Only Friends (2023)

it’s was definitely great experience .

since gmmtv 2023 line up and the pilot trailer I’ve been waiting for this one to air so bad . I was so excited to see something different from gmmtv other bl’s and only friends was definitely something new to me . since the first episode I was blown away . I was anxious about watching firstkhao new characters and them making out like that was a treat .
as I’m biased here sandray was for sure the best couple , since the beginning I just loved their interactions and the way their story was told .
and ofc firstkhao amazing acting and chemistry just stole the show for me .
I felt so happy during sandray scenes it’s insane .. rewatching their scenes will definitely be my new hobbie until I get my firstkhao 2024 drama
LOVED SAND CHARACTER , ray also had his moments .
mostly hated the way ray treated sand most of the time (ayan could never🤞🏻) because my sand loved him so much since the start and deserved so much better but at the end ray realized he can’t live without his man (🤭) so it’s okay

for the other couples - top and new (force and book) it was my first drama with them so it was hard for me to get attached , their storyline was meh for me since the first episode when top just ask him to be his boyfriend so damn fast.. it’s a no for me . I’ve learned to like them only towards the end .
top was meh . and I just don’t know forcebook enough idk

and for nick and boston , I’m not unsatisfied or surprised at all that they didn’t finish together , actually I’m glad . I wanted them to work so badly but then I’m the last episode still Boston just failed me again , gone to get drinks but them making out with beoing? I was so mad . he needs to work on himself , for now he definitely need a lot more time to change . I’m glad sooooo glad nick chose himself.

LOVED NICK AND SAND FRIENDSHIP, THE BEST PART OF THE DRAMA FR

the entire cheating parts made me angry but it was definitely necessary here ,
mew made me mad most of the time for forgiving top but not Boston untill the last episode .
ray was an asssss for most of the time because of his obsession with me , was so glad it was over .
I wanted sand’s ex to come wayyy more early than the last few episodes . I wassss so happy it was played by mond because of my not me heart but again he came too late (at least they kissed 🤭) and he was an ass also so I’m glad it took them only 2 parts to get him out .


now it’s definitely have flaws , I was hating on every character (except sand my man😘) and the storyline was so messy I lost my mind , but at the end it was new and special , I liked that .

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Kept Me Gasping Till The End!

I don’t where to start, but I got hooked by this drama from the beginning till the end! Living in Canada, I always have to wake up early on Saturday mornings to watch the drama live. I tell you that it was the best decision ever since going on Twitter while this drama is airing will make it lose its element of surprise! No kidding about that since I gasped with every episode, from the surprise guests, to the sudden turn of events. Before anything, kudos to the writers and directors for making such a masterpiece! I am beyond proud of the actors too! I have seen their previous works and to suddenly see them in a very mature series, it really took me off guard! One thing I enjoyed too are the soundtracks used! How is it that the song matches every scene?! I have never watched a series where the songs used in the background got me gasping for how accurate it is with the situation. I also loved how this drama tackled a lot of vices and how it affects people around those who does it. Mental health was also featured here a lot especially with Ray’s character. What I appreciated is how they actually showed the positive light for Ray and how he was saved from his darkness. Personally, I relate to that. Top and Mew had a lot of ups and downs. Honestly was ok too if they don’t end up together, but I guess it shows no harm to feature forgiveness and new beginning. I am happy for Nick and Boston. I do think being together would have been toxic for either of them. If anything, I do wish we saw more of April and Cheum’s love life then again the other couples are messy enough already.

I’m writing this because I am really missing Ray. For the 12 weeks, I laughed, cried and got angry with him. Khaotung really did a great job with playing Ray All the emotional scenes were so memorable. I don’t think I can ever move on from those!

I’ll go and binge watch the series now! Yes, I’m rewatching it despite it ending only this morning here 😂

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Messy, Messy, Messy

Frankly, it could’ve been even messier. Still disappointed they cut out the scene with Sand and a baseball bat from the teaser trailer lol
Anyway, I really like that GMMtv took on a queer centric drama directed by an accredited gay director. He clearly had a vision and you can see the influence of series like Queer as Folk and other media.

They delivered what you expect: a messy, somewhat toxic series about a group of LGBTQ+ young adults. It’s got solid acting, decent flow, and overall delivered an entertaining experience.

Acting is really solid. They pulled several of their heavy hitters for this. Khaotung was especially impressive as he managed to balance a flawed yet sympathetic character struggling with alcoholism. His scene in therapy was probably the most impactful of the show.

Since it’s a BL, I should discuss the relationships. Each relationship had a full arc and for the most part they felt fairly complete.
MewTop is probably most central to all the drama. I found them the least compelling and I honestly don’t think they are going to work out long term lol. They’re like rushing to move in together at the ending after the cheating debacle. I just don’t see Mew ever fully trusting Top again and I frankly don’t think he should lol.
SandRay are probably the healthiest and they communicate the most out of all the pairings. Their arc is primarily about working through their baggage and helping Ray toward sobriety. Sand is a bit of a desperate character when it comes to Ray, which I didn’t like much for their dynamic. Overall though, they seemed the most likely to work out.
BostonNick has caused the most discourse between fans of the show. For the most part, their relationship can be nailed down to two people wanting completely different things out of their relationship. I’m glad they did not end up together because it would not have worked out.
Boston is a polarizing character and personally I think he got the most screwed by the narrative in the end. He’s a promiscuous gay man who prefers casual sex over relationships. Should he have slept with his friend’s bf? No, that’s shitty and he deservedly lost his friend because of it. But then there was all this stuff about people having sex tapes of him without his consent and lying about him assaulting his friend’s brother. And it’s treated like that’s not a horrible thing to happen to him… like damn.
I did like his conversation at the end with Nick. Nick broke it off but he acknowledged it was just because he didn’t want to force Boston to be someone he wasn’t. And that Boston was fine as he was.

I’m honestly not sure how I’d feel about the show if I binge watched it. It was fun to just kind of tune in every week and not worry too much because all of the characters were going to be messy regardless lol.

Either way, it was fun and I would recommend.

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Best BL of 2023

Excellent casting and an INCREDIBLE OST! The characters are all super interesting and I love the character development. Khaotung did a great job playing Ray and singing the OST “let’s try”.

It has some mature themes but is also playful at times, the storyline doesn’t feel boring in places and the conversations are kept concise without any boring background or filler scenes. The spicy scenes are also addicting. 10/10.

my favourite couple is SandRay. They were so cute together. The actors have amazing chemistry (really loved them in The Eclipse too).

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Exciting series! Got me interested in Thai BLs again.

This is my first review on this website since 2021. After the release of shows like ATOATS, ITSAY, and KinnPorsche, the bar for Thai BLs was set so high that I no longer felt satisfied in watching most of them. However, Only Friends has become one of the few series to capture my attention and get me back on track to obsessing over BLs. In a time of countless fluffy lovely dovey BLs, this show sticks out for the hot mess that it is. It is drama-filled but remains very realistic. Despite that, its ending remains its biggest flaw as it felt like there was something missing. I'm just hoping it means there's a season 2.

It showcases three different couples, each representing common issues and complexities that come in relationships, even more so in gay relationships. Mew & Top: Infidelity and the ability to trust again; Ray & Sand : Second best and a partner struggling with addiction; Boston & Nick: FWB and unrequited love between an easily attached pick me and a douchebag that's not interested in commitment.

MewTop are basically the main couple of this show. Mew starts off as a boring but very relatable character. The complete 180 in his personality was probably one of the best highlights of the show. My mind always goes back to that scene in episode 6 where Mew confronts Top, which just left me gagged. Although I was rooting for Mew to NOT get back with Top, the way their relationship carries on accurately represents the reality of how unfaithfulness is usually dealt with - a second chance and the hesitancy to trust again. To be honest, they got really boring towards the last few episodes.

RaySand were honestly the stars of the show. Sand was such a sweet character and so loveable. Ray was messed up but you couldn't help but root for him. Loved their story. Just wished they took out the part with Boeing because that was unnecessary. They had gone through more than enough.

Boston & Nick really added more spice to the show. Their plot becomes a bit uninteresting during the second half but I'm glad Nick realised in the end that he deserved better.

Acting:
This show sticks out not just for its plot, but for having some the best acting I have seen in BL history.

Book was excellent in this series. I get chills watching his acting in episode 6 & 7. Also, the chemistry between Book & Force has improved ten-fold from A Boss and a Babe. I think these roles suit them a lot more. Force's acting still feels a little stiff.

More importantly, First & Khaotung gave us a performance of a lifetime. I am not kidding when I say that Khaotung should win an Emmy for his performance in Episode 10. I have teared up every single time at the last scene. First did amazing too and the chemistry he has with Khaotung is one of the best I've seen in BL history.

Neo and Mark did a really good job as well, especially in the steamy scenes. It is very difficult for me to erase Neo's comedic image but I think this series really helped me in taking him more seriously. Mark did a great job in conveying how his character felt and he seems to fit BL roles a lot better than I thought.

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LOVE COCKTAIL

What a remarkable year, anyway I have jhus watched the first episode and this is a very good story, surprisingly after concluding the Chinese bl drama STAY WITH ME, Only friends has drawn a new line and I would like to give my reasons.

Firstly, they have done a good job with multiple couples. Thai bl dramas have always had the challenge of dealing with very many couples a number of times for example TOP SECRET TOGETHER but 2023 has taken a whole new level ever since MOONLIGHT CHICKEN aired earlier this year and CUTIE PIE last year, moreso, ONLY FRIENDS appears to be a more intense drama since the chemistry in every couple is not so complicated and fits perfectly right.

Secondly, I just love the character design and make up, I have always loved the trope of having a number of bl couples but more to it is each having a personality who is the polar opposite of the other, the same can be said for ONLY FRIENDS since all the main characters clearly appear to be from different worlds each with their own perception of things but somehow these differences have a way that they draw them together into developing feelings for each other and moreso understanding each other.

Thirdly, you'll certainly feel the sincerity of all emotions portrayed within the series, this is what makes a series most appealing to me, the fact that it goes from not only entertaining but also speaks to the soul, what's even better is that amidst all the drama, you can't possibly deny the love between all the main characters which stands out even in their silence and body languages.

You'll also probably be at the edge of your seat screaming since the series contains quite a number of intimate, flirty and even seductive scenes which for the record were not overdone but were captured just right.

Anyway, for me I could clearly tell from the beginning that the series and its production from the plot was well executed and not cliché, the entire thing might seem predictable but it also is full of scenes that will take you by surprise which makes it brilliant for a start.

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mostly a good mess

Overall: the trailer promised a bunch of flawed guys in messy relationships and it mostly delivered but some things didn't work for me. Aired 12 episodes about 45 minutes each on GMMTVs YouTube Channel

Content Warnings: manhandling, vomiting, manipulation, non con touching, non con recording/sharing, voyeurism, past attempted suicide, alcoholism, punches, drug usage, queerphobia

What I Liked
- they introduced the characters well, I could tell who they were and their relationships to one another
- some good showing not telling, just the way a character looks at another character tells me a lot about their feelings
- the different characters/relationship dynamics
- realistically flawed characters
- NSFW was well done
- GL established pair (however they had very little screen time and it felt like token representation instead of fleshed out characters/interesting plot)
- sweet moments
- how the ending credits change
- a character has two moms
- bixsexual representation
- ep 9 Sand and Nick were adorable
- showing a character going to therapy
- Yo & Plug's relationship and talking about the importance of trust
- production value

Room For Improvement
- Chueam just saying it was no big deal when Atom could have ruined a person's life and put him in jail was terrible character/plot writing (and unrealistic, I think most people would be super pissed at their sibling for that), and then there was a weak apology in the final episode
- Atom lying about non con also fuels the idea of survivors lying when in reality lying about this is very rare
- the flawed characters didn't bother me, but there wasn't enough growth for them to be in relationships, they all need therapy and to be solo for awhile
- Top, his redemption arc was not good, he ignored Mew's boundaries, was pretty manipulative and selfish, and the non con touching was awful
- Mew, seeing an optimistic character become jaded is something I don't enjoy watching, and I don't enjoy people who play games
- Ray, the writers needed to have him have a bit more character growth sooner and also not just say the right things but do the right things, he'd take a step forward and then a step back again, it's realistic to have setbacks but trying to cram everything in at the very end wasn't good
- Boeing, his character was not needed (although he was super hot), they should have spent more time on the other characters learning/growing (or not and then realistically ruining their relationships)
- the endings were really predictable and wish GMMTV had been a bit more risky
- showed monogamy as good and polyamory as bad
- there were a few jumpy parts, for example characters were cuddling at night and the next scene was during the day in a bookstore
- not a fan of the outfit/styling choices for many characters
- sometimes music didn't fit the mood like a serious part would have this upbeat music

(info) in ep 1 I was a bit confused by the colored wristbands to denote relationship status, apparently this is a real thing (which I think is an awesome idea)

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First Impression

This year has overall brought us some good series, and more to come. Gmmtv always produces, in my opinion, the best kind of series.

The cast is top tier, seeing a mix of multiple couples, and a new couple on screen brings me excitement. I have always loved them all in their own series, together or not.

Love seeing a hint of the characters personalities in just one episode. (ex: mew being a more soft guy, top being POSSIBLY toxic, etc) and much more to learn about each of the characters.

I really do wonder how this series will turn out, because I enjoy them being on screen, and seeing how it will go with these 6 will be interesting.

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This is gonna be an Intriguing Mess

Absolutely loved the casting and looking forward for the story to unfold.

I cant emphasize enough of how much i enjoy watching actors associated with GMMTV and getting to watch more than one BL couple in a single series is definitely a feast to the fans. TMI - First being my favorite of all :P

I love dramas that are a little twisted, dark and emotional. Enjoyed watching first episode and it felt like this is gonna be an interesting Mess , looking forward to how they are gonna wrap this up.

I am having a really hard time understanding few of the characters here because of One night stand concept which is alien to me but ya i am here for the mess to become messier. Each one of them has a different perspective towards friends . Super excited for the new episodes
I could tell what was running in their mind though they were silent just by watching their expressions, that is how much of a good actors they are!! Must mention the music is highlighting their emotions and is much enjoyable for us to listen

I can literally feel that this is gonna take my soul away by making me wait for the next episode each week

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AMAZING SHOW.

I know only one episode is out but this is my favourite show right now. I can tell it’s about to be even more good as more eps air. Only one episode out but I’ve already watched it twice 🤭
I Hope many people support this show and watch the new episodes every Saturday!! Not to mention, Khao’s ost for this show has been on repeat!! I love it so so much and the show itself. I haven’t loved something this much since msp 😭
In conclusion, episode 1 was absolutely amazing and I can’t wait for more plot and what not, scared for the angst ngl 😭 but who isn’t 🤷. Anyways, everyone go watch episode 1 right now!!

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