zleighz

Episode 5 did a good job reminding us of the power of F4. So often, a show will tell us how powerful/feared/influential a character is, but then completely forget to follow through on the premise. F4T makes sure that our boys are true to their legends.

1. MJ totally runs that club. Hell ya, I've been waiting to see our big ol' softie of a bad-boy show us a glimpse of his club/underworld connections. I also loved him stringing up the zealous bullies in the stadium (mostly because I've been waiting for that scene since we saw it in the intro of episode 1).

2. Kavin handling the bar manager. Not only does Kavin handily take out the bar's security, but he also squeezes the once-tough bar manager to get him to reveal the bar's silent backer. (btw, I kind of root for the security guards lol. They're just trying to protect the bar girls which is cool in my book)

3. The teacher backing down at the mention of Thyme. I loved that they followed up with the "teachers don't help" concept from episode 1. Even though it's been mentioned, it was really powerful to see a teacher that was *about* to help back down at the mention of F4. It really reminds us of the situation that has been set-up in the school and how, even though we see Thyme changing every episode, nothing has been done to dismantle the system.

4. Other smaller moments happen as well: MJ/Kavin accessing school records, as well as Hana's study abroad form. Thyme writing a big ass check (though, tbh I didn't catch what it is for). Someone talking about deleting CCTV (was this the CCTV of Gorya at the bar? another one I'm not sure about).

Honestly, I think she wasn't paying attention to ANYTHING in those moments that she saw Thyme. She was just feeling emotions. She tells Kaning right after that about being mad and hurt, but I bet in the moment she saw Thyme on her screen, she also felt wistful.

Also, I'm someone who has found it nearly impossible to split my attention sometimes. If I'm texting and someone is taking, I don't hear a word they say, for instance. So it's super believable for me that if I was looking at something that should be comprehendible BUT I'm an emotional wreck AND someone is talking to me... yeah, I'd only be able to stare at his face and would totally miss the obvious context as well.

Have you ever been so hyper focused on something that you missed what was happening around you?

That's Gorya. She doesn't tell us how much she can't stop thinking about Thyme. Instead, we see that she can't even notice what's happening in the video.... she can only focus on Thyme.

I thought it was really well done and relatable.

Oh weird. I found this moment great.

When Kaning asks what she saw, she says she saw Thyme. The video was up for only a few seconds and it makes total sense to me that she was focused on looking at Thyme while zoning out and not paying attention to either Kaning or the girl in the video. Not to mention, Hana doesn't look like her usual self, so it wouldn't be weird for Gorya to miss it.

So perfect.

I love a show that makes me *feel* what a character feels.

He was so strong during his scene with Hana and rescuing Gorya and I like that just as Gorya was allowed to cry in relief, we also see the physical manifestion of all that stress on Thyme as well.

Little things like this are why I always 🤨 when people mention the show not "showing" lol

Oh that's fun!

A couple moments confused me or felt a little silly, but the show won me over so thoroughly in the past 4 episodes that I'll cut a lot of slack.

The yearbook didn't bother me, though it seemed unnecessary lol. The hackers just confused me, since they were also unnecessary. But I don't care too much because I love MJ/Kavin time 🥰

That's a pretty good defense actually lol.

Ugh! So many perfect, little things.

Like how when Thyme picks up Gorya and apologizes, and tells her he believes her. It is only then, when she feels safe, that she allows herself to break down and start crying. From her perspective, Thyme started up the red card again, so his words were more important than his actions and the moment of relief for her was almost palpable.

I can't help but be a tiny resentful of him rn too, because our other 4 just went through a pretty harrowing trial, and he just walks in like it's nbd.

It's a good setup for what's coming

For me, Thyme apologizing and thanking people earnestly isn't a fast change, it's a realistic one. We've seen him step outside of his narrow worldview, anhave seen how it has opened him to becoming a better and better version of himself. He still slips up (like needing to pull himself back from beating up Gorya's bullies) but he's also just a different person than he was before because of it.

The trio of bitches have the drama version where they hide + literally can't get the words out. A lesser drama would have had Thyme act this way too, since it's the more expected trope.

Others have touched on it, but I love that Thyme's character development is driven by himself. Gorya helped him start to see outde of his narrow perspective, and once he starts to see those things, he can't unsee it, and can't stop it from changing him too. Gorya doesn't force, or cajole, or plead for him to change. It's an honest change from within.

In real life, there are plenty of people who see something outside of their narrow worldview (insert any social-justice concept) yet who happily close their eyes and refuse to let it change their behavior. But that's what makes Thyme worth rooting for and worth being our ML, I think.

So glad to see MJ finally give us a tiny bit of payoff for that "family runs the clubs and the underground" premise to his character.

We're all wondering what Hana's motivation is gonna be tbh. I'm VERY excited to find out in the next ep.

Omg. I'm dying...

In the full clip under the one in your link, Win talks about how the hard part isn't acting, it's looking cool all the time... *cut to MJ lounging like a boss*

🤣👍

Also, glad you're enjoying it! I feel ya on the storytelling and character changes 🥰

You really ought to watch episode 1. Imo you're doing yourself a disservice by missing it.

One of the things that impressed me with F4T is that it jumps right into the story without creating some long-winded set-up (like BOF did) for how Gorya ended up at the school.

There has already been a lot written about episode 1 and how fantastic it is, so I won't go in depth, but I do recommend anyone else who is thinking of starting F4T to start at episode 1.

The way I'd describe it is..

HYD is pure fantasy and F4T is a real, fleshed out story with real, fleshed out characters.

When watching something for the fantasy (the passionate, violent love from the richest, most handsome boy in school) it doesn't need realism or depth, because, like lilili put it, it's a straight shot to the id (the part of the psyche that WANTS but doesn't reason). Story and characters are mostly just the set-up. HYD has a great set-up, and nothing bad about the execution of the story to ruin the fantasy.

I think it's worth pointing out as well that many women have rape/sexual assault fantasies (which is fine, healthy and normal btw) even though they absolutely agree that their fantasy is never something they'd want to have in real life. Where HYD taps into that same sort of desire for a violent, all-encompassing desire, F4T can only skim the surface of that fantasy, because it's actually creating a story that is worthwhile (and, so far, healthy) for real life.

This is also why I wouldn't want teenage girls to watch HYD but I'd suggest F4T to them

I like the way you put it, so I'm glad you made the comment, but I don't think I missed that lol. It goes to the idea that there are people who like their media to lack substance (like a straight-shot to the id movie like twilight, as you put it)

The real issue for me, the thing I grapple with and think about often, is when people turn a story full of meaning into something flat and meaningless in their interpretation of the story.

I have no true point to make, I realize. I simply like musing on this concept and getting others' thoughts to ponder over

Ah. Hm. Okay, yes.

I appreciate the way you described it... "serving the narrative straight with no examination of what exactly is going on with this story".

This concept is one that I think about frequently, because it comes up in so many shows and movies... people who seem to prefer stories that *lack* meaning, or who distill a meaningful story into one that lacks meaning.

People who talk about "plot holes", when really they mean that something has been left deliberately ambiguous. People who don't understand metaphor and boil an entire plot down into "so here's what probably happens next" (Inception, Annihilation, etc.). And on and on.

And I think you're spot on that people who are just looking for a narrative, who don't want examination within a story, might feel preached at (though, to me, this is still a misattribution of the term)