The Lost Art of the Sitcom!

As someone who grew up watching classic American sitcoms, Rak Diao is a like a favorite warm blanket, or a comfortable old chair. Three years ago if you'd told me I would be addicted to a sitcom from Thailand, I would have looked at you like you were crazy, but here I am singing the praises of a show that has become a weekly treat for me.

I was three episodes in when I found out it was a "Y" or "BL" sitcom, and was impressed at how cleverly the bromance and "BL" aspects were woven into a classic sitcom format. This show provides a lighthearted and whimsical break from a lot of the heavier BL dramas that seem to be everywhere right now.

The show may initially turn folks off due to it having a laughtrack instead of a live studio audience, but don't forget it was filmed during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many shows had to either shutdown, or enact sweeping restrictions to keep in production. This show gets big props for being able to do this.

The cast is very lovable, especially the two titular characters Rak (played by Earth Thanakrit) and Diao (played by Win Songsin). These two are relatively new to the entertainment industry, but man do they have a ton of chemistry on screen, as well as presence! For BL fans, both are absolutely handsome for sure, but their real appeal is their awesome performances. To be so young, they are doing some fantastic dramatic and comedy work!

Ask any soap actor or sketch comedy actor and they will tell you that comedy is HARD, mostly because you need to not only be a great actor, but you also have to have great timing. All the cast has great comedic timing and chemistry with each other, even the supporting cast.

Week to week, hilarity ensues as the two main characters rivalry kicks into high gear. Though this is not a typical BL, it does contain several tropes found in BL, but they are so expertly embedded into the sitcom format that they feel natural. Don't worry, there is no accidental "dead fish kiss", lol! (EDIT: Sorry, spoke too soon...there is one).

-Enemies to lovers/bros
-Dutiful brother/son
-Meddlesome sister/mother
-Flirty same sex innuendo/situations

As I mentioned before, I was a fan of classic American sitcoms. This show hits all the marks of one with absolutely funny moments, some somber and thoughtful moments, and some dramatic moments. The cast and crew handles them beautifully. In terms of a BL, it seems to be a 'slow burn' between the two main characters, where each week, they get closer and closer and do not realize that they are falling for one another.

Those expecting realistic sex scenes or anything like that may be disappointed, but the show does have many little romantic and sexy moments that will make your heart race and you will be rooting for the two characters to get together. All of this is still done perfectly in the context of a sitcom...just masterful.

So I would recommend BL fans who are looking for a whimsical break from the heavy stuff to check this out. Don't let the laugh track turn out off...it becomes a non-issue by the third episode. Grab some snacks on your favorite comfy spot and just relax and laugh! The music is also fantastic! You will find yourself humming or singing the themesong, and even the show's background music is beautiful and fits every scene.

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The Light Bulb Blew Out!

When I first saw the teaser trailer for The Luminous Solution, it looked like any standard BL/Series Y production, but towards the end, I was excited to find out that this particular series would have a supernatural twist! A mysterious woman in a coffee shop appears and starts talking about fate, wishes, mystical powers, and getting one's "hearts desire".

A few months passed and finally the series first episode dropped. It was slow to start, and we are introduced to the main protagonists...one a group of teenagers dealing with their stereotypical high school angst, and the other a mature couple navigating a rough patch in their relationship. All pretty standard fare for a BL drama. Midway through the episode, we are introduced to the "real storyline", and the aforementioned mysterious coffee shop lady, and thus the series finally perks up and goes in a different direction than your standard series Y.

PRODUCTION VALUES
The first thing you will notice about the series is just how amazing it looks from a production standpoint. The camera work was amazing, the colors were vibrant, the lighting was flawless and every place looked alive. The settings looked like real places because most were shot in real locations. From swanky posh apartments, to teenage college dorm rooms, they all looked lived in, and authentic.

The sound was crisp and clear, and the music was really ethereal. The main theme song "Forgotten ขอลืม" sung by Katcha Nontanun and Toosafe Thongsaphak (also actors in the series) is haunting, sad and beautiful, and midway has a soaring passage that just reinforces the emotional nature of the entire show. That, and the beautiful incidental tracks that play during scenes give the show a warm feeling at times, a mystical feeling at times, and even a dangerous feeling a times. Just amazing sound work.

STORYLINE
The storyline at first glance is very confusing, as certain things don't make sense, but underneath the poor editing there is actually a fantastic story. Part of me think the story was too ambitious an attempt for such a short series. Without spoiling too much, I will say the story deals with getting your heart's desire. How far would you go to get it? Are you willing to pay a huge price for your desires?

CHARACTERS
I liked most of the characters in this series. Some were typical BL tropes, like the teenage girl who has a crush on a boy...that has a crush on another boy. But other characters, such as a random teenager that one of the main characters meets, is a pretty damn intriguing character that says some pretty profound things in those scenes. Overall, I think you will find these characters unique in their own way.

ACTING (MAIN CHARACTERS)
Here is where things get a bit dicey. For the most part, the acting was terrific. Most of the main protagonists delivered awesome performances. Mig Teerapat/ ธีรภัทร โปร่งอรุณ who plays "Thana" was especially good in his portrayal of a very flawed boyfriend who's fears and insecurities cause him to do some pretty stupid things. Mig has a kind of down to earth quality that is very inviting and warming. He also is very good at expressing emotions, from happiness, to fear, to joy, to sadness...he pulled it all off well. He reminds me of the actor Earth Thanakrit from a comedy series called (RAK DIAO), whom I loved, so I liked his work even more in this.

I can't say the same for the actor who plays Thana's boyfriend (Phathit/Pattis) though. Those who are heavily into the BL genre may recognize the actor as Gun Napat /ณภัทร ณ ระนอง, who is most famous for his role in a BL series called Golden Blood. The series itself was known more for the horrific acting of its two leads than anything else. When I first saw Gun Napat was in this series, I cringed and was afraid. Then I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, a few years had passed since he was in Golden Blood, maybe the actor got some extensive acting classes? NOPE, he did not. Gun Napat's acting is probably worse in Luminous Solution than it was in Golden Blood. He is hands down the worst actor I have ever seen in a BL. He has two expressions, "Cry-Laughing" and "Constipation"...that's it. It was painful watching him shake and convulse through dramatic scenes and try to push out tears and emotions. I don't take pleasure in downing people's work, but he is just not suited for acting. Modeling, yes, but for no for acting. Sorry booboo!

The actor who played Ryou, Bell Rachata/เบล รัชตะ คุ้มทรัพย์, was fantastic for someone who is new to acting. His expressive face, and striking appearance sometimes gave the role a very somber and weighty feel. There is a sadness in the actor's eyes that perfectly frames later parts of the show. He is always engaged on camera, and is very natural.

And conversely, his screen boyfriend Mai played by Bhu Bhudis /ภูดิส วิเศษจิตร, was not great in the role. He is what I call, DBTE (Dead Behind the Eyes). His eyes are black and blank, and his facial expressions rarely changed in the show. His acting was sort of flat except in the last episode of the series, where he seemed to show a little bit of life. Mai was supposed to be somewhat of a "jock" type character, but even jocks can be more charismatic sometimes. Mai was just flat and kind of dull. You will wonder what the main character Ryou sees in him to be honest.

And finally, my personal favorite character in the show, Kanda, played by the very haunting Pam Praephan /ญศรีสุนทร. She plays the aforementioned mysterious coffee shop lady. She is physically very striking, and plays the mysterious part well. From her creepy delivery, to her mystical voice-overs during scenes, she is a very engaging character. We get little bits of her story throughout the series, but I wish there was a lot more of her story to be honest.

Other actors include Dome Woranart (วรนาถ รัตธนภาส), who plays a small role in this. He was good as he usually is. Most BL fans know him from the series 2 Moons 2. Also noteworthy in the show is the character of Time played by Bank Theewara. Bank plays a mysterious youth who befriends one of the main characters who at first seems shallow, but probably has some of the most profound lines about the human condition, and life itself. He had great chemistry with that main character, and at one point, I was ghost shipping him and the main character! Watch for yourself and you will see what I mean.


EDITING & PACING
Here is where the show falls apart sadly. The editing and screenplay is absolutely abysmal. There is a really fantastic story and ideas here, great acting and such, however the editing ruins all of it. There is a HUGE plot twist at the end that you won't see coming, mostly because of the horrible editing and screen writing. You will be completely lost unless you watch the uncut versions of the show multiple times.

That's right, the editing, screenplay, and pacing are so terrible, you will not have any idea what is really happening until the end. Characters are introduced, scenes are presented for no reason and don't seem to fit into the story, just a god awful mess. Even worse, if you are watching on Youtube or other free service, you will really be lost, as the edits on those channels remove VERY IMPORTANT SCENES that will help frame the plot.

Only those watching live on One31 channel in Thailand, or on a service like GagaOolala can see the uncut versions with the vital story information. Many folks dropped the show because it was so incoherent.


OVERALL
Overall, I was mixed on the series, but leaning more toward recommending it. The acting is great, the production values are high, and the characters are good enough. Those who enjoy Sci-Fi and Fantasy will like the overall storyline. I appreciate what they were trying to do, but I feel like it was just too big of an idea to do in only 6 episodes. The writers and director were clearly out of their league. Kitt Botta (the director) did an admirable job with a lot of the school story plot, but they were not able to seamlessly blend it with the other main plotline.

Still, I recommend giving this a watch, if only to support the actors who were mostly amazing...except Gun Napat.

Later!

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