This review may contain spoilers
Three toxic characters in a captivating story
BURNOUT SYNDROME – REVIEW
Today with the 10th episode „Burnout Syndrome“ finally ended. It surely is a more controversial series, and the early episodes I assume decided for many to stay or to go. Let me be clear about two things. First, all three main characters are broken and downright unlikeable characters at least for me. I would want none of them in my circle of friends or closer than a continent away from. Second, I cannot say I liked the series in a basic way.
However, writing as a critic, I had to take another perspective. First, I didn't dislike watching the series, despite the drama and the toxic main characters, because it was the premise of the series from the get-go and I can measure a series only from what it set out to accomplish: showing us human flaws and deeply flawed characters. People being burned out. With Jira the painter who played both men to fulfill his whims, Pheem the Casanova suddenly falling into some possessive love and the cold hearted capitalist Koh who regards people as material, none of them was anything but red flag characters. But in this, the series and the acting excelled to the best skill of cinematography which I have yet seen. Each has biographical reasons to be what they are, each made bad decisions to become the burned out person they are, and each manipulate and ruin each other during the entire series. The underlying topic, even broken people desire true love, was one of the saving graces. Through all the cracks and toxic traits, you see vulnerable human beings struggling to break out of the habit of their flawed personalities, stubbornly clinging to their character traits which add to their own misery. And that was extremely well depicted in directing, acting, cinematography, sets and music.
It was one of the few series where I was and still am uncertain whether I like the ending. In my age I find it hard to believe that human beings truly fundamentally change, and sometimes it is better to have a a quick end with terror than terror without end. The ending, while apparently giving hope of healing, remained ambivalent to me, and I assume that is the best such a setup can deliver. There is no guarantee of magic happiness. Only the “for now”, and as Koh admits, he doesn't know if it will work out. That is a daring honest ending, for what else could the reply be.
As someone who was, despite several times trying, unable to watch “Heart Killers” and “Only Friends” because it was just way too heartbreaking and depressing, I went along with “Burnout Syndrome” well. Partially I admit because I am not so emotionally close to OffGun, in contrast to FirstKhaotung, so I guess how easy you are able to take it somewhat depends on how you feel about Off and Gun. For me it was their first series I watched, so I had not such a close emotional bond or expectations, which certainly helped me to bear some inner distance. Also the drama was mostly not with super intense eruptions which might have unsettled me (in contrast to Heart Killers and Only Friends, which was wrecking me so I had to stop), but here acting the inner pain and trauma was more subdued, as befitting of characters who are “burned out” and deprived of emotion by the traumas they had. Artistically it was a masterpiece, and I have to add, it sadly reminded of me gay friends I had, who were the entire time I knew them constantly attracted to people profoundly unhealthy to them, which I assume goes for people of all sexual orientations. So how to rate it? I wonder. Measuring by what it wanted to be, it succeeded with flying colours. I doubt it is for everyone, especially if you hold Off and Gun in your fandom heart, it may be hard to watch. It IS a dark drama, that is to be known. Still as a piece of art, despite my personal reservations to the characters, I find nothing in itself to criticize, and with a few implausibilities especially in the end, subtracting one point, I give it a
9/10
Today with the 10th episode „Burnout Syndrome“ finally ended. It surely is a more controversial series, and the early episodes I assume decided for many to stay or to go. Let me be clear about two things. First, all three main characters are broken and downright unlikeable characters at least for me. I would want none of them in my circle of friends or closer than a continent away from. Second, I cannot say I liked the series in a basic way.
However, writing as a critic, I had to take another perspective. First, I didn't dislike watching the series, despite the drama and the toxic main characters, because it was the premise of the series from the get-go and I can measure a series only from what it set out to accomplish: showing us human flaws and deeply flawed characters. People being burned out. With Jira the painter who played both men to fulfill his whims, Pheem the Casanova suddenly falling into some possessive love and the cold hearted capitalist Koh who regards people as material, none of them was anything but red flag characters. But in this, the series and the acting excelled to the best skill of cinematography which I have yet seen. Each has biographical reasons to be what they are, each made bad decisions to become the burned out person they are, and each manipulate and ruin each other during the entire series. The underlying topic, even broken people desire true love, was one of the saving graces. Through all the cracks and toxic traits, you see vulnerable human beings struggling to break out of the habit of their flawed personalities, stubbornly clinging to their character traits which add to their own misery. And that was extremely well depicted in directing, acting, cinematography, sets and music.
It was one of the few series where I was and still am uncertain whether I like the ending. In my age I find it hard to believe that human beings truly fundamentally change, and sometimes it is better to have a a quick end with terror than terror without end. The ending, while apparently giving hope of healing, remained ambivalent to me, and I assume that is the best such a setup can deliver. There is no guarantee of magic happiness. Only the “for now”, and as Koh admits, he doesn't know if it will work out. That is a daring honest ending, for what else could the reply be.
As someone who was, despite several times trying, unable to watch “Heart Killers” and “Only Friends” because it was just way too heartbreaking and depressing, I went along with “Burnout Syndrome” well. Partially I admit because I am not so emotionally close to OffGun, in contrast to FirstKhaotung, so I guess how easy you are able to take it somewhat depends on how you feel about Off and Gun. For me it was their first series I watched, so I had not such a close emotional bond or expectations, which certainly helped me to bear some inner distance. Also the drama was mostly not with super intense eruptions which might have unsettled me (in contrast to Heart Killers and Only Friends, which was wrecking me so I had to stop), but here acting the inner pain and trauma was more subdued, as befitting of characters who are “burned out” and deprived of emotion by the traumas they had. Artistically it was a masterpiece, and I have to add, it sadly reminded of me gay friends I had, who were the entire time I knew them constantly attracted to people profoundly unhealthy to them, which I assume goes for people of all sexual orientations. So how to rate it? I wonder. Measuring by what it wanted to be, it succeeded with flying colours. I doubt it is for everyone, especially if you hold Off and Gun in your fandom heart, it may be hard to watch. It IS a dark drama, that is to be known. Still as a piece of art, despite my personal reservations to the characters, I find nothing in itself to criticize, and with a few implausibilities especially in the end, subtracting one point, I give it a
9/10
Was this review helpful to you?
