Fascinating chemistry, fun characters...but an underwhelming ending.

I was looking forward to On1y One as it gave me an impression that it'd be a BL in a similar vein to Addicted/Stay With Me, with what its teenage step-brother BL. It shared a lot of those basic beats with those series that it had me intrigued to see a Taiwanese interpretation of such a dynamic. I am also aware that this is actually based off of a novel of its own, but I've not personally read it so I know that going into this review I'm not as in-the-know of the finer details of the story aside from what I find pointed out on Twitter.

But as I've been watching this show...my interest waned over the weeks, I must say. I don't mind a nice slow burn story, and sure enough this season may not cover most of the novel, but reviewing this show on its own merit as a singular season with how they've presented the relationship...I'm not that satisfied with the ending. If it's supposed to lead to a second season - one that's not even technically confirmed to be in production at the time of writing - that's cool and all, but this season just feels very lacking. I'd hardly say this show is re-watchable, personally. At least if it's the only season we ever get to see.

That said, I did love Sheng Wang and his journey of self-discovery and his feelings towards Jiang Tian. I'm also a big fan of the secondary cast of friends. But what certainly caught my attention the most was Qi Jia Hao. His little venture throughout the season was in particular very fun to visit and I really wanted to see more of what he would get up to. Hopefully the second season does a bit more with him if it ever comes.

The overall romance is a slow one. And not just a slow burn. It's like we're watching an initial spark being made in real time so we can get to that burn. Yes, there's kissing in the beginning of the show, but the actual meat of the romantic tension is very, very quiet. It's like the most gentle breeze ever. The chemistry is certainly there and I adore both Liu Dong Qin and Benjamin Tsang for what they bring to the characters. I guess it would be nice if the pace would pick up a little bit as both Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian are dancing around the fact that they like each other and when the mutual pining is so obvious it gets to a point where I'm just hoping one of them takes the dive and does something a little more explicitly romantic.

There's also the secondary couple in the two male teachers who get into a bit of a love triangle and honestly? I. Could. Not. Care. Less. I feel like what the show is trying to do is almost present them as a parallel of sorts to the main couple but I do not see what purpose they really have in the show, and especially in this season. Undoubtedly they'd get more of a development in a hypothetical season season, but I can't imagine I'd be any more interested in what goes on with them. It's so obvious they're into each other and dancing around the truth from the get go that I caught that when I first saw them on screen, and considering we're following a primary couple with a similar story I don't really wanna see it twice.

The secondary couple is perhaps my personal least favourite part of the show. It feels like a drag when they're given the focus and I don't really recall if any of their scenes - bar THAT one in episode 11 - really impact JT and SW in any meaningful way. They feel like they could be removed or replaced and nothing would change. Why were they made teachers at the school? Seemed a bit like an excuse to put them in a love triangle and so we'd have an excuse to see them more often in context of the main boys. I dunno...eventually I just got to a point where I'm waiting for Sheng Wang and Jiang Tiang to show up again.

I feel like perhaps there could have been a review as to what scenes may or may not have been worth shifting to a potential second season and what could have been shifted over into this season to give it a more satisfying end. I don't know the novel, so maybe this was the best outcome in adapting it. However, I definitely think the end credits scene in Episode 11 - IYKYK - was...out of left field? I like the scene and what it does to inform us about Jiang Tian's backstory, however it felt so bizarre that we suddenly saw it in Episode 11 of a 12 episode season of all places. Am I the only one? Would it not have been a better fit, say, either at the very end of this season so we literally end on a saucy bit of exposition, or in the second season where it'd be adjacent to scenes that would better explain its context? It was a FASCINATING scene in the grander scope of the narrative of course but it feels like it was kinda plopped at the end of an episode and so close to the end of this season as well.

As for the last episode...yeah, uh, kind of a let down? I've already said I wasn't satisfied with the ending, but in general I just found myself amused at the fact that the main emotional conflict was...Sheng Wang moving classrooms. I'm sorry that really did take me out of it a bit because...huh? They already live together in the dorms so they don't really lack an opportunity to communicate or spend time together. Yeah, they're not in the same class but still. I wouldn't have minded this honestly if such a deal wasn't made out of it in the episode. It stops being a dramatic moment and feels a bit silly.

Overall, would I recommend this show? Yeah. I would. I absolutely would. The chemistry is there and I love the leads. I think if a slow burn and self-discovery is up your alley you'd like this. Plus the secondary cast is actually really fun to watch so all the friendship scenes and bonds between characters add some levity and vibrance to the show.

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Fun and Steamy Show...But When It Falls, It Falls. Hard.

I decided to finally sit down and watch KinnPorsche as I was aware that it was quite a popular BL title for a lot of people and I absolutely had to see what the fuss was about.

I will say, I definitely find it amusing how steamy this show could be when it wanted to...and it definitely wanted to be as often as it could, and watching Kinn and Porsche's bond grow stronger was also a fun ride.

However, I do have to ask what the point of the 3rd couple - Porchay and Kim - was. Quite frankly, I wasn't that interested in their relationship once time was spent on their potential romance arc. And once it became clear that Kim was using Porchay for his own motives (and I assume getting feelings in the process?) I was hoping the ship would sink and it'd be more a matter that whatever went on between them was more to serve the purpose of the main plot as opposed to stirring up a third couple.

But no.

Nothing really happens with Kim and Porchay. On one hand, I'm fine with this as it means we're not wasting time on a romance arc I wouldn't care for and couldn't see feasibly coming about. But on the other hand, it's underwhelming how irrelevant both characters are in regards to the absolutely chaotic plot they're supposed to be a part of. Kim in particular I especially did not see much value in because everything about him was so superfluous. All his investigating into the death of Porsche and Porchay's parents and getting close to the latter to try and garner info...goes nowhere. Was something dropped?

I feel as though you could have either cut Kim from the plot entirely and have Porchay be a far simpler character who gives Porsche someone to protect, or even delve into an active romance but show another perspective through Porchay and how he deals with everything going on around him. The problem is, the show establishes that Kim is rather distanced from the main family so he's not as active in the main story. Any scenes involving this supposed couple are just not fun to watch because I cannot bring myself to care for it.

The secondary (?) romance between Vegas and Pete is a fun one to watch. I don't mind a story that wants to be rather unsavory and dark. A lot of stories out there can be quite optimistic and cutesy so sometimes its fun to watch a darker romance every once in a while. I hesitate somewhat in calling it a secondary pairing because - and perhaps it's just me - I was caught by surprise when these two started sharing more scenes together and a connection was actively forming between them. Both characters, despite the toxicity of their relationship in reality, drew me in with how intricate and complex their personalities and backgrounds were. It is through Vegas' chaotic relations with Pete where he really shines as a character, and I must say their relationship was actively capturing my interest even more than KinnPorsche's sometimes.

More of THAT would've been fun. I like that there's little hints of an attraction between Vegas and Pete before they actively begin connecting more explicitly. The seeds were planted but grew at the most random of times and yet I'm somewhat enthralled by the whole ordeal and want to see more. More of VegasPete would've really made for a deliciously dark BL tale and I'd've ate up every minute of it.

Not much to say for KinnPorsche themselves. Nothing bad or overtly negative by any means,. I thought they were really un to watch. I was definitely very entranced by Kinn's eyebrows. They look so GOOD! I understand, Porsche. I absolutely get it. Porsche himself could be a little overly comedic as a character but his overall arc and story won me over with him and his charm was always present.

As for the actual plot, this is where KinnPorsche actively falls hard. I was actually rather invested in the plot right up until the final two episodes. The mystery of how Porsche's parents died is a solid one on paper, but I feel like everything was thrown at the wall by the end and there were too many reveals happening at once for it to even make an impact on me. I honestly had a hard time following if Gun - Vegas' father and head of the minor family - was actually the bad guy, but it seems that Korn was really the mastermind and proved to be as cunning and sinister as his father had been.

Would I rewatch this? Probably yeah. It'd probably be fun to go back and see if there were any subtle details earlier on that would make more sense now knowing the whole story. And besides the sex scenes and chemistry between the two couples is captivating that seeing the attraction would be worthy of a rewatch alone.

Also want to say first and foremost that "ARE YOU FUCKING DUMB, BRO?" - in English no less - is one of my utmost favorite line deliveries ever heard from a BL. Of everything that this BL had in it, that will definitely stand out as one of the most memorable parts of it.

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