An Awful Series
Perhaps the best way to identify this series is to use the word – indescribable. But I am not using this word to imply in any way that this series is either good or has any socially redeeming values. It does not. This series is awful in every way I can think of. Yes, by any standards of decency, morality, medical code, as well as legal laws, they are indeed and in fact murdering individuals. This series tries its hardest to convince itself otherwise; but it cannot. What they did, without question, was murder; not euthanasia or certainly not mercy killing. This series sickened me to my core. Not everything can be turned into a BL story and certainly not one with extreme moral repercussions. Wake up. Some things need to be seen for what they really are. Quit making cheesy productions with premises that are not well-thought out and throw a label on it called BL and pass it off as an acceptable story!Was this review helpful to you?
Compassion versus Law & Mercy versus Murder
My thought when I saw the first episode of the series was that it tried to establish a strong connection between showing mercy to a suffering animal by putting it to sleep and showing mercy to a suffering terminally ill human.The topic of Euthanasia is very debatable and that's why only few countries have made it legal...there are various concerns regarding the choice of Euthanasia by an individual, whether:
*the person is in a fit mental state of mind to decide.
* The person is being coerced ( by the family)
* Doctors' abusing the power given to them. etc. etc.
I believe a person who is still mentally fit should be allowed to decide if they wish to end their life.
However, Can a person suffering extreme pain whose mind is clouded by pain medications be competent enough to make a rational judgement? Should the family members/ doctors' have the right to decide the fate of a terminally ill patient without their explicit consent (as in the case of putting an animal to sleep)?
The whole discussion is never ending , so in the end it comes down to morality and legality.
I feel the show focuses more on Compassion versus Law and Murder versus Mercy.
In the eyes of the law, things are weighed as per the rules and regulations, no room for feelings.
Freeing someone whom you care about from further suffering is an act of mercy, but law considers it a punishable crime, similar to that of a deliberate murder.
Motive plays a primary role in differentiating between the deaths of various people... how is one person's action of taking a life different from the other killer(s)? when legally all are crimes. The question here is not who the killer is, but why and how that person chooses to take a life.
What is most interesting for me in this series is not the mystery of who dunnit because that is not the highlight of the series. The cornerstone of the series is the moral ambiguity of the characters.
None of the character in the series is pure black or white.
We live in a society of flawed humans. The law has many loopholes and is imperfect but by and large it safeguards our society by protecting the weak.
So the question is left up to the audience as to how they regard the actions of these characters and whom do they sympathise with.
Overall: thought provoking and trying to present various viewpoints on the much debatable, sensitive topic of Euthanasia.
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CHARACTER ANALYSIS::::: CONTAINS SPOILERS from the series in order to discuss their motivation and ideologies on Euthanasia.
(Don't read the review further if you want to REMAIN SPOILER FREE.)
Interestingly all the below mentioned characters were connected to a terminally ill patient, the viewers are a shown a glimpse of their life when they witnessed the suffering of their loved ones how that affects their outlook on Euthanasia.
*The police captain, Thiu strongly suspects Dr.Kan and wants the guilty to be punished as per law but his heart doesn't allow him to remain completely unbiased in this case. Even though Thiu is sceptical , he is ready to accept any slightest evidence to prove Dr.kan's innocence without dwelling too deeper into it. Thiu's mother was terminally ill and he had transferred to a remote place to took a posting there but before he arrived, Dr.Kan had Euthanized his mother as per her request. He was unable to bid her a proper goodbye which remains his greatest regret.
*Dr.Kan may have started on this path for mercy and ending the suffering of patients, but somehow along the way did he become desensitised to killing? What he did in episode 7 to Boss was for a selfish reason and a clear crime. Dr.Kan's mother was terminally ill and he saw her constant suffering and his own father's helplessness that's why he chose to be a Doctor and was an advocate of Euthanasia.
* Boss who has seen his family destroyed due to his terminally ill father (his mother, unable to take care of his father killed his father and then committed suicide herself) admires Dr.kan for his stance on Euthanasia but doesn't understand that Dr.Kan doesn't enthasnise a patient to reduce the burden of care taking from family members' shoulder. Boss doesn't understand the concept of taking consent from the patients. He wants to reduce the family's burden.
* Nurse Onanong, started supporting Dr.kan when someone dear to her was terminally ill and wished to end their suffering. Nurse On tried to perform euthanasia but couldn't go through with it, at that time Dr.Kan like an angel of mercy came and helped her. He showed her the path to reduce the suffering of the terminally ill patients in a painless manner.
* Director Somsak, he was a staunch advocate of the Hippocratic Oath, was against Abortion or Euthanasia. He believed that doctor's job was to care for terminally ill patients to the best of their ability. His male lover who was Dr.Kan's mentor had been terminally ill, Somsak being a loving person wanted to spend the last few months with his lover but was deprived of that solace due to Dr.Kan euthanizing his lover.
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:::::::::::::Trivia::::::::::::
Episode 1 and 2
Just by watching the first two episodes I think the series is posing a serious question as to when does Euthanasia cross the line of showing mercy Versus murder.
So far in the first two episodes, there have been deaths of three terminally ill patients.
1. The police captain's mother ( she seemed to be quite rational and seemed to be in too much pain, but did she choose to end her life? Didn't she want to spend some time with her son who was taking a transfer to be near her?
2. Another terminally ill person, but his family was taking quite good care of him...they were hoping that they could live with him for as long as possible. I don't know if he would have chosen euthanasia?
3.The aged father who was clearly a burden to his children....but for me, his death was a blatant murder... because inspite of his advanced illness and pain, he clearly resisted and showed signs of wanting to live.
So the question is, If Euthanasia was really a choice of the above three people or was it forced upon them?
Episode 3
In episode 3, Dr.Kan injects the terminally ill tribal man after asking for his consent...even though he may not have been responsible for ALL 3 deaths in the previous 2 episodes, he certainly Euthanised the man in episode 3.
So legally he could already be a criminal, as I believe active Euthanasia is not sanctioned in Thailand...
Therefore irrespective of other people who he may or may not have euthanized, he is already guilty and is punishable by law.
Now we just have to see whether there is someone else besides him who is ethuanising terminally ill without their consent.
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Spare me your mercy is a great series the actor and production is also great you all exceeded my expectations about this series...maybe I'll gonna rewatch this when all episodes is out.
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Intense Storyline & Chemistry
Whew,where do I even begin?!!Listen! You gotta watch this amazing drama. Not only is the storyline line amazing,the chemistry between the leads are just 💋,also the plot be plotting!!!
SMYM is a novel by Doctor Sammon who’s a famous author, the novel tackles a lot of serious issues with a mix of romance. Euthanasia itself is illegal in a lot of countries but only few countries have made it legal.
If you’re expecting full blown romance,where the ML’s are eating each other every episode,then this isn’t for you.
Doc Kan does something,with the patients consent & for their own good but his boyfriend Captain Wasan sees it differently.
This drama is filled with suspense,thriller & romance. You’ll keep racking your brains about who dunnit
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This review may contain spoilers
The Best Interest of Everyone
What's right may not be legal and what's legal may not be right. The opposing views on euthanasia was discussed in great detail and according to the end, legality won. I want to say unfortunately but the other side of that coin would send a message of acceptable wanton killings.It is legal to execute a prisoner by lethal injection but illegal to give someone peace who suffers daily from excruciating pain.
The plot was very interesting, thought provoking and with a few unexpected surprises. The acting was wonderfully done by everyone. A Thai production of this caliber done in 8 episodes is a miracle in itself. The pacing, flash backs and character development produced a drama worth watching and watching again.
The divide between Thiu and Kan was bridged for only a moment and what a beautiful moment it was. Their moment of intimacy was tastfully done as expected from mature individuals. Thiu, tho a bit hesitant due to Kan's wound, encouraged by Kan, gave in. I must admit I was not expecting this as the previous meetings would show desire alone. Truthfully, I would have preferred for it to have not happened due to the ending.
The only question that should have been asked of Thiu but it wasn't...
If his mother, in extreme pain, had begged him to end it, would he have stepped back and refused, leaving her to suffer. The morality of these situations are ambiguous from the both positions taken.
Boss, the pharmacist, gave a stellar performance. From lover, to psycho, to unrepentant murderer. The difference between him and Kan would be the matter of choice. The patients chose Kan. Boss forced his choice on them. His death was his choice and I was happy that he was not a hypocrite at the end. Rin, a surprise, kept her self righteousness to herself on hearing the truth but with conditions. Every story was not rushed and given enough time to be completed adequately.
The ending was as society would want but it did not hurt any less.
"Would you confess?"
"Only if it's you."
Painfully, they hug. Placing a petal in Kan's handcuffed hands, Thiu says, "I love you."
Both Kan and Thiu proved how much they loved each other.
Beautifull writing. It tugs at the emotions that are kept in check. Sammon, the author, and Sirilux Srisukon, the screenwriter, thank you. The dialogue was enhanced by every actor's performance and well worth the praise. I will look forward to seeing these actors in the future. I hope a S2 is made.
Go watch!
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I need more of JJ & Tor!
The acting is SOOOO good, especially Tor! I love how everything is wrapped up in 8 episodes= clean and sweet cut.Each episode keeps you wanting for more, and boy- when that kiss finally arrived- im like YESS!
It tackles the topic of euthanasia in a really diverse way- including explaining the legal side, moral side, and even talking about consent, etc. It's amazing to see BL starting to touch on deeper topics beyond just 2 men kissing each other (although i love watching that lol)
I especially love the ending as to how Wansa held Doctor's hand and then dropped the Hydrangea which represents "forgiveness"- just WOW! Got me crying so badly- it's just so beautiful
Side note, Tor looked so much like Namkoong Min somehow, especially the eyes expression. I think it's probably the similarity in character they have played before than the actual actor looking alike
Anyway, this BL is just so FKING GOOOOOODDDD- I'd totally up for more collab from this duo again!
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Amazing!
Watching this series made me cry and be happy at the same time.The chemistry of the male leads is very good.
The ending was so good and very good acting.
I would like to see them in another bl series if it's possible.
I love everything in this series. ♥️
It was really nice to watch this masterpiece for a while but it's very short only 8 episodes 😖
It was good watching so I'm not going to complain 😌
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everyone should watch this
this series is so unique for so many different ways. I actually loved how the romance wasn't actually the main focus of the story, but the two main leads had such insane chemistry. the storytelling was perfect and always kept me guessing, having plot twists that made sense and made the story more interesting and complex. I don't think until I watched this that I can say that a BL series has made me question my own beliefs and morals, but Spare Me Your Mercy did exactly that. it was a powerful commentary on the fact that the law does not always have ones best interest in mind. everything about this series is amazing to me, and I am really really hoping for a season two. also Tor and JJ did absolutely amazing in this I am definitely a fan of both of them now. I highly recommend this masterpiece of a series!Was this review helpful to you?
A beautiful piece
[DISCLAIMER: I am just writing this so that it stays on my profile. Like I do often with series I rate a 10. And lot of the stuff I vent about are often repeated by me]OVERALL:
I just finished it and am still hungover. I usually watch something else to distract from the previous series but I want this to last a bit longer. From the beginning it felt a bit different, and it was. Almost every episode was gripping, they kept a good pace and ended at an acceptable point. And the last episode, especially last few scenes were amazing.
SOMETHING SPECIAL:
One of the reason being, BL tag often ends up being a glass ceiling. The expectations is usually just for a light hearted fluff or sexual exploits of hormonal men in love, and that's what most try to deliver. Plots and acting is sadly not stressed on a lot. Normal protocols include : throw in a popular "couple", slap on a few provocative scenes, and despite having very promising plotlines, just not care about it. BUT this was a an all rounded drama and I loved it a lot.
PLOT:
The premise is delicate, complex and very much of a gray area. Personally, I could feel and see distinctions between what I considered "right" and "wrong" in this series. It helped that (much like the time when I was watching Dexter) my thought process made me feel legally wrong doesn't always need to be morally wrong.
CAMERAWORK:
The cinematography, was good. The lighting and filters stayed true to the mood of the story.
DIRECTION & WRITING:
Story has a good flow, directed pretty well.
SOUNDTRACK:
I became a huge fan of both the opening credit and OST of this series, again, suits the whole aura of this series very well.
ACTING:
Like another review already mentioned, almost everyone did a great job. Leads were exceptionally good. The chemistry was not overly stressed on but it was very much there. Their thoughts, empathy, sense of duty, internal struggles were all portrayed very well, even when it was without words. I am a fan of both the leads, and even plan to see what their other works have been like!
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I LOVED IT
I loved how euthanasia was looked at from different POV. Doctor’s POV as more of a morality issue. Boss’ as the wrong way to perform it. And Thui’s legal POV. Both Kan and Boss had good intentions but Boss had no right to do it, literally killing people, on the other hand Kan respected wishes of the patients, which would make it legal somewhere else. Thiu holds the opposing views to theirs, he looks at it from his professional POV, which makes euthanasia illegal and unacceptable for him. I think it gives us all a side to be on (well maybe not Boss’s side, I think, he’s just an example of how it shouldn’t be done) and for many it opens a conversation regarding euthanasia since it’s illegal in most countries. I really didn’t want it to end like that but I think it makes sense that Thiu arrested Kan, I don’t think he could live with himself, knowing that Kan continues euthanasing people, in his eyes and according to law it is murder and from how I understand the character, he thinks it’s his duty to act according to law (and I mean it is his job). I still hate that Kan got arrested tho.Was this review helpful to you?
Killing me softlyyyyyy
As a series that tackles the highly controversial topic of euthanasia in Thailand, this show is expectedly quite intense.The show has received some criticisms for romanticising Dr. Kan’s actions and his controversial stance on patient care. The series highlights ethical questions on what constitutes murder and whether life is worth protecting at all costs.
Plotwise, the many twists in Spare Me Your Mercy make for an engaging and compulsive watch. But I want to talk about the unexpectedly spectacular chemistry between Thanapob and Jayler. Despite the captain’s suspicions of the doctor, the doctor’s thoughtful and charming ways gradually chip away at Tiw’s walls, giving way to a sweet and ambiguous relationship that’s neither friends nor lovers.
Spare Me Your Mercy wants you to root for Dr. Kan and Tiw, but also makes it incredibly uncomfortable for you to support a relationship based on lies. Overall, this was a great storyline that hits you with both butterflies and feels. Great show.
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Not your typical BL but WATCH IT!
I started watching the series without any background information. The only thing I knew was actor Thor who plays Dr. Kan. I’m no expert, but I don’t think the writers, directors, or producers intended this to be a BL series at least not with the relationship between Thiu and Kan as the main focus. In fact, I wouldn’t even classify it under the romance genre.Personally, I felt like the episodes became repetitive at times. I tried to feel sympathetic toward Dr. Kan, but I still have mixed feelings about him. On one hand, it seems like he genuinely liked Thiu, especially since he knew about him through what Thiu’s mother shared as his patient. However, when Dr. Kan confesses that he likes Thiu, it’s initially presented as a lie to gain his trust and gather information about the cases. Naturally, their dynamic shifts as the series progresses.
That being said, the last two episodes were excellent and emotionally raw and incredibly engaging. I’d like to highlight the fantastic work of the entire cast. Their portrayals were absolutely splendid, and the chemistry between the protagonists was amazing. You could truly feel the tension between them. I also want to give special praise to Aelm for his portrayal of Boss. He was stunning, and I wish they had developed his character more.
Overall, it’s a decent series. I don’t think I’ll watch it again, but it would be great if they surprised us with a few extra happy episodes or even a second season so we could see Kan and Thiu happy together.
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