When actors carry a show too hard
As someone new to the BL genre, I’ve naturally gravitated toward stories with action and darker themes. The Heart Killer immediately caught my attention with its premise—two hitmen entangled in a web of violence, morality, and unexpected emotions. Given that GMMTV is generally known for lighter series, this show seemed like a refreshing departure, offering something different. Unfortunately, while the concept was promising, the execution left much to be desired.
Pros:
• The acting was solid. Among GMMTV’s talent, First, Khao, and Joong stood out, delivering some of the best performances in the series. While Dunk’s acting wasn’t particularly strong, his character’s eccentricity worked in his favor, making his slightly unnatural delivery feel more fitting rather than distracting.
• The storyline had potential. It set up an engaging intrigue, and although the atmosphere didn’t always pull me in, I still found myself trying to get invested because the show introduced many interesting ideas.
• The music was a mixed bag. While it was fun recognizing famous American songs, their placement often felt random or out of sync with the tone of the scenes. That said, it wasn’t a dealbreaker.
• The humor was surprisingly enjoyable. I wasn’t laughing out loud, but the dynamics between characters and certain comedic moments were entertaining enough to keep me engaged.
Cons:
• The story ultimately fell apart. The pacing was uneven, with some scenes dragging while others felt rushed. The editing was questionable at times, with abrupt cuts or odd scene placements that disrupted the flow. Certain moments that should have been impactful lacked weight because of how they were handled narratively or visually.
• Repetitive dynamics. While some running gags and interactions were amusing at first, they quickly became overused. For instance, the “Good morning, krub” bit was fun in episode 2, but the reliance on similar interactions made the development of relationships feel stagnant rather than progressive, to the point where it felt like Fadel kinda surrendered to Dunk from constant « harassment » rather than from an actual buildup for their relationship. As for First and Khao’s pairing, their early relationship establishment took away some of the tension, but I admit I might be biased on that front.
• Emotional depth was inconsistent. The actors did a great job in dramatic moments, but outside of those, the characters often felt detached from their traumas. The show only seemed to acknowledge their emotional struggles when it served the plot, rather than integrating them naturally into the characters’ behavior throughout.
• The plot barely held together. Many elements didn’t make much sense, and by the later episodes, I found myself watching more for the romance than the story itself.
• The production quality was shockingly poor in some aspects. The green screen work was distractingly bad, which is surprising given that GMMTV is one of the biggest BL production companies. It made me wonder where the budget was allocated.
Ultimately, The Heart Killer was entertaining enough, but it reinforced a concern I have about certain BL productions. It seems that some series are crafted more to showcase actor pairings than to tell compelling, well-structured stories. Don’t get me wrong—the actors did well with what they were given, and I genuinely enjoyed Joong and Khao the most. However, when a show’s main selling point is the leads rather than its writing or overall artistic quality, it raises questions about how much effort is being put into storytelling.
So far, I’ve been fortunate to watch BL series that not only featured strong actors but also took their narratives seriously. Seeing how The Heart Killer (and, from what I’ve heard, other GMMTV productions) is primarily carried by fan investment in its actors makes me hope that moving forward, the company will prioritize delivering both great performances and well-crafted scripts. There’s clearly talent in front of and behind the camera—it just needs to be given better material to work with.
Pros:
• The acting was solid. Among GMMTV’s talent, First, Khao, and Joong stood out, delivering some of the best performances in the series. While Dunk’s acting wasn’t particularly strong, his character’s eccentricity worked in his favor, making his slightly unnatural delivery feel more fitting rather than distracting.
• The storyline had potential. It set up an engaging intrigue, and although the atmosphere didn’t always pull me in, I still found myself trying to get invested because the show introduced many interesting ideas.
• The music was a mixed bag. While it was fun recognizing famous American songs, their placement often felt random or out of sync with the tone of the scenes. That said, it wasn’t a dealbreaker.
• The humor was surprisingly enjoyable. I wasn’t laughing out loud, but the dynamics between characters and certain comedic moments were entertaining enough to keep me engaged.
Cons:
• The story ultimately fell apart. The pacing was uneven, with some scenes dragging while others felt rushed. The editing was questionable at times, with abrupt cuts or odd scene placements that disrupted the flow. Certain moments that should have been impactful lacked weight because of how they were handled narratively or visually.
• Repetitive dynamics. While some running gags and interactions were amusing at first, they quickly became overused. For instance, the “Good morning, krub” bit was fun in episode 2, but the reliance on similar interactions made the development of relationships feel stagnant rather than progressive, to the point where it felt like Fadel kinda surrendered to Dunk from constant « harassment » rather than from an actual buildup for their relationship. As for First and Khao’s pairing, their early relationship establishment took away some of the tension, but I admit I might be biased on that front.
• Emotional depth was inconsistent. The actors did a great job in dramatic moments, but outside of those, the characters often felt detached from their traumas. The show only seemed to acknowledge their emotional struggles when it served the plot, rather than integrating them naturally into the characters’ behavior throughout.
• The plot barely held together. Many elements didn’t make much sense, and by the later episodes, I found myself watching more for the romance than the story itself.
• The production quality was shockingly poor in some aspects. The green screen work was distractingly bad, which is surprising given that GMMTV is one of the biggest BL production companies. It made me wonder where the budget was allocated.
Ultimately, The Heart Killer was entertaining enough, but it reinforced a concern I have about certain BL productions. It seems that some series are crafted more to showcase actor pairings than to tell compelling, well-structured stories. Don’t get me wrong—the actors did well with what they were given, and I genuinely enjoyed Joong and Khao the most. However, when a show’s main selling point is the leads rather than its writing or overall artistic quality, it raises questions about how much effort is being put into storytelling.
So far, I’ve been fortunate to watch BL series that not only featured strong actors but also took their narratives seriously. Seeing how The Heart Killer (and, from what I’ve heard, other GMMTV productions) is primarily carried by fan investment in its actors makes me hope that moving forward, the company will prioritize delivering both great performances and well-crafted scripts. There’s clearly talent in front of and behind the camera—it just needs to be given better material to work with.
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