labcat

Mystery or Farce?

I can't decide whether this is a detective series or a farce.

The series can roughly be divided into 3 main cases. It is highly unusual for a detective series to suddenly do away with the (initial) detective altogether halfway through, but this is what happens in the third part of the series (Episodes 9-12). And I don't mean that the detective disappears as part of the plot. I mean that he basically disappears from the plot.

Some people have suggested just appreciating Episodes 1 to 8 (the first two cases with the detective Lin Mo) alone. This is worth thinking about, so let's first consider the first two cases.

The first case is somewhat draggy, and since most viewers are not expecting to watch a supernatural series and will assume that the seemingly supernatural elements will be explained away, it is fairly easy to guess that some of the characters claiming to have encountered supernatural occurrences are conspiring to commit crimes. Although the exact details may be a bit more unpredictable, the revelations of the crimes are not going to be altogether awe-inspiring. Furthermore, the revelations of the truth don't always tally with the characters' behaviors when they are with those in cahoots with them (for example, a character who is supposed to have staged a car accident seems truly surprised that the car has gone out of control).

The second case is a flashback to Lin Mo's past. Having a flashback itself is fine, though in preparing the audience for the flashback, the the earlier episodes make certain references to Lin Mo's past that may confuse the viewer, making it seem like they have missed an earlier series or some episodes. Maybe cleverer editing would have made things better.

The twist in the second story doesn't really make sense (actually it is not much of a twist, the ending of the first story basically gives the ending of the second story away). Sure, the real villain by be really cunning, but how on earth did she manage to get the manpower and resources to pull off everything? Certainly her beauty alone isn't enough.

Also, while the second story takes place earlier in time, the female cop, Sasha, seems like a much more capable cop in the story. In contrast, in the first story, she seems rather incompetent as a cop despite having more experience. The characterization does not really make sense even if the focus is on Lin Mo's ability in cracking the cases.

Next, we inevitably have to consider the third story. After spending 8 episodes showing Lin Mo's prowess in solving mysteries from Episodes 1-8, he basically disappears in Episodes 9-12. I do not really buy into the idea of treating it as a separate story because it is meant to take place in the same fictional world after the first case of the series has ended. The series also actually quite heavily emphasizes this too, with Sasha going for a briefing about a group of missing youngsters who happen to be the children of very influential people. And as though we need to be reminded of the drastic change, the voice-over in the opening credits changes from Lin Mo to Koji who announces that it's still the same series but everything is going to be different (yeah, I know). It's either a bad attempt at pretending that the change is deliberate or a bold attempt to do something different with the detective genre.

As a mystery story, like the first story, it is a little obvious from early on that the ghost elements in the third must have been staged because this is not a supernatural-themed series (despite Lin Mo's apparent ability to see ghosts who do not tell him anything important anyway). In fact, the ghost element doesn't even seem to be taken very seriously. There is some fun in the third story, but the twists are rather weak. Furthermore, the tremors from the sudden disappearance of Lin Mo in the story continues all the way to the end: even till the last episode, I was wondering if Lin Mo would be woven back into the plot.

There may well be a hint that the first two stories take place in a game world, but this wouldn't really make sense although we see Lin Mo playing a game at the end of Episode 8 that is mentioned towards the end of the final episode. (This actually only makes the series more perplexing: why harp on the fact that there is some tenuous link between the characters in Episode 1 to 8 and in Episodes 9 to 12?) Furthermore, the multiple flashbacks to Lin Mo's childhood in Episodes 1-8 and the reference to the Q symbol at the end of Episode 8 heavily suggest that the third story is going to be about the case involving how Lin Mo's mother is killed. Unfortunately, this is simply dropped. One may suspect that there is some attempt to intrigue viewers in preparation for a possible sequel, but is the sequel going to feature Detective Lin Mo or Detective Koji? In fact, are they detectives or gamers?

In fact, the series ends up being rather farcical. The third story comes complete with an "awards ceremony" for the best actors in the staged events because, well, this really wealthy detective kid has insane amounts of money to splurge on staging events at the scale of making a movie just to trap a criminal. To add on to the possibly unintentional farce, even though Koji manages to solve the case that he is entrusted to by the dying mother of a gamer who has disappeared, he ends up consoling her with photoshopped photos of her dead son by pretending that he is still alive. (Hey, maybe you could have done that from the start?)

To be fair, Lin Mo does make an interesting detective character. A lot of work is done to form the foundation of further development, but he suddenly disappears from the story. He is like a walking forensics lab that churns out instant results. The ability to sniff and identify the trace of anything with a smell is a sort of unique superpowerish trait even though it is quite unbelievable (given that it is said that he has "trained" himself to smell things so well). We can certainly evaluate the first two stories with Lin Mo on their own merit, but it remains that the series feels really incomplete whether we ignore Episodes 9-12 or not. A sequel with Lin Mo as the main detective may still be watchable, but I don't know if that is ever going to happen.

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Occasionally nice cinematography, weak story

The idea of using mathematical references in relation to the love between the main characters is interesting though I must admit to being a little lost.

There isn't that much of a story here though. Sine and Tan are two good friends who are in love with each other but neither dares to express his love. Since this is a relatively short and lighthearted BL series, there is probably only one reasonable way for the story to proceed, which is that they eventually express their love for each other and end up as a couple. Unfortunately, this trajectory seems to be dragged out a little too long. This is a complaint I rarely have (usually the complaint is that some episodes suddenly become ridiculously short, like in Cupid Coach), but I suspect that the story has been extended needlessly for the sake of product placements.

The characters' behaviors after they become aware of each other's feelings are a little inexplicable. They could have just kissed and lived happily ever after. Instead, some conflicts are added in a little haphazardly: despite having no romantic feelings whatsoever for Lin, Tan behaves affectionately towards her for a moment and Sine sees it. There are nicely filmed scenes (especially in the last couple of episodes), but the cinematography doesn't make up for the weak story.

I think the filming ran into problems halfway, so the intended product could have been significantly better. It's not "better not touch it" sort of bad, however. I guess this is something I don't really mind watching though I'm not really bowled over by it.

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The most daring BL from GMMTV to date

When I started watching Not Me, I started wondering if it's BL at all. Gone is the excessive use of beauty filters or blurring effects to make the actors look unnaturally perfect. Instead, you can see the actors' complexions, pores and all. The cinematographic elements tend to be dark and gritty, and one might be surprised by how politically daring it is to talk about the problems with Thai society. And while fans may start watching the series thinking that it is yet another Off-Gun BL vehicle, the series takes its own sweet time developing their characters' relationship to a point where they are clearly in love with each other. It has the sort of guts to chart new territory that the Thai BL industry needs.

To be sure, Not Me does not eschew all BL conventions. Quite early in the series, we get to see White (Gun's character) and Sean (Off's character) sharing a bed, Gun falling into Sean's arms, etc. However, the ship for the other couple, Yok and Dan, starts sailing faster and one may wonder if the White-Sean ship is going to happen at all. But what is surprising is that it leaves out a whole lot of feel-good fluff. The main characters may be mostly university students, but their vigilantism is legally problematic and morally ambiguous. There isn't much putting them in a glamorous light although they seem to be good people. With Not Me, we are definitely not watching the typical idealized rich-and-handsome or romanticized struggling-poor-but-cute leads though some of the main characters are wealthy and others are poor. They are not guys who go around campus with legions of screaming fans. If they are privileged in some way, the access to that privilege is questioned.

Of course, not everything that is different from the norm is great. So what makes Not Me such a riveting watch? The plot development, for one, is excellent. There is a good story beyond the BL. And while a revelation in one of the later episodes about how Black (White's twin brother, also played by Gun) gets injured at the start of the story isn't totally unpredictable, it is interesting how the person behind his injury is portrayed with a certain degree of ambiguity rather than as an outright villain. It is hard to tell how the story will end until you have watched the last episode.

The story of White impersonating Black and joining the latter's vigilante group isn't a story that will definitely benefit from an infusion of BL into the plot. It is good enough on its own, and having BL relationships may attract more fans while alienating others. If we consider the social impact of the series, it is a good thing to have such a series instead of series that cater only to BL fans because the portrayal of gay relationships can reach more than just a niche audience.

Despite all the praises I can shower on Not Me, I shouldn't exaggerate how ground-breaking the series is. While the social criticism is strong at the start, the society's problems seems to be very much reduced to a single villain (Tawi) later on despite hints that getting rid of him isn't going to change society. Certain deep-seated social issues like how the wealthy have connections that help them get ahead of others who may be equally or better qualified also seem to take a backseat later on. Yet, the series has done what I don't expect from a GMMTV production. (If I remember correctly, The Gifted came close but seems to chicken out of it.) Such a production deserves all the support it can get. If nothing else, the commercial viability of such a production will mean that it won't just be indie, low-budget productions that would venture into the same sort of social criticism.

I don't usually take the numbers in my reviews seriously, but I would say that if we take everything else we can out of the series except for the BL, the BL would at most be 8/10. But it is everything else that is working together with the BL that elevates the series to 9.5/10. With the same cast and production team, GMMTV could well have made another excellent but mostly safe series like Bad Buddy. But I'm really glad it didn't.

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Lacklustre despite the sparks here and there

I will probably remember this as the BL series that somehow managed to find and squeeze in a whole lot of good looking guys (many look even better than the two main characters) while paying many of them scant attention. The theme song and the music in the series are also rather nice.

But what about the story? This is where it gets hard to comment. It's not all-out bad at all. In fact, the "legal brothers-not-related-by-blood fall in love" concept, which My Bromance made popular years ago, gets a more satisfying treatment here than in this year's sequel to My Bromance.

Unfortunately, the main plot is not developed very well. At first, I was ok with the somewhat confusing feelings of the characters and the rather slow pacing since I could appreciate the uncertainty and insecurities of the characters. Prab's mother and Chol's father get married, making them brothers legally. Chol also has a crush on Khun, so I can see how he is confused about his own feelings as they change and he realizes that he isn't really in love with Khun. On the other hand, Prab slowly realizes that he is attracted to Chol and gets jealous of Khun.

About halfway through the series, I think both Prab and Chol clearly realize how they feel for each other. This is where I thought that the story would be worked into something more interesting. Instead, the plot goes haywire. If the story thus far already has been on the draggy side, it now becomes erratic. Despite knowing that he is not really in love with Khun but likes Prab, Chol somehow still manages to feel jealous when Khun is with another guy. Prab also seems to vacillate between being honest with himself about his feelings and being in denial. So the story goes on with a lot of unnecessarily trivial and when there seems to be development, it gets undone haphazardly.

The most forgiving thing I can say is that the portrayal of Prab and Chol quite accurately portrays the uncertainties and insecurities of teenagers (late teens) coming to terms with their own romantic feelings, and their lack of experience accounts for their behavior. However, when I think about how the series, Love Sick, manages to portray teenagers' uncertainties without sacrificing plot development. I find that things ultimately don't add up in Brothers.

This is a shame, given that the people behind the series are actually good at creating the right atmosphere and making the characters' relationships sweet and cute. When the material is good, the series is much more satisfying. This is the case with the side couple, Khun and Kaow, who I think should have been the main couple instead. They are really adorable in the series. Their story would have been even better with more on their character backgrounds and emotional struggles. If Prab and Chol had been the side couple with way fewer scenes instead, the lack of development in the relationship would have been more acceptable.

There are other side couples or potential couples, which can be rather pointless except that they perhaps satisfy viewers by putting good looking guys into potentially romantic relationships. But this is rather meaningless, especially when it pushes the series towards the portrayal of taboos like the romance between a teacher and a student, something which the series is clearly unwilling to address with any depth.

It's 2021, and BL dramas have gone beyond stories about high school boys in uniform. Such stories will always have a place in BL, but the bar is now much higher and this series barely touches it.

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Could have been a better series if the entire team had better days

Although the main action takes place during a lockdown, whoever came up with the story could not help throwing in a couple of characters who seem to turn up in spite of lockdown rules in the series. This is perhaps a sign of a lack of confidence with pulling off a series of six episodes featuring only the two main characters.

The story is actually ok in some ways: two childhood friends meet each other again after many years ; there is is palpable master/servant class difference between them, but they do have genuine affection for each other. Kian decides to play a prank on Aron by pretending not to recognize him--it is only a prank, but the prank works because of the inherent power difference between them. While Aron is saddened that Kian seems to have forgotten him, he can't really be assertive here. The potential of the "friends with unequal power" angle isn't fully used, however. We see how it manifests in the different way each expresses his jealousy upon seeing the other with someone else as Kian throws a tantrum while Aron has a more muted response. Yet, how do they overcome it? There isn't much development here.

As if to make up for the lack of eventfulness in the story, Kian gets news that his father has passed away in the final episode, but there isn't really any exploration of how this impacts Kian's character or future. To be fair, the death isn't altogether unexpected: from early on, it is revealed that Kian's father has been hospitalized. But one would be hard-pressed to think of a good reason why it is included.

The series does manage to have some moments of BL sweetness, particularly in the final scene. The ending scene is rather good. There is no sudden passionate kissing or cloying confessions of love, but Aron takes the initiative to hold Kian's hand. It is a happy ending though not an unambiguous happily-ever-after ending. The couple may have to be apart soon, but there is hope that they will overcome challenges that come their way. If the quality of the ending scene had been maintained throughout, if the series had focused on the two characters' struggles with their increasingly undeniable romantic feelings for each other from the start, perhaps the series would have been much better.

This is a series I wouldn't mind having a sequel to, nevertheless. Although a sequel does not seem likely, it may well make up for the shortcomings of the original six episodes.

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Not amongst the best BL series in 2022-2023

If this had been released together with Until We Meet Again back in 2019 or in 2020, it would have been more highly rated. Unfortunately, the series feels a little dated because BL series have largely moved on. I am certainly not saying that a series has to keep up with whatever is fashionable. However, the series does not seem to be able to avoid some of the weaknesses of BL scripts a few years ago.

The use of multiple couples without a proper focus on the side couples is one thing that could have been avoided. Despite the presence of Win and Team as a couple in 2019's Until We Meet Again, it managed to focus on Dean and Pharm and the storyline was strong. However, the Win/Team storyline in Between US is not only weaker but also diluted by unnecessary digressions to side couples.

I find myself more intrigued by the story of one of the side couples (Tul and Wan) more than the main couple even though the duo have not even become a couple as of Episode 11. Sometimes, I even find myself enjoying the scenes of friendship (Team, Pharm and Manow) and brotherly love (Win, Wan and Wiew) more than the scenes with Win and Team.

To be fair, the story of Win and Team has potential to be more moving than it is. Win is one of three brothers who never feels like anything is really meant to be his and avoids commitment because of his fear of losing someone he treasures. However, he cannot stop himself from falling deeply in love with Team. On the other hand, Team has been living with guilt ever since a friend of his drowned while they were swimming together as children. A more compelling script could have been created with these ideas. There are some fairly good scenes, such as when Win saves Team from drowning, revealing how important Team is to him as he reprimands Team for swimming by himself. Yet, trajectory of the plot isn't very clear and instead of actual development, we often just see each half of the couple vacillate between realizing that he loves the other person and being in some sort of denial. We don't quite see how their attraction to each other intensifies over time or how each increasingly needs the presence of the other. The story simply goes like: they have a fling, somehow each is very much in love with the other, but oh . . . neither dares to show it because of the fear that the other person just wants a friend with benefits.

Without a strong plot, one might rather just rewatch 2021's Between Us (not an actual series but a few short episodes of random scenes with Win and Team). At least that didn't feel too draggy and there's a focus on Win and Team.

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What happened VS What could have happened

The concept is quite brilliant, but the execution could certainly have been better.

The "explanation" for the bewildering scenes for many of the episode is basically that, for people whose brains are oxygen-deprived and they are on the brink of death or in a coma, they hallucinate about what their lives could have been had they done something different.

At the start of the series, Great sees himself knocking a woman down with his car and driving off. When the vision ends, he drives and knocks someone down without driving off irresponsibly, changing the course of events. Eventually, however, it turns out that Great does not see 4 minutes into the future at all. The series of events happening following the hit-and-run is the reality whereas the other series of events is just something that goes on in his mind when he is in danger of dying.

Some find it highly unsatisfactory that so much of the series feature the "hallucinations" rather than the reality. To me, it is fine as the hallucinations reveal their most deep-seated desires and make the reality especially poignant when it is revealed. Nonetheless, I think there are issues. Since what we are seeing isn't premised on traveling back in time to fix the past or predicting the future to change something for the better, what we are seeing is what *could* have happened rather than what *would* have happened. In other words, the alternative story just a story spun by the dying brains of the characters rather than a definite course of events. This does compromise the emotive quality of the series.

It also seems to me that the "explanation" doesn't really explain things. At one point, we are led to think that Tonkla senses the presence of his brother, who has been killed. But, based on the explanation, this makes no sense whether we are watching the reality or Great's imagined series of events. The two do not mix unless Great's imagination can invade the reality that Tonkla experiences. Furthermore, it is quite confusing that when Great supposedly sees four minutes into the future, there are glances of himself being intimate with Time that happen way after the four minutes. The visions seem to be simply planted there to intrigue viewers and perhaps titillate them with glimpses of sex scenes. I also feel that, in the "hallucinated" series of events, there are scenes that Great wouldn't be imagining simply because they do not involve him (e.g. Time at the hospital overhearing what his colleagues say about his relationship with another doctor) and are not quite relevant to the alternative reality that his dying brain so badly wants.

When it comes to the BL, the relationship between Great and Time in the real version of events isn't developed well. We do not see enough of how Time's feelings for Great develop and see more of him being obsessed with avenging his parents who were killed. As for the other BL couple (three characters, actually), Tonkla/Korn or Tonkla/Win, there are just many sex scenes without emotional intensity. The story seems to vacillate between showing Korn as someone who deeply loves Tonkla and showing him as someone who does not truly care about him. Tonkla's apparent preoccupation with wanting to have unprotected sex seems nonsensical and added in just for dirty talk even though one might come up with some labored explanation for it. Win is interesting but lacks development--the final episode is a little too rushed for a series that seems to take its time to reveal things to us.

Ultimately, the freshness of the concept and the way the series pushes boundaries in depicting sex and nudity in BLs may garner this series a lot of attention, but it is unlikely remembered as a classic that is executed with finesse in every way.

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Consider this series underrated even at the current 8.4 MDL rating

My impressions may not be accurate, but it feels like not that many people out there are raving about this series. Or at least there should be more people raving about it.

Amongst all the BL series, censored and uncensored, that I have watched over the years, this is one of the few transcends the boundaries of typical BL series and is deeply moving. Although I watched the uncut version, which has longer episodes, the series feels much longer in a good way. The plot and character development are done impressively well.

The bulk of the series is set in the 1920s, which facilitates the treatment of issues like homophobia and the subjugation of women in society. There are LGBTQ characters, but the series does not give the impression that it is including lesbian and queer characters as a token act of inclusivity, to generate hype or as a means of creating humor. Even relatively minor characters are presented with nuance. Impressively, the series even broaches potentially controversial issue of reproductive rights, with one female character deciding to get an abortion when she finds herself pregnant after a traumatic incident of marital rape. One may also appreciate the added layer of complexity when the issue of class differences enter the relationships that are already taboo due to sexual orientation.

If I have to specify a flaw in the series, it is that the story is incomplete. We see Jom traveling from 2023 to the 1920s and meeting Yai. However, it is hinted (actually quite directly shown, especially at the end of the uncut version after the closing credits) that Yai has a previous incarnation before the 1920s. A monk they meet also say that the two of them are destined to meet each other. Unfortunately, at the end of the uncut version, we catch a glimpse of Jom traveling to the unspecified era before the 1920s (assuming he's not dreaming or anything). This also means that Yai will inevitably be separated from Jom in two of the lifetimes. There is obviously a Season 2 tease, and I hope Season 2 gets made.

The seemingly happy ending of the current season leaves one feeling a little perplexed because it is unexplained. How does Yai turn up in the house where Jom is? Has he traveled to the future (impossible since the belongings he left behind suggest that he does not meet Jom again in his lifetime)? Is he a ghost? Is he a reincarnation of Yai (but how would his reincarnation know about Jom)? In the end, the saddening truth we know is that after Jom disappears from the 1920s (and returns to 2023 involuntarily), Yai spends the rest of his life pinning for Jom.

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A man who is getting over a breakup (Mok) stays in a hotel where he gets drunk and is helped by a bartender (Bay).

It's a pity that this series has only four short episodes because the story has a lot of potential for development. Many aspects of the production are rather polished, which is not often the case for series with unfamiliar faces in leading roles or those that may not be expected to be hits. The cinematography and the editing is good, and the actors have done a reasonably good job. In a way, the series seems like an extended MV or short film to publicize the theme song, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

For BL fans, the scenes between Bay and Mok are nice, but there is a lack of character development especially for Bay. We know very little about his background apart from the fact that he's a bartender. As for Mok, there is some development showing his breakup with his ex-girlfriend though the cause of their breakup and the tension between him and her current boyfriend are left largely unexplained. Then there's Boston, the boss of the hotel, who seems to be secretly in love with Bay but there's little shown about his personality or his feelings.

Despite the flaws, the series is watchable. This is BL but we are not looking at a pair who is already a couple. The hints of growing attraction are rather cliched at times (e.g. a drunk Mok falling on Bay), but the interactions between them are sweet, particularly in a scene where Bay takes Mok to a rabbit house to make him smile. Some might be disappointed that there isn't even a kissing scene, but I think this is fine given that the series ends at a point when they are just becoming a couple. In fact, I would say, kissing scenes would have been the easier way out to show attraction and intimacy. The director has instead opted for longing gazes and hand-holding. The hand-holding at the end is adorable as it turns into "pinky holding", reminiscent of a scene in the first episode where Bay extends his Pinky to Mok.

I don't find the ending ambiguous or "open" as some have commented. Mok realizes that Bay has misunderstood that he has made up with his ex-girlfriend and clears the air with Bay (which shows that he knows that Bay likes him and that he wants Bay to know that he has not made up with his ex). Although Mok leaves the hotel (hey, he has a life beyond staying at the hotel!), it's clear that the two main characters are becoming a couple. Bay's sweet smile upon receiving Mok's message when Mok is on his way home is telling.

The entire series is not much longer than one episode of many other BL series, and if they maintain the quality, I can only imagine how much more the production team can do with say 8 or 12 regular episodes of 45 minutes each. As it is, it fares way better than a series like I am Your King Season 2, which can be frustratingly confusing.

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Surprisingly nice

Review After Watching Episodes 1-12
Having watched a few series with just too many characters, I was a little wary when I read that that there are four couples in this series. But after Why R U and 2gether, I wanted some BL fix, so I started on this one.

Some flaws of having so many couples in 14 episodes may still be seen in this series, but I think the editors have done their best to make the scenes flow and largely succeeded even though sometimes I find that a scene can be cut into too many smaller parts to bring in the other couples' stories.

The beginning of the first episode almost made me stop watching. It is, in my opinion, the worst part of the series so far, with Bohn as the campus prom king with hordes of screaming female fans. It's an overly used BL trope but not something unbearable. What I didn't like was the posing and all--yeah, I know he's supposed to be hot af, but it does nothing for the story (especially given that Bohn doesn't have a good reputation apart from his good looks).

But the series soon proves to be more interesting once Bohn sees Duen sleeping on a bench. No time in wasted in showing that Bohn takes an immediate interest in Duen. Yet, despite having Bohn and Duen as the main couple, soon it is the other characters' relationships that become more interesting, and I wonder if any of the couples should have been the main couple instead:

1. There is Mek and Boss. Despite the poor dubbing of Mek's lines (the actor doesn't speak Thai), Mek is the character I feel the most for quite early in the series. He's secretly in love with Boss who seems to do nothing but hit on girls in front of Mek and even gets Mek to help him. But Boss is not an irritating character--despite seeming frivolous, it's clear that he does feel a sense of inferiority because no girl seems interested in him (until Fon comes along, but she neglects him too). When it turns out that he has been secretly in love with Mek too, the twist is somewhat unbelievable, but who has the heart to complain about this if we can see Mek finding happiness? This is my favorite couple in the series.

2. There is Ram and King, who are both interesting characters. King is outgoing and very good in his studies. Ram, the junior, on the other hand, doesn't talk much. (Perhaps he's the real mute husband.) Ram is a really tough guy (a professional boxer), a loyal friend to Duen and also emotionally vulnerable. Ram talks to his dogs (he says) while King talks to his plants, so there's perhaps a strong similarity between the two despite superficial differences. King seems to take an interest in Ram at first sight, but it could be because of Ram's looks or his unique tattoos rather than conscious romantic interest. This ship is interesting as there isn't a strong indication of budding romance from the start, but we see King being genuinely nice to Ram and Ram slowly opening up to him. Interestingly, it seems to be Ram who develops romantic feelings for King first. [Additional comment after watching the final episode: In the final episode, however, it seems that King has liked Ram for some time, but he Ram's usual reticence makes King unsure if his feelings are reciprocated.]

3. Thara and Frong is unfortunately the ship that starts sailing the latest. I say it's unfortunate because they look really cute as a couple--cuter than Bohn and Duen as a couple, really. We don't see that much of Thara at first, but he seems affable and caring as a doctor (medical student). He's quirky in a likable way, gushing about how cute his pet lizard is (not the humongous one that almost got to Duen) when others think he is gushing about a cat or a dog. Frong is another interesting character with too little screen time. He seems like a much more pleasant person than Bohn, but it's unclear why there is deep tension between Bohn and Frong from the start. (Frong is said to have almost toppled Bohn's position as the prom king, but is that really such a big deal to either of them?) He also doesn't like Thara at first for reasons not fully explored.

I find the relationship between Bohn and Duen cute at the start. But the writers could have done a better job with Bohn. He seems perpetually upset or jealous about something, which doesn't really show the depth of his feelings for Duen. Some viewers don't like it that Duen doesn't want to be more physically intimate with Bohn, but I don't think this is the main problem for Bohn. I think there is too much focus on Bohn's proneness to jealousy (although it can be funny, like how Bohn gets jealous of Thara, who is merely Duen's cousin). A nice scene involving Bohn and Duen takes place at the end of Episode 12 when Bohn keeps trying to say sweet things to and have a romantic time with Duen but Duen seems oblivious to it. Bohn seems upset, especially when Duen falls asleep in the middle of a conversation, but he gently shifts Duen's head out of the sun and onto his shoulder. If there were more of such scenes, it would be great.

That said, the series is interesting as a sort of meta BL, making use of common BL tropes while critiquing them. The husband/wife trope is invoked, but quite explicitly dismantled, with Duen (the gentler guy) showing an interest in being the "husband" and top. The series has the guys falling in love with one another, but doesn't fail to have the characters point it out.

Additional Comments After Watching the Entire Series:
The last two episodes don't disappoint. Bohn and Duen have a misunderstanding, but they expectedly patch up. The makers of 2gether (which I do love) could have learnt something about making the final episode end a little more beautifully for the main couple. It doesn't take much to leave the audience with lingering sweetness: loving hand-holding, affectionate time alone (rather than being in crowds), a loving gesture to affirm the love.

Mek and Boss also have a happy ending this season. Thankfully--it would be too painful to see Mek ending up unhappy in Season 1.

There is promise of more to come for the other couples in Season 2. It's a good thing that there seems to be no hurry to take things further for them. But the Thara/Frong ending is a tad too much of a tease, with Thara saying to Frong, "We're brothers (P and Nong), right?" I'm pretty sure it's an innocuous remark--Thara is the senior and Frong is the junior, so they are really P and Nong in Thai since it's not like they are a couple or anything. Frong seems visibly disappointed by the remark though, so I can't wait for things to go further in Season 2.

Hopefully the success of Season 1 will lead to better budget for Season 2. I do think there isn't a need to focus on all the four couples in Season 2 though. I'm satisfied with how Bohn/Duen and Mek/Boss have ended up though I suppose the issue of parental objections may crop for for Bohn/Duen.

Despite being a terrible year with a pandemic going on, 2020 has been spoiling us with surprisingly good BL series. Let's hope the trend continues.

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Let's appreciate this series more

It seems that this is a series with very short episodes, but I watched a version with all the parts stitched together.

The series is made up of several interconnected stories. The initial premise is that, in a modern-day tavern, the guests consume drinks that give them visions of ancient times. As they are transported to another world through these visions, healing takes place. Soon, however, it becomes unclear which is the real world and which is the world of the dreams or hallucinations. It is possible that both worlds are real, but the characters of the ancient world have reincarnated and finish their unfinished businesses through the tavern. It could also be that the characters resolve their modern-world problems through their access to the ancient world. Ultimately, the friendships forged are real.

My favorite stories are the first and last stories, which feature bromance done really well. The friendship between the two main characters is the thread weaving the different stories, and it is executed beautifully too. I do wish the series were longer although, as it is, it has a satisfying ending.

What we have here is a feel-good series that is also moving and never frivolous. It doesn't go thin on emotional density. Yet, like the guests of the tavern, the audience can leave with a sense of hope. This is a series that deserves more appreciation.

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Interesting but lacks development

The story is pretty interesting but there is a lack of development particularly towards the end.

The key characters (Lan, Lady Hong and Wu Ren Ai) are fleshed out pretty well with their individual back stories unraveling as the story progresses. These characters are relatable, and I did find myself caring about them quite early on, which kept me hooked early on.

Unfortunately, there seem to be invisible boundaries limiting the development of character relationships. The relationship between Lan and Lady Hong border on GL, but anyone who knows anything about China's censorship will know that it is impossible to portray directly. Yet, there is hardly enough innuendo. The closest suggestion comes towards the end with Lan losing her memory and yet is instinctively waiting for someone--a sort of plot device usually reserved for romantic relationships.

Then there is Ren Fan Sheng and Wu Ren Ai's relationship, which has very faint hints of a one-sided BL. In one scene, the usually nonchalant Ren secretly goes after a drunkard who has injured Wu. (And it is suggested that his punishment for the assailant is waaay worse than what the latter did to Ren). Then in another scene, Lan tells Wu that he has a special place in Ren's heart. But then again, the suggestions of romantic love are few and far between.

The lack of clear development for the character relationships are not a major issue though. What hurts the story more is the lack of clarification regarding the central conflict and premise: Lady Hong has the grant people's wishes but, in exchange, they have to give her their flower of lust. Lady Hong herself does not remember how she becomes someone like that until quite late in the series. All she knows is that she sustains herself by plucking the flower of lust in people and she cannot do so indefinitely--she has to pluck a white flower of lust from someone who is willing to give it up so that she can survive and make the person the next Lady Hong.

Even with the revelations that come a little too late in the story, there is a lack of resolution: an immortal who feeds on the flower of lust is the one who has given Lady Hong her power. It is said that the immortal feeds on people's desires (hence gaining energy from the flower of lust), but why on earth does she need a Lady Hong to be the proxy? The immortal appears to be the personification of cruel Fate, but it does not make the ending particularly satisfying.

There are also some major plot holes. Lan is the one with the white flower of lust, but because of her desire to save Lady Hong, her flower turns pink. Thus, the immortal offers her a potion that will erase her emotions. Yet, if she manages to erase her emotions, why would she willingly give up her flower for Lady Hong? The story is interesting, but it is unfortunate that it has not been developed fully. Perhaps there is room for a sequel, but in itself, the ending of the series isn't very satisfying.

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Implied BL with a puzzling title

I stumbled upon this mini series by chance. It's gratifying to see that implied BL series from China can still exist despite the pervasive censorship. However, I'm not sure if BL series in which the romantic elements are at best heavily implied will continue to be released. Without publicity, even viewers who do not mind the fact that the romance is implied may not get to even hear about them. Yet, publicity will likely draw unwanted attention to such series, causing them to be cancelled.

Another problem with the current censorship rules is the fact that it will almost certainly affect the production budget, particularly for shows that are low-budget to begin with. After all, not many would risk investing in productions that most likely will not be commercially successful. The form that My Sweet Professor takes reflects this problem. It looks quite clearly like a condensed version of a story with much more substantial development. The story does get told, but the depth of character development, which can help viewers immerse themselves in the story and empathize with the characters, is gone. Additionally, the creators of the series have to resort to rather choppy editing to tell the story in such a condensed manner. The scenes quite haphazardly switch from the time when Gao Yuan and Huo Shang are high schoolers to eight years after, when they are adults. Furthermore, the reason behind Huo Shang's disappearance (critical to the story) is done through the speech of another character rather than through actual flashbacks. (And the revelation isn't even quite complete or convincing.)

What I can appreciate about the series, though, is how the leads' attraction to each other is quite obvious despite being implied rather than directly portrayed. It is clear from the start that Gao Yuan's resentment towards Huo Shang for disappearing eight years before is that of a lover who is coping with his boyfriend's unexplained disappearance. The way Huo Shang tries to approach Gao Yuan again is also clearly the behavior of someone trying to patch things up with his lover.

Unfortunately, there are many loose ends in the series. There is no real explanation of why Huo Shang does not try to look for Gao Yuan earlier. The corporate power struggle that Huo Shang is facing at work is also barely explained (it feels as though the truly censored parts of the story are not even the BL elements.) In the end, My Sweet Professor is a series that would have been much better if it had even been an eight-episode series with standard-length episodes. As a sign of how underdeveloped the story is, we do not even know why the series is entitled "My Sweet Professor".

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So adorable

The plot isn't great, but the series is exploding with cuteness without being irritating.

The supernatural element could have been used further. Because of an accident, Gu Buxia's suppressed ability to sense other-worldly beings is partially unlocked, and he only stops hearing sounds from the other world when he touches Jiang Chi. There could have been a lot more worked into the story here. Maybe each episode should be twice as long. Some of the events seem to be leading to something more exciting, but are quickly abandoned. Take for example the time when Gu Buxia is frightened by a fierce spirit in the bathroom. I thought more was going to happen, but no...

Still, there the couple is really cute. Yang I Hsuan (who plays Jiang Chi) is a surprisingly good actor and while Hong Wei Zhe (who plays Gu Buxia) seems a little unnatural at times, the role suits him very well.

The main weakness of the series is underdevelopment, which is a pity because if there were stronger development, the series would be phenomenal with such a cute couple. There is a hint of unresolved issues, making a Season 2 possible, with Jiang Chi beginning to hear the other-worldly voices and some foreshadowing of Jiang Chi's parents objecting to his relationship. I wish a Season 2 would happen.

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