FTLOD
Asia
I have watched all the seasons of the History universe....and without a doubt...Make Your Days Count (MYDC) is not only the best in the whole series but also a fine example of superior story telling. This show has singlehandedly changed the BL genre and proven that these shows need to be taken seriously....just like any other straight relationship based dramas/movies. The last episode was controversial....many criticized the whole show because of it....but my review is not about the ending. As much as I struggled to accept the way the makers ended the show, it did not impact my adoration for this masterpiece. Here are my reasons why you should DEFINITELY give MYDC a chance, especially if you are a BL fan & why I absolutely loved this show:
1. Story, Writing & Direction: The story isn't new. It’s simple high school centric plot focusing on the struggles of being a teenager. The plot revolved around first love, friendship and the trials of adulting. But what makes this cliché story a complete knockout…is its execution. There is nothing more satisfying than witnessing a familiar story but with crystal direction, inspired writing and perfect screenplay. The trio needs to be in sync with each other to create magic onscreen. There were no disjoined moments, or episodes which felt un-organic. The story flew from one frame to another with ridiculous ease and believability. The series on the paper was visualized impeccably, making the direction easier. Special shout out to the team behind the camera who put all their ideas together and came up with this show.
2. Characters & Acting (Secondary Actors): Oh boy….where do I begin? If there’s anything that’ll leave a lasting impact on the viewers after watching this show…then that’s the characters. Every character in this story was strategically placed with certain meaning attached to their existence. Let me start with the secondary characters. Even if their purpose was not to show what they believed or what their world is like, their role in extracting the best reactions out of our leads was done splendidly. The friends and family of our leads did a great job of creating an authentic world. The group of six friends of the lead (Hao Ting) and second lead actor (Sun Bo Xiang) is the emotional backbone of this story. All the actors were ridiculously cute, honest, and natural in their portrayal of teenagers. The mother, father and sister of our lead character Hao Ting were the endearing parts of the story. Their presence added immense depth in the story and created a complex emotional narrative.
3. Main Leads: This is the part I’ve been dying to discuss. Let me make a prediction….WAYNE SONG (HAO TING) WILL WIN A GOLDEN HORSE VERY SOON. Why you ask? We usually use terms like “natural” or “gifted” to describe people who are exceptional at what they do……Wayne Song definitely falls under this category. This man can act….not act….but like ACT! He is so freaking good at this job that I thank my stars that he pursued this profession. His character was brilliantly layered. Hao Ting goes through various transitions throughout the story. He is witty, funny, silly, dumb, mean, innocent, naïve, aggressive, passionate, persuasive, straightforward, impulsive, hotheaded, caring and so on. I can probably go on but you get the drift. Wayne absorbed this character like a sponge! His improvisational skills, presence of mind and ease of portraying conflicting emotions makes me want to commend him again and again. I am damn sure that he will go places after this show as he bloody deserves it. This man’s acting chops are no joke. Definitely the next big thing in Taiwanese entertainment industry.
Huang Juan Zhi played by Yu Xi Gu is a shy, serious hardworking overachieving student. I am in absolute awe of this man’s ability to portray vulnerability and delicate emotions. He is the yin to Wayne Song’s Yang, and without him I doubt Wayne’s performance would’ve been this mesmerizing. Yu Xi Gu was subtle in presenting his character to the audience while not missing the essence of who he is. Not once did he break his character as he evolved in his journey with Wayne which is a testament of his talent. Now talking about the second leads….Wilson Liu played Sun Bo Xiang is a temperamental, passionate and loyal teenager who can swallow the world with his conviction and heart. Being the youngest out of the four, one would think Wilson would be lacking in some ways….but that would be wrong. He was very polished in his craft and presented a raw performance. His ease in front of the camera is visible, which makes his performance much more enjoyable. Thomas Chang played Lu Zhi Gang, an adult who seems sorted in life but in reality is burdened by his past emotional baggage. He portrayed his character just the way it should’ve been, sweet, reserved, caring and restrained. I am yet to be convinced about Thomas’ acting, probably because his character had limited emotional palette (according to me). Maybe after seeing his future projects I will be able to judge him better.
All in all, this show is abso-freaking-lutely amazing!!! As much as I liked Boundary Crossing and Trapped (Chris Wu is adorable), MYDC has raised the bar super high for upcoming BL shows. This one will be remembered for times to come and gain a cult following (I can already see that happening). I have seen many shows, too many to list and I’ve never shed a single tear (never been one of those people who can cry watching movies or dramas)……but I actually cried after watching MYCD. The emotional rollercoaster of MYCD is an experience in itself that needs to be undertaken at least once.
1. Story, Writing & Direction: The story isn't new. It’s simple high school centric plot focusing on the struggles of being a teenager. The plot revolved around first love, friendship and the trials of adulting. But what makes this cliché story a complete knockout…is its execution. There is nothing more satisfying than witnessing a familiar story but with crystal direction, inspired writing and perfect screenplay. The trio needs to be in sync with each other to create magic onscreen. There were no disjoined moments, or episodes which felt un-organic. The story flew from one frame to another with ridiculous ease and believability. The series on the paper was visualized impeccably, making the direction easier. Special shout out to the team behind the camera who put all their ideas together and came up with this show.
2. Characters & Acting (Secondary Actors): Oh boy….where do I begin? If there’s anything that’ll leave a lasting impact on the viewers after watching this show…then that’s the characters. Every character in this story was strategically placed with certain meaning attached to their existence. Let me start with the secondary characters. Even if their purpose was not to show what they believed or what their world is like, their role in extracting the best reactions out of our leads was done splendidly. The friends and family of our leads did a great job of creating an authentic world. The group of six friends of the lead (Hao Ting) and second lead actor (Sun Bo Xiang) is the emotional backbone of this story. All the actors were ridiculously cute, honest, and natural in their portrayal of teenagers. The mother, father and sister of our lead character Hao Ting were the endearing parts of the story. Their presence added immense depth in the story and created a complex emotional narrative.
3. Main Leads: This is the part I’ve been dying to discuss. Let me make a prediction….WAYNE SONG (HAO TING) WILL WIN A GOLDEN HORSE VERY SOON. Why you ask? We usually use terms like “natural” or “gifted” to describe people who are exceptional at what they do……Wayne Song definitely falls under this category. This man can act….not act….but like ACT! He is so freaking good at this job that I thank my stars that he pursued this profession. His character was brilliantly layered. Hao Ting goes through various transitions throughout the story. He is witty, funny, silly, dumb, mean, innocent, naïve, aggressive, passionate, persuasive, straightforward, impulsive, hotheaded, caring and so on. I can probably go on but you get the drift. Wayne absorbed this character like a sponge! His improvisational skills, presence of mind and ease of portraying conflicting emotions makes me want to commend him again and again. I am damn sure that he will go places after this show as he bloody deserves it. This man’s acting chops are no joke. Definitely the next big thing in Taiwanese entertainment industry.
Huang Juan Zhi played by Yu Xi Gu is a shy, serious hardworking overachieving student. I am in absolute awe of this man’s ability to portray vulnerability and delicate emotions. He is the yin to Wayne Song’s Yang, and without him I doubt Wayne’s performance would’ve been this mesmerizing. Yu Xi Gu was subtle in presenting his character to the audience while not missing the essence of who he is. Not once did he break his character as he evolved in his journey with Wayne which is a testament of his talent. Now talking about the second leads….Wilson Liu played Sun Bo Xiang is a temperamental, passionate and loyal teenager who can swallow the world with his conviction and heart. Being the youngest out of the four, one would think Wilson would be lacking in some ways….but that would be wrong. He was very polished in his craft and presented a raw performance. His ease in front of the camera is visible, which makes his performance much more enjoyable. Thomas Chang played Lu Zhi Gang, an adult who seems sorted in life but in reality is burdened by his past emotional baggage. He portrayed his character just the way it should’ve been, sweet, reserved, caring and restrained. I am yet to be convinced about Thomas’ acting, probably because his character had limited emotional palette (according to me). Maybe after seeing his future projects I will be able to judge him better.
All in all, this show is abso-freaking-lutely amazing!!! As much as I liked Boundary Crossing and Trapped (Chris Wu is adorable), MYDC has raised the bar super high for upcoming BL shows. This one will be remembered for times to come and gain a cult following (I can already see that happening). I have seen many shows, too many to list and I’ve never shed a single tear (never been one of those people who can cry watching movies or dramas)……but I actually cried after watching MYCD. The emotional rollercoaster of MYCD is an experience in itself that needs to be undertaken at least once.
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