The Outing (2024)

The Messiness of Mixing Business, Pleasure and Family

It was really good. A story with a simple moral/warning that people know well but still don't heed, is that family, business and pleasure do not mix well and this 12 ep drama manages to tell the story of multiple people who do exactly that, mixing it all together in the worst possible way, and we see just how it destroys some relationships, brings some people dubiously closer and leaves a mess in it's wake for all involved.

THE GOOD:
- The acting of everyone in this is absolutely above the standard, no one got left behind on that front. The dialogue has a specific flow and tone that can easily convey the atmosphere and scenes and the actors all really nailed it.
- Likewise, I think the director of this also knew what they were doing. The flow of the narrative and the scenes were all so well timed and depicted.
- The editing and cinematography were great too. I have always preferred shows that don't drown their scenes in long drawn out shots and music. In real life, there is no sad soundtrack when bad things are happening and the deafening silence in a terrible moment is oftentimes what really makes the moment worse. I think this show had silences exactly where it was necessary and they were weighted and poignant. Also the scene cuts were good and not all over the place episodically, they actually line up well according to the timeline of the outing duration.
- Interesting yet relatable characters abound for most people. The human condition on display, well and quite realistically written.
- It was entertaining, which for any show is a must.
- Some of the conversations here are pretty interesting, insightful and highlight some good points about people and relationships.

Nothing BAD, just notes on the downside:
- I didn't like the lip syncing outro. That is a bit too extra. I mean, music is a great thing to listen to when someone is in a mood, but those scenes would have been less cheesy if the relevant people lip syncing had instead put in headphones or been listening to the song somehow and wallowing. This is just my irritation though, it doesn't affect the show at all.
- Ari's issue wasn't entirely clear in the end, I feel like she's the only one who's actual problem/actions were not too clearly defined, we needed some clarity there. Although, conclusions can be drawn, but they are vague.

THE HIGHLIGHTS:
- For me; MAXIIIN <3
- I also like Nonkul, so secondary <3
- THE ACTING. Kudos to everyone on the cast.

They honestly probably could do more with this series, because the fallout and aftermath of these situations could fuel a soap opera-esque miniseries, but even as it ended, it's fine. I really enjoyed this and I would definitely recommend it for viewers who are not here for ships, just for your fave actors or just for the hope of BL or GL scenes, watch it for the story and acting, because it's actually really good.

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