Best BL of 2021

Things that I like about the series:
- Storyline wise, I loved it. This was another original concept that I felt was executed well.
- Let's dive into the characters. Tian has the best character development that I've ever seen, period. Not just in BL, but in general. Normally when we have the trope of spoiled rich kid who spends their time in a less fortunate environment, it's usually because they're forced into it. But for Tian, he VOLUNTEERS to go to Pha Pun Dao of his own free will. Even better, he knows it's a challenge for him. He's never cooked or cleaned for himself, and was practically born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he willingly leaves it all behind, even when it's technically not a good idea for him given his poor health.
- Speaking of Tian, him and Phupha's chemistry was electrifying. I think what makes their connection so strong was the fact that Earth and Mix, who plays the lead roles, have known each other for 7+ years prior to this series. It shows in how easily they interact with each other. Both actors were amazing in their roles. They are one of my favorite ships to date, right beside OhmFluke.
- Speaking of acting, I once again have to go back to Mix, and his role as Tian. 1000stars is Mix's first ever acting role, and yet, you could never tell that by watching this show. Mix did such an amazing job this series! From the BTS, I know he struggled along the way, but all his hard work truly paid off. Mix will be a force to be reckoned with in the BL industry. I know he'll also be in Fish Upon the Sky, so I look forward to seeing his acting skills once again.
- Let's talk about the scenery for a minute. Pha Pun Dao village and the surrounding forest was so breathtakingly beautiful! I haven't seen a lot of BL series yet, but from the few that I have seen, almost none of them have expanded their surroundings as much as this show. There's just something about nature that brings the whole show to life.
- The OST is one of my favorites, especially the opening theme. It's one of the few songs I actually want to try learning the lyrics to, even though it's in another language.
- Next, let's talk about the romance. This is a very slow-burning romance where Tian and Phupha don't even get together until the literal end of the series. Nevertheless, I love the affection and intimacy that is shown between them. There's no sex scenes or hot kissing, but this show didn't need it. We were able to perfectly see how much Tian and Phupha liked each other through their gestures, both big and small.
- I also like the lack of toxicity there was in the "relationship." No abuse, or crazy ex girlfriends, misunderstandings, etc. While I know there will be a few who disagrees with me, I believe this is one of the more mature pairings in BL.
- Lastly, I want to talk about the messages that this show produces. 1000stars tackles a lot of life lessons such as never taking life for granted, how happiness isn't always defined by riches, forgiveness, how we should always try to better ourselves, and how we should always work to help others. All of which are valuable lessons that we should all take to heart. We should all live our days as if it's our last because you never know when it will.

Things that I didn't like about the series:
- Honestly, there wasn't a whole lot I disliked about the series. There were a few minor things that bugged me, but nothing that hindered my enjoyment, thankfully.
- Let's talk about realism for a moment. I'll be completely honestly, it wasn't that realistic. Things like how Torfun's death was handled, to the villagers constantly changing their minds about Tian whether liking or disliking him, the whole ordeal with Mr. Sakda, etc. Like I said, not very realistic. That said, I actually didn't mind it that much. This was the ideal fairytale romance, and that's what I loved about it. We even got true love's kiss at the very end, which adds more to that fairytale element. Disney should take a few notes.
- The one thing that really bothered me, and we never really got a reason as to why this happened, but I hate that Phupha deliberately kept the news of Torfun's death a secret from the village, which in turn, became Tian's shoulder to burden. It's honestly not fair that he had to be the one who break the news, and I seriously can't figure out why it had to be him. It only added more fuel to the fire for him, and honestly, my heart broke for Tian during his admission about Torfun.
- Okay, I'm probably going to get a lot of hate for this one, but please hear me out! I love Earth as Chief Phupha, but I felt the character was very one-dimensional. He has almost little-to-no character development. He finally speaks up about what he really wants and feels at the end, but even then we still had Tian practically pulling it out of him. It was really annoying. I wish we had more time to develop his character more. The most we know about him is both parents are dead, and he doesn't want a partner because of how his mother felt when his father passed. That's pretty much it. I want more.

And while we're on the subject, let me share my thoughts about Chief Phupha's actions in episodes 8-10:
-I know a lot of people were very frustrated with Phupha since Tian broke the news to the village about Torfun. I myself was kindof pissed by how he was acting, but at the same time, I somewhat understand why he was acting the way he was. Him being mad at Tian when Tian said he was the reason Torfun is dead should've been obvious to everyone. Phupha even said he'd never forgive the person who killed Torfun, and here's Tian who basically said "I killed her!" It's a tough pill to swallow, and yes, anyone in his shoes would act out of anger in the beginning.
- As for Phupha pushing Tian out of the village to go back home, I can also understand where he's coming from. Let's be real here for a minute. Yes, Tian would want to stay because he grew to live it in the village, but he still had unfinished business to take care of at home. He's young and currently working on finishing his degree. His health is also not the best at the time. Let's not forget he nearly died TWICE during his time in the village. Not to mention Tian wasn't doing the best job at looking after his health. Also, the main reason why he was in the village was because of Torfun, not really for him. It was him wanting to get rid of the guilt he felt. Now that got Phupha and the villagers forgiveness, HE NEEDED TIME to forgive himself and figure out what he wanted to do with his life next. Phupha is in his thirties, which gives him seniority. He's essentially doing what he felt was best for Tian because he didn't want Tian to continue living his life because of Torfun.
- That said, was Phupha harsh about it? Absolutely. I'm not denying that he took it too far with trying to push Tian out, but I do understand his reasonings, and his fear that Tian may one day regret staying and not finishing his degree or doing something more with his life.

Overall Thoughts:
This story is so amazing, and definitely a top tier BL series in my book. Everything from the characters, to the storyline, the atmosphere, and music, was top notch. This show filled me with so much emotions, and also made me want to try living in a village like Pha Pun Dao. Like I said earlier, Tian had one of the best character developments I've ever seen, and for a rookie actor, Mix was incredible in the role. Other than the question of realism and how much Chief Phupha frustrated me towards the last 3 episodes, I thoroughly enjoyed this show. This is one BL I will never forget, one I will always recommend, and one I'll definitely watch more than once.

Rank: 9/10

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A Whole Lot of Nothing

Things that I like about the series:
- I'm finally talking about this season! I've mentioned this in my review of No.1 For You, but season one was my introduction to BL shows. I fell in love with Shu Yi and Shi De the moment they appeared on screen. SamYu have reprised their roles, and as expected, they continue to embody their roles flawlessly. Both actors are extremely talented, and now we've added some new actors to help develop the story.
- Pei Shou Yi returns, and this time, we got to see more of his backstory with Yu Zhen Xuan. Honestly, they were my favorite couple in the whole series. I found their dynamic interesting, and I was intrigued if whether or not they would actually get together. After watching the special episode after the finale episode, I was deeply satisfied.
- Speaking of Zhen Xuan, I just want to say how much I adore this character! He was like a puppy who would bite you, follow you, adore you, and want to stick to you, or Shou Yi in this case, like glue. Also, as someone who has a younger brother with aspergers, I was thrilled to see some representation and accuracy in the character's personality.
- The cinematography improved since season 1. There were some beautiful shots taken that were simply beautiful.

Things that I didn’t like about the series:
- So in my review of No.1 For You, I mentioned one of the things that hindered the show was the limited number of episodes we were given, which made the pace messy at times. Unfortunately in this season, the pacing became worse. There was so much going on, not a lot of what was happening made sense, and everything just kept moving too fast to keep up. If you're going to give us 6 episodes, at least make the episodes longer than 30 minutes.
- I finished the season, but I'm still left trying to figure out what was the central plot to the story considering everything that I thought were major conflicts were solved pretty early on. Shu Yi and Shi De got back together around ep 3-4, someone was trying to steal their alpha program, but the suspect was found in ep 5. No major conflict came between Shi De and Shu Yi's Dad. Soooo, a lot of nothing was going on. What was the point?
- Speaking of Shu Yi and Shi De's relationship, I had a lot of issues with this particular conflict. One of them being the special episode after season 1 ended. For those who don't know, in the special episode, Shu Yi decides to surprise Shi De in America, only to find him having a picnic with a girl and a baby. For some reason, Shu Yi automatically thinks that Shi De had a secret wife and kid.
where the Hell did that come from!?! This completely made no sense to me, and that kind of conclusion shouldn't have even come to Shu Yi's mind. In season 1, Shi De has made it known that Shu Yi was it for him. If we're going to suspect anyone of having any kind of relationship with a female, it would be Shu Yi, considering back in season 1 he was the one trying to date a girl after Shi De confessed his feelings to him! Aside from that, the idea of having a wife and kid in that short of a tame frame is ridiculous. Come on writers, you can do better than that!
- While we're on this subject, the mystery surrounding Shi De's supposed "wife" was never discussed in the main series...HOWEVER...there is a deleted scene which shows Shu Yi and Shi De having a conversation about her. It was revealed that her name was Ashley, and she was Shi De's new stepsister. WHY WAS THIS CUT OUT OF THE SERIES? You made this whole misunderstanding such a huge deal in the special episode and partly the first half of season 2, but then you cut it out? That was a poor decision.
- It was clear right away that the writers for this series really didn't know anything about computers and programming, and it showed. Nothing about this alpha program of theirs made sense, and it was over as fast as it was mentioned. RESEARCH, PEOPLE! If you're going to touch on someone that you know nothing about, do your research!
- Okay, let's talk about Shu Yi's Dad...I have no idea what to make of him. His personality changed so much I felt like the actor was trying to play two completely different characters. And after all the trouble he caused with Shi De and the deal they made, nothing else came of it once Shi De and Shu Yi got back together. I'm guessing they're trying to save more of their conflict for season 3, which has already been confirmed is happening.
- The magic I felt in Shu Yi and Shi De's relationship in season 1 wasn't present in season 2. Even after they got back together, it felt boring. Okay, they had a cute moment or two, but when the overall chemistry is lacking, it's a problem. When I find myself more interested in a side couple than the main couple, that's when there's really something wrong. Not only that, but the fact that they got back together so quickly without really resolving anything made all the suspense built up about this 5 year hatred Shu Yi had for Shi De seem wasted, and not very believable.
- Speaking of side couples...so Zhe Yu and Bing Wei were back...but I barely noticed them. Seriously, they did practically nothing for the entire series. You could've cut them off completely, and the show would've still ran perfectly fine. Yet they got their happy ending in the last episode with that proposal, but since we saw no progression in their relationship, or pretty much anything from them, it felt very underwhelming.
- I'll be honest, the entire last episode was underwhelming. It was just a couple trips down memory lane, a proposal from a side couple that was barely around, and that was it. Boring!
- They recycled the same OST from season 1. Why? Even TharnType season 2 had new music.
- Shu Yi was a big brat in season 1, and clearly hasn't matured 5 years later in season 1. He still acts so immature and childish, which is even more pathetic in this season since he's supposed to be running a big company firm. Yet he put his own petty feelings before anything else, and makes harsh decisions because of his personal business with Shi De. And clearly has hasn't gotten better at trying to outsmart Shi De.
- Also we're back to romanticizing physical and sexual abuse. No...just no. Shu Yi repeatedly hitting Shi De in the face, and a drunk Shi De forcing himself on an unwilling Shu Yi were completely cringe, and made me lose some respect for both characters.

Overall Thoughts:
So I'll be completely honest, I was completely bored with this entire series. Not even my love of SamYu was enough to make me enjoy this series. The only thing that kept my attention was the dynamic between Shou Yi and Zhen Xuan. Everything else was chaotic, messy, and underwhelming. Almost none of the first season's magic was shown here. This season felt like a filler. All actors were incredible as always, SamYu still have their chemistry, and I love Shou Yi and Zhen Xuan as a side couple, but none of that makes up for the terrible writing, poor editing decisions, lack of research, and underwhelming ending.

Rank: 5.5/10

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A mediocre blend of short stories

Normally I would wait until a series is complete before I leave a review, but seeing as how every episode is about a different couple, I figured it's best to address each episode as they come.

Episode One "Pretend to Love":
OhmFluke greets us on the screen again in the first episode of Close Friend. Pierce (Ohm) and Typhoon (Fluke) are a 3-year couple living together. Once Pierce gets an opportunity to help produce new music for a famous idol, their relationship slowly starts to crumble.

First of all, let me just say how much I love OhmFluke! They're my favorite BL couple of all time and I will always love them until the end of time. That said, this episode really doesn't do the pair justice. The length of the episode is around 20 minutes, and you can feel the limitations in its pacing. It jumps from scene to scene at an alarming rate while trying to build up how much Typhoon feels neglected by Pierce. The ending of the episode feels very underwhelming and incomplete. We don't even know if Pierce will learn to better prioritize his work life and homelife, nor did he acknowledge that he forgot his anniversary. We also didn’t get a whole lot of Pierce and Typhoon interacting together. Most of the episode was spent with Pierce and Marc being together, and Typhoon brooding alone at home.

Typhoon is understandably frustrated with Pierce spending more time away from home than at home, and I hate that he was made to feel childish.

I did like the concept of the show, because this is a realistic issue with a lot of couples. Where one member gets the job of a lifetime and completely ignores everything else around him, including their family. I just wish it was better developed.

I also feel like there was something going on between Pierce and idol Marc, but it was never addressed which I felt like was a wasted opportunity.

Overall thoughts:
Like I said, I love OhmFluke so much, and I wish I had enjoyed this episode more than I did. I think the show tried it's best to convey an entire story in 20 minutes, but that doesn't mean it was well executed. It decinitely left me feeling unsatisfied with how it ended, and I wish we had more. Ohm and Fluke are powerhouse actors and this episode was no exception. I do hope they get a proper new series to main in the future. I loved Until We Meet Again, and I so desperately want to see them in something new.

Episode One rank: 6.5/10

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Episode Two “Just Friend”

- We’ve now reached episode 2 of Close Friend. This one introduces the couple JaFirst. Right away, I can say that this story feels more complete than its previous episode. The storyline was very simple with no major complications, so by the time the ending came, it felt more complete.

- That being said, one question…Since when did we start romanticizing bestiality?

- Yes, you heard me right. This episode was nothing but a soft bestiality romance between a cat and his human owner. What makes it a “romance” is that we, the audience, see the interactions between P’Sin and Moojoom as if Moojoom was a human. First, who acts as the human version of Moojoom overly adorable, but at the end of the day, it was still an ordinary cat who’s in love with his owner. There was no magic that turned the cat into a human, or a cat shifter. It’s just an ordinary house cat. That just made things very uncomfortable.

- The pacing was still pretty fast, but I didn’t mind it nearly as much.

- There were a couple of unanswered questions like who left the cat at P’Sin’s house in the first place, or even what is his sexuality? He brought a girl home, but then just as quickly asked her to go home when he felt bad for how he treated the cat. Which, by the way, I highly doubt any single eligible bachelor would give up a hot date just to cuddle with a cat, which made it even more awkward in terms of the bestiality trope.

Overall Thoughts:
I’ve pretty much made my overall thoughts known. This episode was pretty cute, the storyline felt more complete than OhmFluke’s episode, and the actors had great chemistry. But what I can’t get with is the fact that this was basically a bestiality romance. No…just no.

Rank: 6.5/10

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Episode 3 "Willing or Not"

- Episode 3 gives us MaxNat in this tale between a senior and junior. Mini is a skinny hopeless junior who needs to join a club and was hoodwinked into joining the judo club. That's when he meets the intimidating senior, Titan. Right away, I can say this episode does the best job of telling a complete story than the first two episodes. What helps move the episode along was the little training montage with Titan teaching Mini basic judo. Even though Titan is essentially a hardass, you can see he's developing a soft spot for Mini.

- This episode thankfully gives us a small backstory with Titan, which I do appreciate, but once again the time constraint prevents us from really getting to know these characters.

- Aside from how short this episode is, I think the weakest element for me are the lead's chemistry. I'm not saying they don't have chemistry, but it's not as pronounced as it could be. There clearly is an attraction, but it's overshadowed by the training. I think their most intimate moment was Titan letting Mini flip him on purpose.

Overall Thoughts:
This episode was a lot better than the first two, but it was still pretty mediocre and honestly forgettable. I think MaxNat work well together, but this episode didn't do the best job of highlighting their on-screen chemistry. This episode definitely gave us a solid plot and it delivered with telling a cohesive story, but it still left me craving more of pretty much everything. As it stands, it was decent but pretty boring.

- Rank: 7.5/10

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Episode 4 "Just One Life"

- Now we're at LayYoon's episode, episode 4! XiaoPing, down on his luck when it comes to love seeks guidance from his best friend Peam. The adventures the two endure with rituals, praying, blind faith, etc was both lighthearted and heartwarming.

- The one thing this episode did better than it's last 3 predecessors was was being able to tell a cohesive story in its short time frame. We understood the plot, we saw the dynamics, and we even got a pretty satisfying ending.

- Right away you can see the strong bond of friendship between XiaoPing and Peam, even though Peam seems to have more feelings than friendship. Even though this was all a game for Peam, in the end he was still able to finally confess his feelings for XiaoPing, and help him realize that the love he'd been seeking all this time was right there in front of him. I love that we actually got to see XiaoPing coming to realize his feelings for Peam and it looked genuine. It didn't feel forced, or out of place. This was one of my favorite couples in the series and now I want to see more of them.

- Overall Thoughts:
I think I pretty much expressed how I felt about this episode. This was one of my favorites and leagues better than the first three. LayYoon had me smiling and giggling the entire episode. You instantly felt the connection between them. Even with Peam's "punishment" for tricking XiaoPing, it was still light and fun. This was a cute friends-to-lovers story, and I want more now!

- Rank: 8/10

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Episode 5 "Dear My Star"

- TommyJimmy are giving us 90s vibe in episode 5! Between the 90s era which gives me flashbacks to my childhood (I was born in 92), Night's interaction with his mother, and the overall connection between him and Cloud through letters, everything was just so heartwarming.

- I love the idea of pen pals writing back and forth, getting to know each other and growing closer despite not being able to see each other. Long Distance relationships, rather romantically or friendship, is never easy. So many obstacles get in the way, and the show does tackle a couple of those obstacles that is accurate for its era. There's no cell phones, no text messaging, pretty sure no emails. Everything was either by letter or land line (God I feel so old lol)

- Night and Cloud were so cute together. On the surface they seem to be complete opposites, but the more they learn about each other, the more they start blending their interests together. Like I said before, the back and forth between Night and his Mom was also hilarious. I loved their interactions.

- Just like with the previous episode, this episode also gave us a pretty satisfying ending with Cloud coming to see Night in person for the first time. We even get the subtle hint that maybe their friendship will blossom into something more. I loved this episode, and I hope we get a longer version somehow.

Overall Thoughts:
- This episode was my absolute favorite out of all six! This short story was able to give me everything I could've hoped for. Just like with the previous episode, we're given a cohesive story a simple plot, and a solid ending. Jimmy and Tommy are outstanding actors and as I said, you can feel their connection despite not being with each other in person. I love the 90s vibe this episode gave us, it was very nostalgic. This was a sweet and tender story with a glimpse of how it could evolve even after it ends. I wish we could get more, because I'm so invested in them now!

- Rank: 8/10

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Episode 6 "Imagine You"

- KimCop closes us off this anthology series with episode 5, a love between an idol and a fan. This episode didn't end the series on a positive note for me. I felt this was weaker than episodes 4 and 5. I'm not saying it was bad by any means, but it just wasn't doing it for me.

- Let's talk about the premise. We're given a unique concept with Ray being a huge fan of Jedi and was given VR goggles so he could have a virtual version of Jedi as the perfect boyfriend. I don't know why, but this brought me back to my manga days in High School, and one in particular was Absolute Boyfriend. This reminded me of that manga series, and not in a bad way.

- Ray and virtual Jedi had some cute interactions, while Ray also gets to meet his idol in the flesh at the coffee shop he works. I do like that later in the episode Ray acknowledges that the VR version of Jedi is just not. Virtual, but not real. It shows that he hasn't lost sight of reality even though he gets a taste of what being with his dream guy could be like.

- I think the weakest point for me is that we really didn't get much interaction between Ray and the real Jedi other than small talk and Ray being starstruck. Virtual Ray gives us a cryptic comment about how the real Jedi does notice him, and we do see them having a moment towards the end, but it leaves us with a lot of questions with no answers. This wasn't a solid ending, and I found myself confused when the episode finished.

- Overall Thoughts:
All in all this was a decent episode, but it didn't have the magic I felt in episodes 4 and 5. The premise was creative enough, and I did enjoy virtual Jedi and Ray's interaction. For me I think the problem was how confused I felt after watching it. We got more chemistry from Jedi's virtual counterpart than we did his irl version, so it made his moment with Ray in the end a little dejected. In the end this wasn't my favorite episode, but it was still pretty decent. This was more in line with episode 3 in that it was alright, but nothing to write home about.

- Rank: 7/10

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Bold but flawed storytelling

Things I liked about the series:
- I was so excited to see this series when I heard that Kao from Until We Meet Again was the main actor. I loved him as Kao, so I was looking forward to seeing him again. Since we’re already talking about Kao, let’s dive into his and Up’s acting and chemistry. No surprise, both actors were superb. I was so used to seeing Kao with Cooheart that I wasn’t sure how if I’d be able to picture him with Up. Surprisingly, Kao and Up seemed to suit each other a lot better than KaoEarth. As the show progressed their chemistry grew, and I loved their interactions. Playing someone like Nubsib wasn’t easy since the character had a lot of layers and personality to him, but Kao managed to play him amazingly. Same for Up and his role as Gene. Gene was so cute and adorable with his many facial expressions and his annoyance with Nubsib’s antics. I love this pairing so much.
- I want to dive into Up’s character more for a personal reason. Gene is an author who wrote his first BL novel—which was in the process of becoming a BL series—and was also writing another one due to popular demands. I’m also an author who wrote gay romance novels in my career, so I was able to relate with Gene on a deeper level. The subtle jabs at writing a BL novel—romanticizing sexual harassment, oversaturated NC scenes, concern if fans like a book for the plot or for the sex scenes—were all things I’ve experienced in my career, so it really hit home for me. Romance genre in general is notorious for romanticizing things like sexual harassment, nonconsensual advances, rape, etc, and the raunchier the book the more popular it becomes. It isn’t just the BL/MM industry, but the entire romance genre. Sex sells and we as authors are made to believe that we need sex scenes for a book to be a hit, even if we feel the plot doesn’t need it. It’s a very unsatisfying feeling when you don’t want those kinds of scenes in your book, but you have to put them in for fans to read them.
- Let’s also dive into Nubsib because I feel like this character has been getting a lot of unnecessary hate from fans and reactors. Part of that reason is the show’s misleading depiction of Nubsib being “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Many people read that and believed that Nubsib was a bad guy who could possibly hurt Gene or manipulate him. The reality of Nubsib being a wolf was that he was Gene’s childhood friend, and honorary brother to Gene’s family. Both their families are neighbors and have regarded each other as family. They separated years ago when Gene went to study abroad. Years later, Nubsib heard about Gene’s book becoming a novel, so he pretends to not know who Gene is so he could try to make Gene fall in love with him without Gene looking at Nubsib as a brother. That was it. There was no malicious intent, or using Gene to get what he wants other than him wanting Gene as a boyfriend. Many people don’t understand why Nubsib would lie to Gene about who he was, so let me give you an insight. In Asian culture, dating someone you consider family, even if they aren’t related by blood, is highly frowned upon. So with Gene and Nubsib being honorary brothers, the odds of them being a couple if Gene knew would’ve been slim to none. So in that sense, I get why Nubsib lied, but it still doesn’t erase the fact that lying was wrong. And I loved that Gene made sure Nubsib understood that. In Gene’s own words, he said that if this was a novel, this would’ve been a sweet moment, but this is reality, and you need to understand that what you did was wrong. I love how Gene made sure Nubsib took responsibility for his actions instead of just sweeping it under the rug. Other than that, there wasn’t anything to depict Nubsib as a bad guy. His motives for getting close to Gene were questionable, but he’s never done anything to harm or abuse Gene. Even when Gene was drunk and throwing himself at Nubsib, Sib refused to take advantage of him. Consent was a big deal for Nubsib, always asking for permission before doing something with Gene, and that makes me love him even more. I’ve seen BL characters who are far more toxic and abusive who fans have excused time and again—like Tharn, Type, and Lhong from TharnType, and Khai from Theory of Love—but with Nubsib, people are looking for every excuse to hate on him. Quite the double standards if you ask me. Nubsib is one of the least toxic BL characters in the industry and doesn’t deserve any of the hate he was getting.
- If we’re going to talk about jabs, then let’s talk about the main topic of this series. Lovely Writer was written as a way to spread awareness of the toxicity of the BL industry and fanservice. Honestly, I felt that we needed something like this, because fanservice is very destructive. Toxic fans have an issue separating fantasy with real life. They see a BL couple on screen and they automatically want them to start dating in real life. When they don’t, their ship sinks, and fans start attacking the same actors they claimed to love. Or if an actor reveals they’re dating someone else, fans will start harassing their boyfriends/girlfriends. To be fair, it’s not just the fans making this a toxic environment. Studios would have the actors play as a couple both onscreen and offscreen as a way of promoting their show, which I do not agree with. Their acting should just be on screen only, and let the actors be themselves off screen. All it does is further feed the toxic fandom which is damaging to an actors mental health. So many BL actors would leave the industry all together because of this. BL fans should understand that these couples will likely not be real couples off their shows. Majority of BL actors are straight, and trying to force them to date their male co-star is disgusting and disrespectful. Please know the difference between fantasy and reality, for everyone’s sake, and if you’re going to attack a BL actor for loving someone else then clearly you’re not a real fan.
- This series has given us a plethora of side characters to follow along, which includes the side character of Tum and Tiffy. I love the dynamic between the two, and I love how they both reversed the gender stereotype. Tum took on the more feminine role while Tiffy was the badass masculine biker chick. I also loved Gene’s best friend Hin, who acted as Gene’s support system. Both Hin and Tum had family dynamic issues; Tum with his controlling sister and boss, and Hin with his father abandoning his mother and leaving their family in debt. For Tum, I was glad to finally see him standing up to Tam in the final episode. As for Hin, he saw how successful Gene’s novel was, and wanted a piece of the action in hopes of getting his mother out of financial debt. Thankfully, the final episode gave him that opportunity.
- If we’re going to talk about family, I want to talk about Nubsib and Gene’s family. They’re all very close. Their mothers go to aerobic classes together, their brothers video chat with one another, Nubsib’s father wanting to do business with Gene’s. But I wanted to talk about Gene’s father in particular. Right away we were shown a glimpse that Teep wasn’t a fan of Nubsib and Gene’s relationship. At first we think it’s the typical homophobia reason, but the show surprised us with a unique revelation. Teep used to have a boyfriend before marrying Gene’s mother. His reason for not liking Gene and Nubsib’s relationship isn’t out of hate, but out of fear. Teep fears what will happen to Gene if their relationship goes public. Public pressure and lack of support caused Teep to lose his partner, and he didn’t want that for his son. We have never seen this concept in a BL before, and I was stunned when this was revealed to us, but I also love this twist. It’s a small yet important role that also helped Gene and his father become closer. When Nubsib and Gene had to breakup while Sib was under contract, the one person Gene could turn to was Teep. This was brilliant and I loved it so much.
- I want to digest the final episode for a moment. A lot of people were disappointed that during the press conference, Nubsib and Gene decided to go along with pretending that their relationship wasn’t real. In a perfect world, yes, it would’ve been nice to see them standing up for their love in front of everyone. However, this show was trying to portray the realistic situations of the BL industry, and unfortunately, that included pretending that no other relationship exists except for the main couple of the series. It’s heartbreaking, but no BL actor has ever gone against their contract. Doing so could result in legal issues. They could be sued, they could possibly never be able to work for another agency again, and their career could’ve ended on the spot. This is why a lot of BL actors wait for their contract to end before revealing their significant other to the world. It’s safer and less expensive.
- Speaking of the ending, those different ending reenactments that Nubsib and Gene did—Snow White, Cinderella, and Romeo & Juliet—were entertaining! But did they really had to do Romeo and Juliet? This was clearly an homage to Kao’s role in Until We Meet Again, which was essentially a Romeo/Juliet love story.
- Also, that surprise plot twist in the end with the actual author of the book “Lovely Writer” was a nice touch. Unexpecting, but genius, and a perfect way to end a series about an author.

Things that I didn’t like about the series:
- This show had a great idea of showing toxicity of the BL industry, but unfortunately, the execution was sorely lacking. We only got crumbs of the BL industry because the show had too many side stories fighting for attention. I wish we had a lot more of it because it is something that needed to be addressed. While I’m satisfied with the last two-three episodes for really showing us how toxic a fandom and shipping can get, the problem was for the most part it felt like an afterthought throughout most of the series when it should’ve been a main focal point.
- What can I say about the writing? It was cluttered and messy, especially the first half of the series. The problem with having so many characters and side stories in a 12 episode series, is that they can at times clash with one another, which creates an inconsistent mess. Some side stories could also get left behind, and I feel that’s what happened with Hin's story arc. His story was compelling, but we had very little to no development until the very last episode. Aey’s side story with his parents and his relationship with Mhok was also left behind with no development, and was completely forgotten about. It’s like the writers didn’t have a clear sense of direction on where they wanted the story to go. Either that, or they tried biting far more than they could chew. There were also a lot of scenes that either lagged for far too long in order to create tension, or scenes that didn’t need to be in the series at all. One example being Tum fishing his phone out the toilet. Why was this put in? An example of a scene lagging for far too long was when Nubsib was trying to get Gene to listen to him, but Sib never says anything. So, it was thirty seconds of absolute silence.
- Since I brought up Aey, let’s talk about his character. This was by far the most confusing character in the whole series. Aey was someone I generally felt bad for because of his terrible relationship with his parents, but much like the writing for the entire series, there was no cohesion with his development or motives. I honestly don’t even know what his motives were at all, or what his goals were anymore. One minute we see he wanted to become a maker and study in France, then that whole thing was nonexistent. Next we see him wanting Nubsib, but then turns around and says he wants Gene. Aey does things and say things, but then says he regrets it the next. What is this character supposed to be about?
- In addition, what was the point of Mhok being in the series? I felt like he was only in the series for maybe two-three episodes, and then was long forgotten. I thought maybe Aey would accept Mhok as a partner, but that never happened. Instead it looks like Mhok moved on with a new series, so what was the point of having him in the show to begin with? We also don’t know anything about him? We know he’s a friend to Aey’s family, but that was it. We don’t know anything of his and Aey’s history, or his purpose in keeping an eye on Aey. Nothing like that.
- I honestly forgot Hin was even in this series until the last 3 episodes. It was like his character was completely forgotten about it, which is unfortunate because I actually liked him. I would’ve loved to have seen more of him and his journey to become a writer.
- I raved about Tum and Tiffy, but even they gave me something to be disappointed in them about. Mainly towards Tiffy and her constantly thinking that Tum is gay. Literally how many times can he say he’s not before she believes it? He’s never even given her reason to think he was! Also, her yelling at Tum when news of Nubsib and Gene’s relationship surfaced. Why? Tum literally didn’t do anything, so why was she blaming her? And the show never gave us a clear reason for why she quit being Aey’s manager, what happened?
- Okay, I’ve defended Nubsib but even I have to admit that his pursuit of Gene is somewhat problematic and stalkerish. Do I think there was malicious intent? Of course not. But yes, I can see the issue with Nubsib always needing to be close to Gene and know what’s going on with him. But again, he’s one of the least toxic BL characters I’ve seen.

Overall Thoughts:
Okay, I think I’ve covered everything I had to say about Lovely Writer. Overall, this was an entertaining series to watch with some serious discussions about the BL industry that was in desperate need of addressing. While the series plot was bold and original, the execution fell a little flat. That said, Kao and Up were an amazing pair to watch and fall in love with. The messy writing aside, I was not bored with this series. It was anything great, but it wasn’t terrible. I think what will make this series pass the test of time is the concept. This series will always be brought up when discussing the toxicity of the BL fandom, so congrats to the writers for making a strong enough impact.

Rate: 7.5/10

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Romanticizing Abusive Relationships

Things that I liked about the series:
- So I FINALLY get to talk about this show! I think this was my most anticipated review ever since I posted that I'd be watching/reviewing TharnType. A lot of you were expecting me to see why MewGulf is such a popular ship. So what's my verdict?

...Okay yeah, I can see why they're beloved. I stan MewGulf, I admit it. CONGRATS BL FANS, YOU WON ME OVER!!!!

- Right away, I want to dive into Gulf's character "Type" first. First off, let me say I hate homphobia. I'm gay, and I'm proud, and anybody who has a problem with gays can kiss my ass. That being said, I have to commend this show for giving me a reason for Type's homophobia that is arguably understandable. Normally when we see homophobia being portrayed in shows and movies, it's usually the whole, "God hates gays" or "Being gay is a sin." *yawn* But with Type, that's not the case. His homophobia comes from a traumatic event as a child where he was raped by a male pedophile. I honestly do not blame him for staying away from gays after that, and I applaud the writers for giving us a valid reason that has nothing to do with religion.
I think what makes it worse for Type is that he knows he's attracted to Tharn despite how much he hates gays, which means he also hates himself for the feelings he has. I can't imagine what kind of turmoil that must cause for someone's mentality. Bravo, TharnType.
- Another thing about Gulf's character Type is that he has one of the better character developments in BL. He starts off as an angry homophobe, then slowly grows more into his relationship with Tharn. Then he wants to keep his new boyfriend a secret, but then he slowly starts telling those closest to him about his relationship with Tharn. He hates the mere sight of Tharn's ex-boyfriend Tar, but at the last episode, they seem to develop a mutual acquaintance, or friendship. He's grown so much over the course of 12 episodes, and I love seeing that in a character.
- Let's talk about Mew's character next. Mew plays Tharn, a character who I can best describe as, "A GENTLE GIANT." He's a power top on the outside, but has the heart of a submissive. He's so loving, affectionate, and caring; not just for Type, but for everyone around him. When it comes to Type, I think there is nothing this man wouldn't do to please him. He'd probably drink Type's piss if he asked him to. He's one of the more softer dominants we've seen in a BL, and I honestly love it. I love how his and Type's personalities are opposite of the roles they play in the relationship. It breaks the typical stereotype of who's considered top or bottom.
- Let's go to the actors. As usual, all actors were phenomenal. What do you expect in BL? This industry has some of the most talented actors around. That said, there are some that really stole the show for me. The actors who I felt shined the most were Mew, Kok who plays Tharn's ex-boyfriend "Tar," and Kaownah who plays "Lhong." These three actors stood out to me.
- Kok, who plays Tar, I felt had the biggest acting range of them all. He's had to play so many layers to his character in one season. Showing Tar's shy side, his vulnerable side, his obsessive side, and his broken side. That's a lot to pull off, and he did it so effortlessly. I do hope that we'll one say see Kok play a lead role in a BL someday. I would love to see him have a loving BL partner. I think Tar and Tum were so cute together, and I wouldn't have minded if they got a spinoff together where they played the leads (if they're not blood related of course.)
- Oh dear lord, I have so much to say about Kaownah's character "Lhong" but none of them are good. So let me start with the good. Kaownah did such an amazing job playing a mentally psychotic character that I hate so much. lol
- Oh, and there's a lot of hot sexy scenes, so....yeah. There's that.

Things I didn't like about the series:
- This is where I feel like I'm going to have so many BL fans hate my guts LMFAO. Let's talk about the storyline for a second. I'll be blunt...the storyline is not good. I mean, it has a lot of good ideas, but the execution was bad. It's very problematic in multiple ways.
- I said a lot of positives about Type's characters, but I do have a few problems with him too. While his behavior is arguably understandable TO AN EXTENT, he's still not a likable character. I think my biggest problem with Type is how violent he is, especially to Tharn. We've seen Type physically assault Tharn multiple times, even when they started dating. Punching him in the face, kicking him, kneeing him in the crotch, etc. TYPE IS ABUSIVE, there's no way to tip toe around it. He's literally abusive. I do sympathize with him, I do see some good in him, and I can see that he grows to love Tharn, but does the good outweigh the bad? That part I'm unsure of. I had this similar dilemma with Khai from "Theory of Love," and sadly, I still prefer Type over him. Reason being is because we actually HAVE A REASON to cut Type some slack, and we do see why Type could be called a good guy. With Khai, we don't really see it. Any good he does was for himself or to try to win over Third. That's not enough.
- Unfortunately, Type isn't the only lead I have a problem with. I have a few problems with Tharn as well.
Right away, I have to say this. THARN WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TYPE. Don't you dare try to say he wasn't. Ep 1, he was kissing all over a drunk, unwilling Type, even after he said he doesn't do it with drunks. NONCONSENTUAL ACTS ARE NOT ATTRACTIVE. CAN WE PLEASE STOP ROMANTICIZING IT!?!
And can we please stop using the whole "It's only fiction," excuse to justify it! Nothing justifies it, fiction or reality.
And I can't help but wonder why that was put in, because it never really happens again the rest of the season, and it really doesn't mesh well with Tharn's character at all. It seemed out of place, and just used as an excuse to get some sexy times in right at the beginning, which is pathetic.
Other than the sexual assault, I also hate how much of a pushover Tharn is. He literally takes any abuse given to him and never really fights back. He accepts it because that's how much he loves Type, and I find it funny how the writers are trying to make it seem romantic, when it accurately portrays an abusive relationship with a beaten wife.
- Aaaaand we're back to Lhong. I've heard he's one of the most hated characters in BL, and now I know why. Lhong is a piece of shit and he needed his ass kicked, which never happened except that one punch Tharn delivered. Lhong's character is probably the most poorly written character in the entire series, and I really hate how the writers were trying to make us feel sympathy for him. Oh he feels alone, that's why he hired three guys to rape a 10th grader, and almost kill Type, all to have someone who will never love him all to himself. FUCK YOU, LHONG! I'm so sorry, but I will never feel sorry for this asshole, and the fact the writers were trying to make us feel sorry for him is disgusting. He should've gotten his ass beaten bloodied. He should've gotten arrested. Did any of that happens? NO!! He gets away with it all, which leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Even when the writers are supposedly trying to show us why he's like that, it was also poorly executed. We're just TOLD how lonely he feels, but we never actually see it. We never see how lonely and broken it feels, and that's it. For any future writers out there, SHOW, DON'T TELL!!! That's one of the main rules in storytelling.
- I have to admit, the ending was very unsatisfying. There was so many plot holes that were left untouched that we may never get answers for, unless they're in season 2.
- Did Type and Kohm ever make up?
- Did Tum and Tharn make up?
- Did their former roommates ever get together?
- Why didn't Tar and Tharn talk in person about what happened?
- Why didn't Tharn tell his bandmates the truth about why Lhong was no longer in the band?
Why do we not have any answers to any of these?
- I'm also confused by Tar and Tum's relationship. Are they related by blood? Because Tum clearly likes Tar more than a brother, but they never specified their relationship. So many things left open.

Overall Thoughts:
This is probably the most frustrating review I've ever made so far, because I still don't know if I actually liked it overall or not. This show is very problematic, and I'm not even sure I've covered everything lol. I do love MewGulf as a pair. I think they have outstanding chemistry, and despite my issues with their characters, I did find myself smiling at them a lot. I loved the idea of their enemies-to-lovers relationship, though I wish it was better written. I think my biggest issue with the show is the ending with Lhong's character, and all the plot holes left unfinished. That's how I can best describe the ending. Unfinished.
But my overall problem with TharnType has nothing to do with the actors, or the chemistry. It all comes down to the writing, which is not good. Sorry, but that's my honest opinion. The writing is the weakest part of TharnType. I feel like this show gets most of its hype because of how hot MewGulf are, and because of all the sex scenes. That's it. And while the sexy scenes were hot, and so are our leads, that alone does not make up for the bad writing. It's not completely garbage, but it could've been so much better.
I will admit, I enjoyed watching this show far more than I was expecting to, but in my heart, I can't say it's one of the best BL shows I've seen. I wasn't bored though, so that's a plus, but I'm not even sure if I'd watch it again. So many good ideas, so much talent all around, but a lot of wasted potential.

Rank: 7/10

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My introduction to BL

Things that I liked about the series:
- First off, let's talk about Sam and Yu, who plays Shu Yi and Shi De. Both men are talented actors, and have great chemistry. Right away that makes the show worth watching.
- I quite enjoy Shu Yi's antics with trying to prank Shi De, only for Shi De to outsmart him. It clearly shows why Shi De is always above him.
- What really got me the most about this show was how intimate and beautiful their relationship grew. What started out as blackmail, ultimately developed into a friendship with Shi De secretly in love with Shu Yi. Shi De was fine with that so long as he got to be around Shu Yi. That was enough for him. Eventually, Shu Yi discovers that he's starting to feel the same way for Shi De, which resulted in one of my favorite confessions in all of BL currently. Seeing Shu Yi shout out from a bridge that he likes Shi De, then their first REAL kiss with tears in their eyes is so beautiful and moving. I cried with them.

Things that I didn’t like about the series:
- There are only 6 episodes to this season, and they were all pretty short which hinders the show's pacing. I was pretty fast paced, but was pretty steady most of the time. The only part that I felt was too fast was Shu Yi's struggle with not only his sexuality, but his feelings for Shi De. It literally came out of nowhere and really didn't give him much time to process it. It the season had a few more episodes, I feel like it could've been used to show Shu Yi properly digesting his sexuality and feelings.
- While I love both leads, I found Shu Yi to be quite immature sometimes. I'm not going to be too hard on that given they're in college and I can understand the pressures of needing to be the best, especially in Asian culture. Doing a good job is not enough, you need to be the best, which ads to Shu Yi's struggle with always coming second to Shi De.
- Since I talked about Shu Yi, let's dive into my issues with Shi De. First off, him blackmailing Shu Yi was a little unnerving. I'm not going to fuss over it too much because I believe he would've never followed through on it if Shu Yi refused. He just needed the leverage to get close to him. That said, Shi De was such a schemer! He was always secretly plotting just for him and Shu Yi to spend time together, even locking themselves in the infirmary all night. At the same time, I know they weren't done out of malicious intent. Shi De never harmed Shu Yi, or forced himself onto him.

Overall Thoughts:
No. 1 For You was my introduction to BL, which also inspired this page. It holds a special place in my heart. I love Shu Yi and Shi De together, and I was thrilled to find out there's a season 2, and a third season already approved. Sam and Yu were amazing actors and I love them dearly. That confession scene will always make me emotional in the best way possible. I just wish the season lasted longer, and I wish they treated Shu Yi's sexual identity crisis better. I won't talk about the special episode here. I'll save it for my review of season two since it ties it in. Overall I love this season, and it deserves all the love.

Rank: 8/10

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FLUKE!!! WHY!!!

Things that I like about the movie:
- I'll be completely honest here; I only watched this movie because of Fluke. Everyone by now should know how much of an OhmFluke stan I am, so I was excited to see one of Fluke's earlier roles. That being said...DAMN, FLUKE!!!! Okay, this is a role I'd never expected from Fluke Natouch, especially since my first time seeing him was when he played "Pharm" in UWMA. His role as "Wine" in this movie is the complete opposite of Pharm. Where Pharm was the quiet, shy little virgin, Wine is a eager, sex-crazed, love-struck psychopath. I don't think I will ever look at Pharm the same way again, and the fact that Fluke was only 19 YEARS OLD when he did this movie is mindblowing. But that's not a bad thing. The fact that he was able to play such a role in his earlier years, and manage to play a softer role in his current years, speaks high volumes for his acting chops. Fluke is such a strong diverse actor able to pull off any role he's given.
- I've talked about the actor himself, now let's talk about his character in the movie. Wine is a psychopath, there's no two ways around it. That being said, you also see in the beginning that he was trying to find other ways to help quench Night's unique diet, and he was running out of options fast. In Wine's eyes, he not only found a magical, tortured creature of the night, but he also FINALLY found someone who seemed to truly love him for HIM. Not just loving him in private, and not just to dominate him. Even in public, he sees that Night proudly claims Wine as his, and that only deepens how much Wine doesn't want to let him go. Wine is the perfect example of the great lengths even the most sanest of people will go to for love, and how love can be blind. Even though he slowly loses himself to madness, I can't help but feel sympathy for him because I believe if there was any other way to feed Night's appetite for human blood, he would, but using his own blood isn't a permanent solution, no animal blood can be a substitution, and giving Night up or letting him die wasn't an option. Even though we see Wine going mad, we still see that he compassion for others when he agrees to let Tee go rather than let him die.
- I gave credits to our leading star, so let me go over the other casts. All in all, the main cast of this movie were all excellent. Wine has 3 main love interest, each with their own unique perception of love, and each actor were able to perfectly capture those perceptions.
- Of the 3 love interest, my top favorite has to go to Steven Fuhrer, who plays the vampire "Night" in the movie. Night was honestly the least destructive out of the three, which is surprising given that he was the one drinking human's blood. Having amnesia and having Wine be the first person he sees at his weakest, naturally he clings to Wine. He sees the length Wine will go to make sure Night is taken care of which includes slicing his finger or wrists, and it honestly pains him. He has the most compassion for Wine and hates to see him hurt himself for Night's sake, which says a lot about his character. Even towards the end when he sees how evil Wine was becoming on his behalf, he still couldn't find it in him to berate Wine. He instead puts the blame on himself and takes himself out of the equation, which honestly broke my heart to see.
- Nontapat, who plays Wine's closeted ex-boyfriend "Tee" was also one I sympathized to an extent. You have the typical closeted guy with a secret boyfriend, who tries to cut ties when people start asking questions. You can see the mental war Tee was having with himself in the beginning when it came to Wine. When he feels himself slowly dying, that's when he lets his true feelings show. It saddened me that he picked the that moment to come clean about how much he loves Wine, because at that point Wine was so far gone to really believe or care. But the writers perfectly captured the ongoing struggle of someone in the closet along with the unique situations of the plot.
- I don't really care about this part, but I know a lot of BL fans look for this kind of stuff, so I'll bring it up. Yes, there is plenty of steamy bed scenes, and yes, it's hot ?

Things that I didn't like about the movie:
- Let's talk about the writing for a moment. While I do give credit for the uniqueness of this storyline, I have to admit that it was still messy, especially towards the second half. It started to feel rushed and disjointed. So much was happening all at once with no room to breathe.
- I think the most unsatisfying thing about this movie was its ending. It wasn't necessarily a sad ending, nor was it a happy ending. It actually kindof felt...incomplete? I think the idea of creating an open ending that leaves it to the viewers imagination can sometimes work, and other times it doesn't. While we do have a satisfying result for Wine's actions, and we can understandably see what Wine is doing, it still leaves the viewers confused as to what happens to them.
- Of all the characters, I think Boy is the least developed of the main characters. I felt he wasn't fleshed out as much as the others, and from what we do see of him, you could say he was the most dangerous of Wine's love interest. He comes off as creepy and possessive. He even admits that he's always wanted to rape Wine. Excuse me, what? Honestly if Wine had told Night about that, he might have been more understanding, but Boy was nearly naked and tied up soooo...maybe not.

Overall Thoughts:
This is my first reaction to a BL movie, rather than a show, so I wasn't sure how I wanted to go about this. Shows on TV have limits to what can be shown and what they can represent, but when you have a movie meant to be on the big screen, you have more freedom on what you want to create. Here we have a Dark Erotic BL Thriller about the dangers of love.
I'll be completely honest, I was ready to say how much this movie sucked and how it plays like a bad porn but with better acting. What changed my tune was reading up on other people's reviews, and they pointed out a lot of things that I haven't really thought about in my first initial thoughts of the movie.
There's no question that the writing was messy, but I can also arguably say that it was very creative and thought provoking. Like I said earlier, you have 3 completely different interpretations of love with Wine's 3 love interest. The closeted kind of love, the compassionate kind of love, and the dominant kind of love. And I love how the most destructive depiction of love DIDN'T come from the vampire, but as a normal human man.
Fluke as I said delivered a spectacular performance as Wine, but so did the rest of the cast. The acting, plus the originality of the story, was what made this an enjoyable movie to watch. However, there is still the matter of the the disjointed second half of the movie and the unsatisfying ending. Is it a masterpiece? No? But it does have it's charm, and also delivers a lot of steamy bed scenes for those who loves watching hot guys get it on. Yes, you will have plenty of those!
In closing, I appreciate this movie more than I originally thought, and I feel like this movie has a bad rep simply because it's one of those movies where you really have to THINK about what all is going on. It's one of those movies where you have to watch more than once to really grasp it. I don't hate it as much as I thought I would, and I honestly found myself watching it more than once, so a big plus for that.

Rank: 7.5/10

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A Bold yet Beautiful series

Things that I like about the series:
- The concept of this show is very brave and a stroke of genius. The fact that this whole series is about finding love and support during a real life pandemic that was happening all over the world, and while this series was filmed, was brilliant. Because of this, Gameboys has the strongest sense of realism found in a BL since we're all living through the same pandemic.
- Because the pandemic, the show was mostly recorded through web cams and iphone, which further adds to that realness I was talking about. The makes the show completely unique from any other BL that came before it, and gives it a fresh new look we've never seen before.
- Cairo and Gav's relationship was so strong, and so beautiful. The actors, Elijah and Kokoy, have such great chemistry even though they've never actually met face to face before this series. (At least that's what I heard. If I'm wrong, please lmk.) You can tell that Cai and Gav love each other so much despite the distance, and despite all the obstacles that have tried to tear them apart. Their relationship felt natural. The fights they had were relatable. The outcome was perfect. The need to be there for one another. And THANK YOU, they even talked about consent. Gav never did anything without Cai's say-so and I love that so much. Please, let's have more consent in the future! They are one of the best examples of true love conquering all.
- Speaking of the actors, I have to give credit to the rest of their performance. Elijah and Kokoy made this show so strong. They were able to perfectly capture every emotion so flawlessly, and given how real this show felt, you'd swear it was actually happening and not just acting. All the supporting actors, including Elijah's brother and father who both also played Cairo's father and brother, were all spectacular. Elijah's family is one with so much talent.
- Speaking of supporting actors, there's one in particular that definitely deserves her own shout out. I FUCKING LOVE PEARL!! SHE IS MY QUEEN! I STAN HER FOR LIFE!!! OMG Pearl was the perfect wingwoman and best friend to both Cai and Gav. She literally took on every problem the boys had and worked to help make everything right while also spouting some real life facts that everyone should listen to, such as never using mental health as an excuse for doing something wrong. That was my favorite quote of the entire series!
- Onto another supporting actor who not a lot of people enjoy his character, but I have some things to say about it. TERRANCE. I actually like how the show handled Terrance's redemption. We see that Terrance did act foolish and everyone deserves to be pissed, but after some more of Pearl's words of wisdom, Terrance actually moved towards moving on and trying to be a better person. We rarely see a moment like that in BL where the supposed bad guy is actually working towards doing better. Even going so far as to help Gav and Cairo during their own lover's quarrel during the final episodes. We even got to see more of Terrance in a bonus episode where we learn more about him and his feelings. I appreciate his redemption.
- This show was not afraid of tackling some hard topics that a lot of us have been going through since the pandemic began. We've dealt with the loss of loved ones, feeling alone, the need to communicate, and more importantly understanding that we're all in this together. Even still, we had some other topics outside of COVID such as coming out, and accepting yourself, forgiveness, and learning to trust. I applaud this show for all the lessons it gave us.

Things that I didn't like about the series:
- There isn't a lot of bad things I have to say about this show. I've seen other people's thoughts about Gameboys, and one thing that everyone seemed to agree upon is how cheesy the show is. Okay, is the show cheesy? It is. If you don't like cheesy dialogue, then you might not enjoy this show all that much. For me, I didn't mind it as much. Did it get ridiculous at times? Of course! But I also enjoyed it, so it wasn't much of an issue for me, but it may be for others.
- I've talked about how Gav and Cairo's relationship was realistic, and it is. Unfortunately that also means they can be quite frustrating at times. A lot of couples in BL always seem to have this problem. COMMUNICATION!!!! Seriously, there was so many times where I was literally screaming at the screen for them to JUST TALK! SAY WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND! Okay yes, if they did, then we wouldn't have a show. I get that, but it was still frustrating. I also didn't like how Cai was willing to believe a total stranger's words about Gav without actually talking to Gav about it first. Like, why would you do that? Also Gav's jealousy towards the end of the series when Wesley was introduced was so juvenile, it hurt to watch. Granted yes, I've seen guys irl get that petty. It's realistic, but it's still annoying.
- Since we're already talking about the end of the series, episodes 11-13, while they were good in their own right, I felt they didn't really mesh well with the series. From what I heard, and I could be wrong about this, the show was originally going to end at episode 10, but then 3 more were added. If that was the case, it shows that the last 3 were add ons. There was no real cohesion. The whole thing with Wesley being introduced and Gav being jealous felt like a repeat of the whole situation with Terrance, but in reverse. I guess it was so Wesley could be introduced since he and Terrance will be returning for season 2, but I felt like he could've been introduced without the unnecessary jealousy.

Overall Thoughts:
This show is definitely one for the history books. Congrats to the Philippines for creating such a bold and successful series. I adore Gav and Cai, and I'm so excited to see season 2 when it airs. The show definitely makes you forget that it's a show because of how real it feels. It's like you're intruding on someone else's private affairs. Pearl was definitely the MVP of this series, and I actually did watch her spinoff series "Pearl Next Door." I know it's a GL, but if you guys want me to review it, let me know. I love all the lessons this show has tackled, and how it makes us all feel like we're in this pandemic together. It did have some minor flaws, but if you're in the mood for a cheesy AF show to relax into, I'd definitely check this show out. Just make sure to bring tissues when the more sensitive topics come about.

Rank: 9/10

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OhmFluke is Life!

Things that I liked about the series:
- First off, the actors/actresses throughout the show were all amazing, especially the main casts. Fluke, who plays Pharm in UWMA, is my favorite actor in all of BL and him playing as Pharm was phenomenal. I felt every emotion he felt and I was rooting for his relationship with Dean.
- The chemistry that both Fluke and Ohm, who plays P'DEEEEEAN, was a sight to behold. The pair just oozed chemistry off the screen, and honestly my favorite ship in all of BL currently.
- Also, and I stand by this 100%. Pharm and Dean have the HEALTHIEST RELATIONSHIP IN BL!! It's rare to see a show where the couple actually talks when something is bothering them, or bring up consent, or protective sex. Please, can we have more of this!?!
- Now let's talk about the storyline. OMG THE STORY IS BRILLIANT!!! This is the best love story I have ever seen in a show or movie, or have ever read in a novel. BL or non-BL this is the best love story ever. Not only that, but the Romeo/Juliet reincarnation concept is so unique and beautifully portrayed. The strong attention to the smallest details that ties the story together, such as the birthmarks on Pharm and Dean's temples, the legend of the Red Thread of Fate (Which is real BTW), even the idea of In and Korn switching families when reincarnated as Pharm and Dean, were all well thought out. A lot of credit goes to the original author of the story Lazysheep for creating this masterpiece of a story.

Things that I didn’t like about the series:
There really isn't much I didn't like.
- I will admit that some scenes dragged on longer than necessary. A lot of people mentioned the long stares that seem to happen throughout the series, and unfortunately, I have to agree with them. The constant staring in silence for long periods of time could've been cut down some. When it happens to Pharm and Dean, I can understand why given that I read the actual novel that the series is based on, but it makes it harder for those who haven't to understand what all is going on in their heads.
- The same could also be said for the flashbacks. In the book, it's mentioned that Pharm and Dean see the flashbacks in their dreams, but the minute they wake up, all the details are left completely blank. It's only until they start spending more time together that the details slowly begin to reveal themselves. But you wouldn't know that unless you either read the book or would've guessed it. When you have a story this complex, it's kind of hard to SHOW the smaller details like this rather than TELLING it, but not showing it leaves viewers in the dark about what's going on.
- Now I love Win and Team as a pair, but I feel like they've stolen the show from Pharm and Dean, which irks me to no end. Not that there's anything wrong with them, but I wish they saved their relationship for the spinoff. I wanted the show to be focused on more of Pharm/Dean and In/Korn.
- I also think things were starting to get repetitive, but at the same time I understand why. I just feel like they could've done more.

Overall Thoughts:
If it wasn't obvious at this point, then let me spell it out for you. I FREAKING LOVE THIS SERIES! This is a top tier masterpiece in my book, even with the flaws it has. You rarely find a healthy couple like Pharm and Dean in a show, so to see it here was a breath of fresh air. The storyline alone is brilliant, and the cast and crew overall did a great job bringing this story to life. There were a few missteps, but nothing that hindered me from enjoying this series. I laughed, I cried, and gushed, and cried, and cried, and cried some more!! All the tears, I swear! Ohm and Fluke did an amazing job portraying Dean and Pharm, and I hope to see them again in another series. I know they'll be replaying their roles in WinTeam's spinoff, so I'm looking forward to that. This will be a high ranking BL for me, and I fullheartedly recommend this show to anyone who enjoys BL, a complex storyline, and proof that true love conquers all including time.

Rank: 9/10

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How far is too far?

Things that I liked about the series:
- There are a lot of classic movies referenced throughout this series, and the fact that each movie coincides with what was going on in that moment was brilliant. A perfect way to tell a story about film majors.
- Gun, who plays Third in this drama, is a stellar actor. He's one of the more popular actors in this genre, and now I can see why. This was my introduction to both Off and Gun, and I was impressed by what I've seen. Gun, like Fluke in UWMA, was able to express all emotions perfectly. I sympathized with him when he was at his lowest, and I was proud of him when he started fighting back.
- The music throughout this series is one of my favorites. It was so beautiful and perfectly captured the show.
- Two, played by White, is my favorite of Third's friends. Once again, I see White playing the supportive friend to the main characters. My first introduction to him was when he played Tul in A Tale of Thousand Stars. Also *snorts* I can't help but make a comment about how he and Mix both had Earth lol. Tian, keep Pupha away from Tul!!
- Speaking of which I kindof like the whole side story between Two and Un, played by Earth. They were honestly my favorite ship in the entire series. I loved how Two was secretly crushing on his high school sweetheart, but then P'Un walks in and turns everything around. I felt for Two's dilemma, and I was so glad they got together in the end.
- Bone I felt was the most mature character of the series. Okay, that's not saying a whole lot and I'll explain why in my dislikes. Finding out the girl of your dreams is your college professor was like a slap to poor Bone's face. While he did have his moments of immaturity, I like how he had a moment of weakness where he could've kissed her, but didn't. In addition, he put his own feelings aside and allowed his crush and her fiance the chance to get married without any conflict. I honestly felt bad for him, but I was also proud of how he handled himself in the end.
- Khai....oh Khai...I have a lot to say about this guy, and unfortunately a lot of it is bad. HOWEVER, I did enjoy that his quest towards redemption did not come easy. The guy had to work his ass off for it, and rightfully so. It shows that he is willing to change for the better, and I appreciate that Third didn't cut him any slack.
- I love how we were able to get the POVs of both Third and Khai. It was unique from any of the other BLs I've seen so far. Being able to know what both parties were thinking about helped flesh them out as characters.
- In terms of realism, this show has it in spades! The concept of Unrequited love towards a supposed straight guy, and how this show portrayed it, was so realistic it hurts. I've lived through this concept myself. I was Third many times, which is probably why I related to him so much.

Things that I didn’t like about the series:
- Oh boy, I feel like this is where I'm going to piss people off lol. Okay, there's one thing that I seriously dislike about the show. Or rather, one person I seriously dislike. One word...KHAI! I'm sorry to all my TOL fans, but I freaking hated Khai's guts. I hated him so much, I wanted to punch him. I felt so bad for Third, and for the first time, I was honestly hoping that the main couple DID NOT end up together. We're constantly told that he's a good friend, but we never see it. Khai was never a good friend to Third at all. He treated Third like his little servant, which pissed me off even more. Yes, he may have had a great redemption, but that still doesn't erase the fact that the guy is a total asshole. I mentioned how very realistic this show is, and I stand by that. Including Khai's behavior. But it's also because Khai's character is realistic that makes me want to punch him even more. I've met guys like guy. I've crushed on guys like Khai. I've been hurt by guys like Khai. I hated Khai!
- Now I can't put all the blame on Khai. While I think Gun's acting as Third is stellar, I do also have a problem with this character as well. I relate to Third a great deal because I've been in his shoes. That also means I can be frustrated with how much abuse he was willing to put up with, and the poor guy put up with a lot. But some of the blame for his misery falls on him too. Is it hard to get over someone you love so much? HELL YEAH, IT IS! I would understand his dilemma more if I actually saw the good in Khai, but as I already stated, Khai wasn't even a good friend to Third. What good qualities does this man have? I will say Third giving Khai the cold shoulders during the second half of the series was so satisfying.
- Since I'm passing blame around, I have to put some on Bone as well for his part in Khai's ploy to find out if Third really likes him or not. That whole stunt was what made me lose any and all respect in Khai, but Bone had his own hand involved too, which was not cool. You don't pull that kind of stunt on someone you deem as a friend.
- Khai's sudden sexual identity reversal was poorly done. Am I really supposed to believe that all of a sudden he has feelings for Third just like that? I get what the writers were trying to do with it, but the fact that Khai just accepts it and goes along with it is not believable in the slightest, especially given how much of a womanizer he was. If he was a closet case, that would've made it more sense, but that wasn't what we got.

Overall Thoughts:
Admittedly I struggled with how I wanted to review this show. I originally gave this a 6.5/10, but I saw a lot of comments that made me really think the show over. The show is great, I admit. I love the storyline, I like the idea of showing the hardships of unrequited love, I love Third as a lead protagonist, I love Two as a supportive best friend, I like Bone as a character, and I love the soundtrack. However, the biggest thing I dislike about this series is the main love interest. I hated Khai. Just because you give him redemption doesn't mean you suddenly forget all the horrible things he's done. And Khai has done a lot of horrible things for most of the show. He's arguably the worst love interest I've currently come across in a BL. In a show where I'm wanting to root for the main couple to get together and get their happy ending, I was hoping Khai would stay away from Third. That said, if I were the look at this show in terms of demonstrating the toxicity of an unhealthy unrequited love, I'd say this show perfectly demonstrates how destructive it can be. I will agree with a lot of fans that not all relationships are butterflies and rainbows. Some are quite messy, I agree. Some are toxic. That being said, we're also supposed to root for the characters to be together, and I didn't find myself doing that.
Despite all that, I admit I found myself continuing to watch the show because I was really hoping for a well deserved happy ending, so it did grab my attention. And Khai's confession to Third at the final episode was corny and sweet, and reminiscent to Third's confession to Khai.
With all of that in mind, I am raising my ranking a bit, but not that much. I still wouldn't watch this show a second time, and I still hated Khai.

Rank: 7/10

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