sosbrigade1991

Finding Your Happiness...

When the first few trailers for this show dropped, it barely registered on my radar. Not because it looked bad, but I just don't remember seeing anything that might have grabbed me like some of the other BLs with bigger names and bigger concepts. By the time I even realized the show was airing, two episodes had already premiered, and on a total whim I decided to give the first episode a try, after having taken quite a bit of time away from BLs as a whole to focus on a long list of other media to watch.

All it took was the first few scenes and that endearing charming ear worm of an intro song to completely hook me. I couldn't help it. Keen's lovely vocals and the adorable way the lead couple danced around each other, I knew I was gonna follow this show to the end.

Is this another high school BL with goofy antics and obnoxious sound effects? sure. Is it also so much more than that? absolutely. The writing is tender, the actors do their jobs wonderfully, and the through line of the series is always about these two young people who are just completely in love with each other. It never feels like it's pushing the actors into uncomfortable shipping scenes to get the fangirls squealing, everything feels genuine because these two characters, Moo and Kang, love each other very deeply, and from their first scene together have an immediate connection.

The story is a compelling one, focusing on Moo's dream to become an idol, and the various colorful characters that Orbit him, but the real heart of the show is just Moo and Kang's relationship. Seeing them go from strangers to friends to lovers takes up the majority of the run time with all of the idol stuff serving as a nice background story that eventually ramps up near the end. The show isn't reinventing the wheel by any means, but it takes all the tropes of the genre and utilizes them in a fresh enjoyable way, thanks in most part to the great chemistry of the two lead actors. Every scene they have together is a treat. They really carry the show, which is great because they get a majority of the screen time.

This isnt gonna be everyone's favorite show. Some people might be over the high school shenanigans, the cute chaste romance, or even the dreaded episode 11 curses, but these stories will always hold a special place for me, and this is an example of the genre working at its very best. So if you are on the fence about the series, give it a try, this is your sign to possibly fall in love with two young characters experiencing that sweet, innocent, adorable, awkward and sometimes painful time of first love. In my opinion, it really isn't done much better than this.

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The fun campy action thriller BL of my dreams

When I was a kid, my father used to take me to the theater to see all of the big budget Hollywood action flicks he could find. Explosions. Hot women. Quippy one-liners. Fast cars. You name it. It was exciting, and fun, and something my father and I really bonded over, though there was always a small nagging suspicion in the back of my head that something was missing. As an adult, watching Jack and Joker, I realized that it was that I never got to see myself portrayed in said stories.

So imagine my absolute glee when I popped in the first episode of Jack and Joker and it starred two complex interesting characters, who just so happened to both be men, and not only that, but they were blatantly into each other. Each episode proceeded to just wow me in how natural it felt to have two queer leads in a complex story of family, class disparity, crime, and sentimentality. They really build a world you can live in in this story, and you find yourself really caring for the various colorful characters, from sopping wet tech guy Tattoo, to the lovable sassy Toi Ting. Is this a deeply Thai drama? Yes, which means you've got your typical pacing issues in chunks of the story and lots of over the top campy humor moments complete with a bunch of obnoxious sound effects. But behind the usual trappings is a deeply human beating heart and a story of a downtrodden community brought together because of the Love and Passion of two men with hearts of gold.

I've seen a LOT of Thai dramas, the flaws in this didn't bother me in the slightest, but I know not everyone will enjoy the pace and tone of this beast of a project. But I had a blast from start to finish. It was just so much fun. I loved the characters and their dynamics. I loved Jack and Joker's slow burn romance. I found the world and story, though deeply campy and flawed, super engaging.

Art is beautiful because it is imperfect, and this show moved me deeply despite its flaws. If you are thinking about going into this, ignore the hype, ignore the haters, and just try and enjoy the show for what it is. It's the fun campy action thriller BL of my dreams, and maybe it could be yours too.

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