#coffee melody | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bengiyo · 2 years

Text

BL Round-Up #5

So @negrowhat tagged me in a current watchlist and I realized I haven’t done one of these since I started a new job. We have a lot to catch up on! We’ll clear out what I’ve completed first.

Recently Finished

I apologize in advance. I have completed a great many shows.

Minato Shouji Coin Laundry aka Minato’s Laundromat (GagaOOlala) 10 - I absolutely loved this show, and am currently showing it to my BL watch partner on our Tuesday/Thursday watch sessions. This show utilized its entire cast so well to explore the nature of age-gap romance, being gay and cowardly, and the nature of youth desire. Absolutely phenomenal, and I can’t recommend it enough.

Gameboys 2 (GagaOOlala via VPN) 10 - Gameboys 2 knew exactly what it wanted to be and completely delivered. I enjoyed this so much more than the movie, and was glad that the Terrence and Wesley dynamic was given more breathing room. Pearl and Achilles fit well into the drama this time, and I even enjoyed the way we got to see more of Gav’s family this time around. The IdeaFirst Company continues to make absolutely incredible queer content. It’s just a shame that so much of it ends up behind difficult paywalls for international viewers.

21 Days Theory (Rookie Thailand YouTube) 9.5 - This show shot up in my rankings for this year because of the way the adults played out their insecurities and supported the youngsters in this drama. This show is so good that it actually made me root for a straight couple. I am 100% here for shorter Thai BLs that use all of their couples well, rather than the bloated mess so many of the pulps tend to be.

Triage (Grey) 9.5 - This was everything I hoped to get out of a time loop show. Continue to love with the Manner of Death team has been up to and can’t wait to see more of their work. This isn’t exactly the normal fare for BL, but it’s the kind of gay characterization I enjoy.

About Youth (Gaga or Viki) 9 - I don’t think this show had enough time to explore all of its ideas, but this show is a valuable addition to the Summer ‘22 High School BL Extravaganza. The cast is just so beautiful, and the boys from Taiwan continue to give earnest performances that I find incredibly endearing. Fuck Ye Guang’s parents, though.

Great Men Academy (Grey) 9 - I didn’t intend to watch this, but @flukenatouch convinced me and it ended up being a lot better than I expected. It’s not BL at all really, but holy hell was I absolutely obsessed with James Teeradon by the end of this show. Also I got to enjoy Captain’s gorgeous eyes again! This show involved a lot of gender swapping, but I enjoyed the show’s kind exploration of masculinity and what it means to admire someone.

Papa & Daddy Season 2 (Gaga) 8.5 - Papa & Daddy 2 has all of the same struggles as the first season, but I genuinely love it for what it’s trying to be. I think, in so many ways, this show encapsulates the strange experience many queer people have of growing into parents and starting families when it was something we never thought we would do. I think straight people naturally consider what kind of parents they might be because procreation is a likely outcome to their desires for intimacy, but it’s not something queer people really have a lot of guidelines for. I liked the challenges and themes of this season, even if I find myself consistently frustrated with filial piety.

Senpai, This Can’t Be Love! (Gaga or Viki) 6 - Very disappointing finish. I felt the lack of communication to be overly juvenile, so I can’t walk away from this show envisioning them as a functional couple at all.

Love Mechanics (WeTV) 6 - There are some things I liked here, but Mark and Vee are not my thing, and I found much of this to be rather tedious.

Coffee Melody (Viki) 5.5 - Boring, and frustrating. Not a good show. Don’t waste your time.

Currently Watching

This is still a lot, but I’m finally under 10 shows.

Takara-kun & Amagi-kun (Gaga or Viki) 10 - Episode 5/8. I cannot overstate how much I’m enjoying the way this show is exploring first desire and relationships with Takara and Amagi. It is the show I most look forward to each week.

180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us (Gaga) 9.5 - Episode 7/8. This is not BL. It is a story about a young, angry gay man; his overbearing, narcissistic mother; and his father’s best friend and missed love. It is exploring the ways different generations have reacted to queerness, and I cannot stop thinking about it. It is essentially a play adapted to screen, and everyone involved is giving some of the best performances I’ve ever seen out of Thailand. It is no surprise that Pond Ponlawit is a Nadao alum, because I haven’t been this gripped by a Thai performer since ITSAY/IPYTM and Great Men Academy.

I know many folks will never watch this because it isn’t the kind of fun fare that Thai BL often offers, but this is the kind of play that someone sees on a whim that alters the way they see themselves and the world.

The Eclipse (YouTube) 9 - Episode 7/12. I’m really enjoying how complete this show feels. Each moment feels intentional and like it’s contributing towards the end goals. I enjoy it when BL knows what it wants to say, and I’m enjoying the unsubtle politics of this show. Also, Khaotung and First are such a great pair. Neo is finally in a role that he can really shine, and he’s working with Louis in a way that finally lets me see why they’ve been paired.

Love in the Air (iQIYI) 8.5 - Episode 6/13 This show doesn’t really have a plot, but I honestly like it more for that. I personally love when BL is more character driven, and I’m enjoying watching this as a vanilla type and reading commentary from folks like @lutawolf. Though I still struggled with the early bits of this show, I like where it’s gone and can understand why they skipped what I think are incredibly necessary aspects of consent to show. I remain surprised that I have this many positive things to say about a MAME production.

My Only 12% (iQIYI) 8.5 - Episode 7/14 I think @absolutebl broke me when he said this show felt like a Thai take on a Big Eden (2000) prequel (iykyk). I also imploded over the inclusion of Love of Siam (2007) in the storytelling of this narrative. In so many ways this show feels like it’s screaming out the pain and frustration and loneliness we felt as queer in the early 00s trying to sort out the kind of people we wanted to be when we were young and struggling to find community. It was hard entering the community when all of your elders were still coping with so much grief, and there were just so few depictions of queer joy to turn to.

Earth and Santa are a good pair, but for once I’d like to see one of Earth’s characters be happy. I’d also like him to not play a naggy character in the future.

Once Again (Gaga or Viki) 8 - Episode 4/8 - I like the way the sci-fi elements feel in this show with the time travel implications. I know this is going to end sad, but I’m loving the texture of the sense of inevitability in this show.

Ai Long Nhai (iQIYI) 8 - Episode 1/12. It’s fine so far. I like the gay dads. I like the friend dynamic. Subs are only okay. This show might end up being forgettable, but I hope it’s fun.

Vice Versa (YouTube) 7 - Episode 11/12. I haven’t been enjoying this for a while. I have just had to accept that I am not a Jittirain fan, and the way she tells stories just doesn’t work for me. I find myself completely frustrated with and by Puen, and I feel constantly bad for Talay. Otherwise, Jimmy and Sea are a pretty pair. I hope all the constant ads are generating enough revenue to pay for the rest of the BLs on GMMTV.

War of Y (Gaga) 7 - Episode 8/20. I continued this because it moved to Gaga, but I constantly suffer from a dissonance with this show. It wants to explore the dark side of BL by making so many recognized BL pairs and supporting cast play out scenarios that are incredibly uncomfortable. It’s a weird experience to watch a BL that seems to want us to not watch BL anymore.

Not BL

Midnight Diner (Netflix) 10 - This has become my wind down watch before bed. I find this kind of light drama incredibly relaxing. I also love Japanese filming styles that rely on long takes. I like letting the actors act. I don’t want to feel the editing constantly when I’m watching something. I notice it when I come back to Thai productions and it’s constantly cutting and changing the angle of the shot, or refusing to put actors in the same frame for more than one line delivery.

Is It Wrong To Try to Pick Up Girls In a Dungeon? IV (HiDive) 9 - We all have shows we make exceptions for. I make mine here because I enjoy adventuring party shows. This season has been a really good adaptation, and I continue to love all of the character dynamics.

Do Revenge (Netflix) 9 - As a long-time fan of Throw Momma From The Train (1987), I do love a good Strangers on the Train story. This one was excellent, and used its lesbian characters well. Everyone turns in fun and memorable performances, especially Camila Mendes, Maya Hawke, and Sophie Turner.

9-1-1 (Fox, HULU) 8 - I’m an American and do love a first responder procedural.

80 notes · View notes

flootweed · 1 year

Text

Top 10 BL Shows of 2022

I posted a lil mini review of all of the 2022 BLs I watched this year but I wanted to infodump about my favorites more. I'm counting shows that started airing in 2021 but ended airing in 2022 as 2022 shows (sorry I need to talk about Not Me & Bad Buddy).

First, though, I wanted to highlight some (dis)honorable mentions, aka shows that are objectively mediocre but I love anyway. Love Mechanics has a wild soap opera plot, but YinWar really make you feel for their characters with their incredible acting and chemistry. Also, I'm in love with War sorry he's just too beautiful. Coffee Melody was watched by 7 people and those that did watch it tend to call it boring. I had no idea this show existed until my recent obsession with the actor Benz led me to watching every show he has starred in (speaking of which... Call It What You Want 😨). The main leads had zero sexual chemistry but the romantic chemistry was SO GOOD. Some of the best flirting I've seen in a BL. The side couple was also amazing. The script was great at one moment and mindboggling at another; I actually skipped most of the C plot stuff about the music company. It's not high art but it's cute and sometimes that is enough. Secret Crush On You was a mess but it was my mess okay. Cringe culture is dead and this show is fucking fun. The mere existence of Daisy as a character puts this show leagues ahead of many others in terms of queer rep. More femme queers in BL please !! The writing is... not the best but BillySeng did the best they could with what they were given. I'm glad they have been getting more work.

10: The Eclipse

I am very picky with shows set in high school but this is a high school set BL that acts as an allegory for political protest in Thailand as a whole. Obviously I fucking loved it. I'm honestly surprised its not higher on my list but I felt myself losing interest towards the end of the show. It just didn't stick with me like I thought it would. I still appreciate it what it had to say as a social commentary, though. It was interesting how it showed the different ways in which people cope with their marginalization. First and Kaotung did great in their roles I love them (though I feel bad because I will always prefer First as Yok).

9: My Only 12%

I have always loved Cooheart but Santa really impressed me in this show. The story itself was a bit slow but SantaEarth kept it from being boring because they really sold the relationship with their chemistry. Looking back on the show though it doesn't really feel like a romance but more of Eiw's coming of age story. The ending also had some issues; they decided to turn the show into an anti-smoking psa at the end so thats fun. Some story threads were dropped and some were completely unnecessary (the siblings). Overall, still very good though.

8: Ghost Host Ghost House

This show was tragic and heartwarming. Such a charming story about grief and love and the effect we have on one another. Seenam and her story fucking broke me. Like I was in pieces, tears and snot running down my face. On a lighter note, congrats to Pluem and Kawin for winning the award for best intimate scene of the year (yes better than cutie pie and lita and kp). They had absolutely fantastic chemistry. Also I wasn't mad at the time skip at the end, you could tell how much they had matured in their time apart.

This show was delightful and I loved it but it is lower on the list because there were so many filming issues. Also I got very annoyed with the script sometimes because very important scenes would happen off screen and the we would just be told about it. Most of the problems I had with it were probably due to budget issues which is really unfortunate.

7: To My Star 2

This. Show. I actually wasn't a super big fan of To My Star. I liked it but I wasn't obsessed with it like some people. It was just lacking a little something. And apparently the thing it was lacking was angst because I absolutely loved the second season. The emotions, the drama, the intimacy, the longing. UGH so good. The loneliness was so visceral I cried twice. Everything about it was just so well done and I felt like I finally understand these characters.

6: Bad Buddy

From here on every show is a 10/10.

The love story of the ages. There's really not much more I can say that basically sums it up. Ohm and Nanon are absolute legends. Also, I will always love this show for giving us milklove. This show occupied my every waking moment while it was airing, like it was an issue. I love how we can already see new shows taking influence from Bad Buddy, its what she deserves.

5: Blueming

Oh Blueming. Oh this darling show. Its so pretty and so painful. The mom scene makes me cry every time, it just hits too close to home. Siwon my darling child. Daun was at risk of being a manic pixie dream boy but the ending came in clutch and showed he actually had flaws and complex feelings we love that. The show itself had the same vibes of the queer indie films I would watch as a baby gay back in the day. The back-lit love scene was just gorgeous the way they just flowed back and forth from one another. Such a beautiful physicality.

4: 180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us

This is not a romance. Yet it has some of the best romantic and sexual chemistry of the year. Between two people who never even allowed themselves to touch each other. LIKE WHAT !!!??!!! This show is a literal masterpiece. The way it is written and shot is breathtaking; it feels like more of a stage play than a tv show. I just had a constant stream of tears for the entirety of the last episode. I still get so mad when people misinterpret this show or get mad that they don't kiss or it doesn't have a "happy" ending. Wang's actor was absolutely phenomenal I can't wait to see what he does in the future. This could honestly be even higher on my list but its not a romance so I don't really classify it as a BL.

3: Semantic Error

Sometimes you watch an autistic person and a person with adhd fall in love and it is one of the best things you've ever seen.

This is the definition of a well crafted show. I noticed this especially on my second watch; the script is just so tight. Well written, well shot, well acted. It was such a moment, like it literally singlehandedly saved the music career of Jaechan and his bandmates. I prefer my shows with a bit more grit, which is why it doesn't get the top slot but it is just so well done that it just had to be in the top 3.

2: Not Me

In contrast, this show is not perfect but has the grit I love. You could tell there were story threads that were dropped in the middle of the show and narrative threads that weren't followed through with. Yet this show is still god tier. I'm sorry but a show about a gang of gay anti-capitalists deserves all of my praise, even if the script is shaky at times.

Yok is my one true love, the light of my life, my favorite character of all time. First was so good as this character but Gun was definitely the standout actor in this series. Gun is an absolute powerhouse and he really showed his chops in Not Me.

I doubt this is the first time gay marriage is brought up in a BL but I feel like Not Me is really a turning point in allowing BL to be more explicitly political and queer. This show literally changed the game.

1: Triage !!!

Its a medical drama, its a time travel sci-fi, its an (almost) tragic romance. What more could you want. I try not to expect much from BLs with high concepts like this but damn this show blew me away. It takes a lot for me to have a strong emotional reaction to a show and yet I violently sobbed at least three separate times while watching this. Never has a show destroyed me so much emotionally. And it pains me every day that more people have not seen this show, though its understandable bc its so hard to watch for international fans (god bless dramacool). I highly HIGHLY recommend everyone try to get their hands on this show.

#wow im really posting this at the last possible moment #love mechanics #coffee melody #secret crush on you #the eclipse #my only 12%#ghost host ghost house #to my star 2 #bad buddy #blueming #180 degree longitude passes through us #semantic error #not me the series #triage

19 notes · View notes