Normally, I have mixed reactions to Eliot's reviews. Agree with parts; disagree with parts. And that's perfectly normal since two people should have different takes on the same material. But no need for me to review this series. This review sums up my thoughts nicely. Spot on.
Can it really be labeled a spin-off if the company uploads the "first" episode to YouTube branded as episode 9 of 12? In other words, does the company just view this addendum as a continuation?
Hello. Even an "error" in a publication in a printed medium could be solved, in other editions, if the author…
I didnt suggest there was insufficient praise. I suggested that part of the review stood up despite the misdirection of the synopsis. The synopsis itself promotes the hooey (a thousand lives) that your review pontificated on.
Writing reviews before a series concludes is a risky proposition. Especially if you misplace trust in the accuracy of a synopsis. One which, in this case, may have been intended as a red herring. A deliberate misdirect to viewers with all the hooey about destiny across a thousand lives. The portions of the review assessing writing, directing, and acting retain their validity. (I would also praise those artists.) But episodes 6-7 destroy the assessment of the plot offered here. I'd make judicious use of the edit button. After the Finale.
- It makes sense but that means you have to pay attention to details...- Of course, the ring has a meaning but…
--Because they mentioned Thanos. The characters themselves literally compared the ring to Thanos's gauntlet as an explanation for why Boss was powerful.
--I didn't say a word of criticism about the staging of fight scenes. Or their inclusion.
--When a series is not centered around the romance, all the more reason to pay attention to the logic of the rest of the story. If you write a crime action tale and you need a powerful villain, do better than "Boss steals a ring and, suddenly, all the other villains who used to mock him are now afraid of him" as justification.
--this particular series has four credited screenwriters, but making the "writer" a chorus didn't work. I opted for "her" at the end only because in this industry female screenwriters outnumber men. In the moment, I was more concerned with the default linguistic tendency to erase women's contributions by resorting to male pronouns. Does that alone qualify as misogyny? Or does leaping to the very serious accusation of misogyny make you a man-hater, absent any other evidence?
--the "fan" comments summarize different elements anyone can persistently find sifting through the comments section of any BL series. Fan 1 is based on me, in fact. I did not invent these ways of thinking, nor do I object to the fans finding what they want. But I do think if we do not demand better quality from production companies, we certainly won't get it.
--having a different sensibility than you do regarding continuity, story logic, plot editing, or character development is not a sign of bad faith.
Director: I am not comfortable shooting this. I mean aside from the central romance and Joke's family issues, none of it makes sense.
Writer: Hush, you peon. Television is a writer's medium. You'll shoot the script as written. And tell those actors to make it believable when they talk about the ring! If the characters all act as if a ring bestows magic powers and invulnerability, the audience will just accept it.
Director: but this isn't a comic book universe or a make-believe world. There are no magic rings. The audience will see through it.
Writer: You forget, peon. This is a BL audience. As long as pretty boys flirt and kiss, logic doesn't matter. If everyone behaves as if a hunk of jewelry has power, it becomes true.
BL Fan 1: how dare you think so little of us! Of course, story matters! Of course, plausible character arcs meticulously crafted over several episodes matter! You can't just dump some previously unmentioned ring into the middle combined with some weird game and expect us to just forg--hey! Are those guys kissing? Wow! Look at them go at it!
BL Fan 2: Gosh! These actors have such chemistry! I'd watch anything to see chemistry like this! That isn't highly trained and well-rehearsed professional actors putting on a performance! That's real!
BL Fan 3: I just loved them in their last series! So good! I am just so happy to see them together, I dont even need a plot.
Director: [chastened] I will never question you again!
Writer: Wise, peon. Very wise. [Laughs maniacally as she twists an ostentatious, possibly magic, ring around her finger.]
Director: I am not comfortable shooting this. I mean aside from the central romance and Joke's family issues, none of it makes sense.
Writer: Hush, you peon. Television is a writer's medium. You'll shoot the script as written. And tell those actors to make it believable when they talk about the ring! If the characters all act as if a ring bestows magic powers and invulnerability, the audience will just accept it.
Director: but this isn't a comic book universe or a make-believe world. There are no magic rings. The audience will see through it.
Writer: You forget, peon. This is a BL audience. As long as pretty boys flirt and kiss, logic doesn't matter. If everyone behaves as if a hunk of jewelry has power, it becomes true.
BL Fan 1: how dare you think so little of us! Of course, story matters! Of course, plausible character arcs meticulously crafted over several episodes matter! You can't just dump some previously unmentioned ring into the middle combined with some weird game and expect us to just forg--hey! Are those guys kissing? Wow! Look at them go at it!
BL Fan 2: Gosh! These actors have such chemistry! I'd watch anything to see chemistry like this! That isn't highly trained and well-rehearsed professional actors putting on a performance! That's real!
BL Fan 3: I just loved them in their last series! So good! I am just so happy to see them together, I dont even need a plot.
Director: [chastened] I will never question you again!
Writer: Wise, peon. Very wise. [Laughs maniacally as she twists an ostentatious, possibly magic, ring around her finger.]
In my theory of criticism, certain episodes of a limited series have particular jobs to do that other episodes do not. For example, Premiere episodes must introduce the characters and establish the situation. It is not always necessary to set the plot in motion, but the debut must do the set up for the main story. Similarly, penultimate and finale episodes have jobs that differentiate them from most other episodes. It is therefore possible to judge such episodes differently than the rest of a series.
In my opinion, Wandee Goodday delivers one of the most effective premiere episodes. It is noteworthy enough to warrant this addendum to a review that encapsulates the flaws and sins of the whole. Nevertheless, aspiring scriptwriters should study this episode as a textbook example of how to establish characters and set up a premise.
Unfortunately, the series progresses downhill from there. It may be a textbook story on what not to do after that. What a colossal waste.
Not only is it a shame that the moral shortcomings of this plot distract from the fine acting, but my recollection is that the staging of the amorous moments was far more sophisticated than Thai series usually manage. Credit to the intimacy coach for that, although hiring actors willing to "go for it" makes an absolute difference. No pressed lips frozen in place in this one. A shame the non-amorous moments so seldom defy logic. Or common sense. Or anything resemblimg professional ethics.
Deciding whether or not to watch The Hidden Moon? [Quick answer: do watch.]
If you know nothing about THM, do NOT sample the Comments here because these folks have mostly finished the whole series. They are eager to discuss its twists and turns. Their comments reflect all that knowledge. As the genre is "supernatural suspense thriller", the less you know going in, the more you will enjoy it. Spoilers in this realm really do spoil the fun by leeching the suspense and the surprise.
As an alternative, please consider this spoiler-free review I wrote. I kept things vague while still trying to give a sense of who will like--or dislike!--this production. The first paragraph alone will suffice for many. Those desiring more info before they commit to 10 hours can read onward. Happy watching.
Questions:If they were all dead, on the first night they received a phone call from their manager. Did they imagine…
The clever line at the boat floating was when Tin said to Khen "people like us cannot...." Tin meant "us dead people," but the disguised meaning was "us gay people..." it was a clue out in the open, yet the writers knew the disguised meaning would stand out tomost viewers.
First Rule of TV Deaths: if you haven't seen a body, the character is not officially dead, even if all the other characters think differently. So, I maintain Khen's status is still an open question, until they show us the body. Khen may be dead like his four friends. But why save finding his body for the finale? Instead, he may be comatose somewhere, having staggered away from the scene and then collapsed. Thus, the reason he manifests physically to Mas is that he is a coma ghost and not a "real" ghost. That would also explain why he still feels the pain of the accident--because his living body has yet to be treated.
A very good series, very much worth the watch. Excellent acting. Excellent directing. Good writing (script). (And a happy ending, if you relish BL for that sweet domestic bliss at the end.) Misses the all-time greats in my view due to choices made in story frame and structure. I think the writers were ambitious (credit) but bit off more than they could chew (fault).
Three Criticims: 1. Episodes set during high school outshone the episodes set during adulthood. --Not only did those episodes resonate better in the romantic department, I felt like they left material unexplored when the timeline shifted to adulthood. And those later episodes just didn't quite gel--in part because the writer chose to withhold information from the viewers (but known to the characters) until the final episodes that would have made the middle eps more comprehensible. Relying on late-arriving flashback sequences (multiple) to render a story logical? Unless you are Agatha Christie, that techniqe is hacky.
2. The time jump is the most preposterous time jump I have encountered in a Bl series. --Some relationships can pick up where they left off (platonic or romantic) despite a lengthy separation. Resuming as uf no time has passed at age 30 with someone you last saw at 18? And at that, only briefly knew each other? Not only implausible to anyone who understands human maturation, but those guys frittered away their youth. They neither of them grew in their 20s via the experience of romantic trial and error. The problem was not the length of time: it was how the story presented the gap.
3. The criminal twist in the finale was unnecessary. --This came across as a writer failing to realize their character already had enough potential drama to be a complete character capable of supporting a compelling story. There was lots left to explore before the writer said, "How else can I complicate their lives?" and dumped in this unfortunate and supercilious subplot at thelast minute. Take it out, and you still have a character who fell short of his dreamed future life. Ad yeah...that is enough for a good character and story.
For a fuller explication of these thoughts, please seek out my review.
3 
--I didn't say a word of criticism about the staging of fight scenes. Or their inclusion.
--When a series is not centered around the romance, all the more reason to pay attention to the logic of the rest of the story. If you write a crime action tale and you need a powerful villain, do better than "Boss steals a ring and, suddenly, all the other villains who used to mock him are now afraid of him" as justification.
--this particular series has four credited screenwriters, but making the "writer" a chorus didn't work. I opted for "her" at the end only because in this industry female screenwriters outnumber men. In the moment, I was more concerned with the default linguistic tendency to erase women's contributions by resorting to male pronouns. Does that alone qualify as misogyny? Or does leaping to the very serious accusation of misogyny make you a man-hater, absent any other evidence?
--the "fan" comments summarize different elements anyone can persistently find sifting through the comments section of any BL series. Fan 1 is based on me, in fact. I did not invent these ways of thinking, nor do I object to the fans finding what they want. But I do think if we do not demand better quality from production companies, we certainly won't get it.
--having a different sensibility than you do regarding continuity, story logic, plot editing, or character development is not a sign of bad faith.
Writer: Hush, you peon. Television is a writer's medium. You'll shoot the script as written. And tell those actors to make it believable when they talk about the ring! If the characters all act as if a ring bestows magic powers and invulnerability, the audience will just accept it.
Director: but this isn't a comic book universe or a make-believe world. There are no magic rings. The audience will see through it.
Writer: You forget, peon. This is a BL audience. As long as pretty boys flirt and kiss, logic doesn't matter. If everyone behaves as if a hunk of jewelry has power, it becomes true.
BL Fan 1: how dare you think so little of us! Of course, story matters! Of course, plausible character arcs meticulously crafted over several episodes matter! You can't just dump some previously unmentioned ring into the middle combined with some weird game and expect us to just forg--hey! Are those guys kissing? Wow! Look at them go at it!
BL Fan 2: Gosh! These actors have such chemistry! I'd watch anything to see chemistry like this! That isn't highly trained and well-rehearsed professional actors putting on a performance! That's real!
BL Fan 3: I just loved them in their last series! So good! I am just so happy to see them together, I dont even need a plot.
Director: [chastened] I will never question you again!
Writer: Wise, peon. Very wise. [Laughs maniacally as she twists an ostentatious, possibly magic, ring around her finger.]
THE END
Writer: Hush, you peon. Television is a writer's medium. You'll shoot the script as written. And tell those actors to make it believable when they talk about the ring! If the characters all act as if a ring bestows magic powers and invulnerability, the audience will just accept it.
Director: but this isn't a comic book universe or a make-believe world. There are no magic rings. The audience will see through it.
Writer: You forget, peon. This is a BL audience. As long as pretty boys flirt and kiss, logic doesn't matter. If everyone behaves as if a hunk of jewelry has power, it becomes true.
BL Fan 1: how dare you think so little of us! Of course, story matters! Of course, plausible character arcs meticulously crafted over several episodes matter! You can't just dump some previously unmentioned ring into the middle combined with some weird game and expect us to just forg--hey! Are those guys kissing? Wow! Look at them go at it!
BL Fan 2: Gosh! These actors have such chemistry! I'd watch anything to see chemistry like this! That isn't highly trained and well-rehearsed professional actors putting on a performance! That's real!
BL Fan 3: I just loved them in their last series! So good! I am just so happy to see them together, I dont even need a plot.
Director: [chastened] I will never question you again!
Writer: Wise, peon. Very wise. [Laughs maniacally as she twists an ostentatious, possibly magic, ring around her finger.]
THE END
In my opinion, Wandee Goodday delivers one of the most effective premiere episodes. It is noteworthy enough to warrant this addendum to a review that encapsulates the flaws and sins of the whole. Nevertheless, aspiring scriptwriters should study this episode as a textbook example of how to establish characters and set up a premise.
Unfortunately, the series progresses downhill from there. It may be a textbook story on what not to do after that. What a colossal waste.
If you know nothing about THM, do NOT sample the Comments here because these folks have mostly finished the whole series. They are eager to discuss its twists and turns. Their comments reflect all that knowledge. As the genre is "supernatural suspense thriller", the less you know going in, the more you will enjoy it. Spoilers in this realm really do spoil the fun by leeching the suspense and the surprise.
As an alternative, please consider this spoiler-free review I wrote. I kept things vague while still trying to give a sense of who will like--or dislike!--this production. The first paragraph alone will suffice for many. Those desiring more info before they commit to 10 hours can read onward. Happy watching.
https://mydramalist.com/profile/8984637/reviews/402968
Three Criticims:
1. Episodes set during high school outshone the episodes set during adulthood.
--Not only did those episodes resonate better in the romantic department, I felt like they left material unexplored when the timeline shifted to adulthood. And those later episodes just didn't quite gel--in part because the writer chose to withhold information from the viewers (but known to the characters) until the final episodes that would have made the middle eps more comprehensible. Relying on late-arriving flashback sequences (multiple) to render a story logical? Unless you are Agatha Christie, that techniqe is hacky.
2. The time jump is the most preposterous time jump I have encountered in a Bl series.
--Some relationships can pick up where they left off (platonic or romantic) despite a lengthy separation. Resuming as uf no time has passed at age 30 with someone you last saw at 18? And at that, only briefly knew each other? Not only implausible to anyone who understands human maturation, but those guys frittered away their youth. They neither of them grew in their 20s via the experience of romantic trial and error. The problem was not the length of time: it was how the story presented the gap.
3. The criminal twist in the finale was unnecessary.
--This came across as a writer failing to realize their character already had enough potential drama to be a complete character capable of supporting a compelling story. There was lots left to explore before the writer said, "How else can I complicate their lives?" and dumped in this unfortunate and supercilious subplot at thelast minute. Take it out, and you still have a character who fell short of his dreamed future life. Ad yeah...that is enough for a good character and story.
For a fuller explication of these thoughts, please seek out my review.
https://mydramalist.com/profile/8984637/reviews/402618