Manner of Death (2020)

Holy shit this was so fucking good

What can I say about it (actually I have a lot to say)? It was a masterpiece! From the incredible acting and electrifying chemistry to the intricate and intriguing plot. I started it with the intent to finish it in about 3 weeks. Instead, I completed it in 3 days. That should tell you all you need to know.

The narrative flowed well and the plot twists weren't just surprising, they also made sense in hindsight.

The first episode drops you right into the story and then proceeds to backtrack to the events leading up to the murder. And the chemistry between the ML's was already present as well. There were these wonderful intrigued stares they gave each other which created a solid connection and tension between them before they even really got to know one another.

I can't believe I waited this long to watch it! It was thrilling, shocking, horrifying, real, intense, sweet, and addictive. It reminded me a bit of Criminal Minds with it not shying away from dark topics and some gore but keeping some light-heartedness in it as well.

I especially loved how it wasn't solely a romance drama. The romance played a big role, yes, but it wasn't the main focus or the point of the plot itself. That's the kind of progress I want to see. See people, you can have a great drama with a great plot while ALSO having an LGBT+ romance in it. You can. So, make more of these please!

Us non-straight people like a cool plot that isn't just about falling in love too!

Side Note: Much as I like to see coming out scenes in dramas, provided they are done well and respectfully, I want to see more dramas where no coming out scene is even necessary. That was yet another thing I loved about this.

And also, the aspect of "I'm falling in love with another man, oh no!" wasn't a thing. And both Tan and Bun weren't mocked, ridiculed, bullied, or put down for being in love. Nor did they or their friends make "wife" jokes or anything of the sort. That was incredibly refreshing! It was treated as a legitimate and normal relationship like others.

This drama is a 10/10 in its blood. God, I hope we get more like this! Thanks to HIStory 3: Trapped for paving the way for this wonderful drama! Golden Blood couldn't do it, but (if we ever get it) KinnPorsche looks incredibly promising.

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Romantic suspense + cozy mystery + enemies to lovers + forced proximity

I thought Max & Tul did a great job at a difficult task which was to make gay romantic suspense palatable to a wider audience. Romantic suspense is already difficult to adapt to film, and then to add a queer? It was a fun if convoluted story and Max & Tul turned in a killer performances in all ways from smooches to bad ass-itude to badass smooches.

Was it ultimately successful?
That depends on your definition of success. I wanted it to open up Thai BL actor pairs to a broader market share in terms of story. I think it failed in this regard.

Was it a good show?
Sometimes, especially when Max & Tul were on the screen together.

Will it change the tide of Thai BL?
No, actually, I don’t think it will.

Still it is really enjoyable if you like gay romance more that suspense mafia thrillers. Like HIStory 3: Trapped it is more successful at the first than it is at the second.

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Manner of greatness dragged down by... Something

This is the story of the gorgeous doctor/medical examiner who stumbled on to the lips of an even more gorgeous stranger when he was drunk. After that a whole bunch pf people kept dyeing unfair deaths, girls kept disappearing and both powerful and less powerful people kept wanting to pin this on the doctor and the stranger... and kill them while they were at it... taking us on a journey with more or less predictable twists.. beautiful fight scenes and a lot of gorgeous greens and scenery...

The two men who stumbled on to each others lips, do of course fall in love/lust/suspicion,.. The stranger has this lovely playfulness to him and boy knows both how to flirt and kiss.. as in not a dead fish kiss in sight... giving us som top notch romance... leaving me wanting more of that..

There are som fun friendships, interesting betrayals not many annoying elements... Some corruption, men that hate women, woman's issues.. all stuff I love to watch.. So I should probably have rated this higher BUT... Something was missing, I honestly do not know what it was but I was not captivated and on my toes even though the plot should have kept me there... That special "it" that makes me curious about what will happen next was just not there.

So with all the pluses, and trust me there are a lot of plusses in this drama.... I still could not rate it higher than an 8.

Also the stranger has a lot of great lines and is extreamly gifworthy...

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MaxTul at their best

A solid series. Easily my favorite MaxTul project thus far.

This series is not strictly a BL or a romance series. I don't think that takes away from the enjoyment of Manner of Death at all. I very much enjoy MaxTul both being able to exercise some acting chops in a more serious/adult project.

Their chemistry is legendary for a reason and even with less heat/skinship than their prior series, they bring that high heat when they need and the rest of the series and the overall murder mystery plot is enjoyable.

I would enjoy more series like this and I am hopeful for more MaxTul projects in the future.

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Tens, tens, tens across the board

It may not be pure perfection, but it's taken such a special place in my heart, I'm unable give it any other score.
I watched the series anxiously at the beginning of this year, cautious because I'm aware of how some BLs go. The summary of the plot made me worried of all the possibilities for non-consensual actions and toxic relationships, but god how glad I am I was wrong. Their build-up is complex and the slowly developing trust is beautiful.
I read the novel a few months back, which made me fall in love with the drama even more. The novel's best quality is how their emotional development is portrayed, from both perspectives, and for that alone I recommend it. However, the murder mystery aspect is much less developed - for one, Bun doesn't even know Jane, and the case is solved halfway through the book. The latter half is about Bun investigating who outed him to his ex, something nonexistent in the drama. It was still a nice read, but slightly anticlimactic. The show develops the mystery greatly, adds characters and gives depth and story to those already present.
I also couldn't not mention the ~vibe~ of this drama. All the forests and mists and wooden houses, the small town claustrophobic feeling of everyone knowing each other... I wanna live in Viangpha Mork, I don't care how corrupt it is.
I could talk about this show and what it means for queer represantation all day but I'll stop at this - it's a beautiful story of love developing in harsh circustances, between two well-written characters who have to balance their mistrust and life situations with how irresistibly they're drawn to each other. This is the healthiest romance where one person pulled a gun on the other, no question.

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Just about the right mixture between bl and a thrilling storyline

Aiiii, gosh where do I start? Or to put it differently, what have I been trough in the past 24 hours?
Yes, you guessed it right, I binge-watched the entire show. Sorry not sorry, I guess :))
Okay but let's start from the very beginning.

A WELL MADE PLOT
So, I started this show and all I can say is WOW. You should definitely try it out. It's a gem.
It's actually pretty different than the usual (Thai) bl dramas since it has a pretty strong storyline which of course does carry bl elements but guys there is sooo much more than this. And I mean it in an absolutely positive way. This show manages to put a full dark(?) storyline with a lot of plot twists and a cute romance in one setting.

But I gotta say, this show does have some pretty rough scenes, so if you're uncomfortable with this, you should consider skipping such scenes.

CONCLUSION
Okay what else can I say? Obviously I loved the way, in which the story develops.
(In each episode you get a short flashback in the beginning, so that you can start to put the pieces of the puzzle together on your own. It's actually a nice idea).

I loved the chemistry between the two main leads.
(And without wanting to spoil anything, I laughed so hard in the first episode, but you gotta see it for yourselfs)
(ohhhh and awwww, you guys can have everybody else, I'll take inspector M)

I guess the music was fine? I didn't actually pay too much attention to it, but that's usually a good sign, cause nothing was bothering me :))

Well, I guess that's it :) I hope I got you guys hooked, cause this show definitely deserves being watched :))

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Wow A BL different from TharnType SS2

Wow 🤩 I was not really into it at first because of all the dead body I was seeing at the beginning of this drama but am so glad I didn’t get discouraged because of it. I love the main characters, their romance is perfect and the story line is so nice that u can’t guess it right until the last episode. It’s a must watch drama
KIDDOS to everyone that made this production and crews, it’s was really amazing. It’s difficult from TharnType S2 that was just totally rubbish and a waste of time. It’s has everything in it( friendship, family, betrayal and so on) A very well done job👍👍❤️

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Definitely not what I expected

I will be honest - I have put off watching this, because when I first read some summaries I was not too stocked, particularly due to it being centered around crime investigations. Nowadays it's hard for me to find a title where it is not clear right from the start who is the culprit and why. Most of them follow the same plot points, visible right from the start. Also, I've never watched anything with Max&Tul before, so their faces didn't pull me in like with many other viewers.
Needless to say, I was very pleasantly surprised. Although some elements of the plot I had suspicions about, I was mostly taken aback by how convoluted it turned out to be, and Jane's story was especially heartbreaking. Truthfully, there was never any point where I thought to myself with utmost conviction "I knew it!" - rather it was mostly "Really?!" or "So that's what happened!" The romantic parts themselves where also well-executed (although I somewhat expected the "we met before" thing, not gonna lie), and didn't really seem forced how it tends to happen, they fit the development of the story nicely. The actors are simply superb, and now I know why they have so many fans out there.
All in all, 10/10, would recommend, will definitely rewatch sometime down the line.

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I love this sm

I honestly loved the whole concept, all the eerie vibes and the tension built from the start to the end! Manner of death is one of my top if not my most favorite BL drama so far! I just love everything in it and I’d rewatch it again anytime just because of how good and indulging it is! If you’re a fan of mysteries, crime and crime investigations but also like a side of goofiness and romance then this is the drama for you! It just has a great amount of everything needed to make for an amazing story and plot. The acting isn’t all that bad as well. When I tell you it had me so invested, there were moments when I’m literally on tenterhooks crying then at the next scene I feel extremely relieved (you’ll see for yourself ) so with that being said … 11/10 recommend!!!

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Good but beware

Let’s start with the acting, shall we? Our famous BL duo really stepped up, sparing us the usual buffet of cringe-worthy moments that have become a staple in the genre. However, I couldn’t help but notice Dr. Bun occasionally standing there like a man unsure of what to do with his hands. You know, the kind of awkwardness where you’re not sure if you should shove them in your pockets or start conducting an imaginary orchestra.

Now, the storyline—it's a diamond in the rough, emphasis on rough. According to the tags, this drama was adapted from a novel, which made me wonder if the plot holes were inherited from the original author or if the screenwriter decided to add a few of their own for fun. There are quite a few, and at some points, I half-expected a character to fall into one and disappear entirely.

That said, I’m not going to count the police or medical examination scenes as plot holes, even though they were questionable at best. Procedures vary from country to country, and it wouldn’t be fair to judge them by my own country’s standards. I’m fairly certain our local detectives would faint if they saw how things were handled here, but who am I to nitpick across international lines?

Overall, the drama starts off like a slow-moving train with a questionable destination but really picks up steam around episode 6 or 7. The storyline has a good skeleton, but it’s in dire need of a little fleshing out. Like I said, plenty of potential, but the writing is a bit... porous. A script revision could have really helped patch things up. Still, it’s far better plot-wise than a good chunk of other BL dramas I’ve suffered through.

And then there’s the directing. One of the directors clearly fell head over heels for close-ups and camera pans. Honestly, I half-expected the camera to crash into one of the actors' faces at some point. Please, dear director, I beg you—find another trick to make scenes dynamic because by episode 5, I was getting motion sickness from the constant camera swoops.

Now, let’s talk about the characters. Take Inspector M, for example. A classic case of "loved to hate," except his redemption arc felt about as natural as a cactus in a snowstorm. He had all this wasted potential—if they’d leaned more into his rivalry with the leads, we could’ve had another gripping storyline. Meanwhile, Sorawit—oh dear, Sorawit—had entirely too much screen time for a character who seemed to be there solely for decoration. He had no real role in half the scenes he appeared in, and at one point, I started suspecting he was secretly an extra who kept wandering onto set by accident.

In conclusion, it’s a good watch, but be prepared for a few bumps along the way.

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