Project S: Skate Our Souls (2017)

“Just being alive is the greatest thing”

This drama is very close to my heart. It's a type of series which has the potential to make you cry like a child. Whenever I saw Boo crying, I cried too. Sometimes I found myself weeping on the scenes of Boo self-harming, uplifting himself with motivational quotes, his blank puffy stares and timid eyes ache my heart.

Simon is everything Boo is not. He's a strong willed, confident, cool skater and popular among people. To Boo, Simon was a ray of hope he's been searching for. It's not that he couldn't get out of it with his own will but Simon's simple carefree gesture of boldness and kindness towards him pushed him out of his comfort zone to lead a better life. In this story Simon did lose something in return for Boo's life. But he knows it was worth it. In life you need something to live for, be it your hobbies, job, pet, garden or a human. When you get depressed you look at that thing/person and tell yourself I can't let this slip easily, I need to continue living because "this" gives me reason/hope to. That's what skating did to Boo. He found his reason to keep living.

Through Boo’s eyes, Simon and Fern, the two embody everything he desperately wants in life. They’re free to skateboard; he’s not allowed to. They’re happy-go-lucky and carefree; he suffers from depression. They come from a loving, warm, and understanding family; he doesn’t seem to feel loved at home. The contrast in their physical appearances with his is a visual way of setting Simon and Fern apart from Boo, who very likely feels they’re from a different world than he is.

Before judging anyone we should know that Depression comes in all sizes and shapes. To some depressed people are easily recognisable with a stoic face, unbothered attitude but some depressed people have hidden themselves behind a polite sunshine smile. If we think we fully understand their concern, worries and pains, we don't. We just like to pretend “it'll all be okay, you'll be fine” but it's way more complicated and deeper than that.

While watching the drama I noticed the unique, very purposeful way of using colours. They are used throughout the drama. S.O.S. used the variety of colours to visually present the protagonist’s inner thoughts and feelings. All of the colours mostly represent his overwhelming feeling, confusion, chaos, and perhaps some anger and resentment deep down.

All of the characters were brilliant! James, Toni & Pat's acting was superb. While re-watching this show I got so submerged into the Boo's character that it took me a while to pull myself back in the present. The actor who plays Boo is extremely talented. He is so convincing as the depressed character Boo. I have yet to encounter an Asian actor that could be so bloody good as James (Boo).

For me it's a 10/10 but past me rated it 9 so I have to respect my previous emotions, that's why I won't re-rate this but it definitely deserves a 10 ⭐

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Probably the most impressive Thai drama I've seen.

In the first 5 mins, I can already understand why this has such high ratings. The first FIVE minutes! When I found out that it was the same writer and director for In Family We Trust and Bad Genius, it all made sense.

Acting is exceptional. I thought they had hire a real skater to play Simon lol! This is really amazing cast with charismatic characters and believable conflict; I fell in love with everyone. I'm also in love with the lighting in this show. Like wow!

Can't rave anymore. Probably the first Thai show I've given a 10. Everyone needs to see this NOW.

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Just being alive is the greatest thing!

What an amazing drama! Highly predictable, full of clichés and yet gripping and thought provoking and it concerns each and every one of us!

The main topic is depression and teens and how the parental and/or societal expectations can ruin someone's self-esteem and ultimately the will to live. This is a story of Boo, who faced with his own shortcomings compared to his brilliant father thinks seriously about suicide. But a chance encounter with a group of skateboarders, make him fine a new will to live. His father, still completely oblivious to his sons misery, tries to steer him in the direction he wants him to go, whether Boo is happy about it or not. The penny drops for the father when he realizes he has no recent photos of his son: the latest one being from primary school.

The mental health representation in this drama is perfect. The kid's unhappiness, the reasons for it, how to deal with it and what the depression is, are excellently explained and shown. The most important fact here ,that they stressed repeatedly, is that the path to well being is long and difficult, the patients need to be surrounded by well meaning and caring family and friends who need to be vigilant because of possible setbacks! The actor playing Boo is incredible: he manages to show Boo's deep feelings of unhappiness by subtle mannerisms, posture and facial microexpressions. Perfect!

Other characters are the usual suspects!
The father too busy to notice anything is wrong and quick to criticize and demand excellence and blind obeissance.
A young shrink projecting onto Boo her own family trauma in order to help him but getting into it too deep.
An older youth, a skateboarding master who becomes Boo's idol and who takes no nonsense from anyone and talks like that as well.
The youth's sister who plays with Boo's heart and unwittingly provokes a life changing accident.

All of the characters change, learn and mature during the drama and by the end of it, they all have learned important life lessons. The ending is a bit sappy and too fluffy for my taste but it is feelgood and just what the doctor ordered.

Cinematography is excellent, especially in episodes 6 & 7 when certain scenes are monochrome: pink, green, red etc. to go with the moods of suffering characters. Music is just the right amount of rock to go with skateboarding and ominous background score for the depression.

This is an amazing drama which, in spite of its serious subject matter and the cliché characters, grabs your attention from the get go and keeps it until the last moment of the last short episode! The length of the drama is perfect: 8 short episodes are just enough to tell a comprehensive story without it losing momentum by introducing secondary characters' stories!

I am surprised that it is not watched more! It should be! It gives us all a valuable lesson about life which we often seem to forget!

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