Technically well made but the plot might well be going downhill

With two characters being killed off (or so it seems--you can't quite be sure in this series), the plot is getting a little too dark and heavy for its own good. It's not that there is anything bad about this in itself, but it does not seem to suit the way the story has been set up since Season 1.Worse, while one might admire the gifted team's futile efforts to change things in Season 1, Season 2 seems bent on undermining the credibility of the gifted team's idealism and motivations. In fact, they are shown to be naive in what one might say is a none too subtle criticism of political movements dominated by young people. (It seems to almost be saying that the ideals of the youth are impractical and they need to be more attuned to the realities of the world.)Of course, given the show's penchant for plot twists, the current crisis in the team may well be a result of the covert machinations of someone like Supot, the director and villain figure in Season 1. But with the rivalry between the director and the minister being foregrounded in this series so far, it is not clear if Supot will be rehabilitated and turned into the lesser of evils (how is the plot going to get anywhere otherwise?). But this seems like an ideological sell-out.

Read More

Lacks focus, but sustains some interest

A story with at least six main characters (and they aren't even three couples) but fairly short and few episodes is more than a challenge to handle. The choice of casting perhaps becomes more obvious because, with recognizable actors playing the roles, it is easier to orientate at least viewers who are familiar with them. (But what does the series have to offer viewers who are most familiar with the BL couples they play?)There is a suggestion that the narrative threads may come together at some point, with T-Rex seeming to have found out some secret about why he and Watee have exactly the same name and Maetee seeing "ghosts". But it is unlikely that the stories of the six characters will come together in a meaningful way within another six episodes.

Read More

Fine, you're not BL. But what are you?

What do you call a series that knows it will draw a lot of BL fans by casting six actors known for the three BL couples they have played previously but unequivocally declares that it's not BL?While I often feel that it is unfair for fans to dismiss a series because it isn't BL, I also often bash series that bait BL fans only to disappoint them. This series seems neither, but the choice of casting six actors who have played three famous fictional BL couples (it's not even six actors who have played BL roles before) seems deliberate even if there is no overt BL baiting in the story itself.By the end of Episode 1, it seems to be a lighthearted and potentially likable series with fairly cute characters. But will it turn out well?

Read More

Interesting but also problematic

Episode 5 shows some interesting changes to the TinCan story in terms of how Tin buys a new phone for Can.There seems to be some inconsistency in the script, with Tin confessing at one point that he broke Can's phone because he wanted to get his number by buying him a new phone with a new number. (At first he said that the phone was broken accidentally.) However, later Can says it's a good accident because he has a new phone (but he will pay Tin for it).The inconsistency isn't a big deal, but it does seem creepy to to make someone lose his phone and possibly lots of data in it just to get his number and to leave him with practically no choice but to accept the new number because he has no money. To be fair, taken into context, Tin has been raised with warped values from a young age and he is learning to be a better person.Nevertheless, the portrayal of the TinCan kisses are likely to disturb more than a few people. I don't think such kisses are necessarily always bad in a fictional show. However, he acts as though he doesn't want to be kissed but yet starts to be attracted to Tin. It's the old idea that someone who doesn't consent may still want it deep down. (We see a worse version in Techno/Kengkla, with Techno enjoying the experience and falling in love with Kengkla after he was raped.) Then there's also the issue (I'm not sure if I got it right) of Tin saying that the kiss is payment for the phone or something.The basic trajectory of the story is interesting, but we can do without all the problematic stuff.

Read More

Interesting relationship dynamic

I like the Solo and Gui pairing in the drama so far. They are not even a couple yet, but I find it interesting how we don't quite have one of them playing a stereotypically masculine role in a consistent way. Each of them seems to have his vulnerable side and his own strong character. Given that almost every other BL out there is set in a campus, I hope this pair has something a bit more interesting to offer.Kao and Phu are cute too, but less refreshing. Why isn't there more on Solo and Kao's friendship though? I thought they are very close (in Ep 1, Solo calls Kao after a nightmare in the middle of the night), but we don't quite seem them being really close friends after that.

Read More

Doesn't quite pull one into the story

The story starts off ok, but doesn't really pull us into the story. On the other hand, there is also nothing that would really put me off watching. I guess we can all afford to be more patient.Gui and Solo's attraction to each other seems rather sudden. There should have been more, such as showing Solo's loneliness and how he feels comforted by Gui. Gui's background should also have been fleshed out a little. I actually get more reading the synopsis on MDL than watching the show, which doesn't quite show Gui's struggles. Not sure if the synopsis turns out to be accurate or if there are going to be differences in the show.The other couple, Kao and Phu, reminds me of Inn and Korn in Until We Meet Again. Hope they end up well though.

Read More

Some development for everyone, too little development for everyone

The problem with having too many characters can be seen again. (This also happens with Season 1.) Tin's elder brother has a little BL-ish story of his own, but we know him to be such an awful person (though played by an extremely good looking actor) that the subplot doesn't look promising. Also, it may have little to do with the main story.Ae continues to mope, but one positive aspect is that he seems to be slowly picking himself up from the breakup with Pete. Perth is handling the emotional transitions well, I would say. (The reason still isn't revealed except that Pete is said to have broken up with him and gone overseas for his sake.)Techno and Kengkla's story is also developing a little, but I can't get over how Techno is literally finding his rapist attractive. (I'm hoping that the rape part has been re-written like the TinCan story, but I doubt so).TinCan ought to be the highlight, but their screen time is sacrificed for the other couples, which also include Tum and another guy. Almost 1/3 of LBC2 is over and we are still quite some distance away from the point where the TinCan story ended in LBC1. At the rate we are going, perhaps we will need LBC3 for the TinCan story to be fully developed? Lol

Read More