Girl With No Rules
I understand why many people were disappointed with this series, although I think some of the reactions were blown out of proportion. At its core, Girl Rules was meant to be a fun story with a more mature approach, offering a somewhat realistic portrayal of lesbian relationships and friendships in modern times. Unfortunately, what it delivered was a shallow script that seemed to lose its direction along the way, underdeveloped characters, and drama that, rather than advancing the story, only served to bore the audience.
It wasn't even a case of the characters being too toxic to root for; they were simply too empty to relate to. They didn't feel driven or distinctive enough for me to become invested in their stories. While I have nothing but praise for the cast's performances, specially Namtan, Film and Love. They were not given much to work with so even the best performances fall flat with a weak script.
What I missed most from the show was a greater focus on the friendships. I think it would have been far more interesting to see the girls interact through different dynamics rather than placing so much emphasis on the romances. We've already seen NamtanFilm, we've seen MilkLove, and we'll see more of ViewMim, but we will probably never get another chance to see all six actresses together in one series. It's disappointing that such an opportunity was ultimately wasted.
One of the biggest flaws in this show is its reliance on telling rather than showing as those relationships evolve, which is also one of the recurring weaknesses in Jojo's projects. Example, we didn't get to see much of Bambie and Shasha's friendship, so their scene together at the end didn't carry as much weight as it could if their friendship had been developed organically throughout the series instead of only being highlighted when the plot required. It's worth noting that Jojo didn't write the script. Girl Rules had six writers working on it, and I've heard that the two halves of the show were written by different teams. In my opinion, however, both parts were equally weak and made many of the same mistakes. If anything, that detail proves that quantity doesn't necessarily equal quality.
Characters constantly swing from barely tolerating each other to being deeply in love, and that inconsistency does a disservice to the couples' chemistry. Rather than building meaningful romantic development, the show rushes through the progression of their relationships, leaving many emotional moments feeling unearned. The cast had the chemistry and skills to make these moments work, but the writing rarely gave them the time or depth needed to fully capitalize on it.
Overall, the series leaves behind a sense of dissatisfaction, not because it lacked the tools to tell a compelling and engaging story, but because it never fully committed to using them. It sold itself on the promise of nuanced characters, meaningful friendships, and a mature exploration of WLW relationships, yet it rarely delivered on those ideas in a satisfying way. More than anything, Girl Rules will likely be remembered not for what it was, but for what it could have been: a show full of potential that never quite lived up to it.
It wasn't even a case of the characters being too toxic to root for; they were simply too empty to relate to. They didn't feel driven or distinctive enough for me to become invested in their stories. While I have nothing but praise for the cast's performances, specially Namtan, Film and Love. They were not given much to work with so even the best performances fall flat with a weak script.
What I missed most from the show was a greater focus on the friendships. I think it would have been far more interesting to see the girls interact through different dynamics rather than placing so much emphasis on the romances. We've already seen NamtanFilm, we've seen MilkLove, and we'll see more of ViewMim, but we will probably never get another chance to see all six actresses together in one series. It's disappointing that such an opportunity was ultimately wasted.
One of the biggest flaws in this show is its reliance on telling rather than showing as those relationships evolve, which is also one of the recurring weaknesses in Jojo's projects. Example, we didn't get to see much of Bambie and Shasha's friendship, so their scene together at the end didn't carry as much weight as it could if their friendship had been developed organically throughout the series instead of only being highlighted when the plot required. It's worth noting that Jojo didn't write the script. Girl Rules had six writers working on it, and I've heard that the two halves of the show were written by different teams. In my opinion, however, both parts were equally weak and made many of the same mistakes. If anything, that detail proves that quantity doesn't necessarily equal quality.
Characters constantly swing from barely tolerating each other to being deeply in love, and that inconsistency does a disservice to the couples' chemistry. Rather than building meaningful romantic development, the show rushes through the progression of their relationships, leaving many emotional moments feeling unearned. The cast had the chemistry and skills to make these moments work, but the writing rarely gave them the time or depth needed to fully capitalize on it.
Overall, the series leaves behind a sense of dissatisfaction, not because it lacked the tools to tell a compelling and engaging story, but because it never fully committed to using them. It sold itself on the promise of nuanced characters, meaningful friendships, and a mature exploration of WLW relationships, yet it rarely delivered on those ideas in a satisfying way. More than anything, Girl Rules will likely be remembered not for what it was, but for what it could have been: a show full of potential that never quite lived up to it.
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