The sweetest pie with rich filling

I wasn't planning to enjoy My School President as much as I did.

Based on the trailer and summary, the story is very simple. Highschool drama, where the main character gets the boy he is after. Nothing will really surprise you in that regard. But, boy, are there layers to this!

MSP is sweet, fun musical full of innocence and wonder. Aside from romantic relationships, it is also about friendships, growing up and dreams. About being there for each other. After all the fun and goofiness that this show provides, all of the emotional scenes still land exceptionally well. MSP is drama where I would never expect to see believable homophobia and coming out scenes, yet here we are.

All of the relationships, from Tinn and Gun, to Sound and Win to also the boys in the band and parents and their children, are written with care and thought. I was immersed in the development of each and everyone. ESPECIALY the main couple. Their development doesn't just stop when they get together, there is still plenty of things they need to face and overcome. I feel like that' s rare in modern BLs.

Gemini and Fourth are do GODDAMN talented, they are the bright future for GMMTV.

There are problems, of course. As previously said, I feel like there isn't enough story for 12 episode series. The dating ban just feels like a tool to prolong the series but ultimately doesn't work. The pacing is sometimes slow with not much going on and kinda picks up only in the final episodes. If you are a person that can't deal with filler, you may find it boring at times. The main premise about the music contest progresses in such a random intervals that it feels uneven and not important. And sorry but... the singing scenes, as much as they fit into the theme, are still boring. And there is some cringe ( I am looking at you rap battle scene)

But what this drama doesn't have in story, makes up in comedy (I can't believe that I laughed out LOUD, multiple times. That doesn't happen, ever.) and in great characters. I can understand why Tinn fell over heels for Gun, I FELL HEAD OVER HEELS FOR GUN. Sound is great, Win is funny, Gun' s mum is my mum now, Tinn' s father - comedy gold.

This drama also reminded me of Bad Buddy, you can tell that that's the vibe they were going for. Simple story but focus on characters and emotions. It' s still not as good and polished as Bad buddy but if you liked that drama I would highly recommend MSP as well.

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Not me has it´s own unique charm but also lots of lost potential

It's really refreshing to have a series that is not set in the regular setting of a high school and is actually trying something different and new. That's really the reason why I'm giving it a much higher rating than it objectively deserves. And with that said, Not me is a series that bit a little bit more than it could chew.

This show has very heavy premise about injustice in Thai society. It's a heavy topic to cover and this drama has a very childlike view of it, at least in the first half of the series. Like it's trying to tell you that society isn't black and white but in the show it kind of looks like there is good and bad and nothing in between.

But I'll admit I was being a little bit too hard on this show at the start because it's a Thai BL drama I can't really expect it to cover social issues in a believable way. Instead, Not me does it in its own, somehow charming way.

There's something very charming about this drama overall. I would say it is similar to the charm of Manner of death.

With that said, this series gets better and better with each episode. I wasn't sold on it the first few episodes, but then I got invested even through some setbacks in episode 7 and 8. Like when this show nails the scene, it nails it almost perfectly and for the last few episodes, this show has some really interesting moments that actually hooked me.

Story.

The story is good. It's interesting enough to make you interested but this show is very unfocused on what it wants to do. Like it's an mystery drama but at the same time it's a social critique drama and at the same time it's a romance drama. It tried to do so many different things and for that reason failed to execute them properly. The main plot point with the undercover twin and investigation of who hurt his brother, gets lost and almost doesn´t matter for the majority of the series.

I also feel like we are so preoccupied with the actual plot, that we can´t make much of the characters and environment and it all leaves us with so many questions. We see with White´s eyes, yet he never wonders why did Black do all those dangerous things or why his friends have no idea that he was almost killed even though he suspects them for hurting him in the first place. Where did Gumpa came from? Why does he do the things he does?

Characters

I had a lot of issues with the characters. Sometimes they do things that are unforgivable and the show likes to act like you have to forget them and move on. That was probably my biggest problem.

Sean is the worst example of this. I hated him but not for the type of character he is, but because his character doesn't make sense. He is a douchebag for the first half of the series. He is violent, reckless and just overall a bad person. But there is a turning point that comes out of nowhere when we learn about his past and yeah, while it's sad, it doesn't justify how he treats others but the show likes to act like it does. And all of a sudden, for the second half of the drama, Sean is caring, very sensitive, emotional and sometimes outright pathetic and dependent on White. He is a completely different character and we are supposed to just accept that.

I guess the show is trying to tell us that his love for White changed him but I don't think that's a really good message to give and it made their relationship not believable for me.

White is somewhat a boring character. I feel like they could do so much with his development but he felt underwhelming. They were trying to set him up as smart , but he did things that were not thought through and just dumb. His character flaws aren´t really flaws and they get fixed at the end of the series, like him not knowing how to parkour. At best, he was sweet and caring and little naive.

His twin though was something different. I actually enjoyed his character a lot even though he was a douchebag. This time around it was well portrayed. Black is not a good person, he's violent, selfish and reckless and he solves problems in a way that actually causes more problems to happen. His environment made him that way and it makes sense.

I have to just say that Gun is one of the most talented actors in BL because he managed to be two completely different characters and he did such a stellar performance with Black.

Yok and Dan, I actually really enjoyed their characters and romance more than the main couple. Their chemistry was just better and their story was somehow better executed even though it was sad. At first I hated the plot twist they made with them, but it wasn´t so bad I came to realize. They both were too nice for the series so I guess something just had to go wrong.

Sean and White

The second-worst thing about the show besides Sean, was the main couple. And I am really sad to say this because I feel like for the majority of people the fact that they are played by OffGun is enough, but it just isn't enough for me.

Just like Sean's character the relationship between White and Sean changed overnight and they went from hating each other to loving each other unconditionally in the span of one episode. I just kept on thinking what made Sean change his mind. It's a shame because you had one of the best chemistries between Off and Gun and it didn't do it for me. It just wasn't enough .I didn't enjoy their romance at all, it felt rushed and unnatural, which is a shame because it had so much potential. Like they are actually so sweet at the end but the way they got there doesn´t make sense.

Overall thoughts

But not to just criticize this show, it actually has some really good things going for it, first is the soundtrack. It's just really good, the music plays just at the right moment at the right time. It's 10 out of 10.

Another thing - the show doesn't look cheap. The locations are interesting, the camera work is actually sometimes really creative, costumes are great. You can see that it tries and yes, sometimes it tries TOO hard, but that's better than not trying at all. Some characters have their setbacks, but you can't really say that they are bland. I think you will be at least intrigued by their motivations and you have an interesting story backing it all up.

The main premise gets kinda lost in the noise of the show, there is lots of things going on, there are some logical errors BUT the finale is very satisfying and things end in a realistic way that was actually very mature. Which I wasn´t expecting starting this show. 8.5 = worth watching.

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The Eclipse is one step away from gratness... sadly

I have to say that after watching the first episode, I truly believed that gmmtv won't be able to give us proper bl series and that Bad Buddy was just a fata morgana in this age of drought. 

No grain of salt, The Eclipse has one of the worst first episodes I have ever seen. The narrative is all over the place (important; keep this in mind), the scenes happen so fast, the editing and music feel like a first grader was given access to a windows movie maker. 

BUT, try giving it a second chance.

The Eclipse tackles themes like mental health and actual (believable and realistic) homophobia within a rotten system. It carries heavy themes and portrays them in a believable and mature way. 

But the sad thing is... doesn't really do anything with it. 

In reality… the story is kinda messy. This drama is really strong and compelling (and arguably peaks) in the middle. It sets us up well... only for the plot to somehow get lost in the last few episodes. AND I AM SO MAD ABOUT THAT. This drama knows what it wants to do… but then doesn't do it.

The World Remembers Club is supposed to be fighting oppressive school rules but the main thing they seem to be concerned about are… uniforms? Not the teachers abusing their power? Or the homophobia and blackmailing constantly being thrown at them? 

This series takes it self so seriously. But then pretends that ACTUAL teachers believe in a ghost that punishes misbehaving students?

And it carries on like this throughout the rest of the series. Just… the narrative and tone is all over the place. WHY ARE WE FILMING A BL in the middle of Akk's life crisis?

Really I had to give up on the story near the end because it stopped making sense. That's the one huge step the drama had to make in order to be great, one of the best even. Because it could have easily been there, if it's story was executed better. 

Luckily, this series has brilliant characters.

Akk and Ayan stole my heart. Bad boy and Mr. Perfect with an actual depth given to them? Sign me the hell up. They have a chemistry that is easily a highlight of this series. The air legit sparkles between them.

Khao skyrocketed in my list of favorite actors, he knew exactly what type of character he was portraying and not once was his performance lackluster. His acting is overall the best in this series and I enjoyed every minute he was on screen. Not to say that Ayan is a masterly written character.  

First is also great (I just still can't get over his crying. It's just… not great man). He gave us an opposite of what he was playing in Not me, so versatility! Plus he is handsome as hell. 

Most of the side character's acting is great as well. Not perfect but still above average. Production is gmmtv standards (for the love of god fix your microphones already.)

So...  OVERALL, this series is good. It's unique, has great, dimensional and likable characters. Keeps you on your toes and doesn't bore you. But if you think you are going to find a perfect, deep and clever series, I fear you might be disappointed. 

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Funny but also touching and mature series.

Look, because I want to be objective my rating 9 BUT subjectively this drama is 10 for me.

It nails all of my personal favourite tropes (rivals to lovers, secret relationship, forbidden love, two idiots in love) which is the reason why my subjective rating is that high. And in my opinion this drama deserves high ratings because it delivered and nailed almost everything it promised to be.

I see lot of people say that the story isn´t original but I have to disagree. Yes it has the common trope of rivals to lovers but the Romeo and Juliet type of trope isn´t really that overdone. Not to say that Bad Buddy does all of it in its own way. I think that saying that the plot isn´t original when talking about BL is a strange statement because there are only very few series that are "original".

But yes, what makes Bad Buddy unique isn´t the plot - its the execution, the characters, the emotions and the overall message. Its very mature and well realized series.

Best thing about this series is the couple themselves. Their natural chemistry is one of the best i have ever seen. Their relationship is healthy, they trust each other, treat each other with respect. Their rivalry doesn´t stop when they end up together, they still tease each other and are just two idiots head over heels for each other. All of this makes the fact that the circumstances are unfortunate for them that much more tragic. Look at them, they just want to be silly with each other, why do you have a problem with that?

Another thing to applaud this series for are the reasons why their parents hate each other and forced them to become rivals. It doesn´t feel far fetched, it makes sense and isn´t overly dramatic . It was one of the things that could go badly for the plot but didn´t. I think its mainly because it wasn´t this one big dramatic thing that would made them hate each other for infinity but mixture of things that grew bitter over time. And made it much harder to magically fix and established that some things take a lot of time to fix , if they even CAN be fixed in the first place.

The parents could have been a bad plot device but they were so well characterized. They aren´t big bad villains, they are caring parents. Yes, they were petty and controlling, they couldn´t leave their past behind and dragged their children into their mess. They hurt them but it was because they wanted the best for them. Even though they more thought about themselves than their children. Its scary thing that happens in real life. I wish we saw more of them!

ACTING

Oh Nannon, he is stellar. One of my favourite moments is the ending of Ep. 4 and his performance. It was so sad, touching and realistic. I could feel it. I love how he portrayed Pran, he became one of my favourite characters in BL. Ohm is great as well. The scene where Pat realized he had feelings for Pran was also so well done by him. In fact I cannot think of any instance when would the acting fall off. Everyone is great and Nannon is phenomenal.

BUT WHY NOT 10?

Well, objectively this series has it´s setbacks and they mainly come in the middle were the plot kinda stalls and has some unnecessary plot points (like the whole Wai x Pa thing). I cannot really think of a good reason why were we so occupied with the architecture play. I think there were more interesting ways of moving the plot forward. And it took away time that was needed ( for developing Pa and Inks relationship, we need more GL for the love of GOD). Because my biggest problem was that they established faculty rivalry but Pat friends moved on so quickly and easily. And they were the more agressive part of the conflict in the beginning. They sometimes even bullied Wai and then never apologized. Not even Pat.

So this drama has a storytelling problems, nothing big but noticeable. Like I think we should have known the reason why Pa wanted Pat to protect Pran sooner, otherwise Pat character doesn´t make sense in the beginning. ( I am nitpicking, I know. Just my thought)

And the finale.... it could have gone better considering how good was ep. 11. The parallel between Junior and his mother and Pran and Pran´s mother was weird. Pran´s mother slapped him, she was in the wrong, Junior mother wasn´t. Pran forgave her too quickly a once again some things felt unnecessary. BUT I like that not everything was sun and rainbows at the end.

Overall the finale was satisfying end to an amazing series and one of the best that came out in 2021. I re-watched it, it was even better and would recommend this series to anyone, even if you don´t usually watch BL.

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Funny road trip drama with surprising charm

Cupid´s last wish is a pretty fun series in exciting setting and the fact that's it is EarthMix makes it an enjoyable experience.

A drama that resolves around a quest type of story is risky thing to do. This series sometimes feels little repetitive. They drive, they eat, obstacle comes and Win throws a tantrum... but despite the first episode I quickly came to realize that this drama is not supposed to be that serious, it´s a comedy! And with that the series became much more enjoyable. In fact it could only surprise me from now on. And it did!

I liked what the did with Win, he is horrible. You are supposed to hate him but that makes his character development so satisfying. I guess the reason why so many people dislike him is because the set up for him in the first episode was weak and makes him look like he is overreacting. But I got over it quickly and enjoyed him being annoying brat that needs a lesson. Really this dramas best ideas were simple, they worked the best. You have a guy that is an asshole and needs to realize how badly he has been treating his loved ones. Fate makes him go on a journey full of funny adventures in his sister´s body as he realizes his mistakes.

SO WHY IS THE FINALE SO NONSESICAL AND OUT OF CONTROL. I was expecting the spirit of Win´s father to be behind it all, it´s a logical wrap up of the story. But NO, the father´s death and character were pointless plot device because it was the mom that made Win and Korn drift apart. I thought that the whole engagement thing was a nonsense but then the climax of the farms inheritance came in and left a bitter taste in my mouth.

(And don´t even get me started on the uncle and aunt. I was okay with them being cartoony Team Rocket villains, it sort of fitted the story, but they did nothing for the whole series. You could write them off and the story wouldn´t change. )

So the finale is a huge miss but the rest of the series holds up pretty well. Mix is great in his role, I enjoyed him the best and Jan as Win in Lin´s body was phenomenal. The body swap doesn´t really matter but isn´t confusing and adds a funny element to the story. Earth and Mix delivered as expected, made me laugh, made me angry and made me root for the form start to finish. I will be re-watching and I can´t wait for Moonlight chicken!

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