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Only Friends thai drama review
Completed
Only Friends
0 people found this review helpful
by ari
Oct 28, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

beautifully shot and well acted - raw and real and fun - but still a victim of theatrics

i was really impressed from the beginning with this unique look into LGBTQ+ life in Thailand, because i don't think any other drama has been as realistic as this one. they didn't hold back in exploring character flaws as well as relationships and all the good and bad that can come with them, and for that i have to applaud it. the premise was interesting - a messy group stumbling their way through romantic entanglements while still trying to maintain their friendship, not realizing how delicate of a balance must be struck in order for both types of love to thrive.

spoilers below:
top and mew were never that interesting to me, despite their sweet start. mew's quest for revenge, while initially a fascinating twist in character, soon turned into a drawn out ordeal that i could no longer stomach. in the end they just didn't have enough substance. i wish we learned more about top's issues, and saw mew coming back to himself, but it all just fell flat.

boston and nick were doomed from the start. i liked them together, but i always knew it would have to fall apart. i could see boston being in an open relationship easily, but nick was always too invested for that. in the end i think that this was a nice example of two people coming together to learn more about themselves and then move forward. but i am upset that boston's character regressed a bit in the final moments, and he was sent off with essentially no resolution, while being continuously punished. i think his friendship with the group would have been a better focus for his story.

now, my loves, sand and ray. their storyline gripped me the most. an ill-advised friends with benefits situation that turned into something more, while one of them was clinging onto somebody else. they ran into every obstacle, faced heartbreak at every turn, but among that rubble, they did love each other. ray was a character that was painful to watch, whether i was sad or angry at him, but i think it really was an exercise in understanding. a beautifully told story from start to near finish, until boeing came into the picture. i would have much rather spent the time focusing on ray's recovery and the repairing of their relationship, but instead, we had an oddly placed will they-won't they that served no purpose.

there's no way around it, the ending was unsatisfying for me. i didn't feel that things closed in a well-rounded and logical way. it was stilted and awkward, strangely paced. this was a pretty good rollercoaster for the most part... but it doesn't stick the landing. i think it's because of the changes made to the story based on fan opinions, but no one can say for sure.

solid acting from the whole cast, but first, khaotung, and mark were standouts, and i hope to see them leading future series!
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