Ps_70

"Jack and Joker" is a Thai series that breaks the usual mold. With an entertaining story full of action, suspense, romance, and plenty of drama, and featuring two protagonists overflowing with talent, masculinity, and beauty, it takes us on a roller coaster ride that's hard to recover from. Fans of the Yin and War duo will feel that it was worth the wait to see them reunited once again after all these years. And those who weren't familiar with the duo will rush to watch "Love Mechanics" and "The Best Story" because they will fall in love with them, just like their fans have. And their fans will rewatch these series because this one will leave them wanting more and more. The YinWar duo has an enviable chemistry, making their performances feel natural and graceful. Moreover, it's clear that they received excellent preparation because this series demands a lot physically from them. First and foremost, they are professional actors, and that makes all the difference. War's performance stands out; I consider him one of the best and most versatile Thai actors. This series is tailor-made for him, allowing him to showcase his versatility, immense talent, and acting skill brilliantly. Additionally, the excellent supporting cast provides impeccable performances, bringing to life top-tier supporting characters. They deliver a series full of emotion that will make you feel that 12 episodes are too few. It's true that the series isn't perfect and has a few inconsistencies, but given the immense entertainment, quality, and emotion it offers, those flaws take a backseat. I believe it's a must-watch of 2024, and I hope we won't have to wait many years to see this duo in another series, delivering all their professionalism and respect for the work they do. YinWar is worshiped.

I came across this series by chance and I loved it. It tells a complex love story and sets the stage for the true meaning of the series: inviting us to a deep reflection on the meaning of life. "We've all wished to die at some point" is a phrase that appears in the story and resonates deeply in one's heart. This series takes us on a journey of the unexpected encounter with the meaning of existence, desire, and illusion, in a context where everything seems irreparably lost. It's a reflection on the decision to die, on the anguish life can bring, and on survival. Truly, it's beautiful. With great performances, a powerful script, and a very fitting OST, it has been a pleasure to watch.

This series is an attempt to adapt the novel Are You Addicted?, which already has two previous versions: Addicted and Stay with Me, both Chinese. The earlier series suffered from Chinese censorship, leaving the first one unfinished (it only reached episode 15) and the second without a second season (it covers the first book of the novel, leaving the second one pending). Nevertheless, both have established themselves as two important series in the BL industry, with Addicted becoming a cult series and Stay with Me known for its great, great quality. When it was announced that Thailand would be releasing this series, all fans of the novel and the previous series were hopeful that, being in a freer industry, it would deliver a quality and complete series. Unfortunately, things went wrong from episode 1.

This series presents clear problems in both script and direction. The choices about what to tell and how to tell the story have simply been poor. Certain contexts have been prioritized, while fundamental elements that capture the heart of this story have been omitted, starting with the characters. The character of "Pop" or "Poppy" (Bai Luo Yin in the novel) has been reduced to an amorphous character, lacking personality and the defining traits that explain the love, obsession, and relationship with Hero (Gu Hai in the novel). The strength of both characters, their fractures, pains, resilience, dignity, and madness-all the things that build them and make them who they are-are erased in one stroke, making the story, at times, incomprehensible.

The entire story is reduced to superficial scenes, lacking depth and texture, turning this series into just another among many, without any relevance. Adaptations can take liberties and make changes. That's fine, and there are many examples where this is done successfully, sometimes even making the adaptation better than the original novel. But if you decide to tell a story that is not just any story in the BL world, one that already has two previous successful series despite censorship, the challenge is to do it well. In this case, that wasn't achieved. I feel sorry for the actors. I hope they have more opportunities in the future.