Even better than the movie!!
As a fan of the movie and BNK48, I was really excited for this remake (the lead actress is from a Thai idol group, BNK48). There are two main reasons why remakes fail; either it's too simple or it told a completely different story.Bad Genius (2020) was able to retell the story that we love without being redundant. That's what makes it so good.
I personally think the series was able to give justice to the characters more compared to the movie. The movie had a lot of elements which were jam-packed into the limited movie runtime. The series was able to expound on those elements which I really appreciate. The characters were given more time to develop and it's not simply an exam cheating story; it's a story about friendship, family, betrayal and many more.
There are many unexpected twists and turns which keeps me interested. The intensity of this drama is on another level. I would say, the ending broke me. I was mad, but a part of me feels like I don't have the right to get mad. I was also happy. I don't really know how to explain since I don't want to spoil the story.
This series is a must-watch! Actors are really great, Plearnpichaya Komalarajun (Lin) and Sawanya Paisarnpayak (Grace) really stood out. Great cast, great story, great series. I will definitely rewatch this someday!
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Why watch Bad Genius the series?
At first, I was very skeptical to watch the series mainly because I thought there was no way the original Lin and Bank could ever be replaced. However, I couldn't be more thankful that I chose to watch the series nonetheless.If you love the movie, you'll definitely love the series. The writer added more depth to the story because obviously the duration of the whole series is way longer the movie.
Worthy to mention, the unsaid yet undeniable connection between Lin and Bank was even more defined in the series. Following are the friendship between Lin and Grace; the relationship between Grace and Pat; the cheating arrangements; but I need to stop here so as not to reveal any spoiler. The characters, no matter how evil they'd become, you cannot hate them because the reasons are logical enough that probably you'd do the same if you were in the same situation.
Every episode is more intense. You could literally hear your heart getting out your chest. Although, changes have been made from the movie but it's mainly because to justify more the actions done by the characters. The cast and the crew have done their respective parts incredibly. Lastly, the opening song is so good, you'd be having a hard time to skip it. To reiterate,the series has more depth than the movie!
Overall, the series deserved attention just as the movie, and personally, even more.
Check it out guys.
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This review may contain spoilers
Excitement build up every episode!
First off, I have not watched the movie version so I have no expectations whatsoever when I started watching this.I loved it! It gave me excitement and anxiety every episode. I feel like I am there with them in their journey. There was not a single episode where I wasn't on the edge of my seat watching them cheat their way on an exam. The background music added an extra fire to the show too. We were also given a glimpse of the twisted educational system.
The casts' acting is average but they portrayed their characters well enough. June's portrayal of Lin was really realistic. I felt the most connected to her character.
I loved the ending too. It felt a bit lackluster compared to the other episodes but it's the perfect resolution we need on this. Every character had shown growth and learned from their experience so I'm absolutely delighted.
Definitely one of the most awesome shows I've seen for this year.
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Didn't expect this to be so good
When I first read the synopsis for this drama (not having watched the movie version before), I was wondering if the show would end up over-glamorizing the teenage cheats or over-moralizing on how wrong it is for them to cheat. Thankfully, it does neither.What we have is not only a good story that is paced and directed well but also a nuanced take on the rampant corruption and inequality in society. We are invested in the characters early on--the main characters, Lin and Bank, are definitely likable people in whom we invest our emotions. The scene in which Bank carries a small boy so that the boy could get a balloon that has floated to the ceiling shows the innate kindness in both Lin and him as they try their utmost to help the boy, who does not even seem friendly at first.
Lin and Bank are the geniuses that the title may refer to--they are really good academically, which is why they can help others cheat in exams. (I do wonder why the school seems to exclusively have MCQ tests, but we can probably ignore this lack of realism.) The other two main characters, Pat and Grace, are also developed in interesting ways although I thought they would be flat characters at first.
Although Bank later turns into someone we may have reservations feeling sympathy for, the story of his gradual loss of innocence is compelling and saddening story. Despite being an innocent and upright boy, he betrays his own principles when his mother is injured and requires a massive sum of money for surgery. However, after he is caught for taking part in a cheating scheme, he is expelled from school and will not be able to fulfill his dream of enrolling in medical school and becoming a doctor. At this point, his moral descent begins as he he sees his future destroyed and hatches another exam cheating scheme, even going to the point of betraying his friends and cheating the customers who pay him to help them cheat. Can we really blame him when his poverty drives him to cheat to get money for his mother's surgery and as a reward for his filial piety, he gets expelled from school and have his dreams destroyed without a second chance? (No doubt, had he the money to bribe the headmistress, he would perhaps have been able to continue studying in the school.)
The depiction of the characters is wonderfully executed. There is neither harsh judgement on their morally ambiguous actions nor unnecessary valorization of their behaviors. In contrast, the irony of the headmistress moralizing to Bank for cheating is hard to miss. She is, after all, one of the key faces of the corrupt society that benefits the privileged and exploits the underprivileged. The reason the cheating has become something like an organized crime is the corruption on the part of people like her in the first place: Lin realizes that her father has to borrow money and pay a hefty sum of money for her place in the prestigious school, and she only gets "half" the scholarship although the money used to bribe the headmistress is more than enough for her fees for a few years. The headmistress herself tries to get Lin to give up applying for a scholarship so that her nephew can get it. One feels a sense of injustice throughout the series, so even as we know that the cheating teens are doing something wrong, we may just find ourselves hoping that they get away with it.
With the story premised on teens trying to earn money by coming up with elaborate cheating schemes, the ending is a bound to be challenge to write. Do we let them be caught and punished and risk undermining the social critique of injustice by emphasizing the immorality of their actions? Do we let them get away with it and risk sending the message that society is unfair and cheating is a legitimate way of making things right?
Thankfully, the writers are clever enough to find a way out of the quandary. The students do get caught (after one confesses), but the story does not transform into one that simply moralizes about how the teens are wrong to cheat. The differing punishments for the four teens actually hammers in the message about inequality further. The wealthy Pat essentially gets away scot free because his father is able get him off the hook (presumably with money). Amongst the less privileged, however, the less privileged you are, the more you suffer: Grace and Lin get away with a suspended sentence whereas Bank is sent to a boys' home. Why the difference? Lin is lucky enough not to have a record for cheating in the earlier scandal because he mother is around to help her whereas Bank, the least privileged, has no one in a position to help him get away with it. On top of this, we shouldn't forget that the criminals who get punished here are minors whereas adults like the headmistress get away with accepting bribes that are more or less an open secret.
The inherent unfairness even in the repercussions suffered by the perpetrators of the cheating schemes is observed by Lin herself as she eventually concludes that she and her peers have to use their intelligence and talents to change society without breaking the law because they the legal repercussions they have to face will prevent them from fighting the unfairness in society further.
In the end, we see Lin realizing that cheating will not help her achieve what she wants. We might see that she is perhaps just following her father's footsteps, trying to change the system in small ways whilst being part of the system. However, she is also more ambitious and intelligent, and there is hope that she will achieve more with her peers. Perhaps the ending is a tad too optimistic, but I won't complain too much in this regard.
This is definitely one of the best dramas of 2020 that I have watched so far.
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Surprisingly, I love this?
I'm actually quite skeptical whenever any hit movie will be made into series like maybe I'm thinking that it will be disappointing? Cuz you know sometimes not all hit movies should be made into series.So I was really not interested to watch this series at first.
But somehow I don't know the major reason I watched this because of Ice Paris. Kinda feel curious about his acting.
I've had watched him in Great Men Academy and In Family We Trust (IFWT). I read somewhere that his acting is not good but I personally think he's quite good. So I was searching for his other dramas/movies and found this series (well I just wanted to try to recall his acting and also you know... wanting to know which part of bad acting that he does lol). So I tried to give it a shot.
AS THE TITLE ABOVE, SURPRISINGLY, I LOVE IT.
More dramas, more tensions, more twists.
It really looked like an upgraded version of the movie.
I love all the main leads.
I was actually quite annoyed with Grace cuz I've watched her in IFWT before and her character there was pretty much annoying lol and I personally think her character personality here in this drama was quite similar to IFWT?
But somehow I kinda like her here compared to IFWT.
And also Ice Paris is good in acting. He is also so gentle with Grace here.
This is also my first time watching another 2 leads in drama so I would say that their acting was quite good as well.
Overall, RECOMMENDED. Go and watch it if you haven't!
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This review may contain spoilers
I MISS THE OLD LYNN, BANK, GRACE, & PAT! (See NOTE below)
The moment the cast posted an update on Instagram about when will be the release date of the series, I got goosebumps and excitement. Who would have thought that a Best Thai Movie of 2017 (in my opinion) will have a series this year!? - It's a surprise for me. At first, when rumors circulated all over social media platforms, I thought that "ohhh! it's just the continuation of Bad Genius (movie), or it's just another story that talks about bad geniuses." But I was wrong.STORY: 10/10
The story was nice, but I had no special or great feelings about it. Maybe I was expecting something great in the first episode but what I got was some same scenes and lines from the movie. In the beginning, it has the same plot, but as you go further, you would notice that it's getting different from the movie - and that's how I felt when the story came to its climax up till the end. It's getting intense and thrilling. Don't be discouraged when it's perhaps I call it "a remake." It's "a detailed remake with some revisions and twists" I guess. HEHEHE. I still give the story a 10/10 rating!
ACTING/CAST: 5/10
Don't get me wrong. I don't hate the cast and the acting as well. Honestly, I'm a fan of Ice, especially his songs. But as I go through the series, I find that there is lacking (in which I cannot distinguish) in the acting and cast. Perhaps I find them not suitable for their respective roles. Their actings were somehow forced and unnatural (but that's my opinion tho, I don't think you noticed those things too). As a fan of the Bad Genius (movie), I think it could have been better if they put the same cast :)
MUSIC: 8/10
Nice. Nothing special.
REWATCH VALUE: 9/10
If it's the movie, I will watch it over and over again even when I'm alone. Talking about rewatching a series is another story. However, I am eager to rewatch it when I have someone (especially friends) beside me binge-watching it.
Overall, It's a great series considering that it has a superb production! Good Job to the Director and the team! Everyone should give it a try!
Note: If you're new, who yet the watch the series, I suggest not to watch the movie first due to some reasons I wrote in the 'STORY' above. You might be with me who barely felt the excitement, thrill, and intensity when watching the series. :)
Thanks!
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This can give u a headache in a good way
I love the movie version and was surprised that it was based on true story . I thought they will put the same thing in the drama too but wohh! they changed so many things so cleverly and made it better than the movie. Every episode was so intense that I could feel the heat of that situation in my body too.(lol)Everyone's acting was on point specially Bank. Even background score was catchy. Definitely keeps u in edge of the seat and thoroughly enjoyed the twists it gave. This is my first time watching Thai drama and didn't disapointed me at all.
I really hope there will be second season looking forward to it eagerly.
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Every moment was thrilling
It's very rare of me to rewatch something that is not on the bright and fun side but for Bad Genius I can rewatch it 100 times because of the intriguing storyline. Every scene I had to hold my breath. It's not just a great drama but a drama that is going to hit you hard and will make you think. First let's come at the story line. I know this is same as the movie but saying overall the plot of this is fantastic. The way they cheated for the second time, if not executed well could have been repetitive but nope it got even better. The cast was young but they portrayed the emotions well and the huge character development of the characters, especially Bank completely going against his morals for money showcase the society's dark side in the rawest way possible. It challenged the education system and how the system is also cheating us. How bribing, giving question papers beforehand and trying to take the scholarship from a well deserving student happens everywhere. I loved the ending and how they wrapped up everything. They didn't give up but rather chose to change their method by following the rules and then going at the top to change it, It left me with so much satisfaction. While Lin confessing might have angered a lot because Bank was the one being affected the most but it was for the better. It put a hard stop at everything and they could restart again but this time with something positive, something better for the bettermentWas this review helpful to you?
A gripping series that keeps you hooked until the very end
This series is so much better than the movie because it was able to develop upon the original premise of the show, retcon the illogical elements in the original movie and showcase the characters' flaws and growth perfectly.Acting/Characters
The casting of our quartet is perfect. They really look like high school students and each actors portrayed their characters immaculately. Lin (plays by June) is the most fleshed out character and I love that Lin from the series is a bit more soft-hearted than Lin from the movie. Jaonaay is definitely a show stealer, he delivers our ML - Bank's struggles excellently. Watching the show, you really empathize with Bank but you can also see his slow descent into madness because of this grand heist they're pulling (once again kudos to Jaonaay because he perfectly portrayed that). Nana and Paris must have played their respective characters Grace and Pat very well because those are the most lovable yet obnoxious characters I see on screen.
Plot/Pacing
With only 12 episodes, the show moves quite fast and doesn't drag on for too long. They give enough room to explore in depth the background story of FL and ML and was even able to add a cute romantic subplot between the two. The bittersweet ending is completely justified but I think I like it better than the movie's ending because it ended on a much hopeful note for our ML and FL rather than the bleakier ending of the movie.
Production
You will never be disappointed with a GDH production. Its cinematography is very reminiscent of GDH cinematic works so you may feel like you're watching a movie when you're binging this series.
Overall
I'm writing this review after wrapping my 2nd time binging this show after 3 years from my initial watch. It's really a 10/10 series with tight writing, sharp dialogues and gorgeous cinematography that I think everyone should check out.
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A stressful watch that keeps you on the edge of your seat!
I did not watch the movie version, so my review is totally based on my impression of the drama. I read that the personalities of the characters in the drama differ from the movie. I think “Bad Genius” is probably the first drama I watched that I felt really stressed out throughout the whole series. The story is based on a real-life cheating scandal in Thailand. I gotta say, these kids are really smart to come up with ways of cheating.Throughout the drama, there were several cheating methods used. I was quite impressed with the barcodes. But the large scale ones were not as believable and quite farfetched, thus creating all these stressful situations and me worrying if they were going to make it or not. I have so much to say about Bank’s plan in the last scandal, but I don’t want to give out too much. Let’s say it was not as impressive as Lin’s previous schemes, but there’s also a reason why this is Bank’s project. There are quite a few unexpected plot twists throughout the drama.
I am really impressed with the acting of the young cast. This is June P’s second drama and Jaonaay’s first. You could not tell from their performances here that they are such rookies and they had amazing screen presence. Even if Blank is such an introverted/anxious character, you can’t take your eyes off him. Their subtle slight romance lightens the drama quite a bit. But we don’t see much of it. There was a lot of internal turmoil going through these two geniuses, and I think both June and Jaonnay portray these complicated feelings very well. Ice (as rich kid Pat) and Nana (as the actress normal girl) did pretty well. I was quite impressed with Ice’s scene when he was confronting his father. Nana on the other hand, might have delivered a weaker performance among the four, but she still did a pretty good job.
As much as this drama is about the students fighting against the education system, in a way, it’s more about the inequality of society. The four main leads have their own reasons for gaming the system. They might seem like they are friends and teammates. But behind this facade, there’s a lot of betrayals, blackmail, harassment, backstabbing and under-the-table deals. It’s sad to witness two good and hardworking geniuses resorting to this.
In the end, I also miss the old Bank. The Bank that would help a child get his balloon back.
Completed: 7/3/2023 - Review #325
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Cheating on a whole other scale
I haven't watched the original movie but that's not necessary to watch this. I wouldn't say I had high expectations but this show didn't disappoint. Everything was delivered well, from the characters storylines, to the acting and their morals and the OST is addictively good and perfect for the series. It being based on a true story really drives the message more home and it's so much more than simply cheating on exams. The couple's are cute, funny and the friendships between them are equally as special. One fault I did find was sometimes the background music made scenes feel too dramatic as it was unnecessary but the suspense really gets bigger and bigger as the schemes escalate.Was this review helpful to you?
É meu quarto lakorn, apesar do tema escolar, o que não é de minha preferência, sua forma de abordagem adulta e o enredo que não é apenas sobre colar simplesmente, há traição, amizade, mentiras e claro família, é o que me fez ver.
Os esquemas de cola são muito elaborados e inteligentes, essas cenas eram eletrizantes, mas a todo momento era deixado claro como o que faziam era errado.
De cara amei a Lynn, ela até me deu vontade de voltar a estudar, Grace é uma fofa, mas seu namorado Pat é um idiota, os dois me irritaram várias vezes, Bank é um menino simpático, mas calado e bem maduro, uma frase sua que é minha favorita é “Não quero ser amigo. Porque, no final, vão ser duas pessoas tristes”.
Confesso que me irritei com a Lynn no final, achei hipócrita, mas de certo modo entendo como também não julgo a mudança de Bank e até curti o final. Então em resumo é algo que mostra as pequenas corrupções diárias, é feito para dividir opiniões mesmo.
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