Synchonicity
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This was a popular series, and deservedly so! As you can see, my ratings are all over the place, so I will explain why.I loved the music. For me, Mew (Tharn) carried this show, with brilliant acting = A+. Mild (Techno) was great = A+. Gulf (Type) was really good, too = A. Kaownah (Lhong) was a great singer and a decent actor (although, with all the crying, some real tears would have been welcome) = A-.
The chemistry between Mew and Gulf was off the charts! (That ice cube kissing scene in the last episode was epic.)
Now, for my issues with the series (hence, some of my lower ratings):
Despite some great performances, THE STORY WAS SO BAD I nearly dropped it after about four episodes. Here's why:
1) THARN'S MOLESTATION OF TYPE, WHILE TYPE WAS SLEEPING (And yes, that's what it was.)
For someone who was supposed to be the "good guy," this was not cool, not funny, not appropriate. Can something like this be portrayed in a drama? Yes, of course it can. But it should be presented as what it is, a molestation. Not as something cute, that can just be dismissed as "oh well."
2) THE WAY TYPE'S CHILDHOOD RAPE STORY WAS HANDLED.
At first I was intrigued, because Type was obviously scarred, and his intense hatred of gays made sense. All good. Then, without any buildup, Type has no issue with getting a blow job from his hated gay roommate. Then, in the next episode, he comes out and asks Tharn for anal sex (with Type as receiver), just one time, to "get it over with, once and for all." Are you kidding me? This was a childhood rape victim? And, Tharn's going along with it was almost as incredulous.
I seriously think (and wish) that the author would have had a better story, had she simply made Type a bigoted homophobe who eventually came around. That in itself would have been dramatic enough. As written, the "rape victim suddenly turned gay" storyline was not only unbelievable, but incredibly insensitive and offensive to actual victims of childhood rape.
3) THE TIMELINE.
I was confused (and still am) about what the timeline was for this story. There was no "six months later" that I could see. So, even if we allow for some time lapses here and there, we saw absolutely zero development of Type's character. He went from understandably hating gays, to suddenly having sex with Tharn. So, how exactly did this happen? We got no explanation.
4) THE ACTUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THARN/TYPE.
Not talking about the sexy hotness. That was there in spades, no question! But, it was never explained why Tharn was so taken with Type. Let's face it, Type was a hot mess on many levels. Did Tharn just think Type was hot? What in Type's personality attracted Tharn?
5) LHONG'S ENDING.
Why on Earth didn't Lhong end up in prison, or committed to a psych ward?????
The following were not dealbreakers, but I found them a little hard to swallow:
a) MEW PLAYING A 19 YEAR OLD. Sorry, not buying it. Mew is 28, and he looks 28. Don't get me wrong, 28 isn't exactly old, but it's nowhere near 19. Mew looks like a hot, sexy 28 year old. He looks like he should be a teacher in the college. (That said, I had no problem with Mew/Gulf. Gulf is 21 but could easily pass for 24-25. They look fine together.)
b) TAR LOOKED 14. (Apparently he's 25 or something, a few years older than Gulf. But that's not the point.) Tar looked completely juvenile and the idea of Tharn falling for him -- to the point of being destroyed when Tar left him -- was almost laughable to me. To go along with that...
c) THE BED SCENE WITH TAR/THARN WAS SILLY. Tharn was there begging for Tar to let him up when, in real life, I'm sure Mew could have thrown him off with almost no effort!
d) TYPE HITS THARN IN THE BALLS IN THE BAR BATHROOM. Why? Totally uncalled for.
e) LHONG/TYPE IN THE LAST EPISODE. Type looks like he could easily kick Lhong's ass, but he sat there being strangled, without fighting back even a little.
f) LHONG DROPPING THE GLASS. Really? It was dumb when Pete did it in LBC (especially since he and Ae had already slept together, but I digress... ) and it was dumb here. And then, Lhong uncomfortably makes an excuse and practically runs out of the room. Tharn and Type just shrug it off. Seriously? Was there anyone who didn't know right then and there that Lhong was hopelessly in love with Tharn?? Without the glass drop, Lhong's devious behavior would have been even more of a surprise.
g) THORN, THARN'S OLDER BROTHER. Not only does the actor who plays Thorn NOT look older than Mew, but he is actually younger in real life.
With all that said, I can't say I didn't enjoy the series. I did. There were really great moments. But, despite all the good, it had some real flaws.
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Despite the odd title (I have no idea what "Dark Blue Kiss" is even supposed to mean, or how it relates to the story), DBK is one of my top two favorite BLs for 2019! (The other: He's Coming To Me.) Here's why:1) A very realistic view of what a young gay couple goes through. Not all shows have to be realistic for me -- I appreciate a good fantasy, as long as that's what it's intended to be. But if I'm being given a plot line that I'm supposed to take seriously, I want to believe it. DBK does this for me, unlike the large majority of BLs (which can still have good entertainment value).
2) Supportive parents and friends. Pete's dad, Kao's mom, and Rain were the heroes of this series.
3) The acting from the leads. Loved Tay (Pete) in this, and especially AJ (Non), who pretty much stole the show with his smarmy unlikeability. New (Kao) got a lot of flack from viewers for being too passive, but I thought he was just fine. As for the second couple, Podd (Sun) was a creditable actor (although I found his character a bit uninteresting) and Fluke (Mork) shows some great skills for a newbie.
4) The music. I loved the music for the opening credits! The OST sung by Fluke shows him to be a really talented singer, and another OST with Tay and New really shows off Tay's singing ability as well.
5) The story. From week to week, I found myself looking forward to what was coming next.
Highly recommended! (I only gave the "Rewatch Value" a lower rating because I rarely rewatch series.)
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I'm giving this a high rating, because this two-episode series (less than 30 minutes) says more than many series with 12 or more episodes.For me, the actor who plays Neung is fantastic. I hope we see him in more roles, he really is THAT good.
The story is powerful in a lot of ways. Neung has a girlfriend, he gets drunk one night with his friend Keng and they have sex. The next day they are hanging out with friends and the two of them are very awkward with one another because of what happened. In private, Neung and Keng argue and Neung claims he's not gay and storms out. Later, the two of them get together again and, after what seems to be some S&M foreplay, they spend the night together again. The next morning they are really happy and Keng gives Neung a key to his apartment.
Word gets around that the two of them are together and Neung is confronted by his good friend Tui (and two others), with Tui saying he won't be friends with someone who is gay... all three of the friends desert Neung, who goes back to the apartment, only to find an empty apartment and a note from Keng, saying he has to go to a new school, but he is leaving the apartment to Neung with the memory of the time they spent together. Neung is devastated.
Neung goes out walking near a bridge, and Tui and the other friends approach him and apologize. Tui is especially affectionate and he and Neung end up as a couple after that. The End.
I've heard some viewers resent the fact that Tui "suddenly turns gay" after he shuns Nueng. But I see it differently:
many young gay men in the closet are the first ones to turn against and make fun of other gay people, because they themselves are struggling. It's not nice in any way, but it's a process that a number of gays go through.
There is also a nice metaphorical touch, involving two fish in a tank at the apartment.
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If My Gear and Your Gown had come out a couple of years ago, I would have given it a higher rating. But BLs have come a long way since then. Overall, this was a pleasant enough diversion from everyday activity, that's all. Here are my pros and cons:PROS:
LIKEABLE ACTORS. I found some of the actors adorable: Win (Pai) played a loveable, shy nerd, Fiat (Pure) is sassy and cute; Neen (Beau) is so sweet, while AJ (Waan) is so cute you just want to pinch his cheeks. Back to Win: I liked the way he played introverted Pai, and his bitter weeping in the final episode was heartbreaking.
GOOD MESSAGES. The Pure/AIDS storyline seemed a bit sudden and severe, but it's never a bad idea to promote safe sex. The final episode dealt (a little bit) with homophobia and acceptance from parents. I liked Folk's line (paraphrasing): "Parents are usually fine with it unless it affects them personally." Sadly, that's often very true.
CONS:
DULL STORY. For me, it started out well enough, but then just lagged. I felt the story could have been told in half the amount of episodes. And the Pure/playboy thing was maxed out. At the end, when Pure apologized to Folk for cheating on him, he said "but I was thinking of you the whole time." Barf.
WEAK CHEMISTRY. While Itt is a handsome guy, has chemistry with Pai was practically non-existent, and Itt's character was just weak. I wasn't really sold and Pure/Folk, either, but I did like Waan/Beau (would have liked to see them with more screen time as a couple).
FRESHY CONTEST: As much as I liked Pai, there is no freaking way he could have won that contest! Everything he did was a complete failure. I get that Pai wins in the story but, at the very least, the scriptwriters could have given him some sort of believable talent. As it was, Pai's win was incomprehensible, unless every other competitor was in a coma.
Overall, I enjoyed it well enough. Nothing groundbreaking here, I give it a 6.5.
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A Tale of Thousand Stars
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Perfect!
Okay, I have (rarely) given a series 10 stars, but this one is on an entirely different level.I had to wait over 24 hours before I submitted my review, because I was so overcome by this series. But here we are. Here are my pros and cons:
PROS:
STORY: I'll admit it: I was skeptical after Episode 1. I wasn't sold on it, and wasn't sure if I even liked Tian, as I contemplated where the story might be going. I even considered dropping it. But I am SO happy I stuck with it. The story was flawless, and I am a better person after having watched it. I've rarely shed as many tears (sad and happy) watching any film or series, ever. The messages hit hard... and wonderfully.
ACTORS: In just about every BL series -- even if I've loved it -- there have been some actors (or characters) I've had issues with. But not here. Every single actor portrayed his/her role perfectly. Kudos to them all!
MIX AND EARTH: I've always liked Earth, from his previous portrayals, and had a feeling he had much more to offer than what he was given. Finally, here he was given a vehicle to show his major talent. And Mix! This may be the best actor I've ever seen in a BL, and gives a performance worthy to stand up against any actor in any genre. Just phenomenal.
MUSIC: One of the best soundtracks I've heard in any BL... consistently.
EARTH'S BODY: Okay, I'm being shallow... but, hello? I would lick frosting off of it. I'd do more than that.
CONS:
If you've read my previous reviews, you know that I'm always ready with the critiques. But not here, I have no real cons. Okay, I'll indulge a little bit:
THE FINAL KISS: It might have been nice to see a little more passion, after such a build up (tongues and all of that). But not a dealbreaker at all. We all were so happy and just want them to live happily ever after, don't we?
THE KIDS AFTER TWO YEARS: I'm REALLY grasping at straws here, but... after two years, wouldn't the kids have grown up a bit more? Obviously, the filming couldn't wait two years for a more realistic presentation. Adults don't change all that much in two years, but kids do. I'm thinking they could have had a little more mature looking hairstyles, to make the two year time difference a bit more believable.
But I'm nitpicking here. This series was as perfect as any series could be. It is, by far, #1 on my all time BL favorites. I would give it an 11 if I could.
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One of the better Thai BLs I've seen in more than a year!
Despite all the negative comments I read here on MDL, I really liked this one and am going to miss it. Here are my pros and cons:PROS
STORY. Yes, that's right. Sure, there were some moments that suspended belief, but what Thai BL doesn't have those? For the most part, I found this compelling. And, contrary to so many BLs, it actually HAD a story (yes, I'm looking at you, Bad Buddy). Even better, everything was wrapped up in the end, and with no cliffhangers.
ACTING. I really had no issues with the acting. Nat was great as the villain, as was Perth as his conflicted son. Phuwin played his lead role respectably, with some really good moments here and there. Pond was pretty good, as was Chimon (in a part that gave him little to do). And Pawin was delicious as the conniving and underhanded Phum.
OST SONGS. Phuwin has a beautiful voice and I loved his OST. Pond singing was surprisingly pleasant and I enjoyed his OST, played in the ending credits. (As for the rest of the music... what was up with all those misplaced Christmas carols? And that hideous cowboy song??)
CHEMISTRY. Palm was so adorably sweet and protective with Neung. And they weren't afraid to kiss with some passion.
CONS
"ELDERLY" PEOPLE. That dance class for the elderly! The oldest person I saw looked to be maybe 45. What's the life expectancy in Thailand, 48?
"JUST SHOOT ME!" It was either Episode 10 or 11 (I forgot) where three or four of the characters (separately) got themselves in a situation where they felt compelled to scream out "Shoot me! Go ahead, shoot me!" A bit silly.
THE NOTES AND LEAVING. It was annoying enough with Neung did it. It was downright ridiculous when Palm returned the favor in the finale.
Still, none of those were dealbreakers for me. I'm giving it a 9.0.
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As a big fan of Mean/Plan (and Tin/Can), it pains me to say that this is the lowest rating I've ever given to a BL series.Why? The story is about as boring as I've ever seen, the Wish character is really unlikable and the Two character is just really dull. I thought they were pretty bad in ReminderS, but this series took them to a new low. I know that the actors are good, so this failure has to be a result of the poor material they were given. Yacht is a welcome addition but, again, just another uninteresting character. Perth and Gun make cameo appearances.
The only good thing I can say is that, at least, it was only two episodes. I'll wait for Tin/Can to come back strong in LBC2.
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It was okay, kind of meh...
A very medium series, here are my pros and cons:PROS
1) OFF'S ASS. I would love to see him in a speedo. Dang, I'll bet he could open a jar of pickles with that thing.
2) FOOD. Most of it looked really good!
3) SHORT. It was a fluffy, sweet series that didn't overstay its welcome.
CONS
1) OFFGUN "CHEMISTRY." Sorry, what chemistry? They've always given me good friend vibes and there was nothing here to make me feel differently. And Gun REALLY can't kiss. (Or won't.)
2) THEME SONG. Hated it with a passion! That baby crush song made me want to remove my own appendix with a knife and fork every time I heard it. The MC was in their thirties, for goodness' sake. "Baby crush?" Eww. They're not 12.
3) FIRE'S MOM. What a bitch. I wanted to slap her and didn't buy her complete 180 at the last minute. I thought she was an evil, bad seed who needed to be taken out with the trash.
4) WASTED OPPORTUNITY. You've got Dome Jawarat in the cast, who just happens to be one of THE best singers in Thailand, and his vocal talents were not utilized (even for the OST)? Shame.
A pleasant but forgettable series. It's a 6.0 from me.
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Unrealistic, but adorable
Brothers was a pleasant surprise for me! Here are my pros and cons:PROS:
DRAMA. There were some dramatic moments here (the parents' divorce issue, Chon's dad's health, etc.), but they never evolved into the melodrama that BL is often guilty of, problems were talked out and solved.
ACTORS. While there were no Oscar winning performances here, the boys were all adorable.
WHOLESOMENESS. Despite some "unusual" plotlines here and there (read below), this was wholesomeness, the likes of which I've never seen in a Thai BL. Borders on Cherry Magic wholesomeness.
OST. I loved the soundtrack, especially the theme song.
CONS:
THE "NUDE" INTERMISSION PHOTOS. Just tacky and bordering on creepy. They could have been clothed. What was the director thinking?
TEACHER/STUDENT. I don't know why they had to go there. So Maping (the student) didn't have the hots for the teacher, but the teacher DID have the hots for the student. That was the real issue. Not really sure what purpose this served.
TWINCEST. Okay, I'll admit it. As a gay guy, when I was in high school, the idea of having a threesome with cute identical twin brothers would have been my dream come true, lol! But in reality, the thought of blood brothers (twins or otherwise) engaging in a threesome together is pretty cringeworthy.
PACING. Most of it was fine, but there were dull moments that just lasted too long (i.e., "Byenior" party; some of the Khun scenes).
But I digress. The cons were not dealbreakers at all. I really liked this one.
8.5/10
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It SHOULD have been the BL of the year, but...
My Extraordinary was heavily advertised as the first BL in The Philippines to be aired to a primetime national audience.I was so excited from watching the trailer, it appeared to be a drama that would hit all the right chords and send a great message. Sadly, this was not the case.
Here is my list of pros and cons:
PROS:
ACTORS. The actors really brought it. Each one of them played their roles to a T, with special mention going to Yayo Aguila (Monica, Ken's mother), who gave a powerhouse performance and made me absolutely hate her character for most of the series.
MUSIC. Probably the best part of the series for me. The theme song is one of my favorites and Kenji Exaltacion's singing of everything was perfect. Also, hats off to director Vincent deJesus, who also composed the music.
ATYPICAL LEAD COUPLE. For once we have a lead couple that doesn't look like two Ken dolls (not that there's anything wrong with that... ). It was refreshing to see two pleasantly average looking guys as the leads, rather than the perfect teeth and skin, chiseled gym bodies, etc. Same with the actors that played Heaven and Romeo.
CINEMATOGRAPHY. The outdoor scenery was so nice and the wishing tree was beautiful.
ESAW. Although the thought of eating chicken intestines sounds absolutely revolting to me, it was nice to learn that "Esaw" is a delicacy in The Philippines.
CONS:
THE STORY. My biggest problem with the story was not the sad ending (although that is a factor, which I will explain later)... it was with the whole supernatural/Sandee sees dead people nonsense. The story would have been just fine -- and much better, in my opinion -- without it.
WRONG MESSAGE. Homophobia is always worth fighting against. But, let's face it, dramas about homophobia have been around for years. It's 2020, folks. People know very well that bigotry is wrong... that's not news. Especially, for a primetime (mostly straight) audience, it would be nice to show how great (and yes, NORMAL) same-sex couples can be. THAT'S the message that needs to be delivered these days... enlightenment, not negativity. As it is, what message does this send to young gays thinking of coming out of the closet? "Stay in the closet, kids. Your parents will freak out and if you think your life is bad now, prepare to be REALLY miserable!" Horrible message.
KEN/SHAKE RELATIONSHIP. Yes, they were adorable. But there was no progression of their relationship shown. One moment they barely know one another and suddenly they're majorly flirting. Huh? And, although I absolutely disliked the "together in the afterlife" deal, the bottom line is that they barely knew each other. They were just two people about to get together and see where it would lead, -- they never even had a real kiss -- yet, the series portrays them as the romantic couple of the century. Couldn't buy into that, sorry.
HE LIED: Director Vincent deJesus said, in the comment section of a reaction video, that no one would die in the series. He didn't have to say anything, but he chose to tell this blatant lie. NOT cool. I'm pissed about that.
I can't say I did not enjoy My Extraordinary. I DID enjoy it... mostly. For me, the best line in the series was this one (Ken to his mom): "Mom, I'm your son. You've always known. You were just the last to admit."
Too bad it was a dead gay character saying it to a mom that couldn't hear it.
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Make It Live: On The Beach
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This was disappointing, but a last-ditch effort at the end sort of saved it.There was a sadness throughout the whole series (just 6 short episodes), with Tee and Fuse reuniting for their third anniversary together... except, from as much as we could tell, Tee and Fuse are attending different universities so they haven't seen each other that much in these three years.
Peak (Fuse) carried the series with very good acting, showing lots of emotion and crying real tears in just about every episode. Boom (Tee) was subdued pretty much all the time. At one point, we hear him speaking to his mother on the phone and, from what we can gather, Tee's mother is against his relationship with Fuse, with Fuse overhearing Tee's side of the conversation. Unfortunately, we get nothing from Tee regarding his own feelings... there's just an unspoken resolve that Fuse will break up with Tee, so that they can both get on with their lives.
In the last episode, Fuse tearfully says goodbye to Tee, but Tee stops Fuse from leaving. Tee calls his mom and says that he will stay together with Fuse and that's that. The series ends with video messages from many of the former Make It Right cast members congratulating Fuse and Tee.
The story was not well written. Sure, we can all understand the issues that young gay men often go through with their families, but it wasn't addressed at all.
Lukmo and Ess showed up to provide some levity (I'm not even sure why Ess was there), but their presence fell flat... the scenes with them felt awkward and forced. The very few attempts at comedy (Fuse/Tee shaving in the bathroom; a couple of fun moments with their friends) weren't enough to save the overall depressing feeling of the series. The video messages with the former MIR cast members did help to provide a somewhat satisfactory ending.
There is nothing wrong with presenting a drama here but, if that's what they the producers were going for, it just wasn't good enough. Too bad, because Fuse/Tee are a decent enough couple. Both actors deserved better, especially Peak (Fuse).
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Love Earth/Mix, but this is no Tale of a Thousand Stars
I was reluctant to watch Cupid's Last Wish, because Earth/Mix set such a high standard with ATOTS. This series was nowhere near as good, but there was still a lot to enjoy. Here are my pros and cons:PROS
MIX AND PMS. The best part of the series for me! Mix (as Win, in the body of Lin) did a first-rate job of behaving like a woman with PMS. I mean, really remarkable and hilarious. Give the boy all the awards!
JAN ACTING LIKE WIN. She did a great job.
WHITE'S HAIR. I've always liked White, and it's a shame that he's recently been demoted to only supporting role parts. (I have my theory as to why, but I'd rather not write it here. If anyone wants to know my thoughts, I'll be happy to share in a private message.) Anyway... I really liked his shaggy hairstyle in this series.
CONS
THE WHOLE WIN/LIN THING. It's not the body swapping thing that bothered me (fantasy-fiction can work just fine), it's the idea that Korn (who is gay) is staring at Lin's face and body during all their adventures together. Yeah, yeah... I know the whole "love has no gender" spiel. Not buying that Korn is going to be physically attracted to Lin's appearance and wanting to make out with her, not until Win had regained his actual body. Sure, one can rationalize (the writers certainly did) by saying "but he knew it was Win." Meh.
WIN'S MOM. (In the final episode) the dialogue went something like this: Win: "Why do you want me to hate Korn?" Mom: "Because honey, your mom's a big ol' homophobe." (Proceeds to start crying and hitting herself, causing Lin and Win to comfort her immediately.) Mom: "It was all my fault! You almost died because of me!" That's right Mom, you almost DID cause your own children's deaths. So you absolutely SHOULD be beating yourself up over it. Grrrrr. Suffer bitch, suffer.
THE MONEY-GRUBBING AUNT AND UNCLE. Or were they cousins? No matter, they were terrible people. But what happened to them? They were great villains, then they just disappeared, then they came back at the end, suddenly softened and almost wimpy. I was disappointed.
KORN'S GOING ALONG WITH THE ENGAGEMENT. Wtf was that all about? Sure, he was in love with Win, but seemed willing to marry Lin just because her mom wanted it. I understand that respecting parents is very important in Asia, but -- come on -- it's 2022, and arranged marriages are a thing of the past... aren't they?
Despite some fairly big flaws, I still found much of it enjoyable. It's a 7.0 from me.
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Star and Sky: Star in My Mind | Sky in Your Heart
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One of a number of mediocre Thai BLs this year
2022 looks to be the Year of Mediocre Thai BLs. That said, Star and Sky: Star In My Mind fits right in. Here are my pros and cons:PROS
CUTE BOYS. That's all.
SHORT. Thank goodness, they got everything done in 8 episodes. Although it could have been done within a 90-minute movie.
MAITEE. I liked him. And I would date him.
CONS
DUNK. What was the casting director thinking? They give Dunk a character who cries in just about every episode, and he can't act. (It's been awhile since I've seen an actor that stiff.) He never shed any real tears, he just got a silly, pained expression on his face that looked more like he was having problems passing a bowel movement.
BOOOOORING. Even watching this at 2x speed, it managed to drag on incessantly, and there wasn't much of a cohesive story.
LACK OF CHEMISTRY. There was no chemistry between the main leads, and that kiss in the last episode was about as dead fish as a kiss can be.
But not the worst thing I've seen. 4.5 from me.
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Disappointingly terrible
I was so excited that we were finally going to see a real GL series! And with Pearl, the beloved character from Gameboys. Unfortunately, it was a failure. Here are my pros and cons:PROS:
CAST. They really did assemble a terrific cast. Everyone played their roles well, despite a problematic script. A shout out to the guy who played Linus in the last episode: he really portrayed a sexy creep about as well as anyone could!
"TABOO" SUBJECTS. They did tackle polyamory and, to an extent, biphobia. Not to mention Pearl's essay on the female orgasm. Good on them for that.
UNCONVENTIONAL CHARACTER. I loved that Jill -- an overweight and not conventionally attractive woman -- was the ex of Karleen, who herself looked like a supermodel. It's rare, but opposites really can attract in real life.
FONZY/ACHILLES. It was at the very end of the final episode, but they were adorable, a couple we can actually root for.
BEAUTIFUL SCENERY. The views of the resort were really stunning. I'd go there!
CONS:
CHARACTERS. The Pearl I loved from Gameboys was turned into a weak, whiny, sniveling, entitled crybaby. She played her two pursuers as if she was the hottest thing since sliced bread, a total turnoff and embarrassing. After Karleen left her to attend to her own best friend's trauma (which Pearl admitted she would do for Gav in a second), she then mopes to Karleen that, because Karleen did go to her friend, that would mean that Karleen would always put others before her (Pearl). Huh??? Karleen was unlikeable, insecure, jealous and indecisive, Alex had a backbone but the writers made her seem like someone who could never commit, and Pearl was just an unappealing personality throughout the entire series. She is not ready for any kind of committed relationship until she grows a set. I honestly didn't care about any of them.
STORY. Episode 1 was promising. Then, Episodes 2 - 5 were a total snooze. Episode 6 made a comeback with some actual interest, and then Episodes 7-8 were just bad. The ending was unsatisfying.
INAPPROPRIATE SILLINESS. I'm all for lighthearted, cute moments. But this series went from the extreme drama of Alex's anger/leaving the scene, to Pearl's crying after Karleen left her at the resort to... a silly, ridiculous video call between Pearl and Fonzy (with cemetery background) which, after a couple of minutes, had the two of them laughing like little children. And in the last episode, during Pearl's "week off," she went from expressions of "pained anguish" to acting like a perky gym bunny. Sorry, it was just... bad writing and directing, totally superficial.
KARLEEN'S HARASSER. Don't get me wrong, I have no tolerance for anyone sexually harassing anyone. But I had to chuckle: the guy coming on to Karleen hardly seemed like a threat. Karleen looked like she could kick his ass with her little finger. If the directors wanted this to appear real, they could have at least hired an actor who looked like he could do some potential real damage.
ALEX'S ADMISSION. If someone on a first date asked me to "say bad things" about myself, I'd tell them to go first. That's ridiculous during the first stage of dating. But to Alex's credit, she was honest. TOO honest. Pearl (and viewers) seemed horrified that Alex said she hadn't had a relationship that lasted more than a year. People: Alex is 24. How many long-term relationships would you expect her to have had? Even if her first was when she was 18? Many people haven't had even one committed relationship by the age of 24. And how many committed relationships has Pearl ever had? Gav is the only one we know about, he was gay and, from what Pearl says, sex was pretty much off the table. If Alex was 35, I might have doubts about her confession. At 24? Please, get real.
I can't blame the actors, they worked with what they were given. But this was a very disappointing series.
I'm giving it 4.0 out of 10, and I believe I'm being generous.
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Well...
This was a crazy ride because, while I'll admit to having a soft spot for some of the recurring characters from My Day (and, of course, My Day brought us some much needed entertainment during the quarantine period), this was quite messy in many ways. Here are my pros and cons:PROS
TRANS CHARACTER STORYLINE. I do appreciate that they gave Ms. Becky a love interest and an actual storyline, as opposed to treating trans characters as simply an embarrassing attempt at comic relief.
ZEKE/FIFTH. Well, what's not to like? Two attractive young guys that had no problems showing off their hot bodies and getting into some steamy scenes. Can someone hand me a fan, please? And their acting was quite acceptable as well.
THEME SONG. I liked it in My Day, and I continued to like it here. Catchy tune, and fun.
WIN. Teejay is handsome and I think he tried his best, with what he was given as a script, and to play off of.
CONS
CHUKCHUK. Don't get me wrong, I love dogs. But when they started that "Chukchuk is missing" crap (AGAIN!), I was ready to punch a baby in the face.
SKY/WIN. It felt VERY forced. I realize that Miko Gallardo is one of the producers, and he was steaming hot in My Day. But he seemed very uncomfortable here. It's obvious that he's put on some real weight since My Day (where he was in underwear model shape). No, I'm not fat shaming. I only mention it because he seemed very awkward in the shirtless scenes. Teejay tried really hard, but there was just no chemistry and they had little screen time as a couple, and the proposal at the end seemed... weird.
DAD DYING. Unnecessary drama, at least from what I could see. Although... it did give Miko (Sky) a chance to show off some tearful acting chops we may have not known that he had.
MS. BECKY. I know... I said I appreciated her love interest storyline, and I do (especially with a younger, sexy guy... go Becky!).
But... she's an aging adult, and her reaction to Marco's having had an ex-girlfriend was REALLY high school. Most adults would take the high road and have an adult conversation with their lover to find out what was up. Silly. And, while she claimed to be so worried about Chukchuk, it became clear she would have had that mutt euthanized in a second for a photo op. (Why did she still have Ace's beloved dog to begin with?)
JELAI. Okay, he's portrayed as the aging and not particularly attractive, over-the-top effeminate comic character. That isn't my biggest complaint. It's that they turned him into a pervy creep, asking his students Zeke and Fifth who was the bottom. That's the last thing the LGBTQ+ community needs. Barf.
PRIM'S EX. Whatever happened to him? We dealt with Mr. Jealous for several episodes, and then he was just... gone. Hello?
PRIM/SKY THING. I have no idea why they introduced that. Not that women don't fall for gay men... it happens. But the whole premise came off as unnecessary filler.
I didn't hate it, but I can't call it a success, either. My Day got a 7.0 from me... I'm giving My Story a 6.0, and that's mainly because Zeke/Fifth provided enough hotness to keep my rating from being pulled several points lower.
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