Last Twilight (2023)

I'm saddened that Day's words in the last episode were completely misinterpreted

What Day is referring to is his life at the beginning, when he discovered that he would go blind and that his injury could be treated with a transplant. At that moment, Day felt like his life was over, so he locked himself in his room, frustrated and depressed, waiting for surgery. He forgot to live for that entire year, he became a statue like Mee, and he was willing to fade away and to make himself invisible to the eyes of the world until his current situation could change at some point. It was one of the hardest and loneliest moments of his life. Until Mhok arrived and showed him that life went on and that there were many things he could do. Day went out into the world again, interacted with his friends again, began to make plans, participated in activities, traveled, danced, had fun, fell in love, made love for the first time... He realized then that he could live his life in the same way as others. As he accepted his new reality, Day regained his will to live and enjoyed himself again. He fought for his independence, finished his degree, opened his own bookstore, gave talks at the association, wrote a book... Day had a full and happy life, one in which he developed professionally, one in which he felt fulfilled, one in which he proved to the world and to himself that he could handle himself. If you look at the scenes of Day when he regained his sight, you can see him doing what he had already done when he was blind: he participated in a marathon again, he hung out with his friends, he went on dates with Mhok... his life was still the same, because his life was already normal before he regained his sight.
Therefore, Day talks about the difficulties and painful moments he faced throughout the process, but in the end, when he managed to accept his reality and adapted to it, he began to see the light and he started living his life. He no longer wanted to be locked in his little corner, he wanted to be part of the world.

It surprises me that people say that Day's words imply that to be normal is to be able to see... Hasn't Day repeated ad nauseam that he didn't want anyone to pity him? Hasn't he said time and time again that he doesn't want to be treated or seen differently simply because he can't see? Hasn't Day shown his displeasure with the fact that others might think he can't take care of himself? Because he is a normal person and wants to be treated as such. Have you forgotten all this?
How can you say that this series is ableist when it shows the opposite? They have strived to teach us during 12 episodes that people with disabilities can have autonomous, full and happy lives. We see it through Aon and we see it through Day. Let's not forget that everything Day achieved, he achieved while he was blind. Day was already happy before he regained his sight, so his current happiness does not depend solely on being able to see.

The series is not telling us at any point that disability must be cured to be happy. Day has an injury for which there is treatment. They tell us from minute one, and from minute one, he is on the waiting list. Day was not born blind nor does he have a permanent disability. My question is: would you say to those people who have the same injury as Day and who have also decided to have surgery that both their choice and their own experience are not valid? Would you tell them that everything they have experienced and learned as blind people does not count for anything because in the end they have recovered their vision? Is there only one valid experience in the world? Is there only one reality and only one representation? Isn't that a bit discriminatory? Would you say to those people: don't have surgery, it is better that you remain blind, so everything you have previously experienced will not have been in vain? Would you tell them: yes, I prefer that you not regain your sight, so you will be a more inspiring person to me? Would you make all these people feel bad because they have a treatment option while many other people in the world don't?
Because then, if you are not able to empathize with a fictional character, you will not be able to empathize with a real person either. Everyone has the right to decide about their own life and their own body. Everyone has the right to choose what makes them happiest. Day should not be judged for wanting to regain his sight. Day shouldn't be judged for feeling like it adds a little more happiness to the happy life he already had when he couldn't see. Day was happy when he couldn't see and Day is still happy now that he can see, that hasn't changed. Because his happiness is mainly due to everything he has managed to do for himself, everything he has achieved in life, everything he has learned and all the people around him. Because what is essential, what is important, is invisible to the eyes.

Day's blindness not only changed his life, it also changed the lives of Mhok, Night and Porjai. They would not be where they are now nor would they be the same people they are today, if it were not for this entire process. Day regaining his sight doesn't change any of this. The result is the same. For that same reason, the series does not develop Day's life much further after regaining his sight, because it is not going to change anything that they have already shown previously.
This series shows us different realities and different possibilities, and teaches us that they are all equally valid. Last Twilight is a song to resilience, to the ability to adapt to new circumstances and situations. It teaches us that, although we cannot always change our reality, we can change the way we face it. Day is an inspiring character, a clear example of struggle and improvement and that does not change, regardless of the ending. So I encourage you to watch the series again from the beginning and, this time, reflect on what they are showing you. It is very unfair that a series is brought down simply because people have not understood the message.

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Last Doubts Vanished: One of THE most meaningful LGBTQIA+ series

A mindful spirit, braveness, and an open mind are what it takes to possess the power to produce something meaningful. GMMTV has again gifted us with another meaningful, heart-wrenching, and impressive series called "Last Twilight".

The story, which evolves around the disability to see efficiently, dealing with heavy burdens like the suicide of a loved one and being reliant on others, is well-written and paced. Both Mohk and Day are realistically flawed characters and are also portrayed as such. I´m convinced this is one of the best series in the genre of LGBTQ+ in Southeast Asia to be released in 2023 and 2024.

STORY 9.0 >> 9.5
As I have already mentioned at the beginning of this review, the innovation and braveness to portray a story that evolves around disability - which shouldn´t be left out of the film industry as it is part of our world and nothing to be ashamed of or shushed about - has pleasingly surprised me. The issues that come with disabled eyesight are not coming too short and it doesn´t feel like the disability is only a tool for more views and attention, but honestly more as if GMMTV wants to raise awareness for and normalize the thematizing of disability in our lives, as well as showing what those affected by the suicide of a loved one go through. This series offers the possibility to reflect on our world and the entertainment industry, by raising awareness for both these crucial topics and also offering to witness a romance forming despite all the burdens faced by the main characters. Truly beautiful. Truly insightful. Truly inspiring.

I have never changed my opinion on the rating of the STORY to a better rating, UNTIL now. "Last Twilight" has convinced me to be one of the most time-worthy series out there to watch. I feel so blessed to be a witness to this tragic but beautifully written story between two young men trying to overcome this world's difficulties.

ACTING / CAST 8.5 >> 9.0
The chemistry between Jimmy and Sea is probably already well known among GMMTV viewers, but this series raises their bar even higher and makes me feel really happy and warm inside. I wonder what they´re doing in their workshops etc. to create such a natural tension. In "Last Twilight" they have gone over and beyond many bars I have ever imagined to see in the next few years. I am so happy they came this far and immensely pleased by the performance.

What I also like about "Last Twilight" is that the side characters have also become more meaningful for the main story and are not separately dragged along. Especoaööy since they don´t have "that side couple", but it´s focused on Day and Mhok. I´m very pleased to witness that this again proves that most series of GMMTV have improved their screenwriting, especially since I have been part of the journey for more than 6 or 7 years now.

MUSIC 7.0 >> 7.5
The music is usually what provides room for comic relief. With heavy topics as portrayed in this series, it´s unavoidable to provide uplift, as it can also help deliver a more meaningful picture of what it is like to live with a disability where life will most likely also have a shift of positive and negative events and feelings, as we are all are feeling humans after all.

OVERALL 8.5
Masterpiece. Over n´ out!

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Have tissues ready for this emotional ride.

After reading a few reviews, I almost feel like this one will be a rebuttal against the masses but I guess it's all about personal preference, experience and perception so take from this what you will..

Personally, I think this was practically perfect in every way. Even those time where I felt frustrated or upset toward a character or situation, I could tell it was pretty intentional so I guess they did their job right. And, as my headline suggests, there were plenty of sad moments that had me tearing up which is not an easy task.

At the beginning, while I felt sympathy for Day because of his situation and I understood his frustration at the sudden disability, I couldn't quite get behind how bratty he was toward everyone. His attitude toward his brother and Night's obvious guilty attitude immediately hints that he was somehow involved with how Day became blind. We are given the impression that Night was a horrible person to Day in some way, shape or form however as far as the audience has seen, it just looks like Day is lashing out at him when Night simply wants to help. (more on the Night and Day relationship later because.. hoooo boy, do I have thoughts.)

As the series went on and we see Day from Mhok's perspective, it is clear that he is struggling with wanting to be seen as normal while also learning it's okay to ask for help with the things he simply can not do by himself. I definitely feel this one as someone with a sudden disability and coming to terms with the fact I can not do everything I was once able to while learning where my own limits are and needing help to achieve certain tasks. I feel like Sea portrayed the mixture of confusion, frustration and fear very well throughout the entire series.

Sea's performance as Day was damn impressive. Before going into this series, I was thinking it would be similar to the Vietnamese series Want to See You and thought I'd be comparing the performances but, really, there is no comparison. Both were excellent and I think Sea deserves all the recognition. I haven't been this impressed by a performance since Gemini as Heart in Moonlight Chicken. There's a lot of conflicting emotions that come with disabilities and Sea conveyed all of them effectively.

With Mhok, we are given insight to his own fears and insecurities with little tidbits here and there but I do wish we got more of his story because, while it is heartbreaking, it would have explained just that much more instead of having to piece together all the sprinkled hints. Since it was hard to really know what happened until way later in the series, it didn't give Jimmy much chance to convey Mhok's thoughts through expressions very often. We saw a little here and there which I think Jimmy did pretty well, but the lack of his story was definitely not helping.

Speaking of lack of story, I really wish they gave Night more as well. As I said before, it is obvious Day dislikes his brother although we don't find out why until later on. First he says "he's responsible for me going blind" then he says "I know it was an accident and that part I could forgive but what I can't stand is him pretending to be a good son in front of mom." Oh, so he's not allowed to change for the better after the accident? He's not allowed to try to be a better person without being chastised for it?

And here's my big gripe with Day and Night's relationship: It wasn't Night's fault in the slightest. Day was the one who was driving and took his eyes off the road because he didn't want a bit of vomit in the car. Why couldn't he just pull over instead of looking for a bag while the car was in motion? Or just let Night vomit in the car and he can pay to get it cleaned afterward. There really was no excuse for taking his eyes off the road for that duration of time while the car was in full motion. I almost wanted there to be a reveal that Night suffered injuries during the accident too and he held that against Day for taking his eyes off the road. It bothered me that no one seemed to ask or care if Night was okay after being in that car too... and they kind of touch on that a little with the fact Night felt ostracized within his own family. (Night was the biggest source of my crying, by the way, so prepare the heartstrings to hurt for him.)

On the subject of Night, I was so impressed with Mark's performance. I mean, it shouldn't surprise me because he is always phenomenal. But when he's sitting at the kitchen table and has a completely coherent inner monologue using just facial expressions, I just wanted to reach into the screen and give him a hug and tell him "it's okay, let it out." I'm glad they finally acknowledged that he was being neglected though I wish Day had taken more responsibility for what happened.

Here's where I disagree with the masses... a lot of people say that after episode 9 it was all unnecessary but here's why I think it is very important: Day and Mhok went through a "normal" couple's issue of lying and miscommunication. For all of Day's insisting he wanted to be seen as normal and Mhok insisting that Day was normal, this was the most realistic hurdle they came across that any couple could find themselves against. Mhok lied about being accepted for the Hawaii job and Day found out he lied. Simple as that. The fact he is blind has little to do with this fight besides the fact that Day accuses Mhok of taking advantage of his blindness to hide the truth. But, honestly, the truth would come out sooner or later one way or another so the blindness is barely even a factor. And it is in this fight that we see just how much Mhok needs Day and how petrified he is to lose him like he lost his sister. Up until this point, the sister storyline had only gotten a few mentions without really seeing the full toll it took on Mhok... now we see it when he completely breaks down.

Mhok needed to lose Day in order to see he needed to work on himself in order to not rely on someone else so much for his own self worth.. which makes the "thank you for breaking up with me" so poignant and important. Sure, the self discovery might not be the reason Day broke it off but the side effect of the separation made Mhok a better and self reliant individual. That being said, I don't think they needed the 3 years apart to get the point but oh well.. time skips mainly just show that nothing has changed and that the status quo is too boring to showcase, I guess.

Last but not least, the big upset for most people was the very end when Day gets his sight back. Really? We knew this was going to happen from the very beginning. In the first couple of episodes, it's pretty obvious that they were setting up for him to get his sight back at some point. From the very first episode, they mention there is a way to fix it with a transplant so they've already put the idea out there that it is "curable." They wouldn't do that if it wasn't an inevitability. I personally like to see his attitude and behavior afterwards. While we don't see much of the time with his sight back, what we do see is that Day is paying it forward. He had a reputation of being a self absorbed jerk before the accident and he became more compassionate while he lived without sight. Now that he has it back, he doesn't revert back to being a jerk, he instead becomes an advocate for the blind. More than the "happy ending" aspect, I see it as a huge part of his character growth, even if it would have been more meaningful if he never got his sight back at all.

As for the prominent side characters, I absolutely loved Phojai and I thought her friendship with Mhok was very wholesome. I loved that her and Night were together because they both deserved to have someone good next to them. I didn't really see the point of adding in the romantic aspect with August AT ALL. They were partners and there was absolutely no mention of it until a fleeting "oh, by the way, I had a crush on him. Surprise!" And then it's over just as quickly as it started. Everything with August happened in one episode.. that's it. Pretty pointless in my opinion. Gee was a good crossover from his former life to his new life and was very good in terms of showing Day that he could still have his friends from before if he just gave them a chance and was honest with them. She bridged the gap of time quite effectively.

Honestly, this may be one of my favorite series to date. It's nice to see more serious storylines that still balance the romance and feel-good moments effectively. I also like how there was really no "bad guy" or villain in the story and it was just the characters having to work on themselves. I would love more of these where the main setting is not in a school and the characters are more mature even if they are not much older than student age. More of this, please!

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Maybe there's something wrong with me.

When I started this I was pleasantly surprised - I thought Vice Versa was awful, and so I had no expectations. But both Jimmy and Sea were much improved, the story, although a bit formulaic, wasn't overly so, especially in having two men in the lead roles and not a seme and uke, and I engaged with and enjoyed the series. I especially thought Sea was doing a good job as it's hard to show feelings without using your eyes.

But like so many Thai series, it's way, way too long - I'd say twice as long as it should have been, and so many of its positive qualities grew stale.

I had liked how Day and Mhok interacted like guys, teasing each other - but that got so tiresome and predictable that I began to sigh wearily at it all.

Anyway, the central problems for me:

There is no character development. And what little there is is erased by the way the series ends. Mhok's character changes, but it doesn't develop. He starts off as a sexy rough and surly guy who is suddenly neutered and can take any amount of abuse with infinite grace and forgiveness, to the point that he's a total simp, thanking Day for dumping him and breaking his heart. It's a light-switch flipping, not a journey. All of his issues are passed over, like his grief over his sister - it doesn't play into the plot at all past the first couple of episodes, when it's used to propel Mhok into the caretaker job, then he forgets she existed, except to create manufactured drama in Ep 11. Day, on the other hand, starts off as a self-centered entilted brat, and ends exactly the same. You'll note he never shows any concern for anyone other that himself, other than obeying his harpy of the mother (who is supremely well acted, but she's awful. And let's get real - there is 0% chance she would accept her eldest son marrying a poor girl with a baby by someone else. 0%.)

There is no plot.

Everything is just arranged to present romatic set pieces. For example, at Christmas, Day comes to surprise Mhok after work, in a cute reflection of an earlier surprise visit by Mhok to Day's house. They have dinner and Mhok says it's a moment that's so wonderful that he wishes it could last forever. Awww, so sweet. Except that Day had just ditched him all day at Christmas without sending a text like a complete asshole, making Mhok sad all day. Mhok, who used to be surly, is now a saint and isn't even slightly upset about this, because... well, reasons. He has no character anymore, and the plot doesn't either. There is no interplay of action->reaction. Did anyone even for a second think Mhok was the groom in Ep 12? Come on, do they think we're stupid?

The writing is cheesy.

Not a little bit cheesy, but relentlessly, oppressively cheesy. "I used to believe that people were blind because they couldn't see things. I just realized today that true blindness is being unable to see hope." Ugh. It's like the author robbed the greeting card rack of a convenience store and dumped their contents into her story. Even the one occassion of meta-awareness of this cheesiness is cheesy: "I've heard many such cheesy lines, but this is the first time I've believed one."

The morality and moralizing is way off-base.

How was Night to blame for anything? All he did is got drunk. It was Day who practically let go of the wheel and certainly took his eyes off the road (which was a lost opportuntity for irony and consequences paid for actions) to search for a bucket or something, as if there would be one in the car, instead of just pulling off the road. Night should have been praised for not trying to drive drunk, not condenmed to being blamed by everyone including his awful mother. Why does Mhok have to apologize for not wanting to move to a different country and have to be away from the man he loves? If Hawaii were the only place in the world he could get a cooking career, OK, sure, we can discuss that, but DAY'S MOTHER IS A CELEBRITY CHEF. There are better oppotunities at home.

The acting is OK.

Like I said, much improved, but the "enemies" portion of the story had the best acting, and it was interesting storywise because they weren't really enemies - it was a bit of a game to hide their mutual attraction and it was quite lovely. But in the end, I don't think either actor shined, and this is underscored by how strong Mark Pakin is - the most moving moment in the whole series is his reaction to being forgiven. I didn't feel the romantic chemistry between the leads at all - they had good "friend" chemistry, but their interaction is so sexless (and I don't mean sex scenes, which can be more sexless than anything, I mean no heat between them) that it felt like a primary-school relationship with tickling and sniff-kisses to the cheek being about all we see. Again, Mark and Namtan outshone them - I felt the heat the first time they met and it never abated. Sea had a hard job, and he did his best, which was not bad, but it grew dull by the end. Jimmy can do sad-puppy-dog and sexy smirk very well, but that's about it, and he too grew dull.

The writing is shallow.

This could have been about dealing with loss and resiliance, about moving on and adapting to adversity, but Day's character is so thin and inconsistent that we get no depth. His reaction to an unsuccessful surgery implying permanent blindness is wasted on the greeting-card line I referenced above and he processes the situation for literal minutes before being totally over it. And the ending renders the entire series a pointless string of plot points with no meaning or impact. Instead of dealing with the consequences of their decisions, the story makes a time jump, the first refuge of an incompetent writer, and skips over all that for an insta-reunion. Well, not instant, as there had to be a rush-to-the-airport cliche thrown in. Sigh.

In the end, this was just boring. There was a whole episode about jogging. In Ep 12, even the YouTube algorithm was despondent and kept throwing reaction videos to Deadpool into the queue instead of the next part of the episode. The rating of this as I write is 8.6, which is astoundingly high - but I'm willing to bet that in a year it will be down around half a point. There are lovely moments in this that buoy the score, and many people vote early on and don't change it - but subsquent viewers will binge it and it just won't have an 8.6 impact on them, and I doubt people will be talking much about this in a year, because there's nothing to talk about.

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There must have been a dawn

It was just the first episode and I'm so excited! I'm really happy for being able to see Jimmy and Sea together on the screen again, my expectations are also really high since this is directed by P'Aof. Honestly, I think this show will be breathtaking, even though the plot does remind me of Intouchables. However, already in the 1st episode we can see it won't be a copy paste from the French film, the differences between the caregivers' characters backgrounds and the acquired disabilities of the ones in need of being taken care of, shows a bit of how the story will unfold.
The photography is amazing and ending the episode with "the essential is invisible to the eye" quote from The Little Prince was just beautiful. I can't wait to watch the 2nd episode next week!

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It hit more than it missed, and overall it wrapped up well.

THE GOOD:
- Production value and acting all checks out. The pacing started out really good and only petered out at the end of the last quarter when it got a little cut and rushed.
- The story was heartfelt and emotional with some interesting and good characters and the entire cast carried it well. For people prone to being moved by these types of shows, there will definitely be crying.
- The plot is not heavy or dramatic, but still interesting and engaging, and the actor of Day really did well in his role as a blind person.
- The secondary, and even the third couple, were likeable through and through, great support couples.
- Very rom com ending, not an unexpected thing but not a bad thing either.
- The ML's suit each other and have good chemistry.
- Plenty of corny romantic lines for those who like that sort of thing.

There isn't anything BAD per se, but rather:
THE SHORTFALLS:
- Unpopular opinion: the break up was DUMB, and it was just a writers cop out. They tried to explain it in ep12, why the break up was 'necessary' but tbr, it was just the writers way of managing a time skip for individual character maturation and realizations in the limited episode time. Same sh*t they pulled in Step by Step 🙄 ya'll remember? In Last Twilight, the issue seemed to be not enough episodes for Day and Mhok to optimistically choose a long distance relationship, which could have gradually grown distant as they matured separately far away from each other. Instead they kept it quick and angsty. A little cheap, no?
- Kind of a 'fairytale' ending, which was a let down. Day getting his eyesight back not long after they got back together felt...empty. Predictable sure, that doesn't have to be a bad thing, except it was also less meaningful. For me anyway.

HIGHLIGHTS:
- Phojai. Just her. She was a highlight.
- I liked how Mhok dropped his presence to Day before he closed the taxi door in ep 12, smoooooth.

I can't claim that this show is rave worthy, perhaps because the 'feel good emotional romance' type of story generally bores me, or just because episodes 11 and 12 didn't quite hold up imo. But from an objective point of view, this was a very good BL, especially when compared to other shows in similar slice-of-life-romance-with-a-side-of-angst vein. It also had good acting and a really solid start, the first 8 or so eps were all on the rise, but it missed a few marks after the relationship began being properly established and the writers had to find a way to add angst to it for a closing arc. I know there is a template followed for these kinds of stories, but I do think things need to feel organic and original in someway. The ending of LT didn't really stand out, but hey, it was 'feel good' for sure.

(Edit: I've seen that there's a lot of back and forth about whether it was a good ending for Day to get his sight back, and I just wanna' add to this review, that for me it wasn't THAT he got his sight back. He was on the donor list, we knew from the start he wanted the transplant, and of course, why wouldn't he want to? That's not the issue.

It was the ridiculous rush and timing of it happening. Too 'fairytale' and way too convenient too. I would have preferred, seeing as how the writers were fine with time skips, that after Day and Mhok had already been together for a few years, maybe even living together and doing well, that a donor became available.

I would have LOVED to see that after he'd lived a few years happily with Mhok despite his being blind, for the show to END at the moment where his family is waiting as the bandages are taken off his eyes in the hospital and maybe Mhok's face is the first thing he sees and he smiles and says "I can see." and close scene. Happy, emotional, meaningful and it just ends there. I didn't need to see how 'normal' his life could be with him as a seeing person, we already know life is easier if we can see. The show was, to a large extent, about him being a non-seeing person and coming to terms with it, so I felt there was no need to show that ending of 12. In the end, two hospital eye reveals cheapened the emotion, ending where we knew he got his vision back would have been enough for me without messing with the tone of the show.)

Basically, I wouldn't watch it again, but I would rec it as worth a one time watch. ✌️

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Disappointment at the last second

Episodes 1-11 were an incredible series. The finale destroyed everything it was working towards. The message becomes meaningless, the development pointless, all for a feel good ending that only feels good for the able-bodied.

The series really seemed like it wouldn’t go this direction, and we all had trust in a talented director to not sully everything the story worked towards. But in the end, a time skip heals all, Mhok’s trauma is swept aside, and Day gets magically cured of his disability after spending 11 episodes proving that disabled people too can live happy independent lives and find love. Being cured is his “happy ending”. What a message to send to those who will never find a cure.

WARNING: This series contains the MAGICALLY CURED DISABILITY TROPE.

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Technically it is "perfect", but why do I feel like it lacks something?...

Look I know this show is very loved and regarded as the best BL ever made by so many people, but maybe it really isn't for me, despite me liking many things here. It's definitely a very well made series, it has good acting (sometimes very good), great cinematography, great music!!! (that was a plus for me), but I feel some sort of emptiness when I watch it and when I think of it, it's like it lacks warmth, like it lacks heart. But I don't think it generally lacks heart, it's just that it is so formulaic that it feels like I'm watching a to-do tutorial rather than a depiction of fictional people's lives. What I mean with it is that the characters feel shallow, more like archetypes to make the plot move than like people I would feel something for. And it shouldn't be like that cuz in theory these characters pack a lot of punch! But the way the story unfolds strips them down of their potential to be felt and they become mere acessories (except for the protagonist, Day). I'll take Mhok as an example, as I consider him the best character here both for his background and for Jimmy's ability to make me feel for him. There was a moment in the series (pretty early on I must say) where Mhok stopped becoming his own character and became an extension of Day. His function was to be there for Day and like that he loses his depth and becomes an acessory, a charming love interest. Sure he has his own worries by the latter part of the series but even then he's still in Day's shadow. But at least he's not devoid of personality like Chief Phupa in 1000 Stars. We also have very interesting side characters here like Porjai (Namtan is so great, my first time seeing her in anything) and Night, but they're even more relegated to acessories with very little time to flesh out their own struggles, which are rich. And their development as a couple all happens off-screen, which is a waste of potentially good chemistry there. Now speaking of Day, the protagonist, he is the only one that we get to see the struggles of first hand and while I personally did not enjoy the character cuz I found him unecessarily arrogant and childish through and through, his motif is very rich! But he spends the whole series dealing with his blindess, with self acceptance, with the desire to gain independence... and then at the end it was all in... vain?

So overall it's a nice series for whoever is into very formulaic stuff with tearjerker moments (that didn't make me tear up but oh well) and the happiest endings, but it kinda failed to make me feel much. It's weird cuz I feel heartless by saying this. I just keep on thinking about Moonlight Chicken and how it was so rich with so many nuances and powerful stories being told about a vast diversity of human relationships that felt close to home even when I didn't go through them in my personal life and then I think of this... there's an abyss of difference. I think Aof should do more ensemble series.

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Highlight of my Fridays aka BL of the Year

This isn't much of a review but more of a comment; the full review will be added in after the show's completed.

[Episodes 1-4] When I fell for JimmySea in Vice Versa, I knew they had the potential to go bigger and Last Twilight delivered. Their acting and expressions have so much range and their chemistry just oozes every time they're on screen. Not only with each other but the extras and supporting characters too. I'm loving the progression and story-telling so far. Mhok and Day's growths have been steady, natural, and breathtaking as well. Last Twilight continues to be the highlight of my Fridays.
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[Completed] Let's just say that up to the breakup, I enjoyed every minute of Last Twilight. There was heavy foreshadowing since ep 10 but despite the obvious, Jimmy and Sea still managed to make us cry with their acting. I believe everyone knew or had an idea that Day's first eye surgery wasn't going to be successful, yet Sea's acting pleasantly surprised and depressed us~

I don't mind or care for breakups in series, especially when they're necessary (for example: when one or two characters have become toxic to each other) or are well-handled in the aftermath. And although I understood why there had to be a breakup, I didn't see it being critical to the storyline. And even if it was like time apart made Day independent and Mhok more understanding, etc, I don't see why Day had to also then block Mhok for three years. That only tells me that their breakup was not for their betterment but out of anger. As Day and Mhok have proven to mature throughout the series, to have them break up on a whim was out of character for Day. If Day saw it as Mhok pitying him then that's fine, but Mhok's reasonable reason was both dismissed and devalued.

Despite my ranting, my biggest issue isn't that they broke up, it's that they did it in EP 11 at the last second. That meant the finale would be about them overcoming their conflict and reuniting, and you just can't do it all in one hour. Especially if you want it to be good and want to avoid time skips. Not only did their breakup take away screentime to see them grow as a couple, but the show compounded it with Day's second eye surgery. I have mixed feelings about Day being able to see again.

Why I liked that Day was able to see again:
- He got to see what Mhok looks like
- His hope to see again was finally answered

Why I don't like that Day could see again:
- He's navigated the world as a blind man for a while and has come to accept it. If anything, I thought that would give viewers hope that despite being dealt bad cards in life, you will be fine as long as you learn to accept and live with it.
- Day running a bookshop as a blind man went out the window
- Porjai's daughter lost that opportunity to develop a positive trait towards disabilities as someone who could have grown up with a blind uncle
- This doesn't give Mhok the chance to prove that he can trust Day despite Day's blindness

Overall LT is a 10/10 and I've rewatched it another three times after Jan. 26.

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One Palm Distance

If any director was going to direct a Thai BL that would lead me to give it a perfect 10, it would be P'Aof. And Last Twilight is *chef's kiss* perfection. There is nothing about this drama that I did not love. The story, the characters, the cast, the music, every part of it came together into this beautiful, timeless whole that left me laughing, crying, sighing, and in the end, feeling utterly content.

Last Twilight starts out big, introducing the characters' pasts and what led them to their present selves and the struggles they're facing. For Day, it's the gradual loss of his eyesight and coming to grips that his life has been irrevocably altered and the fear of how others will perceive him. For Mhok, he is still dealing with his sister's suicide as well as the implications of having spent time in jail which makes it difficult for him to find a job move on with his life. When Day and Mhok meet and Mhok becomes the jaded and closed-off Day's caretaker, they slowly begin to heal each other as they find acceptance and eventually love in each other. Mhok is the one person with the ability to pull Day from the darkness he's been hiding in and back into the sunlight and back into life. With the help of others, he shows Day that his life can still be fulfilling, even if he can't see. One thing that binds the story together is the book Last Twilight which one of Day's friends had recommended for him to read. Mhok reads it to Day throughout the series and Day identifies with the main character and her struggle. They have multiple conversations about the book and it serves as an important turning point for them when they seek out the view pictured on the back of the book. It's at this lookout that Day completely loses his eyesight and when they return home, have to deal with Day's mother's wrath at Mhok having not only crossed the line with her son in entering into a relationship with him, but also, in her mind, putting her son at risk. When the surgery to fix Day's eyes fails and he's forced to reconcile himself to the fact that he may never see again, there's another shift in Day and Mhok's relationship as Day seeks to become more independent and on a trip with just the two of them, Mhok finds himself fretting about Day's safety and the pity that he has never before felt creeps in. When he receives a job offer to work as a chef in Hawaii, he turns it down, not wanting to leave Day. The fact that pity for Day played any part in his decision, even if only incrementally, leads Day to break up with him. One of the very few aspects I didn't love about this drama, and it's a minor one, was the number of time jumps at the end. If memory serves there are technically three, two that jump three years in the future each and then one that inexplicably decides to jump back three years. That first jump reunites Day and Mhok for Night and Porjai's wedding with both having been quite successful during their time apart, but the feelings are clearly still there. However, when asked for a second chance, Day turns Mhok down, afraid of a repeat of past events until a chat with his mom makes him realize that he does want that chance and after some running around, the pair are reunited, this time for good. There's a back and forth after this of Day three years after having another surgery which was successful and gave him his sight back and then bouncing back to immediately after the surgery when he first opened his eyes. The conclusion is, fittingly, back at the view where Day lost his eyesight as the pair once again talk about the book and Day is able to actually see and appreciate the scenery. It's a satisfying and beautiful conclusion to a wholesome and beautiful story.

I've seen some complaints about the pacing, but personally, I though it was pretty perfect. It was steady with hardly a fumble and never once did I find myself bored or wanting it to speed up or slow down. While I am not blind nor is anyone I know, I felt like they handled the topic of blindness quite well. Day's feelings were shown as valid and understandable as was the learning curve both for himself and those around him as he reentered the world and learned to live in it. I think it really pinpointed that oftentimes what stands in our way is ourselves. If we're willing to put ourselves out there and take a chance, then abled or disabled, the sky is really the limit. I similarly appreciated that despite getting pregnant outside of wedlock, Porjai was not treated as a pariah and was not judged, at least not that we saw. As women are often ostracized in that situation, it was refreshing as was Night and Day's mother obvious acceptance of her and her daughter.

Last Twilight really was, for me, practically perfect. There were a few things that I might have liked more information on or to delve into more, but I feel like I'm being more nitpicky than anything as most things couldn't be expounded on due to time constraints I'm sure. August was a there and gone character in a lot ways; he came back into the picture, was there for a brief period and then disappeared. But the effect he had on Day during that short period made me wish we had a little more insight into him and his thought process, particularly when it came to how he was, in essence, pursuing Day which ultimately culminated in their kiss. How exactly was he expecting that all to end? Did he really think it would make Day happy to be falsely pursued by him and then have him up and leave? There was just a lack of common sense it seemed behind most of his actions. I would have liked to delve more into Mhok's past and his emotions and thought process. A big one was when he and Day broke up. Day's reaction to Mhok pitying him could be construed as over the top and if this was another drama, I might have rolled my eyes and thought he was overreacting. But given the material and the characters, I actually thought it worked quite well, because it was made clear that one of the things Day hated the most, was how people pitied him. The fact that Mhok didn't pity him was part of what attracted him and what he found so satisfying in their relationship and what made him feel secure. I think knowing that Mhok pitied him destroyed the illusion he had and he was afraid that feeling would continue and affect their relationship. There was probably an element too that he didn't want Mhok sacrificing his future to be with him. I found Mhok's fear of losing Day and the sentiment that he didn't want to lose out on time to be a valid one and I really wish that we'd been given more insight into that fear. Again, given Mhok's past, with what had happened to his sister, I could understand where that fear came from and it shouldn't have been dismissed quite so easily. I would have liked to see him and Day have a more serious conversation about the whole thing at some point, but that would have taken up far more time than was permitted. The medical side of me wanted more information about Day's eyes and what exactly had happened. My best guess would be that the accident caused non-infectious keratitis which then developed into infectious keratitis, but generally that's treatable so I would have liked some details. There were also a few other issues that popped up that could have been resolved with less drama then there was, but, again, I'm nitpicking.

The characters were solid and I really came to love each and every one of them. Even with the side characters, there was a satisfying amount of character development and it really did add another layer of depth to them and the story.
-Day was definitely handed the short end of the stick. I cannot even imagine what it would be like to go from a national athlete to being disabled. His anger and bitterness at the world was understandable and was shown well, as was his fear of the judgment he might face, but not be able to see. It was incredibly satisfying to see him gradually blossom with Mhok's help and venture back into the world and discover that while there were people who might pity or judge him, there were also those who would not and there was still so much for him to experience. His reconciliation with his brother was well done and not rushed at all. When it got to that point, I felt it was believable that he had grown to the point where he could truly forgive his brother. I loved seeing him there at the end with his own bookshop and being independent and thriving.
-Mhok was similarly unlucky, hanging out with the wrong crowd which led to his imprisonment after a fight combined with his sister committing suicide and the fear it instilled in him. I appreciated the spotlight they shown on how people who have been imprisoned for one reason or another are ostracized and the difficulties they face, particularly in finding employment. There are few employers out there willing to give second chances unfortunately so it was especially gratifying to see him grow and succeed once he was given the chance. And while Day was used to people pitying him, Mhok was accustomed to being judged once his past was discovered. He and Day found their home in each other in part because neither reacted the way others did. Mhok did not pity Day and Day did not judge Mhok. I think Mhok's growing fear that something might happen to Day if he wasn't right there all the time was a valid one based on his own experience and, again, I wish we'd had the opportunity to delve into that and it had been addressed more. I did appreciate that Mhok did not blame Day for breaking up with him, but instead decided to take it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
-Night carried the guilt of having been the cause of his brother's blindness and in many ways it defined him for a large part of the series. He was constantly seeking to atone for what he had done, doing his best to take care of his little brother in as much as he would let him which wasn't much at all. Still, he never gave up and he was supportive of Mhok and Day's relationship and helped however he could. He made lifestyle changes like no longer drinking and truly sought to better himself. And while Day's attitude and behaviour frustrated Night, it was clear that no matter what, he loved his little brother. I loved that they were able to reconcile their relationship and the Christmas dinner scene when he feels like he's finally accepted back into the family is so sweet and wholesome. I do wish we'd gotten to see a little more of his relationship with Porjai, but even without that, I really enjoyed their relationship and how accepting he was of her and how he loved her daughter like his own.
-Porjai was the kind of female character I wish more BLs had. She wasn't a villain, she wasn't a roadblock for the main characters' romance, she was Mhok's ex, but they had the kind of relationship that I'm sure some wish they could have with their ex. They were close friends, protective and supportive of each other. Mhok provided her with a home and she was a sounding board for him, giving him advice at times or just taste testing his food and she helped him get a job at her workplace. When Day decided that he wanted to give Mhok a second chance, she jumped into the car in her wedding dress and was all ready to hunt Mhok down, grabbing the mic from that poor airport employee to yell for him over the intercom. She was a beautiful, strong woman and I just loved her character.

The acting was so good on all fronts. Jimmy has come a long way from the first time I saw him in Bad Buddy. I was not impressed with him then, but he has just continued to improve himself and I felt he really nailed the character of Mhok. I thought he handled all the emotions he had to portray really well and gave a nuanced performance. Sea blew me away. He had a challenging role, but he had me truly believing that his character was blind and I could really feel the character's emotional turmoil. So well done. And Jimmy and Sea's chemistry has improved as well since Vice Versa. I really enjoyed the build up of the relationship and they just portrayed it so beautifully. Mark is a winner no matter what role he plays and this time was no different. As both the repentant big brother and loving boyfriend/husband, he was perfect. Namtan is also great no matter what role she plays and she hit the perfect balance here between sassy and caring and I really enjoyed her performance.

The production was overall very well done. In particular, the scenes in Songklah on the mountain were so well done and beautifully shot. I thought the opening was creative with the way it was blurred and then became clearer. Again the incorporation of the book Last Twilight as well as The Little Prince was a fun addition with the way the stories were interwoven with the plot. The music was perfect, though I particularly love William Jakrapatr's song for the series. I may have been listening to it on repeat since it was released on Spotify.

Last Twilight, for me, is the pinnacle of BL dramas, it's what other dramas should aspire to be in their own way. There are others that have come very close, but for me it was the most consistent in terms of pacing, story line and character development. I fell in love with it from the first episode and that didn't change as it progressed. I cannot recommend this drama enough. It hits on some hard topics but does so in a respectful and sensitive way and ultimately is just so heartwarming.

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Strong beginning, bad ending....

This show started strong in the first episode and the second gave a glimpse of what could be an outstanding show. But the writers missed it.
While Sea was really good acting a nearly blind person, he was not so great with the fluffy moments. Jimmy did grow in his acting but he could only do as much as he was given from the script.
The problem is the writing, the 180 turn from "enemies" to "lovers" was much too fast, the character development did just happen over night. Mhok should have much more struggle with his trauma and a spoiled brat does not turn 180° overnight also.
The side characters all did a good job
Production value and music was very good, but that does not help with the storytelling. The last two episodes are strange and the "happy ending" was too much. Day should have stayed blind, they should not have seperated in that way they did because Day was back to his spoiled brat days only thinking about himself.
The premise of the show was very good but they butchered it for "fan service" to make the show fluffy.
It's still enjoyable to watch when you don't expect exceptional story-telling.

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Last Twilight: A Journey of Hope and Heartfelt Storytelling

The story lines of Last Twilight crafted uniquely by the team, not really from any novel. This is really fresh and interesting story lines. Central to its narrative is the powerful theme of 'Hope', encouraging audiences to always have hope no matter the challenges we are facing. The series captivates from start to finish, making me feel part of the story. This is one in a few series that I never fast forward while watching. My heart is always there to support Mhok and Day (leading roles) on their journey. Well, this is actually the credits of the actors to their exceptional acting, drawing us deeply into their world. This is one of the kind series that everyone will love it as soon as start watching it. I really recommend watching this one. It will fulfill your heart.

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