My Ride (2022)

The smoothest series, watchable- not bad but not exactly amazing.

First a quick recap. The cutest motorcycle driver (Mork) was dumped by his girlfriend for being poor. The (probably rich) doctor (Tawan) was heartbroken by a cheating lover. Together, they formed a friendship, and becasue the doctor, who brings his own protection(i mean the helmet), keeps riding the cute guy, I mean getting his services, I mean as a driver (SPOILER ALERT) they fell in love. And lived happily ever after. The end.

But seriously, who wouldnt fall for those dimples. Those sweet smile can make one wet and flood the dryest of the Saharan desert. The real question is why it took Tawan approximately 9 episodes to finally admit his feelings for Mork, still puzzles me.

There are so many things to love about the series. First, its a breath of fresh air that the series is not school or university themed, because god knows we have way too much of that already. Second, the main couple, their chemistry is not exactly electric but its hard to hate them. Did i mention how cute Fluke is? Everytime i think the show is too boring, this guy hooks me back in. Third, i love Mork's uncles specially since it is rare to see long-term same sex couple in a series. Fourth, the motorcycle ride in episode 7, when Tawan fell asleep behind Mork is BL gold.

On the other hand, these are some of the things they could have improved. First, Mork's friends were ok, but the riot act during the festival was totally unbelievable and could have been played better. Next, the second couple Toy and Boss. I loved seeing Yoon but Best could use some acting workshop, i just cant believe their chemistry. Third, I also hate to say this but Nadia and Mayom couple didnt make much impact, if only they gave them better arc. Fourth, and i dont know why, has something to do with the pacing, sometimes, it can feel a little too boring.

So, in overall, would i recommend? Yes, like i said, the dimples alone deserves the screen time. Would i rewatch? Hard to tell, but maybe not anytime soon.

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Such a Sweet and Smooth Ride

This is just such a sweet ride... Cotton Candy fluff, with so much sweetness and dimples you just might hurt your cheekbones from smiling...

The drama itself is nothing revolutionary or so... There is no big message there is some drama and angst here and there but it is just enough to keep it from being a too smooth ride. The cinematography is good. And the intro song is as sweet as the drama itself...

The pacing is good, and kept me interested the whole time, the side characters may do some stupid things here and there but are over all lovable with the exception of a jerk but he is supposed to be a jerk so it works out fine. One of the side couples is composed of the male leads uncle and his lover these two are just so sweet understanding, fun and the ultimate bickering couple goals for old age. giving this drama that little extra spark to it... It also has some small trans representation done ok, not great but not badly either.

There are a few small side stories that where left a bit to unexplored but it does not affect the over all impression of this which is just smiles and fluff all around.. As we watch these two very kind men get to know not only each other but also find their place in the world...

or something like that

Some scores:
Bingeabilaty -10
Cuteness -10
Annoying -characters no
Second hand embarrassment- very little
Friendship-10
Family-10

So yes I loved it and hope you will too.

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sunshine/softie, friends-to-lovers, crush, bisexual identity, out gay, rich/poor

BL grew up with this one - a truly lovely and special little show featuring the extremely rare pairing of sunshine/sunshine AKA the cinnamon roll couple. Mature explorations of relationships using one of the softest, sweetest and most innocent friends to lovers vehicles.

Delayed from 2020 from LineTV My Ride has been fraught with production issues but worth the wait. Screenplay by Fluke Teerapat (AKA Wad in SOTUS & Golf in My Bromance) and featuring most green actors, it was a well-paced story with well-drawn characters that shone. Endearing. And I really liked the general earnestness.

Kindly overworked doctor Tawan meets broken-hearted dimpled motorcycle taxi driver Mork in an “other side of the tracks” romance. Also featured a sunshine/tsundere (young/older) doctors side couple, and even a pretty good het relationship side couple with Tawan’s bestie and a local barista.

With great friendship groups, family dynamics, and support cast this show reminded me a bit of Nitiman (in a GOOD way & non-university) only better because the courageous storyline never wavered. We got to watch Mork & Tawan meet and slowly fall in love with each other first as genuine friends, and only later as lovers. It’s quiet, and all the drama feels genuine not manufactured, coming from previous relationships. So we watch these two support each other and build a foundation together, even though they don’t yet realize it themselves.

With older gay rep, in the form of Mork’s uncles (the Gay Advice Dads trope - so vitally queer and so underused in BL), casual references to things like having to care for his alcoholic brother’s child, and coping with being the “other man”, these are grown ups with complicated lives and a adult problems. And yeah, both Mork and Tawan are a little beaten down by the world, but both of them are trying hard and willing to fall in love again, even as they don’t realize it’s happening.

This is a sweet slow burn romance, so all we get are a few tentative kisses at the end, but I still consider it an unexpected gem. With honest queer rep that adds to, but doesn’t impede the story and genuine conversation about the nature of class, wealth, and classism, not to mention communication, honesty, and respect for boundaries, you can’t go wrong with this show. It is, for my money, the best Thai BL pulp we’ve ever gotten.

In other news, I’m a sucker for a single dimple.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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Dimples! Dimples! Dimples!

Please don't think me superficial but my goodness Fluke Pongsakorn Wongpian has got dimples for days. When he smiles his face lights up. He is Thailand's Park Bo-gum. This is the first BL series that I have seen him in and he is doing an excellent job.

If you love watching a beautiful relationship develop, you will love this.

The development of the romance between the lead characters is so wonderfully and convincingly managed. I am truly appreciating the skill of the actors in playing their parts. I have re-watched the end of episode 7 over and over again. Beautifully done! Less happy moments do come but it is wonderful watching the gentle, beautiful love develop between Mork and Tawan.

I am also loving the wonderful chemistry between all the different love connections in this series. I love the BL Cinderella (lovers from completely different walks of life) aspect as well. And, I really appreciate that they decided to have three different romances going at once. As for the three biker friends they provide jokes for days. I did not want this series to end… but it did and I loved every moment I spent watching it.

Honestly, I want to thank the BL producers coming out of Thailand. It took me a long time to start watching their BL series but I can officially say I am now addicted. Wonderfully produced films, with great actors and beautiful romances. Even the less stellar productions are far superior to anything I have ever watched on the famous romance channel whose name I will not write here.

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A Swing but A Miss

Potentially, this could have been a great BL series but it ended up being another formulaic series from Thailand. Conceptionally, a great idea but it turned into a soap opera, unfortunately. They had GREAT actors who are beyond stunningly handsome and turned an interesting story into a mundane romp through boredom. For sure, they were an enchanting couple with no real substance to their relationship. The ending was simply dreadful and astonishingly dense. Not high on my list of watchable ones which I know I am in a minority here. I just did not believe their relationship, even if it was so cute.

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Wish they had sent the script back for a rewrite and gotten better actors

What I liked:

- A healthy, consensual main relationship between two nice, adult leads.
- Gay uncles that one of the MLs could go to for advice!
- A working-class lead, with classism addressed.
- A doctor whose schedule felt realistic, with the impact that would have on him and his relationships considered.
- Gay/straight friendship solidarity.
- Very little homophobia - these characters could be openly gay in public, and everyone was either supportive or neutral.

What I didn't like:

- The actors playing the leads couldn't really act, especially the one playing Tawan. They also appeared to be uncomfortable kissing each other. They're both supposed to be mature adults who've been in relationships before, but they barely touched lips.
- The show spent the majority of its time keeping Tawan in a relationship with his cheating boyfriend. Wish that had wrapped up quickly, so we could focus on the friends-to-lovers plot.
- Mork kept having the same epiphany that he was in love with a guy for the first time, over and over again, and every time he acted like he'd forgotten all the other times he'd realized before lol. Combining this with the last point, the show felt like it was just spinning its wheels.
- Transphobia/misgendering. We've got a version of queer utopia here where no one really cares if anyone is gay - why couldn't that have extended to the trans characters? This is a very side issue, since there were no speaking trans characters, but the double standard for trans acceptance was disappointing. (A side character has a meltdown after realizing the girl he likes is trans. He constantly misgenders her after finding out her legal gender and is told that true love doesn't care about gender. He eventually decides to continue pursuing her while still thinking of her as the wrong gender. I hated the way this was handled. Straight men like women, some of whom are trans! It doesn't make a straight man gay or bi if he likes a trans woman. In an LGBTQ+ show, especially based on material written by a gay author, I expect this to be handled better.)
- The second gay couple could have been cute, but the harassment crossed a line from "teasing the boy I like" into just being a jerk.
- The straight couple was boring, and I'm saying that as one of the people who DON'T fast-forward through the straight couples in BL. Also, the woman was kind of classist and rude to the guy.

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Something a 15-yo would come up with

I feel bad for saying this cuz I can see this show had good intentions and the finale was pretty cute, but it's still so stupid! Do they want me to believe in the emotions and situations they are presenting? There is no depth or nuance. The characters are all adults, yet they all behave like pre-teens with the exception of maybe Mork. Maybe. Tawan is too naive. I understand being relatively young and having not a lot of emotional baggage, especially with relationships, but they could use some sensibility with that trait. Some complexity. But there is none. If a character is naive, then they’re too naive; if a character is helpful and considerate, then they’re too helpful and too considerate; if a character is too immoral, then they’re too immoral. It’s something a 15-yo would come up with.

I admit the main couple is very cute, mostly due to Mork being adorable and very pleasing on the eyes (that man is beautiful from head to toe), and there was some cute chemistry there too. I also liked the older gay couple. It’s something we don't often see in these BLs and the characters were fun. Didn't care about the rest. The cheating storyline? No words! The show got significantly better after they resolved that (it only took eight episodes out of ten!), but that was not enough to save the whole thing.

I understand the need for not so thoughtful entertainment for whenever we feel like just consuming something easy and pleasing to watch. But then again, I think the BL audience deserves better than this vapid stuff full of nonsensical plotlines and irrational characters. They had the chance to approach some strong themes and concepts, but it seems like they just chose to go for the cheapest options with all of them. For a show that took so long to get made and to be released, this feels like a waste of money and effort. Could’ve stayed in the drafts.

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IT TOOK 8 EPISODES TO REALIZE TAWAN IS BEING TWO-TIMED ??

I REALLY WISH TO SAY THAT I ENJOYED THIS SERIES, but unfortunately, I didn’t. Maybe I started with very high expectations because of the reviews I’ve read. But there’s just too many glaring idiocies and laughable scenes here that I couldn’t ignore.

THE TWO MAIN ACTORS. Tawan (actor: FAME) is neither good nor bad. He is just average in terms of acting, but tends to ham it up. Also, his looks are bland at best. He’s not main lead material to me. Mork (actor: FLUKE) is more natural. Those dimples are a plus, too. However, I don’t feel any chemistry between the two.

Story is all over the place because there are so many side characters, the most useless of which is the Toy-Boss tandem. The series can do away without them. I fast-forwarded their scenes beginning in Ep 5. Toy’s character is not funny at all (a blackmailer who takes advantage of Boss). Boss is a spineless character, too – and his “speech” in front of Toy’s class in the finale is not believable at all; in fact it’s laughable.

Mayom, the bartender is bearable because his acting is consistent. He’s the best looking guy in the cast, too; second only to Mork and Top (Por’s boyfriend). Nadia’s character is funny but can be irritating sometimes. Also, why do they dress her like that? I’m talking about the festival where she wore a cheap dress even a cheap sex worker won’t wear!

The uncles are okay, too, though their fights tend to be overacted.

What really irritates me is the story: It took 8 episodes for Tawan to realize Por is not really into him. Worse, it’s not only Por who kept it from him, but also Mork. So, we were left with only 2 episodes for the 2 MLs to develop their romance – which is even worse than the university BLs.

Overall, I felt impatient with the story flow that I fast forwarded many times. In the end, it felt like it was a waste of time.

Technically, it was so-so. There’s no outstanding shot/s, not even during end kiss. Their earlier supposed “romantic” or “deep” talk on that bridge was not breathtaking at all. It was bland at best.

7 / 10

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Tawan doesn’t deserve Mork

Ok, I watched this whole series today and let me tell you, it was not good. Mork/Fluke was fantastic, his single dimple is adorable, he brought as much chemistry as a single person can bring and I believed his character, very likeable and genuine. I think he could make a great career for himself with a better script.

Tawan/Fame - if I don’t see him in anything again it will be too soon, he was playing 28 acting 18. He seemed uncomfortable and it was not believable that he was attracted to any of of the men.

The Toy/Boss coupling was cute, reminded me of 2Moons2. Chemistry was there and decently acted imo.

The straight couple was ok, that’s as far as I would go.

My score is based solely on Fluke if I am honest, hope to see him in other series.

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Watch for the main couple

Overall: I was excited by the premise but I'm a bit disappointed in the execution. I have read part of the book and I dislike pretty much every change they made in the live action adaptation. Watched on Gagaoolala.

Content Warnings: slap, blackmail/manipulation, fight scene

What I Liked
- the lead pair is adorable* (and those dimples!)
- actually showing (realistically) that a doctor is busy (though pretty sure you'd die if you didn't sleep in 70 hours)
- Tawan's friend Nadia is really supportive of him but I didn't like her character otherwise (and in the book she was a he)
- there is a (unfortunately very minor) trans woman character who nicely is not a comedic character

Room For Improvement
- *I really wish Tawan would know what the audience knows in episode 3 and then we'd go from there, he didn't know until really late and Mork trying to prevent Tawan from knowing was so bizarre
- multiple fake outs
- the side m/m have no chemistry and I hate the way their relationship started (this couple was not in the book)
- the m/f couple, her actions make zero sense (this was a m/m couple in the book)
- that the uncle just gave money to his pregnant girlfriend (was not in the book)
- had the poor communication/ghosting at the end trope
- I expect better kissing skills for two guys who have both been in relationships before
- too much time spent on some side characters/scenes, like the motorcycle guys at that festival

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Best fluff you'll find.

I don't normally like something this fluffy this much, but this had a lot of qualities that made for very enjoyable viewing. I really loved this series, and I actually cried through most of the finale, which is a rarity for me.

I'll start with some negatives:

- The Yok/Boss storyline was apparently added and is not in the source material, and it shows. It's not integrated into the main story and feels like it's a completely different show that got stapled to My Ride. It served no purpose as it didn't really contrast with the main story or shine any new light on it. The resolution of it was very satisfying and flipped things around in a refreshing way, but sometimes the Enemies to Lovers trope can be pushed way too far at first, and in this Yok is much too awful. The Blackmail thing was fine because he would never have done it and was just messing with him - it was a little OTT because Boss believed he would and was very upset. And the library thing was a deal-killer for me. Don't mess with people's books - that was just terrible. Especially for an anal-retentive person like Boss - you just know he had all those alphabetized or grouped by subject.

- The Nadia/Mayom storyline was apparently m/m in the novel, and I'm at a loss as to why they would change it - I understand the Nadia character was a very effeminate gay man and Thai series will never make someone like that a main characer in a pairing - they're sole purpose is comedy relief. This is a real disappointment as that would have been something different and special. Ironically, the theme of the Yok/Boss story, which the producers added to the series, was the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone.

- The Por story was dragged out a bit too long, and since the audience has the full picture but Tawan doesn't, it starts to get frustrating. It would have been better to have put more time into Mork's struggle with his sexuality, which was sensitively handled and not the usual eye-rolling drama, so I could have dealt with quite a bit more processing for him. Or we could have had a bit more of the motorcycle guy and the trans teacher - that was interesting.

OK, on to the positives:

- There is a lot of eye candy in this, but none of the actors were just a pretty face or rocking body (more on that later) - everyone did a great job with the acting, even Dr. Por - he's a really cute guy (like he is in Doctor I'm Coming for Soul), but he made him somehow creepy from the start, even though he was apparently a perfect boyfriend. You think there's something wrong, even fairly certain, yet you're not entirely sure.

- Fluke's dimple killed me, and that smile is the sun. His portrayal of Mork was consistent, sweet, quirky sensible, and gave the pair a class difference that was interesting and realistic - not at all a bag of stereotypes, and it just led to some reasonable mistaken assumptions that weren't dragged out or unrealistic. He doesn't suffer from that over-reserved performance style that plagues too many series. And I never felt like he was some actor they dragged in off the street because he's hot.

- Fluke is hot - both cute and manly without being obnoxiously alpha. Boss is adorable, Yok is sexy once he stops being an asshole, and the Barista (Mayom) is so hot it hurt to look at him. He has what I like to call "it." His gentlemanly demeanor, face, voice, and a completely killer body.

- The class difference theme was well-handled. Too often in Thai dramas there is the simple formula rich=evil, poor=virtuous. Here lower-class characters can have some sophisticated qualities as is the case with real people. The contrast between the main and secondary couple was interesting - while it got in the way for Mork and Tawan, it was mostly due to mistaken assumptions, whereas Nadia's assumptions were arrogant and completely wrong - she was no better than Mayom, and in fact her treatment of him is what lacked class, and it never occurred to her that he wasn't just a simple barista. One thing I didn't like so much was that he changed himself to please her, although I think the main point is that our assumptions about Nadia were off as well - she didn't need him to be a nobleman or rich, she just wanted a man with drive and amibition, which is reasonable. Tawan could care less and seemed to humor Mork's desire to be a provider, even though he's a doctor and most likely to be by orders of magnitude the main breadwinner for the couple. But Mork wasn't sensitive about this issue, it's just who he is.

- While this was very fluffy and clearly aimed at young audiences (if you're hoping for steamy shirtless scenes, you can forget it. They could at least have had Mayom take a shower. Sigh.), it didn't shy away from some darkness, and in fact had much less of that fantasy quality in BL where everyone is rich and everything is shiny. One of the uncles was an alcoholic, Dr Por's weaknesses were cowardly and painful to a lot of people, including himself, etc.

- This had a realistic and positive portrayal of an essentially married older gay couple, which I don't think we've seen before. They were the principal source of comic relief without being ridiculous - in fact they are crucial to Mork's character arc. They felt realistic and weren't archetypes or fairy godmothers. They had normal insights based on age & experience without having magic solutions to everything, and they had their own problems - it's one of the best elements of this series.

A nine is a very high rating, but this was such a pleasure to watch that I enjoyed it more than I have enjoyed objectively superior series. I had low expectations of this given all the production problems and recasting, but it's obvious that a lot of love went into this project. The quality of the cast was much higher than BL standard, and the story, while not terribly original, was well-written with fully realized characters with realistic failings and reasonable use of misunderstandings and mistaken assumption. Sometimes in other series these are so implausible that it's just frustrating, like when the evil ex-GF kisses the seme, but the uke just happens to wander to where they are at that very second for no plausible reason, and even though he sees the seme push her away in disgust, he still assumes they're over and there are three episodes of crying in the rain to sappy ballads ias we watch a montage of happy times together which we've alread seen several times. That doesn't happen here.

In fact, in the finale Mork is operating under several faulty assumptions that both drive the plot and are quite funny, and some of them were other characters being deliberately misleading, but out of positive motives.

So I highly recommend this - the pacing is a bit slow, but if you stick with it you'll be rewarded. If you find that the secondary couples aren't working for you, FFing through them will in no way diminish the main storyline.

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