1
noodle
Snogging? – TICK! (10/10) Plot? – not so much.
First impression:
This series has had lots of money spent on it. The locations, the clothes, the superbikes – everything is expensive - and it is shot beautifully. I found the arranged marriage that Kuea and Kilen were so openly told about as children to be a strange and interesting starting point. I actually thought that this was setting the show up to exist in a fantasy version of modern day Thailand where it was accepted as the norm, but it wasn't. Their early interactions (as adults) were intriguingly dramatic and the first couple of episodes totally sucked me in. They don’t communicate well (understatement) and hide a lot from each other. Kuea’s misunderstanding, hurt and subsequent withdrawal seem totally legitimate reactions at the beginning. The ins-and-outs of their trusting each other and then not, and getting together romantically (so convincingly), to then fall into a state of unease again all become a bit confusing / frustrating – but it turns out that’s basically the plot! Once that became clear it felt a little bit limp, but I went in without any particular expectations so it was all good.
Cast:
Apart from a little bit of Zee and a tiny bit of Perth (playing Jay), I hadn’t seen the cast in anything before. I wasn’t aware of the Zee/Saint - CP/SCOY showdown (obvs I am now cos I’m showing off my acronyms) and I hadn’t even come across Boun and Prem. So it’s been educational for me ^^.
I wasn’t keen on the 2nd couple (Yi and Diao), but they didn’t have much to work with. I found it difficult to swallow all that Diao going to “teach” his judo class in secret (alongside the actual teacher XD), to a group of bemused looking kids. That sports centre though! I want a go on the climbing wall.
Zee - I love this man. I'd be happy to watch Zee in flirt mode (permanently activated?) all day, every day. I think the main draw of the series is the chemistry between him and NuNew and their pairing is as good as it gets. Apart from kissing, all Kilen really does for the second half of the show is try and reassure Kuea but I liked it - found it v comforting.
NuNew: blew me away - he's so talented he deserves his own paragraph (really needs to get some sort of BL newcomer award). He looked and acted the part – could not have been cuter - add to that his voice – he was bang on perfect for the role. His stage performances = zero cringe – he was simply a joy to watch - how is that even possible given the set up? Also give him credit for being a convincing crier – though I could have done with less of that towards the end.
Off the boil:
I lost watch-momentum midway through and it went from something I really looked forward to, to something I wanted to feel excited about but just didn’t. I had been watching the episodes as soon as they came out for the first 7 or so, but there a break in the schedule for Songkran/Thai New Year and I never got back into the swing again after that. There were a few things at the beginning that I liked and thought would feature throughout, but just vanished - like Keua’s parental home and housekeeper (she was a cutie!) and Kilen’s workplace. I’m glad Foei was a permanent fixture - he was a highlight - his side-eye in the car – hehehe!! It was the 3rd couple, Syn and Nuer, who saved it for me - arg, I loved them so much: the eye contact, the accidental falling-on-the-face-kiss ^o^. They brought life back to the series when it was flagging.
Slight agitations:
Everything in CP is exaggerated – it’s totally fantasy BL land - but despite taking it all with a pinch of salt I did find the infantilising of Kuea and Diao in some scenes (more with Diao) a bit.… gross. Other than that I didn’t have a problem with the dynamics between the couples. I don’t mind a bit of toxicity! -Especially not when it’s clearly depicted as being “wrong” and they try to right it.
Also mildly agitated (/amused) by Kuea’s interior decor – those massive pics of supercars, him on his bike and the Kilen shrine! XD
Overall:
Wouldn't watch the whole thing again, but I would do certain episodes. Best things about it for me were Zee and NuNew's partnership, and the music.
This series has had lots of money spent on it. The locations, the clothes, the superbikes – everything is expensive - and it is shot beautifully. I found the arranged marriage that Kuea and Kilen were so openly told about as children to be a strange and interesting starting point. I actually thought that this was setting the show up to exist in a fantasy version of modern day Thailand where it was accepted as the norm, but it wasn't. Their early interactions (as adults) were intriguingly dramatic and the first couple of episodes totally sucked me in. They don’t communicate well (understatement) and hide a lot from each other. Kuea’s misunderstanding, hurt and subsequent withdrawal seem totally legitimate reactions at the beginning. The ins-and-outs of their trusting each other and then not, and getting together romantically (so convincingly), to then fall into a state of unease again all become a bit confusing / frustrating – but it turns out that’s basically the plot! Once that became clear it felt a little bit limp, but I went in without any particular expectations so it was all good.
Cast:
Apart from a little bit of Zee and a tiny bit of Perth (playing Jay), I hadn’t seen the cast in anything before. I wasn’t aware of the Zee/Saint - CP/SCOY showdown (obvs I am now cos I’m showing off my acronyms) and I hadn’t even come across Boun and Prem. So it’s been educational for me ^^.
I wasn’t keen on the 2nd couple (Yi and Diao), but they didn’t have much to work with. I found it difficult to swallow all that Diao going to “teach” his judo class in secret (alongside the actual teacher XD), to a group of bemused looking kids. That sports centre though! I want a go on the climbing wall.
Zee - I love this man. I'd be happy to watch Zee in flirt mode (permanently activated?) all day, every day. I think the main draw of the series is the chemistry between him and NuNew and their pairing is as good as it gets. Apart from kissing, all Kilen really does for the second half of the show is try and reassure Kuea but I liked it - found it v comforting.
NuNew: blew me away - he's so talented he deserves his own paragraph (really needs to get some sort of BL newcomer award). He looked and acted the part – could not have been cuter - add to that his voice – he was bang on perfect for the role. His stage performances = zero cringe – he was simply a joy to watch - how is that even possible given the set up? Also give him credit for being a convincing crier – though I could have done with less of that towards the end.
Off the boil:
I lost watch-momentum midway through and it went from something I really looked forward to, to something I wanted to feel excited about but just didn’t. I had been watching the episodes as soon as they came out for the first 7 or so, but there a break in the schedule for Songkran/Thai New Year and I never got back into the swing again after that. There were a few things at the beginning that I liked and thought would feature throughout, but just vanished - like Keua’s parental home and housekeeper (she was a cutie!) and Kilen’s workplace. I’m glad Foei was a permanent fixture - he was a highlight - his side-eye in the car – hehehe!! It was the 3rd couple, Syn and Nuer, who saved it for me - arg, I loved them so much: the eye contact, the accidental falling-on-the-face-kiss ^o^. They brought life back to the series when it was flagging.
Slight agitations:
Everything in CP is exaggerated – it’s totally fantasy BL land - but despite taking it all with a pinch of salt I did find the infantilising of Kuea and Diao in some scenes (more with Diao) a bit.… gross. Other than that I didn’t have a problem with the dynamics between the couples. I don’t mind a bit of toxicity! -Especially not when it’s clearly depicted as being “wrong” and they try to right it.
Also mildly agitated (/amused) by Kuea’s interior decor – those massive pics of supercars, him on his bike and the Kilen shrine! XD
Overall:
Wouldn't watch the whole thing again, but I would do certain episodes. Best things about it for me were Zee and NuNew's partnership, and the music.
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