From day one, as people fussed over endgame, what is and isn’t BL, what was appropriate for TV or what wasn’t, I felt something was different about this show. Scratch that—I knew something was different. The writing had something to say, and as I continued to watch the series unfold, what I wanted this show to be didn’t really matter to me anymore. I was simply content to see where the director, Aticha Muilanie (who has proven herself quite adept at injecting narrative with purpose), wanted to take us.

The Shipper, at its core, is a humble parable. It’s about trusting in yourself and trusting in others. It’s about learning to forgive and to be forgiven. Growth. Relationships (in and out of them). Love…

The Shipper is a love story, but not in the way you think.

This is a story about what it means to be loved. To understand that, no matter where our place in the grand scheme of things, we are worthy of being loved.

That seed is planted from the very first episode and carried all the way to the very end through all the shenanigans and hijinks that ensue. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, but most importantly, it will make sure you remember what it has to say.

With its expertly directed cast, excellent use of colour, pleasing camera work, and charming soundtrack, it’s a grounded fantasy that’s hard to say goodbye to. I know I will be coming back to it again and again.