solipsism5

I'm tired of hearing how this has ruined the History franchise. Some of the early History series were just junk, especially everything is season 1. I really did not like History 3 MODC, and must admit to not being familiar with History 2 at all. Unlike many on here I thought History 4 was great with a lot of complex characters and meaningful symbolism. So what are people even talking about - just stop prattling on about it. Ok, we get it, you don't like History 5 [I think it's mediocre], but it doesn't mean there was an incredible build up to History 3 Trapped, and then a titanic downturn. Again History 1 was just junk, even if it was fun. History 3 MODC sucked, and History 4 was not bad. It just goes up and down. The History franchise is not the Rolls Royce of BL series, and there never has been any consistency. We could easily have another upswing - History 6 could be mind-blowingly good. Just stop talking about it. You're talking about nothing.

I will happily watch History 6 when it comes out. History 5 at least establishes that the people behind this series have potential which makes you interested enough to watch the next one in the series. Hopefully they tighten up the script next time, and it could be another great one.

Well the sex was hot even if it didn't go anywhere. I can't complain, since this was the episode that He Bo was the least annoying. He's almost reflective as he listens to Hai-Yi talk about how sad he is that he missed so many opportunities to make up with his dad. He's also giving Lin some good advice and is pushing him to reconcile with Liang. He Bo is actually the most mature person in this episode which is really unexpected.

I can't wait to see what the Chairman is up to. They really are doing a good job keeping up the suspense. It's sad how he can't tell Lin the truth, and yet he has the maturity and strength to be the bad guy, taking the chance that his lover will leave him. I really like this series, and the acting is really good even if He Bo's character is written poorly - I'm just hoping they just tone it down with him, and he's a little bit more mature like in this episode. I still don't get why Tony is getting away with attempted murder, and I think that's the biggest flaw in the script. I don't think that's going to sink this series at all, though. I'm really curious how this is going to end and the time travel aspect has been nearly forgotten, except for a few seconds where He Bo reflects on his dead grandma. Will Hai-Yi really sacrifice his career and go back in time with He Bo, or will He Bo just leave by himself? There really are so many unanswered questions that keep you interested, and I hope they resolve everything in a satisfactory way.

Why is Phuwin crying at his mother's bedside? I can't believe he forgot all about her for weeks and is now overcome with grief. God, this plot is just bonkers. It's hard to feel anything in this show when all the emotions you'd expect out of characters are just misplaced or forgotten, and then suddenly reappear out of nowhere.

It's hard to know what to make of Neung's return to his business. You would think he would be making plans to protect himself, or to take down his uncle, but he does nothing but go to school with a badass coterie of bodyguards. What's the purpose of this? It seems to make everyone like Ben and Neung want to grovel at his feet for some reason. Neung wants the groveling but he's taking no pleasure in it, and just seems constipated and miserable. I don't get the emotions - everything seems off, except I understand that he's still angry at Ben, and won't forgive him unless Ben does something extraordinary for him. I like Ben here- he was apologizing for his terrible behavior, and that was very difficult and courageous. Chimon captures that really well expressing submissiveness, coupled with heartfelt contrition. As always, Chopper acts wonderfully expressing his feelings for Neung whom he was genuinely concerned for, and Neung just disregards all that in a kind of imperious way that makes us forget how wronged he was by Chopper's family.

I really like the reunion of Neung and Palm. It's good that they didn't let that stupid separation linger for several episodes. It was really sweet how Palm won't give up no matter how misguided Neung is. Neung, to his credit, finally gives in and lets Palm stay with him and this is the best thing that could have happened to redeem this series for me, because I'm mainly watching this series for the fluff. I still like the chemistry between the ML's and think it's the best thing in this show.

Overall this show is tortuous to watch, but I still like the relationships, and I'm still thinking it's a little better than your average BL, so it's been worth it, even if they missed a lot of opportunities to make this an exceptional one.

Wow, that was intense! I loved the scenes with Army and Joe. It was wrenching to see how much Joe lost because of that thoughtlessness on Army’s part. Joe loves his job, and he didn’t need to come out, and no one would consider him a coward in that situation. That’s why Army’s calling him that was the last straw for Joe, adding insult to injury. Even though I hate what Army did, and that he called Joe a coward, I like his relentlessness. He’s really fighting to keep Joe, and I thought he was going to hug him to himself until Joe relented, but he does give up in the end. I never see BL couples fight for each other, and I just felt it was refreshing that Army did that. I’m glad we finally know that Army apologized many times for what he did [I hope he grovelled at Joe’s feet], so he has moved on and is fighting for Joe as a real lover that knows he deserves love in return. Joe is just too hurt about what Army did to his career, and its such an amazing quandary they set up here, because I totally feel Joe here. He might love Army but Army just possibly destroyed the career he loved. What a complex set-up this was, and the balancing of two competing emotions, love for Army and disgust for his actions, was done beautifully because this is so true to life – this is just like the very difficult decisions we all have to make. Army’s emotions are great too because he’s always like a child but he understands things because he’s simple and honest. He sees that Joe is living a lie, and that has to be debilitating, and miserable. He knows Joe loves his career but won’t find a place that treats him like a decent person, not a pedophile. He’s right about that, but it wasn’t his choice to make especially when Joe wasn’t ready for it. Army can’t take responsibility for his actions, or feel the proper level of remorse for them. He’s just upset that he’s lost Joe, and it’s going to take him time to realize that once again, he’s done Joe wrong. He’s dim witted that way, but he eventually understands what he’s done and he does have a good heart so that he’ll beg for forgiveness again. He’ll grovel at Joe’s feet once more-I have a feeling he’ll do anything to get Joe back. It’s great to see a character like this: child-like, pure, obstinate, shameless, and eventually contrite.

Another complex twist that was really dramatic was when Mollie and Kim fight over the meaning of their relationship. I don’t think Kim was being totally shallow, but she was definitely being moderately shallow in not understanding Mollie. No one has sex without some emotional attachment, unless they make it known ahead of time that they are not interested in anything except corporal pleasure. It was really insensitive, and solipsistic (self-involved) of Kim to not notice how Mollie might feel about their sexual encounter. Mollie is definitely more mature here, and she’s absolutely right to call out Kim on this – she’s not a vibrator, like she said. Understandably Kim is focused on the baby, but that doesn’t give her carte blanche rights to be totally insensitive to what Mollie wanted out of their relationship. Kim did go through a harsh break-up, and she’s nowhere near as bad as her former lover, but she has forgotten how she didn’t like to be treated that way, the way she’s treating Mollie, and hopefully she will reflect on it, and understand her lack of empathy.

I also really love the scene with Jean and Tony. Tony was such a gentleman and is the real hero of this series. He’s never done anything wrong and his love for Jean was really unselfish. I think that scene was done beautifully – that look from Tony after Jean starts crying was full of such tenderness, and was really the most magical moment for me in this whole series. It was a glowing moment of someone being transcendentally good, but it was in just an everyday situation. That’s what you want to see in someone that is your lover, a person that can accept everything unconditionally, and it is so sad he’s not going to be Jean’s lover. She’s reliving that trauma and has never moved past it. She loves Alex but can’t get past what he did. I hope she doesn’t, in a way. I would be happier if she got past her fixation on him and explore the one million other possibilities, especially someone like Tony. She just needs therapy to help her move beyond this block, but it’s nice how they show this kind of mental issue in this series. This is a realistic portrayal of PTSD caused by rape, and it doesn’t matter how the rape happened, or, as many have said on here, that wasn’t really a rape – it’s her perception that it was a rape that is important. In her mind it was a full blown rape by the man she loved, and she’s in an endless loop of loathing and desire. This was really a powerful portrayal and Jean’s character totally captures it.

The marriage scene with Jedi and Rose was very sweet. It felt so real, perhaps because it’s so unique, it has a seeming fresh perspective on two people committing to a lifetime together. The sick transphobes in the crowd really just highlighted how all these diverse relationships are special. Even if you’ve heard the words a thousand times, it feels powerful here, and very moving: “But in the end we belong together. No other woman in the world makes me love the way you do.” Just special words that were wonderful to hear.

Really a great episode, and the best of the series for me. Just so much happened and all very meaningful. They are really making a beautiful series about sex and love that has few parallels. I don’t even remember the science fiction element in this. It’s really not the focus of this series. It’s really about intense relationships in the real world that have all the natural dramatic twists that everyone experiences at some point in their lives.

Am I missing something? Is this in the extended version? I didn't see any of this.

I can't help it, I really, really like Burger and King - so sue me. They are just such a lovely, adoreable couple. They make this whole mediocre BL worthwhile. They're acting is just perfect for their roles. The rest of this is ok. I don't know why that transgender teacher is always in Beast mode, but it's just another weird quirk in this drama that I'm ignoring. I like how Matteo has given Shogun the open love that he needs as opposed to the homophobic, underground love that he got from Ken. That was nicely done in this episode. Overall, this has been enjoyable. I'm actually looking forward to the next one.

Advice from Dr. Feelgood: When nothing else works to win over your love interest, give them your resume. It works like magic. Also, if they pretend to be too straight, remember no means yes. You can win them over pretending to be sick, and asking them to provide you warmth with their body heat. This gets the natural pheromones working so that the conversion process can begin, and soon you'll be banging away - thank goodness King's mom came prepared for this eventuality with a bag of multi-sized condoms.

Advice from Dr. Feelgood: When nothing else works to win over your love interest, give them your resume. It works like magic. Also, if they pretend to be too straight, remember no means yes. You can win them over pretending to be sick, and asking them to provide you warmth with their body heat. This gets the natural pheromones working so that the conversion process can begin, and soon you'll be banging away - thank goodness King's mom came prepared for this eventuality with a bag of multi-sized condoms.

Kiyoi is just very reserved for someone in a relationship. He doesn't "give", he "demands", and it's just in the way it's portrayed in this drama. I understand the book has more background material, and depth, but he acts rather cold with Hira in public in this series. While Kiyoi is with Hira, he should be more considerate, asking him for his opinions. Like when they're shopping for clothes, he's just picking out his whole wardrobe, and when he's at the social, he should have let him choose whether he wanted to go in or not, rather than almost forcing him to go.

I didn't mean to imply the relationship was toxic, and I believe it's evolving. It could become toxic if they don't make some changes, because it is, in my opinion, too extreme the way Hira idolizes Kiyoi, and is willing to be an almost slave-like follower. It's like in any relationship, people have to work out the kinks, and this might be what the "drama" of the future episodes might entail. I don't like the fake drama that most of these BL's rely on so I'm all for just the everyday relationship issues that would be the point of interest for this series.

The acting of Hagiwara and Yagi playing the main leads is just perfect. I've seen Hagiwara in other things and he's nothing like this. He captures Hira and his social anxiety so adroitly that it feels I'm watching this person not through a movie, but as if they were someone that was being live-streamed on youtube. I like Yagi's portrayal of Kiyoi as well, and he reflects his feelings with so many subtle looks, and even with how tenses up his whole body when he gets upset.

I like the almost intense innocence of Hira who dotes on Kiyoi like an idol worshiper, but at the same time the intensity of it becomes cloying, and we want him to involve himself more with the relationship, to ask Kiyoi for something in return.

Why won't Kiyoi act more giving? Only in the last few minutes does he tell Hira that he needs him. Other than that, he's constantly putting him down, acting either jealous or disgusted. It's really not healthy and I hope this is just an initial stage in their relationship [though it feels like a regression from the previous season], and that they grow beyond this. Hira has to become more assertive, and Kiyoi more compassionate for this to work. I'm going to suspend judgement on this relationship till we see how this progresses.

I really like everything else about this drama so far, and thank goodness Hira gets a new haircut. That mullet did not suit him at all, and his new hairstyle helps move him forward into adulthood and looks ten times more attractive. I love the cinematography of this series, and the direction. This episode flows very well from the first season, and I hope it well end as strong, although there are virtually no points of conflict that I can think of that will create any drama. I'm curious how they are going to retain our interest without that.

Yes, you’re right, of course. I don’t know how I mixed those two shows up like that, lol.

Tinn is awesome! I wish I could find a boyfriend like that. I need some unconditional love, and lots of attention! Where are you Tinn??? I can't wait forever.

He's super cute. I've liked him since Bad Buddy. He was also in Star in My Mind [don't watch that one, unless you want to just FF to see shots of Winny].

I love this episode. They really are avoiding the fake drama and I appreciate that. When you treat minor miscommunications like what they are, you can get to the real story. In this case it's that Tinn would do anything for Gunn, and he wouldn't subvert their relationship by hiding things from him. This is an ideal boyfriend, but not one that is impossibly difficult to believe in. There are people like Tinn out there, and he's playful enough that he doesn't feel like a marble statue. Gun's mom is just heroic. She doesn't indulge in self-pity and wants to teach Gun not to feel that way either. She's not going to be beaten by cancer, and that's the way most people who make it get themselves to full remission. She wasn't going to wallow in melodrama and I'm glad this show didn't go there. This is a BL that knows its mission - super fluffy with no excuses, and no pretensions.

Wonderful ending. It's really what I like in a BL. It's a beautiful romance with two unlikely partners and they built this up from the first episode to a superb climax. Both characters were drawn so well, and stayed true to character to the end, and I feel that they are a perfect match. The whole script was very cohesive, and all the different assignments really brought out the characters in such an incisive way. If you look at the story of Inami, Onoe fully sympathizes with him and Kaburagi sees right through him, but the ending is about how Onoe's kind nature eludes the cynical Kaburagi because he doesn't believe such people exist. The boss has to explain to him how Onoe's seeming ability to lie was just a way for him to get the job done, because he's always done everything to save people's lives. Kaburagi was thinking Onoe was just as immoral as the rest of the reporters he's familiar with, and had already become corrupted. Through this whole last episode we also see how Kaburagi is also fundamentally an ethical person. He doesn't want to live with someone who even has the hint of being shallow. This is what was really well done in the character portrayal. Both these characters are more complex than what one would have thought - this is part of the skillful writing that makes this whole series wonderful, and a joy to watch. The pacing, cinematography, and direction were also just nearly perfect. Really one of the best BL's of the year, and one of the best Japanese BL's I've ever watched. I also appreciate that they had a hug, a passionate kiss, and a semi-steamy bedroom scene at the end. We really are getting more physical in the Japanese Bl's of late.

That sounded like a smartass comment. I didn't mean to belittle your liking the show. I could see how someone could enjoy this. I just was trying to make a joke :)

3 Will Be Free was great, but it made a lot more sense. It's good you can enjoy this. I really tried hard to shut my brain off, but it refuses to go all the way. I'm going to watch to the end though, but without a lot of enthusiasm. I'm just hoping Pond takes his shirt off more, and that might save this whole thing. If he was working as a stripper and we borrow clips from Midnight Laundry for this show this might really turn out to be good by the end of the day.

I still find this very entertaining. I think Hai Yi is supernaturally handsome and He Bo is supernaturally annoying. I wish they had toned that character down a little bit, but I can see what they were going for. It just doesn't click for me, and I'm guessing it doesn't work for most people. You want a romantic couple to be romantic and that childish slapstick just doesn't get you there. I don't like anything He Bo does against Hai Yi - it just makes the character more irritating.

The plot with Liang is definitely more interesting. I think, like most people on here, that he's not working with the old man, and that it is sad that his lover had no trust in him. Nonetheless, when he says he's the cause behind the company's success what was Lin supposed to think? Is he just trying to get Lin to dislike him so he can have a better disguise and he can work without interference from his lover against the old man? This plot is really quite interesting and I find a good plot is one that keeps you guessing like this. I think this is really quite good, but different from the old History series. The pacing is good, and I felt this whole episode went by without me wanting to FF anything [ok, except He Bo's stupid antics]. The acting and cinematography are excellent even if He Bo is just too OTT [he must be written that way]. I'm waiting to see how this turns out, but I think it's pretty decent so far.

What I feel frustrated by in this episode is how cold Neung has become. What happened to the guy that was working as a day laborer selling fish? Or the one who saved Palm's mother from being used as a prostitute? Ordering his boyfriend as his boss, and developing a whole new personality in minutes is just stupid. It destroyed the thing we liked about Neung to bring back someone like the old Neung, but even worse. I guess he's supposed to be heroic,etc., but you do heroic things for the people you love, and he said he only loved three people, one whom he wants to abandon so he can do things for him? Or is it all just about seeking vengeance? No one likes characters like that who only have that on their mind. What do you do after you get your revenge? You just sit around in a stupor waiting for the next person you can take vengeance on.

I don't even think they meant to write a character like this, so the plot is now destroying the only thing left that we liked - the characters, and their romantic relationships - for the sake of gangster- style drama. This show is just sinking fast. The same thing is happening with Chopper and Ben. They could have done this show, but they should have just stuck mostly to one lane, and I'm thinking they should have stuck with the family drama, and let the gangster story play out in the background, instead of making it the center of our attention. That would also have required a totally different promo campaign that didn't make people think they were going to watch a mafia story. Weirdly enough, it doesn't even make it as a mafia story, especially with the poorly executed action sequences, so it's almost like it's just in the middle of nowhere.

It's just another harmless fluffy BL with a little S&M. I'm just waiting to see Burger and King again, and that couple with Saint is cute as well. I think that Matteo and Shokun are just comic relief. Does anyone take that relationship seriously? That's like kiddy S&M with Pokemon and Pikichu. I picture Pokemon tying up Pikichu and spanking his butt when I see those two.

This BL is not that creative, but it has a few unique features. It's got people wearing short shorts, a teacher dressed like a dumpy fairy princess, a little semi-incest relationship, a grumpy Victorian transgender teacher, kiddy BDSM, and a character sticking his butt out in the initial cover [Saint, whose character is nothing like that]. Its a little unique, and the pacing is ok. It's also got Newyear and Jur who are an adorable couple. Overall, it's enjoyable enough, even if just barely so.