solipsism5

This was marginally better than your typical BL. Even though it incorporated a lot of the fantasy elements of your normal BL, it did have a lot of realism as well. I like the messiness of where all the relationships ended, and feel that is where it really should end. I think there is enough hope for everyone at the end, and it ends on a semi-happy note, except perhaps for Non. I think where Non ended is the typical story of countless other people who could never get the one they were after, but at least he finally made the attempt to get his man. I think June finally goes to the man who cares for him, rather than chasing after an insensitive, flirtatious jerk. Pete can never realistically get King back, and that was the best possible ending for them. In reality, he should have resisted Jeff Satur's character, so he really messed up, and he deserves that consequence. Maybe those two could get together after a lot of time has passed, and the truth becomes a lot clearer - if I was in King's position I would not be able to understand Pete either. This drama was surprisingly accurate in its psychological portrayals and I would highly recommend it.

This is hard to watch. It goes from one climax of silliness to another - that bite Nuae gives him in the bar, to that shower scene. I also wonder who the stalker is now, because Nuae is being sexual with this kid in front of a hundred people [without his consent] and he's undressing him while he's unconscious. That character Khaojoa,the pretty plain looking little gumdrop, is annoying the way he reptitively plays the coy mistress. Toh is also annoying with his same repetitive routine, that little inner smile he gives himself like a hundred times every episode. I loved that I got to look at Nuae's chest for like an hour but was wondering why Toh just kept poking at him for that long, and he takes another hour to tell him that he's got a hard on. Everything is just super slow-mo with Toh, and I have to watch 10 other shows to stay awake [flipping back and forth]. After having said all that, I somehow still enjoy the show because it's just so absurd that it really is funny. I also like the maxed out fluffiness of this series. It really is kind of nice after a stressful day in the real world.

Hope everyone is doing ok there! I really love this series. It feels like its going to be a classic.

Sorry, I keep forgetting that. Thanks!

The story so far:

Akk and Theo, reunite after being separated for several years when Theo moves to France. Though Theo’s parents are millionaires and deeply love their son, they refuse to ever let him come back to Thailand for over a decade, not even for holidays. Hmmm, they didn’t want to pay for plane tickets, apparently, because of an extreme level of financial cautiousness that makes Scrooge seem like Santa Claus. Because of this extreme parsimoniousness by Theo’s parents Akk has never seen Theo since they were kids and doesn’t recognize him when he comes home. Nonetheless, due to some random feelings that Theo and Akk have for each other since the 6th grade, they instantly fall in love, though Akk doesn’t quite know he is desperately in love yet. The two must wait to consummate their love, because of what could be called the Enchanté SH$T*. After that is over the time stasis will be lifted off their relationship and they can finally get together again. The end.

I can see some nervous executive thinking to themselves, oh no, what are we going to do with that Enchanté shit to stretch it out for 8 episodes? OMG, and why did someone put us right after Bad Buddy, like WTF!!

*Enchanté shit – any inconsequential and seemingly random junk that keeps two people apart for no discernible reason.

I might seem repetitive on here, but virtually every episode in this series has been extraordinary. This one is wonderful for keeping up the intense suspense, while revealing so much behind the story of Todd, Black, and Dan. What’s also great is that this series resolves issues without dwelling on them forever, and this episode does that with Sean’s relationship with Black. Everyone must have wanted White to reveal his story to Sean, and they built up that tension beautifully, until Sean finally gets his answer out of Black, and when he does that we don’t feel as badly about Black because he reveals that he was trying to protect White. Thank goodness we didn’t have to wait several more episodes for White’s identity to be finally revealed to Sean. I think that would have strained credulity.

Black’s character is somewhat resuscitated this episode with his confession to Sean and his talk with Todd where he reveals his rather positive motives for getting into his brand of vigilante justice. It’s apparent that Black does think of the bigger picture and knows that he has to use someone with power and influence to take down Tawi. It’s interesting that the screenwriters had put up Todd as the bogey-man from the beginning in such a clever way to make everyone [including myself] think he was the villain of the series. In reality he is the person that might help the most with taking down Tawi. As the discussion between the two continues it is apparent that both Todd and Black share a lot of similar views, especially in believing that peaceful protests would never work in Thailand to resolve the issue of political corruption. They are justifiably wary of each other, but their alliance should remain intact because it makes sense - they need each other to pursue their goals though Todd needs Black far less than the reverse.

Dan’s [Fluke] acting as he’s suffering from his gunshot wound, and as he makes his confession were utterly fantastic. I also love Yok’s facial expressions as Dan reveals he was the one who shot Sean’s father. Yok has a maniacal look in his eyes, depicting a moment of intense anger at Dan, but he quickly transitions back into his normal concern for Dan as he recovers his senses. The relationship between the two is just so completely solid, and is one of the most beautiful things in this series. First captures all the complex emotions here perfectly. The acting between these two, and their depiction of this couple is one of the most stellar things in any BL I’ve ever seen.

I still don’t know what’s going on, and that is really great after this many episodes. Is Tawi the main villain again? Is Todd going to make a comeback as a villain later? Even though I hate I have to wait a week to see the next episode, it is worth it. If you imagine watching all 14 episodes at once, this is the way you would want to structure this, so you would be compelled to watch this from beginning to end. They’re doing this right and the pacing is nearly perfect.

I'm not going to pick on the acting and all that, because I don't really find it to be that bad. I can feel the connection between the two main's. I find this series to be mildly enjoyable, but it could have been a lot better if everyone hadn't already guessed the plot because the screenwriters were too obvious. I think this is just going to be a pleasant drama but with very little fireworks. It would have been nice if there was even a little bit of tension between the main couple, just so we could have a little character exploration. This is about the only drama where I would have welcomed a second or third couple. The main story has too little substance to carry the show.

I have no idea what I'm watching here. It's so plasticine and cringey with a toxic level of tropiness. It usually never takes me long to finish an episode but everything Toh does with Nuea makes me cringe really hard and I have to take a break. If I was Nuea I would be thinking that Toh was a critical component of some aversion therapy someone had perpetrated against me to scare me into being straight. There is such a disparity between Nuae and Toh, that even for a fantasy show it's not believable. I've never felt like rooting for the toxic female lead before, but I'm almost there if only she wasn't such a caricature of that type. This literally should have just been a comedy, but what is it? It's just so totally syrupy and campy that it's nearly unrecognizable as a love story. I'm watching this for Nuea, because he's beautiful, but this is also so absurd that it does make me laugh, so there's that.

This show is just so consistently good, especially the last three episodes. I liked the realism of White's confrontation with his mom. She is just your typical cynical power player in a corrupt society where everyone assumes nothing will ever get better. In fact, she is even worse because she says she's happy with the status quo which makes her part of the problem. White might be naive but who could accept this mother who wears one of the many faces of evil. I felt like White is depicted so wonderfully as a hero out of the real world who rejects a blind, corrupt society. It's like the relentless message of this series, the insistence on fighting government corruption, and they never play around with it - bravo to whoever is behind this.

There is a big mix of fantasy and realism in this series. Black's return is an example of this. Black's character, played masterfully by Gun, is just so antithetical to White. He's like a pure thug or terrorist - perhaps he believes in some just cause but he is willing to use any means to achieve his ends and would probably end up being no better than the people he takes down. Gun played a similar character in Playboy (and the Gang of Cherry), a really graphic avant-garde noir film, and the realism in this series is very reminiscent of his role there. It's just such a contrast to the fantasy scenario where he's coming back to replace White and fighting with everyone with such strength after coming out of a coma. And did Sean never really have a clue that Black was someone else? I'm not criticising this - it's just that this drama seems to fuse realism and fantasy in a unique way that I have never seen before, even outside of BL's.

I really loved the continuing suspense of this series, and this episode had some of the best pacing I've ever seen in a BL - it didn't seem like there was a wasted second. The drama of Yok's fight with Sean, followed by Sean's fight with Balck, and finally the attack on Gumpa's garage, made this episode feel like something out of Mission Impossible. If anyone was bored this episode, they have to be nuts. I'm not sure I've ever seen a BL that had anything like this and it was pulled off perfectly. The last scene with White saving Sean was such a nice touch after his brutal treatment from Black. I still have no idea what's actually going on - is the attack on the compound taking place because Todd wants to get rid of the gang after Black escapes from the hospital? Are these attackers different from the people that went after Yok and the other gang members the previous episode? Why didn't they attack the compound before since Todd already knew they were all there? It's really great that I can't guess what's going to happen and I think the show-creators are doing a fantastic job keeping the suspense building.

I don't see the connection. I assume Akk ends up with Theo by the end of this. Did Force say something on social media?

That part where Dan is beating up Black , sending him to the hospital, is weird given what happens in this series. There seems to be quite a lot of changes, and the atmosphere of the series feels different if still similar. Thanks for posting this. It's interesting to see how stories metamorphisize over time, and this does have the feel of an earlier version of this story.

Wow! This show is just the best, and I’m sticking with that’s it’s one of the best BL’s ever made. It’s got a great balance of romance and drama. I think the pacing in this episode is just perfect and we have a lot of the answers for the previous questions concerning Sean’s relationship with Namo, and Black’s relationship with Eugene. I like that we have some bi characters in this series, unlike the rather immature series where we have the stupid gay for this one guy trope. And the women are not really discarded like afterthoughts – we have some really wonderful emotional scenes depicting their heartbreak after losing their love interests. These are not toxic female leads, but very sympathetic chracters who are moving on [through painful struggle] and not chasing after the men they lost to seek revenge so as to become the objects of hatred during the series. Again, I feel this is far more mature than what I’ve seen in the past with dozens of other BL’s.

I love the romantic scenes in this episodes. Yok and Dan are moving very quickly to becoming a very solid couple. Yok goes after Dan in just the right away – he’s insistent but never breaks boundaries, and tells Dan he doesn’t have to reveal the painful story behind the mural if he wasn’t ready. Yok is relentless, though, in pursuing Dan – tracking him back to where he works, asking him out to dinner, making him meet his mom. Dan seems very compliant with all his requests, and he is such an open and sensitive character, unlike the impression he created at the beginning of the series. I love Fluke’s acting throughout, his hesitancy with Yok’s insistent prodding, his tender looks while they are making out, and his concern when he sees Yok’s in some danger. I think White and Sean also have a lot of romantic scenes that are very scorching hot for a BL. I think their scenes in the tent were some of the best love-making I’ve ever seen in a BL – just so natural and playful with just the right amount of passion.

There is also quite a lot of tension in this episode created by the hunt for the various characters by probably Todd and his henchmen. Now assuming he’s behind all this, he should already know exactly where to find all the gang members so I’m just a little confused as to what’s going on. I’m guessing he’s going to make it seem Tawi is behind this and is maneuvering the various gang members so they’ll be killed far away from Gumpa’s hideout. It’s just very clever how the screenwriter’s keep you guessing. As far as Black in concerned, I think we can see now why the other members of the gang disliked him, and how he earned his reputation for being domineering and insensitive. Black finally reveals what most of us suspected, that Todd is behind everything and not Tawi [although I guess it is still possible that the two could be working together]. He’s also ready to jump back into the fray and just bosses White around like he was baggage, even slapping White for trying to help him by joining his gang. The set-up for next week seems the best so far in this series. I mean I want this next episode to air like yesterday, and the suspense couldn’t be any better.

It is possible that Tawi is not really the villain at all, but his acting captures the right mood for a wealthy oligarch being confronted by someone with no power or influence. BTW I wonder where Gumpa gets all this intel, and could he be working with the real mastermind behind the drug deals? Someone keeps feeding these lines to Sean that Tawi is behind everything and that person seems to be Gumpa. Another mystery this episode is what's Dan talking about when he's relating his crime/misdeed from the past? This series does a great job of keeping up the suspense - really just doing everything right in my book.

This was just such a romantic episode. If people come to BL's to watch men being vulnerable and sensitive this was the episode for you. What was really even better than normal was the realism of the romance. You could feel Yok and Dan sharing a real moment, with Dan experiencing some visceral pain that was conveyed beautifully by Fluke's acting. Sean and Black's kiss on the rooftop was just so well done and you could see at the end, after they kiss, when they are touching heads, an almost spiritual connection between the two. I like Dan finally coming out of his shell, and it was through the connection of their art - the drawing of his body was what triggered his emotional reaction. This is such a great contrast to when he was fleeing from Yok and warding him away with his gun. Both Dan and Sean hide their feelings behind masks of violence. Sean's asking for trust is mirrored by White, and is a launching pad for their being honest about their feelings with each other. Sean also relates his very painful memories concerning his father which he never revealed to anyone. Yok is doing the same with Dan, asking him to trust him drawing his naked body - I would certainly say that's building their relationship to the next level. Yok doesn't betray the trust by making a move on him, but just gently touches his face with wonderful tenderness.

I just want to say that compared to other series, where the love-making is so stiff and unnatural, this was a welcome exhibition of how BL's are supposed to be done and is as compelling as the romance in Bad Buddy with even greater realism.

The scenes with Tawi are also great. The whole confrontation with Tawi and Sean was carried off perfectly. Sean is barely able to control himself and is just able to prevent himself from going to jail which completely captures his character. I like that Tawi is not made into a caricature of a villain here. He comes off as really professional and never drops the mask even while being pushed to the limit by Sean - this is really true to life as most guys in Tawi's position are very sensitive to the law and their public image.

I think this is really good so far. The main leads seem very comfortable in their roles and that makes the progression of their relationship flow so well. I think it might seem slow so far but I think it's just a rather long prologue, and we are going to get into the conflicts/drama pretty soon, but the introductions have been done well, without an awkward moment, and I think all the characters are relatable.

I'm not sure why people are confused about the appearance of the different characters because their faces are clearly and recognizably different even if they have somewhat similar haircuts.

I like the attempt, at least, of people trying to speak French [mainly Theo]. I speak French as a non-native speaker, and there is nothing wrong with Thai people trying to speak bad French because we are very used to them speaking bad English - what's the difference? It's just nice they tried something a little different here and French always adds a little bit of mystique and elegance to any situation even if they are not doing the language justice.

BTW I'm surprised this was directed by the famous director of Love Sick, one of the first gay Thai dramas ever made. He's also a screenwriter. I can't understand it. This series seems like it was made by a total novice. I don't blame the budget for this either because I have definitely seen much cheaper productions.

I have very low standards with BL's but I am aware when one is really really bad. This has to be in the bottom 5 worst BL's ever made. The plot is just nearly non-existent, and/or written by a monkey. I can't understand what caused this train-wreck to come into existence but enjoy whatever you can out of this drivel. Maybe you like watching paint dry.

There is no cohesiveness to this BL at all, but I do love the main couple and the sensitive portrayal of their love-making. Anything with the other couples seems just like filler, especially any scenes with June (the adrogynous character) - his scenes feel like they belong in some other BL.

There is so little to say about this show, and it has to be one of the least substantive of any BL I've ever seen.

This was an amazing episode and I think it should clear up any of the doubts about the merits of this series. It might have seemed, last episode, that the director/screenwriters were over-glamorizing a bunch of stupid college kids and street vigilantism, but they were actually just demonstrating how hair-brained schemes just don't work against a powerful oligarch. I like how they even highlighted how their little stunt cost Yok's mom a few work days, stressing the consequences of ill-conceived schemes. I think that was very well done, and demonstrated again how well thought out this show is. White's idea for incorporating social protest to attack Tawi coupled with the vigilante attacks was a far more effective strategy. I like how Gumpa is allowing the team to figure these things out rather than taking charge of the whole effort.

That protest they did in front of Tawi's factory was one of the best things I've ever seen done in a BL. It felt so real and was perfectly in tune with the theme of social protest in this series. It might have seemed a little on the nose that they incorporated an LGBTQ protest against the marriage laws, but this is a BL, and a drama that highlights social injustice so I thought it was surprisingly fitting. Considering Thailand's Supreme Court's savage ruling on marriage equality, this is also a very important thing to highlight and kudos for this show for bringing up the issue. I really love that this show goes so far beyond the normal BL's and speaks openly about LGBTQ issues. I also want to say that college kids in Thailand are the main ones that are at the forefront of the social protest movement and this series is right on the money depicting Black's group and their fight against Tawi. If anyone knows anything about Thai politics, the last protest against the government was led almost completely by student activists.

I really think, that even though this show is highly focused on social issues it is still doing a a very good job stressing the relationships in this series. I find the chemistry between the two main couples is really intense and there was definitely a lot of development in this episode. Yok is finally getting to interact with Dan and I like the intense flirting that Yok was engaging in in Dan's hideout [and I love that ratty hideout]. Sean makes a moving and touching rapprochement with White at the rally. Sean sees through the protest how right Black was, and Off portrays his remorse very effectively.

Overall a great episode of one of the best BL's ever made. I think the pacing is just right and mysteries are being revealed without us having to wait forever. We did get a good bit of information about Black's girlfriend, and about Gram's relationship with her. There is still a good amount to be revealed which provides a lot of suspense, though. I'm certainly looking forward to what's coming next.

Gurlll, you writing a comment or a novel? It felt like you were having a party in there. It was pretty enjoyable to read, and there were lots of great insights :)