The Fallen Leaf (2019)

This review is intended to offer you an opinion of what I thought about this drama. It is not intended to sway you in anyways.

SPOILERS:

OMG YES!!! What a satisfying ending to such an interesting drama. This drama is interesting to watch, but you must have an open mind. If you aren't into cheating, pseudo incest-relationships (that is Nira and her uncle-in-law kissing etc), gender identity/transgender identity, revenge for the sake of revenge, etc...you will not enjoy this. However, we should always remember that there are lessons to learn from dramas like this.

WARNING:

This drama deals with lots of human issues.
1) transgender identities/gender identities
2) cheating
3) domestic violence
4) Mental Illness
5) Suicide
6) Cross dressing
7) Niece (who used to be a nephew) falling in love with uncle-in-law

You name it, it has it. It was a very well acted drama and every single actor did well in bringing their characters to life. MY GOD, that young woman playing Nira was amazing. I have never seen any of her work, but I have read from others how good she is, and I must say she really gave Nira a voice.

My second favorite character, believe it or not, was her father. He was introduced as an abusive, narcissistic, shallow and bigoted person. He was for intents and purpose a character you hated through the whole series until before the last two episodes, where he was humbled by learning the secret of who Nira was. Yes, as a viewer we are led to hating such a person, but his entire flawed nature as well as his realizing how horrible he had been showed how much range and development that character had. He was brought down from his high horse so to speak. I really loved the way his character did a complete 180 and became someone I actually sort of felt pity for. True he was a cheater and abusive to his wife and child, but losing his son did hurt him in some way. And then to find out he was now Nira, but still lost her when she left, left him as a shell of a man.

I was also surprised with the aunt. She was so unlikable and really selfish, just like her brother, but it was sort of sweet how she took care of him in the end and how she also felt sadness for what she did to Nira. It doesn't completely erase how horrible she had been initially, but again just like her brother's character, she too grew and showed more sides of her.

I was completely HAPPY with the ending we got. I was all for Nira either being alone, but happy with herself, than together with her uncle. Their relationship was doomed from the start. IT was obvious.

Nira had some deep seeded hate and her mental illness did not help. She needed to find herself and who she wanted to be, before even thinking of having a healthy normal relationship with ANYONE. I am so glad, that despite her suicide attempt, the drama ended with her staying alive and learning to love herself.

Supporting cast was also great!

Fantastic cast.

Music was nice and nostalgic

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Nira was fantastic!

I loved her! I loved her! I loved her! I didn't get the extent of her hatred towards her father and aunt, but I guess the series wouldn't have been as good if it hadn't existed. She is not perfect. She is very flawed. She is so hurt and broken. And that makes her do so many stupid things. But she is smart, and strong, and brave. I just wanted to wrap her up in a blanket and hug her.

I loved the family Nira had around her - Dr. Ben, Aunt On, Yod, Tong, Uncle Pon. They were all so amazing. I love how there were times when distrust threatened to break those relationships, but they trusted each other enough to let it go.

Chut - OMG. Whoever styles Push's hair deserves all the awards. It makes him look so good. Add to that the suits and that 1000W Smile. I am dead. I wish the ending was happier. But there were too many lies (and I'm not talking about the lie about being Transgender, although that may be one of the many). Chut was already so haunted by the loss of his nephew, and we saw that throughout the show. He loved his nephew so much. I love how patient he was with Nira. I loved how he took care of her.

Dr. Ben - OMG. I loved how he loved Nira. How he accepted all of her. I loved how he was willing to let her go because he knew she wouldn't love him the way he loved her. I loved that he was still there for her despite that. I loved that he didn't let that affect the way he treated Chut or Nira, or them as a couple (except briefly before he kissed Nira). I love him. He is so selfless and mature. He is amazing.

Chom - He was a character I never thought I would ever sympathize with. I hated him and the way he objectified and doggedly pursued Nira. I hated him for the way he crossed the line with her over and over again even with her firmly drawing the line. I hated how even when he got clues, he still ignored them. But over the course of the show I realized that he did love his son. I understand why he was so reluctant to accept Chananthawat being trans. No parent wants to see their child suffer or go through undergo discrimination. They don't understand the internal turmoil the child is going through, they only see that society is going to give them a lot of burden. I can see where Chom was coming from. I don't agree with him, but I get it. He was trying to protect Chun the best way he knew how, but preventing him from being Society's laughing stock.

Rong - I hated her. I really did. Right until the last episode. I think at one point in time she must have been a nice person because Chut must have date her for a reason. He doesn't seem the kind who would have dated her for money. He may have been tricked into marrying her but he dated her of his own volition, so there must have been a time when she was good. I think we see glimpses of that in the last two episodes. I wanted to see more.

Manow & Aunt Jib- What a bunch of fungii! I am surprised people still worked with her with that attitude and horrible work ethic. *puke* I can't believe her cousin gave her those photos. He should have known it was going too far and just stopped it. He knew how toxic she was.

All the side family -
Yod - amazing - What a character! They are strong and brave and face everything head on. I love how much they love Nira, even when they know Nira isn't telling them everything.

Tong - SO ADORABLE! I love Tong! He is Nira's brother! He and Nira care so deeply for each other. Sometime in the beginning I thought he was eventually going to betray her. I'm so glad I was proven wrong because he is probably one of my favorite characters.

Uncle Pon - He is Nira's only OG family. He knew her from when she was a child, and has accepted her as Miss, since she was a little girl. He truly loves her. And she truly loves him.

Aunt On - She is so adorable. I love her.

**SPOILERY SPOILERY SPOILER ALERT**
I wish this show had a happier ending. I wish Nira and her father reconciled because he was willing to love her as Nira, completely. I love that we see that Chom loves his daughter, and that Aunt Rong isn't completely horrid. I wish Chut and Nira had a happier ending, and that he could have accepted her as Nira. But even in the beginning we could see that he was haunted by the ghost of his nephew, so I guess that lie would always have been an anvil over their heads. But they made a beautiful couple. I know too much happened for the Siriwats too ever have become a happy-ever-after family, but I hope maybe someday we can have a season 2 of them building bridges. Maybe Rong goes to find Nira because Chom's sickness takes a turn for the worse and needs to prove to Nira that she isn't the horrid aunt she used to be. And she really has changed. And maybe along the way they really do become friends. And maybe Rong becomes instrumental in bringing Chut and Nira back together because she could see how much happier he was with her? And maybe along the way she finds someone who doesn't take her shit when she has her diva moments... IDK part maybe Dr. Ben. I know he's too good for her, but maybe he can handle her y'know what I mean?

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