even though i knew the content had numerous—and i mean NUMEROUS—issues i thought i could skip around and see how the couples, particularly kinnporsche, fit with one another. i was willing to concede about their relationship itself if it could be salvaged so to speak and the potential to leave behind (not forget! but gloss over as a viewer with limited time on this earth) the abuse and rape. the abuses are unacceptable and lazy writing ;purely for salaciousness sake but the show has more problems than that.

the writing is bad and so is the pacing; because the source material is an issue but man....there is, essentially, no story itself. "bad" characters and their "bad" choices should have a purpose but they do not because /nothing matters/. this isn't the sopranos or breaking bad—horrendous motives and people but a theme running through the show and that LETS us know they are bad and that consequences lurk in every corner. there is nothing in the show that has me coming back to watch as a viewer and not even the relationship, ostensibly the viewers main draw since i cannot believe it is the story itself, is....dry.

i'll have to dissent in opinion about the acting. apo isn't bad but he is very very very aware the camera is around and carries the weight of them i think and it's distracting. when they went on their first date and were sitting by each other his smile was so farcical and it just became obvious. they don't really have much chemistry but they are comfortable kissing and being naked around each other. great?

the writing is bad, the jokes are bad, the plot is bad, the characters are bad, and the relationships are empty. i'm kind of bummed out that this aspect—the rship, the draw of the show—wasn't even good enough to grip me or have me even continue with the vaguest of feeling. tharntype is not a good show but in the first season i could at least see WHY this MIGHT be attractive to some. here it was just....there? and after the first time the whole borderline softcore porn thing gets really boring. like super boring.

i don't have much more to say. the only thing that i think this show could be of influence of—for a genre that has so many failings—is actors being more willing to do the physical bits of the genre or romance in general with a partner. maybe they will become more comfortable with other screen partners and not look as robotic, maybe it will be influential in that sense, but that doesn't really shake much of a table and if you're a good actor...then you should pick roles you know you can fulfil. so basically what i am saying is that being able to be physical with another human being, as an actor, does not mean that the acting is good and that this script called for that intensity doesn't mean that it actually generated real feelings or chemistry on a deep level.

i wouldn't say it's a shame, this is just another show in a long list of shows that exist. they obviously spent a decent amount of money and are getting that money back; if money-making is the goal then they succeeded. but merit? i'm not sure. i will give it to the camera and lighting crew and the DP though. oh and production design or location scouter because the locations and the shots were really gorgeous. the lighting in the horrendous scene where he rapes his drunk "boyfriend" was BEAUTIFUL and that bathroom was gorgeous. and the styling wasn't so bad either particularly for apo. i really enjoyed the whole frilly and heeled boots thing. but that's about it and it doesn't really entice me when the thing itself, the content, is...what it is.

perhaps this is repetitive but: these are not morally grey, interesting, or even just balls to the wall fucked up characters. these are characters from what is essentially a wattpad fanfiction and it's not on par with actual good television or even good romance (TO ME or IN MY OPINION or whatever since people take this shit so seriously) but a very very very long long long commercial for how to not be a human being. are the men hot? who knows and that's not a good enough reason but i honestly couldn't even tell because it was so cringe-y so many times and the jokes aren't funny and it's just SO ??!?!?! it's just so...????? i showed my roommate and she was like 'i don't think they really fit' it's just confusing idek how else to explain. this is a really...is baffling the right word? it's a baffling show? lmao. it just EXISTS? gorl idk