talking. The music is always there. This is compounded by the maximalist style of editing, leaving the audience exhausted after a few seconds.

I could go on because they clearly lowered the quality from Bedfriends (the only good point in that series), but honestly, it gives me enormous sorrow to see what Domundi turned the series, its plot, and characters into. The favoritism towards certain actors is evident, and it's clear that their directors have no idea how to make a series work. Outside of shows where their favorites appear, they don't make even the slightest effort.

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