You Maniac ep10 (finale)
The biggest problem with this show is it sold itself as a toxic drama when it is not. The theme song is great, but this is not really a show about a “red flag.” Ok, for the first couple episodes maybe. But, really, this was a show about two relationship-phobic people learning to fall in love and admit their attachment to each other. Once I realized that, I loved it! Est is great at unspoken emotions, and William’s acting has really gotten good too. Together they are great at delivering feelings for each other and fear of those feelings.
The last episode was extremely touching. I especially loved the scene of William kissing Est in the dark and begging him not to leave. We earned this scene after seeing both Moth and Dean fall slowly in love and get more and more attached. We also know why William is afraid of love and loss. I thought the scene was beautiful and I was, once again today, crying.
The ending was cute and sweet, and GMMTV excels at cute and sweet. They also excel at basic love story tropes like enemies to lovers or relationship-phobia. They do not do toxic well. The closest I’ve seen was Burnout Syndrome.
In any case, my love for Est, in particular, and his stellar performance in this, as well as a solid, steady emotional story progression made me very satisfied by the end.
We didn’t get what we were promised, but we got something else worth watching. BarcodeKin deserved more screen time, for sure, but otherwise I didn’t have many complaints by the end. This may not have been the show I was most eager to watch every week, but when I did watch it, it actually delivered.
8.5/10 for me
Note: throughout the show, “baa” is translated as “maniac.”” Maniac” in English describes someone not in their right mind, whereas “baa” is used much more playfully here. It’s more like, “I’m crazy for you” than “I’m out of my mind for you.” “Baa” can also mean “acting wildly,” which fits the show much better—as in acting “wildly out of character” than “you maniac.” It’s just that “you maniac” makes a better title.