2gether (2020)

Just a bit of background on how I discovered this series. :-) Last February, I started to get hooked in this drama and unexpectedly discovered Thai BL. That time I was started to get bored already with all the kdrama I've been watching and so I decided to explore what other dramas have many views on streaming videos online. And so I chanced upon this newly released series at that time. I checked its synopsis and it looked quite good so I decided to give it a chance. (Just recently I found out that it was trending on twitter. Sorry, I don't have a twitter account so its hype (million tweets?) was lost on me.

Anyhow, on to my review. Let me emphasize that these are just my personal views on the series and you may or may not agree with me once you get to watch it (which I hope you will).

STORY:
So the basic premise of this story is that Tine (played by Metawin) decided to have a fake boyfriend in the person of Sarawat (played by Bright) to ward off Green (played by Gun) who had been stalking him in the school campus . Eventually, Tine and Sarawat develop their feelings for each other during the course of the series (it was found out later in the story that Sarawat already had feelings for Tine even before the latter propositioned the fake boyfriend arrangement). There is the usual secrecy issues (hiding their relationship from friends and relatives) as well as jealousy issues including a girl from Sarawat's past thrown in for additional spice. There are also side relationship stories between Tine's brother and Sarawat's friend as well as between Sarawat's brother and another student who was interested in Tine.

The story started out strong but I feel that it somehow lost the spark between the main characters later on. What started out as a legit BL series, it kinda was losing "kilig" in the romance department in the last few episodes of the series. It really had a good potential but somehow I was a bit disappointed especially in the last episode. I have already lost hope for a "bed scene" (or even the barest hint thereof) between Tine and Sarawat by episode 12 of the series. But I was expecting a bit more than a a casual interaction between them. I mean just a"high five"? Really? In short, I was "nakulangan" ("it fell short" - in Tagalog). 2gether had a good buildup of story and characters rising to a beautiful crescendo of emotions but it's denouement fell a bit flat.

Let me emphasize that I don't consider a bed scene as essential to having a good BL story. As seen in other good shows like Theory of Love, SOTUS and Love by Chance (to name a few), a graphic sex scene or torrid kissing is not necessary all the time in BL series. What is more important is the relationship spark (and not just plain camaraderie) between the characters and how it translates in their interactions with one another in such a way that the audiences see and feel it through the sreen. In the end, I think 2gether kinda felt more like a "bromance" thing rather than a legit BL series.

CAST:
It is undeniable that the main characters of 2gether are both handsome which makes their pairing an aesthetic gift to the audiences. However, beyond the visuals their thespian talent speaks another story. Bright (Sarawat) pales in comparison to Win (Tine) in the acting department. Win shines as Tine in all his goofiness or awkwardness and the audience could really empathize in his sentimental moments. On the other hand, Bright as Sarawat has moments of "dry" acting and sometimes has this poker face and "mukhang tanga" (looks dumb) facial expressions in reaction to dialogue even between him and his supposed lover Tine. Bright even has this quirk of showing uneven eyes with a slightly open mouth (or was that a smirk?). It's difficult to specifically explain it but once you see the series, you'll get what I mean. :-) The difference between the two is quite shocking considering that Bright supposedly has appeared in other previous dramas before 2gether while Win only lists 2gether as his first drama here in MDL. If that is so, then Win is such a good find and has the look and talent to make it big in future dramas. As opposed to him, Bright needs more improvement in acting. After all, an actor cannot depend on mere handsomeness alone (although he is generously blessed with it). He has good potential but I think he needs more acting workshops perhaps?

I will not dwell too much with the other characters too much. Suffice it to say that their degree of acting skills is just at par with their supporting roles. I would just like to especially mention the characters Mil and Phukong (played by Mil and Frank who were previously the main characters in 'You're my Boy' another BL series). Both of them were good here it's just that their story felt somehow hurried and I wish they will comeback in season 2 of this series (if any) or in another BL series perhaps? Also,the characters playing Type and Man had good scenes including the sad and funny parts. ;-)

MUSIC:
Loved the songs played in the series. The opening theme is an upbeat rock anthem which I think accurately reflects the youthful energy of the characters in the series. I especially loved this instrumental piano song being played in the background in the sentimental scenes. Songs as well as actual performances of the band Scrubb are in the series. Their songs are more of the indie rock type and the lyrics and melody are quite good. My most favorite song (and performance) in 2gether was the one by Sarawat himself and he dedicated it to Tine in front of many people during the music contest scene in the last episode. How sweet right? :-) In hindsight, I guess I am a sucker for this kind of scene wherein the main character dedicates a song to his lovedone - just like what happened in 2 Moons. haha

PRODUCTION:
Basically, most of the scenes happen in a school campus. The scenes and its cast felt right at home with their environment and the costumes looked good even during the out of school scenes (I especially loved the casual clothes of Tine). Choosing good songs and musical score is much appreciated since it fit right in the scenes.

I could really see the efforts of the production team in making the scenes more authentic. I would like to cite the music club scenes and especially the concert scenes - those could not have been easy.

The script had good scenes and dialogues albeit some were delivered subpar by the cast. It had funny dialogues and the most memorable one for me was - "Keep looking at me like that and I will kiss (you) till you drop" which was spoken by Sarawat (I loved you Bright in that scene. hehe). I also laughed at the 'condom bouquet' given to SarawaTine like a housewarming gift. haha

Considering that the director Champ helmed other (and I think better) BL stories before (i.e. Senior Secret Love, Kiss me Again), I had high expectations in 2Gether. But then again, no matter how good a director is, there are just some limitations that one can do with the talents of its cast and the difficulties of the production efforts especially during these times of the pandemic. It was a good effort nonetheless. Congrats P'Champ! :-D

FINAL THOUGHTS:
However, despite its shortcomings, it's a feel-good series involving young love. I especially liked its message that one could love a person regardless of sex/gender. 2gether is a breath of fresh air. If you wanna take a rest from other serious dramas and you wanna try the cutesy type of romance, then this is for you.

Considering the difficulties brought about by recent events, I think it somehow affected the making of this series. I could just imagine the various limitations to the production team in finishing the scenes. Nevertheless, it was a good series and one could only hope for the further development of its story and characters (crossing fingers for 2nd season).

In any case, I am hoping for a sequel to show more depth in the relationship of SarawaTine as well as the development of the love stories of the TypeMan and MilPhukong pairings. Have fun watching!

P.S. If you liked this 2gether, may I suggest you also try watching "2 Moons" series. :-)

Citeste mai mult

SILLY BUT INCREDIBLY FUN

RATING: A-

GENERAL
This series strives for maximum comedy. It’s a ridiculous premise, so you have to just go with it and leave logic aside. That doesn’t mean I’ll forgive ALL of its flaws, but I’ll try to ignore the absurdity and lean into the farce.

Overall, this is a very strong series. A favorite that I would not mind watching again. It was a bit hard for me to get into it in the beginning because of the over-the-top premise, but a few episodes in I began to really enjoy it. The chemistry between the two leads is very strong, relatable and believable. They are both charming, charismatic and natural performers. There is a tenderness to both their characters and performances that is heartwarming. One of my favorite things about their relationship is how they seemingly can’t say “no” to each other. Even when conflicts arise, there is something that compels them to “show up” and be there for the other. It made both of their characters extremely likeable. As an aside, I really like the first song Wat wrote for Tine, “Your Smile”, because Win/Tine has a smile that could melt any heart. And Bright/Wat’s smirk is equally adorable. “The Nuisance and the Charming Prince” indeed!

I also appreciated both sets of friends. They were supportive and gave some very strong advice. It was nice to see how they helped the leads and gently influenced their union.

Some problems arose during the second half of the series. After taking up the bulk of the episodes setting up their relationship, once they admit their feelings for each other, the rest goes by far too quickly. They go from “like” to moving in together in one episode. These times in a new relationship are ripe for drama that was passed over. Other issues; distrust, past relationships, rivals – are also introduced and settled too quickly, sometimes in the course of the same episode. For the audience to truly immerse themselves in these moments, it would have been appreciated if they could have been explored in a bit more depth.

ACTING & DIRECTION
The acting is quite strong and natural, even for the Secondary Characters. Win does a great job of showing the slow shift in his feelings from annoyance to acceptance and eventually love. Bright, as Wat, is given the stereotypical brooding “silent type” role at first, but even he plays it naturally and much better than others (Mean/Tin in “Love by Chance”). In his small role as Ohm, JJ is much better here than in his supporting role in “Dark Blue Kiss” (one of my favorite series thus far, where he stands out in all the wrong ways). The other stand-out for me was Mike as Man. He does a great job with this role. What could have been annoying is somehow charming in his hands. He, too, plays it very naturally and realistic.

I give kudos to the director for eliciting the best from his cast. Without inside knowledge, I suspect it was the strong direction that allowed the performers to give it their best. Even though they are playing it for farce, the overall feel is quite realistic within those boundaries. The pacing is so much better than many other BL series. Fewer forced slo-mo glances, fewer awkward silences.

KISSING/INTIMACY
I appreciated the “Lady and the Tramp” style first kiss during the music club initiation and was happy it didn’t involve the typical stumble-and-fall-into-a-kiss. Their growing friendship, while based on the ridiculous premise (that seems to come and go, be forgotten then remembered whenever it’s convenient) seemed realistic. The second kiss felt very natural as well. Wat is drunk and can’t resist kissing Tine. Been there, drunkenly kissed that! But after they declare their relationship, there is no more kissing at all, not even any hand-holding. I found that strange and disappointing.

THE DOWN-SIDE:
If you’re going to make a character a cheerleader, please have them do something other than stand still with their arms raised in half-salute. This was the only move we ever saw them perform. That’s not going to encourage anyone to play better. Was this element even necessary?

Some of the BL tropes started to annoy me by the second half of the series. Tine is injured or sick a bit too much. I was never clear why he fainted at the football match/cheerleading. There was a mention that he didn’t eat, but… really? He passes out and is taken to the hospital? (I skip breakfast all the time, never ended up in the hospital because of it). And it coincidentally happens when Wat is injured and also needs to go to the hospital? Both incidents would have had more impact if treated separately and given the proper set-up. Naturally, there are the myriad of misunderstandings that lead to doubts and problems in their relationship. These, too, happen, and are resolved, too quickly.

The worst part of this series for me is the over-the-top portrayal of Green, the effeminate gay man who has a crush on the lead character, Tine. As I mentioned above, I’m not a fan of this type of character, even though they do give him a redeeming moment when he defends Tine against the masked “attackers”, and much of his comedy works well. But this was one of the rare elements that felt out of place in this series.

There is also a disturbing underlying homophobia to this storyline. Tine is so upset about a gay man having interest in him that he resorts to a cruel trick to keep the gay man away. He pretends to be in a gay relationship, but is clearly disturbed by the implications from the start. When Green discovers the lie, he tells Tine that he didn’t have to be so harsh, and based on his hurt reaction it does feel especially cruel. This is all wrapped up in the ridiculous plotline, and they are going for farce here – but the creators should be more careful. While most BL series are aimed at teenage girls, they must know young gay men are watching. These types of issues could be more harmful than helpful for a young man struggling to understand his sexuality and how to express it.

SUMMARY
Heartwarming, tender, strong performances, excellent direction. This should go to the top of your lists.

Citeste mai mult

Let's talk about this series!! First of all, this was one of my first bl so I didn't really knew this kinda of stuff until this moment. I really enjoy the acting, Win and Bright are really good actors and I would like to see them together in more series. I just, I think this was to much "light", what I mean is, in the majority of series the MC has a lot of kisses, but in this one they had like 3 kisses and a high five. I was a little dissapointed that they didn't really had much romance scenes, but I think it's a great series and without it I wouldn't have started watching bl, so I think if you want to start waching this kinda of series you should watch 2gether.

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Quarantine has been such a dump on me and most people too, but I feel that 2gether not only brought together a community of watchers, but also brought a lot of light and happiness during this time. As my first BL, it was so refreshing and fun and I loved loved loved all the characters. Whether it was our beautiful main leads, the comedic friends, the side love interests, the music club members, everyone (minus Pam). There was really great chemistry (almost to the end) and once the last part of the last episode is disregarded, this drama never failed to make me smile and hardcore fangirl after every episode. Such iconic lines, fun storylines and heartwarming moments. I'm not gonna lie, the last episode was really upsetting (happy with how Man and Type's storyline ended) and I don't really know what to say about it, but I'm so connected and love 2gether too much to let that change how I feel.

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Just watch the Series!!! Don't look at bad reviews!!

I usually don't write reviews as I don't know how to express my feeling but I felt it is necessary for this series... I too almost didn't see the series after reading the reviews but I felt I should give it a shot as ratings are good and trust it is a very nice series... I liked the series very much and I would have regret not watching it...

the series is sweet and touching the way they depicted it was very sweet and the way the main leads' relationship progressed and good not too fast not too slow just perfect .... another thing that I loved in this series was the friendship between Sarawat and his friends Man and Boss they supported his relationship and helped him in various ways and that was too sweet...
every couple in the series had their own different story be it "Man and PType" or " Mil and Phukong" and I loved it { *spoiler alert* every couple got their happy ending}

I know everyone is saying there is no communication between them but I felt the problem shown in the series is quite relevant as not everyone is ready to share their feeling with others feeling they will make a fool out of themself and it leads to many breakups so I think it is valid and another point that I felt was it was said that series used girls just to show jealous and was not needed but I felt it was reasonable I felt between a Gay couple most fearsome thing is their bf leaving them for a girl and it is valid I felt it was not overdone. it felt like a test for their relationship which they pass at the end.

At last, I will say that don't mind the bad reviews just watch it and see if you like it or not cause if you like it you won't regret watching it and will have a very sweet feeling at the end with a big smile I can guarantee that

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Worth a watch!

To start off, Tine and Sarawat had one of the best chemistry in BL I've seen so far.

Like honestly, half the time I forgot they were even acting. They were too cute and adorable. So were the side couples and supporting cast. They all played their role well and it was satisfying to watch.

Tine and Sarawat had a cliche yet a good story to go with their undeniably pulling chemistry and it was all good and great... until the tenth. I can say that the entire show is worth a watch though. If you walk in with zero expectations, u will even leave with a big smile on your face like my sister did.
But unlike my sister, I had expectations and I was a little disappointed like many others with the last three to four episodes. I don't really know what happened, but everything- the acting, the chemistry, the editing, the direction, and even the script deteriorated on a large scale.

When I first started watching 2gether, the eighth episode had just aired and the ratings for the show on MDL was a whopping 9.1. As a fan, it was sad to see the sudden decline in ratings as weeks went by. (I even took a month break after watching ep 11 because I was sad with how it went downhill)

But, even after the disappointment, I can tell you this- the first ten episodes of the show are totally worth the last three that will shorten the length of your grin by a tiny bit. You will laugh, smile, squeal, and turn into a complete fangirl and after ignoring how the show ended, I can say (for myself) that 2gether is a cliche made right. (And I'm saying this only by taking the first 10 episodes into consideration). I will still go around recommending this show to anyone who wants to start off with watching BL or for people who want to watch something light-hearted

I initially gave this show a 9.5/10 (when I first started binge-watching it), but despite the dissatisfactory ending, because I had so much fun watching 2gether, I will still give it an 8.5/10.

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Motion sickness and laughter

Just to get it off my chest...IN THE FIRST FEW EPISODES, IT HAS ONE OF THE MOST ATROCIOUS CAMERA WORK!!!! THEY KEPT CHANGING ANGLES EVERY 2 SECONDS, THAT I 99% LOOKED ONLY AT THE CAPTIONS JUST TO BEAR WITH IT!

I would've dropped the series if it did not have one of my favorite actors, Mike!! And staying was almost worth it because I love a story that comes full circle. I also don't mind the endless product placement because it doesnt get in the way of the story or it adds something to it. But one of them was too much and it was Scrubbs. I was leaning more towards resentment by the end.

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Okay..This drama is between my first BL seies. This was my 3rd BL ever (I guess) I am so happy to I was able to watch it.
I love everything about in this series. I love the cast, the script, the scenes and also those epic moments.
For example when Sarawat use dirty words and others {you know what I mean (; }, OR when Green sreaming "TINEEEEEEE" (55555) or when - they have THAT KHM...scene - and when Sarawat play Scrubb song at Tine's bday in the balcony omg *-* and the other epic moments. uwu
The characters perfectly matching with the casts and the scene capture are beautiful creatures. uwu
The scene places are also pretty and stylish.
The storyline also perfect. This series have those epic things too, like love, jealousy, loyalty, and of course the support of the other. But at the same this series also can teach you that no matter what you will support and respect your love if you truly in fall in love.
And btw who hate happy ending (; am I right? Plus point of that
I swear to god every time when the cute scenes are came..my heart just easily melted T.T This series is just like an art.
And at the last thing is what I want to say I just want to say thank you for the directors and to the cast and to the stuff, thank you for working hard <3
~ Rea

Citeste mai mult

A perfect Romantic Comedy

This is my first review here. That means this series made me do something that I usually don't. Story wise it is very basic. Pretend relationship into real relationship is an overused drama trope.

When I started watching this series, I was quite confused by Sarawat's expression to the point I thought he was such a bad actor. But the big reveal in the episode 11 made everything so clear. So don't drop it if you are getting confused. I can't count how many times I rewatched the previous episodes and Sarawat's expressions made so much sense to me. Tine is damn cute.

I loved the fluff and the lovey dovey moments. This is definitely going to be one of my favourite series of all time.

Those who enjoy mature content in BL may stay away from this one. This series is mostly about portraying how a crush develops into a beautiful relationship and very fluffy moments.

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My Thoughts on "2gether"

I really enjoyed this series! I was pretty late to tuning in, so a few parts were spoiled, but I still found enjoyment despite that. For this being the first Asian LGBT+ show I've watched, it was pretty good!

If I had to choose what my favorite thing about this show is, I'd have to say the characters. It was fun watching them change as the episodes went on, especially Tine's elder brother Type. Watching him grow was just amazing. I quickly found him becoming my favorite character.

My least favorite thing about the show would have to be the music. I did not enjoy having the same band pushed into my face over and over as the show progressed. Like, I get that Tine and Sarawat liked that band but come on! Variety is the spice of life boys!

Anyways, I can say that this show has allowed me to become more involved in Thai shows and I'm thankful for that. Now I have even more shows to binge over the course of this pandemic ~

Citeste mai mult

You never forget it

Okay, so I've read a few reviews and in general there seems to be consensus that this show started of really strong and then sort of faded away as the episodes progressed. But this is/was the first BL I ever watched and it got me totally hooked, the characters are silly and relatively likable. I found the conflicts in the serious to be somewhat unreasonable but since watching more series I have noted that that is a relatively normal thing, suppose it is just my western viewpoint of it. There were some small plot holes and continuity errors, but still is and always will be my favourite BL series.

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as you can see i didn’t give less than 8 stars, because there is nothing wrong with the story, the cast, the music and rewatch value, but something that really annoys me is that the last episode was filmed in the beginning like why would you do that? A lot of people complained because of the lack of chemistry and I think the producer should’ve known that since the beginning. I’m literally so sad, because this show had so much potential and there was no such thing as rape or something in it. I really wanted Sarawat and Tine to be together and was happy for them, but when people say that their chemistry was better before that, I agree. Also in the novel Pam was so nice and cute.. why would you change her whole personality? It’s the little things that annoy me.. when Tine collapsed, Sarawat was the one who drove him to the hospital, it wasn’t Mil. I’m not even disappointed that there was no kiss, because i don’t really care, but a bro high five??? Also I think the show wouldn’t got as much love as now when there would be a different cast.. There are so many people who only watched 2gether, because of the visuals of Bright and Win.
One thing which also was really disappointing is the storyline of Mil and Phukong. When I heard that Drake and Frank are gonna be in this series as a couple I screamed soo much, but their ending was so disappointing and rushed.
Personally I would have loved to see a little bit more of Tine and Sarawat’s friends, especially Fong. He was the best friend Tine could ask for and he didn’t got any appreciation.
I love all the actors and actresses, but the production was not good towards the end.
I’ve always waited for the next episode with joy and I follow Bright and Win since August 2019, but the last episodes were such a disappointment..
Also I always rewatched the new episodes over and over again, but the latest episodes I didn’t even dare to do that, because I was just so sad.

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