ryanclovis

I mostly agree. Teh isn't evil or unforgivable or ruined for me, as some people feel. But Aew was right to leave him for what he did. And I think Teh needed some space apart from Aew as well, to remember what they have. I actually don't agree about Aew following his own whims and fancies no matter who it hurts. When he saw what Teh was enduring in order to live at his place, Aew convinced him to go back to his dorm, even though it was the last thing Aew wanted. When Aew began to feel the distance in their relationship, he didn't just sulk, he put in the effort to fix it by offering to help with the promotional posters for Teh's play. I really feel like Aew grew a lot in IPYTM compared to how he was in ITSAY. It bothered me so much in ITSAY when Aew turned down the spot at the school which Teh sacrificed for him. He was next on the waiting list regardless, so it made no sense! And he had literally given up on even trying to get in until that happened so.... ahem, I'm getting mad all over again, so I'm gonna stop talking about that. Anyway, Aew's part this time around seemed to be figuring out who he really is. And Teh's part seemed to be figuring out if the person Aew was becoming is someone he still wanted to be with. I like where they ended up in the end.

I feel like this should have a higher rating. I enjoyed it way more than I was expecting to, and laughed so much. It's not the greatest bl or anything, but the enjoyment factor for this one is high.

I'm with you. I'm glad I watched episode 10, but once was really enough. And Wayne's acting was so damn good in that episode.

Wayne's acting was SOOO good. Too good. I felt everything he was feeling and it destroyed me.

This happens to me a lot. I won't find the main characters all that attractive, so I'm not that eager to watch the series. Then when I finally do watch, I end up falling in love with those same characters and thinking they are absolutely beautiful.

Personally, I thought episode 10 was good in its own way. I fell in love with Xi Gu and Hao Ting, so it obviously isn't the ending I wanted for them, but these kind of things do happen in real life. They do such a good job of showing how losing someone you love can completely overturn your life. And Wayne does a phenomenal job displaying Hao Ting's grief. His acting really was next-level. I swear I never cried so hard in my life! I'lI probably skip ep 10 when I rewatch the series, but I'm glad I watched it at least once. If Make Our Days Count 2 happens, and Xi Gu is alive, I'm gonna treat that as the REAL ending.

Yes, what they settled on in the meeting was just no public contact until the series ended, which wouldn't have been the worst thing since they could still communicate in private during that time. (Although Tam did tell Nubsib that he shouldn't be dating anyone as it will get in the way of his career. That had implications beyond 4 months, since she wanted to continue his contract.) But I think it was made clear during the argument between Gene and Nubsib.
Also, Gene breaking up with Nubsib went beyond what they agreed on in the meeting. He cut off all contact, not just public contact They broke up without any clear plan to get back together. There was no talk of getting back together after the show ended.

I mostly agree with you, but have some issues with your first point.
I agree they could have hid their relationship for 4 months until the show ended. It sucks that fans are so crazy that's this is necessary, but it's not an unreasonable request considering all the effort everyone put into the show. And I think Gene could have convinced Nubsib to do this once he calmed down. But Gene took it further by insisting that Nubsib should continue to do whatever his management company asked of him. When Nubsib told him that they wouldn't be satisfied with hiding things just until the show ended, and that they'd try to continue making them hide their relationship in the future to promote him and Aoey, Gene told him he should go along with that too. Even though Nubsib makes it clear that's not what he wants, Gene still insists it's what he should do. Tum later confirms this was their plan. Even when they reunite in the last episode, Gene is expecting a relationship where they have to hide, until Nubsib tells him he didn't renew his contract. Things only end happily because Nubsib always put their relationship first. If things had been left up to Gene, they'd either remain apart or be dating in secret while the management company continued to promote Nubsib x Aoey. I can't see either of them being truly happy in either scenario, especially not Nubsib. He'd be suffering. And if Gene had considered Nubsib's feelings even once, he would have realized this.

In the end, everything is resolved because Nubsib doesn't renew his contract, right? But that was always an option , it's just one Gene rejected, as he insisted Nubsib should continue doing whatever his management team asks. I just don't understand why Gene accepts it so easily now, when he opposed it so strongly before that he was willing to end their relationship instead.

Also, you might view Gene's actions as thinking of Nubsib, but you can also view them as patronizing. He decided what was best for Nubsib while ignoring what Nubsib himself wanted. He was acting like a parent, not a boyfriend. Nubsib also told Gene that he was fine hiding their relationship until the series ended, but that his management team wouldn't be satisfied with that. He said they would want him to continue hiding it in the future to make it look like he and Aoey were together. Tum later confirmed this was their plan. And yet Gene still told him he should go along with that. Even though Nubsib makes it clear that's not what he wants, Gene still insists. Gene could have told Nubsib that they will only keep apart for 4 months, just until the contract expired. Instead he told him "Let's end it." They broke up without any plan to get back together.

So let's be honest, things end happily only because Nubsib thankfully isn't like Gene, and puts their relationship first. Hell, even after they reunite, Gene is ready to continue in a relationship where they have to hide from the world, until Nubsib tells him he ended the contract. If things had been left up to Gene, they'd either remain apart or be dating in secret while the management company continued to promote Nubsib x Aoey.

Yeah, I remember Nubsib saying his contract was over. But right before Gene broke up with him, Nubsib told Gene that he would end the contract. He said that he only started acting to get to Gene in the first place, and being a star wasn't more important to him than their relationship. Yet Gene dismissed this and still broke up with him. So I don't get how Nubsib doing what he said he would do, terminating his contract, changed anything for Gene.

You are probably right that he needs therapy, but hopefully his therapist would make clear that shitty things happening to you doesn't give you a right to do shitty things to others. Well, I guess the ones who hurt you are fair game.

I agree so much with all of this. I don't get what changed in those 4 months that Gene was suddenly okay with dating Nubsib again. And how can Nubsib feel secure in that relationship after Gene abandoned it without even trying to fight for it? I wish Nubsib got angry at Gene at least once. He spoils him a little too much.

I mostly enjoyed this series. I like that it critiqued how toxic the bl industry and bl fandom can be. As for the fandom, you can see it in some of the chats on this very site. I liked that the two leads actually kissed, with passion, multiple times--and we didn't have to wait until the last moments of the final episode to see it!

All that said, the final two eps were a bit disappointing. I can't understand how Gene, after standing up for their relationship to his father, so easily abandons it when the "scandal" happens. Nubsib made it clear to everyone that his relationship with Gene was the most important thing, more important than being a star. Yet Gene didn't even try to fight for it. I really needed him to be stronger there, and he just wasn't at all. So it also doesn't make sense that they got back together so easily. What changed in those 4 months? I don't know that I could accept Gene back so easily. It would be hard to feel secure in that relationship after seeing how easily he gave it up before.

I also don't understand what they were trying to do with Aoey's character. The dinner scene with his family on his birthday hinted at a deeper character, but all we ended up getting was a manipulating asshole. (And blind, apparently, cuz Mork was hot af.)

The last two eps really tried to ruin a lot of the characters for me. Like, I still can't understand why Tiffy got angry at Tum. And I don't understand what caused her to drop Aoey. One moment she was completely in Aoey's corner, blaming Tum and Nubsib, and the next she wasn't. Did I miss something?

While disappointing, the final eps made me appreciate Nubsib and Hin a lot more. Actually, I think Hin might have been my favorite character. I hope he gets more focus if there is a special ep or 2nd season.

Anyway, not the strongest finish, but a good show overall. It was definitely worth the watch.

I'm still not sold on the mental illness explanation. Could be the case, could also not be. Regardless, Aey didn't confide in Tiffy either. She tried to get him to open up and tell her what was going on with him several times, but he wouldn't.

I wanted to like him. But he was such a selfish character that eventually I gave up. After the scene with his family, I really felt for him. I wanted to see more character development from him, but the writer was like "nah."

It's easier to stomach the character if he has a mental illness, but I'm not sure that's meant to be the case. Aey could have simply been hurt about what happened in his past and used that an excuse to be a shitty person in the present. There are definitely people like this. And even if Aey does have a mental illness, Mork tried to be the person you describe, who would guide him and help him, but Aey rejected that. I feel like he earned his ending.

tbh he's cute with or without hair, but yeah I almost didn't notice it was him

Signal is one of my favorites as well, even though watching it makes me lose faith in humanity lol. And now Prison Playbook joins my list of faves. I've heard of Chicago Typewriter, but I haven't seen it yet. I guess I'll watch it soon now. Never even heard of Cruel City though. I'll check out its page on this site.

I don't think that's a good lesson. People can and do quit. It's often very difficult, and many don't manage it, but it's certainly possible. If the message is that you can't quit, then there's really no reason for people who want to quit to even try.

What are your top 3?