koburi
London, UK
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This was a weird one. Japan produces plenty of great BL/yaoi anime and manga, but their few live-action offerings are never quite right. There were some funny and cute moments, and I understand that the tone was meant to be lighthearted and over-the-top rather than subtle and realistic, but some things about it bothered me.Warning, spoilers below...
Ossan's Love employs the strange tactic of having a not-very-likeable lead character. Haruta is not a bad person, but he behaves more like a teenager than an adult man. His mannerisms are bizarre, he shouts a lot, he's always rolling around drunk, and he doesn't seem to have any self-awareness. I guess it's his good looks that draw people to him...?
More importantly, however, I didn't get the impression that Haruta had ever - at any point in his life - considered himself to be bi or gay, but when he found himself with two male suitors he gave both of them hope (by going with the flow and not giving any clear rejection) while simultaneously recoiling from any physical contact and seemingly just wanting to be friends. This kind of confused response might make sense in someone much younger, but it doesn't sit right coming from a 33-year-old man. Just what was he trying to do? What was he thinking? I'm still not sure. Even by the end of the show I wasn't convinced that Haruta genuinely had romantic feelings for anyone, which made the ending somehow unsatisfying. I would have liked it more if I had seen and believed in a real transformation in his feelings.
This show kept me watching to the end, mainly to see if Haruta would ever make a clear decision with conviction. On a positive note, the side-characters were kind of interesting and fun, especially Choko, even if her reaction to the situation was unrealistic.
In short, this show wasn't terrible, but there are much better BL offerings out there that have more emotional punch, more chemistry, and frankly...make more sense.
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This review contains spoilers.Having read a number of glowing reviews of this show I was totally prepared to sail this ship - but wow, what a letdown. If anything, it showed me how far Thai BL shows have come in the last couple of years. Before I discuss what I didn't like, first I'll mention what I did like.
First of all, I appreciated that the women in the story were portrayed as just normal people and not crazy, stupid or boring little nothings that were 'in the way'. It's sad that this should be a breath of fresh air, but there you go.
They also had some interesting side-characters who had potential to add variety and spice to the show, but they were under-used. And I liked the character of Arthit and the actor who played him with some degree of subtlety. I also thought the sub-plot with M and May was cute.
However...
The major issue I had with this show was the character of Kongpob. Frankly, he creeped me out. I'm not sure if it was the fault of the actor or the script, but Kongpob always had this eerie smirk on his face that really set me on edge. The creepy smirk, combined with his constant do-gooder interjections, made him someone I would never trust or want to be around. He felt very fake, very false from the outset. I mean, he even smirked DURING his first kiss with Arthit. It made me shudder, and not in a good way. I thought maybe the plot would turn and he'd be revealed to be a psychopath.
I also did not really respond to the core theme of the show - the hazing rituals. They went on forever and were very repetitive, doing little to drive the plot forward beyond setting up the basic 'bully being wooed by the victim' theme. There were pacing issues throughout, with annoying gaps in any sort of forward motion.
And finally, I found it hard to understand or trace how Arthit ever came to like Kongpob, or vice versa. There was a total absence of chemistry in that relationship, and Arthit's decision to give in to Kongpob did not strike me as credible. At the end of the day, if I don't believe in the relationship the show just can't work for me. It wasn't my cup of tea, I'm afraid.
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To be honest, I had reservations about watching this show because I thought a love story between a human and ghost would feel silly, forced or awkward, but somehow they really did manage to pull it off.
He's Coming to Me is one of the sweetest shows I have seen in a while, with the relationship between the two leads feeling natural and believable from the start. While there are plenty of comedic moments, the tone of this series never strays too far from the melancholy; at no point is the viewer allowed to forget that one of the main characters is dead, and that is played to poignant effect from start to finish.
Emotionally engaging throughout and with a great soundtrack and solid performances from the entire cast, this show was really an unexpected treat. Both the lead actors have matured since their roles in Sotus and Make It Right, respectively, and they felt right together. The supporting characters were also well-played, especially Praifah.
And finally, props to the writers and director for not bloating the show with unnecessary side-characters and sub-plots. Everyone who appears in this show has a reason for being there. At just 8 episodes, the pacing felt right, without dead space and go-nowhere filler episodes. Too many dramas tread water in this way, so it's refreshing to see this sort of compact, on-point storytelling.
If TharnType gave heat to the 2019 BL scene, He's Coming to Me gave it heart. If you've been sitting on the fence about watching this one, give it a try.
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