3
Never Quite Got There
Overall, this series was a 'tease'. It could have been great but it never quite got there for me.. Thank goodness for the 5th episode otherwise, I would have been left hanging. There is an obvious intense relationship going on but when it really matters, it falls flat. Don't be afraid. Let us see some intensity in the relationship without necessarily going off the cliff. I know this series is short but things can be done without saying anything. Just a little more would have been so much more satisfying.Was this review helpful to you?
Execrable!
I refuse to sugar-coat any pretense about this series. It is one of the worst I have ever seen. Hands down. Period. Not only in terms of storytelling and script, but also in acting, directing, and production. It has one of the most nonsensical stories I have ever seen. It had no point. The plot was witless, illogical, and utterly stupid. I could not simulate what was happening at all. The horror of horrors is that there are aliens swarming all over our planet who are going to do something to us, but I never could quite understand exactly what they were going to do. Most, if not all, were dastardly people out to either profit (but how I am not sure as their form of money was useless here) by taking things from this planet or using us for nefarious reasons. Oh my! But all that is unimportant. Seriously, there are not enough adjectives to describe how truly bad this series is. I am guessing this was supposed to be a comedy, but it is overall not funny or even has much humor or fun to it. Was this series a spoof? Or maybe nothing more than sarcasm? Perhaps it was done tongue-in-cheek, right? No, it is just bad. It looked like a clown show with costumes borrowed as hand-me-downs from a high school performance of the Wizard of Oz. There is really no coherent story. It is a jumbled mess with little thought in making the story flow with consistency. The acting between these two rather seasoned performers was not even at a mediocre level. They were flatly and unequivocally uninvolved in their personifications and had no connection with who they were supposedly representing. Their acting was pedestrian.Was this review helpful to you?
The Journey To Greatness
Wow, I was not expecting this! The series is hard to describe yet somehow made scrutable by the organic, unadorned human interactions. It is sequences of contradictions composed of oxymoronic concepts. Full of opposites yet seemingly archetypical. The story itself is dark, yet there are always whispers of light coming just around the corner or just over the horizon. There is unfathomable sadness yet always followed by a tactility of frivolity or irreverence, making us feel and see that life must be viewed in contextual terms. Protagonists share long periods of silence between just exposing individual pain that speak volumes of comfort and serenity simply in the way they look back at each other. I could go on, but you get the concept. It is a series that is so unique and one that, in a sense, is seminal, even if it may not feel so.I did not watch this series; I experienced it. It is a rarity for me to feel characters. Not just the protagonist, but the antagonists as well. All were made relatable, even though I could not link with any of them. I was completely unfamiliar with their world and its culture, which I do not understand and have very little knowledge of. Yet, the story and the organic feel to the acting made it such that I could perceive and discern what the characters were going through. Being unwanted, lost, hopeless, unloved, living like outcasts, or not belonging, and ultimately the inner anxiety about facing the question of why are you even here were portrayed with such deep dimension and personal depth that it draws you in; it absorbs you. The story vividly portrays a setting that feels especially bleak and melancholic, yet it retains a subtle atmosphere that life is still worth living. Even at its lowest points, the narrative never descends into utter hopelessness.
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Not entertaining and simply disconcerting
This series is misguided, misconceived, and misdirected. It other words, it missed. The entire series was so unfocused and presented in almost a cartoonish manner that I did not know if this was to be taken as a comedy, drama, fantasy, or romance. So how did this series fall apart? While the concept of the story itself was interesting, it never fully committed itself to seeing it to its completion. Was it a comedy? A drama? A fantasy? A romance? It tried to be everything and failed at all of it. This series went for cuteness but did not understand the price it paid to get to that end. It sacrificed a lot of integrity to get there. I found its underlying message subtly abusive and disconcerting, not funny, and mostly sad. And very little understanding of what it is like to be gay. Its negative message overpowers its cuteness and slight humor. Personally, I cannot dismiss so readily the attempted rape, the bullying, and its cringeworthy ending that made me feel uncomfortable.Was this review helpful to you?
A giant pity party that went nowhere
This series had the earmarks of being an intellectually stimulating exercise in love relationships. The premise was so good, initially. Then it drifted into a giant pity party of self-indulgent behavior that frankly I just did not get. Again, as so often is the theme in BLs, there is NO COMMUNICATION. No one says that they mean. And sometimes, even if they do, I do not understand. These series become so circumvent and I felt nothing for it or its characters. If this was supposed to be a romance story, it failed on every level. It was boring.Was this review helpful to you?
Changes the Direction for the BL Genre
Nothing that I can say will mean anything as I sure everything has been sad and no doubt better. This is an exceptional series and changes, or at least should change, the direction of BL series. It is not filled with breakable characters holding stuffed animals and whining and pining for another for 10 episodes. This is a genuine GAY love story not filled with crap about loving the person not the gender nonsense. Surprise! They are both guys and they know it and are not ashamed of it. How refreshing! They totally nailed these characters to the point that there connection was palpably real. I think there are certain series that literally changes the course of a genre. SOTUS is certainly one and 2GETHER is another (it really did) and this is the third. This series made gay relationships look real, normal, and frankly nice. THANK YOU!Read my full review at BLBliss.com/
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One of the Best "BLs" of 2021. A Masterpiece!
I know, I know. While a case could be made that this is not a BL in the true sense of the definition, you can not argue that it is a story about love in so many different ways. It manifests love in a simple story of connection and humanity. While this movie/series is short, it packs more into its story than most high production series do. There are no tangents; no side-stories. This story is about real people, facing real problems, yet taking the time to connect with nature, with each other, and yes even express love in a simple gesture of a hug. I was incredibly moved by this breathtaking series of one person touching the lives of others and they in turn reciprocating with kindness. It showed the absolute power of unconditional positivity in treating each other with respect and kindness. These values still mean something. And the acting is nothing short of brilliant. This is going to unquestionably be on my Top 10 Best BLs of 2021, however it is defined by others. It shows and displays the purist form of love - kindness and connection. My full review of this gem will be on my website shortly at BLBliss.com. Please watch this series/movie.Was this review helpful to you?
Painful to Watch
This is a story of opposites falling in love. It is an uncomfortable series as it does involve a relationship between step-brothers. For some strange reason, there seems to be a lot of stories evolving around step-brothers that baffle me. It isn't prudishness; just not understandable. Anyway, it is a good solid story that is extremely well acted by the main actors who are adorable and play their roles with complete conviction. But I hated this story. Not the acting nor the actors. Just the story. It contains a Fujoshi (a woman who is a fan of gay relationships) of the worst kind. She does something that is so astonishingly despicable . I absolutely hated this story because of disgusting manipulation of someone trying to force something that was not quite ready to fully develop yet. I detest people who think they know more than they do or think that gay relationship are cute, romantic, or a fantasy of some sort. Perhaps from an outsider looking it, that might be but for the individuals who are experiencing them, it can be givers of pain and delight. And these are the individuals who must work through all of that; not the fantasizers.Was this review helpful to you?
Heartbreaking, Breathtaking, and Emotionally Stunning
This is what this series is. It is not a BL series in the classic or traditional sense but a ‘coming out’ series that shows the pain and heartbreak of acceptance. It is a story about a friendship between two boys. I must depart for just a second to commend the director for his absolute commitment to nuisances, mannerisms, and details that were captured by the young actors that carried over to the older ones. It is not easy to carry the personalities and idiosyncrasies of a person without looking like you are mimicking them, but he did it with these two young actors. They are superb and studied their older characters to display their same characteristics. It is a thing of beauty to watch. Their friendship developed fast and intense as children. I cannot say enough about the acting of the two main characters. The intensity of connection to one another is simply palpable. This is very close to being a BL masterpiece. For my full review, please read it at ppgongi.medium.com. Any comment would be appreciated.Was this review helpful to you?
Twisted a Serious Medical Condition...
To accept this series, you have to buy into its core belief or concept. This core belief was a functionally based condition that I simply could not wrap my head around either logically or scientifically. Apparently, for some individuals with ‘sudden sensorineural hearing loss’ when it rained, you lost your ability to hear but could still communicate and hear your ‘soulmate’. While I am all for ‘poetic license’, this was carrying something real so farfetched that it simply is not believable whatsoever. Even if it were remotely possible as a medical condition, you would not suddenly develop it nor suddenly lose it as the series implies. I am all for ‘fantasy’ but this one I had a hard time wrapping my head around. Even as a good story. And therefore, I could not. So, I stopped trying.The true issue here is the lack of communication, not some misused medical condition that sounds fanciful. Not a particularly good or interesting series except for the character of Lomfon.
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Too toxic
This is indeed a story of love. An ugly love. A toxic love. A painful love. One I could not wrap my head around. Yet here it is. A love centered around two very unhappy people full of joyless functioning and longing for one another in the most ardent way. This is an exceptionally well-acted series of fascinating and memorable characters, be they people you want to love or hate. Honestly, I felt nothing for this series, except a profound sense of sadness. It never got emotionally deep with any of the connections for me to feel, care, or commiserate with. For me, there are much better end of world series than this one - TIL THE WORLD ENDS and LOVE AT THE END OF THE WORLD.Was this review helpful to you?
We Aren't
Overall, this is not a good series. It is simply too long. It droned on and on for no reason with the same old storylines. This story is cute. Certainly not deep. Entertaining for sure. Fluffy and sweet. Predicable and boring a lot of the time. There are way too many pairings of relationships and way too much idealism shown. What it did do right and what it should have concentrated on was the camaraderie of the group of friends. It is rare to have such a solid group of friends who know they are in the last throws of all of them being together before life has other plans for them. It could have been a much better story if it reflected more on the dynamics of friendships among friends. That would have been a good story instead of the contrived ‘love pairings’ that they thought we needed to see. There was a lot of great screen chemistry between the actors.You can read my full review at BLBliss.com.
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This Series is Real, Raw, & Revealing! Brilliant!
Don't let the negative comments about this series through you off. It is deeper than what it is given credit for.This series is an erotic roller-coaster ride through the world of gay love. If non-gay people want to know what it is like to be gay, then this is the series to watch. Not the idealized versions of BLs. This is what the world of gayness is, whether you want to believe it or not, accept it or not. It is what it is. Sure, it is the darker side, but it is no less real than the ornament sanitized version of what GAY love is via BL. In other words, this is its antithesis. This expresses the real world. It is a potpourri story that is at times impossible to follow and logically makes absolutely no sense; it has a ‘soap-opera aspect to it. And I loved every minute of it. Why? Because it presents the darker side of ‘BL’. And if you think for one second that this world either does not exist or is not real, then you are misinformed and mistaken. As it does. What this story does is capture all the issues facing gay men today in a raw, gritty, realistic fashion. Sometimes a bit over-the-top dramatically but never ever unrealistically. To be sure, the problems are overblown, but never its lasciviousness. These actors had the guts to portray the characters in all their rawness and ugliness, and yet give them believability and made them oh so human. Kudos! And well done!
I for one loved this series. This will end up on my Ten Best List for 2024. You can read my complete review of this amazing series at BLBliss.com.
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NOT a Dating Series
Contrary to popular opinion, this is NOT a gay dating show. It is a 'reality' show that allows individuals to explore feelings for others. It was established to see if two people after exploring and getting to know one another could date, especially away from the limelight and lure of the cameras. I think it was a stunningly creative and beautiful concept that permitted guys to see others and check out compatibilities. Then date - away from the limelight and into reality. There was no 'rose' here; only a chance for one.It took courage to expose yourself and to show the world that you are gay and proud, especially in a country that sees you differently. For that they deserve kudos.
But remember, this is a 'reality' show full of rules, regulations, and contrived situations that in essence is not real. Therefore, the chances of successful relationships developing are slim to none. That does not take away from its impact nor beauty. It was a breath of fresh air for the whole world to see that gay men, like their straight counterparts, act, do, feel, behave, and pain all in the same way.
But remember, always take these kinds of 'reality' shows with a 'grain of salt'. Life when the cameras are turned off is actually the real world.
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Duang Without Me
My review of this series will certainly not fit into the vast and I do mean vast majority of viewers of this series. For me, I simply did not get its appeal, outside of the obvious. However, how far can gorgeous, and I do mean stunningly handsome, young men take this story? I hate to make the contrast but if this series was composed of not so stunningly Adonizes, would there be such a mad flow to rate this series so high? Or perhaps even if one of them had even been marginally defective in some capacity. I think not, for if you honestly assessed it, the story itself is rather mundane and primarily relied on the God-given obvious assets inherent in the actors’ physical appearances. So, I want to take a step back from the apparent and appraise this series on how it emended me. And to be quite honest, I found this series to be woefully limited. While I know I am probably not in the typical demographics of those watching this particular type of BL, as my perspective of this series is going to be vastly skewed. Plus, I also know the vast majority of viewers are quite positive about this series. I simply cannot agree with that assessment. What I am disturbed about and find most disconcerting is the image that somehow this is representative of gay relationships, which all BLs are. In their world, nearly everyone is gay and everyone seemingly accepts gay unions as ‘normal’. That is NOT the case and Qin and Duang should have been made to, at the very least, have some obstacles to their relationship so that others who think ‘it is a walk in the park’ for us, realize it is not. I would also like to see some sense of maturity also develop in these BL relationships especially Thai ones, so that there is not this emphasis on Pollyanna endings and development of sugar-coated connections so that all one has to do is flitter one’s eyelids, act like a dog, and prostrate yourself before someone and pledge your devotion entirely to your loved one and you will then live in nirvana for the rest of your life. That is just not the case.Unquestionably, this is an entertaining BL; just not for me, however. I could not overcome the story’s flaws but found the portrayal of Marvis and Jamie so much more real and erotic than the connection between Duang and Qin. There are a few surprises but for me not enough to carry me over the finish line into thinking this was a great or even good series.
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