When I first heard the news about the production of this drama I was skeptical. This is very ambitious project and the Thai GL industry is not exactly known for branching out of its comfort zone. So I was ready for a gimmicky story or something half-baked at best. I'm glad to report that no such thing happened. ClaireBell knocked it out of the park. With its authentic and flawed characters, well thought out story, evocative imagery, the series maintained the high quality up until the end, securing the first placement in my private ranking of favourite GLs.
It's evident that this is high budget production, but also a lot of work, thought and passion was put into creating it. The plot is focused and straightforward, every scene is intentional and has meaning. No meandring over unnecessary things. Characters are very life-like and even though we don't spend a lot of time with all of them, you can recognize their unique personality traits, goals, weaknesses. There are some poignant moments when cinematography is used to deliver emotions and it's a clever way of storytelling that is easy to understand and has an artistic merit.
That's not to say that the series is flawless. It breaks the "show don't tell" rule a few times. You can also feel the format restrictions - some character's stories beg for more attention, but there is simply no time to flesh everything out. Also, my personal pet peeve, the overtly digital look that a lot of modern productions have - shallow depth with blurry background - it can be distracting.
It's hard to say goodbye. My Saturdays will be so empty now
I love getting surprised and to me Player turned out to be a dark horse in 2025 GL run. I didn't think about it much at the beginning, I even thought about dropping it around episode 4-5, but I'm glad I didn't. What started as silly and cringy comedy, turned into very engaging angsty romance with complex characters and a lot of messy drama.
The premise is nothing new - it started with a lie. One person approached the other with a hidden motive, shenanigans happen and they both fall in love. Romantic comedy ordinaire? Not if there are two players and when every lie feels like a stab in the heart. It can get ugly. And for me, as a viewer, interesting!
If you are into psychoanalizing fictional characters - this drama has a very interesting case of pathological behaviour. Even though the conclusion of this plotline left me rather disappointed, the build-up and execution kept my eyes glued to the screen and I was looking forward with anticipation to new episodes of Player every Friday.
The build-up to everything that happened towards the end, the way the plot was maturing along with its characters, was nicely done. The script is busy but not chaotic. It's impressive that the tonal shifts weren't jarring at all. My main complaint is that I didn't get a cathartic resolution to one of the main plotlines. It felt like it took a step back in episode 11 and didn't recover from that in my eyes.
Good production. Full package show: bit of cringe, bit of sexy and a whole big bit of melodrama.
When I was watching My Safe Zone I got reminded of the term "moving pictures". If taken literary, it perfectly describes this show, which seems to be nothing but a collection of beautiful scenes featuring attractive people who look good together. The plot is not only paper-thin, but also barely cohesive, with logical flaws and poorly constructed conflicts. It's not a pleasant watch for the brain, but it definitely is for the eyes. Make of it what you will.
The general consensus is that MSZ is carried by the chemistry between the leading pair, Lena and Miu, and that is undeniable fact. The spark is there, it seems natural and intimate. The way they look at each other is all that it took for me to continue watching. Solid acting that sadly couldn't cover up other shortcomings.
The first half of the show is plotless. It's just a montage of romantic scenes, interrupted by some bits of conflict. Reminded me of recap/edit of one romance plotline that convenitely skipped other elements of the plot. In the second half, it seems that the writers remembered that they should have told a story, so they dumped all plotlines together. In result characters don't have solid characterisation, believable motives or even logical reactions to some situations. Things just happen because that's what script requires. The setting and overall look of the show amplifies this sense of artificiality. Almost everything happens in the same big white spaces. Sometimes I had no idea if we were in the House 1, House 2 or Jane's kitchen because they looked the same - white, empty, like no one has ever lived/been there. People also wear very similar looking (white or very plain) clothes. It just seems so fake, like they were living in some isolated land, far away from reality.
What makes me the most angry about this drama is that this is not some low-budget, amateurish production. It's made by a company who has resources. Judging by what they have been serving us this year, it seems to me that they do not give a damn about the quality of their shows, because they know they will be able to sell it anyway. As long as there are pretty "moving pictures". It's a pity that it turned out this way. Lena and Miu are good actresses and they have that magnetic charm that could have been utilized better. Well, maybe one day.
Agreed, this series is for sapphics. Straight people have a billion series. Why do they need to have running time…
Thank you ♡. I agree! Everything we have seen so far seems to have purpose in terms of storytelling (well, maybe except for that one product placement scene where Bell eats yoghurt, haha). Music, visuals, direction. It's a really well-thought-out show.
Agreed, this series is for sapphics. Straight people have a billion series. Why do they need to have running time…
I thought it was pretty straightforward. Wichai and Dao's sex was rushed and violent, with one person dominating the other. Claire and Bell's was intimate, warm, connected with their feelings for each other. It was meant to show the difference between those two relationships - one is transactional and devoided of feelings, the other is love.
I don't want to be too harsh with what I'm about to say, but this is one of the worst shows I watched this year. It was a guilty pleasure of mine at first, but at some point I just couldn't deal with the whole lot of nonsense that was going on.
This is a very fanficiton-esque story about the poor girl who captured attention of the CEO ice queen (literally named Queen). Bo is trying to do her best in the miserable situation she was in. And oh boy, the world hates that girl! On the other hand, Queen's pattern of questionable behaviour tracks back to her dysfunctional upbringing. Queen is immediately attracted to Bo's resiliance, and so their dance of push and pull starts. I thought the dynamic was really interesting, especially since there is an opposite power/class/status aspect. Their romance and how it played out was alright. If only the show focused on that, I'd be giving this drama higher rating despite all technical mishaps. But the plot is full of other conficts. Bo's terrible Mom, business/political career of Queen and her rivalry with Kongtup, Queen's family issues, Kem running with a gun acting crazy 24/7. Too much for a series with just 8 episodes. The plot turned out to be more messy than the typical Wattpad-lite story, and unnecessarily so. Sometimes simple is better, but a lot of drama writers have yet to learn that lesson.
All that pales in comparision to much bigger issue that unfortuntely eats this show alive - the technical aspect. My biggest complaint is the editing. Scenes were going for too long, where they should have been cut 20 seconds ago. It gives us a lot of empty space, people silently staring at each other, some unintentionally funny moments. There is also awful sounds design. So many moments where I had to check if my laptopt didn't accidentaly muted itself. 2 minutes later we have music blasting on full volume. Sometimes it felt like the sound is coming from the other room, it was werdily muted. I am aware that it is studio's first production and the budget was probably tight, but it took me out of the story more times that I can count.
Acting was also not very compelling and the chemistry is debatable, but I have to compliment TK. She nailed her role. Everything from the way she carried herself to how she portrayed the duality of Queen was very in character. She's one of the reason why I pushed through to the end.
The potential was there and Queen is an interesting character, but I found this show unintentionally hilarious at best and barely watchable at worst.
Ever since I started watching Asian dramas I always wanted simple, cute sapphic love story with well known romcom tropes executed properly. Without excessive melodrama, unnecessary plotlines or slapstick comedy. Someone listened to my prayers, Love Design ticks all the boxes.
It made me feel so warm and smiley from start to finish. The balance between fluff and more serious tone is perfect. So is the split between romantic storyline and business one. Every storyline is interesting and doesn't feel like sloppily written background for the main character's love story.
As much as I loved almost everything this drama has to offer, I have some issues with how the romance developed. There is a certain trope that brings Aokbab and Rin together, and while I think the trope itself was nicely done, I wish we could see how their attraction towards each other grows more naturally before the trope fully revealed itself. Esepcially from Rin's side. It looked like her interest in Aokbab changed over the course of a day which was a bit jarring.
But that aside, no other major complaints. The acting is really good, the plot is simple but cohesive, it has gorgeous cinematography and music that fits the overal mood of the show. It's an unpretentious, uncomplicated and aesthetically pleasing romcom. A joy to watch.
This was indeed a rollercoaster of a drama. It didn't caught my attention at first, because of the generic premise of the plot. Then, it lured me in with stellar cinematography and a promise of intense melodrama. In the end it left me wanting more, but I am still satisfied enough to give it thumps up.
This is more grown-up GL series. No cringe moments, no unfunny comedy, no rubber stretching sound effects. Even the melodrama is not so over the top soapy. It's more subdued, natural and engaging, and this is something that has been missing for me in Thai Gls. I hope we will get more shows of this quality in the future.
It has generic plot with love triangle, but the fun part of it are flawed characters. Selfish, blind by pain and/or need for love. It's interesting to watch characters creating a mess they don't know how to escape from. It's an acquired taste of fun, but it is fun! At the same time, I feel like there was a lot of wasted potential in that area. The final reveal should have happened sooner because only after that all the juicy pieces about guilt, choices and moving forward came out (and we got like 10 minutes of that because the last episode was a mess). This is something I wanted to see more - being stuck between what you want and what you supposed to do - yet the only one who delivered dillemma on a level I expected was Air (Neko's acting probably helped, too).
The writing was not the best, but the overall vibe really captivated me. It's somewhat melancholic and cold, but also bold, intriguing and realistic. Visual-wise it's amazing. I also enjoyed the music. Good show, but I don't think it's for everyone.
Lol finally and unbiased review.. Folks just seem so biased in these comments. Calling Loft a green flag.The Girl…
Well, I actually don't disagree with the points you raised here. What you mentioned in the first two paragraphs seems perfectly possible. However, without Loft we wouldn't have this story, and so I evaluate her character for what her existence and her actions add to the plot. And what she does? Creates a mess and pushes other characters to change. That's my interpretation.
About the divorce I'm not sure because both Lamp and Air strike me as mature and dutiful people. And if I learned something from Thai shows is that filial piety is like a duty and needs to be taken seriously. The real obstacle here was Air's mom anyway, and it was Air's journey to learn how to stand up for herself and live her own life. I wouldn't mind if the story was just about Air's growth and her coming back to Pure or moving on without her. But that's just not how the plot was set up. It's more like domino effect of actions and their consequences.
I think everyone agrees that the start of LoftPure relationship was messy because of the preexisting relationship they had with Air. What's more, I don't think it was even that serious for Pure, she kinda went along to see where it would lead her.I don't like that they had that "fateful meeting" before because it's a lazy way to immediately add meaning to their relationship, as If they are meant to be. It also tries to justify Loft's actions because they had that"special connection'.
Lol finally and unbiased review.. Folks just seem so biased in these comments. Calling Loft a green flag.The Girl…
I see Loft as a necessary evil, as she was the force other characters needed in order to move on. Without her they'd be stuck in passive state of quiet yearnig for who know how long. At the same time, it's obvious that she started her relationship with Pure on the wrong note. Her actions were selfish. I do believe that she probably changed later, along with the development of their relationship. However, it would be great if the show hold her more accountable for her actions. Right now all blame is being pushed on Pure when it'd make more sense if Loft explained everything to Air. It's also Pure who seems to struggle internally more. I feel like the majority of the conflicts happens on AirPure and LoftPure sides, where AirLoft is getting kinda ignored.
There are some people saying pure and loft betrayed air but in what context? I am genuinely curious, because as…
I don't understand how Pure would betray Air. Air never asked Pure to wait, what's more she told Pure to move on. She clearly drew a line even if in her heart she felt different. Pure does not own her anything. There was no betrayal because there was no commitment.
As for Loft, this is a bit more complicated, because to Air Loft is like a little sister, a friend. Loft knew that Pure is not over Air when she started chasing her, and she most likely suspected that Air still has some lingering feeling for Pure (Loft knew how Air's marriage with Lamp looks like). So from viewers perspective, it looks like Loft prioritised her own feelings and she kinda stepped into Air's unfinished bussiness. And because she was not honest about her developing relationship with Pure, she betrayed Air's trust as a friend. But I kept wondering - when would be the best time to openly talk about this relationship when they were not official at that point? Also, if Loft was wrong for going after Pure at that point, how long should she wait for it? 3 years like Pure did for Air? And again there was technically no commitment between Air and Pure, no relationship. Do I think they all should sit down and talk? Absolutely. Do I think all of them was wishy- washy at some point. You bet. Tbh, this is messy situation in general that boils down to AirPure's unfinished business. I side-eyed Loft for willingly walk into the fire, knowing that either she will get hurt or Air will. I do think it was a selfish and short sided decision. But if she didn't step in, Pure would be still deluding herself that she's in love with Air and not just a memory of her. Also, I don't think Loft's actions were purely driven by selfish desires after that, because the moment the realised she would not get picked, she immediately left. She genuinely loves Pure. As for Air, I pity her the most because she was forced into situation (marriage) that hurt literally everyone involved. But she needed that lesson to realize what's really important and to learn how to stand up for herself. Hopefully she will heal and move on. It's messy! I enjoy the complexity of the characters, they make this mess so compelling. I see some similarities with Pluto.
My main takeaway from this show - I felt like the premise never realized its full potential. It's supposed to be a thrilling and dangerous game of seduction and rivalry, with ulterior motives that come in conflict with real feelings. I expected to see cunning and flawed characters, intense feelings and moments of irresistable desire. First couple of episodes tried to do go into that direction, with more or less convincing results. Then everything bacame less authentic and more subdued. I didn't fully buy the characters and their relationship. I couldn't pinpoint when the attraction became something deeper, when they were acting on their own convictions or not. And it's not because the lines were blurry due to the type of the game they were playing. It's because the script was full of cliches that required certain scenes to happen. There was not enough tension, angst and internal conflicts to make it work for me. In theory it was all correct, in practice it felt so lukewarm. Dad plotlines had terrible resolutions, there were some plotholes, second couple did not interest me much.
Acting-wise, I have no complaints. Lookmhee and Sonya are great acresses with amazing chemistry. I'm a fan and they did not disappoint, they did the best with how little they got to work with. With different leads, this drama would be much worse.
Initially I praised the production because it looks nice, the costumes are dramatic and high-fashion, the editing was not too choppy. However, the devil is in the details. Loud background music, contact lenses slipping out of place, strong lighting, long nails (😬)with four weeks old growth. Too messy for me to ignore.
One last complaint and a big caveat - this show is, in my opinion, too comfortable with sexual assault and similar topics being used as plot devices. Can we please move past the era of problematic romance novels from 00s? Do we really have to include scenes of sexual violence towards women in media made for women?
Overall, this is a half-baked "intense" romance, with great acting wasted on sloppy script. There are GL shows with plots as basic as this one, and yet they made me feel more for the characters and their romance. But don't get me wrong, I heavily criticise this show because, knowing LMSY and what they are capable of, I expected something better. Personally, I think there is a lot of wasted potential here. The pilot episode they released some months ago nailed the vibe much better than the final product. Sadly, HS is not my favourite GL this season and it easily could have been.
My girls LMSY do not disappoint! Their chemistry is burning, as much as it was in Affair, every interaction betwen Ai and Maevika is just a treat to watch (can we talk about that couch scene?). Not only that - the plot is exciting, characters are intriguing, the overall production (sans background music) is solid too.
The only thing that bothers me is how comfotable this show is with sexual assault. The first kiss betwenn the Ai and Mae was, let's be honest, non-consensual, which already was kinda icky. Then it gets worse. We have Ai's assistant casually threating G with r*ape accusations, and there is a short flashback to when Maevika got almost r*aped by some men in college. None of that was necessary. I really wish media, especially media made for women, would stop using SA as a trope. It's uncalled for.
22 
109 
3 
1 
3 
2 
2 
3 
It's evident that this is high budget production, but also a lot of work, thought and passion was put into creating it. The plot is focused and straightforward, every scene is intentional and has meaning. No meandring over unnecessary things. Characters are very life-like and even though we don't spend a lot of time with all of them, you can recognize their unique personality traits, goals, weaknesses. There are some poignant moments when cinematography is used to deliver emotions and it's a clever way of storytelling that is easy to understand and has an artistic merit.
That's not to say that the series is flawless. It breaks the "show don't tell" rule a few times. You can also feel the format restrictions - some character's stories beg for more attention, but there is simply no time to flesh everything out. Also, my personal pet peeve, the overtly digital look that a lot of modern productions have - shallow depth with blurry background - it can be distracting.
It's hard to say goodbye. My Saturdays will be so empty now
The premise is nothing new - it started with a lie. One person approached the other with a hidden motive, shenanigans happen and they both fall in love. Romantic comedy ordinaire? Not if there are two players and when every lie feels like a stab in the heart. It can get ugly. And for me, as a viewer, interesting!
If you are into psychoanalizing fictional characters - this drama has a very interesting case of pathological behaviour. Even though the conclusion of this plotline left me rather disappointed, the build-up and execution kept my eyes glued to the screen and I was looking forward with anticipation to new episodes of Player every Friday.
The build-up to everything that happened towards the end, the way the plot was maturing along with its characters, was nicely done. The script is busy but not chaotic. It's impressive that the tonal shifts weren't jarring at all. My main complaint is that I didn't get a cathartic resolution to one of the main plotlines. It felt like it took a step back in episode 11 and didn't recover from that in my eyes.
Good production. Full package show: bit of cringe, bit of sexy and a whole big bit of melodrama.
The general consensus is that MSZ is carried by the chemistry between the leading pair, Lena and Miu, and that is undeniable fact. The spark is there, it seems natural and intimate. The way they look at each other is all that it took for me to continue watching. Solid acting that sadly couldn't cover up other shortcomings.
The first half of the show is plotless. It's just a montage of romantic scenes, interrupted by some bits of conflict. Reminded me of recap/edit of one romance plotline that convenitely skipped other elements of the plot. In the second half, it seems that the writers remembered that they should have told a story, so they dumped all plotlines together. In result characters don't have solid characterisation, believable motives or even logical reactions to some situations. Things just happen because that's what script requires. The setting and overall look of the show amplifies this sense of artificiality. Almost everything happens in the same big white spaces. Sometimes I had no idea if we were in the House 1, House 2 or Jane's kitchen because they looked the same - white, empty, like no one has ever lived/been there. People also wear very similar looking (white or very plain) clothes. It just seems so fake, like they were living in some isolated land, far away from reality.
What makes me the most angry about this drama is that this is not some low-budget, amateurish production. It's made by a company who has resources. Judging by what they have been serving us this year, it seems to me that they do not give a damn about the quality of their shows, because they know they will be able to sell it anyway. As long as there are pretty "moving pictures". It's a pity that it turned out this way. Lena and Miu are good actresses and they have that magnetic charm that could have been utilized better. Well, maybe one day.
I agree! Everything we have seen so far seems to have purpose in terms of storytelling (well, maybe except for that one product placement scene where Bell eats yoghurt, haha). Music, visuals, direction. It's a really well-thought-out show.
This is a very fanficiton-esque story about the poor girl who captured attention of the CEO ice queen (literally named Queen). Bo is trying to do her best in the miserable situation she was in. And oh boy, the world hates that girl! On the other hand, Queen's pattern of questionable behaviour tracks back to her dysfunctional upbringing. Queen is immediately attracted to Bo's resiliance, and so their dance of push and pull starts. I thought the dynamic was really interesting, especially since there is an opposite power/class/status aspect. Their romance and how it played out was alright. If only the show focused on that, I'd be giving this drama higher rating despite all technical mishaps. But the plot is full of other conficts. Bo's terrible Mom, business/political career of Queen and her rivalry with Kongtup, Queen's family issues, Kem running with a gun acting crazy 24/7. Too much for a series with just 8 episodes. The plot turned out to be more messy than the typical Wattpad-lite story, and unnecessarily so. Sometimes simple is better, but a lot of drama writers have yet to learn that lesson.
All that pales in comparision to much bigger issue that unfortuntely eats this show alive - the technical aspect. My biggest complaint is the editing. Scenes were going for too long, where they should have been cut 20 seconds ago. It gives us a lot of empty space, people silently staring at each other, some unintentionally funny moments. There is also awful sounds design. So many moments where I had to check if my laptopt didn't accidentaly muted itself. 2 minutes later we have music blasting on full volume. Sometimes it felt like the sound is coming from the other room, it was werdily muted. I am aware that it is studio's first production and the budget was probably tight, but it took me out of the story more times that I can count.
Acting was also not very compelling and the chemistry is debatable, but I have to compliment TK. She nailed her role. Everything from the way she carried herself to how she portrayed the duality of Queen was very in character. She's one of the reason why I pushed through to the end.
The potential was there and Queen is an interesting character, but I found this show unintentionally hilarious at best and barely watchable at worst.
It made me feel so warm and smiley from start to finish. The balance between fluff and more serious tone is perfect. So is the split between romantic storyline and business one. Every storyline is interesting and doesn't feel like sloppily written background for the main character's love story.
As much as I loved almost everything this drama has to offer, I have some issues with how the romance developed. There is a certain trope that brings Aokbab and Rin together, and while I think the trope itself was nicely done, I wish we could see how their attraction towards each other grows more naturally before the trope fully revealed itself. Esepcially from Rin's side. It looked like her interest in Aokbab changed over the course of a day which was a bit jarring.
But that aside, no other major complaints. The acting is really good, the plot is simple but cohesive, it has gorgeous cinematography and music that fits the overal mood of the show. It's an unpretentious, uncomplicated and aesthetically pleasing romcom. A joy to watch.
This is more grown-up GL series. No cringe moments, no unfunny comedy, no rubber stretching sound effects. Even the melodrama is not so over the top soapy. It's more subdued, natural and engaging, and this is something that has been missing for me in Thai Gls. I hope we will get more shows of this quality in the future.
It has generic plot with love triangle, but the fun part of it are flawed characters. Selfish, blind by pain and/or need for love. It's interesting to watch characters creating a mess they don't know how to escape from. It's an acquired taste of fun, but it is fun! At the same time, I feel like there was a lot of wasted potential in that area. The final reveal should have happened sooner because only after that all the juicy pieces about guilt, choices and moving forward came out (and we got like 10 minutes of that because the last episode was a mess). This is something I wanted to see more - being stuck between what you want and what you supposed to do - yet the only one who delivered dillemma on a level I expected was Air (Neko's acting probably helped, too).
The writing was not the best, but the overall vibe really captivated me. It's somewhat melancholic and cold, but also bold, intriguing and realistic. Visual-wise it's amazing. I also enjoyed the music. Good show, but I don't think it's for everyone.
About the divorce I'm not sure because both Lamp and Air strike me as mature and dutiful people. And if I learned something from Thai shows is that filial piety is like a duty and needs to be taken seriously. The real obstacle here was Air's mom anyway, and it was Air's journey to learn how to stand up for herself and live her own life. I wouldn't mind if the story was just about Air's growth and her coming back to Pure or moving on without her. But that's just not how the plot was set up. It's more like domino effect of actions and their consequences.
I think everyone agrees that the start of LoftPure relationship was messy because of the preexisting relationship they had with Air. What's more, I don't think it was even that serious for Pure, she kinda went along to see where it would lead her.I don't like that they had that "fateful meeting" before because it's a lazy way to immediately add meaning to their relationship, as If they are meant to be. It also tries to justify Loft's actions because they had that"special connection'.
As for Loft, this is a bit more complicated, because to Air Loft is like a little sister, a friend. Loft knew that Pure is not over Air when she started chasing her, and she most likely suspected that Air still has some lingering feeling for Pure (Loft knew how Air's marriage with Lamp looks like). So from viewers perspective, it looks like Loft prioritised her own feelings and she kinda stepped into Air's unfinished bussiness. And because she was not honest about her developing relationship with Pure, she betrayed Air's trust as a friend. But I kept wondering - when would be the best time to openly talk about this relationship when they were not official at that point? Also, if Loft was wrong for going after Pure at that point, how long should she wait for it? 3 years like Pure did for Air? And again there was technically no commitment between Air and Pure, no relationship. Do I think they all should sit down and talk? Absolutely. Do I think all of them was wishy- washy at some point. You bet. Tbh, this is messy situation in general that boils down to AirPure's unfinished business. I side-eyed Loft for willingly walk into the fire, knowing that either she will get hurt or Air will. I do think it was a selfish and short sided decision. But if she didn't step in, Pure would be still deluding herself that she's in love with Air and not just a memory of her. Also, I don't think Loft's actions were purely driven by selfish desires after that, because the moment the realised she would not get picked, she immediately left. She genuinely loves Pure. As for Air, I pity her the most because she was forced into situation (marriage) that hurt literally everyone involved. But she needed that lesson to realize what's really important and to learn how to stand up for herself. Hopefully she will heal and move on.
It's messy! I enjoy the complexity of the characters, they make this mess so compelling. I see some similarities with Pluto.
Acting-wise, I have no complaints. Lookmhee and Sonya are great acresses with amazing chemistry. I'm a fan and they did not disappoint, they did the best with how little they got to work with. With different leads, this drama would be much worse.
Initially I praised the production because it looks nice, the costumes are dramatic and high-fashion, the editing was not too choppy. However, the devil is in the details. Loud background music, contact lenses slipping out of place, strong lighting, long nails (😬)with four weeks old growth. Too messy for me to ignore.
One last complaint and a big caveat - this show is, in my opinion, too comfortable with sexual assault and similar topics being used as plot devices. Can we please move past the era of problematic romance novels from 00s? Do we really have to include scenes of sexual violence towards women in media made for women?
Overall, this is a half-baked "intense" romance, with great acting wasted on sloppy script. There are GL shows with plots as basic as this one, and yet they made me feel more for the characters and their romance. But don't get me wrong, I heavily criticise this show because, knowing LMSY and what they are capable of, I expected something better. Personally, I think there is a lot of wasted potential here. The pilot episode they released some months ago nailed the vibe much better than the final product.
Sadly, HS is not my favourite GL this season and it easily could have been.
The only thing that bothers me is how comfotable this show is with sexual assault. The first kiss betwenn the Ai and Mae was, let's be honest, non-consensual, which already was kinda icky. Then it gets worse. We have Ai's assistant casually threating G with r*ape accusations, and there is a short flashback to when Maevika got almost r*aped by some men in college. None of that was necessary. I really wish media, especially media made for women, would stop using SA as a trope. It's uncalled for.