Spare Me Your Mercy

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!

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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.

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Not your average bl

Trigger warning before watching this series: cutting on human skin, drugs, dead (all fake ofcourse)
Trigger warning for my own review: killing mentioned.

Not sure what to expect, 8 episodes for a plot like this sounded like it might lack plot. I loveeee a bl with interesting tags and storylines, since it's quite rare, so I was afraid those 8 episodes would be way too few. I did really like the whole doctor x police trope and suspense mixed with bl. I wasn't the biggest fan at first since in my opinion, the Intro is extremely ugly and I'm not a big fan of the Background Score they used, it annoys me. But this is a series you will binge and you will get more and more curious

Extremely well done introduction of the characters, often you kinda have to figure out who has what role but it's very clear from the start, which is nice when it comes to these type of mystery series since usually it can be extremely wary. I'm gonna be honest I did not trust Dr. Kantaphat since the beginning, the way he acts, the way he is linked to certain deaths is.. let's say weird, but he did seem genuine when it comes to his patient, like he actually cares for them.

The way the actors acted made it feel incredibly real. And I mean really real. I fucking love how serious and well done they act. Even one small emotion on their face can make you feel different about them. I'm so in love with the acting Jesus Christ, I would watch this series again pure for the whole acting.

Through the show you'll keep suspecting Dr. Kantaphat, I'm not giving a major spoiler on who ended up being the killer but I was super confident it was Dr. Kantaphat. Not only because of his actions but his acting aswell. At the beginning of the first episode I actually didn't suspect him BUT around the ending of the first ep I was SO confident it was Dr. Kantaphat. Later on In the story I feel like the whole killing that PROBABLY Dr. Kantaphat was actually with good intentions of not wanting any other patient to die in pain. I felt like Wasan's mom might've been killed by Dr. Kantaphat aswell. I have no more comment on this since the spoilers.I was confused whether or not probably Dr. Kantaphat actually cared about the pain or was it really just a murder.

One of the things I've mentioned before but will mention again is something I'm not a fan of in this series and that is the sound effects and music. There is a clear overuse of sound effects and even if it does work quite often, sometimes it becomes to much. As if 1 episode has at least 30 minutes filled with background music.

If you are a big romance fan I do not necessarily watch this for the romance. Yes, the acting is good so you notice clear attraction, BUT you can notice Wasan ALWAYS suspecting Kantapat. I love the conflicted emotions he has. What I don't really like about Wasan is his lack of empathy in certain moments, he can only think about the whole 'rules' and 'police' thing and it fucking irritates me.

Ending broke me, but you have to see it for yourself. In my opinion this is one of the most underrated pieces out there. My poor friends WILL hear about this series.

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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.

More reviews: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/

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Spare Me From This Pain

"If I could choose, I'd stop right here. But in reality, it's impossible. Both I... and Thiu... we have to keep living."

Why don't you just end me? If that's how you're gonna end the series, might as well take me with it. I didn't cry this whole show, and all of a sudden, Thiu and Kan start arguing and my tears kept flowing with no end in sight. I had already gotten spoiled in how this series was going to end, and yet, I still bawled like a baby. Really, I have no one but myself to blame here. Then I find out that Sammon wrote the novel of this, and yeah, everything makes sense. She is the absolute queen! No one be doing it like her, I swear. Every single one of her novel adaptations has been amazing, and I seriously hope she has more books left to adapt cuz I need them asap! Some people need drugs, and I need more Sammon stories!

The central focus of the plot was about euthanasia, one of the most debated topics to this day. There is no right or wrong; it is all about morals and ethics. About what one believes. And throughout the story, you meet so many different types of people with different stances on the matter. It's fascinating. No one here is wrong (except Boss, but I'll get to him soon), and you can't hate on anyone for having a different moral opinion than someone else (except, again, Boss).

The story was compelling, and the mystery was intriguing -- never trying to do too much. It kicks off with Thiu coming back to take care of his mother, only for her to pass away before he gets there. He meets Kan, who quickly becomes a suspect in a series of murders that start to take place, which were being disguised as natural deaths. This dynamic, as old as it is, never gets old to me. What starts as a lie, and perhaps pity, from Kan's end, quickly becomes love. And what starts as suspicious from Thiu, becomes affection. I love morally grey characters, and Kan was just the perfect example of this. And I love morally upright characters that begin falling for the one thing they can't. I just eat up this kind of dynamic up so badly.

I saw many people getting mad at Thiu for arresting Kan and not understanding why he did what he did. And yes, to a degree, I understand why everyone is mad. Kan was completely right in his argument -- Thiu doesn't know how much his mother suffered. He doesn't understand the pain that terminal illness patients have to go through. Kan was also correct in the fact that he did as the patients wished. He always got their consent, got a living will from them, didn't do anything that was morally unjustified. However, people seem to forget that Thiu is a man who has always put the law above anything else. His duty had always come before his relationships. As sad as it is, Thiu letting Kan go would just go against who his character is fundamentally. Maybe Thiu doesn't understand why Kan did what he did, maybe he never will, but Thiu does forgive him, as shown when he gave Kan the hydrangea flower at the end. Both of them were two characters who were unmoving in their views, and trying to shift that would just go against who they were. I'm not saying I'm happy with how it ended, because I, too, wanted Thiu to look the other way, but that was never going to happen. It had always been shown to us that it was never going to happen. No matter how perfect Kan's argument is, the law has no heart, and Thiu is a man who follows the law.

And the second thing that many people say was how Thiu didn't actually love Kan. But I'm sorry, were we not watching the same show? This relationship practically started on a lie from Kan's end. Yall just forgot that or something? Kan wanted to gain Thiu's trust, and said he was interested in him, and sure, he fell in love quicker than Thiu did, but it started on a lie regardless. Hell, it was probably out of guilt and pity, considering Thiu's mother said to look after Thiu after her death. So yeah, maybe Thiu used Kan's kindness and love for him to his advantage cuz he suspected him, but none of these characters are perfect.

Thiu has always been shown as someone who has his guard up. He doesn't love easily, and doesn't trust easily either. And he's a police officer for god's sake! So yeah, sue a guy for finding the man who likes him suspicious. Cuz news flash, he was!! Kan was so fucking suspicious. And a liar! Sure, Thiu took advantage of his kindness, but in the end, he still fell in love with Kan. But Kan lied, gaslit him into thinking his mother's death was natural, and shot a fucking guy to evade getting arrested. Thiu isn't perfect, but neither is Kan. Just because he is easier to sympathise with doesn't make Thiu the bad guy. Both of these characters are extremely flawed, and that's what makes them so human and compelling.

But I will say, though, the love Doctor Kan has for Thiu broke my heart. He is a man who is unapologetic in his views. Until the very end, he never apologised for euthanising his patients. He was meticulous in his plans, didn't leave a single piece of evidence, could have gotten away from the law if he wanted to. This man, who never thought he was wrong in his views and moral standing, knew he could simply walk away without getting arrested because Thiu didn't have any evidence against him, confessed simply because it was Thiu who asked him to. If that isn't love in its true form, then I don't know what is.

"If it's you asking." -- This line genuinely broke my heart. It will forever haunt me. And from this perspective, I get why people would be mad at Thiu. Kan was willing to let his ideals be seen as wrong for Thiu, but Thiu wasn't willing to put him above the law. It's gut-wrenching. But reality often is. Kan has always been the one who always felt more, while Thiu was the one who was more logical and rigid. Their views, and in the end, their personalities have, and always will, clash. Thiu loves Kan, forgives him, but I just never saw a world where Thiu would let him go. If this had been under a different company or a different writer, this reality wouldn't be so grim. But as much as I love fairytale endings, I appreciate that these characters never change who they are at their core.

I know in the novel they get their happy ending, and I will mourn that we never got to see that happen here. But the way it ended, it was realistic. It doesn't make me happy. Hell, if it were up to me, Thiu would be running away with Kan to a place where euthanasia is legal and live their lives happily ever after with two dogs. The law sucks, it's fucking shit, but if Kan can get away with evading the law because he was morally justified, then what else can people get away with in the name of morals? I'm on Kan's side 100% through the whole show -- but the law, at the end of the day, is the law. He would have to suffer the consequences eventually. It's just upsetting that it was in the hands of the man he loves.

Now let's talk about Boss. Sigh... This, ladies and gentlemen, is what I thought Kan was going to be at the start. Thank fuck it wasn't. Boss is someone who is so warped in his own moral high ground that he doesn't see right from wrong. Like Kan said, euthanasia is about consent -- a fact that Boss failed to see. He, in a sense, basically developed a saviour complex. And I get it, going through what he did as a kid can really fuck up one's psyche, but that doesn't mean I need to like him. Love his character, absolutely fascinating, but don't like him. He worshipped Doctor Kan so much that he became blinded to what euthanasia actually was, suddenly becoming disillusioned by it and tried to kill Kan for it.

It was his ending that pissed me off. The fact that he got to go in his own terms after committing so many murders, only for Kan to get prison time for doing what his patients wanted, made me so angry. Bastard didn't deserve it.

Now Somsak, he was the direct antithesis of Kan. He is a man who views things as black and white. He is a doctor, and yet, he will never see the right in ending someone's life early to relieve them from pain. While Kan sees death as something beautiful to help someone pass on with dignity, Somsak sees it as taboo, sees life as something that everyone should preserve, no matter how much in pain they are. Which, when you think about it, is quite ironic for someone who works as a doctor. He hates death, and yet chooses a profession that directly deals with it. Tragic, really. Even his own end.

And if Somsak was the direct antithesis of Doctor Kan, then Rin was the antithesis of Thiu. And I suppose this is the root of everyone's anger -- cuz if Rin can understand Kan and her father's wishes, then why can't Thiu do the same? And I guess, this is also where the tragedy lies. Rin was someone who grew up thinking her father was selfish, and in the end, she still thought that. Kan, on the other hand, never thought that with his mother. In fact, he was hardly around when his mother was ill, unlike Rin, who saw her father sick and in pain. While this is a question of morals, it's also about what they experienced. It only made sense that Rin would see Kan's pov more than Thiu.

Finally, the romance. BL fans are getting too comfortable, I swear. Why the fuck does a BL need to have NC scenes in order for it to be a BL? Yeah, the romance wasn't as prevalent in this show, but that's because it's something that happened in the background of the plot. Ya know, what a show is made out of? The plot wasn't the bloody romance, but the murder-mystery. I agree they should have developed it more, but we don't need a billion kisses and sex scenes to show romance. There is intimacy in the way Kan and Thiu look at each other, the way they hold each other, cry for the other. People are calling this a bromance cuz of the lack of kiss scenes, when they literally say I love you to each other (and fucking kiss, so this makes this whole argument even crazier). These people would have an aneurysm watching Chinese Bromances where we don't even get I Love Yous. If you want kisses and sex, then go watch something else, cuz romance and love aren't just about that.

I honestly didn't think this review would be this long, but this series just hit me in a way I didn't think it would. Euthanasia has always been a topic that interested me, and any shows that explore the topic always grab my attention. And this has gone far beyond my expectations. I'll have to keep telling myself that the novel has a happy ending, and will have to find it and read it, or I'll lose my fucking sanity over this. These two deserved so much better, but at the same time, if it wasn't for who they were, they would've never found each other and fallen in love. It's so depressing to think about that it makes me hate myself for watching this show when I knew I would be suffering the consequences. Fuck my life.

But on a parting note -- never help a woman die and then go fuck her son. I feel like there is something illegal there, I just can't prove it. Doctor Kan should be so lucky he got permission. And really, who can blame him? Thiu is a cutie patootie when he smiles.

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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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One of the Most Entertaining Thrillers in 2024!

As the curtains close on Spare Me Your Mercy, the Thai BL series delivers a poignant exploration of morality, love, and loss. Adapted from Sammon’s novel Euthanasia, this melancholic drama probes the fine line between compassion and crime, framed by a chilling mystery involving rising deaths among terminally ill patients. Starring Tor Thanapob as Dr. “Kan” Kantaphat and JJ Krissanapoom as Police Major “Thiu” Wasan Khambunrueang, the series challenges viewers to grapple with the ethical complexities of life and death.

The show opens with a gripping investigation into stolen potassium chloride from a local hospital, setting the stage for a tightly woven web of suspicion. Potential culprits emerge, including Nurse Onanong (Fresh Arisara Wongchalee), Pharmacist Boss Chanchai (Aelm Bhumibhat Thavornsiri), Dr. Rin (Prim Atchareeya Potipipittanakorn), and Hospital Director Somsak (Gandhi Wasuwitchayagit).

Read the complete article here-

https://theblxpress.wordpress.com/2024/12/26/spare-me-your-mercy-series-review-ep-3-to-8/

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tor... you are an acTOR alright

overall, that was a satisfying story and has an ending that makes sense. for a show that highlights euthanasia, i like that they presented different people's views and perspectives on it and just let the audience know what they feel about it. it did not feel preachy at all. this is my first time watching tor who played dr. kan and i gotta say, that man can act oh my gosh. he was able to portray this compassionate doctor but in a blink of an eye, could turn into someone so sinister. his performance in the last episode was one of the best ones i've seen from thai media (not that i've seen a lot, i don't think) and even made me tear up. his chemistry with jj was great. with romance as a supporting narrative only here, their chemistry is still palpable. i wish it was developed more but i guess, they did the best they can with only 8 eps. there were times where the investigation and police scenes made me roll my eyes but hey, that's not really something new in fiction stories like this and it's not a crime series so it's fine. as a psychological thriller, i think this one did it successfully.

(it does make think.... do i really want to have the option of euthanasia for myself too or that's that me be being depresso idk... no really, i want it lol)

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It's a Sammon show how can it not be good! Well, as always she brought it this time too, and with these two have bestowed me some serious nostalgia though, you know who doesn't love it when the same group members do something romantic and get more into each other? Right ? Just me ? Well, okay then. I would have taken it if they never actually got together but they did and damn if that kiss wasn't one of the most satisfying shit ever! Slow burn enemies with a Sammon plot what more can you ask for? This one is about the morality of euthanasia. Personal opinion myself hey I'm pretty much one of those 'libtards' who happens to agree a human being should be allowed to die as they want but maybe that's just me..



But tbh Boss bruh his character got to me so much.



Like he was just damn ... His story arc made me so sad.



But this show is on the whole really well made with a good cast pretty much everything is on point.



The only thing that doesn't work for me personally that ending.



Showing him confess to the police because he loves the guy and not because he actually blvs he did anything wrong? That just doesn't make much sense to me personally, because I would have preferred the doctor to just get away with it because Boss already died for this guy, but I also get why creators make such choices because of censorship or public opinion or viewers who have pretty typical morality the lowest common denominator and what not.



I get those pressures but still if they had given Kan's character some more darkness it would have been better, or even not end it on him confessing and going to prison.

That is pretty much my only suck for this entire show.

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The Ableism

The series had some good moments and thoughtful discussion on the issue, but the second to last episode was just astonishingly ableist in a way that made me sick to my stomach. Kan euthanizes Boss, now paralyzed, at Boss's request and to prevent him from talking. Boss is not terminal like the other patients Kan euthanized, and he had someone to care for him in this state as Onanong offered him just that. Kan, a doctor, gave into Boss's horrifically ableist idea that a disabled life is not worth living for his own benefit. This is an issue that affects real disabled people all the time. Their lives are seen as not worth living, even by the doctors that treat them. They are also seen as burdens on the medical care system, wastes of resources. These societal attitudes unjustly push disabled people towards euthanasia because they are not seen as useful. And to see those attitudes reflected in the show without criticism or care for the disabled people who want to live deeply hurt me as a disbaled person.

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