Thanks, I hate it.

First, I have to mention that I originally dropped the series after episode 8 because a friend told me the last two episodes feel like a slap in the face. And boy, was she right. That being said, I'll start with the things I liked:

The cast. I've generally seen better performances from most of them by now, but it's always nice to see some familiar faces. I also adored Akk, and he deserved so much better (but more on that later).

The music. Thank you, Gawin.

That's it.

On to the problems I've had and to the reason I'm so frustrated with this series:

I really wish there was a cute couple to love or a good story to get invested in, but in my opinion there wasn't. The writing is terrible. There barely is a plot, but it hinges on a wild goose chase for some mystery love interest. Why? Force and Book are the main couple, that's painfully clear from the start, so why go through all the trouble and pretend there's some great mystery to solve? I don't get it. On top of that, everything else feels underdeveloped at best. The other “love interests” could've been interesting, but they hardly get any scenes without Theo. After ten episodes, you barely know anything about them, because the show wasted all its time and potential on the most unlikable main character I've seen in a while. And that's coming from someone who suffered through three seasons of Riverdale.

So yeah, the main issue I have with Enchanté? Theo is not just a terrible person (which could be fun), but also a terrible protagonist. He suffers from the most severe case of main character syndrome I have ever seen: EVERYTHING is about him and if it's not, he tries his best to change that. Again, this could be fun, but the series doesn't acknowledge it. In fact, the series NEVER acknowledges that his behavior might be hurtful to those around him, especially Akk. Seriously, I hate Theo so much, but I hate the fact that the writers tried to gaslight me into rooting for him even more. There's no character growth whatsoever; he acts like the most self-absorbed and selfish person ever and doesn't even get a slap on the wrist because somehow he's right and justified in whatever he does. Even after manipulating Akk for most of the series, he doesn't apologize once and there are no consequences. It's the worst, I hate this kind of writing so much.

And then there are the last two episodes … At this point, I can't even comprehend what I just watched. What the hell. The amount of forced drama in the last two episodes was as insane as it was unnecessary. And for what, to get some equally forced happy end for our main couple? Urgh. Let's just say I went from rolling my eyes to wanting to punch the screen (or Theo) really fast. Fuck this show – especially for trying to gaslight me into thinking Theo is a good person who would be more popular than Akk. He's not, and he wouldn't be. Akk deserves so much better, holy shit.

So, if you couldn't tell by now: No, I wouldn't recommend this. Call me petty, but I'm actually mad at this series for its terrible writing and all its wasted potential. We could've gotten a cute premise and some interesting characters, but we got “how to manipulate your childhood friend into wanting to be with you and destroy his self-esteem along the way”. Thanks, I hate it.

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Much ado about nothing

Yeah, this was disappointing, and I might've lost a few brain cells in the process. The so-called plot was way too convoluted and more often than not downright stupid, and I probably would've dropped the series in its sudden honeymoon phase if not for a super entertaining group watch. But before I go on a long rant, here are some things I actually liked:

Nat as the usurping uncle. He nailed every scene he was in. No complaint there, even though his character made some dumbass decisions.

Perth and Chimon as the secondary couple, I guess? They were criminally underdeveloped and had barely any (shared) screen time, but they made the series bearable at least. They both deserved so much better.

That's it. Now on to the problems:

The writing is a complete train wreck. The entire plot hinges on a premise that screams “KinnPorsche in kindergarten” (or high school, I guess) and it could've been so entertaining. A billionaire heir who ends up with the most unlikely candidate as a bodyguard because everyone and their mother is trying to kill him for his money? And they're just trying to survive high school? Sounds campy and amazing, sign me up!

Sadly, that's not how Never Let Me Go turned out, because the series ended up taking itself way too serious. It tried to tell this super serious story about the problems of the elite few while also trying to include the struggle of the less fortunate, and it ended up being a forgettable mess. In fact, how Nueng constantly talked down to Palm was quite infuriating after a while, because the series never addressed how shitty and spoiled its little prince was behaving. Instead, it tried to hammer in how devoted and loyal Palm was, even though Nueng did NOTHING for him. Except throwing his money around, of course. Got to make up for treating Palm like a subhuman somehow, am I right? And they say romance is dead, urgh.

I think, they originally aimed for an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers kind of dynamic between a spoiled teen billionaire and his dirt-poor bodyguard, which – again – could've been interesting. But then there were other “love interests” (more like plot devices) and in the end their relationship jumped from one textbook-BL-stage to the next because stuff happened. I can't even give you a proper recap, because there was no suspense curve. Stuff happened, was resolved after five minutes tops, and then the episode ended. Nothing except the main conflict carried over to the next episode, and for some episodes our “charming” main couple noped the fuck out of that by fleeing (and staying) at a beach resort. After Nueng's mother was gunned down, I might add. But sure, take your time. Good thing the main plot just conveniently takes a break while they're away being in a relationship that came out of nowhere. A relationship they both end on more than one occasion for the stupidest reasons. So yeah, not feeling it. Sorry not sorry. But maybe don't get your boyfriend's name tattooed after three days. Seems like a bad idea, especially after watching this mess of a series.

But what made the series near unbearable for me was the nonexistent story arc. It started as a high school show, then they were on vacation for several (!) episodes, and then they went back trying to be a convoluted pseudo-thriller for the last two episodes. Where's the connection? Beats me, but if I have to see another pointless beach episode ever again, I'm going to lose it. Seriously, so much stupid “plot twists” happen, I can barely recount all of them, but here are some of my personal highlights:

Ben and Nueng have more screen time than Ben and Chopper, and they even share a kiss. It's a plot device, because although Nueng is already getting bullied, we have to add some homophobia to the plot. Dead parents and bullying wasn't bad enough, I guess. Why sacrifice the actually compelling secondary couple to a cheap-ass plot device, though? The series wasted so much time on a relationship that was doomed to fail that Ben and Chopper barely got any development, but in the end they get together either way. Good for them, but why not dedicate some time to two actually decent actors? The deserved better.

Maggie, Palm's “love interest”, shows up at the beach resort one day. Why? Beats me, she's just another device for some subplot that doesn't even matter. And it's always good to add some jealousy to the mix, am I right? Because why waste precious time on actual attraction between two characters. Maggie also deserved better, by the way.

Both mothers essentially got fridged, and I hated that. Especially at the end, when Nueng (?) had the audacity to insinuate that Palm's mother sacrificed herself for their happiness. No, shut the fuck up! That's not what happened, and there's nothing romantic about that. Oh my god, I'm still so mad about it.

Also, the last two episodes desperately tried to make up for all the time they wasted at the beach resort. Palm's dad went to prison because Nueng's uncle framed him, and now Palm has no one left? No worries, Nueng simply buys his freedom, because apparently that's how justice works. Nueng has some scores to settle? No worries, he just grabs some bodyguards (not Palm though, because he left him behind in the middle of nowhere after DRUGGING him – and they say romance is dead²) and slow-walks up to his uncle and his bullies. Turns out his uncle isn't as easily intimidated as a bunch of high school bullies, so he retaliates with the most evil and original plan ever: Use Palm to pressure Nueng into signing the company over to him. In a truly hilarious scene, a lot of people get shot (sadly not Nueng) and then Chopper saves the day. Nueng could've apologized or thanked him at this point, but he doesn't. And why would he? The crown prince of main character syndrome country hasn't done anything wrong. Urgh.

Anyway, to wrap this overly long review up: Never Let Me Go is a convoluted mess and the lead characters aren't able to safe their sinking ship. So if anyone needs me, I’ll be over there, waiting for Dangerous Romance to hopefully give Perth and Chimon the spotlight they deserve.

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Puts the Pretty Little Liars reboot to shame

Initially, I was reluctant to give this series a try. I don't like women tearing each other down for no reason, and I was afraid it might go in that direction. But after a while I started watching for the cast, and honestly, I don't regret it. The story is messy in the best ways, all characters are flawed yet relatable, and the cast is phenomenal.

The plot revolves around five close friends and a secret they've shared for a long time. When a tape is leaked at a wedding, everything comes crashing down and the group is confronted with decisions they made years, ultimately leading to the question: “Did we create the demons that haunt us?” What seems like a premise reminiscent of Pretty Little Liars (and that's also how I'm trying to sell the series to my friends) actually goes way deeper. And along the way, the series tries to tackle some serious and possibly triggering topics, mostly being thoughtful about it, but some plot points could've used more exploration.

The same can be said for some characters, I suppose. While I love all of them deeply, especially for their flaws and the very human mistakes they make throughout the series, I would've loved to get to know some of them better. I can't say much without spoiling some plot points (and avoiding spoilers is crucial for this show, believe me), but of the main five, some got more background than others. Which is a shame, because I loved them so damn much. I mean, they're also kind of terrible, but I seriously rooted for them.

So, without spoiling any of the plot twists and reveals: If you're intrigued by the premise or just the queer (side) characters, give the series a try. I'd definitely recommend it!

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Interesting but underdeveloped

I'm a sucker for dance stories. There, I said it.

So yeah, I was definitely biased going into this series. I wanted to love it, and I did – for the most part. But let's start with the things that didn't click for me personally:

The “villains”. The story is rushed and the villains and obstacles our protagonists have to face seem lackluster at best and forced at worst. But to be fair: A runtime of 110 minutes simply isn't enough time to develop more than the bare minimum.

The pacing. Again, the story is rushed and yet there are some scenes that dragged on too long for my taste. It didn't feel like they made the most of the eight episodes.

But there's also a lot to like or maybe even love: Personally, I really like the chemistry of the lead actors. The premise of their meet- and team-up is a bit weird in general, but I think they worked well together. But then again, maybe I'm just weak for “the cute one and the grumpy one” ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ There were some really cute scenes and the dance scenes were beautifully done. I also adored the music. And even though the runtime of 110 minutes left much to be desired, like better character development and story flow, and I wish the series would've been longer, it actually makes for a quick rewatch. So if you're looking for a short BL to spend a cozy evening with, I'd definitely recommend this. Just don't set your expectations too high, because the series – like it's characters – is not without flaw.

So, overall 6/10. Plus another 0.5 because of turtleneck sweaters. Lots of turtleneck sweaters.

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