BadPenny

MDL calendsrs and clocks are notorious for being incorrect at times. The show hasn't aired.

Me too! And if it's anything like the book, it will.

It's not actually a mafia bl. I wrote a synopsis in the discussion threads. Phech is just a really hard ass businessman.

There are a lot of red flags. The episode 1 moment where Lian infers that Kuea isn't human was areal problem. Dehumanization and emotional manipulation are seriously problematical in this.

You really articulated that well. I had a "lightbulb" moment when you mentioned why erasing the security footage bothered you. I had been unable to form the idea of why that was so creepy, just that it was. So thank you!

You are missing the fact that I don't actually have to go. That's not how this works. How this works is that literally anyone who wants to leave feedback on the show here, can. Whether you feel my perspective on the show is or isn't welcome doesn't matter. I don't require welcome, permission or approval.

And there is nothing inherently toxic about criticizing a drama. I have used no racial, gender, ethnic or sexual identity slurs. I haven't used language demeaning anyone on the boards. I have only criticized behaviors of the characters and that impact on the overall quality of the show.

My comments ARE deprecating, since that word literally only means to express disapproval. But they aren't slanderous, since that is baseless criticism and again, each and every criticism I've made can be backed with evidence from the drama. As for me being eloquent, yes, I suppose I am,

This one is easy, if you don't like my reviews don't read them. I'll leave the Comments section only when I'm ready and absolutely not because you want me to.

Yup! Like you, just watching it for Kuea and Diao. The good kids.

You hit the high notes on the "Nay". The non-consensual kiss was so absolutely NOoooo. And I was watching episode 3 with a friend and we were both especially creeped out when Yi smiled at the memory of poor Diao crying.

I do not care that a lot of people think it's cute. It's not.

But the cinematography is fantastic! The music is on point, the acting is pretty solid. The sets are amazing. But it's just not enough to make up for the fact that Lian and Yi are unbelievably awful.

The production values are amazing. And the acting is overall really good. But yeah, the relationships are a wreck. Not a single healthy component to either of them.

Very good critical look at the show so far. I've also been down the BL road so many times and seen a lot of BL's that capitalize on toxic relationship dynamics for audiences that fetishize that stuff. It doesn't make it okay. But like you, I'm watching it for Diao and Kuea, who are just precious.

Lian has already taken it too far. And I hate how the men try to control Diao and Kuea too. We'll see if they can get their heads out of their asses. Even if they do it doesn't excuse their current behavior.

New guy, Nuea(?) is pretty. But he's putting the moves on so quick it was kind of creepy.

And I suggest you accept that not everyone agrees with you. It's completely within our rights to post here about our dislike of certain aspects of the show. Who are you to tell us to move on?

I am not sure where you got the idea that only people who like Lian and Yi, or the show overall can post here. But since you've offered the suggestion that we take our negativity elsewhere, I will offer a distinction for you. Since you seem to need it. There is a difference between being negative and giving a negative review of something. We aren't being negative. We are sharing our criticism of the drama and that is as valid a point of view as anyone here posting about how much they love it.

And no, I'm not new to BL's. I'm queer. I've spent my whole life living in entire communities full of Boy Love and the storytelling that goes with it. I've been with the genre of Asian BL's in specific for a long, long time, across numerous cultures. Just because I don't agree with you doesn't mean I'm new to the game.

I have to admit I don't care if you think I'm over the top.

I am well within my rights to review the show. And if I want to do it here on the COMMENTS section, well, that's kind of what it's for--talking about how we feel about the drama. If you don't like my reviews, that's cool. Don't read them. I'll give you the same advice for my weekly reviews that you've given me about the drama. "Just relax and drop the series."

I will point out though that in one paragraph you inferred that I was taking it too seriously and then talked about how realistic the acting was. I mean, that's the point, for them to bring a realism to their roles. And for the audience to be immersed on those terms.

But whether I need to lighten up is beside the point. The point is, I don't find characters enjoyable as lead love interests who are manipulative, aggressively mean, underhanded and toxic . I don't find Lian and Yi "funny" or "enjoyable". And I am not going to stop saying so just because you're worried I will affect people here. I haven't said anything that isn't true. I can back up every criticism of Lian or Yi with timestamps from the episodes. It's all right there.

And this comments section isn't reserved only for those who like the show and want to gush about how cute it is. My dislike of Lian or Yi is just as valid a point of view as your like of them.

Everything between the two main couples is so toxic and awful, the only thing I am even coming back next week for is the hope that there will be a couple of friendship scenes between Diao and Kuea. The rest is a mess. Which is a shame because the cast is skilled and the production values are amazing.

I really wanted to like this. I was so looking forward to this drama.

But no. It's a trash fire. There is no context that could come down later that would excuse what's happening right now with Lian and Yi.

I was hoping this week's episode would steer things away from the land of toxic assholes. But instead, Episode 3 Lian and Yi try to manipulate Kuea, even using Diao to do so at one point. It was a mess. I actually feel bad for Diao and Kuea for loving two such awful people.

Lian and Yi may be best friends but even that relationship is ridiculously toxic. They aren't there for each other, they're there to snipe at each other. And they're making bets about Kuea now? Really, honestly, fuck both of them.

Lian's maneuver to force Kuea to move in with him was underhanded and gross and the fact that he has Foei steeling security footage? If this asshole was anymore underhanded, manipulative and dismissive I'd say he was a gangster, not a businessman.

And Yi is still pulling out the controlling, moves on Diao. So yeah, he's just as bad. The introduction of Nuea didn't help because he seems awful too and it's left me asking if any of the "Tops" in this show aren't nasty creeps?

This is such a shame. Because Zee is an amazing actor. And he's not the only one. This is an amazing cast. But the story is utter shit. Lian and Yi aren't there to love Kuea and Diao, they're there to control and manipulate them. At this point I am only watching this for the Diao and Kuea friendship moments. Everything else is awful.

I also was hoping that Kit got accepted and then lied and told Mark he was rejected. It would have been so, sooo adorable! And while I agree this made their "practice" feel pointless--given the whip fast exchange of "I was not really wanting to go" and "I just didn't want to hold you back", I suspect we're meant to take away from this that their relationship is stronger for the separation because now they know for a fact how miserable they are without the other one.

So in that frame, it wasn't useless. They learned something important about communication and about what they really mean to each other. Sometimes adversity is the best teacher.

But they separated for 5 whole episodes. And while only 1 of those episodes was spent in deeply angsty circumstances, overall it was a weird set up that I wish they had made shorter. Seriously, one solid conversation could have ended it. It was the simplest plot path of the season to resolve.

I would be a wreck. My grades would tank. I have no clue how they pull it off. LOL.

OMG! Thank you! This is exactly what I've been saying. There is nothing cute about the way Lian and Yi are acting. It's actually really awful and I hate that this sort of toxic behavior is being romanticized. Lian's non-consensual kiss!? WTF was that? And why are so few people calling bullshit on that? It was gross.

there are enough loose ends that I'm actually hoping for a cliffhanger like last season so that we maybe have a more certain sign that there will be a continuation. Because I don't feel they can close up everyone's story with just one episode.

I figure they will be a ship by the end of this last episode. I certainly hope so.