Spare Me Your Mercy (2024)

This Will Stick with You

This drama deals with the very controversial subject of euthanasia. The viewer knows from the get-go what that the doctor is guilty of doing it--but there's no shortage of questions throughout. I was on the edge of my seat. At one point, I actually acknowledge out suspenseful the music was. I was so tense, but nothing extremely tense was happening at that moment except for the music. It was setting the stage. Wow, is all I can say. It was a great story and a wild ride. Tor in particular did a great acting job playing someone who truly believes they are doing what is right. For anyone who enjoys mystery and intrigue with an underlying touch of romance, this is the drama for you. Brava to the director and cast of this gem.

Read More

When you want to kill two birds with one stone and end up hurting yourself.

The problem isn't the actual controversial subject of the show.
Of course this will cause reactions and objections.
That is why it is controversial worldwide.
When you attempt to deal with such a serious subject (and there is none more serious than human life itself) you must build a very strong and solid foundation with a clear objective and absolute seriousness in dealing with it.
The main problem with the series is that they never managed to live up to the seriousness of the subject, and furthermore successfully stick the BL theme to it.
On the one hand there is a suspicion of seriousness and at the same time the protagonists are for the most part suspicious of each other rather than in love.
To such an extent that it is humanly impossible to believe the romantic part of the story or be driven to thoughts about the main subject.
They are two rivals, with different beliefs in such fundamental principles and values ​​that in the end, the supposedly romantic part of their story, diminishes the seriousness of the matter and their relationship becomes unbelievable.
When you want to deal with such a topic, you must know very well what exactly you want to say and what to achieve.

Read More

Killing people is okay? Right? Right? Anyone? Only with KCl though?

This is absolutely a stand alone review of the show without reading the book.

𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭
The idea of grappling euthanasia in Spare Me Your Mercy is an unique concept, but the execution fails to present a concise, well thought out perspective into the multiple perspectives and ethics that go into euthanasia. The show started out with patients receiving palliative care for terminal illness. We see bits and pieces of frustration and pain they feel from this incurable state they're in. What is highlighted mostly is frustration and sadness their loved ones are feeling from watching them be in pain (this is normal and important), but when tackling ending one's life, there has got to be a deeper look into the patient's course of journey to making the decision. The way this was laid out only showed us patients being in such immense pain that they were asking for death. A doctor can listen to that and not come to the conclusion of "oh this calls for potassium chloride". To the patient, a doctor is like a God. Dr. Kan is almost like a God in the sense that he does give death. I think that adds to his delusion that he is doing the right thing. I know for a fact that this man skipped all of the medical ethics classes in med school. It must've slipped through the cracks. Euthanasia is controversial, mainly because it deals with ending human life legally. For euthanasia to be successful, countries have stringent system of safeguards in place to review ethics of reasoning behind ending a patient's life. It's not a one man decision. Euthanasia can only be given to those who can give informed consent. In Dr. Kan's case, that's not how it goes at all. He takes it upon himself to make the final decision because he is feeling bad. It's like seeing a man remedy his own guilt through making the decision of killing someone. It's never for the patient for him even if he likes to tell himself that. What makes this exploration into this topic more worse is by not having someone sane who understands ethics behind euthanasia. There is no balance of perspectives/opinion. It's not a tug of war between what's right or wrong, but a man doing whatever the hell he wants because he's a coward who can't process guilt of seeing patients die. We see a glimpse of Kan walking into a room where his mom is bleeding out from self harm. That trauma is not reflected upon in any scenes where he's also dealing with seeing patients die. I don't see Kan's real motivation into killing people except for his own satisfaction.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐭 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫
Boss was freaky, kinky, and cute. I really liked this guy. He knew what he is and owned up to it. The conversation with Dr. Kan during apartment confrontation scene was the only scene where we have a character questioning Kan's code of ethics when it comes to euthanasia. If what Boss is committing is murder, then what can we call what Kan is doing? Is it not the same? Even after this conversation, Kan is easily convinced to kill Boss. If Kan's intentions were just saving his patients, then how is killing Boss ( a person who is not a terminal patient) justifiable? Boss should've been a real rat even if he worshiped Kan for what he was doing. It's sad that he wasn't so involved in the story. He appears in the last few episodes which takes away from other conversations this show could've explored.

𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞
What is going on in that police station? Are we even allowed to open cases 50 different times every 5 minutes? This was my comedic relief. All of these uncles going "exactlyyyy" and then closing the case prematurely only to be freaking clowns who open it back up again. Captain Tew, I think it's time to transfer out. What a bootleg police station. It's also detrimental to your relationship with Dr. Kan that you doubt at least once every episode only to get back to him. It's like watching a stressful ping pong game.

Some police guy: Something suspicious happened!
Captain Tew: you don't say, it's probably Kan isn't it?
Later that day...
Captain Tew: hey I got something to talk to you about
Dr. Kan: *distraction activated* I made a new dish just for you! What do you wanna talk about?
Captain Tew: Oh for me?... (internal monologue: he can't be the one, he made me a meal)

Above is how this captain probably thinks. It's almost like we should take him off the case cause he's literally connected with a suspect.

Moving on, ms. nurse, what's happening here? How was she so easily convinced to keep killing people? It felt like she was enjoying it and sharing that enjoyment with Dr. Kan. She showed neither empathy nor understanding as to what euthanasia means for patients. She saw what happened with her husband, but after that, her psychopathy just went off the rails. It was an interesting dynamic to see. It's very different from what Boss was trying to do.

"𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲" & 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
They're both good actors. As a person who liked them back in 9x9 and in their multiple other projects, this fell short in terms of their chemistry. There was absolutely no romance that translated across to the audience. It felt like watching two bros who have no romantic feeling for each other. It felt really forced. It's bad when I think Dr. Kan has more chemistry with Boss than his actual love interest. That's not how it should look to us. Since they were lacking in the chemistry department, I would think they would use the time in the episodes to actually explore the development of their relationship. It felt unrealistic cause I couldn't tell how deep their relationship went.

The ending left you with a feeling of "meh". Why did he get a two story house for one storage safe? He has that big house that he shares with no one to keep that safe in. Dr.Kan has the means to advocate for hospice care for patients along with advocacy for euthanasia if that is what he believes in. The things he does is so counterproductive. What made this story so unpalatable is that the whole story somehow felt like convincing the audience that what Dr. Kan did was right. There was no room for doubt or anger towards him. You're set up to feel bad for him when that shouldn't be the case. I feel like this show advocates for one side too much.

At the end of the day, they tried. It was an interesting topic with interesting character not executed well.

Read More

Exploring different perspectives. A drama that makes you THINK

I was not prepared for such a serious topic in “Spare Me Your Mercy” since I didn’t read the synopsis and only wanted to see Tor. LOL. I’m glad Tor brought me to this drama, because even though it was quite a depressing experience, it was a great drama to discuss the different perspectives on euthanasia. I will not go into the moral ethics on this topic, as we all have different beliefs. Knowing that euthanasia is illegal in Thailand, one can deduce the ending of this drama.

“Spare Me Your Mercy” did show us the different points of view of euthanasia in 8 short episodes:

* Terminally ill patients - The drama explored their willingness to go through with the process and die with dignity and free of pain. Some think they are relieving their family members of the burden of taking care of them.
* Police officers - Uphold the law that euthanasia is illegal
* General public - Can go either way, but mainly side with the law
* Doctors - 1) Those that believe their occupation is to save lives, 2) those who believe in freeing their patients from suffering and letting them die in dignity.
* Family members - 1) Those who oppose and see their family members as being murdered, 2) Those who support in relieving their family members from pain and suffering, 3) Those who feel abandoned and betrayed by the patients who choose to end their lives.

It actually took me about 2 episodes to be fully immersed in the drama. Binge-watching helps to keep me interested and hit the ‘next’ button. But because the drama is so short, I wish it has spent more time diving deeper into the ethics and moral dilemma of euthanasia, instead of spending a lot of time on the murder mystery. But I fully enjoy each patient and character’s background story. I also feel very conflicted.

Acting is awesome. Tor brought me here, and he’s excellent in playing his role as Dr. Kan. He was great from start to finish, and what a slam dunk finish he has! JJ’s pretty good as Captain Thiu, but I don’t know why he frowns so much. He does have a cute puppy look. The acting of the supporting cast is just as good, especially Nurse On and Pharmacist Boss. It doesn’t have the cringe that I often felt in Thai dramas.

But the drama is not without flaws. Romance is one of them. Tor and JJ have really good chemistry in the scenes they are together. The issue is the development of the romance. There’s not enough time to give us a well-written love story. It goes from love at first sight, to confessing feelings, to dating and moving in together at lightning speed. The drama is unable to find the balance of crime investigation and romantic development. Additionally, I do need to relax my brain a little and not think about the plot holes. It’s quite hard to imagine so many crimes committed without being caught. Don’t cameras exist inside a hospital?

Despite all the flaws, I have an ‘enjoyable’ time watching “Spare Me Your Mercy”. The drama does make me think. I feel just as conflicted as Captain Thiu. If you don’t mind the topic of euthanasia and can ignore a few illogical stuff, I strongly recommend this drama to you. Well, maybe don’t be like me and watch this on Christmas Day.


Completed: 12/26/2024 - Review #530

Read More

Questions of moral values

I'll try to summarize my impression of the series as briefly as possible while commenting on each of the categories (acting, story/plot, music)
I must inform you that I'm a bit more moderate when it comes to rating bl series, because I know that they have come a long way in terms of where they started.

Story:
I was very surprised by the series, and in a good way. In the first 2 episodes it was very clear who was behind the deaths of the patients, so I was thinking, what the hell are they going to do for the remaining 6 episodes?! And in the end, there was a lot to solve! The story has become completely muddled. Every plot had a purpose and everything fit together like puzzle pieces. No part was added by force just to fix the problem. Brilliant. It was thrilling and made me devour every minute. It even brings the audience to question miralit values without bringing the solution.
At this point, I'm not sure if the romance between the main characters was important. Don't get me wrong I didn't mind in any way I even looked forward to their moments together (so heartwarming) but I'm not sure if it was ultimately crucial to the story.

Acting:
The actors delivered the story with sheer passion and I have perhaps no greater remarks but praise. Completely natural with no emotions forcefully injected. The actors were not portrayed as perfect gods, so they had more room to properly convey raw emotion without the guise of looking as pleasing to the eye as possible. I personally don't like that and it unnecessarily spoils the experience.
I would especially like to highlight the character Boss (Aelm Bhumibhat Thavornsiri), who has captivated me with his performance.
God I would love to write a separate commentary on each of the performers!

Music:
I'll start by saying that with the music they managed to capture the mood of the scenes. Maybe sometimes too much. The Thrilling moments were accompanied by dramatic music reminding of Marvel fight scenes. But I guess that's a matter of opinion.
I must highligh the opening, which caught my attention the most in terms of the use of music. Dramatic and engaging as it should be and yet it didn't spoiler the entire series as it tends to in many cases.

I'm writing this review right after I finished watching the series so I admit it may be a bit biased.

Read More

Euthanasia versus the law

I never knew that I would get to see JJ and Tor paired in a BL show one day. Indeed, it was a dream come true. Throughout the eight episodes, I keep murmuring the phrase, “JJ is so freaking handsome!” The police uniform suited him well which highlights his manliness charms. Plus, those sexy glares and voices were too much to handle.

The storyline was well written to the point that I found myself composing for some assumptions and possible twists regarding the real suspect for the sudden death of the palliative patients. The suspense is real! It also introduces the concept of euthanasia to the viewers, which is a serious topic that is discussed. A lot of countries, especially in Asia, are not too open to this medical approach. Which is reasonable due to its cons and needs a depth analysis for a law to be passed.

All casts give their best to perform their roles effectively. I don’t have any bad comments about the show as I fully enjoyed it as a whole. In the end, we got to see the Doctor confessing his involvement to his police lover. I liked how they came up with a finale that may be a sign of a possible sequel.

Read More

"I love you," but I can't forgive you.

In a world filled with emotional stories, the phrase this drama captures a common frustration. It shows that people are getting tired of stories that focus too much on exaggerated skinship and NC scenes, which can make them feel less real and meaningful. 

The writer, Sammon, is a brilliant author, storyteller, and doctor. I cannot help the way she lets me think things in a way I haven't thought before. I'm not a medical person, but her complex characters and their medical backgrounds make storytelling so interesting that I often found myself searching terms randomly.

At its core, this drama is characterised by overtly emotional scenarios that seek to elicit sympathy from the audience. Whether through tragic backstories, excessive pathos, or predictable character arcs, this genre often treads a fine line between genuine emotional resonance and manipulation. While it is undeniable that the storytelling of this drama is a powerful tool for eliciting empathy, the overuse of such devices can lead to a sense of emotional fatigue, which I'm having right now while writing this review.

One big problem with this dramas is that they relied too much on clichés. Characters often fit into predictable roles, like the tragic hero or the innocent victim. This makes the story less impactful and can leave the audience feeling disconnected. We want stories with more depth and variety, but when we see the same basic characters over and over, it's hard to connect with them. But what else can we expect from an 8-episode drama? Contradictorily, this might be the best they could deliver. I heard the word "Euthanasia" in Jojo Moyes's Me Before You. It broke me into pieces. For a long time I wondered what and whys, because I was uneducated in knowing the emotions and turmoils regarding the term. The best stories are those that invite us into the lived experiences of characters, allowing us to empathise without feeling manipulated. This drama made me think about it all over again. Surely it is depressing, but getting a new perspective on law and will definitely refreshed my knowledge and empathy towards the patients.

Lastly, I have to mention the chemistry of Kan and Tew, which made me go gaga over a simple finger touch. They proved that you don't need overly dramatic romantic scenes to establish a good story. All they did was depict two insane characters, one who abides by the law and the other one whose empathic self could not help but fall in love with someone they shouldn't be. There were moments when I suspected Tew was faking his fondness for Kan, but surprisingly, putting myself in all those situations, I felt so indecisive myself. The main selling point of this is the drama's unique premise and not relying on the romance part too much. 

Overall, it's a must-watch for all the thrill BL watchers out there. This drama has its place in storytelling, a perfect mix of thrill and romance; a steady diet of it can leave audiences yearning for more substance. It reflects a desire for narratives that challenge rather than pander, that evoke genuine emotion rather than resort to cheap sentimentality.

Read More

Compassion versus Law & Mercy versus Murder

My thought when I saw the first episode of the series was that it tried to establish a strong connection between showing mercy to a suffering animal by putting it to sleep and showing mercy to a suffering terminally ill human.

The topic of Euthanasia is very debatable and that's why only few countries have made it legal...there are various concerns regarding the choice of Euthanasia by an individual, whether:

*the person is in a fit mental state of mind to decide.
* The person is being coerced ( by the family)
* Doctors' abusing the power given to them. etc. etc.

I believe a person who is still mentally fit should be allowed to decide if they wish to end their life.

However, Can a person suffering extreme pain whose mind is clouded by pain medications be competent enough to make a rational judgement? Should the family members/ doctors' have the right to decide the fate of a terminally ill patient without their explicit consent (as in the case of putting an animal to sleep)?

The whole discussion is never ending , so in the end it comes down to morality and legality.


I feel the show focuses more on Compassion versus Law and Murder versus Mercy.

In the eyes of the law, things are weighed as per the rules and regulations, no room for feelings.

Freeing someone whom you care about from further suffering is an act of mercy, but law considers it a punishable crime, similar to that of a deliberate murder.

Motive plays a primary role in differentiating between the deaths of various people... how is one person's action of taking a life different from the other killer(s)? when legally all are crimes. The question here is not who the killer is, but why and how that person chooses to take a life.

What is most interesting for me in this series is not the mystery of who dunnit because that is not the highlight of the series. The cornerstone of the series is the moral ambiguity of the characters.

None of the character in the series is pure black or white.

We live in a society of flawed humans. The law has many loopholes and is imperfect but by and large it safeguards our society by protecting the weak.
So the question is left up to the audience as to how they regard the actions of these characters and whom do they sympathise with.


Overall: thought provoking and trying to present various viewpoints on the much debatable, sensitive topic of Euthanasia.


_____________________________________




CHARACTER ANALYSIS::::: CONTAINS SPOILERS from the series in order to discuss their motivation and ideologies on Euthanasia.

(Don't read the review further if you want to REMAIN SPOILER FREE.)


Interestingly all the below mentioned characters were connected to a terminally ill patient, the viewers are a shown a glimpse of their life when they witnessed the suffering of their loved ones how that affects their outlook on Euthanasia.


*The police captain, Thiu strongly suspects Dr.Kan and wants the guilty to be punished as per law but his heart doesn't allow him to remain completely unbiased in this case. Even though Thiu is sceptical , he is ready to accept any slightest evidence to prove Dr.kan's innocence without dwelling too deeper into it. Thiu's mother was terminally ill and he had transferred to a remote place to took a posting there but before he arrived, Dr.Kan had Euthanized his mother as per her request. He was unable to bid her a proper goodbye which remains his greatest regret.

*Dr.Kan may have started on this path for mercy and ending the suffering of patients, but somehow along the way did he become desensitised to killing? What he did in episode 7 to Boss was for a selfish reason and a clear crime. Dr.Kan's mother was terminally ill and he saw her constant suffering and his own father's helplessness that's why he chose to be a Doctor and was an advocate of Euthanasia.

* Boss who has seen his family destroyed due to his terminally ill father (his mother, unable to take care of his father killed his father and then committed suicide herself) admires Dr.kan for his stance on Euthanasia but doesn't understand that Dr.Kan doesn't enthasnise a patient to reduce the burden of care taking from family members' shoulder. Boss doesn't understand the concept of taking consent from the patients. He wants to reduce the family's burden.

* Nurse Onanong, started supporting Dr.kan when someone dear to her was terminally ill and wished to end their suffering. Nurse On tried to perform euthanasia but couldn't go through with it, at that time Dr.Kan like an angel of mercy came and helped her. He showed her the path to reduce the suffering of the terminally ill patients in a painless manner.

* Director Somsak, he was a staunch advocate of the Hippocratic Oath, was against Abortion or Euthanasia. He believed that doctor's job was to care for terminally ill patients to the best of their ability. His male lover who was Dr.Kan's mentor had been terminally ill, Somsak being a loving person wanted to spend the last few months with his lover but was deprived of that solace due to Dr.Kan euthanizing his lover.




__________________________________________________

:::::::::::::Trivia::::::::::::

Episode 1 and 2

Just by watching the first two episodes I think the series is posing a serious question as to when does Euthanasia cross the line of showing mercy Versus murder.

So far in the first two episodes, there have been deaths of three terminally ill patients.

1. The police captain's mother ( she seemed to be quite rational and seemed to be in too much pain, but did she choose to end her life? Didn't she want to spend some time with her son who was taking a transfer to be near her?

2. Another terminally ill person, but his family was taking quite good care of him...they were hoping that they could live with him for as long as possible. I don't know if he would have chosen euthanasia?

3.The aged father who was clearly a burden to his children....but for me, his death was a blatant murder... because inspite of his advanced illness and pain, he clearly resisted and showed signs of wanting to live.


So the question is, If Euthanasia was really a choice of the above three people or was it forced upon them?


Episode 3
In episode 3, Dr.Kan injects the terminally ill tribal man after asking for his consent...even though he may not have been responsible for ALL 3 deaths in the previous 2 episodes, he certainly Euthanised the man in episode 3.

So legally he could already be a criminal, as I believe active Euthanasia is not sanctioned in Thailand...

Therefore irrespective of other people who he may or may not have euthanized, he is already guilty and is punishable by law.

Now we just have to see whether there is someone else besides him who is ethuanising terminally ill without their consent.

Read More

Intense Storyline & Chemistry

Whew,where do I even begin?!!
Listen! You gotta watch this amazing drama. Not only is the storyline line amazing,the chemistry between the leads are just 💋,also the plot be plotting!!!
SMYM is a novel by Doctor Sammon who’s a famous author, the novel tackles a lot of serious issues with a mix of romance. Euthanasia itself is illegal in a lot of countries but only few countries have made it legal.
If you’re expecting full blown romance,where the ML’s are eating each other every episode,then this isn’t for you.
Doc Kan does something,with the patients consent & for their own good but his boyfriend Captain Wasan sees it differently.
This drama is filled with suspense,thriller & romance. You’ll keep racking your brains about who dunnit

Read More

The Best Interest of Everyone

What's right may not be legal and what's legal may not be right. The opposing views on euthanasia was discussed in great detail and according to the end, legality won. I want to say unfortunately but the other side of that coin would send a message of acceptable wanton killings.

It is legal to execute a prisoner by lethal injection but illegal to give someone peace who suffers daily from excruciating pain.

The plot was very interesting, thought provoking and with a few unexpected surprises. The acting was wonderfully done by everyone. A Thai production of this caliber done in 8 episodes is a miracle in itself. The pacing, flash backs and character development produced a drama worth watching and watching again.

The divide between Thiu and Kan was bridged for only a moment and what a beautiful moment it was. Their moment of intimacy was tastfully done as expected from mature individuals. Thiu, tho a bit hesitant due to Kan's wound, encouraged by Kan, gave in. I must admit I was not expecting this as the previous meetings would show desire alone. Truthfully, I would have preferred for it to have not happened due to the ending.

The only question that should have been asked of Thiu but it wasn't...

If his mother, in extreme pain, had begged him to end it, would he have stepped back and refused, leaving her to suffer. The morality of these situations are ambiguous from the both positions taken.

Boss, the pharmacist, gave a stellar performance. From lover, to psycho, to unrepentant murderer. The difference between him and Kan would be the matter of choice. The patients chose Kan. Boss forced his choice on them. His death was his choice and I was happy that he was not a hypocrite at the end. Rin, a surprise, kept her self righteousness to herself on hearing the truth but with conditions. Every story was not rushed and given enough time to be completed adequately.

The ending was as society would want but it did not hurt any less.

"Would you confess?"
"Only if it's you."
Painfully, they hug. Placing a petal in Kan's handcuffed hands, Thiu says, "I love you."

Both Kan and Thiu proved how much they loved each other.

Beautifull writing. It tugs at the emotions that are kept in check. Sammon, the author, and Sirilux Srisukon, the screenwriter, thank you. The dialogue was enhanced by every actor's performance and well worth the praise. I will look forward to seeing these actors in the future. I hope a S2 is made.

Go watch!

Read More

I need more of JJ & Tor!

The acting is SOOOO good, especially Tor! I love how everything is wrapped up in 8 episodes= clean and sweet cut.

Each episode keeps you wanting for more, and boy- when that kiss finally arrived- im like YESS!

It tackles the topic of euthanasia in a really diverse way- including explaining the legal side, moral side, and even talking about consent, etc. It's amazing to see BL starting to touch on deeper topics beyond just 2 men kissing each other (although i love watching that lol)

I especially love the ending as to how Wansa held Doctor's hand and then dropped the Hydrangea which represents "forgiveness"- just WOW! Got me crying so badly- it's just so beautiful

Side note, Tor looked so much like Namkoong Min somehow, especially the eyes expression. I think it's probably the similarity in character they have played before than the actual actor looking alike

Anyway, this BL is just so FKING GOOOOOODDDD- I'd totally up for more collab from this duo again!

Read More