I finished all 8 ep. OMG THIS COULD HAVE BEEN GREAT. but the last 2 episodes are so badly written. Is it a story…
You probably won't agree with me since I personally think very highly of the writing within this show, however I understand opinions on a show's writing can be rather subjective and wildly different depending on each viewers and their personal experiences with subject matters like corruption, politics.
I just wanted to reply on the point that you made about the show having "no direction". For me, I think this is a rather contestable point because for me, Mandate is very self-aware of it being a political drama that tells the story of a rural doctor and how politics change him, for better or worse. Although it was marketed as a "BL series" in magazines and news articles, often times when you read into the contents of the interview with either the actors or the director, they are very clear on the fact that Mandate is a political drama.
There are a lot of clever visual and dialogue foreshadowing of the events that will happen in the last arc of the series in very early episodes. Mandate also doesn't rush to a happy ever after ending, realistically reflecting on the state of Thai politics that is constantly in status quo, that people need to move on and politicians make deals they don't want if they want to survive in politics. I've written/translated extensively about the show and it may (or may not) be of interest, just sharing since we're discussing on the point of whether the show has "direction" or not.
One last note on Doctor Nong. I think Nong is a very layered character. He was initially presented as a man with strict moral compass, until it is revealed that he has a troubled past and a prisoner of guilt from his own actions. But at the same time, he's willing to play along with the political system, with hopes of changing and challenging the system, until it culminated to the point of the system breaking him first. Yet underneath all that, Vee still believes in Nong because he's not unsavageable, there is hope for him, for them. The writing for Nong is rather humane and nuanced and the show really utilises his characterisation to the full extent of driving their narrative plot forward.
Anyhow, you don't have to agree or read any of that. Just wanted to reply because often times I see a lot of conflation between "all the drama happening in last arc of a series to thwart the main characters' relationship" = "badly written series" and I just don't think this was the case with Mandate because everything made sense/was justifiable in the final arc of Mandate, for me at least (almost too true to real life if you follow Thai politics)
Mandate you were outstanding! This was one drama I looked forward to the most and they did not disappoint. Absolutely…
I think Mandate achieved what SMYM also tried to do which is plot heavy, minimal slow burn romance at the back seat, love/relationship blossoming in the middle of mistrust, open ending, they love each other but they can't be together because whatever reasons... there's a lot of similarities between the two. but i think mandate unveils their plot twists a bit better while developing the relationship quite a lot, even if there's barely a kiss until episode 7. thank you for mentioning Akk, he was just sooooo brilliant in the show that there were many times i was rooting for Sun to win back Vee
I've noticed Ben likes his men older cuz his last co-star was older than him also
Probably just a coincidence 😭 Ben says he wants to do university themed ones bc he never got to do one before so maybe the next work he'll be paired with someone closer in age 😂
Wait so basically Saenkaew and Sasin come back at the end to live in the same house as Saenkaew’s father who…
No. They're just visiting. But his father has accepted Sasin now so he tells them they don't need to stay at a hotel and they can just stay in their house for their visit.
This was an outstanding political drama with a dash of BL thrown in for good measure. However, I had trouble following…
Nong blackmailed the PM. The PM told him to take all the criticisms thrown at him in the no-confidence debate without rebutting at all (something Vee would have absolutely opposed to), in exchange all the coalition government members are told to vote to keep Nong and only the cabinet would be reshuffled with Nong keeping his position.
Vee meanwhile was also on his own getting help from his brother to convince other members to vote to keep Nong. His brother asked that in exchange, Vee had to cut all contacts with Nong and that he would resign from the party (his brother believes having Vee as Nong's strategist makes it hard for the party to control Nong as a puppet minister).
After Nong survived the no-confidence debate and got to keep his position as Health Minister, the PM spiked his drink and staged a car accident. Someone must have tipped Sun off, so Sun knows about this and asks Vee that in exchange of him helping save Nong, Vee will join the rival political party. Another detail is that it was hinted that Sun is the person who sent Nong the footage which he could use to blackmail the PM because the guy who delivered the USB box to Nong is the same guy Sun hired to kill the truck driver that was ordered to kill Nong.
Vee left the box of croissant to explain that he didn't leave on his own accords and most likely to let Nong knows that even if he's joining a rival party, he'll find his way back to Nong eventually.
At the end of the show, Vee is now in Pheu Kwam Wang Party which is part of the coalition government with Nong's party Wiwat Siam Party so the two parties are more like frenemy than they are enemy. Nong will have to survive his term without the help of Vee and his team, meanwhile it's unknown what Sun is up to now that he has Vee in his party.
shows where writers don't sacrifice logic and reasonability for illogical happy ever after endings, deserve more flowers and recognition, regardless of whether you consider them to be "bl" or "not bl" series 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
thank you. it feels like people just want nc scenes throughout the series. this series actually has a plot. not…
Are you interested in non-QL thai works? There are a few Thai netflix originals that have great social commentaries like Mandate like Tomorrow and I (Boy Pakorn is in one of the episodes ), The Believers, Doctor Climax and Ready Set Love, Analog Squad. All of these shows have LGBTQ+ rep to an extent (except The Believers)
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I just wanted to reply on the point that you made about the show having "no direction". For me, I think this is a rather contestable point because for me, Mandate is very self-aware of it being a political drama that tells the story of a rural doctor and how politics change him, for better or worse. Although it was marketed as a "BL series" in magazines and news articles, often times when you read into the contents of the interview with either the actors or the director, they are very clear on the fact that Mandate is a political drama.
There are a lot of clever visual and dialogue foreshadowing of the events that will happen in the last arc of the series in very early episodes. Mandate also doesn't rush to a happy ever after ending, realistically reflecting on the state of Thai politics that is constantly in status quo, that people need to move on and politicians make deals they don't want if they want to survive in politics. I've written/translated extensively about the show and it may (or may not) be of interest, just sharing since we're discussing on the point of whether the show has "direction" or not.
- Mandate and its parallels with / similarities to Thai contemporary politics (Part 1): https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/795821734669500416/mandate-and-its-parallelssimilarities-with-thai?source=share
- Mandate and its parallels with / similarities to Thai contemporary politics (Part 2): https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/798416997266358272/mandate-and-its-parallels-with-similarities-to?source=share
- Summary of some interesting points made in a BoyBen interview that dug into the portrayal of Thai politics in Mandate: https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/798316201819455488/summary-of-some-interesting-points-made-in-an?source=share
- The meaning of the titles of each episodes of Mandate: https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/798218637799571456/mandate-and-its-8-episode-titles?source=share
- Background on Monomax and how this project come about: https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/796534997529034752/thanks-for-doing-your-best-for-mandate-its-been?source=share
- Background on Boy Pakorn being cast in Mandate: https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/797214889539223553/i-know-boy-pakorn-for-a-while-and-saw-his-lakorn?source=share
- Grand compromise in the 2023 Thai General Elections vs Grand Compromise to build coalition government in EP 5: https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/795858807263821824/first-of-all-thank-you-so-much-for-making-so-much?source=share
- Interesting commentaries on the Finale EP from the producers and director of Mandate
https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/798758929247158272/explanation-behind-nong-vees-restaurant-scene?source=share
One last note on Doctor Nong. I think Nong is a very layered character. He was initially presented as a man with strict moral compass, until it is revealed that he has a troubled past and a prisoner of guilt from his own actions. But at the same time, he's willing to play along with the political system, with hopes of changing and challenging the system, until it culminated to the point of the system breaking him first. Yet underneath all that, Vee still believes in Nong because he's not unsavageable, there is hope for him, for them. The writing for Nong is rather humane and nuanced and the show really utilises his characterisation to the full extent of driving their narrative plot forward.
Anyhow, you don't have to agree or read any of that. Just wanted to reply because often times I see a lot of conflation between "all the drama happening in last arc of a series to thwart the main characters' relationship" = "badly written series" and I just don't think this was the case with Mandate because everything made sense/was justifiable in the final arc of Mandate, for me at least (almost too true to real life if you follow Thai politics)
https://www.oned.net/video/6377113365112
- Mandate and its parallels with / similarities to Thai contemporary politics (Part 1): https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/795821734669500416/mandate-and-its-parallelssimilarities-with-thai?source=share
- Mandate and its parallels with / similarities to Thai contemporary politics (Part 2): https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/798416997266358272/mandate-and-its-parallels-with-similarities-to?source=share
- Summary of some interesting points made in a BoyBen interview that dug into the portrayal of Thai politics in Mandate: https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/798316201819455488/summary-of-some-interesting-points-made-in-an?source=share
- The meaning of the titles of each episodes of Mandate: https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/798218637799571456/mandate-and-its-8-episode-titles?source=share
- Background on Monomax and how this project come about: https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/796534997529034752/thanks-for-doing-your-best-for-mandate-its-been?source=share
- Background on Boy Pakorn being cast in Mandate: https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/797214889539223553/i-know-boy-pakorn-for-a-while-and-saw-his-lakorn?source=share
- Grand compromise in the 2023 Thai General Elections vs Grand Compromise to build coalition government in EP 5: https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/795858807263821824/first-of-all-thank-you-so-much-for-making-so-much?source=share
- Interesting commentaries on the Finale EP from the producers and director of Mandate
https://www.tumblr.com/clairedaring/798758929247158272/explanation-behind-nong-vees-restaurant-scene?source=share
Vee meanwhile was also on his own getting help from his brother to convince other members to vote to keep Nong. His brother asked that in exchange, Vee had to cut all contacts with Nong and that he would resign from the party (his brother believes having Vee as Nong's strategist makes it hard for the party to control Nong as a puppet minister).
After Nong survived the no-confidence debate and got to keep his position as Health Minister, the PM spiked his drink and staged a car accident. Someone must have tipped Sun off, so Sun knows about this and asks Vee that in exchange of him helping save Nong, Vee will join the rival political party. Another detail is that it was hinted that Sun is the person who sent Nong the footage which he could use to blackmail the PM because the guy who delivered the USB box to Nong is the same guy Sun hired to kill the truck driver that was ordered to kill Nong.
Vee left the box of croissant to explain that he didn't leave on his own accords and most likely to let Nong knows that even if he's joining a rival party, he'll find his way back to Nong eventually.
At the end of the show, Vee is now in Pheu Kwam Wang Party which is part of the coalition government with Nong's party Wiwat Siam Party so the two parties are more like frenemy than they are enemy. Nong will have to survive his term without the help of Vee and his team, meanwhile it's unknown what Sun is up to now that he has Vee in his party.
I hope that helps somewhat 🤗
download: https://pixeldrain.com/l/hGtWmJNt