Spare Me Your Mercy (2024)

"I love you," but I can't forgive you.

In a world filled with emotional stories, the phrase this drama captures a common frustration. It shows that people are getting tired of stories that focus too much on exaggerated skinship and NC scenes, which can make them feel less real and meaningful. 

The writer, Sammon, is a brilliant author, storyteller, and doctor. I cannot help the way she lets me think things in a way I haven't thought before. I'm not a medical person, but her complex characters and their medical backgrounds make storytelling so interesting that I often found myself searching terms randomly.

At its core, this drama is characterised by overtly emotional scenarios that seek to elicit sympathy from the audience. Whether through tragic backstories, excessive pathos, or predictable character arcs, this genre often treads a fine line between genuine emotional resonance and manipulation. While it is undeniable that the storytelling of this drama is a powerful tool for eliciting empathy, the overuse of such devices can lead to a sense of emotional fatigue, which I'm having right now while writing this review.

One big problem with this dramas is that they relied too much on clichés. Characters often fit into predictable roles, like the tragic hero or the innocent victim. This makes the story less impactful and can leave the audience feeling disconnected. We want stories with more depth and variety, but when we see the same basic characters over and over, it's hard to connect with them. But what else can we expect from an 8-episode drama? Contradictorily, this might be the best they could deliver. I heard the word "Euthanasia" in Jojo Moyes's Me Before You. It broke me into pieces. For a long time I wondered what and whys, because I was uneducated in knowing the emotions and turmoils regarding the term. The best stories are those that invite us into the lived experiences of characters, allowing us to empathise without feeling manipulated. This drama made me think about it all over again. Surely it is depressing, but getting a new perspective on law and will definitely refreshed my knowledge and empathy towards the patients.

Lastly, I have to mention the chemistry of Kan and Tew, which made me go gaga over a simple finger touch. They proved that you don't need overly dramatic romantic scenes to establish a good story. All they did was depict two insane characters, one who abides by the law and the other one whose empathic self could not help but fall in love with someone they shouldn't be. There were moments when I suspected Tew was faking his fondness for Kan, but surprisingly, putting myself in all those situations, I felt so indecisive myself. The main selling point of this is the drama's unique premise and not relying on the romance part too much. 

Overall, it's a must-watch for all the thrill BL watchers out there. This drama has its place in storytelling, a perfect mix of thrill and romance; a steady diet of it can leave audiences yearning for more substance. It reflects a desire for narratives that challenge rather than pander, that evoke genuine emotion rather than resort to cheap sentimentality.

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Compassion versus Law & Mercy versus Murder

My thought when I saw the first episode of the series was that it tried to establish a strong connection between showing mercy to a suffering animal by putting it to sleep and showing mercy to a suffering terminally ill human.

The topic of Euthanasia is very debatable and that's why only few countries have made it legal...there are various concerns regarding the choice of Euthanasia by an individual, whether:

*the person is in a fit mental state of mind to decide.
* The person is being coerced ( by the family)
* Doctors' abusing the power given to them. etc. etc.

I believe a person who is still mentally fit should be allowed to decide if they wish to end their life.

However, Can a person suffering extreme pain whose mind is clouded by pain medications be competent enough to make a rational judgement? Should the family members/ doctors' have the right to decide the fate of a terminally ill patient without their explicit consent (as in the case of putting an animal to sleep)?

The whole discussion is never ending , so in the end it comes down to morality and legality.


I feel the show focuses more on Compassion versus Law and Murder versus Mercy.

In the eyes of the law, things are weighed as per the rules and regulations, no room for feelings.

Freeing someone whom you care about from further suffering is an act of mercy, but law considers it a punishable crime, similar to that of a deliberate murder.

Motive plays a primary role in differentiating between the deaths of various people... how is one person's action of taking a life different from the other killer(s)? when legally all are crimes. The question here is not who the killer is, but why and how that person chooses to take a life.

What is most interesting for me in this series is not the mystery of who dunnit because that is not the highlight of the series. The cornerstone of the series is the moral ambiguity of the characters.

None of the character in the series is pure black or white.

We live in a society of flawed humans. The law has many loopholes and is imperfect but by and large it safeguards our society by protecting the weak.
So the question is left up to the audience as to how they regard the actions of these characters and whom do they sympathise with.


Overall: thought provoking and trying to present various viewpoints on the much debatable, sensitive topic of Euthanasia.


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CHARACTER ANALYSIS::::: CONTAINS SPOILERS from the series in order to discuss their motivation and ideologies on Euthanasia.

(Don't read the review further if you want to REMAIN SPOILER FREE.)


Interestingly all the below mentioned characters were connected to a terminally ill patient, the viewers are a shown a glimpse of their life when they witnessed the suffering of their loved ones how that affects their outlook on Euthanasia.


*The police captain, Thiu strongly suspects Dr.Kan and wants the guilty to be punished as per law but his heart doesn't allow him to remain completely unbiased in this case. Even though Thiu is sceptical , he is ready to accept any slightest evidence to prove Dr.kan's innocence without dwelling too deeper into it. Thiu's mother was terminally ill and he had transferred to a remote place to took a posting there but before he arrived, Dr.Kan had Euthanized his mother as per her request. He was unable to bid her a proper goodbye which remains his greatest regret.

*Dr.Kan may have started on this path for mercy and ending the suffering of patients, but somehow along the way did he become desensitised to killing? What he did in episode 7 to Boss was for a selfish reason and a clear crime. Dr.Kan's mother was terminally ill and he saw her constant suffering and his own father's helplessness that's why he chose to be a Doctor and was an advocate of Euthanasia.

* Boss who has seen his family destroyed due to his terminally ill father (his mother, unable to take care of his father killed his father and then committed suicide herself) admires Dr.kan for his stance on Euthanasia but doesn't understand that Dr.Kan doesn't enthasnise a patient to reduce the burden of care taking from family members' shoulder. Boss doesn't understand the concept of taking consent from the patients. He wants to reduce the family's burden.

* Nurse Onanong, started supporting Dr.kan when someone dear to her was terminally ill and wished to end their suffering. Nurse On tried to perform euthanasia but couldn't go through with it, at that time Dr.Kan like an angel of mercy came and helped her. He showed her the path to reduce the suffering of the terminally ill patients in a painless manner.

* Director Somsak, he was a staunch advocate of the Hippocratic Oath, was against Abortion or Euthanasia. He believed that doctor's job was to care for terminally ill patients to the best of their ability. His male lover who was Dr.Kan's mentor had been terminally ill, Somsak being a loving person wanted to spend the last few months with his lover but was deprived of that solace due to Dr.Kan euthanizing his lover.




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:::::::::::::Trivia::::::::::::

Episode 1 and 2

Just by watching the first two episodes I think the series is posing a serious question as to when does Euthanasia cross the line of showing mercy Versus murder.

So far in the first two episodes, there have been deaths of three terminally ill patients.

1. The police captain's mother ( she seemed to be quite rational and seemed to be in too much pain, but did she choose to end her life? Didn't she want to spend some time with her son who was taking a transfer to be near her?

2. Another terminally ill person, but his family was taking quite good care of him...they were hoping that they could live with him for as long as possible. I don't know if he would have chosen euthanasia?

3.The aged father who was clearly a burden to his children....but for me, his death was a blatant murder... because inspite of his advanced illness and pain, he clearly resisted and showed signs of wanting to live.


So the question is, If Euthanasia was really a choice of the above three people or was it forced upon them?


Episode 3
In episode 3, Dr.Kan injects the terminally ill tribal man after asking for his consent...even though he may not have been responsible for ALL 3 deaths in the previous 2 episodes, he certainly Euthanised the man in episode 3.

So legally he could already be a criminal, as I believe active Euthanasia is not sanctioned in Thailand...

Therefore irrespective of other people who he may or may not have euthanized, he is already guilty and is punishable by law.

Now we just have to see whether there is someone else besides him who is ethuanising terminally ill without their consent.

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Intense Storyline & Chemistry

Whew,where do I even begin?!!
Listen! You gotta watch this amazing drama. Not only is the storyline line amazing,the chemistry between the leads are just 💋,also the plot be plotting!!!
SMYM is a novel by Doctor Sammon who’s a famous author, the novel tackles a lot of serious issues with a mix of romance. Euthanasia itself is illegal in a lot of countries but only few countries have made it legal.
If you’re expecting full blown romance,where the ML’s are eating each other every episode,then this isn’t for you.
Doc Kan does something,with the patients consent & for their own good but his boyfriend Captain Wasan sees it differently.
This drama is filled with suspense,thriller & romance. You’ll keep racking your brains about who dunnit

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The Best Interest of Everyone

What's right may not be legal and what's legal may not be right. The opposing views on euthanasia was discussed in great detail and according to the end, legality won. I want to say unfortunately but the other side of that coin would send a message of acceptable wanton killings.

It is legal to execute a prisoner by lethal injection but illegal to give someone peace who suffers daily from excruciating pain.

The plot was very interesting, thought provoking and with a few unexpected surprises. The acting was wonderfully done by everyone. A Thai production of this caliber done in 8 episodes is a miracle in itself. The pacing, flash backs and character development produced a drama worth watching and watching again.

The divide between Thiu and Kan was bridged for only a moment and what a beautiful moment it was. Their moment of intimacy was tastfully done as expected from mature individuals. Thiu, tho a bit hesitant due to Kan's wound, encouraged by Kan, gave in. I must admit I was not expecting this as the previous meetings would show desire alone. Truthfully, I would have preferred for it to have not happened due to the ending.

The only question that should have been asked of Thiu but it wasn't...

If his mother, in extreme pain, had begged him to end it, would he have stepped back and refused, leaving her to suffer. The morality of these situations are ambiguous from the both positions taken.

Boss, the pharmacist, gave a stellar performance. From lover, to psycho, to unrepentant murderer. The difference between him and Kan would be the matter of choice. The patients chose Kan. Boss forced his choice on them. His death was his choice and I was happy that he was not a hypocrite at the end. Rin, a surprise, kept her self righteousness to herself on hearing the truth but with conditions. Every story was not rushed and given enough time to be completed adequately.

The ending was as society would want but it did not hurt any less.

"Would you confess?"
"Only if it's you."
Painfully, they hug. Placing a petal in Kan's handcuffed hands, Thiu says, "I love you."

Both Kan and Thiu proved how much they loved each other.

Beautifull writing. It tugs at the emotions that are kept in check. Sammon, the author, and Sirilux Srisukon, the screenwriter, thank you. The dialogue was enhanced by every actor's performance and well worth the praise. I will look forward to seeing these actors in the future. I hope a S2 is made.

Go watch!

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I need more of JJ & Tor!

The acting is SOOOO good, especially Tor! I love how everything is wrapped up in 8 episodes= clean and sweet cut.

Each episode keeps you wanting for more, and boy- when that kiss finally arrived- im like YESS!

It tackles the topic of euthanasia in a really diverse way- including explaining the legal side, moral side, and even talking about consent, etc. It's amazing to see BL starting to touch on deeper topics beyond just 2 men kissing each other (although i love watching that lol)

I especially love the ending as to how Wansa held Doctor's hand and then dropped the Hydrangea which represents "forgiveness"- just WOW! Got me crying so badly- it's just so beautiful

Side note, Tor looked so much like Namkoong Min somehow, especially the eyes expression. I think it's probably the similarity in character they have played before than the actual actor looking alike

Anyway, this BL is just so FKING GOOOOOODDDD- I'd totally up for more collab from this duo again!

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Enredo envolvente: A combinação de suspense, romance e drama mantém o espectador envolvido.

"A série BL produzida pela Talinadia representa uma obra-prima dentro do gênero. Havia uma expectativa considerável desde que não se via uma narrativa que se afastasse dos padrões tradicionais, ou, como comumente dizemos, 'fora da caixa'. O enredo, repleto de suspense, cativa o espectador e o deixa ansioso por novos capítulos.

Lançada em 2024, a série "Spare Me Your Mercy", inspirada no romance "Euthanasia" de Sammon, recebeu críticas altamente positivas devido à sua abordagem única e complexa de temas como eutanásia, moralidade e amor. Destaco as atuações extraordinárias de JJ Krissanapoom Pibulsonggram e Tor Thanapob Leeratanakachorn, assim como a química notável entre os protagonistas.

A narrativa acompanha o major da polícia, Wasan, que investiga uma sequência de mortes suspeitas entre pacientes em fase terminal, e explora sua relação com o Dr. Kantaphat, o médico que cuidou de sua mãe. A história levanta questões éticas e morais, conseguindo manter o público engajado e intrigado.
Os pontos fortes da série incluem:

- Atuações convincentes: JJ e Tor proporcionaram performances memoráveis, infundindo profundidade e complexidade nas suas respectivas personagens.

- Enredo envolvente: A combinação de suspense, romance e drama mantém o espectador envolvido.

- Química entre os personagens: A relação entre Wasan e Kantaphat é simultaneamente convincente e emocionante.

Em suma, "Spare Me Your Mercy" é uma série bem-sucedida que aborda temas complexos com sensibilidade e profundidade.

No que tange ao desfecho da história, considero-o justo; não foi melancólico, tampouco se viu como um 'carrasco'. Os dois, que se amam profundamente, decidiram permanecer juntos, mesmo diante da necessidade de tomar decisões éticas e corretas. "

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I LOVED IT

I loved how euthanasia was looked at from different POV. Doctor’s POV as more of a morality issue. Boss’ as the wrong way to perform it. And Thui’s legal POV. Both Kan and Boss had good intentions but Boss had no right to do it, literally killing people, on the other hand Kan respected wishes of the patients, which would make it legal somewhere else. Thiu holds the opposing views to theirs, he looks at it from his professional POV, which makes euthanasia illegal and unacceptable for him. I think it gives us all a side to be on (well maybe not Boss’s side, I think, he’s just an example of how it shouldn’t be done) and for many it opens a conversation regarding euthanasia since it’s illegal in most countries. I really didn’t want it to end like that but I think it makes sense that Thiu arrested Kan, I don’t think he could live with himself, knowing that Kan continues euthanasing people, in his eyes and according to law it is murder and from how I understand the character, he thinks it’s his duty to act according to law (and I mean it is his job). I still hate that Kan got arrested tho.

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Killing me softlyyyyyy

As a series that tackles the highly controversial topic of euthanasia in Thailand, this show is expectedly quite intense.

The show has received some criticisms for romanticising Dr. Kan’s actions and his controversial stance on patient care. The series highlights ethical questions on what constitutes murder and whether life is worth protecting at all costs.

Plotwise, the many twists in Spare Me Your Mercy make for an engaging and compulsive watch. But I want to talk about the unexpectedly spectacular chemistry between Thanapob and Jayler. Despite the captain’s suspicions of the doctor, the doctor’s thoughtful and charming ways gradually chip away at Tiw’s walls, giving way to a sweet and ambiguous relationship that’s neither friends nor lovers.

Spare Me Your Mercy wants you to root for Dr. Kan and Tiw, but also makes it incredibly uncomfortable for you to support a relationship based on lies. Overall, this was a great storyline that hits you with both butterflies and feels. Great show.

More reviews: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/

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When you want to kill two birds with one stone and end up hurting yourself.

The problem isn't the actual controversial subject of the show.
Of course this will cause reactions and objections.
That is why it is controversial worldwide.
The main problem with the series is that they never managed to stick the BL thematic to it. The protagonists are for the most part suspicious of each other rather than in love.
To such an extent that it is humanly impossible to believe the romantic part of the story.
They are two rivals, with different beliefs in such fundamental principles and values ​​that in the end, the supposedly romantic part of their story, diminishes the seriousness of the matter and their relationship becomes unbelievable.
When you want to deal with such a topic, you must know very well what exactly you want to say and what to achieve.

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