This review may contain spoilers
Oh crap what did I just watch? I am mind blown. This is without doubt THE BEST Thai drama I've ever seen. Scrap that, the best Asian drama I've ever watched. The tension in each and single episode was so high and not a moment was I bored.There wasn't a single character I disliked and neither was there any episode I disliked. Everything was just planned perfectly. Most importantly the acting, Damn these kids can act. They are amazing. Each and every person carried their characters perfectly. Hell they acted better than half of the older Thai actors I've seen. The amount of potential these kids carry into the industry is amazing and let me tell you whoever wrote the script is genius. It was engaging from the beginning to the end. Each character had role (albeit the twins XD).
Like many says, we have to have a second season. This drama is way too good to be just forgotten after one season. I want to see the same cast return to the second season and maybe a cameo or two from Chanon too. I hope nothing bad happened to Mr. Pom. He really did care about the kids. Also another thing I noticed in the comment section of Youtube was that someone said that the Minister of Education or whoever that was actually Punn's father? I really want to know his true character. Is he too under manipulation by our villain or is he just as bad as our villain?
Also Wave and Pang, who would have thought all of us would be shipping them at the end? XD They are truly friend goals, they kinda remind me of Pom and Chanon too. Except that their friendship managed to survive longer than the latter. If we ever get a second season I really hope that Pang and Namtaan are made canon. Actually I have many ships in the series that I wish that would happen,
1. Namtaan and Pang (OTP)
2. Korn and Claire (I still think they look better together. He understands her more)
3. Mon and Punn (yes this was after their fight back then XD I think they would make a really cute pair)
4. Ohm ( I'm sorry cutie I can't ship with you with anyone but I hope you'll find someone soon XD)
Lastly I still think everyone in the Gifted indeed forgot Pang entirely and maybe some way or another it's only Wave who remembers him, which in a way could be great place to start the second season from, lol. Hopefully GMMTv will bring this back with so much potential hanging on to it but it better be with the same exact cast or I won't be looking at it -.-
To all those poor souls who haven't watched this drama I feel bad for you. You have no clue what the hell you guys are missing out.
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Death Note and Battle Royale level brilliant.
It's executed so well (except for the ridiculous product placement ugh but honestly the kind of content this is that one cringey thing can be easily forgiven).
Everyone's acting was so good! Especially, Nanon and Chimon were my favorite characters overall but everyone's stories made me cry omg Gun played Phun so well! And Jane was just so amazing at delivering a multitude of emotions playing Claire and Fiat stole my heart.
I just realized there's no second season yet and no book either so I'm not happy! That doesn't mean it didn't end well, not at all, that ending was PERFECT. That's what makes the story so impactful.
Just beautiful.
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This review may contain spoilers
The plot is overall exciting. It was intense up to the last minute. Cast were really good. Concept was tackled nicely. Although, I find Claire’s potential a little off. It has nothing more to it. Twins potential was kinda waste due to lack of exposure. It would have been great if they showed more dept to their potentials, both Claire’s and the twins’. I believe one basis of a great series is this: You want more seasons to see more of them but at the same time rather not have another because the ending is already the perfect way to end it. And that’s how I felt about this series :)
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P.S. Wave was reaaally handsome! ?
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This review may contain spoilers
So I recently watched Blacklist which a lot of people were comparing to The Gifted but.... THEY ARE SO DIFFERENT!The basic idea is probably similar - there's something sinister in the school and a group of student are trying to get to the bottom of it. But the entire story and execution is completely different! I enjoyed both series (Blacklist probably because it had Ohm, Drake and Frank in it), and this one because it was executed so well.
Pang - I've seen Nanon in a few dramas now (My Dear Loser & Blacklist), and he's alright. Pang probably wasn't my favorite character, but he was a good guy, and he was trying to fight against an oppressive system even though he was at the top of the food chain - which is isn't entirely true because he was both at the top and the bottom. He was in the gifted class, while still being in the bottom most class.
Wave - Chimon is always a treat to watch, I feel. I think he's grown a lot as an actor since My Dear Loser. But I adore watching him. He's a talented kid. I like him in badboy roles. Even though this one was badboy with a twist. You could tell from the beginning that his bad attitude came from a place of hurt and I was looking forward to Pang and Wave's friendship which I knew was inevitable. I can't wait for Season 2 for more of their shenanigans.
Namtarn - I love Namtarn. She is so badass. I love how dedicated she is and how she is so selfless with her friendship and love. I think Lilly did a fantastic job. I was totally shipping Pang/Namtarn/Wave in any iteration.
Ohm - Sing is another actor who I've seen in a few dramas now, but always as a supporting character. It's good to see him in a meatier role. He's cute as Ohm - a very lovable annoying, nosy best-friend (What is it with Thai Dramas and Annoying Nosy Best Friends?)
Claire - I love how Claire goes for resident bitch to sweetheart in one episode. I totally thought she would be a Diva throughout the show, but I'm glad she wasn't. I'm glad they showed her to be more than just a pretty face. I love how much she cared about Punn and Korn. I love how she could switch to Diva mode too though (Ep. 13). Also, if Pluem would have been in this show it would have been a My Dear Loser Reunion!! :'(
Punn - It's so interesting to see Gunn play a straight character for a change. I know he's done a few B/G dramas where he has played a straight character, but I haven't seen those yet. I'm not a Gunn fan, but this show might just change my mind - he played 4 freaking personalities - KUDOS man. That is some talent. Well done.
Korn - I think Korn might low-key be my favorite character. I wish they had developed his story a little more and given him more screen time. I have only seen him in Sotus S before where he also played the lonely nerd type character, but I think he has a lot of potential. I think my favorite part of his character was his friendship with Claire and how he loved her because he loved her and never expected anything from her in return. I love that kind of portrayal of love and friendship and it is so rare to find - usually the character gets jealous and possessive over the person they are interested in and starts sabotaging their relationship and etc. I wish the rest of the Gifted gang would have helped Korn feel less isolated though.
Mon - Such an interesting character. I've seen Puimek in a couple of shows (MDL, Sotus S, FriendZone) before and I've always enjoyed her performance - she is very talented. I also enjoyed her storyline a lot.
Jo & Jack - They didn't get a lot of screen time or get their story told in this series (tbh I'm not a big fan of the actors collectively I've seen 3/3 of JJ's listed finished work, and 6/8 of AJ's). I know we didn't have time for it but it would have been nice to see it.
Nac - Ah. So much to say, but I don't know where to start. I think we all can find Nac in one of our friends, and Nac in ourselves as well. He is such a human character, and it was so sad to see. Ep 13 made me happy to some extent, but its sad to me that the only way Nac and Pang could be friends is if Pang is somehow inferior to Nac, if it is reversed it doesn't work anymore. I wish we knew more about Nac's damage - why does he need to feel superior to Pang? He seemed like such a good friend. It really really broke my heart.
Mr. Pom - Another heart breaking story. I'm glad we got to know more about Mr. Pom. But I wish they had given more screen time to his story. It was so rushed. Pom/Non needed more time!!! *crying fujoshi tears*
Principal - Oh man. Come on. Seriously? Episode 1. That's all I'm gonna say.
Ms. Ladda - What an amazing character. I loved her. From start to finish. Katreeya is so amazing. She really makes you feel her glare. AMAZING!
Non - *cries furious Fujoshi tears* I needed more Non in my life. I needed more Pom/Non in my life. Mek is so cute with glasses and a Nerdy look - he needs to play a nerd more often. Also kudos to the styling team (because if anyone has seen KMA and DBK, his hair was such a mess in those shows).
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This review may contain spoilers
I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THIS GREAT!
(I never thought this review would be this long, too! So you have to bear with me.)As I remember, two of my friends asked me to watch "The Gifted." I was very hesitant at that time since I'm not a fan of the Genre (which is suspense and thriller) and covers about school and geniuses too. Do you know what I mean? HAHAHA. This thing is absolutely out of my preferences. Don't give me headaches, please! (lol, kidding aside). I rejected them since I'm always into Drama, Romance, and Comedy. For, Binge-watching a series while having some stuff in school is not something that makes me comfortable and at ease. But guess what? I just found myself in one of the classroom's corners watching the first episode! Perhaps it takes 2-3 friends to make me hop onto it.
But my preferences blocked me from watching the third, so on and so fort episodes! I got bored. There were some times that I slept while watching episode 2. I don't know why; it made me yawn all the time! So, what I did was I put the series on hold and watched it again a couple of months later. And here, after completing the first season, I was left in shock, awe, and tears. IT'S REAL!
Let's start!
STORY: 10/10
The story was somehow implying the current education system today. Generally, It talks about inequality, injustices, and the presence of superiority and inferiority in the school. These things led the students (The gifted) to make plans towards making a healthy environment where they (including the regular students from other sections) can study with ease and comfort. They want to prove that who's last can be first. It is more showing students life experiences, whether good or bad, under the teachers, administrators, and school directors. But who would have thought that that plan could be so chaotic? Why? Watch it!
I bet students in this generation might be interested in it. Honestly, I've never seen this story before, so it's kind of new to me. Being said, I have no idea how the series goes. I couldn't think of any predictions about what would happen next or what would be the ending is all about. I was always just on the edge of the seat when I get back to it. Talking about the story as a whole, I can say that it's the best for me. The twists and revelations make plus points to the series. One thing that I also like is that the series was so engaging and made me wonder all the time. SUPERB!
ACTING/CAST: 9/10
I like how every gifted student has unique hidden potential that no one could ever think. It looks so cool to me. Throughout the series, I did not notice any bland or inappropriate actions. They performed well their respective roles (especially JJ) despite being not so old in the industry. Pang, Wave, and Namtarn were the best for me. It's nine/ten because there were small lapses I noticed (like the school was so big, but there were only 3-4 teachers and just a few students.) But I know It doesn't matter anymore considering that story alone is already a work of art.
MUSIC: 9/10
That was so intense! The opening music always gives me thrill and excitement, knowing that every scene is getting excellent. The effects were well executed.
REWATCH VALUE: 10/10
This time around, I will never be bored. After finishing the series, I think I could rewatch it over and over again with the same feelings and emotions. I'd love to see my family and friends watching it too!
Kudos to the directors and the entire team for the success of the first season. The Gifted: Graduation is out now!
Don't give it a try. You should watch it!
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This review may contain spoilers
Do not underestimate: this series is what I have been waiting for so long.
The storyline is just mindblowing. The Gifted is what I've been waiting for so long. So dark, so dystopian, but so exciting to wait for more.The first seven episodes are not somewhat perfect but I still like it. They set the mood for each episode to match the character they want to highlight: for Ohm it's comedy-inspired, for Namtaan it's a detective story, for Claire it's pure drama, for Punn it's psychological thriller, for Mon it's action, and for Korn it's romance. But they still didn't leave the main thread at all, which at first confuses me, but then as I keep watching I became addicted to it. Glad they added Wave at episode 9.
Then the real story began at the 8th episode. From this point, it frames and reframes each character; giving you the thirst for curiosity and it makes me always questioning who's the good and who's the bad. Even in the ending, I cannot decide whether it was Pang or Supot who was good or bad.
I also love the ending. It's epic: they stitched it with a flashback between Pom and Chanon; and then Pang back to the place where the series began. What's in the ending is actually a hanging one – but it's thrilling and mindblowing, a must for a dystopian theme. From the start to end, I barely could find any loopholes or bumps within the story, which is what makes me giving the review of... a must watch and rewatch!
I also noticed that many themes of this series are taking directly to what people like from other TV and movies. I noticed these:
- Issues about teens and their distrust to adults; and Adults creating a system that puts younger people in unfairness = "Battle Royale"
- Pang and Supot trying to outsmart each other with tricks and strategies = "Death Note"
- Ordinary people are with superpowers = "Heroes"
- ..in a school setting = "Harry Potter"
- Claire's scene at the theatre with drum beats as the music = "Birdman"
- Mon's fighting scenes = just call any martial arts movies you like
But either they are trying to copy it or not, this fantasy and thriller series is way better. They added an Asian touch of the series: for every single plot twists, flashbacks, and "reasons" behind someone doing something, they gave it clear and loud, which is what many Western series with similar themes often don't do.
Nanon's acting from a low-grade student (he can make that stupid face!) to a rebelious student with full of tactics, he perfected it. The visuals are way different than other GMM TV or Thai series, as well as the music score (they are my phone's ringtone now); I am now so much in the fan of this series. I watched the episode every single night after work, I reduced my sleeping hours just because I became so curious about what's next, and when the weekend comes I binge-watched it until the end. 13 episodes, 13 hours well spent for me.
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The Gifted starts as an episodic show where the first 8 episodes focuses on a different character. Each character is intriguing and the episodes do a brilliant job introducing backstory, side characters, and character development within a span of 40 minutes. Each episode was like a different genre: Drama, Mystery, Rom-Com, Supernatural, Psychological, Horror, Suspense, Thriller, and even Action. The number of Harry Potter references in the comments sections is hilarious. I can see Pang as Harry, Namtarn as Hermione, and Ohm as Ron. I bet Wave would be Draco and Ladda is Snape.
Let's talk about the characters:
Pang/Nanon: My feelings for the main lead waver through out the show (especially because all of the characters are so well written and acted), but he's likable enough to keep you watching. The first and last episode are probably his greatest in terms of acting.
Ohm/Sing: I think this is Sing's first lead role and he totally killed it. This boy is so talented and he deserves more than just support roles. Ohm wavers between cheerful and anxious so brilliantly.
Namtarn/Lilly: Okay...I'm not really a fan of this character. I don't like her and I don't care for her romance with Pang.
Punn/Gun: The episode that featured Gun's character Punn is hands-down the BEST. This episode alone could be an entire series. Gun's talent is unreal and he brings it all in this show. I would happily watch Gun play such complex roles forever. Cute Gun is to die for, but complex, acting God Gun is to live for! I spent this whole episode just holding my breath because every damn scene with Gun in it was just that intense. This episode alone I will rewatch over and over. I totally get why he won an award for this role and he deserves it.
Claire/Jane: Girl killed it! Normally, I hate Jane's character type but for the first time, the Queen Bee characters was my favorite Female character. Her development from Queen Bee to loving/sassy/genuine is awesome. Jane played a big part of why Punn's episode (#5) is so great. While I'm a big fan of OFFGUN, PunnxClaire is my favorite couple in this show and the only romance I want to see in Season 2 is theirs!
Wave/Chimmon: By the end, I liked Wave a lot better than Pang. Wave had his head straight the whole time and never wavered from his goals and objectives- qualities I like in protagonists. Part of the reason I don't like Pang is because towards the end, he gets so side-tracked and distracted in a way that (makes sense but also) strays from who we saw in the first episode. Wave's back story was one of the creepiest so it was a surprise when he came back as one of the most likable characters.
Mon/Puimek: This girl can kick butt! She was a fight scene with Punn that is just too awesome for words. I did not know Gun or the girl from Sotus S (Khao Fang) could fight so well! I really wanted to see her and Art get into a relationship.
Korn/Fiat: As much as I like Fiat, I think you could have taken him out of the show and it wouldn't have made much of a difference to the story. I hope he plays a bigger role in Season 2.
Jo & Jack/ AJ & JJ: These boys deserved an episode! I want to see the twins acting together so bad! Aside from short guest appearances here and there, we have yet to see these brother act in an extended scene.
If you read this far, I hope I've convinced you to give this show a try. It totally deserves it's high rating.
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