Spare Me Your Mercy (2024)

I implore everyone to give this an opportunity without expecting it to be centered around romance

I want to start by saying that this is my first review on Mydramalist after creating an account. I know that I'm late in posting this review, but after hesitating for quite some time, I decided that it is better late than never.

Until now I only visited this website to view details of shows that I was interested in. But 'Spare Me Your Mercy' touched me so deeply that it became extremely special and close to my heart. I couldn’t help myself from posting a review about it.

This may not be a perfect series when viewed with a critical eye, but for someone in a situation who has experienced or is experiencing pain of a similar kind, it can be perfect. Words cannot fully express how I feel about this series, but I'll try my best.

It brought out unexpressed visceral emotions that I had kept bottled up within me for so long and gave me that release that I didn’t know I desperately needed. I feel so light inside after watching this, as if some heavy weight has finally been lifted after so many years.

I cannot thank the people involved in writing and making of this masterpiece enough, for addressing the complex and sensitive topic of Euthanasia in such a nuanced and beautiful manner in just 8 episodes. I consider this series as a divine timing that happened when I needed it the most.

For me, the highlight of this series is not just how the topic of Euthanasia is addressed, but also how it shows that early experiences can shape people's characters, views of life, and life choices later on, and this in turn can affect humanity at large in profound ways (positively or negatively).

Dr. Kan will forever be my most favorite character out of all series.

Lire davantage

An apt ending for a controversial topic

A challenging subject matter to tackle i.e. euthanasia, but nicely executed by the author, scriptwriter, director and the actors. The story was generally well-written, with a couple of misgivings.

Firstly, I thought that the loveline between the two senior doctors was not needed to bring across the two opposing views on the topic i.e. is it murder or mercy (Somsak, Boss and lady Doctor's scenes were sufficient, and the character Boss showed just how thin that line was). Secondly, I was thoroughly confused at the beginning over some of Tew's actions and he came across as very inconsistent in his feelings towards Kan. I cannot understand how a person like Tew, with a lot of pride in his work in law and order, can continue to be suspicious of someone that he is genuinely attracted to. Lastly, Kan's decision to shoot Boss was somewhat inconsistent with the character he portrayed in the last scene who had firm conviction that what he was doing was right and that society was simply not ready for it yet and that he was prepared to stand by it. I could only interpret it as a moment of folly driven by his fear of losing Tew at that point in their relationship, which was just starting out.

Besides these three points of dissonance for me, I was impressed by the acting of the main leads and supporting cast (special mention to the actor playing Kan and the actress playing nurse Orn), story-telling was well-paced with a smooth flow and clear logic (especially liked the foreshadowing at the very beginning when Tew killed the goat to relief it from its misery), there was sufficient focus on fleshing out the topic (the flashbacks and different viewpoints of family, care-givers and the patients themselves), and I thought they wrapped up the series with a well designed ending, which was my favourite scene of the entire series. The OST was also perfect and matched the tone of the series.

The MLs' delivery in the last scene was amazing. Kan torn between his beliefs and the hurt he knows it would inflict on Tew, the mixture of guilt and conviction, love and betrayal, and Kan's final resignation as he left his fate in Tew's hands knowing that it would be his final act of love. And that hug! That was what made me finally believe without a doubt that Tew loved Kan. Almost shed a tear there. In a way, I think this was the only satisfactory way to end the series i.e. for Tew to enforce the law but still stand by his love.

Overall a really enjoyable watch with strong acting chops, a decent storyline and a heart-tugging OST.

Lire davantage

An Awful Series

Perhaps the best way to identify this series is to use the word – indescribable. But I am not using this word to imply in any way that this series is either good or has any socially redeeming values. It does not. This series is awful in every way I can think of. Yes, by any standards of decency, morality, medical code, as well as legal laws, they are indeed and in fact murdering individuals. This series tries its hardest to convince itself otherwise; but it cannot. What they did, without question, was murder; not euthanasia or certainly not mercy killing. This series sickened me to my core. Not everything can be turned into a BL story and certainly not one with extreme moral repercussions. Wake up. Some things need to be seen for what they really are. Quit making cheesy productions with premises that are not well-thought out and throw a label on it called BL and pass it off as an acceptable story!

Lire davantage

Gritty storytelling, with flawed characters that you can't but love

Should I have the right to decide whether I want to live on or not? Is my sovereignty over my own body and mind beyond the scope of the state and its law?

BL needle score: 6 - Moderate BL-ness, with sizzling chemistry but higher focus on suspense

This show raises critical and important questions about the moral and legal debate around euthanasia....and does it well. While it is a BL drama, it focuses more on the narrative and theme rather than only on the characters and their romantic developments.

It has Dr. Kan as one of the protagonists, a palliative care doctor who strongly believes in euthanasia, albeit with clear and mindful consent from the person...coming from his experience of seeing his mother suffer intense days and nights of pain due to cervical cancer, he feels people should have the right and resources to help them decide about their own lives, how much suffering is enough, and end it with dignity, if and when they so desire. The other main protagonist is Thiu, a police officer with integrity, who suffers from guilt and angst, for not having been there for his mom, and not being able to meet her at her deathbed. As Kan helps terminal patients find a peaceful end, with their expressed consent, Thiu struggles to untangle the mess that this trail of euthanasia, and his own angst around his mother's death, creates. There are a few other important characters who all help build this compelling tale that explores the theme of euthanasia, and raises important questions about our thinking, convictions, and views around life, death, family, body sovereignty and legality.

I love how this show has almost zero flab or unnecessary sub-plots......aided by a gritty storytelling about flawed characters, that you can't but love, despite their failings...this is just the kind of shows that I dig. This has to be one of the best BL dramas from Thailand that I have watched in the recent times. Go watch.

Review first posted on December 1, and edited after finale on December 25, 2024

Lire davantage

Queria dar 10000000000!

Perfeita, simplesmente perfeita.

Nem sei por onde eu começo. Essa série me fez aguardar ansiosamente pelas quartas e quintas-feiras. E já estou com saudades de Kan & Wassan.

O último episódio me deixou literalmente emocionalmente destruída. É simplesmente a melhor série que assisti este ano. Tudo nela é perfeito. Como havia mencionado anteriormente a cada episódio, a série me deixava mais fascinada pela maneira como explorava temas profundos como eutanásia, ética médica e a complexidade das relações humanas. A série simplesmente apresentou questões éticas de uma maneira complexa e multifacetada, permitindo que o público refletisse sobre os tópicos sensíveis por conta própria. Ela não impôs uma visão única sobre eutanásia ou decisões médicas difíceis, mas apresentou dilemas morais por meio das experiências e conflitos dos personagens, especialmente entre o Dr. Kan e o Inspetor Wasan.

A eutanásia é um debate que faz parte da nossa rotina diária enquanto profissionais da área médica, especialmente aqueles que cuidam de pacientes com doenças terminais. O diálogo final entre Kan e Wassan me levou as lágrimas, principalmente a fala do Dr. Kan. E como o Dr. Kan, acredito que se o paciente estiver no uso das suas capacidades mentais, ele deveria ser capaz de decidir como gostaria de terminar sua vida.

Amei a ambiguidade moral dos personagens, porque representa a sociedade em que vivemos. Nada é preto no branco. Dr. Kan vê a eutanásia como um ato de misericórdia enquanto Wassan considera a eutanásia é moralmente errada e legalmente indefensável.

JJ e Tor dão um verdadeiro show de atuação durante a série toda com uma química alucinante e exalando sensualidade por todos os poros, mas nos últimos 20 minutos da série eles se superaram. Magistral. Thiu implorando com o olhar para que Kan confesse me deixou destruída. Acredito que o instinto de Wassan sempre lhe disse que Kan era o responsável pelas mortes, e de certa maneira ele entendia o porque de Kan se sentir responsável por minimizar o sofrimento dos seus pacientes, mas Wassan também precisava que Kan o entendesse. E ele entendeu.

Aliás, todo o elenco está de parabéns por conferir ambiguidade e
profundidade emocional a personagens tão complexos. Uma direção primorosa, com um enfoque especial no desenvolvimento dos personagens, permitiu que os atores entregassem performances autênticas e emocionantes. Além disso, a série manteve um um ritmo equilibrado, alternando entre momentos de grande tensão e cenas mais calmas e introspectivas. A OST é perfeita.

E embora a série não tenha terminado como eu gostaria, com Kan e Wassan vivendo felizes para sempre, considerei o final perfeito para que o relacionamento deles possa evoluir sem necessidade de segredos, nem mentiras. Portanto, estarei aguardando ansiosamente pela temporada 2!!!

Preciso urgentemente de mais séries como essa!!! Por favor, assistam essa série!! Vocês não vão se arrepender!!

Uau, acho que nunca escrevi tanto sobre uma série 😂😂😂😂

Lire davantage

This Will Stick with You

This drama deals with the very controversial subject of euthanasia. The viewer knows from the get-go what that the doctor is guilty of doing it--but there's no shortage of questions throughout. I was on the edge of my seat. At one point, I actually acknowledge out suspenseful the music was. I was so tense, but nothing extremely tense was happening at that moment except for the music. It was setting the stage. Wow, is all I can say. It was a great story and a wild ride. Tor in particular did a great acting job playing someone who truly believes they are doing what is right. For anyone who enjoys mystery and intrigue with an underlying touch of romance, this is the drama for you. Brava to the director and cast of this gem.

Lire davantage

Killing people is okay? Right? Right? Anyone? Only with KCl though?

This is absolutely a stand alone review of the show without reading the book.

𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭
The idea of grappling euthanasia in Spare Me Your Mercy is an unique concept, but the execution fails to present a concise, well thought out perspective into the multiple perspectives and ethics that go into euthanasia. The show started out with patients receiving palliative care for terminal illness. We see bits and pieces of frustration and pain they feel from this incurable state they're in. What is highlighted mostly is frustration and sadness their loved ones are feeling from watching them be in pain (this is normal and important), but when tackling ending one's life, there has got to be a deeper look into the patient's course of journey to making the decision. The way this was laid out only showed us patients being in such immense pain that they were asking for death. A doctor can listen to that and not come to the conclusion of "oh this calls for potassium chloride". To the patient, a doctor is like a God. Dr. Kan is almost like a God in the sense that he does give death. I think that adds to his delusion that he is doing the right thing. I know for a fact that this man skipped all of the medical ethics classes in med school. It must've slipped through the cracks. Euthanasia is controversial, mainly because it deals with ending human life legally. For euthanasia to be successful, countries have stringent system of safeguards in place to review ethics of reasoning behind ending a patient's life. It's not a one man decision. Euthanasia can only be given to those who can give informed consent. In Dr. Kan's case, that's not how it goes at all. He takes it upon himself to make the final decision because he is feeling bad. It's like seeing a man remedy his own guilt through making the decision of killing someone. It's never for the patient for him even if he likes to tell himself that. What makes this exploration into this topic more worse is by not having someone sane who understands ethics behind euthanasia. There is no balance of perspectives/opinion. It's not a tug of war between what's right or wrong, but a man doing whatever the hell he wants because he's a coward who can't process guilt of seeing patients die. We see a glimpse of Kan walking into a room where his mom is bleeding out from self harm. That trauma is not reflected upon in any scenes where he's also dealing with seeing patients die. I don't see Kan's real motivation into killing people except for his own satisfaction.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐭 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫
Boss was freaky, kinky, and cute. I really liked this guy. He knew what he is and owned up to it. The conversation with Dr. Kan during apartment confrontation scene was the only scene where we have a character questioning Kan's code of ethics when it comes to euthanasia. If what Boss is committing is murder, then what can we call what Kan is doing? Is it not the same? Even after this conversation, Kan is easily convinced to kill Boss. If Kan's intentions were just saving his patients, then how is killing Boss ( a person who is not a terminal patient) justifiable? Boss should've been a real rat even if he worshiped Kan for what he was doing. It's sad that he wasn't so involved in the story. He appears in the last few episodes which takes away from other conversations this show could've explored.

𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞
What is going on in that police station? Are we even allowed to open cases 50 different times every 5 minutes? This was my comedic relief. All of these uncles going "exactlyyyy" and then closing the case prematurely only to be freaking clowns who open it back up again. Captain Tew, I think it's time to transfer out. What a bootleg police station. It's also detrimental to your relationship with Dr. Kan that you doubt at least once every episode only to get back to him. It's like watching a stressful ping pong game.

Some police guy: Something suspicious happened!
Captain Tew: you don't say, it's probably Kan isn't it?
Later that day...
Captain Tew: hey I got something to talk to you about
Dr. Kan: *distraction activated* I made a new dish just for you! What do you wanna talk about?
Captain Tew: Oh for me?... (internal monologue: he can't be the one, he made me a meal)

Above is how this captain probably thinks. It's almost like we should take him off the case cause he's literally connected with a suspect.

Moving on, ms. nurse, what's happening here? How was she so easily convinced to keep killing people? It felt like she was enjoying it and sharing that enjoyment with Dr. Kan. She showed neither empathy nor understanding as to what euthanasia means for patients. She saw what happened with her husband, but after that, her psychopathy just went off the rails. It was an interesting dynamic to see. It's very different from what Boss was trying to do.

"𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲" & 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
They're both good actors. As a person who liked them back in 9x9 and in their multiple other projects, this fell short in terms of their chemistry. There was absolutely no romance that translated across to the audience. It felt like watching two bros who have no romantic feeling for each other. It felt really forced. It's bad when I think Dr. Kan has more chemistry with Boss than his actual love interest. That's not how it should look to us. Since they were lacking in the chemistry department, I would think they would use the time in the episodes to actually explore the development of their relationship. It felt unrealistic cause I couldn't tell how deep their relationship went.

The ending left you with a feeling of "meh". Why did he get a two story house for one storage safe? He has that big house that he shares with no one to keep that safe in. Dr.Kan has the means to advocate for hospice care for patients along with advocacy for euthanasia if that is what he believes in. The things he does is so counterproductive. What made this story so unpalatable is that the whole story somehow felt like convincing the audience that what Dr. Kan did was right. There was no room for doubt or anger towards him. You're set up to feel bad for him when that shouldn't be the case. I feel like this show advocates for one side too much.

At the end of the day, they tried. It was an interesting topic with interesting character not executed well.

Lire davantage

Exploring different perspectives. A drama that makes you THINK

I was not prepared for such a serious topic in “Spare Me Your Mercy” since I didn’t read the synopsis and only wanted to see Tor. LOL. I’m glad Tor brought me to this drama, because even though it was quite a depressing experience, it was a great drama to discuss the different perspectives on euthanasia. I will not go into the moral ethics on this topic, as we all have different beliefs. Knowing that euthanasia is illegal in Thailand, one can deduce the ending of this drama.

“Spare Me Your Mercy” did show us the different points of view of euthanasia in 8 short episodes:

* Terminally ill patients - The drama explored their willingness to go through with the process and die with dignity and free of pain. Some think they are relieving their family members of the burden of taking care of them.
* Police officers - Uphold the law that euthanasia is illegal
* General public - Can go either way, but mainly side with the law
* Doctors - 1) Those that believe their occupation is to save lives, 2) those who believe in freeing their patients from suffering and letting them die in dignity.
* Family members - 1) Those who oppose and see their family members as being murdered, 2) Those who support in relieving their family members from pain and suffering, 3) Those who feel abandoned and betrayed by the patients who choose to end their lives.

It actually took me about 2 episodes to be fully immersed in the drama. Binge-watching helps to keep me interested and hit the ‘next’ button. But because the drama is so short, I wish it has spent more time diving deeper into the ethics and moral dilemma of euthanasia, instead of spending a lot of time on the murder mystery. But I fully enjoy each patient and character’s background story. I also feel very conflicted.

Acting is awesome. Tor brought me here, and he’s excellent in playing his role as Dr. Kan. He was great from start to finish, and what a slam dunk finish he has! JJ’s pretty good as Captain Thiu, but I don’t know why he frowns so much. He does have a cute puppy look. The acting of the supporting cast is just as good, especially Nurse On and Pharmacist Boss. It doesn’t have the cringe that I often felt in Thai dramas.

But the drama is not without flaws. Romance is one of them. Tor and JJ have really good chemistry in the scenes they are together. The issue is the development of the romance. There’s not enough time to give us a well-written love story. It goes from love at first sight, to confessing feelings, to dating and moving in together at lightning speed. The drama is unable to find the balance of crime investigation and romantic development. Additionally, I do need to relax my brain a little and not think about the plot holes. It’s quite hard to imagine so many crimes committed without being caught. Don’t cameras exist inside a hospital?

Despite all the flaws, I have an ‘enjoyable’ time watching “Spare Me Your Mercy”. The drama does make me think. I feel just as conflicted as Captain Thiu. If you don’t mind the topic of euthanasia and can ignore a few illogical stuff, I strongly recommend this drama to you. Well, maybe don’t be like me and watch this on Christmas Day.


Completed: 12/26/2024 - Review #530

Lire davantage

Questions of moral values

I'll try to summarize my impression of the series as briefly as possible while commenting on each of the categories (acting, story/plot, music)
I must inform you that I'm a bit more moderate when it comes to rating bl series, because I know that they have come a long way in terms of where they started.

Story:
I was very surprised by the series, and in a good way. In the first 2 episodes it was very clear who was behind the deaths of the patients, so I was thinking, what the hell are they going to do for the remaining 6 episodes?! And in the end, there was a lot to solve! The story has become completely muddled. Every plot had a purpose and everything fit together like puzzle pieces. No part was added by force just to fix the problem. Brilliant. It was thrilling and made me devour every minute. It even brings the audience to question miralit values without bringing the solution.
At this point, I'm not sure if the romance between the main characters was important. Don't get me wrong I didn't mind in any way I even looked forward to their moments together (so heartwarming) but I'm not sure if it was ultimately crucial to the story.

Acting:
The actors delivered the story with sheer passion and I have perhaps no greater remarks but praise. Completely natural with no emotions forcefully injected. The actors were not portrayed as perfect gods, so they had more room to properly convey raw emotion without the guise of looking as pleasing to the eye as possible. I personally don't like that and it unnecessarily spoils the experience.
I would especially like to highlight the character Boss (Aelm Bhumibhat Thavornsiri), who has captivated me with his performance.
God I would love to write a separate commentary on each of the performers!

Music:
I'll start by saying that with the music they managed to capture the mood of the scenes. Maybe sometimes too much. The Thrilling moments were accompanied by dramatic music reminding of Marvel fight scenes. But I guess that's a matter of opinion.
I must highligh the opening, which caught my attention the most in terms of the use of music. Dramatic and engaging as it should be and yet it didn't spoiler the entire series as it tends to in many cases.

I'm writing this review right after I finished watching the series so I admit it may be a bit biased.

Lire davantage

Euthanasia versus the law

I never knew that I would get to see JJ and Tor paired in a BL show one day. Indeed, it was a dream come true. Throughout the eight episodes, I keep murmuring the phrase, “JJ is so freaking handsome!” The police uniform suited him well which highlights his manliness charms. Plus, those sexy glares and voices were too much to handle.

The storyline was well written to the point that I found myself composing for some assumptions and possible twists regarding the real suspect for the sudden death of the palliative patients. The suspense is real! It also introduces the concept of euthanasia to the viewers, which is a serious topic that is discussed. A lot of countries, especially in Asia, are not too open to this medical approach. Which is reasonable due to its cons and needs a depth analysis for a law to be passed.

All casts give their best to perform their roles effectively. I don’t have any bad comments about the show as I fully enjoyed it as a whole. In the end, we got to see the Doctor confessing his involvement to his police lover. I liked how they came up with a finale that may be a sign of a possible sequel.

Lire davantage