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so this is where the boys' balls went ;P
After a run of disappointment (Enigma Black Stage), marshmallow writing (Whale Store), over-produced music (all of these), fan service and soft-focus women's romantic fantasy BLs (Ex-Morning, Memoir of Rati and My Magic Prophecy), I was really wondering if GMMTV had sold out their best writing and youth-series energy to chase inter fans and slots on western platforms, so much I was considering giving up on them altogether.
And then along comes Hide & Sis - truly women-centric, intense and ballsy. The first six episodes are excellent story craft, full of complexity and well-grounded, well-integrated surprises. And the power in the women's performances.
The twists never stop. Just when you think there can't be more, they find another. And another. I personally would have preferred it to have slowed down in the second half to allow more room for the complexity of the emotions to breathe and expand and be fully felt before it went on to the next surprise. It was in the story and the cast were very capable, it just needed more time between the reveals (or fewer of them), increasingly so as it neared the end. It is impressive that they kept the plot so coherent and the twists well-grounded in everything which came before but still largely unexpected.
I have some other quibbles, like the way so much exposition was given to Arch. Luke played the role very well, but long explanatory monologues are never the best story telling (which they proved they could do over and over again) and it took up space from Bua. I would have preferred for Jan's skill and talent to be allowed to shine in the middle episodes as much as Aye's did. At least she got strong early episodes.
There are others I want to praise as well, like Piploy's shape-shifting ability, but can't for spoilers. All of these young adults have grown so much as actors over the years and they delivered. If you want details, watch for yourself.
I'm still trying to figure out how to convey this, but they somehow managed to craft an understated lakorn in delivery whilst also giving it plenty of intensity, psychological complexity and suspense. There is A LOT going on, everything matters - though not in the ways you think it might - and it needs attention. It's not one to race through but it's also probably best to not leave too much time between so the energy carries through.
GMMTV has under-utilised their actresses for, well, their entire existence. May this be the start of something different.
And then along comes Hide & Sis - truly women-centric, intense and ballsy. The first six episodes are excellent story craft, full of complexity and well-grounded, well-integrated surprises. And the power in the women's performances.
The twists never stop. Just when you think there can't be more, they find another. And another. I personally would have preferred it to have slowed down in the second half to allow more room for the complexity of the emotions to breathe and expand and be fully felt before it went on to the next surprise. It was in the story and the cast were very capable, it just needed more time between the reveals (or fewer of them), increasingly so as it neared the end. It is impressive that they kept the plot so coherent and the twists well-grounded in everything which came before but still largely unexpected.
I have some other quibbles, like the way so much exposition was given to Arch. Luke played the role very well, but long explanatory monologues are never the best story telling (which they proved they could do over and over again) and it took up space from Bua. I would have preferred for Jan's skill and talent to be allowed to shine in the middle episodes as much as Aye's did. At least she got strong early episodes.
There are others I want to praise as well, like Piploy's shape-shifting ability, but can't for spoilers. All of these young adults have grown so much as actors over the years and they delivered. If you want details, watch for yourself.
I'm still trying to figure out how to convey this, but they somehow managed to craft an understated lakorn in delivery whilst also giving it plenty of intensity, psychological complexity and suspense. There is A LOT going on, everything matters - though not in the ways you think it might - and it needs attention. It's not one to race through but it's also probably best to not leave too much time between so the energy carries through.
GMMTV has under-utilised their actresses for, well, their entire existence. May this be the start of something different.
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