A MASTERPIECE! JUST BRILLIANT!
Let me call this series what it is. A complete and total masterpiece. It is brilliant from beginning to end. Riveting, soul-searching, and a classical intellectual metaphorical representation of life. It displays truth, obsession, pain, illusion, weakness, strength, and heaps of sadness.It is the best BL drama certainly this year and perhaps ever. Brilliantly acted with a sharp, crisp screenplay. Outstanding.
Thailand's version of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
This is not your formulaic BL series at all. It is, in all honestly, one of the finest acting series I have EVER watched. I was riveted, absorbed, and found it so utterly unique and one of a kind.
This is worth your time. I would rate this higher than 10 if I could.
You can read my full review of this series at BLBliss.com.
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Superbly Presented
This was unlike any other BL drama ive watched and it was amazing, arguably the BL was barely even present.This was a story , majestically acted, covering all stages of grief and human emotions. It had real depths to it and didnt shy away from anything.
Ive only seen Pond in Forever you so far and clealry that series is not making the best of his potential. His range in this series was magnificent, you could feel his emotions, sorrow, love, sadness, loneliness, desperation, adoration and his endless search for better memories and to be wholly loved. I was taken aback tbh as i didnt expect that level of acting from him, yes exceptionally good looking but in this, he was far more than eye candy. God i was rooting for him, i sooo desperately wanted him to have his happy ending.
I loved that it had only 3 real characters and each of them were excellently acted out, the story was well written, paced well, the characters developed so you understood them all and where they were coming from.
The filming location was simply stunning and fitted the theme and pace of this perfectly.
I loved that you werent distracted by side stories, the typical angry femal lead or revenge plots, sub twists etc, it was exactly what it was.
My only sadness was the ending, he didnt get his happiness, yes resolve on his father but that was replaced by sadness for the unresolved love. I wanted to kick uncle, for being a whimp to, and beyond, the bitter end. I felt sorry for the grief he had carried all these year's and yet, he still never got past it. I think even 5 minutes of seeing Pond in the future, with a forever family, love or happiness, would have settled me. His journey was such an emotional roller coaster and he had suffered so much sadness, i just wanted that 5 minutes.
This was truly a magnificent series, different, sucked you right in, made you invested in how it ended and hats off to all 3 lead actors, fantastically portrayed.
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One actor was amazing, one was good & one was too much.
This was an amazing display of Pond's talent. I enjoyed watching him so much! He gets 10/10, not so much for the other two main actors, IN needed more animation, more of a flow & a striking shirt or cardigan would have been good too. He could have been played by someone more suitable I think. Mother, OMG! I'm sorry Mam but I don't like this casting, I can't feel her at all as the character. She must have been exhausted after each scene, I was exhausted watching itSo the story, well it's a great idea, you had no clue where it would go but it was also predictable in places. The anticipation was rather good. The subject matter is a little controversial but it was very watchable & well, why not!? New stories are always welcome. Not many characters in this series but it's better like that I think. Pond nails it, the dialogue he had in long shots was impressive, his emotions were so relatable, it was like he was in a stage play & just aced every single scene. Wow!
Music was pleasant, Pond sings the title song I believe. There was fun, enlightenment, sadness, bitterness, rage-ish, happiness, fear, naked torso, no skinship including lips, crying, oh so much crying
The end of the story was disappointing, otherwise I would have scored higher. Nothing wrong with the conclusion, it was emotional, serious, sad & didn't drag on but I needed more. Wang put up with so much rubbish throughout (as you'll see) and I think I wanted more for him & I wanted some kind of forfeiture for Mother. They all have the same feelings in the end, why? I didn't like that
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A Gem
You will experience a range of emotions while watching this series. I said spoilers are contained, but not exactly. As it relates to spoilers, all I'll say is the "mother" never grew on me and although I did understand her plight, the sheer realness of her character made it hard to watch and accept during the series. I hoped that once her son confided that she was smothering him - she would back off. not the case. he illness only worsened.Who could I identify with the most - the son. The son did everything for his mother and an independent life was not to be had. Which i think was the greatest tragedy. In the end, I hope there would be a happy ending. Still not to be had. Well I guess depending on who you ask, it could have been a happy ending. For me it was not a happy ending. For me I felt joy during the the short courtship, but mostly sorrow.
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Critical Analysis (with SPOILERS)
Capsule (spoiler-free)180 Degrees Longitude Between Us isn’t your typical love story: it’s a chamber drama about desire, grief, and responsibility. Three people confined to a house—Mol, Wang, In—and a theatrical direction (spaces, thresholds, silences) that refuses easy consolation. The series doesn’t deny feeling: it acknowledges it and then places it within ethical boundaries, choosing a coherent, adult ending. If you’re looking for wish-fulfillment, you may be taken aback; if you’re looking for emotional truth, it will be hard to shake.
SPOILER ALLERT!!!
1) What it’s really about (beyond the ship):
This series isn’t a “failed love story”; it’s a chamber drama about desire, grief, and responsibility inside a triangle of mother–son–father’s friend (Mol, Wang, In). Its form is theatrical (few characters, long scenes, use of thresholds and mirrors), a choice that forces us to sit inside the cracks of these relationships instead of anesthetizing them with editing or hand-holding music. That formal setup is the author’s statement: an intimate piece with actors mostly enclosed in interiors, dense dialogue, and a deliberately slowed tempo.
Core thesis: desire isn’t denied; it’s acknowledged and then placed within boundaries. The aim isn’t romantic gratification but to break a cycle of role confusion and inherited guilt that has everyone trapped.
2) The dangerous knot: when BL meets the ethics of boundaries:
A lot of BL fandom is trained to look for wish-fulfillment (the couple “should” end up together). Here, however, Wang/In is ethically problematic due to asymmetry (age/experience), affective position (In is the late father’s best friend, the site of unresolved grief), and a family system still collapsing in on itself. The series doesn’t demonize desire; it shows how destructive it would be to act on it while ignoring context. That’s what some “romance-first” viewers experience as frustration; in fact it’s a lesson in boundaries.
" Let’s name it clearly: consent alone isn’t enough when there is structural asymmetry (history, roles, grief). The text stages this and honors it in the ending. "
3) The three arcs—no sugarcoating:
- Wang — from enmeshment to subjectivity:
Wang enters In’s house seeking truth about his father and a place of his own in the world. His bond with Mol is enmeshed (closer to a symbiotic couple than mother–son), and the desire for In begins partly as escape from the maternal orbit and as a mirror for an idealized father. The series has him name desire, accept it, and not use it to plaster over grief. That’s maturity, not renunciation.
- In — from nostalgia to the limit:
In is the adult frozen in the past—his youthful love for Wang’s father suspended in amber. Wang and Mol shatter the sanctuary: temptation is real, the tension is palpable (the series is famous for how it crafts unconsummated tension), but In chooses the boundary. Not because he doesn’t desire, but because he understands that embracing desire and stopping is the only way not to turn it into appropriation.
- Mol — from control to letting go:
Mol concentrates power and fragility: a charismatic but controlling mother, willing to bend the family narrative rather than lose Wang. She risks being read as “the antagonist,” yet she has a true arc: she sees the unhealthy system, releases her grip, and accepts that loving a son means not owning him.
4) Why the ending is “right,” not “sad”:
Many wanted Wang and In together. The ending rejects that shortcut and chooses the correct roles: Wang exits the enmeshment, In doesn’t “inherit” the father’s place, Mol relinquishes control. No one “wins” in the rom-com sense; each heals a part. It’s an ethical ending: it acknowledges the feeling and contextualizes it; it doesn’t punish love—it centers responsibility.
5) Film language: how form makes the ethics legible:
- Space: the house is a fourth character; thresholds, frames, mirrors become visual lines that separate/approach.
- Time: long takes force us to “stay” with consequences; no anesthetizing edits, no guiding score.
- The 180-degree “line”: the title resonates with the cinematic rule; respecting the line becomes a metaphor for the boundary—you can approach, but you don’t cross. The mise-en-scène doesn’t just illustrate; it argues. Its visual grammar is what makes the final choice feel truthful.
6) Where it may rub (and why that’s intended):
- “It’s slow and talky.” True; that’s the price of ethical precision.
- “No catharsis.” There’s no applause; there’s a hard-won peace instead.
- “A BL without wish-fulfillment.” Yes—and that’s its political strength: it shows that setting a limit can be a form of love.
7) Anchor scenes:
- The first admission of desire: the text treats it as truth to honor, not a green light.
- Confrontations within the house: bodies reaching and stopping; thresholds left uncrossed.
- The farewell: not “no to love,” but yes to responsibility. All three exit the house intact.
8) Why it matters—also politically:
In a BL market that often sells immediate gratification, 180 Degrees is almost a counter-genre: it shows that placing a boundary can be a form of love. It’s a discourse on informed consent, asymmetries, grief, and respect for roles—exactly the areas where fandom sometimes prefers a fairy tale to reality. That’s what makes it—for me, and for you—one of the most honest and necessary series of recent years.
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It is good but slowly losing interest....
I never had any expectations for this show. I saw it and decided to watch it. BOY AM I GLAD I DID!!! EPISODE 1-3!!! THE TENSION IS SO THICK AND GOOD AND JUST UGH.Waeng is so hot and the actor is so good at acting. I love the complicated dynamic btween him and his mom.
In gives such hot dad bod vibes, loving it. The way he and Waeng interacts is so subtle and flirty. The tensionnn!!!!!
THE CINEMATOGRAPHY IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! SUPER HIGH QUALTITY!!!!! SO AMAZING WAYY BETTER THAN OTHER BLS!!!!
SO MANY GREAT THINGS, so why am i losing interest after the 5th episode?
Super SLOWW!! LIKE THE SLOW BURN IS KILLING!
I've zoned out watching it as if i listening to a lecture 40 mins at school. All i know is at this point is "dad gone..sumn about lines...architect...dad's past.. sum more things about lines... and that they wear the same clothes."
Every week i am excited for sumn good and every week im disappointed. hence, why im losing interest. hell even the previews for next week's episode aren't interesting anymore. Episode's 6 preview was literally about Waeng asking In to tell him about his dad. LIKE DIDNT WE JUST HEAR THAT IN EP 4 AND 5!!
It's boring. Is this even BL? Honestly this show is onLy good for a binging and dont be like me and wait for weekly episodes. :( this is how i feel but if i hear one morenthing about Waeng's dad, ima explode. And my reaction is valid cuz imagine ur waiting every week for some good forbidden age gap relationship, just for the next epsidoe to be like the last. Waeng and In or Siam crying over Waeng's dad.
I can't do it anymore. I'm not dropping the show yet cuz im waiting for sumn good to happen. if by ep 7 nothing happens, im done with this show.
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An owchy to the heart
I’m not sure who I’m angry at the most, the coward or the overbearing mother?The story was a little predictable from the beginning I knew what would happen in terms of Wangs dad’s feelings. However, I was holding onto the minute possibility that In would somehow redeem himself this time and fight!
I suppose I’m just a hopeless romantic and I knew I’d be heartbroken but we have to hope do we not?
This story was so poignant, the fear that In felt and the fact that she used this against him made it all the more heartbreaking. I get she loves Wang and i understand what brought her to this point but it’s her son and In never asked for any of this to happen. I honestly felt so sad for him yet angry and I don’t know which to feel the strongest.
I leave it here. I just don’t know 🤷♀️
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I feel weird
This series was good but also bad. Idek, cause the age gap kept giving me the ick and at times I didn't understand why Wang was so sudenly into In, like there are no other men on this planet he could fall in love with. I honestly think he should have just let it go from the beginning and never even tell anyone he fell in love with a man the age of his uncle. The moral value or the story is great and the plot was interesting, but it felt lacking a bit.The main character was loveble, but, again, I don't fully support his attraction to In, but, at the same time, even though I find it a very smart move what he did at the end and very mature, I still kinda wish he tried to change people more?? Idk man, it's weird.
The mom's playing was bad. Too theatral, not believable. Also, her relationship with her son is weird too. Sidenote: who was the man in the beginning???? The fake electrician. They totally forgot about him.
Overall, I liked the series for its psychological value, but I kept trying to ignore that age gap, even trying to imagine In was younger
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Heartbreakingly beautiful
This series is very different from all the shows I've seen from Thailand so far. I really enjoyed it, it doesn't have a lot of your typical stereotypes in Thai Bl and that only made me appreciate it even more.
The way the script and characters were written is superb. The way the characters deal with loss, homophobia, and self-acceptance is incredibly well-written and you can see growth in the characters as the series progresses.
The actors did an amazing job, their acting was on point, not only the main couple but, the mother as well, I think the way the actress portrayed her was incredibly well done. One of the things I really appreciate is the way Wang calls out his mother's behaviour and her microaggressions that she hides behind banter. It's a great conversation regarding real acceptance and doing the politically correct to save face. Also, talk about codependency I swear the entire cast of this show needs a LOT of therapy.
I think that the way this series was written is perfect I didn't miss your typical cliche kisses or anything like that, the yearning only made the characters so much more believable.
One thing that I really appreciated and I won't spoil it but, the way it ends just felt perfect for this story I don't think they could have given it a better ending if they tried.
The cinematography is gorgeous, the sets are beautiful and the way it was filmed, especially the night scenes made it feel much more intimate almost as if the viewer is eavesdropping on the characters' lives.
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One of those you remember forever
I knew getting into this it was going to be emotional. I had seen some spoilers and I thought I was prepared. I was not. This drama reels you in with the charm of Wang, gets you hooked on the sweetness of In, chews you up with the selfishness of Mol and spits you out with the heartbreak of all 3 of them. I really don't mind emotions, sadness or even bad endings, but I dread them since watching MODC. This one is not THAT bad, fortunately, and the ending is fitting the mood and feel of the drama, but I still hated it. I so much wanted In to get over his hesitation and fear and for Mol to get over her selfishness and think more about her son's happiness. Mol has very narcissistic tendencies and this triggered me a lot. In never gets angry with her, he never calls her out. Probably because he feels so guilty, but there's therapy for that, people!Suffice to say I was really invested in this drama and I binged it in a day. The acing, cinematography, music, it was all on point. The fact that we are actually only dealing with these 3 people without real side characters is a great choice, we really get into their motivations, conversations and emotions.
There were some inconsistencies and unclear parts, but maybe that's just that I missed it because I was crying too much. I don't know.
I dare not hope for a 2nd season where Wang and In find their way back to each other, but, you know, just saying....
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Life unfiltered
First and foremost, this is not a literal review per se, more of a conclusion or final thoughts type of thing. Second, this is not for everyone, if you're looking solely for entertainment then I advise you to pack up and go. If I'm being honest, close to nothing about this is entertaining, it's a raw, brutal story that could happen anywhere in this world, so if you're going in expecting something light and fun, don't watch it, if you decide to watch it regardless, I advise you to keep an open mind, this is not pretty, at times you'll have to pause to just think and process what you had witnessed and heard, this has garnered mixed reviews, so I'll leave the final verdict to each person and their perspective. For me, I loved every single minute of this, it was painful, uncomfortable, ugly but so very beautiful at the same time. It's not something I'll ever rewatch easily or frequently, but I sure as hell won't forget about it, I honestly don't know what to write because no words can express what I'm feeling right now, it's very complicated, and you'll have to experience it firsthand to know what I mean, so for those interested, I hope you give it a chance and see for yourselves how the story of three people with nowhere to hide from life and it's reality unfolds.Was this review helpful to you?
Im glad I put aside my initial bias to give this drama a chance
I felt very uneasy watching this drama, but I know its supposed to be that way and part of me is glad that I set aside my hesitation to watch this drama. There is daddy and mommy issues all up on this thing. On the surface you see attraction between the male leads with a significant age gap among other taboos that is pretty messed up. Its hard to swallow. Its disturbing. But I put that aside in this case because this drama isnt about romance at all. If we were to follow the metaphor layed out, there is no doubt here. The leads would never be together. But underneath that it goes beyond the individual but the ideologies that Wang and In represents. You have these two very different people of differing generations sharing the same trauma. You watch as Wang and In get entangled in philosophical questioning. They lay out their statements and pick apart each other's arguments challenging each other's words. For Wang, he wholeheartedly fights without hesitation. He has conviction and passion and stands by his beliefs. He gets frustrated and angry and doesnt understand why loving a man is an issue. He wants to travel beyond his resting coordinates. Above all, he holds his truth and embodies it and lets the world see it. There is a beautiful scene that stuck out to me in the drama where Wang reaches out his hand over In's heart trying to will that belief into him. He so badly wants In to adopt his worldview, to accept his feelings and his identity . To me, I see this as Wang represented by his generation trying so hard to convince the prior generation to change. Wang gives the world he inhereted from his father to In. The globe now in his care, its up to In to decide on how to proceed forward. He responds to Wang by encouraging him to stick with his beliefs, follow his instincts, and use his talents for good.In's perspective is filled with trauma. His sees the world differently and explaining this here would be a big spoiler, so to put it simply you learn to understand why each character make their choices. In cant move on from the past and Wang accepts this. If In adopted this worldview earlier on. If society wasnt so messed up back then. If he felt safe enough to express his love for another man in the past, he wouldve led a happy life with the love of his life. If that happened, Wang probably wouldnt have been born. His existence came out of his In's heartbreak and his parent's broken relationships. The age gap has a purpose here. I dont think the messaging here is to accept the age gap which is why in this case Im putting that aside. It never comes to fruition. Its in the name of the title. They discuss parallel lines never meeting. The messaging is to examine the victims of this messed up society. That if we hold onto the past and if we dont let go of those ideologies, it hurts people. Therefore if we follow this metaphor... Wang accepts the failure. He is unable to convince the prior generation to adopt his worldview but it isnt defeat. After all given his age, time is on his side. His generation and the following will craft the future in the hopes that they can show them all what a better world could look like. An optimistic perspective for a very pessimistic outlook in that things might not change but at least its worth trying.
The acting in this is phenomenal. Im really looking forward to watching more from these actors. The drama is slow moving and introspective which might not be for everyone. But, overall I liked what i saw. The cinematography is gorgeous. Considering that In is an architect, the set design is very intentional. His house is very refelective of him to the smallest detail. Wide open windows to the isolated woods he lives in. Even the Rectangular and square geometric shapes in the background including glassware and lampshades. He is living in the safety of his own box scared to wander outside of it. The drama makes use of his room divider that mimics bars of a cell. The muted gray earthtone colors for his cave...the list goes on. Very well done but I would probably not rewatch it. Lol. Its very uncomfortable to watch the first time around and quite sad at the end. Anyway a solid drama for me that is unlike any other BL I have ever watched.
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