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Unnecessary Death
With the exception of the completely unnecessary final 2 episodes, a great series overall. Pretty good acting, especially Shiang. Honestly, the main couple is conventionally unattractive. But they're supposed to be the most handsome guys at school? However, I really like both of their characterizations. Yu is a broke, malnourished nerd who broods all day, is extremely stubborn and self-reliant. Honestly his guardian (aunt) should be in jail for neglecting him. He doesn't even eat 3 meals a day. He's under 18! The actor is actually pretty well cast if we ignore how he's supposed to be good looking because the actor is short and extremely thin. He looks fine in the title photo because his face is overexposed, which gave the illusion that he's not malnourished. Shiang is a spoiled brat, brash and uncontrollable but has a heart of gold (unless he thought he had a reason to take revenge). Sun and his bf are gay but Shiang is probably pansexual because he was never interested in guys before. They have great crying scenes. All the young guys are great at crying, much better than Trapped.This show ends at episode 18. The last 2 I will pretend never existed. Fucking hell. What the fuck does Yu's death bring to the table?! This is the end of a series: there's no extra plot, no loose ends to tie, no character development, no destinies to fulfill. All we see is a forever-changed, forever-depressed Shiang. But props to the actor who played Shiang. His crying scenes are phenomenal. The ending is simply pure bullshit.
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The only reason why this is nine stars is because those 9 episodes were great. As for the 10th, I DESPISE IT to the point where I’m pretending it never happened and to me the ending is at episode 9. Of course why I hate that finale so much with a passion is because one, I am not a fan of SUDDEN sad endings. And two, the episode was so unnecessary, like what was the point.( I’m talking about what happened to Yu Xigu and Hao Ting, the other couple at least got their happy ending) The entire episode was literally Hao Ting remembering his horrific past and getting depressed to the point where he had to drink his problems away and some boring scenes. But what I’m mad about is why would they kill off the MAIN character that literally deserved better after all the things he’s been through, he couldn’t even get to university. In conclusion the first 9 episodes I would recommend 10/10. As for the 10th, I would rate it -10 if I could, and if you are gonna watch it, then DON’T GET TOO ATTACHED TO THE CHARACTERS. Was this review helpful to you?
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They pandered to the lowest false beliefs held by a repressive straight populace!
Up until the final episode the series was fairly well done. Good acting, fairly engaging storyline, good choices in casting and a decent pace in the story keep you coming back for more. But, I cannot recommend this series.Not because of an age difference in the secondary couple that some people gripe about, that's actually kind of realistic to life, at least it is in my own life (I was 32 he was 19 and we had almost the exact same argument about getting together. We've been together 21 years now.). Not because Yu Xe Gu died, let's be real here relationships end one way or another and it could have just as easily been a breakup. And let's knock on the door of reality a little bit, how many broken hearts are left crying in the middle of the road while finding the one "right" one?
No, my problem is the actual ending. See people, a lot of them, seem to be confused. They come to the belated conclusion at some point in the last episode that Yu Xe Gu died SIX YEARS EARLIER, the tears start, and their brains shut down. They start moaning poor Yu he died, they aren't really paying attention to the dialogue that the screenwriter put into the mouths of these actors.
So clarification.
In first scene dialogue Hao is discussing sleeping arrangements and trip with mother (We know Xe Gu is dead so there is someone else). In scene and dialogue with Xe Gu doppelgänger it is mentioned and Hao confirms a girlfriend. In scene and dialogue with parents at dinner table parents are trying to push Hao into actually formalizing engagement with girlfriend. In scene and dialogue with Sun in apartment Hao states he has been trying to get over Xe Gu but hasn't been fully successful. In closing scene and dialogue with Sun, Hao confirms he is not gay, that he is going to take the opportunity of travel to go the Himalyas (get over Xe Gu), that no other could take the place of Xe Gu (referring to a man especially the doppelgänger ).
All the dialogue leads inescapably where the screenwriter wants us to go. Hao was not gay and it was just an immature phase that he was going through. If we get rid of the cause of his gayness, allow him to mature and get closure, and add the right woman he will become "normal" and "straight" again. This is a falsehood and a lie. There is simply no way that Hao could have gotten so emotionally and physically invested in Xe Gu without being gay.
They have betrayed us as viewers and pandered to the lowest of the false belief systems of the straight populace that gays are both disposable and can be easily changed to straight. It sickens me that this would actually be coming from modern Taiwan. I have heard rumors that the franchise is either taking a hiatus or closing down from new production. Good thing following this. If it were up to me neither the screenwriter nor the producer would get work again on even a toilet paper commercial.
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I’m giving this show an 7/10. I loved this show so much... until the ending. For multiple reasons, I was disappointed in the way that this was concluded.
First, I really didn’t like how the entire show XHT refused to say that he was “gay” there are so many micro-aggressions towards the gay community in this story about young gay love... not to mention that after YSG dies Haoting’s parents are pushing him to find a “wife “ which I found detrimental to the positive gay storyline.
Even at the end XHT claims to only have loved YSG which I think still cast a negative idea on homosexuality. Some people swear XHT was “pansexual” rather than gay but I call bs because dating one man while refuting the fact that you are homosexual does not a “open to loving all genders and gender expression” pansexual, make.
I also thought the random super young doppelgänger of YSG was tasteless and cruel. It was a super unnecessary plot point.
Ultimately, I thought this was a terribly cruel end and definitely not justified in anyway... it was a curveball to the gut with virtually no payoff.
I think the denunciation oh the ENTIRE HiStory series is a bit dramatic and you still have a fan in me but how bout you do a real story about real gay people. Instead of these super machismo bro’s that’ve never liked guys before and are only attracted to “THIS ONE GUY” but still totally appalled by the idea of being with men... except this one man... which totally doesn’t make them gay... P-UH-LEASE.
Disappointed, because I really looked forward to this story every week.
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I must say, they did so good with the trailer and I went in with pretty high expectations because they did such a good job on the previous HIStory3 series. The couples were hella cute and actors had great chemistry onscreen. And I live for the secondary couple. Although the age gap feels a little sus, I think the way things panned out (esp. in the last episode) depicted them as having a pretty healthy relationship compared to a lot of the other push-and-pull couples that are common in dramas. I felt like the drama really hit a lot of sweet points people are looking for like the struggles of coming out, the pressures of academics, and just the everyday struggles of life (esp. in Xiao Gu's case). I was really taken aback by the degree of raunchiness that appeared onscreen, but props to the writers for taking that risk. But I really did not like how HaoTing kept seemingly pressuring XiGu for intimacy and how he basically forced it when he had the fever. Sick or not, it wasn't right and I think since it played out that way, they should've done something to clarify that behavior is not okay especially for a budding relationship like theirs.
However, my biggest complaint though is the ending. Is it just me or was that the most 'wtf' ending they could've given us? They lured us into a false sense of security with that trailer and we all thought 'oh no, Xiao Gu got hit by a car and lost his memory.' But NOPE! He's gone for good and Wayne (the actor) did a really good job of making the last episode a tear-jerker. I'm just 100% unsatisfied with how the finale went and how Xiao Gu's death was so indelicately announced by HaoTing's ex no less (again, wtf). The way it played out feels like a trashy Wattpad fic trope I would've ate up in middle school but definitely not now. Whatever, I suppose the title of the drama makes a little more sense now.
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Skip the last episode :)
Overall, I thought the show was enjoyable, especially since there was a bit more "spice" than your average BL. Still tame by America's standards, but it was a nice reprieve from the norm you get from Thai BLs.I think the cast of characters were basically perfect. Usually, when you watch a BL, in show we're told, "oh these people are best friends", but then they usually don't have any chemistry or believable interactions with each other. In this show, the friend group was very believable. If you told me that they hung out with each other off set, I would very ewll believe it, because... (if I had friends) I would be doing things like that.
Another thing that was believable was the progression from enemies to lovers. Shi Gu (one of the male leads), was such a cutie patootie. He was such an upright, straightforward student but the other male lead. Xiang Hao, was like the "popular kid" who could get away with anything. The juxtaposition between the two was evident from the very first episode and the series never failed to show the difference between the two males. The impressive thing, however, was how they cam to understand one another, especially in the case of Xang Hao. He was such a stereotypical "rich boy" type character, that it was a bit expected that he would turn into the typical 'sugar daddy' type rich boy that you see all the time in BL. While, this stereotype did manifest itself, it was still handled in such a way that you felt as if Shi Gu was never disrespected or belittled because of his circumstance. His wealth was never made a focal point for any point of the story.
Personally, I don't think I would rewatch this show specifically because of the ending. I'm not typically a rewatcher, but this really cements that for me.
Would I recommend this show? I would say yes, because if you like BL, it doesn't go with some of the usual tropes. Such as, the "ex girlfriend" drama or the "cheating drama". Lowkey, the show is pretty drama free, and that something to be appreciated. If you want something a little more "dramatic", look elsewhere, but if you're just looking for some fluff (besides the ending) this is a perfectly reasonable show.
Like, the final episode could have been so much better and fixed a lot of things. I don't want to get too much into it for the new watchers, but they could have made it so the viewers could have connected more to what went on in the final episode and made it more meaningful without being melodramatic.
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Nearly Perfect
With “Make Our Days Count,” the creators of the HIStory series prove yet again that they are brilliant in producing sweet, lovable, high quality BL (ending here notwithstanding—more on that later). Although this latest installment in the compilation gives us no novel or unique plotlines, what it does provide are stories that are relatable, endearing, and genuine, and the actors deliver beautifully in bringing these tales to life.Making up our primary couple is Xiang Hao Ting (popular, confident, and charismatic) and Yu Xi Gu (reserved, studious, and a bit of a loner). Their dispositions could not be more different, and it makes the perfect contrast. Xi Gu was beyond adorable—words cannot begin to describe!—and I loved seeing Hao Ting dote on him and turn into a sweet, adoring boyfriend.
Our secondary couple is Sun Bo Xiang and Lu Zhi Gong. This is another storyline we’ve seen before—one pining for the other in an unrequited love—but I think the age difference between the two characters (and how it relates to their dynamic in the relationship) adds a nice, differentiating touch. I don’t think the chemistry between these two is quite as good as the chemistry between Hao Ting and Xi Gu, but by no means is it awkward or unbelievable. These two were very fun to watch and made for a good second storyline.
With both couples we experience alternating moments of doting, adorable sweetness and well-executed, passionate sexiness. The romance was earnest and pure, and I felt that the pacing was good for the number of episodes. Each couple was given just the right amount of time to develop their relationship and tell their story. As for the series overall: solid writing, likeable supporting cast, minimal filler, and although (like I said earlier) the storylines have been done before, nearly nothing felt contrived or manufactured. Nearly everything flowed smoothly, which is what we’ve all come to expect and appreciate in a HIStory series.
THAT SAID, I was disappointed with the ending. Like others, it’s not that I can’t stand sad endings or don’t appreciate them, but this one did feel contrived. It came out of nowhere and didn’t fit with the rest of the story. The shock value it added to the show seemed to outweigh anything else, and it created a jarring, disjointed finale. I totally get the other argument that this ending gives meaning to the title of the series, but I feel like it would be more compelling if more time was spent on the immediate aftermath, rather than ending after a huge time jump with no explanation or reflection in between. I don’t think it got the development and attention it deserved, and the series as a whole suffered for it. Had more time been spent on it—or had the time been better spent—I think it wouldn’t have felt so sudden and out of place.
Overall, I do recommend. I think the series could have ended perfectly right before the end of episode 18, but in terms of acting, writing, production quality, and chemistry, it remains high on the list.
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Mind you, my problem is with the lazy and disjointed writing of episode 10; the entire cast and its performance, on the other hand, was outstanding - from Wayne and ChuanChih, to the entire Xiang family, and the ZENREN homies - all of it was top-notch.
However, it is horrifying to me to watch nine episodes of a carefully crafted series where one is witness to the blooming of love, the growth of one character inspired by the support of another, the working together towards a common goal in spite of all adversities… just to see everything unravel in a senseless and meaningless tragedy abruptly thrown into the mix as if to wrap everything up quickly and hush-hush.
This is the first time I wish I had not seen one of these stories. And not because of the sad ending, do not get me wrong: I am not against sad. I am upset at the gratuitous cruelty of this very inept writer. Episode 10 (finale) has all of the classic signs of an abrupt ending resulting from an administrative decision other than what the plot naturally required. This was not a car veering off the road… this was a train wreck!
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Excellent show through and through that sticks to its theme till the end
This series follows two high-schoolers in their final school year. Hao Ting (Wayne Song) is a delinquent while Xi Gu (Huang) is an impoverished student who's consistently at the top of the class. Xi Gu has a crappy life. He was orphaned at a young age and his caretaker eventually starts her own family and he sees the need to become independent because he doesn't wish to be a burden to her. Xi Gu's poverty has affected his entire life. From his dedication to his studies, to how he views Hao Ting's gestures towards him. Everything is monetized and it's a minor detail that makes his poverty feel much more real. It's all incredibly sad.Hao Ting is meant to serve as Xi Gu's polar opposite. He isn't said to be particularly rich, but it is implied that he's well off and especially so in comparison to Xi Gu. Hao Ting can afford to be carefree and slack off with his friends. Due to this clash, there's an animosity perceived by Hao Ting and his friends from Xi Gu that eventually grows till the boys start bullying him. Of course, this is a BL series so Xi Gu's peculiarity grabs Hao Ting's attention and things start to take a turn.
A lot of my thoughts about HIStory 3 have to do with its ending, so I won't go into too much detail to save this review from becoming too long but direction, music and production quality are quite good overall. The show does have a washed out, or soft look to it but my guess is that this was done deliberatey to give it a soft and nostalgic or daydreamy atmosphere. Aside from the main couple, the other characters of note are Hao Ting's family who fulfill a great role in the story in dealing with the theme of homophobia. Hao Ting is also friends with Sun Bo who falls for Lu Zhi, an older man who works out at Sun Bo's cousin's gym. Lu Zhi is also coincidentally the boss of Xi Gu at one of his part-time jobs. At first, this second couple is incredibly boring and were a real scene killer. Sun Bo seems to only have a shallow attraction to the older man and he quite literally harasses Lu Zhi until the latter decides to just give in. There is an age difference that's discussed, but for the most part they're just a stable couple after things fall into place for them. They do happen to be great communicators and are dedicated to each other, so props for that at least.
The main couple, Hao Ting and Xi Gu, are very great together. Hao Ting's actor (Wayne) was surprising in how well he portrayed Hao Ting beyond an overconfident delinquent and delivers his doting over Xi Gu incredibly well. When he's sad, he's sad. When he's being a buffoon, he's being a buffoon. It's all very believable. Xi Gu's actor is also great, delivering an underlying layer of sadness to his character even when he's happy. Their chemistry is wonderful and the intimacy feels real. The two find each other, love each other, brighten each other's lives and with the power of love and hope of a brighter future on their side, the two eventually make their dreams come true. Said dream being moving in together for college after Xi Gu helps Hao Ting get into a top university, one of the conditions for Hao Ting's parents to accept their relationship. It's incredible, but then the final two episodes changes things.
Before starting this series, I knew about the "bad ending", and HIStory 3 seems to get a lot of hate for its ending. However, a sad ending doesn't mean a bad ending. This show is still worth watching despite the ending not being the happy ending that we all would have liked. I don't wish to be a simp for this show, but HIStory's message goes beyond it being a BL series. It goes beyond just two boys falling in love. The ending isn't perfect by any means, but the tagline is Make Our Days Count. Purely on its theme, I think HIStory's ending is excellent, even if it does get muddied by small details.
To understand the ending, you have to understand the show's message. In the series, Xi Gu is said to be jealous of Hao Ting. All Xi Gu does is work towards his success, he can't afford to revel in the present. Xi Gu's days count towards his success. Hao Ting in contrast to Xi Gu, can be seen as making his days count by being carefree and not worrying about the future. However, is he making his days count? What does it even mean to make your days count? Are they happy? The closest thing that we get to an answer to these questions is when the main couple gets together. Hao Ting and Xi Gu strike a balance between working towards the future and enjoying the present, together. That's when the two are seen to be truly happy. Then it comes to an end. It's cliche, but that's life. Things happens. Xi Gu dies and Hao Ting's life is sent in a different direction, the same way it happened to Xi Gu with his parents' death. The final two episodes flashes forward some years and we see Hao Ting still studying, working for Xi Gu's sake. Both Xi Gu and Hao Ting preserve despite their personal tragedies. With Hao Ting still working, we see that he hasn't forgotten about Xi Gu and he's worked till he became a very accomplished student. This is a sign of his love for Xi Gu and also his strength and perseverance. The previously wandering Hao Ting with no goal in mind is able to work towards the dream that he envisioned alongside Xi Gu. However, the show makes us wonder just how "good" of a thing that this is. Hao Ting's mother warns her son not to miss out on his life by only working, and not taking a chance to take in the now. So, Hao Ting in the ending also serves as something of a cautionary tale. Is he making his days count towards Xi Gu's memory or trying to rush past them? Again, solely with its theme in mind, HIStory's ending is very well done, I didn't expect the ending to be as thought provoking as it was. It's much more powerful than a generic happy ending.
The very last scenes of HIStory 3 deal with Hao Ting deciding to move on. Hao Ting runs into an old classmate who prompts some memories of Xi Gu, he breaks down and reveals to Sun Bo (who's now still very happy with Lu Zhi) that he's still broken up over Xi Gu. Hao Ting reveals that he's trying to reach the stars to touch him, something that he and Xi Gu talked about when he was still alive. Hao Ting is also seen speaking with a doppleganger of Xi Gu who he seems to largely ignore as the other boy goes on and on. Deciding that it's time to move on, Hao Ting tells Xi Gu's double that he's leaving, the symbolism being clear to the viewer. Hao Ting later reminiscences on his good days with Xi Gu and then meets up with Sun Bo. Hao Ting declares that Xi Gu is irreplaceable and that he's finally ready to climb the Himalayan Mountains to gets as close as possible as he can to Xi Gu. He's ready to see him again. The show then ends, reiterating its message of cherishing and making your days count. Now, the show's message does get muddied a bit here as an offscreen character is mentioned and it's said that she's interested in Hao Ting. Hao Ting's parents say that he should give the girl a chance. So he should move on just for the sake of it? This feels tacked on and I felt as if it clashed with some notes that the ending touched. It's as if the original idea of him ending up alone was too depressing so they give him some leeway to not be lonely forever. Or perhaps they meant that he should consider the possibility of seeing someone else and they just fudged the delivery of that message? Either way, it's a minor thing that you could ignore, but it slightly cheapens everything else about an otherwise great ending.
HIStory 3 has a sad ending for a BL series, but it's a great show that sticks to its theme and communicates its message incredibly well. Don't let the bad ending turn or scare you off, this is a series that you should definitely watch and will stick with you for a while.
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On the the topic of slightly shallow writing, I generally wish some of the characters relied less on cheesy grins in lieu of characterization or dialogue. I blame the script writers more than the actors. The actors/directors could have let the emotions be a *bit* more variable. The grinning all the time was exhausting to watch - people in love don't have to always give full-blown, huge smiles or a meek, cheerful "嗯!" every time something nice happens.
An indisputably excellent show up to the end of the 9th episode (of the 10 Viki episodes)!! After that, a questionable plot choice is shoehorned in and some weird contrivances are added for? The Drama? Dunno. They tacked on a weird message about making each moment count but they didn't give the characters the chance to do so, really? In fact, we find out that one really important character wasted 6 FULL YEARS of moments that didn't get to count. So. Idk maybe it was deliberate irony.
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Definitely worth watching + one criticism
This review contains spoilers. It's better to watch the show before reading what I've written.Each week, I waited patiently for the next episode of "History 3: Making Our Days Count" to be released on VIKI. It's been such an amazing show and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. The final episode, however, is not sitting comfortably with me. At this very moment, I am in front of my computer after having completed the drama and I'm feeling completely gutted and wishing that I had stopped watching the show at episode 18.
By way of background.... my very-much-loved son passed away a couple of years ago and this final episode has brought back all the misery, all the heartache and all the grief that I felt when he died. I mention this as an indicator of the impact that this last episode had on me and also because there is a parallel between my experience and Hao Ting's story. It is a huge credit to Shao Hui Ting's writing and Tsai Mi Chieh's directing that I am now feeling this way. In addition, Wayne Song's acting was absolutely outstanding; he brought me to tears. I honestly hope that he wins an award. He deserves it. I also know that I feel this way because of Juan Zhi, too, and his ability to create an incredibly real and very likeable Xi Gu. I applaud the abilities of every one of these people with all my sincerity. What makes me reflect the most, though, is that I wish that I did not have to experience these painful feelings again without benefiting from some positive gains as well. For example, when I look back on my son's life, there are so many positive aspects to it for which I am extremely grateful. This sense of the value of a life was not there in the last episode of "Making Our Days Count". For me, such positive gains in the midst of terrible tragedy seemed to be missing and I was left feeling meaninglessly heartbroken.
I'll explain what I mean.
Xi Gu did not deserve to end so miserably. He had already been through more than enough. His struggles contained life-lessons for all of us and were worth so much more than a few bits and pieces in a biscuit tin. That Hao Ting's parents did not honour the memory of Xi Gu a little more was cruel because even in death, Xi Gu kept his heartfelt, solemn promise to Hao Ting's parents and gave their son the reason and the momentum Hao Ting needed to make a great life for himself. It would have been wonderful if Hao Ting's and Xi Gu's homosexual relationship, brief as it was, could have been celebrated because of all the good that it eventually brought. This did not happen though. Instead, we were introduced to "Phoebe" and the glimpse of a heterosexual relationship now being important. In my opinion, Xi Gu's promise to Hao Ting's parents in an earlier episode was worth its weight in pure gold and was worthy of acknowledgement and story development rather than being pretty much forgotten. Had Xi Gu been remembered with fondness and gratitude by everyone who mattered, the tragedy would have felt worthwhile and it would have sat much more comfortably with me. It would have been cathartic.
To be honest, I usually find the "six years later" (or equivalent) kind of last episode challenging. In this particular instance, I would have liked the final episode to lead the me along a little more gently instead of keeping everything a mystery until right near the end. While all the characters in the drama had had 6 years to move on and get used to the situation, as the audience, everything was brand new to me and it was hard getting my head around it all and trying to make sense of it. Maybe this is just me, though.
While I know that I have been negative in writing the above, please keep in mind that these critical thoughts relate to just one double episode in one drama. And the drama was well worth watching.
In closing, I sincerely want to thank all those involved with the different History series. You are doing the world a great service by showing same-sex dramas and teaching the world that gay is OK. What's more important, though, is that you are leading the way with helping the world see what gay relationships look like, that they are not something scared of and, at the end of the day, that love is love. I congratulate everyone on their amazing work.
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