Jack and Joker (2024)

Great start but...

So first of all I'm the biggest fan of Yinwar and I was hyped since the concert trailer for their concert (that had a similar concept as Jack & Joker). The first couple of episodes were amazing: great cast, great acting and a new and fresh storyline. War's acting was top-notch as expected as well as Yin's. And their visual...breathtaking every single episode!
I also really like the plot of the gang with Arun, Hoy and Tattoo. On the other hand I found the couple Hope and Save kinda too much, just because they had a lot of screentime compared to other more important storystrings. I loved the scenes were the heists were happening, and I hoped that there were more! I mean 3 were a lot but still...
The turning point was the 4 horsemen, because what exactly was the plan there? Since they appeared the story got more and more confusing. I also thought it was unrealistic that everything turned worse just because Boss took one ring ?!
I see a plothole there.
The last episode was disappointing and also reaaallyyy long. The kept dragging on, to random storyplots (Boss had way too much screentime). The ending was fine I guess because it was a happy ending but it felt too rushed. And yeah of course I know it's just fiction but is it really realistic that even Boss got forgiven by Arun?
For me the actress of Toi Ting and the grandma were so amazing, I hope I see them again in another series.
The sweet moments between Jack & Joker were not enough in my opinion. I really hope tho that we will see them in another series again.

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After watching the first episode, I was like WOW. High production, great acting from War and Yin, interesting heist plot, I have never seen before in a BL, super exciting main characters, charming side characters, great fight scenes. I was hooked. Watching the second episode, I understood the writing was silly and weak. So watching this series feels like being in a bad relationship, but despite all the red flags, you're in love and keep telling yourself it's not that bad.
It is that bad.
The writing is bad.
The overall plot ideas aren't that terrible, but the execution is more than lacking. I was willing to overlook a lot, but when I finally understood (and it was confirmed much earlier than I was willing to see it), that even the characters were badly written, I had enough.
I don't care about Jack and Joker, despite War looking beautiful when crying. I don't care. This is one of the most boring romances I have ever seen in my life. If people love it - great! I'm out of this relationship. No more excuses for this snooze fest.
To be precise (since people will hate my review anyway): Joker is not the mischievous thief they were advertising him. He is a con man with some luck and stupid sidekicks. Jack has no balls. He is not a dangerous loan shark, but a boy who can't make the right decisions. He is a coward and still salty about his bad luck in life. I also highly disagree with the social criticism they are trying to show us. The basic idea is: poor people remain poor, because the rich exploits them. While this isn't all wrong, the "poor" people in this series make wrong decisions, are lazy and stupid like Tattoo and Hoy. So I don't see how this is really helping them to bring their point across. It's a black and white world, when I expected a gray one. It's oversimplified and childish, but well, that sums up the whole writing, from the silly plot developments, to the silly and boring characters to the silly moral and social criticism. This is a series for young impressionable minds, not for those who love complex writing and characters.

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Enemies to Lovers DONE RIGHT

This show was incredible. A true enemies to lovers, complete with a beautiful slowburn and tension all the way through. Yin and War did an INCREDIBLE job as the leads, and knowing that this was made by the company they started themselves only makes it better. I almost started rewatching this show before it even finished it was so good. Even with the longer episodes, it was able to hold my attention for every single minute, and had me excited to watch every week.

After a brief encounter, it seems that Jack (Yin) and Joke (War) hit it off. When Jack goes to the bank for a much needed loan to pay off some debt collectors, he's surprised to see that Joke is the branch manager. What he doesn't know is that Joke is lying - and actively trying to expose the bank for its corruption. Joke gives him money he stole out of the safe, but the cops are quick to catch on. Joke, feeling bad, confesses to being Joker, an infamous thief that exposes corrupt businesses, and goes to prison. However, this leaves Jack with no way to pay off the debt collectors. Flash forward 5 years and Jack has been forced to become a debt collector himself, and has sworn to get revenge on Joke if he ever sees him again. Joke spent his last 5 years in prison coming up with every way he could make Jack forgive him. Upon his release, Joke immediately searches for Jack to apologize, only to be confronted not with the sweet young Jack he once knew, but a Jack dubbed the "Grim Reaper" by the locals. Regardless, Joke attempts to get close with Jack and help him out of the debt collector hell he's been forced into, while Jack swears that if he tries to get close to him again, he'll kill him.

Jack and Joke were absolutely wonderful to watch. I love a good slowburn and this one delivered in every aspect. Starting off with a full episode on the backstory of them was brilliant, and watching them go from beating each other up to slowly realizing they shouldn't be enemies, to a clear romantic tension between them was FANTASTIC. The action scenes were some of the best I've seen in a Thai show, and you could tell how hard they worked to make the fights good. That, combined with the tension of the heists Joker pulls off makes for one of the most entertaining watches ever. It'll have you on the edge of your seat the whole time and hit you with unexpected twists at the best times. The relationship development is perfect too, with issues that aren't too drawn out and a beautiful ending for the characters. ABSOLUTELY worth watching!!!

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Blown Away!

I just finished this series and I can say that this 100% blew me away. Everything about it was fantastic. Can I give it more than 10/10?

Blown Away by:
* The story! So compelling and it kept me on the edge of my seat. It was clever, emotional, funny, intense, and heartbreaking.
* The actors were phenomenal. I have to say War (Joker) deserves a best acting award for this series. He was so incredible. He’s just so versatile. Yin (Jack) was also amazing. You could tell he put everything he had into this role. So talented and so handsome.
* The rest of the cast was great. No one was overly goofy. They were all legitimately funny, serious, and perfect for their roles. But the grandmother stole the show for me. Loved her!

This series was just so good! It was a very high quality production. For me, it’s in my top four along with KinnPorsche, Manner of Death, and The Sign. Watch it!!

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Frankly, DO NOT read the comments/reviews/ratings.

honestly, i cannot lie. this IS the best bl of 2024 and I'm not glazing. I'd suggest you leave out reading the reviews, comments, or even yk brush off the rating and go for it YOURSELF. experience it for YOU. trust me, you'll enjoy it.
like any other drama, everyone has their opinion, some good; some bad. So don't rlly dwell upon it and like i said, go for it. trust me y'all will enjoy this so much! i went into this as blindly as I could and was so surprised!!
the plot is good, keeps you hooked af! OHH, the actors and chemistry is PERFECT! everything about Jack and Joker is absolutely amazingly done and i couldn't appreciate this work of art more.
I usually never write a review but I just HAD to.
it was such a painful journey to wait every week to see my boys again. truly. i want more!
im always down and ready to see yalls reactions when and if this comment helps you!
Cheers to the best bl of the year.
Tldr: go for it. if you're anything like me and wish to have a fun watch. Do. It

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Fresh experience in Thai BL. (Which is rare)

I have no words for the efforts behind this series. It's not a perfect series when your standard is so high. But for an industry that so stacked by mediocre efforts, it's amazing to see such a gem.

Always loved and action comedy. And I can't imagine who else can be the soul of it other than War himself. But the one who surprised me was Yin. He really stepped up his game. I'm so happy for both of them.

I would love to write an in depth review/comentary on this series. But this right here is just my ture feelings about this series. Don't let any prejudices or pettiness keep you away from watching this. Give yourself this treat.

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this is what you call a masterpiece

when it comes to this series, im left with no words, its just that good. The plot, the characters, the cast, the acting, the music, everything was just so good. The characters are portrayed so well that its so hard to not love all of them, whether theyre objectively good or not. Jack and Joke got me stuck thinking about them constantly (especially Joke personally), both their stories, together and individually, and the way they were portrayed is something i cant even begin to explain. But thats Yin and War for you. Theyve got the chemistry and the talent, they make you feel every single emotion youre supposed to feel and more, even if its just a scene with one of them with no talk or music. They were already so good in love mechanics, but with this they went beyond everything i expected of them, and mind you, i had big expectations. The story overall got me hooked from the first episode, and now that its finished i dont know what to do with myself. I can confidently say that for me, theres hardly any series that can top this. I wouldnt be able to list all of the reasons to watch this, but i can say youve got no reason NOT TO watch it. As long as you have at least a day remaining to live, please do yourself a favor and watch it.

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YinWar’s tour de force

This has been a roller-coaster ride and I enjoyed it immensely. Since I went for a non-spoiler review, I’ll focus on issues that are not plot-revealing. I thank YWPB (which stands for a company established by Yin, War, Prom and Bonz) for this gem of a BL, this brainchild of theirs and wish us all more shows like that.

Let’s start with the script. If you go to the MDL comment section (which I don’t advise) you’ll see that the script of J&J received criticism from various angles and positions - for what’s in it as well for what’s not in it/what’s (supposedly) missing. Was I fully satisfied with the script? No. Did it matter to me? No. I enjoyed the show despite of things I myself might consider script-related. Without going into detail: I appreciate many things included in the script or resulting from its execution, like character development (and character consistency), plot twists and revelations, mostly successful attempts to combine serious issues with comedy, as well as some general ideas spanning across the series, like involvement in criminal activity and dealing with it or various aspects of social injustice.
The story is not short on crazy, which I also enjoyed: it’s often a metaphor and a fairy tale with larger-than-life villains, brave heroes willing to sacrifice themselves, artifacts, powerful symbols and some good old mysticism, bordering on magic.
I also liked that – in many cases – the story isn’t straightforward; there are nuances, tweaks, not everything is as it appears, not everything is resolved as one would want and some issues remain unresolved entirely.
All of that, however, is but a canvas for the main plot: a story about the titular characters, their journey – sometimes together, sometimes separately. Side note: I find it safer when a show is named after the main characters. Other names often lead to confusion (see “Hidden Agenda” with a not-so-hidden agenda which became unimportant halfway through the series, or “Dangerous Romance”, which was not dangerous at all); “Jack & Joker” is a great title (“U Steal My Heart” – also very good and to the point). As this series has faced plenty of criticism for that too, let me list the following:
1/ this is most definitely a BL, not a bromance,
2/ the main characters are portrayed by Yin and War only, not by other cast members (sorry PromMark fans),
3/ the show is first and foremost about Jack and Joker, not about side characters,
4/ Jack and Joker are, at the same time, the main characters and the main couple – the series is about them as individual characters (hence it’s not just them spending all on-screen time together) as well as about their relationship.
The above are not just features of this show, they are also creative choices made by the producers and I agree with them.

The show’s music deserves at least a brief mention. The tree main songs are very distinct and very good. “แค่ยัง…(มีเธอ)” by Tattoo Colour perfectly illustrates the action aspect of the show, “ทำไมต้องเป็นเธอ” by Dome Jaruwat is the romantic theme of the series, while War’s “ร้อยวิธี” is a love letter drowning in tears and the emotional core of the soundtrack. A special mention goes to the opening credits theme and it’s dark rendition used at the end of ep. 5. What did surprise me a little about the score was that Bonz was not it’s composer (as an actual musician he’s more than qualified for that) and that Prom (another cast and crew member perfectly capable of doing that) did not perform any part of it.

The shows biggest asset is the cast. It’s core is mostly young, consisting of YWPB and their friends, associates and frequent cooperators, first and foremost Mark Siwat. This core team was bolstered by seasoned and experienced artists, including GMMTV’s own Jennie Panhan. However, the show was on another level due to what YinWar did to it and in it. You’ll find it in most of my BL reviews and I keep repeating it: a good ship will save a BL while the lack of chemistry will doom it every time, regardless of how good other elements of the show are. Thailand has several top tier ships; YinWar are a powerhouse among them – that’s basically the stuff dreams are made of. Both actors have grown, matured and honed their talents to hijack our imaginations on that crazy roller-coaster ride I mentioned at the start of the review. Both are superb and outperform the rest of a very good cast; War, in particular, shines with his versatility, and both he and Yin are visibly enjoying themselves. Their powerful performances and chemistry elevated the story, covering for all of its flaws, plot holes etc. I have not seen this level of acting in a BL before – simply amazing.

Engaging, emotional, ambitious and very well acted, “Jack & Joker” is the best BL I’ve ever seen.

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okay WOW???!!!

ok can we just discuss ep 9 right now..perhaps i'm biased but oh my GOD????? the desperation in their kiss. oh i felt it so bad like i was in their relationship. i just. the way they delivered that scene has my mind going crazy?? can u imagine finally being able to desperately kiss the person u want to be w? i fear i won't ever move on from this scene. i'm in a chokehold so bad. if i could kiss the person i like, like that i'd be done for KSNDKDK. anyways, did anyone else get butterflies from that scene? OH ONE LAST THING!!! the way they stopped kissing and the desperation just GREW 🥴

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Serie of the Year!

Jack and Joker is absolutely the series of the year! If you're new to the Yinwar fandom, get ready for something completely different. While Yinwar is known for its emotional, lovey-dovey stories that often leave us in tears, Jack and Joker is a true masterpiece filled with action and tension. If you're coming in expecting the usual NC scenes, this might not be for you. But trust me, this is worth a shot.

This series dives deeper into the characters' lives, focusing on their emotional connections rather than just physical attraction. While previous shows had their own connections, this one really highlights how these two very different characters find comfort in each other. It raises an interesting question: how can someone find solace in someone who has lived a completely different life?

It's about two opposites discovering calm and peace together when they couldn't find it anywhere else. If I could name a song that screams Jack and Joker it would definitely be "Sailor Song" by Gigi Perez or "Lovers" by Anna of the North! If you haven't seen Jack and Joker yet, or even if you have, those songs will enhance your experience!

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I hate it and am obsessed with it

The first two episodes were unbearable. They weren't bad per se, but just so slow. I watched them in 1.5x, otherwise I wouldn't have made it pass them. There was just a lot of unnecessary scenes that took way too long, especially fight scenes.
Someone wrote that Jack and joker is trying really hard not to be just a BL and it shows. I totally agree now.
I think if you watch the series just to see some cute ships outside of the usual school/university set up, you'll have a great time.
But don't expect a cinematic master piece. I think they tried to write characters with deep stories, but they completely missed the mark. it feels like every character is missing a deeper layer of emotion. Luckily the actors are talented and can cover it up a lot of times.
I think in theory jack and Joker could've been a lot better. The "comedy" really shows it. In theory they had a lot of great jokes, but the way they edited the series made them all land flat.
Even though if now mostly spoken bad about the series I still gave it a 7. This is mostly because of the ships and the chemistry between the actors. Even though a lot of the characters fall kinda flat, they have a good amount of interesting enough characters to keep you interested. Sadly it takes a long time to reach that point. I'd say it only starts to get really interesting at episode 5. Considering every episode is a hour long... that's just too much.

So yeah just watch the first few episodes in 1.5 speed and once you forget to turn on 1.5x, you're already obsessed and wish there are more episodes.

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