Still 2Gether: A Damage Control or How 2 Save Your Series
This season was clearly done to save this series after lackluster finale/final third of season 1. It very obviously addresses most of the complaints and comments we as viewers had while watching the original series and brings back everything we loved at the beginning.And you know what? I liked it! I had a good time watching this!
Thanks to this bonus season, the first season of 2Gether wont leave such a bad taste in my mouth anymore, because i know this exists!
This is the first time in my life that i have seen such an attempt to save a piece of media that went downhill. And i honestly respect it, no matter if the driving force behind this season were money or actual genuine effort to save this series that stems from love for the source material. We could discuss their intentions ad infinitum but simple existence of this bonus season means they care about it.
The story was simple but entertaining. Besides damage control, the script focused on all the things we as viewers enjoyed - be it silly comedy or cute moments (or doubled-down on things the writer very obviously stood behind such as distinct TineWat love language). There were quite some plot holes or cheap plot set-ups like the two club rooms being directly next to each other or Tine missing Wat super hard after like… a week of separation. There are still some glaring issues from season 1, if you want to nitpick.
But lets just be generous for now and overlook these for a sake of general entertainment.
Acting was good and i think the overall cast chemistry was improved in this series. My only complaint is that some of the characters became caricatures of themselves at some point but at the same time it was, again, probably necessary evil so the series could be so entertaining.
I hope Still2Gether will become a case-study for any upcoming series. Not in a way that i want to see a shitty s1 followed by a damage control special season ever again but because im sure there are many ways a filmographer can learn from success, fall and eventual redemption that was 2gether the series as a whole.
My rating is probably a bit too high but i unexpectedly enjoyed this bonus series and i appreciate the amount of thought that went into “saving” 2Gether as a series.
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Extended Fan Service Special Episodes
I was only asking for maybe a couple of episodes just to tie up the original series properly, but instead we got 5!Its an obvious attempt to correct the shortcomings of 2gether and im glad that the relationship between Wat and Tine doesnt feel like bromance anymore. What i appreciated even more is the better screentime for Mil and Phukong, for Man and Type, and yes even for Dim and Green, oh and Boss and Pear.
Its supposed to be an easy to watch teeny boppy romance so lower your expectations and just enjoy the ride.
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It's everything you'd want in a 5-episode special; a mix of romance & comedy
Before I get into the specifics, you have to remember that this is a 5 episode special, and can't be interpreted in the same manner as a second season might've been.*note: for the reason that this is a continuation of "2gether" it will be hard not to refer to it.*
Story: Rather than an actual sequel, "Still 2gether" is more of a chance to re-witness Sarawat, Tine & all of the other 2gether characters that were missed from the show. In regards to that, I think it lived up to it's expectations. It served its purpose as a romantic, sweet & comedic continuation, and I don't feel the need to over-analyze the story. Once again, critiquing the show as a stand-alone is quite hard, but in terms of the story & plot, it's quite sweet & cute :) It's not meant to be much of a brain-racker, and I don't think expecting a full-on 'plot dynamic' from solely 5 episodes would be doing it much justice.
But from I've seen, they executed this sooo nicely! There were so many nostalgic "2gether" moments in the first few episodes of "Still 2gether", and as the show progressed, the better it became! The finale was a perfect wrap to the tale of Sarawat & Tine - and everything weaved together no nicely in the end.
[a little cute spoiler: for anyone waiting for a kiss scene, you needn't to worry ;) ]
Acting/Cast: I think all the actors did a pretty spectacular job. What I loved about 'Still 2gether" is that the cast have definitely improved their acting :) They've embraced their character's roles and stick by it quite well. Considering the fact that this is Win's first role as an actor, he did a great job as playing his role as Tine! In my opinion, Bright who plays Sarawat's character did a really good job too! [despite knowing the other conflicting opinions on this matter]. Sarawat & Tine's chemistry has improved by a tenfold & they're so natural with one another. And I loved the supporting characters so much! I'm so glad Gunsmile is getting more recognition; and I loved his comedic character, Boss (who else is on board with the BossPear ship like me?) Mike & Toptap (Mantype), PhukongMil (FrankDrake), Gun (Green), Guy (Dim), Fong (Khaotung), JJ (Ohm) and all cast & crew members did a great job in doing all their characters justice.
Music: I'm not much of a music fanatic, but you can never go wrong with Scrubb's songs or the "Still 2gether" OST in that manner. It's so beautiful!
Overall: I'm giving this a 9 overall because it deserves to. Both "2gether" and "Still 2gether" have been such a fresh breath of air, and because this series aired during the pandemic - I'd say that it's been a sort of comfort; worldwide! It's gained such a large international fan base, and rightfully so. It's a sweet and cute continuation - and all I hope for is another opportunity to witness these characters *wink*
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Did not disappoint at all.
After having finished 2gether and absolutely loving it (I was one of the people who was actually not that disappointed by the lack of action) the expectations for this special were extremely high, and I was really unsure of whether or not it could live up to those expectations, since I usually don’t like second seasons or similar things for good Dramas, since most of the time the first season already delivered everything in itself and everything additional is not really necessary and doesn’t really add anything new. However, since the first season still left some points unsatisfied this Special definitely delivered.The acting, same as in 2gether, was absolutely wonderful, especially on Bright’s part. I still find that Win’s acting seems a little over the top sometimes, but somehow it fits his character.
All the side characters were beautiful, as always. I may have even liked their performances a little more than I did in the first season.
Now story wise: since this is a special that is only a few episodes long, we can’t expect too much story to happen, so the plot of the show wasn’t really all that meaningful, however, it did a great job at giving us more insight into the main couples relationship, and it also did not fail to deliver those heart melting, at the verge of cringe, sweet moments that made me fall in love with the series in the first place (even without much action), in comparison to 2gether, the main couple did actually act like a couple, as compared to the bromance thing that was going on towards the end of 2gether. Funnily enough, since the first season was so sparse in skin-ship it actually felt kind of weird to see them engaging a little more at first.
I also loved how the side couples were further explored and built, since I really liked each one of them in the Series.
All in all this Special, for me, absolutely satisfied every open end or feeling of something missing the Series had left.
Another point I am happy about is that they let Tine be more proactive and actually partake in the relationship. To me 2gether seemed really one- sided , since Sarawat was always the one initiating, apologising, etc. Here the relationship seemed a lot more balanced.
If I had to PinPoint the points that made me not give it a full 10 it might be that there were some scenes that seemed a bit overly dramatic to me, giving the circumstances. Also that some of the plot just really didn’t speak all that much to me, but since it was all so short it didn’t really bother me too much.
So if you watched 2gether and loved it as much as I did, but were still unsatisfied with some points or just wanted to see more of all of the couples, definitely watch this special. The story isn’t all that compelling, but it does deliver those sweet moments, a little more action and ties up loose ends.
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Poor representation, lackluster story
Representation: I'm disappointed that people including Sarawat, Man, and Dim (all gay men), called Tine, Phukong, and Green the wives - this is a regression from the last season and a persistant problem throughout the series. "Team Wives" never rebukes them. And it's obvious why the reverse (Sarawat and Dim being called the wives) hadn't happened - because they're perceived as tops/semes and Tine, Green, and Phukong the bottoms. The same director also directed Dark Blue Kiss, which also had the same issue. Surprisingly, he also directed He's Coming to Me, which was pretty much flawless in this department. Apart from this, I must commend the show for putting in effort in repping with decorations and clothing: there is a Call Me By Your Name poster on Tine and Sarawat's apartment wall; Sarawat wore a pride shirt in episode 2, etc. These are small things that LGBTQ people won't ever miss, so thank you. In episode 4, when Sarawat's friend from the music club talked to him (in a rather obvious PSA moment) about his being so open with his love, he said it was not about courage but about 2 people in love, and that it was up to the couple whether to show PDA or not. Well, he's wrong. It is very much about courage. Homophobia is very real, even in Thailand, especially when people still look at your relationship through heteronormative lenses, as shown by this very show itself. And this is the least of our problems. So don't try and whitewash the struggles of being gay to accommodate the delicate sensibilities of a portion of your audience. You don't have to highlight it but to erase it like so is to trivialize our struggles. Before we look at our preferences with regards to PDA, we must consider our safety, our livelihood, our social life, etc. For many, the fear is real. Like all other GMMTV shows, trans people are shown matter of fact although they play very limited roles.Story: Apparently fans complained that Sarawat wouldn't leave Tine in the hospital with Mil when he had food poisoning and the director retconned and said Sarawat actually was there the whole night but left in the morning to change, before Tine woke up. While this is great, sadly, like the last season the story is still very lackluster. Compound this with how the show treats Tine, Phukong and Green, at episode 5, I no longer want to continue.
Acting: I'm not sure if the actor is the problem, or the director. Tine has an aversion to affection, an annoying trope in BL, and continues to wear a constant constipated expression when he's around Sarawat (seriously, he's a lot chipper with other characters). For example, when Tine was sad that Sarawat was leaving to practice, he just gave Sarawat a sad smile when Sarawat told him about the extremely sweet story where he searched for Tine everywhere and even applied to the university in hopes of meeting Tine again. Tine was pretty much expressionless. Every time (and this applies to the previous series as well) they kiss, Tine looks like a deer caught in the headlights even when he's the one who initiated the flirting. This is not something I expected from someone who's still in their honeymoon period. I'm not sure if the director want Tine and Sarawat to have contrast with Type and Man but I don't believe this is the way to do it. That said, Tine was great with the lonely scene by the pool.
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how was this even worse
at this point they are so awkward around each other like their uncomfortableness seeps into the performance and it's embarrassing to watch. i know there's a movie coming and i understand capitalism adores shit like this but i am honestly just begging them to stop. when i see gifs of them i start laughing. when i saw them kiss i started to laugh. i tried so hard to get through this and i couldn't. i was so embarrassed and it felt so fucking awkward so wholetime i[m like this is a fucking walking commercial in a very bad way.and i think the major issue is the unnecessary time jump since no one believes these people have been living together for a fuckin year. how the hell have they not gotten it together yet? how the fuck truly how the fuck can them touching even be frickin awkward. the montages and everything don't help it is just drowning drowning drowning in being uncomfortable and ridiculous. i don't even know their personalities at this point and the actors are absolutely walking blank faces now.
now mike and toptap have gotten better and in thct (idk that other drama theyre in i aint watch) theyre even better and i'd looooooove to see more of them. and in the first round of the regular series they actually kiss. at first i was like this is stupid but they actually are working together and it is fun to watch them. this is a good example where people are not (seen as or as much as) conventionally attractive but they shine through the way that the main couple couldn't for several reasons. it begs the question on how many people even want to be actors but i digress
just embarrassing and cringe. oh and the storyline....dude 20 minutes away? after a year??? but also he refuses to be touched??? it hought it was two years but it's one so they are still in that hmoon phase yet it is unbearable to see them in the same room. you're adults, you live together, and have been together for a year and you cannot deal with being away from him for two weeks when it's a 20 minute drive. at first i thought it was funny since i'm not taking this seriously anymore but then you realize they want you to find it charming and that they're so in love and for everyone to have philosophical talks and moments as they long for each other but it is a waste of time. and from a technical standpoint i cannot for the life of me understand why they didnt put the sexuality conversation in the actual series at its running time. why are you doing it when it is set 2 years later? can someone edit their scripts for the love of christ?
and at least in the series they had their previous interactions and the set ups to go off of. i'm not sure how this is redeemed from the series (even though i don't think they ruined the series it just wasn't that great) when they are now acting like all their history doesn't matter and the world started yesterday? this universe is a damn mess and i jessss....
what the fuck? what the fuck?!?!? i am gonna torture myself by watching this movie arent i
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I guess its gotten better
To the positive point1. The side couples
They are the best and the cutest. Especially the little brother and his boyfriend. I can wholeheartedly say they are the cutest and the best couple of this series. Their chemistry was cute and not at all forced.
Their dialogue made sense and their actions as well. Like one wanting to give up as he was not really getting the love back and the other really noticing that he needed to step up his game when they other retreated.
The way they transitioned from friends to boyfriends was subtle but really cute.
Would I have liked a kiss, yessss :) But here the storyline didnt really require one as they are just starting their relationship and they both seem quite shy. But the drawing in the end, Im dying too cute.
Also the other couple with the boyfriend who needed to leave for work.
Totally well done. Long distance is hard but doable if you trust each other.
Dim and I can't remember their names and their fight, was a bit unnecessary but I get that it was for comedic purposes.
To the negative points
1. The main couple
If one has read my review of the main series, you will know what I am gonna say here.
They just have nothing between them. It feels super weird and forced.
In the first 3 episodes they again feel more like friends than boyfriends.
Sarawat uses physical contact as threats and its not cute, its really cringe.
Like will you go to sleep or should I kiss you ? And followed up in the end by tine saying no no I will sleep.
Like since when is kissing your boyfriend in bed a threat.
It would be cute maybe in the beginning but after a year of being together it just seems cringe.
Also the whole grabbing boob. DIdnt think it was cute on the first season either. If tine doesnt want to be touched there and says no Sarawat should respect that ! And continually grabbing him and him flinching back is a bit painful to watch. As it doesnt seem like he is shy but it more seems like he is actually not willing.
Also the whole show starts out saying that they are out of the lovey phase. And I am like , Wait they were in one ever? Like did I miss that ? Did you skip that ? SO the actors dont have to act it ?
I realized that if the show wouldn't tell me that they are dating again and again and again. I wouldn't know. The highest of everything in the first 3 episodes is a snack kiss, which they pretend is a really big deal but why ? Everyone knows these two have been seeing each other, how is forcing them to snack kiss a big deal. Does this mean they never kiss or do anything in front of people. However they dont hold hands or cuddle at home either. They never really go on dates! Not one!
So again it feels like a close friendship and not a relationship.
What I did like were the two weeks they spend apart. Because thats were I suddenly started to see that both of them do have real acting talent and can act like they love someone.
The last two episodes got a bit better and there were like two cute moments but not enough to make me actually believe their feelings for each other.
So this is my first time to say this, I hope both actors can go on to bigger and better things, but I hope to god they dont do BL again. It doesn't feel natural and they dont feel comfortable in their roles.
2. The overuse of singing
We get Sarawat loves to sing for Tine but honestly it doesn't make a scene cute and it stops being special if they do it all the time.
In 5 episodes Sarawat was either singing for Tine or was preparing to sing for him. For his birthday, for their anniversary, etc.
3. The music and cheerleading club conflict
Just why ? I get this was more of the fight between the one side couple. But this conflict was just too weird. It could be solved by just the two club presidents sitting down together and working out a schedule.
Also it was so weird, because in the first season Tine always practiced cheerleading outside all the time. But suddenly for this conflict they go inside . Yeah no doesnt seem set up by a scriptwriter at all.
4. packing a hundred conflicts into 5 episodes
I would have liked if Tine and Sarawat had a real relationship conflict and not just that shallow stuff.
Like oh no negatives comments, I am gonna prove them wrong.
Sarawat jealous and doesn't trust Tine and spies on him.... ( Kind of unhealthy btw.)
Then oh thats solved lets go to the next small conflict and then to the next.
Them missing each other for two weeks was nice but come one two weeks and they are adults and not 14.
I get being in love but that for me seemed like such an exaggeration.
it would have been better had they been in a fight before then I would get the dramatic reaction but noooo.
Everything was fine and then a partner leaves for two weeks. I get missing but breaking down in front a doll that represents your bf and having your brother sleep over because you are so sad seemed like a bit much for me.
5. The kiss
Ok ok ok ok, I get i might seem like a complete hypocrite when I say this but I hated the kiss in the end.
But I have my reasons. All throughout the first and this season I have been waiting for a real kiss scene and not come on the cheek or almost kiss.
But why add at in at the end with no context and not special feeling behind it. Kind of felt like the director saw the criticism and they didnt wanna reshoot, so they just added that scene on to be like: see they did kiss once.
Like we got a hinted shower scene why not have them kiss there. Or at their anniversary ? But no that kiss just had no emanational impact.
It again felt forced, added on juts for the sake of having a kiss scene.
I rather would have not had one if it was like this.
Conclusion:
If you watched the first series, this will be better. But its not wroth watching the first series for . I hope someone makes a compilation for the my fav side couple because I am not retouching the entire first season just for them.
Btw I did think all the actors all talented.
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An awesome idea- I couldn't get enough of it
I honestly don't see why people are saying it shouldn't have been made. While, yes, it doesn't add anything into the original plot I believe it shows us aspects and sides of the characters that 2gether failed to show us, it also made up for some of the biggest flops in the original series such as that damned episode 12.I also see the acting improving like A LOT A LOT and that makes me insanely happy, I loved seeing how Sarawat and Tine's life takes a twist and how that only brings them closer to each other, I also can't get enough of ManType, they are probably the cutest couple in the whole series.
Also, I'm glad they didn't continue with that brotherzone thing I almost broke the screen- But they also didn't give us much of Mil and Phukong.
Adding to that, I think BossPear is the cutest thing to ever be encountered everything about the couple is so cute- Heads up to the writers for adding them
As for the ost, I think they did an AMAZING JOB with the music.. I can't believe we lived to listen to such amazing songs.
I don't believe 2gether should have a proper second season after this, They gave us all we wanted and more, I honestly am still in disbelief with the ending scene.
I would 100% recommend this to anyone
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Less is More: A series that very well done!
Before I start talking bout the series, I'm here to compliment bright & win. Without them, the series won't be this popular and BL world won't be known this much to others. They portray such a great acting and we can see major improvement especially from bright, as Win's acting already bought me since 2gether. They were given a simple plot and script, however still able to make audience to have a roller coaster mood n feelings each episode. Applaud to side couples and actors too. I cried, laugh, happy, jealous, cringe, angry, excite, frustrated.. All kind of emotions.2gether & Still 2gether, definitely a history in the making for Thai BL series. I've watched many Thai BLs, but this series has a very special place in my heart. They has it flaws, but for me is still one of the best Thai BL as of now. I like that the directors continued with the lighthearted plot of 2gether, and have only a minimal drama in this special episode. Though a lot of haters argues they their portrayals seems like a bromance, never once I felt that. I really felt their love for each other, their shyness and acts were valid to me. All romantic scenes were carefully thought out, and very romantic to its core. A lot of romantic scenes that I can point out from these 5 ep. But I especially love the final kiss, I like how the director played with our heart and chose to be cynical to the viewers. He show the end of the series with the beach scenes, yet suddenly adding the Sarawat song scene. And the kiss, the guitar drop.. it soo romantic!
Besides, non of other series makes me this engaged with other viewers. As it has mixed review, Ive enjoyed commenting, arguing opinions with other viewers. Usually for other Thai BL, non of the series that I feel worth to fight or stand up for (it just how I feels).
Anyway, If I were to choose to recommend a BL series to my friends that doesn't know BL world, I always and will recommend 2gether and Still 2gether. Is a great series for beginner to start with.
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Better than the Original
I very much I enjoyed the sequel more than I did the original. As much as I'm against sequels, this one was a definite need for 2gether. Even with the short five episodes, I was still captured by the story, swooning for ManType, and not wanting to punch Sarwat and Tine in the face.Let's Dive In.
The plot for this was pretty simplistic, and not very busy, but honestly, it's what was needed for this series. The series before felt too complicated, and like it wasn't fleshed out like they had wanted it to be. With four couples, it can be difficult to fit in all of their stories without it feeling rushed or poorly developed. While we got plenty of SarawatTine and MilPhukong, I still wanted more ManType and WAY more DimGreen.
ManType was the only reason I was even interested in this sequel, and why I even enjoyed 2gether as much as I did. I won't avoid that this couple did have their problems, (Man being a big fat stalker), but I can't help but love them. This time around, they were the best thing to happen. We got to see them domestically, and I loved it so much. All their scene felt natural, and Man throwing a party for Type had to be one of my favorites, but my absolute favorite had to be their kiss on the beach. That entire scene was so funny and precious. Toptap and Mike do such an incredible job at making this show so lively and fun.
Mil and Phukong's story was better balanced and we finally got to see them get together. Even though it felt criminally slow and boring, it did finally wrap their story in a little bow and gave it a proper ending. I still feel like we missed a lot for this couple, and as much as I love Frank and Drake, their story felt unnecessary for the plot. They were one of the couples that definitely didn't need to play out. Thank you GMMTV for still going us NOTHING when it comes to Dew and Green. They barely had any screen time, and when they did, it was mostly them being upset at one another. I would love to see these two in another series, possibly one of their own.
I wasn't too big of a fan of Sarwat and Tine in the first series, but I really liked them in this one. It felt different, it finally felt like Bright and Win were able to find their connection right off the bat, I have to give Win a huge round of applause for his acting. He was by far my favorite actor in this series. He has seriously grown from the first series, and the best thing for me is to see how much an actor has grown.
Overall, this sequel was cute. This sequel was a definite need for the fans and a definite need for each couple's story. It's fun and pretty unproblematic, so I would for sure recommend a watch.
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An apology letter to viewers of '2gether'
'Still 2gether' is essentially an apology letter to viewers of '2gether', which, not to put too fine a point on it, was a mess. This follow-on series manages to tell a more or less coherent, if somewhat implausible, narrative with plenty of cute, silly, and entertaining moments. I also appreciate the effort that 'Still 2gether' makes to address the storytelling holes that '2gether' failed to close. Overall, this is better than its predecessor, and has enough integrity to stand on its own.Nevertheless, 'Still 2gether' falters on many fronts. Given that Sarawat and Tine are supposed to have been boyfriends for a year by the time the series opens, the two-week separation period that they are constrained to undergo should have been a minor inconvenience. Instead, it is a huge driver of melodrama. Exactly why their relationship isn't healthy or solid enough to withstand temporary apartness isn't explained.
Moreover, while viewers outraged by the ending of 2gether may be gratified that 'Still 2gether' has Sarawat and Tine kiss, the general lack of physical intimacy between these so-called lovers is strange, to say the least. I don't mean that they have to engage in anything explicit—it has more to do with the seeming inability of the lead performers to muster anything remotely resembling romantic chemistry onscreen, which is why I found myself much more interested in the supporting characters. That said, as before, Win Metawin pulls ahead of Bright Vachiwarit in terms of acting.
Finally, on some level, 'Still 2gether' is just a five-episode excuse to peddle various goods: Idolo skincare products, Lactasoy soy milk, Oriental Kitchen noodles, Oishi beverages, and show-related merchandise, such as the Sarawat and Tine dolls and jerseys. I realize that Thai shows normally feature a lot of embedded advertisements, but the product placements here seemed particularly heavy-handed. Perhaps the worst offender is Idolo: Sarawat and Tine use the products that Bright and Win endorse in real life.
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