CapitalW

Another review of '2gether' pops up on the main page and once again I'm back to check the latest score for the series. Why am I still so interested? For a long time I couldn't understand it myself, but now I think I've figured it out.

I've disliked a lot of series and have always moved on after separating from them, but '2gether' has had a grip on me, and judging from the comments on this page I'm not the only one.

I've thought about why it has proved so capable of bringing us back, again and again, and I've come to the conclusion that it's because '2gether' itself is so different. We've all watched (and dropped) series that failed us, but what we got in '2gether' wasn't just another disappointing series. What we got was bigger than that.

I've decided that the key factor in all of this is that '2gether' was more than just another failure -- it was a debacle.

A debacle is failure on another level entirely. A debacle gets people talking, almost in awe of how it occurred, and more than that, a debacle eventually become part of the zeitgeist, providing metaphors that serve as shorthand when judging other failures, and becoming a continual reference point for jokes and humor.

For example, when a friend of mine recently told me how much he loved a trailer for an upcoming BL series, he ended his reaction with: "... and there wasn't a high-five anywhere in sight!" Up until that moment neither one of us had brought up '2gether', but he'd reached for that comparison almost out of instinct -- and we both knew exactly what he meant, and we both got a good laugh out of it.

There are movies that have achieved this same kind of infamy -- huge budget, stellar cast, famous director, etc., but in the end a stunning example of overreach and artistic failure.

(There's another BL series that I might say was a debacle, and that's 'HIStory 3: Make Our Days Count'.)

It made me wonder what needed to happen to turn a romantic comedy like '2gether' into a debacle. What I came up with is:

1. The buildup of lots of hype before it debuts, about both the series and its stars.

2. The backing of a major production company that has years of experience producing such series, many of them excellent.

3. An experienced (maybe even famous) director.

4. A big budget and spiffy production values.

5. Initial previews/trailers that generate genuine excitement.

6. Strong initial episodes that raise expectations even higher.

7. Then, somewhere along the way, seemingly out of nowhere, a collapse that shocks nearly everyone -- fans and industry people alike -- something of epic proportion that would have seemed impossible given the money and talent involved. The collapse is big enough to overshadow almost everything that the series got right, and the things that they did get right start to look like they might have just been dumb luck.

8. Then, after there's been enough time to recover from the shock, a sense that this particular failure is so spectacular that it can serve as an object lesson for other series on what *not* to do.

9. Finally -- ultimately -- a place of honor in the lexicon of series criticism -- a point of reference that everyone, even those who loved the series, can understand with just a word or two. ('High five', anyone?)

A debacle like '2gether' attains a kind of Legend status that makes it hard for people to stop paying attention to it, especially as the franchise continues to grind out fan events, spin-off series and (be still my heart) a sequel.

That sequel is due in a few weeks, and even if it makes all the same dumb decisions that the original series did I know that this time around I won't get mad. Maybe Sarawat and Tine still won't hold hands, or cuddle, or kiss any more intimately than the way a kid kisses his grandma, and maybe a pat on the head will still serve as the go-to gesture of affection, but I'll still be loving every second, and visiting its MDL page to soak up the reactions with a big grin on my face.

That's because '2gether' now holds a place in BL History, and we're all living through that history right now. I think both fans and anti-fans would acknowledge that, although of course they'd say it for different reasons. The bottom line, though, is that it *is* an historic series, and as such I hope that stans will feel less offended when people like me keep coming back to pay homage or just to kid around a little. In a strange way I think it actually shows a kind of respect for what '2gether' has achieved and for the way its hype machine continues gamely plodding forward to give us more.

The trailer for this is just wow.

I felt a kind of frantic energy as well. I think they were indulging in a bit of fan service, like with the montage of the boys in front of different vacation scenes and that exercise session. The pillow schtick might have gone on a bit too long too.

But that's me. I like a tightly plotted series where every scene contributes something meaningful. It's one reason that I think 'Where Your Eyes Linger' is a kind of masterpiece.

It might be that this week the people at Gameboys wanted to reward their fans after all the angst of the last couple of episodes. There's something to be said for that.

Risa's apology -- that just felt so random to me. I felt bad for the actress, too. Her one big scene, and she's required to ugly-cry from start to finish. (Imagine the auditions for *that* role lol.)

The BL Force in this one is stronger than ever. I just hope the boys get enough screen time together for us to enjoy them as a blissful couple.

This is one of the first BL ships where I think both guys are equally hot, and I mean hot. To see them getting all soft and sweet together will be such a treat. (After "that other series" I'm keeping expectations low in the kiss department though. ;)

Exactly! There was something intentional there. Now, I don't know how the mechanism would work, exactly, but maybe when they fell back to earth after the visit with the Angel of Death, Kim's soul got knocked off-course and landed in the motorcycle instead of him.

I love this idea. It would be such a hoot if it turns out to be the actual twist. (And if it doesn't, they should hire you as a writer haha.)

Ooh great catch! I would never have thought of that.

Don't be impressed by my VIP label or anyone else's .. we have it because we paid MDL to get rid of the ads. ;)

I know .. that's constantly in the back of my mind. It affects my enjoyment because I worry that the rug's going to get pulled out from under us any second.

I nearly fell out of my chair when Xav told the teacher, "I'm a top!"

I have been guilty of this myself and like to think I've seen the error of my ways. We are so lucky to have both series to enjoy.

I had a good long talk with myself and said, "Self, these are sincere efforts by people who only want to entertain and move you. Accept their gifts -- don't nitpick like a spoiled kid on Christmas morning."

Agreed ... but comparisons between, say, a film by a famous auteur and a thesis submission by a student in film school, while valid, is silly and ultimately pointless. To judge the latter based on the former might be fun, but there's a danger of it becoming more about the critic showing off than actually adding value to the discourse.

Also, I don't know if there are definitive "artistic standards" for any form of expression, whether it be film, writing, music, painting, or drama series. (If there are I'd like to know who defined them and what makes them the authority lol.)

Academics sometimes might think they know all of the so-called proper ways to do things, and enjoy using those standards to educate us about the works of others, but for some people the most rewarding artistic experiences are the ones that diverge from the accepted norms.

I myself listen to K-Pop songs and Mahler symphonies. Most fans of either of those genres might find the other to be utterly lacking, but I love both. (Imagine a classical music critic reviewing a song by iKON lol.) I think that for any individual, the best person to decide if a work of art has impact, meaning, or importance is themselves.

Sorry if I alarmed you. I was mainly joking. But aside from Singto in Friend Zone 2, I don't know of any BL projects coming up for any of these guys. So maybe I accidentally joked about what is actually true.

Don't you just love Daniel? Such a sweet kid.

I think there was zero chance of him NOT using it, no matter who was in the group being eliminated.

And K's ability to read the room is apparently also at zero. Taki keeps getting betrayed by everyone, to the point that even Taki himself was surprised that he wasn't one of the original four being voted out despite having a top score. They all dislike him for some reason.

So for K not to realize that Taki would probably have received the next-highest number of votes is just proof of how he was too focused on using that special power no matter what. Such a kid mentality. He needs to be humbled, and soon.

Taki stans unite!

K is like a novice gamer who, when given a magic potion in a game, feels like a fool if he doesn't end up using it.

I think K was determined to use that immunity card no matter who got voted off, because ... well ... because he'd *won* it, dammit, and it was something nobody else had! (That's me channeling my inner K lol.)

And honestly, if he didn't realize that Taki would be in deep peril if he saved someone then he's dumb as a box of hair. Taki always gets the shaft, no matter how well he performs or how nice he is to people. And you can see how he himself knows it now, from the way he behaves when he enters a room where there are other boys gathered. He draws into himself a little, becomes just a bit tentative, probably because he can feel the dislike from the others and tries to watch what he says and does. He's certainly not as cheerful as he was at the beginning.

I'd like to see K brought down a notch. I think it would be good for building his character. A little round trip to the Ground would do him some good. Right now the sight of him makes me throw up in my mouth a little.

It's probably not going to happen, but I'd like for the Grounders to win the contest and have the surprise consequence be that the reps who failed to win for the I-Land all have to go to the Ground, while the reps who won for the Grounders get to go to I-Land.

One thing for sure, Taki is being treated like shit by the other guys. Including his own friend who sold him out early on. Is it because he's young, or he's Japanese? Or what? The kid performs consistently well and STILL gets the boot. The only thing he's probably learning from his time on the show is to TRUST NO ONE because even your so-called friends will stab you in the back if it benefits them.

If Taki ends up winning a spot in the final group it will be a miracle, and the fact that I feel so confident in that also makes me really sad.

It takes a downward turn after Sarawat and Tine move in together, then the last two episodes achieve maximum suckage before finishing up with the now-legendary high five.

However, if you have any remaining interest I think you should probably watch it to decide for yourself.

What if Kim has actually been in his body along with Pan all along, but is capable only of observing what she does (for better or worse)?

(This was the premise of another drama that I watched a while ago.)

Such a great way to start the weekend haha.

BL is endgame ... and this will end up being one of the cleverest BLs ever produced.