PERFECT!

Manner of Death is my comfort show, I love it to pieces and I’m going to rewatch it regularly for the rest of my life. It is absolutely amazing, unique and I have never been that invested in a fictional story and characters before. It’s exceptional on many levels, but for me there are two major ground-breaking elements in this show – the story and the relationship of the main couple.

Story

This isn’t another college/university drama, this is a full-fledged mystery, suspense and crime story with brilliant, mature characters, which is extremely refreshing. There is so much metaphorical space in the story, so many things to notice and consider, various secondary characters, locations and subplots. I wouldn’t even say it is exactly a BL drama, rather a thriller where the lead couple just happens to be gay.

The plot is really complex and well-thought, there are twists and turns, nothing is obvious, nothing is what it seems and if you think that you have guessed the culprit correctly, you are in for a few surprises. The plot has some flaws, but give me a show without them. The characters make some unreasonable decisions, but who doesn’t, especially in such dire circumstances? I am willing to forgive that because of the overall impression.

The show touches upon many difficult and very important social issues, such as sexual abuse, human trafficking, underage sex work, government corruption. They are treated the way they should be – as a crime. I never felt that they are disregarded or swept under the rug (I have recently watched TharnType and yep, still triggered). Not going to spoil anything, but Jane’s story will break your heart.

Main couple

Another ground-breaking element is that the show leaves the overused BL tropes behind and moves to more mature, realistic relationships. There is no gay panic, no toxicity, no homophobia, no evil girlfriend, no coming out issues, no mean friends, no school/uni problems which are obviously valid but have been repeated so many times that MoD is like a breath of fresh air.

TanBun’s relationship is based on attraction at first sight which gradually transforms into true love and devotion. There is an obvious level of mistrust at the beginning but they both treat their developing relationship as something precious and valuable, not like a hot potato the fate has suddenly thrown at them. There is no stupid miscommunication leading to major heartbreak, they actually talk, care about each other and express it in meaningful ways, they do not play games or toy with each other’s feelings.

This is exactly what I want to see and what makes this show unique and outstanding. I want healthy relationships. I want the BL couples to put their loved ones first. To give them the benefit of the doubt. To ask questions, listen to answers and trust the person they have chosen. TanBun’s love is inspiring and beautiful because it is so unwavering. And if you think that their relationship is boring because of that, you have never been more wrong.

I must admit that when Tan cuffed Bun to the staircase and left, I was really distressed. Considering other shows I have seen, I braced for an inevitable fight, I expected Bun to break up with Tan, stop talking to him, hate him forever etc. And then my heart melted after seeing Bun’s reaction and I thought THIS. THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE. I CAN DIE HAPPY NOW.

Some minor complaints: I have never understood the popularity of protective lover/mean brat couples, this trope is present in MoD as well, it is not overused (ok, maybe the fish scene was too much lol) but I wouldn’t mind getting rid of it entirely (I guess it's just me). There were also a few weird moments when Tan leaned in for a kiss and Bun backed off like a blushing bride. Guess those are remnants of the wifey trope and while it works for teenagers struggling with their sexuality, it was kinda bizarre for two adult men in an actual relationship.

Characters and acting

I would say that there are no distinctive differences in acting and the overall level is very good. If I was supposed to decide on the best actor, I would probably choose Max because he displayed various emotions perfectly, effortlessly switching from dark, brooding, sexy Dam to smitten Tan with his little happy smiles and genuine care towards Bun.

Plus MaxTul’s chemistry is seriously out of this world. They could literally sit and read a phone book to each other and they would still take your breath away. It makes TanBun relationship even more believable because there is not a shade of doubt that this is it for both of them. Hurried or unhurried, this is their love of a lifetime. And it makes all the intimate moments insanely hot, too!

Great Sapol was a discovery for me and not only because oh boy, that man is uhmm... very aesthetically pleasing xD He is also a brilliant actor, his character is very interesting, torn between his official duties, obligations towards his superiors and just doing the right thing. It was fascinating to observe how he changed depending on whether he was wearing a uniform or not.

There is a number of vivid, colourful characters, plus most of them do something morally ambiguous sooner or later, there is no black and white only, which adds to the complexity of the entire story. I particularly liked Pued because he is so “unobvious”.

I could go on like this for hours but the simple truth is that this show captured my heart in a way nothing else ever had. An absolute must watch.

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LOVED IT

Such a pity that this lasts only 15 minutes! I would love to see more. I'm not familiar with Garena, but played other battle royale games, so it was an additional fun to see the elements which are common for this genre. The video is very intense, there are no lenghty moments, it never gets boring. Special effects are very good.
Shout out to the writers for the strong female lead and the fact that she is the "boss". Sho and his bearded friend are great together, loved the scene when they are in the car, music on full blast, bobbing their heads, and the girl just fondly rolls her eyes. It's good to see Mew as a funny, cocky guy instead of a sad, pining lover :>
I would totally watch it if it was a full movie!

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toxicity dressed up as love

Overall the show is toxic, that is undeniable. But there are also a few good things and I really enjoyed parts of it, especially the first episodes.
So, first what I liked.
- acting. Mew is an amazing actor and he really carried this show on his back many times. He is so much more than just good looks and I love how he shows different emotions with just slight changes of facial expressions. His pain was really heartbreaking and those little happy smiles Tharn tried to hide so desperately when Type did something nice were just stunning. Gulf was solid, though obviously overshadowed by Mew's performance. Other boys were decent but didn't really have much onscreen time.
- side characters. Techno was super cute and funny, I enjoyed every moment he was on screen. The entire group of friends was interesting and I would love to see more of them. The two guys who lived next to Tharn and Type were sweet.
- music was good and the theme song is lovely.
- chemistry between Tharn and Type was off the charts and all intimate moments were really hot.

Now a much longer list of what I didn't like.
- an unbelievably careless approach to sexual abuse. Type's unresolved trauma which is suddenly miraculously cured by sex. Tar being raped and the show not addressing this issue in a meaningful way. Tharn having dubiously consensual sex with San when the former was 14 and was so "small, cute and innocent that San couldn't resist". Plus Thorn, a loving big brother, laughing with San that "you had sex with my younger brother and it was so bad that he doesn't want to be a bottom ever again, but sure bro, you are still my best friend".
- Tharn's rapey behaviour. As much as I can understand that he felt attacked when he did nothing wrong and decided that since Type hates gays, some gay behaviour would be the best way to retaliate, but still, as soon as he learned about Type's past, he should have stopped it immediately. No excuses.
- Type's toxicity. Jesus, that was awful. I really felt sorry for Type at the beginning, but when he was still being a total asshole when Tharn was nothing but sweet and loving towards him, that was too much. No, it is not cute or mischievous, it is WRONG on so many levels. I get that Type was traumatised and was supposed to be the "tease" here, but ffs this is not how you justify being a toxic jerk towards the person you supposedly love.
- Tharn's absolute lack of self-esteem. He is repeatedly verbally and physically abused by Type and still comes back begging for more. It was terribly sad that Tharn was all smiles and happiness only because Type wasn't hating him for a few seconds. This is NOT how you should be treated in a relationship.
- ending. Honestly, was there any logic in this at all? Couldn't those two just TALK for once instead of having sex and fighting? Couldn't Type think of something that would NOT break Tharn's heart for a change? And Lhong is essentially left to his own devices and even assured that he is loved after he paid some guys to GANG RAPE Tar?
- overall lost potential. I really hoped that as the show touched upon so many important and difficult issues, it will be a meaningful story about overcoming your traumas, learning how to be more open-minded, working on relations with other people, establishing a healthy relationship and contributing to it in a mature way. It could have been so good.

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A disappointment. And yes, my rating is lower because of the cat.

I heard a lot of positive opinions about CM and couldn't wait to watch it but instead of a beautiful love story, I got one of the most weird and unbalanced relationships in my BL history. All Adachi does throughout the show is being awkward, nervous and tense around the person he is supposedly falling for. It's absolutely understandable at the beginning, but I really hoped that he would be very very slowly opening to Kurosawa. But no. Nothing changes when he admits that he likes him too. Nothing changes when they are in a relationship. Nothing changes when they finally have sex, which should theoretically bring them closer, make him feel more comfortable. I mean, he doesn't even want to hold Kurosawa's hand. To cuddle. To be close. Nothing. It seems to me that he didn't really fall in love, he just knew that Kurosawa truly loves him and would never hurt him and decided that being who he is, his chances to find a better, safer person are close to zero.

Kurosawa in turn is loving, patient, noble, handsome, hard-working, sensitive, smart, kind... put any positive characteristic here and yes, he has it all. He's been pining for Adachi for years, had his heart broken a number of times and he never wavers. Like seriously, is he even human? Why wasn't he even a little angry when Adachi chose his gift (which he wanted to get rid of anyway) over him? Why didn't he get even a little bit frustrated when he showered Adachi with love and affection and got absolutely nothing in return? I cannot say that his love is entirely healthy, because he is willing to sacrifice anything for Adachi, to the point where he actually loses himself and any remains of self-esteem he could have had.

I liked Tsuge as a character, he was perhaps a little too expressive, but overall him being a confined, awkward virgin was portrayed quite well. I don't really understand why Minato looked like a 15 year old, the actor himself is much older so I guess it was intentional, but it made Tsuge look exactly like a creepy uncle he didn't want to be.

And the last straw, Udon the cat. I felt so uncomfortable watching episode 5, I mean the scene when Minato visits Tsuge and plays with the cat. There is a moment when he holds Udon in his arms and the cat is twisting and squirming to get free, but Minato just grips it tighter. For a few moments the cat ends up hanging in the air, while Minato only holds it by one leg, and it looked really painful. I don't even want to think what happened to that poor animal behind the scenes.

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I was watching this show thinking, it's too good to be true. Turns out I was right.

What I loved (because I really loved this show, it is mature, amazing and innovative in so many ways, and would gladly give it a 10 if not for episode 11):

- I have to say, I'm a sucker for equal, balanced relationships and this show is among the very few that really delivered. There is no "pursuer and pursuee", they just fall in love with each other and act upon that. They both initiate kissing, they both fight for each other, they both take care of each other. When Lang initially rejected Xun An and then confessed to him, I expected a teary scene when Xun An accepts him without a second thought. I was so pleasantly surprised when Xun An said “I like you, but it doesn’t mean that you can do anything you want to me,” it was so amazing that he actually stood up for himself!

- when Qi Ran appeared, I naturally expected him to mess things up, I thought Lang will get insecure and go back into his shell, that the presence of a former love will seriously damage the main couple’s relationship. Again, a very pleasant surprise, there was some jealousy, but Lang again acted upon it, talked to Xun An and then just confronted Qi Ran (the hug scene was so funny btw) instead of immediately assuming that Xun An is getting back with Qi Ran and running away.

- I love that the show approached mental issues seriously, PTSD was not miraculously cured by sex or similar nonsense, it showed Lang’s coping mechanisms and the way it affected his whole life. Xun An acknowledged Lang's issues and wanted to be there for him. I loved that he was angry at Lang’s sister that she didn’t do anything, didn’t force Lang to go to a therapy. Although it hasn’t been mentioned directly, I believe that Xun An would do that sooner or later.

- domestic fluff, little gestures, kisses, hand-holding, loving stares, spending time together – BL series often end when the main couple gets together, so it was nice and refreshing to see them at the stage when they are openly in love and in an actual relationship.

- side couples were nice, especially Alex and RJ, and I really hope we will see them in season 2. Only Qing and Qi Ran felt forced and it didn’t make much sense that they were a couple, in particular because earlier Qing said that she liked to be single and that happiness is different for everyone. It was such a nice inclusion, showing that finding a partner is not equally important for everyone and it’s okay, but then it was unfortunately abandoned.

There is only one thing that I hated and I guess it’s the same for everyone who watched the show. Xun An’s parents. I forced myself to accept that Lang’s sister punched Xun An, because I thought it was supposed to be a comedic element, perhaps a cultural difference, whatever, but I was livid after watching ep 11.

I don’t get the entire concept of Xun An kneeling in front of his parents’ door for hours to gain his father’s approval. It has never even been explained why his father was against his relationship. Was he homophobic? Was it a usual thing in their household when Xun An wanted his father to agree for something? HAS XUN AN BEEN BEATEN AND MENTALLY ABUSED FOR HIS WHOLE LIFE? It calls for a PTSD at least at the same level as Lang’s and it was just swept under the rug as if nothing happened!

Did Xun An really want Lang to have a family consisting of an asshole of a father and a passive mother who never offered any actual help? Did Lang really accept parents who hurt his partner so much? Why wasn’t any of this addressed?! It could have been a great example of choosing your own family, showing Lang who lost his parents and Xun An whose parents were unworthy of his attention, creating their own family together with people who really care about them. Honestly, it nearly destroyed the entire experience for me.

Overall, I recommend this show because it would be unfair to overlook so many amazing things because of one element. Just be prepared.

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I was a second from dropping it. So glad I didn't!

Honestly, the first impression was bad. I didn't like canned laughter at the end of every sentence, weird sound effects or the manner of speaking that seemed pretentious at first. However, I'm so happy I didn't give up and watched the first episode because after that I couldn't stop and binged the series in a few days. So if you are considering watching it but got discouraged at the beginning, give this show a chance because it's definitely worth it.
This is a comedy and the actors focus on that, but soft moments will just melt your heart. Acting is amazing and I would say the entire cast deserves the same praise. Overall this story is light, funny and entertaining until you are kicked in the face with moments that just break your yeart. When Diao is going on a date, he is silently (and not so silently) begging Rak to stop him and Rak wants nothing more than to tell him not to go. And yet. Yes, this scene hit me hard because it was brilliant, both in terms of acting and writing.
Two friends from the office are cute and hilarious, Uncle Jao is a nice mixture of fun and being the only reasonable person in the entire crazy bunch. Rak Diao has its highs and lows as any other show but not as many as I would expect at the beginning. The first and most important one is the ending, but I suppose it was forced because the show was discontinued so suddenly. A lot of things were just left hanging as a result, some parts of the plot were left unfinished and the moment when Rak and Diao got together was a little anticlimactic but still very sweet.
I didn't like Diao's character at the beginning, he was too aggressive and I felt sorry for Rak who was so patient with him and got repeatedly attacked for nothing in return. Diao was supposed to be immature and hot-headed but at the same time Rak appreciated him as an employee which I honestly couldn't understand. He was supposed to contribute to team work and stimulate their creativity by being blunt and openly expressing his opinions. Instead, he was just rude and unprofessional. Fortunately he became more bearable as the story progressed.
I didn't expect any steamy moments and this show doesn't need them, but the only kiss that we got turned out to be Diao's dream which was a disappointment, because it was sweet and tender and the actors really delivered. Too bad they didn't have the chance to kiss as a part of the actual events.

Overall, I really loved this show. It was funny, the cast was amazing, chemistry between the lead couple was good, soft moments were really soft and touching. It's different from other BLs, but you get used to it very quickly.

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Amazing MaxTul in a mediocre story

I started watching this solely because I needed more MaxTul in my life and yes, of course they delivered, but the plot was rather poor. Not because of the cheating. Actually, I found this element of plot quite refreshing, because it's different, it's realistic and it was interesting to see three different approaches to the subject.
Korn/Knock
Honestly, I wasn't surprised at all that Korn needed a little care and understanding in his life and that he lost it once someone has shown him just a little warmth. Knock has been such an asshole! All he did was play games, drink, act irresponsibly at work and let Korn take care of him like a stubborn kid. He hasn't been interested in why Korn was so afraid to talk to his father, he never asked about that, never thought that perhaps he should give a little support to the person he loves. He just took and took, without giving anything in return. Korn in turn was a little pathetic in clinging to the crumbs of affection Knock sometimes threw him. Because of that I wasn't even angry at Korn when he slept with Pete. I just hated watching Korn suffer again and again, hurt by Knock, hurt by his father, heartbroken because of the breakup, I was just waiting for a bolt of lightning to hit him out of the blue, just to add to his misery.
Yihwa/Cho
I actually liked the beginning of their story. It's not uncommon in long-term relationships to miss the butterflies and the thrill you get when you fall in love. It's not uncommon to search for this thrill in other people instead of working on your relationship. I didn't like the development of that story though. Yihwa has always been a fiercely loyal person who knew exactly what she wanted. And here she was, torn between two guys and in the end she decided which one she loved but she didn't want to be with him because...? I don't really get it.
Farm/Bright
This in turn was disgusting. I guess we all know what Bright did to Farm in TWM (*spoiler* on top of his toxic behaviour, he invited his friends and they had group sex with Farm. While he was asking them to stop. Don't know how the writers/producers call it, I call it rape. End of story). I kinda liked the revenge trope, but I really cannot understand why Farm ended with him. I felt sorry for sweet innocent Rit because he got caught up in the dirty games between those two, but fortunately he was smart enough to save himself.

Acting was what really saved this show. MaxTul are just something else, they are perfect together and they nailed it as they always do. Fei was the cutest, Pete was a solid, slimey villain, Bright was a delightful creep. It's just that the story was mainly based on cheap drama and irritating misunderstandings. On a positive note, the last two episodes (when KornKnock made up and everyone worked together to expose Pete) were actually good.

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