The Ex-Morning

One of the better GMMTV shows but far away from a 10...

As usually the show started strong, but while it did not fall of a cliff it was a bit flat in the later episodes. The comedic parts are often over the top as usual and the finale did not catch me at all.

At least the script was better than normal, but of course the predictability was a given. So it's a light-hearted show with few ups and not many downs, on the good side overall. But it will not leave an impression for me. While their chemistry was good, I felt there was not much tension between them and I also didn't feel that longing after three years and the reason was a bit "boring" imho.

It's pleasant to watch, it's heart-warming most of the time, but it misses the spice I have expected after all the interviews of the MLs I have seen before the show. It was just "safe" as usual by GMMTV. Success with the fangirls for the reunion of a fan-favorite couple, earning lots of money with fan-meets, concerts and merch. And that's what's a three billion ($ or €) industry is all about in most cases. Sorry to say, this series is very far away from the 10.0 many have given but we got disappointed by GMMTV much more before. Overall a decent show which can be watched without much brain-power but also a show which will not drive us insane with a stupid script either.

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Great chemistry but the emotional mess of second chance romance was missing!

This is one of those "It’s not the drama, it’s me" problem here. When I read the synopsis, I thought second-chance romance...and I was expecting an emotional mess, a little chaos, lots of unresolved tension, a little of that good kind of sting, you know classic lovers–enemies–lovers trope ingredients.

But instead of leaning into all that, I felt the drama played it very safe. It felt like it tiptoed around like it was scared of making things too uncomfortable. Everything between the leads from the start felt very chill like coworkers catching up after a long break, instead of people with baggage and heartbreak. I wasn't asking for a full-on sobbing in the rain or creating a scene in the office but something to show that they have regrets and feelings, either love or resentment, that don't just vanish overnight.
That’s where it didn’t completely work for me and hence the 'me' problem. I had different expectations of a second-chance slow burn. But once I adjusted those expectations around episode 4, I started to enjoy the drama.

The chemistry between the leads was solid. Their banter was genuinely cute and effortless. It didn't feel forced or cringe. If I somehow forget the second-chance lovers and just look at them with an "enemies/strangers to lovers" lens, I would totally root for them. I could tell they were into each other, even when they were just messing around.

But sadly, the chemistry alone can't do the heavy lifting. The break-up that supposedly drove the entire narrative forward didn't really land the way it should have. The reason didn't feel strong or messy enough. It's like we were told, "This is so devastating", but there wasn't enough build-up to justify that kind of fallout and silence. I am not saying it had to be some toxic reason but at least give me something that hurts a little.
It was more like "Wait, that's it ?!"

Another thing that bothered me was that the transitions between past and present were confusing. I had to rewind a few times or maybe it was my tired brain after a long day of work.

Acting-wise, I do not really have any complaints about the leads. I have watched both of them before and they did a good job here too. It was easy to tell that they felt comfortable around each other and that genuine ease translated into their characters and the on-screen chemistry between them. Also, GMM TV had really innovative location names like "Peraya Hospital". Such a cute touch. And the cat was really cute! <3

Overall, I wouldn’t say it’s a bad drama at all (even if my review sounds kind of harsh lol). It’s actually one of those light-hearted shows that’s easy to binge, low on angst, high on cute moments and has good chemistry. The emotional depth and big dramatic wreckage weren’t really there for me, so if you are looking for something very intense, you might feel a bit underwhelmed. But it definitely has its own charm.
I would still recommend it, just go in with adjusted expectations. And if you are a Krist Singto fan, then yes, 100% give it a go.

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