labcat

Likable main couple, decent BL with significant flaws

The story of the main couple is fairly decent, with Sailom and Kanghan taking a familiar enemies-to-lovers route. There is some awkwardness in the transition though. Kanghan and his gang's bullying of Sailom and his friends is really malicious, but quite abruptly Kanghan saves Sailom from actual gang members while he's on a quest to intimidate him.

It may or may not be a good thing that the story can be a little unpredictable. Just when things get really serious, the plot takes a markedly light-hearted turn. Then just as things seem to be pretty light-hearted, the situations suddenly become serious again, such as when Saifah (Sailom's brother) is arrested for allegedly shooting Kanghan's father. Even the characters vacillate: we see Kanghan promising to stand by Sailom no matter what happens, and the next moment, we see Kanghan telling Sailom to leave because Saifah has confessed (falsely) to shooting Kanghan's father. He even makes a totally unwarranted remark about poor people to his grandmother. Then almost just as suddenly, Kanghan is helping Sailom again.

There are certainly commendable attempts to show the changes in Kanghan's character, but the explanations are not really compelling. It is true that he changes after his mother's death, but it does not seem convincing that the problems he faces would cause a reasonable person to become a nasty bully. Ultimately, the story seems torn between giving us BL fluff and dealing with more serious themes, and the two impulses are not juggled well.

One thing that is done quite nicely at first is the presentation of inequality in society. This is clearly represented in the uniforms worn by the students. The poorer students' uniforms look yellowed and washed out. Together with how even the authority figures in school blatantly favor the wealthy students when it is obvious that Kanghan, a wealthy student with an influential father, is viciously bullying others. Unfortunately, the issue of the rich-poor divide is not developed well in the course of the story. While the story starts off by pointing out the gross injustice that exists, it eventually glosses over things by presenting the wealthy characters as good people. In fact, problems are ultimately solved by the benevolent wealthy. Kanghan's grandmother intervenes when there is injustice in the school.

When Sailom is engaged as Kanghan's tutor by the latter's grandmother, it is not even just a matter of the wealthy helping to solve problems. Sailom is fired after Kanghan fails a subject despite showing improvement in his grades. I was hoping that it would be revealed that the grandmother can tell how much Kanghan cares about Sailom and has come up with a ploy to make him ask for Sailom to be his tutor again. However, there is no such revelation, which also makes the characterization of the grandmother a little uneven. It seems to show that the wealthy can ultimately be callous if they wish to. Kanghan manages to get his grandmother to let Sailom be his tutor again, and the debt that Sailom's family owes will be paid off if he manages to help Kanghan do well enough to get into the university. Perhaps unintentionally, this shows that the wealthy have the power to make or break the lives of the poor. There could have been some strong social critique here, but somehow things are glossed over. Eventually, the lives or Sailom and his brother are improved because of the benevolent wealthy. This is symbolized by how Kanghan's grandmother takes the trouble to get a medication for Saifah. (Yes, there's that unevenness in characterization. She is generally a reasonable and kind person, and the way she fires Sailom is off-character.)

I do like the series simply as BL. Apart from how Kanghan's bullying of Sailom is too over the top, the couple dynamics are actually great. However, the stories of other (potential) couples are underdeveloped. The series spends a fair bit of time showcasing the tension between Guy and Nawa and not enough time on their romance. A couple of flashback scenes in the last two episodes show how they noticed each other in the past but these flashbacks do not complement the hostility they show each other. There are also hints of romantic interest between Saifah and his friend, Name. However, Name only appears in the series when he is needed in the main plot, and there is barely any attempt to show their relationship further. Why bother with these other couples then?

I did enjoy this series, but it has some flaws that make it less than great.

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Engaging if you can bear with the shifts

I was expecting a fun/funny time-travel drama in which the protagonist accidentally gets transported from the modern world to the Tang Dynasty, Initially, the story went very much as expected, and this may or may not be a great thing. On the one hand, I do enjoy the time-travel part of the drama, with the protagonist using his modern knowledge to get his way around in the past. On the other hand, when things fall within expectations, there is hardly any surprise.

But the series comes with some surprises. And this may or may not be a good thing once again. For about half the series, we see the more innocent side of the main characters. The Crown Prince whom the protagonist meets is a reasonable and righteous person, and we have typical rom-com vibes with two couples. However, after we have gotten used to the general rom-com trajectory of the story and characterisation, the series takes a dark turn. It makes some of the important characters more nuanced and rounded, showing a more realistic picture of political figures. Yet, the viewer has not been watching a drama about political intrigue for about half the series, so the shift becomes hard to swallow.

On their own, the two parts of the series are quite well done and engaging. Nevertheless, it doesn't work out that well when put together. Then there is the rushed and clumsy ending with (spoiler coming .........) the protagonist sustaining a fatal injury, This part was unnecessary. To make matters worse, he is transported back to the modern world seemingly because of the fatal injury (apparently it is impossible for him to die in the past) ... and his physical injuries disappear when he finds himself back in the modern world. (??!!) And while he does not magically get dressed in Tang-dynasty dressing when he travels to the past, his Tang dressing and fake hair conveniently get replaced by modern clothes and his original hairstyle when he returns to the modern era. I was almost expecting the series to end with some silly "it was all a dream" nonsense.

There is an additional 5-minute segment for the finale that seems to have been released separately from the final episode. This is where we get a happy ending, with the protagonist time-traveling back (we don't know how) to the Tang Dynasty and reuniting with his lover. (Time travel gets rid of fatal injuries?)

The drama is overall an interesting watch, and there is a lot to like about it. However, I wish the story had been steered back from its darker turn, which will make it more coherent as a whole.

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Possibly intriguing premise marred by a silly twist

Perhaps I should start by spoiling the series because it can be quite confusing to talk about the series without spoilers, though spoilers might just show how messy it us instead of lessening the confusion.

The premise is fairly interesting: a cafe that grants a wish miserable people. Of course, as with all stories about wish-granting, you can expect something to go wrong with the wishes made.

It is heavily suggested (though not confirmed till later) that the woman in the cafe, who facilitates the wish-granting stuff, is the woman in the scenes where a young woman gets pregnant only to be ditched by her irresponsible boyfriend. It seems that after wishing for a better life for her son, she is stuck to granting wishes in the cafe. (Again, it is not clear why this would be so until the final episode because the other people having their wishes granted do not seem to have to replace her role in the cafe.)

One thing I didn't like about the woman in the cafe that mysteriously appears is how the woman (now much older than the time she is pregnant) gives an evil laughter and an evil smile. In a way, the cafe does not have to be a sinister thing. This seems like a cheap way of adding tension to the story. After all, the cafe is largely a neutral wish-granting entity, and it is not like it is deliberately causing things to go wrong after granting wishes.

Here's the biggest spoiler (if the series is not already "spoiled"): The main story has two parallel sets of characters that turn out to the be same set of characters at different stages of their lives. The series feels at first like many BL series that shifts from the story of one couple to the story of another despite the lack of any connection between them except that the characters are roughly in the same place. Nonetheless, for me, the series does give a sense that the two sets of characters are the same people--so much so that it tries to get us to think otherwise with a supermarket scene that seems to feature Ryou and Phathit (Patis?) in the place at the same time although they are supposed to be younger and older versions of themselves respectively. There is no reason for using a filming/editing style shows the younger version and older version of a character in the same scene, so it's probably there just to tell us a lie that Ryou and Phatit are different people.

To make matters worse, Phatit seems surprised when he finds out that his friend, Naphat, likes him. If Phatit is indeed Ryou, then he should not be surprised that Naphat is in love with him because the same friend confessed to him years ago.

OK, let's not care for a moment about the wishes or the plot "twist" revealing that the two sets of character are actually one and just think of the series as BL.

The story of Ryou and Mai isn't very special though it can be likable in many ways. The love triangle (Nack is in love with Ryou too) isn't very intriguing . Things don't get better when the love triangle turns out to be love square ... basically everyone is in love with Ryou: Mai, Nac, and their female friend, Dena.

The story of Phatit and Thana also isn't very special though it is a tad more realistic. They obviously love each other, but Thana has issues about being not good enough for Phatit whereas Phatit is so busy with his work as a doctor that he does not have enough time for Thana. However, I don't seem why Thana would hide from Phatit the fact that he has resigned from his job (partly to get the severance money to help his mother financially. Also, why would Thana cheat on Phatit with another guy (I think he is high on drugs, but even then, event feels forcefully written into the story.)

The wishes, though, screw up the story even more.

First, Thana's wish: he wishes for a job. Lol. I'm not sure how that would solve his problem since he has had a job previously and has been feeling (or has been made by others to feel) like Phatit is too perfect for him. Why not wish for status, wealth, equality, a life of happiness with Phatit, etc? (Perhaps we can have a Season 2 in which another plot twist reveals that they cake and beverage the characters have to eat before making the wish has the effect of lowering their intelligence drastically.)

Next, Nack's wish. He wishes he can kiss Ryou. LOL! He's not wishing that Ryou would love him back or if that doesn't sound ethical, how about wishing that he would not be in love with someone who does not love him back? Anyway, this guy only gets his wish granted many years later when Ryou is no longer Ryou but Phatit.

Then it's revealed that Phatit has also made a wish (when he is still Ryou). His wish is for Mai to love him wholeheartedly, and he gets it. But does Mai even not truly love him to begin with? Mai is under pressure to behave in a certain way and is in denial. Anyway, Mai, who is leaving for another province with his parents, suddenly goes back to Ryou after the wish is made. I think Ryou has more than what he has asked for because Mai can simply love him wholeheartedly and leave for another province.

And finally, the most bizarre wish of all is Dena's. Just what on earth is going on in her mind? It seems that she cannot wish for Ryou to love her (why not, if Ryou can wish for Mai to love him?) and so she wishes for the four of them in the love square to be remembered not as Ryou, Mai, Nack and Dena, but as Darin, Phatit, Thana, and Naphat. Wait, what???? Is she wishing to rename everyone? Is she, in some sinister and sadistic way, wishing to write everyone's fates? (The dark twist in her character, in the revelation that she is the one who locks Mai up in the locker room despite seeming like a supportive friend to all the other three characters is probably is most interesting twist. So maybe she is capable of something truly sinister.

Did someone manage to find the cafe in real life and make a wish to get away with making a BL series that does not make any sense?

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Accomplishment? What accomplishment?

Yes, there's a fudanshi bartender, but what accomplishment does he have besides fantasizing about his colleagues and customers? Perhaps the way he perseveres despite reality disrupting his fantasies is an accomplishment? We only have two episodes, and the two episodes seem like the beginning of something that has a chance of becoming interesting in a quirky way. However, unfortunately, the two episodes are everything we get. In the end, we are just left wondering what the point of it all is.

If the fudanshi's fantasies are particularly interesting, it would at least be something. Unfortunately, it seems more like we are supposed to laugh at him and his fantasies rather than to indulge in them together with him. I think most fujoshis and fudanshis are better off fantasizing on their own. It's not as if we could get much vicarious enjoyment from his fantasies. All in all, a rather weird two episodes, and not in a good way.

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Likable series with a lot of wasted potential

I really enjoyed about two-thirds of this series and was just ok with the last one-third or so.

At first, the series is a nice balance between being light-hearted and serious. Bai Lang's psychological issues and the dentist Jin Xun An's growing concern and attraction for him is sweet without being banal. The back story of Xun An's previous relationship is also nicely done (at first).

Unfortunately, at some point in the series, something goes wrong. I think it starts being somewhat perplexing when Bai Lang (who wants to reject Xun An's love at first because of his own psychological issues) starts behaving as though he does not know whether Xun An likes him.

I also think the series becomes much less interesting about the time the main couple become a couple. First, we have the strange objection of Bai Lang's sister to the relationship and then her change of heart, which is almost as sudden. Then we have the objection of Xun An's father--taken on its own, it doesn't seem to bad, but it feels out of place in the series. It feels as though the story is continued for the sake of being continued.

I also don't know why there seems to be a compulsion to squeeze in as many couples as possible when there is obviously not going to be time to give the other couples enough attention. In the end, we have two other BL couples and one straight couple thrown without contributing much to the series.

There are moments I like, such as how the story veers dangerously close to clichés but doesn't degenerate into clichés. At one point, I was thinking that Xun An's ex, in telling Bai Lang about the foods that Xun An does not eat, would cause Bai Lang to be so insecure that it causes a break-up, but it doesn't happen. I was also half expecting Bai Lang to see Xun An together with his ex (of sorts) and misunderstand Xun An. Thankfully, it doesn't happen either. And yet, I'm not sure whether to give credit to the writer(s) for this. Perhaps there is simply an aversion to heightening the tension in the story further. All too often, things get serious but then fizzle out quickly. In a way, this is both the strength and the weakness of the series.

With a better focus on the main couple and a greater willingness to delve into how Bai Lang's psychological issues could pose a problem in the relationship, the story would have been much stronger. Sure, some of the light-heartedness would be lost, but it would still be possible to have the same happy ending while making the story more moving.

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Cute, funny at times, but needs something that shines

Roommates of Poongduck 304 is generally lighthearted, so lighthearted that the emotional ups and downs seem to have been deliberately compressed. The BL couple, Ho Joon and Jae Yoon, is cute and likable. Despite having something like an enemies-to-lovers plot (actually more like enemies-to-friends-to-lovers), the "enemies" part of the story seems slightly muted, like many other things in the story. This may well be a good thing because the two characters are, ultimately, not awful people. The "enemies" part of the story isn't exaggerated, so the characters' behaviors are not really toxic either. They are bother rather lovable without being ridiculously nice people.

Yet, there are a lot of emotions on the part of the characters that seem somewhat muted. Jae Yoon, for instance, has been in love with a friend who is merely out to exploit him. Eventually Jae Yoon finds out that this "friend" of his not only regards him as an fool but has also told others about him and saved his contact on his phone as Fool. Of course, Jae Yoon is devastated--but the emotions did not seem to have been the focus. There isn't even a scene in which Ho Joon finds out about this and tries to comfort him. And then Jae Yoon seems to get over it quickly. Sure, he is probably already in love with Ho Joon. (But notice that I said "probably"? There isn't that much clarity here, and if he has been already in love with Ho Joon, why does he still seem so concerned about his crush?)

Sometimes the lack of in-your-face depictions of relationships is really good. For instance, we know early on that Jae Yoon is in love with his "friend" because of how possessive he is of the chocolates given to him by this "friend". We also see that Ho Joon finds out that Jae Yoon is in love with that awful friend (because he is offered the same chocolates, supposedly very special, by the same person). I like how Ho Joon doesn't use the secret or the fact that Jae Yoon is gay against him even when they are in the "enemies" stage of their relationship. It shows something about his fundamental goodness. And despite being one of those straight-man-who-falls-in-love-with-a-guy characters in BL, at least Ho Joon doesn't have a moment of exaggerated gay panic. He seems to be in denial when a friend of his suggests that he is in love, but he doesn't assert his heterosexuality or claim that it's not true simply because Jae Yoon is a man.

Given a few more episodes, perhaps the series would have been even better, with more space for the emotional ups and downs of the characters. There could have been more time spent on the progress of their relationship before Jae Yoon finds out about that Ho Joon is actually the son of the President of the company they are working in and decides to leave him. The ending feels a little hurried although it is rather well made given the limitations.

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Beautiful, in an understated way

The cliché "deceptively simple" comes to mind as I thought about this series after watching several episodes. On the surface, the story is simple: Si Won, an attractive guy who is too eager to be popular because of his insecurities, meets Da Woon, who seems to be effortlessly perfect and popular (but who, quite clearly faces issues too). Si Won feels threatened by Da Woon in a way, but the tensions between them is not exaggerated in the way one would expect in some enemies-to-lovers plot. In fact, there is a hint of mutual attraction the first time the two guys meet each other, and Da Woon clearly harbors no hostility towards Si Won.

It is not the first time that we see a BL couple who are film students, but it is one of the times when this fact is used well. Scenes from the film that Si Won makes, with just a few snippets as a film-within-a-film, effectively and economically reveals something about his relationship with his mother--the viewer may not have expected the revelation, but when it is revealed, the viewer may just go, "Oh yeah, why didn't I see it?" The mother, and not just the bullies Si Won encounters as a child, may have contributed to Si Won's insecurities by emphasizing to him as a child that people judge others by their looks and indirectly but frequently reminding him that people may look at their family differently because it's a single-parent family (the father having left the family when Si Won is a kid).

What is also hinted at is the relationship Si Won's sister has with both her parents as her mother accusingly talks (off screen) about how she isn't sufficiently against her father. Yet, even if the family is somewhat dysfunctional, it isn't a stereotypically dysfunctional family. Like every family, it may have its problems. However, the members of the family also do care about one another and do things for one another. The portrayal of the characters' relationships is, thus, sensitive and nuanced. This is quite rare for BL series, which often focus on the relationship of the BL couple at the expense of making other relationships simplistic. I guess this also enhances the so-called rewatch value of the series because there is a lot we can get with an additional viewing.

There is also much to like about the story of the BL couple. Many will appreciate how the main problem in their relationship isn't the fact that they are both men, a third party or some silly misunderstanding. There is growth in the characters, forgiveness and a happy ending that isn't plain fluff.

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Enjoyable watch but not the most riveting story

At the beginning of the first episode, the protagonist says that one of the three people he is photographing is his first love. That's a nice introduction to the series because it is all about who the "first love" is--and since there is a "first love," is there also a second one?

The one who the protagonist will end up with becomes rather easy to guess quite early on (even if one is really unable to guess, one could just look at the list of actors and make a guess). And yet, the story quite deftly maintains the possibility that it's possible for the first love to be the other person.

Yes, there is a love triangle, but I'm glad it's hard to simply hate one of the three guys in the love triangle. The four main male characters are each lovable in his own way, and the main source of tension comes from, what else but a jealous girl. Then again, the girl doesn't turn out to be that bad. In fact, no one turns out to be that bad, which is either good or bad for the story, depending on whether you prefer fluff or a more realistic storyline.

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Better than expected

There are so many things that can go wrong with this series, but thankfully it ends up being quite nicely put together despite having some flaws.

The first time the protagonist, Q, meets X (in a toilet), it's obvious that X has a crush on him. But the flaws with the series also start here. Given that X is quite obviously interested in Q, why does he purposely do things to antagonize Q (including making fun of his penis size)? And then Q's behavior is also potentially toxic: because X challenges him to try to get Mook, a female schoolmate, to invite him (Q) to an event, Q has to pretend to be a fan of Mook's and feign interest in her online. He even delegates this pretense of interest to his friends since no one can tell that someone is posting stuff on his behalf. In a way, Q and his friends are lying to Mook and trying to manipulate her feelings. (It is thus rather ironic that later, in a misunderstanding, Q thinks that X and Mook are in cahoots to lie to him/toy with his feelings.)

Yet, X and Q manage to be fairly likable. Q doesn't really mean any harm, and he also doesn't really care that much about winning the bet with X. I like how the X and Q romance doesn't follow an enemies-to-lovers plot. Q just naturally falls in love as he spends more time with X.

Oddly enough, Q's mother and uncle (who are side characters) are the ones who are portrayed with some level of complexity. Q's mother, who gives the impression of being fine with gay people since she has no issues with her gay brother, turns out to have concerns that her son is gay. Yet, she isn't entirely homophobic either, and her brother is able to persuade her to be more accepting. Q's uncle, who initially seems to be a bad joke (he's "Uncle Man" but he isn't exactly manly, haha), doesn't end up being a flat character created simply for the sake of humor. He can be serious too, and in many ways, he's the most sensible person in the whole series, giving sound advice to others despite his personal problems (like his father's inability to accept him for being gay).

The interactions between X and Q are cute and sweet without being cloying. Although the misunderstanding in the final episode seems a little forced (like the predictable break-up scene that happens in the penultimate episodes of many series), the way the misunderstanding is cleared up is quite nicely done. In the end, we can forgive a lot of flaws because X and Q are characters who are easy to like, and the two actors look good together.

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Not a very ambitious BL, but it offers a lot of sweetness

If you are going to make a BL and you aren't too ambitious about breaking new ground but just want to make something cute and sweet, you make something like this.

The Kim/Mek story isn't all that impressive. In fact, I thought the series would end in Episode 6 as I was watching it. The turns in the story after that seem a little forced, but I'm not really here for a great story to begin with. Although a lot of people don't seem to like the way the series starts, I find the first six episodes more energetic and coherent. This fujoshi university chancellor (or whatever her position is) practically abuses her power to make Kim/Mek create BL content. There is some parody of BL scenarios, but the series itself is full of such scenarios anyway (like the couple falling down and kissing each other as a result). After Episode 6, the story remains lighthearted but seems to take a different turn. Nevertheless, the second half of the series isn't really bad either, especially if the main characters have grown on you.

Although I do like Kim/Mek, my favorite of the four couples is Park/Lee. Apart from one or two parts of the story when they have a silly misunderstanding, they are sweet and supportive of each other. There is a back story of how they met and why they keep their relationship a secret. For a large part of the story, they are the most mature of the couples.

It seems like a lot to have four couples in the story, but I think this is handled pretty well. Each pair is quite distinct and their lives are not so separate that you feel the jump when the story moves from one couple to another. This makes the series better than most series that feature so many couples. There is nothing truly exceptional about this series, but there is always a place for such a lighthearted, generally stress-free BL series.

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Average BL despite the cute leads

The one thing that got my attention throughout the series: Why does Kaownah look so different from the time he was in Tharntype? Is it the filter, the fact that he buffed up somewhat or is it that he has gone under the knife? He looks great here, but I practically can't recognize him (and I actually prefer the way he looked back then).

That said, the Kaownah/Turbo (Ryou/Anda in the story) pairing in this series is rather nice, but the story isn't very strong. The story is fairly predictable, and while I think the actress playing Ryou's ex-manager is quite good, she is over-the-top evil with a comic effect. I think she's told to act this way, but somehow it doesn't gel with the rest of the series.

I don't know how faithful the portrayal of Anda's parents is to the original source. But it looks as though the writers can't decide whether they are terrible parents or understanding parents, and has simply to make them both, but at different points. On the one hand, they try to force Anda to join the entertainment industry when he obviously doesn't want to. The father even goes to the extent of tearing out a kissing scene from the script of an ad so that Anda would go along with the filming without knowing it. On the other hand, they seem to accept their children's relationship choices (not just the fact that they are in same-sex relationships). So I don't know....

Relatively minor problems like this mar the quality of the production, as does the rather weak story. In the end, although the leads are likeable, there is a certain ceiling preventing the series from going beyond the two cute leads. I like how there is a side couple that contrasts with the main couple. I like how the main couple decide to make their relationship public, the side couple does not--the message is that, ultimately, the choice should be made by them and nobody can decide what the right choice is.

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Cookie Cutter BL

While this isn't exactly a series that leaves you wanting to smash your screens in frustration, it isn't much good. Standard Thai BL fare that is somewhat passable compared to the most poorly made BLs, but there is much better stuff nowadays.

The enemies-to-lovers plot is definitely nothing new, but delivery is everything. Sometimes it turns out funny and cute, but not this time. This is partly because the characters are not very well written or developed. They merely change when the time comes for them to change. Arthip, for instance, seems truly obnoxious at the start. He's not just an awful, uncompassionate boss to work for but also quite unpleasant in general, such as when he almost knocks down someone. And yet, when the time comes for enemies to start becoming lovers, he seems very much a different person. Arthip's love interest, Poon, is also somewhat inconsistent, vacillating between being headstrong and vulnerable. The changes in him are more explainable, but a lot of it is done hurriedly.

The side couple, Teng Nueng and Mayom, is a little better. There is also the same enemies-to-lovers plot for them, but the transitions seem better. The strange part about this couple, however, is in the fact that Teng Nueng is attached when he first meets Mayom, and we are as surprised as Mayom when he reveals it. The thing is, Teng Nueng has no intention at all to cheat on his boyfriend, and yet the way he behaves with Mayom before telling Mayom that he has a boyfriend easily gives one the wrong idea. If you ask me, it's really because there is a preoccupation with showing BL-ish moments at the expense of sensible characterization.

The woman, Amy, who is in love with Arthip is another character that is a tell-tale sign of a poorly written script. When she's supposed to be the main character's rival in love, she's a nasty, almost universally hated person. And it's not just the way she behaves towards her rival. Her affected behavior, her elitism, her superficiality were all evident. And then when it's time in the story for her to stop being the love rival, she becomes quite a different person, though no less comical.

I'm actually not too averse to cookie-cutter BLs. There are some that end up being pretty decent, but this one can afford to do better. Use the cookie cutter by all means, but the cookie needs a better mix of ingredients.

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Much more focused than Season 1

Season 2 is much more focused than Season 1. A couple of the urban teens from Season 1 do not appear in Season 2. Whether this is a deliberate move or due to the unavailability of the actors or even a lack of budget, it has an unintended positive effect of helping the series become more focused.

In Country Boy 2, the story is much more focused on the romance between Keptawan and Nubdao. There are fewer distractions although they only actually confess their feelings quite late. The acting of the two main actors isn't perfect but it is decent, and they are certainly putting in effort to immerse themselves in their roles. Their awkwardness, shyness and their worries are adequately conveyed, making the story more engaging.

As with Season 1, however, the plight of the country boy (Keptawan) gets a touch-and-go sort of treatment. Keptawan works at his uncle's cafe in Chiang Mai for a month. From the start, he isn't particularly welcome and because he is prone to making mistakes, he is often scolded and insulted. The discrimination towards the person from the countryside is obvious, and the series shows this. Unfortunately, there is a lack of thematic development. Just like how the country boy's financial woes are a tad too easily overcome in Season 1, his plight does not get the attention it deserves. In fact, he simply becomes better at his job and gains the recognition of both customers at his uncle's cafe and his uncle himself. If there isn't going to be development on the theme of discrimination against the country boy, I would rather do away with it altogether and use the space freed up to make Country Boy 2 a better BL.

There is room for improvement, but Country Boy 2 is an improvement from Country Boy 1.

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Urban Boy Meets Country Boy

The portrayal of teenagers from rural and urban areas meeting can be rather charming, if in some ways clichéd. One of the weaknesses that can be seen almost immediately is the relative lack of focus. The script could have been improved--at times it feels as though one were sitting near a group of teens, in a cafe or some others setting, and listening to them. The themes can, in fact, be rather serious, but it seems that there is a reluctance to explore them fully. The latent power imbalance between the more well heeled urban consumers of the homestay and the impoverished service providers is hinted at but soon forgotten.

If there is anything interesting in the story that lacks focus, it is that, to the urban dwellers who are wealthier, the countryside may just be more a novel commodity to be consumed or romanticized. To the urban dwellers, the countryside can simply be a getaway; but to the actual poor people of the countryside, their impoverishment is something that they need to get away from. It is not that the urban boys are malicious or exploitative, but they simply don't know better. Little is down to develop the theme, however, and the thin story eventually gives way to a display of youthful innocence and friendship that bring the urban and the rural together.

There are hints of romance/BL that, commendably, are not excessively emphasized to pander to fans. The signs of romantic affection between Nubdao and Keptawan are definitely there, but, in line with the innocence and youth of the characters, they do not really flirt or confess their feelings to each others (in Season 1 at least).

In the end, the country boy's crisis is all too easily resolved, partly with the help of his wealthier friends. This made me wonder why the writers bothered to add in the crisis (financial debt) in the first place. We could simply have a group of friends who visit the homestay facility in the countryside and end up helping the impoverished country boy improve it.
The production quality is generally decent even if the budget is low. With a more focused script and a bolder exploration of themes, the series would have been better.

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And the BAD Award goes to .......

The story revolves around friends/colleagues in a company, Nut, Mick and Sa. The orientation isn't very effective in showing the situation and relations within the company, but Nut is made to work on a freelancer whom he does not like from the start. They have to enter a competition for an award known as the BAD Award (I can't tell if this is intended to be a joke).

The first thing that strikes me about this series is that the script needs to undergo at least a few rounds of brutal revisions even if the trajectory of the story remains the same. Several aspects of the production fall on the amateurish side. The music sometimes drowns out the voices. In some scenes, the lighting seems insufficient and in other scenes, the color scheme seems a little to "naturalistic" when the colors could have been brighter and more vibrant--they can be quite different from what the poster leads us to expect. Post-production work could have been improved.

The acting isn't terrible for actors with barely any experience, but it isn't very good either. The actress who plays Sa is probably the best even though her role isn't the most important. The quality of the series isn't very consistent, especially at the start, which is perhaps one reason viewers have not taken very well to it.

Ep 1: Ambitious
- Nut is made to work with Guy, whom he doesn't like. (The reason isn't compelling even though the episode drags on for very long.) Nut's friend, Mick, is in love with him. 5 minutes of solid footage with a good script and skillful editing will probably do better than an entire episode here.

Ep 2: Inspiration
- Not exactly an inspired episode. Nut becomes friendlier to Guy (quite abruptly). A more pleasant side of Guy, but the character lacks overall coherence. He seems like different people in the same body.
- Mick's character needs a reboot: he could have been the character that the audience sympathizes most with, but ends up coming across as being unreasonable,

Ep 3: Trust
- Mick is accused of some wrongdoing. Once again, the episode drags out for too long. I like how Nut trusts Mick even though they have kind of fallen out. Nut, Mick and Sa's closeness as a team is nice to see.

Ep 4: Weekends
- Things go quite ok at first. Mick seems to have come to terms with the reality that his feelings for Nut are unrequited, and even creates a chance for Nut and Guy to be together. Then Guy's bizarre behavior immediately after confessing his love to Nut spoils everything. I'm sure there can be some explanation for it, but it is not a good way to end Season 1. It looks written in just so that there will be a cliffhanger for Season 2. An intern is brought in right at the end of the episode. I'm guessing that with the addition of this intern, there can be two BL couples and a happy ending for everyone in Season 2--if it is made and if it does decide to create a bigger mess.

Given that the production is most likely a rather low-budget production with people who are not very experienced, it is passable in many ways. However, it is really in need of better scripting. When entire chunks of the script can be deleted, what can the rest of the production team do to salvage the series? The writing does have the potential to be economical, e.g. when Nut jokes that he and Mick (separately) need to get married before Sa, Mick says that he's just waiting for Nut to say yes. Mick's one-sided love for Nut can be conveyed clearly without needing more words as long as the director directs the actors to act in a certain way. The initial tension between Nut and Guy can also be more economically conveyed with a clearer clash between them in the office.

Hopefully Season 2 will see a marked improvement.

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