Good introduction to the "BL world"
This is one of the VERYYY first BL series I've watched and I'm so glad that I happened to watch Manner Of Death in particular. I mean- it's just just something that has "interesting enough" storyline and isn't cheesy but at the same time isn't too heavy. Of course I'd say this series is more on the "serious" side but it's not going to break you into small pieces that can never be collected together. It has some serious heartbreaking scenes but it also contains a lot of funny moments and romantic ones and it's all just.. well-balanced. Great acting, unique storyline and will for sure make you want to explore the world of BLs more ?Was this review helpful to you?
A queer twist on a classic crime thriller
I liked this one! It's different, intriguing, and on the whole pretty good fun.The acting, cinematography, and pacing are all solid and make for an enjoyable whodunnit thriller experience.
The murder mystery is, for the most part, very well executed and fun to guess along with and is balanced quite well with the romance elements.
The characters are largely well-written and feel fully fleshed-out and three dimensional. My personal favourites are Sorawit and That, my beloved itty bitty gay sleuths, but the rest of the cast is, if not likeable, then at least interesting and compelling to watch as well.
This show isn't perfect by any means; in keeping with classic crime drama tradition it is more concerned with aesthetics and style, as well as making the viewers *feel* something rather than with telling an entirely logical and coherent story.
This to say there are several plot holes (although how bothersome these are is entirely subjective) and the story side-lines character development and gets a little too wrapped up in its own twisting, turning mystery for my personal taste towards the end.
I also wish there had been more plot-relevant female characters who don't wind up dead or otherwise disposed of, but for what it's worth the women of this story all get plenty of screen-time and agency, which sadly isn't a given in many male-centric queer media, or even in crime dramas for that matter.
All in all though, Manner of Death, despite its shortcomings, represents a step in a new direction for the genre and likely helped pave the way for later shows to deviate even further from well-established tropes and plots and for that alone I appreciate it greatly.
So if you're interested in watching a little piece of queer film history, or are looking for a well-paced thriller that is neither afraid of exploring some very dark topics nor of casually incorporating queerness into its characters and plots, then you should definitely give this show a try.
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loved it!
one thing i love about this bl was that it didn't centre around being a bl. It just felt so fresh that the main theme was a murder mystery and they stayed consistent with the theme. The main leads falling in love was just something that happened along the way just like any other drama. I do love when representation is discussed and portrayed and talked about so if you're looking for that, this drama doesn't have that but what it does have is a murder mystery involving friends, family and teenagers. it's a good watch tbh! totally recommend!Was this review helpful to you?
If you want to watch a detective series or a BL where romance take secondary place
It looks like it was not a high paid project, but it still looks good and has a unique atmosphere. These foggy landscapes, forests and houses made of wood, street markets, Viangpha Mork's small population where everyone knows each other. It's beautiful, and it's something I'd like to rewatch someday simply because of this little and alluring world. The story is not so pretty. Terrible things are happening here, many towners have skeletons in their closets. Dr. Bunn - who is a new medical examiner in town - is expected to play his silent role, which he denies and so he gets involved and very badly.Time flows slower here, and the plot will unfold bit by bit with each episode. Music builds up pressure very well, though I'd like to see more vocals in series, not just instrumentals. Love story doesn't take much time - the attraction between TanBunn is immediate and there is nothing to stop them aside from dangerous case they are involved in and death threats. New obstacles appear between them, but they try to protect what they have, not always making good choices, but still listening to each other. Their flirt is something too X)
Young cast have something to learn, but I was amazed bythe play of older actors, especially by Max, Tul, Mint, Foei and Great (the character doesn't show much emotions and mostly driven by his will to do his job right, but the actor portrays him with appropriate style, Inspector M is the most real for me in the series).
Overall, I can not say the series look fantastic and new, outcome wasn't unexpected and there were too many men jumping out of nowhere with guns, but - aside from the last one - everything else was smooth, adding up and with unique charm. It's a pleasure to slowly explore the story. Definitely recommend if you want to watch a detective series or a BL where romance take secondary place.
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Favorite Show At The Moment.
The BL content as well as romance happened to be there, with the exception of it wasn't the main plot. I started watching this because of the BL content but stayed for the amazing story. The story itself surprised me every episode as well as kept me coming back for more.. I never could figure out the outcome of the story which I usually do when I watch anything suspenseful. The characters happened to be complex as well as the actors played their roles so well, I forgot they happened to be acting. However, I believe the side characters could've been more complex as well.Was this review helpful to you?
Must Watch!!!
Wow, this was an outstanding series. This had so many impactful storylines. The best thing about this series is it’s a crime mystery first and a BL series second, which I love. The script has wonderful. It had so many twists and turns to keep you guessing without getting you confused. There are some big surprises towards the end that I did not see coming. All of the actors did an amazing job with portraying their characters. Tul and Max are outstanding actors and have great on-screen chemistry. This series helps show off their acting skills. The cinematography was stunning.Was this review helpful to you?
I'm sad that I got disappointed...
Maxtul is known as the Kings of BL, so I was expecting sth (not much though), when I started with this series, my first Maxtul show. Idk if it's bc this is not romance focused, but I didn't feel much of their chemistry unfortunately... Honestly in the first 2-3 ep I felt a lot of good tension between them, but later on not much, or rather nothing... I will make sure to watch Tomorrow with you to give myself a chance to like Maxtul...Aside from Maxtul chemistry, I also had some expectations for the story (again not very high), since I've read a lot of good comments. I got a little disappointed, there were some plot holes and much of the story was predictable (but it also had some very good plot twists), so I wasn't very impressed. Maybe bc I have already watched Not me, another BL series, that doesn't mainly focus on romance, so this wasn't really sth new for me.
The 2nd last scene was predictable for me as well & tbh I cringed a lot...
Nevertheless I liked ThatSorn, they were very cute!
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This one went way beyond my expectations
I was very hesitant about this series, because murder mysteries aren't my cup of tea - if I have to choose, I'd pick a sweet romcom over a thriller any time. After seeing "Manner of Death" popping up among BL recommendations, I finally gave in and decided to give this series a try, ready to drop it as soon as I got bored with it.Now that I finished binge-watching the entire series in the span of a couple days, I can confirm that it was absolutely worth it. The only reason I gave it a 9 instead of a 10 is that, as I said, it's not my preferred genre, but that's it, because everything else was great.
The plot was very well built. It's well-paced throughout all the episodes and there are no useless/filler moments anywhere (I especially appreciated the lack of the usual product placement skits that can be found in several Thai BL series). It's very suspenseful and I genuinely couldn't figure out who was the culprit and what was the entire story like until the end. The characters and the music are very well utilized as well.
I hadn't realized that the main actors were Tul and Max, the same main leads as in Together With Me, but when I noticed I felt so happy to see them again in a series together. More than anything, I was happy to see that they got a series without the annoying dynamics of Together With Me and its sequel - both actors are very good and have great chemistry, so they really deserved it.
Another thing of Manner of Death that I greatly appreciated was the very little drama regarding the main couple's romantic relationship. There was no insecurity about anyone's sexuality, no ex relationships, no miscommunication (and if there was any hint of it, it didn't last long). The dramatic part of the drama was entirely for the mystery murder part of it, which made me appreciate the main story a lot more.
I'd rather not say too much about this series because I think it's better to just watch it and enjoy. Be careful for several sensitive topics in case you have problems with those, but other than that? You're in for a great ride.
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A MUST WATCH FOR BL LOVERS: A LITERAL BREATH OF FRESH AIR
I wish I could give an in-depth review but time does not permit me. I would just like to say that this show is great. PERIOD POINT-BLANK. Yes, there are few misses here and there, but are they enough to make this a bad show? Not even close. Because come on, which show is perfect? I think this show stayed true to its genre: a crime/thriller BL. The crime did not overshadow the BL and vice versa. Everything flowed so well together. IT IS WORTH YOUR TIME, trust me. I came here for MaxTul and I most definitely was not disappointed in the least. I love this show. Like this is the only show I have ever written a review for!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Need more of MAXTUL >.<
This is my first ever review and I am so happy it's about one of my favorite on-screen couple. But I guess, this is more of a rant post, so bear with me for the first few seconds. To start off, I don't understand why people are pegging MaxTul as old or calling them legends(as if they are way past the age of the common BL series norm). They got their title as 'King of Bl' because they genuinely deserve it. They started their BL career at a time when such series wasn't that normalized. Yet they portrayed bold scenes perfectly well and made it work. If watching two masculine men wasn't hot before, it is now. This duo really works well against the general stereotype of 'pretty boy and masculine guy'. In fact, I feel they are fresh, different than others. Their on screen chemistry and off screen bromance is so cute.SPOILER ALERT!!!
And I was on cloud nine when I came across Manner of Death. I never thought they would make a comeback in a story that is way different from their first time together. The first few episodes were so addicting, it slowly pulled me in. Plus the sight of TanBun together had me dancing in joy. For me the story became a bit too predictable when Nam started disappearing for hours in a black van that took her to God knows where. It didn't take a genius to connect the dots about the needle marks, drugs and Jane. Also Jane's sister didn't look least bit sad throughout the series except at the end. So I had my suspicion about her from the beginning. Overall the plot was great as far as BL stories are concerned. This was definitely something new and the way they mixed in TanBun moments in parallel to the thriller scenes, it was a feast to watch.
While I understood the need to tone down the romantic moments. Was I disappointed to have so little TanBun lovey dovey scenes?
The answer is a definite yes. I wanted more. It felt like some scenes didn't match the vibe of the story. I mean they are in the middle of discussing something as serious as someone's death and suddenly they are on top of each other. Instead of finding opportunities to insert intimate scenes, this series could have been an even bigger hit if the writers worked on Inspector M's character and somehow portrayed a love triangle with him in the mix. Having similar physique and same age group would have worked in their favor. And the flow could have been a lot more natural.
Also after 5-6 years of knowing each together, one would think by now Tul would know where to place his hands on Max. But I felt his hands looked awkward. This time around Max seemed to have matured, be it in terms of acting or his specialty - kissing Tul >.< I could almost feel his intense desire. The way he looked at Bun was enough to drive me insane and watch the whole series. He made me want to watch 'together with me' again. Maybe I won't re-watch MoD in the near future but for first time around, it was okay. The plot was good. The characters were nice. And I got to see MaxTul opposite each again.
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I highly recommend Manner of death. It is one of the best series i`ve ever watched and for sure i will rewatch it.
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REVOLUTIONARY–in onscreen chemistry
Just as good the 2nd time through.REVOLUTIONARY–in terms of featuring a gay romance
without the romance being the plot of the show.
For a gay romance, Manner of Death contains incredible nuances. We have a dark, real world, nitty gritty entanglement that feels inescapable. The romance is part of both main characters' arcs, but not central to the main plot itself.
The show does a romantic subplot better than most hetero romance subplots. The characters have realistic reactions. There was never a moment I wasn't rooting for them. Actors Max and Tul have incredible chemistry. They're the reason I found this series. I discovered them through their older series "Together With Me."
This series isn't for the faint of heart, as far as the psychological traumas, violence, and medical scenes. But it's certainly not as graphic as the worst Hollywood has to offer.
Manner of Death is complex and layered. The surprise reveals made sense and had clues leading up to them, even if I couldn't figure them out. The story revealed itself in a way, fooling me enough that I expected some of my predictions to be wrong. It left me second guessing in a good way that flowed well in the writing.
If you're looking for lighthearted, this certainly doesn't qualify. But watching the series to completion was truly satisfying for the well written mystery and the development between the main characters.
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