3
5
jpny01
Started strong then lost steam
This started off wonderfully, with a fairly original plot and a lot of energy. I loved the interaction between Bai Lang, a restauranteur, and Xun An, a dentist. Bai Lang is terrified of dentists, and in fact suffers from serious PTSD. Until he doesn't.
We also have Alex the bartender who is pursued by the much younger RJ, who also works at the restaurant. This is quite refreshing as RJ is adorable and yet he's rather aggressive with the much larger Alex.
The story was well-written, funny, fast-paced, and full of vitality and chemistry, with beautiful and taleted actors.
Then it deflated like a sad left-over balloon a week after a party. Xun An's ex shows up and chews up an enormous amount of screentime in a dull and cliched story, Bai Lang sheds his complex personality (and somehow his PTSD, which is never heard from again), and then on top of that, it turns out Xun An's father is an abusive homophobe who beats Xun An for weeks, which causes him to draw away from Bai Lang for two episodes, which leads nowhere because Dad easily welcomes Bai Lang into the family.
Likewise, RJ has to leave and is absent for 4 episodes, so that storyline ground to a halt, although we had plenty of time for Xun An's ex to woo Bai Lang's sister.
It felt like the director really didn't want to do a BL, so he tore the partners apart so there didn't have to be too much icky gay stuff, and inserted a straight couple, which added absolutely nothing to the story. This is underscored by the series ending with a heterosexual wedding. Why? Gay marriage is legal in Taiwan! How is that not homophobic?
From the tight and focused writing of the first half, the second is a sloppy and dull mess.
I'd give the first half a 9 and the second half a 6. Do I recommend it? I guess it won't kill you to watch it, and the beginning really is delightful and the cast one of the most attractive I've seen - but prepare to be disappointed by the descent into mediocrity.
We also have Alex the bartender who is pursued by the much younger RJ, who also works at the restaurant. This is quite refreshing as RJ is adorable and yet he's rather aggressive with the much larger Alex.
The story was well-written, funny, fast-paced, and full of vitality and chemistry, with beautiful and taleted actors.
Then it deflated like a sad left-over balloon a week after a party. Xun An's ex shows up and chews up an enormous amount of screentime in a dull and cliched story, Bai Lang sheds his complex personality (and somehow his PTSD, which is never heard from again), and then on top of that, it turns out Xun An's father is an abusive homophobe who beats Xun An for weeks, which causes him to draw away from Bai Lang for two episodes, which leads nowhere because Dad easily welcomes Bai Lang into the family.
Likewise, RJ has to leave and is absent for 4 episodes, so that storyline ground to a halt, although we had plenty of time for Xun An's ex to woo Bai Lang's sister.
It felt like the director really didn't want to do a BL, so he tore the partners apart so there didn't have to be too much icky gay stuff, and inserted a straight couple, which added absolutely nothing to the story. This is underscored by the series ending with a heterosexual wedding. Why? Gay marriage is legal in Taiwan! How is that not homophobic?
From the tight and focused writing of the first half, the second is a sloppy and dull mess.
I'd give the first half a 9 and the second half a 6. Do I recommend it? I guess it won't kill you to watch it, and the beginning really is delightful and the cast one of the most attractive I've seen - but prepare to be disappointed by the descent into mediocrity.
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