segos

Second half fell flat

So I wrote this long review and accidentally refreshed the page, so I'm going to sum this up quicker.

This drama had potential. The main characters had great chemistry, and from the start the way Palm looked at Nueng set off fireworks. Where they went wrong was with trying to make a plot without fully committing. It didn't feel like organized crime, but instead just like some solo bad guys being shady. I feel they may have avoided actually going down that path because it would've had them acknowledge Nueng's father's involvement in those dynamics, but who knows.

I appreciated elements such as Chopper's redemption arc (but his begging for forgiveness in the hospital was horrific timing), Mam's growth (truly don't think her end got the weight it deserved), and Maggie (seriously, Maggie was not letting anything slide... BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?! Literally fell from the planet after her visit to the hostel.)

I think the cast carried it for me, but what is making me consider dropping the rating even lower is one my most detested tropes -- deciding what your partner needs/wants without ever actually taking them into account or talking with them. Unfortunately, this drama had it happen not only once, but at least twice (in large ways, many more in smaller ones). The end also felt like deflated balloon after Palm did it, so I didn't even really feel committed to most of the last episode, which is sad because the beginning and middle actually really captured me.

I'll watch more dramas with the mains for sure, but this one was just okay for me.

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If he's bravery, I must be fear

Every once in a while, a story or show comes along that far and above exceeds the genre and expectations. Not Me perfectly encapsulated that.

The idea of twins and swapping roles has been around for ages (Parent Trap, anyone?), but to see it used in this context and as a BL was completely original and different. Then you take this brilliant idea for twins and you add issues around social justice, ones that two years after airing are still so prevalent around the world. Next, give yourself actors with undeniable chemistry and a cast that fits together seamlessly, and then you add a script worthy of awards. That's where you get Not Me.

Off and Gun have a casual intimacy to them that came across beautifully with their characters. It's the reason why for many they are a top couple, and hopefully will continue to be for years to come. Not only that, but the support roles all served a purpose. Too often there are characters thrown in just because, but that was not the case here. The side relationship involving Yok in particular felt very moving, and it took yet another angle to look at society, the demands it puts on us, and our roles as cogs within the machine -- and what you might do to disrupt that machine.

While not entirely unpredictable, I still found it enjoyable. I saw things coming, but it didn't deter from the overall message or heart of the show, one that has me continuing to think and grateful that a show was brave enough to put spotlight on what others make an effort to hide.

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