short and sweet

Overall: A soft 25 minute story about a college tutor and his high school tutee. You can find this on YouTube.

Content Warning: under 18 (assuming, but he could have been 18) and an over 18 year old. Personally, this didn't bother me as their age gap is two or three years and the younger one made the first move. 

What I Liked
- the montage to show that time had passed and they became friends
- I didn't like how it came about, but I actually liked the direction this went and was fine with the ending
- that Tone was clear about his sexual orientation (though the word wasn't subbed, I can guess what it said), but sad he showed internalized homophobia
- Pun doesn't say a lot at the end, but when you think carefully about how he was struggling with school, how he must have worked hard and then selected that college, it says quite a bit

Room For Improvement
- although I kind of understand the sister's reaction, I wish she would have been honest with her brother. Instead, she flat out lies to him when he asks her if she said anything to Tone. She didn't want to be the "bad guy" and made it so it looked like Tone was the jerk. Thankfully, Pun wasn't a moron and saw through things. 
- the subtitles have errors but you can understand what is going on, from 15:20-16 the subtitles are missing, turn on auto translate from the Korean subs to English and it works or check the comments

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intimacy done right, a very enjoyable BL

Overall: all the feelings (hurt, hope, shyness, giddiness, happiness) feel natural in this series. 8 episodes about 15 minutes each. Aired on Viki and GagaOOLala.

Content Warnings: workplace bullying

What I Liked
- what happened at the end of episode 5 was well done and included some of the original sounds!
- ongoing affection/playfulness (hand holding, hugs, quick kisses, etc)
- that communication issues didn't drag on in the present and were addressed fairly quickly
- integration of computer/gaming animation, including the ending sequences
- according to my expert, the computer stuff was mostly realistic, especially the stuff in episode 5
- end of episode 4 was very well done
- workplace dynamics and that they were actually working/busy
- production value

Room For Improvement
- I struggled with this premise but things took a turn for the better the end of episode 4 once I understood that a character was hurt/upset
- strange that the beginning of episode 5 didn't start at where the story was at the end of episode 4
- wanted a bit more transparency but I'll pretend they had a serious conversation about the decision off screen
- was really happy at the end of episode 8 but it was awkward their hands were both at their sides instead of on back of neck, back, arms or chest and also the distance between their bodies was strange

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To My Angst

Overall: season 1 was a romance so I was hoping in season 2 to learn more about the backgrounds of the two leads, have some character growth (specifically Ji Woo getting better at communicating), some fluff and some realistic drama (i.e. the public finding out about their romance and fallout from that). Instead we got...angst and character regression instead of growth. If someone wants to avoid 9 episodes of angst, then I'd suggest just watching episode 10. I really dislike when one character is a huge jerk to the other character for a long time because then I'm not happy if they are together at the end due to all the pain that was caused. Once you break a glass, even if you put it back together, it will never be the same. Watched on Viki (also Gagaoolala)

Content Warnings: gaslighting, grief

What I Liked
- the cute scenes
- episode 10 (except for the very last two lines), enjoyed the callbacks to the first season
- acting
- music (wish we had vocals for the intro though)
- the supporting characters from season 1 that returned in season 2 (and wish they had had more screen time/depth for their characters)
- talking about Ho Min's decision was funny (I looked up the actor)

Room For Improvement
- Ji Woo, I am so disappointed that instead of character growth we got character regression. Breaking up via a sticky note and ghosting someone (on their birthday no less) after a year of dating is inexcusable. Then Ji Woo has the gall to name his restaurant "I'm Waiting For You". Ji Woo lies to Seo Joon and is extra cruel by telling Seo Joon that it's Seo Joon's fault their relationship doesn't work before eventually admitting it was Ji Woo's fault/insecurities. No amount of grief or introvertedness excuses his actions (I know people who are extremely introverted and they all manage to communicate with their significant others)
- Seo Joon needs to learn about respecting boundaries - I realize this was supposed to be romantic but it felt like harassment to me
- non logical/realistic plot things/responses - is a celebrity having a fear of loud noises a huge scandal??? I don't understand this at all. Another is, what a terrible detective. It took 1 year to figure out that Ji Woo was in the town where he grew up/where his parents used to live, wouldn't that be the first place to look??? Also what was the motivation for who posted that story about Seo Joon?
- the cliche ex, this added nothing for me
- the kid, if they were shown babysitting a friend/relative's kid and talking about how they wanted their family to be in the future that would have been awesome, but this character seemed tossed in to add additional drama
- the frequent time jumps back and forth made it feel disjointed and confusing, wish they had told this in a linear fashion
- the explanation for Seo Joon's phobia was underwhelming
- I wish they had had a short recap of season 1 at the beginning of episode 1
- the intro with season 1 short scenes and instrumental music wasn't my favorite intro

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had me until episode 4

(potential trigger warnings in my review, talking about abuse and intimate partner violence)

Overall: with a few tweaks this could have been a 9.5 series but I actively did not want the main leads together especially when 3 years later one of them was still a narcissist. It's sad but not surprising that people were victim blaming and calling Joe stupid. He wasn't stupid, he was an abuse victim (more below). Very similar aesthetics to KinnPorsche which made sense because it shared a director and screenwriter. It was adapted from the novel "Professional Body Double" by Shui Qiang Cheng which I didn't read and I based the series on its own merits. 12 episodes about an hour each. Aired uncut on iQIYI. First episode link: https://www.iq.com/play/my-stand-in-uncut-episode-1-1iwuiu9rlww?lang=en_us The production company also produced I Feel You Linger In The Air.

Content Warnings: death, grief, non con kissing, punch/violence, intimate partner abuse, held against will, gaslighting, manipulation, coercion, past suicide?, manhandling, vomiting, parental abuse, kidnapped, homophobia

What I Liked
- the premise
- showed a condom and discussed sexual position preferences
- had a good conversation at the beginning of episode 2
- wanting/ongoing physical affection in the beginning episodes
- sweet moments in the beginning episodes
- supportive sister
- production value (some really nice camera shots, use of mirrors, switching focus on foreground to background etc.)

Room For Improvement
- I can't root for their relationship as explained below
- Ming was stupid, he could have easily shown his dad evidence first before telling him the other part, he could have shored up his financial situation first as well
- Joe's lack of agency, he had a bunch of awful things and felt cornered into doing things instead of it being his choice
- multiple failed redemption arcs
- trash characters have no consequences, just instant forgiveness for terrible things they did
- multiple romances introduced in the last 30 minutes of the last episode
- voice overs with exposition dumps
- some of the music didn't fit the tone (that fight in episode 4 was made comical instead of dramatic)
- wish a character hadn't been shown as extremely drunk at the end of episode 1
- love triangle, Sol overstepped and took away agency from Joe especially in episode 9
- nonsense stuff i.e. Ming just happened to have something at his house in episode 4??? Joe didn't have any bruises/blood on his face/head in episode 4, Joe happened to overhear key conversations, 1 person being extremely drunk and a stunt person not being able to get away

Thoughts on Grey Characters/Their Romantic Relationships
Sometimes these characters and their dynamic work for me and other times they don't. Here are the factors that I think about:
1. was there a realistic reason why the character/s acted the way they did in the past (sort of, but not to the level that Ming was at)
2. how bad was/is the treatment (extremely abusive and violent, Ming could have accidentally killed Joe in episode 4, 3 years later and Ming stays a narcissist he says "I always get what I want" and he actively ignores what would make Joe happy)
3. were both characters grey or was one squeaky clean (Joe was mostly squeaky clean but unbelievably dense in not believing that Ming wanted him and Ming was abusive and a narcissist and stayed a narcissist/manipulative and also stupid to not know why Joe didn't tell him something)
4. was there some kind of apology/amend making (verbal apologies, promised to treat him better/give him job opportunities, was sweet with him but to me it was just the make up phase of an abuse cycle)
5. was there character growth (no, 3 years later and Ming was still a narcissist which was reinforced in episode 9, he made decisions involving Joe without asking what Joe wanted because Ming did whatever Ming wanted)
6. do I believe that the characters will stay together in a happy romantic relationship (no, because for Ming it was about power/control and not love)
final verdict: I didn't want them in a romantic relationship together

Joe wasn't stupid, he was the victim of intimate partner violence
- Joe was the victim of physical, financial, emotional/mental and sexual abuse
- Ming didn't love Joe, he wanted to control him to get what he wanted
- abuse survivors can have a very difficult time escaping the abuse because abusers can be extremely excellent manipulators "if you hadn't done abc then I wouldn't have had to say/do xyz", also there are periods of nice times that trick the survivor into thinking the abuser does love them (the make up phase in the cycle of abuse), in the real world intimate partner violence is deadly and widespread, it is estimated that 10-40% of law enforcement officers are abusers and they are frequently the first people to respond, it's all very terrible and not at all romantic

If you or someone you love needs help, here is a resource in the U.S. https://www.rainn.org/

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a heartfelt reality dating series

Overall: my goal for reality dating series is always for them to make friends and have minimal heartbreak, any couples are icing on the cake. 10 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala.

Content Warnings: ep 1 briefly mentioned a partner's death

What I Liked
- the friendships
- guys were genuine
- dinner conversation starters where they all answered (such as hobbies) but they also were free to ask their own questions (such as how one guy asked how many exes everyone had although I personally think that's an irrelevant/not good question to ask in the very beginning)
- how they had a date that was both kind of their choice but kind of up to fate
- smart decision to not let them say their age or occupation right away. I think people get fixated on those things when in reality personality, values and goals are much more important compatibility-wise
- the country/mountain setting
- the episode with the guest
- episode 9 was very heartfelt
- production value

Room For Improvement
- felt very similar to His Man (with the phone calls) and I would have liked if they had forged their own path
- dragged out the whole eliminating someone for too many episodes

Comparison to other m/m dating shows
1. Boy Romance (Taiwan, currently airing)
2. His Man seasons 1 & 2 (South Korea). Excellent production value though a bit repetitive with the number of phone calls.
3. Bromance (Thailand) is also on Gagaoolala. This is the typical Bachelor/Bachelorette set up with a bunch of people competing against one another to be with the 1 bachelor. I didn't like this because they could have all been hitting on each other and we have multiple couples! I got kind of bored and skipped a bunch.
4. Love House seasons 1 & 2 (Vietnam) on YouTube (most have English subs, this is ep 1 of season 2 no subs though https://youtu.be/TKzT_nHfVTA ). I liked this set up more than Bromance because the guys could all pursue one another. I didn't like the "secret couple" aspect and dividing them up based on sexual position seemed odd (can't they discuss that in private???) Season 1 was also the most brutal "rose ceremony" I've ever seen in any dating reality show. Season 2 was better.

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rushed with some cute parts, loose adaptation of Why R U (Thailand, 2020)

Overall: This is a remake of the 2020 Thai BL Why R U (which in turn is based on a book) but I will review it on its own merits. 8 episodes about 25 minutes each. Note: there is an extra scene after the next week's preview in some episodes. Aired on iQIYI & Viki (depending on your country). Idol Romance also produced: Roommates of Poongduck 304, The Tasty Florida and Kissable Lips.

Content Warnings: manhandling, non con touching, non con kiss?, slap (part of acting)

What I Liked
- I did laugh a few times (swearing at each other with their fingers)
- cute moments
- Max & Nat cameo
- the original Why R U series playing in the background in a scene
- the perspective change in ep 2
- Sun Woo & Yoo Kyeom (up until the end of ep 4 when that reaction made zero sense to me)
- good kissing

Room For Improvement
- the intro felt like a trailer/exposition dump, it didn't hook me
- another bad "plan" that belongs in middle school (from Ji Oh), however Ji Oh had a personality change around episode 5 and I liked his character more/the dynamic
- confusing, did not clearly differentiate the flashback from present (the widescreen is flashback, full screen is present), several fast cuts
- was too choppy/rushed, should have cut out the sister/book thing entirely
- interjecting women/love triangles, (she had such a stupid plan, why wouldn't she tell her friend?)
- why didn't Yoo Kyeom tell Sun Woo about the girlfriend situation, he knew that they are friends
- cliche overhearing something and not telling the person what is wrong, and then a few days later he says he believes in being clear and finally tells him
- long recaps

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promising start let down by the writing

Overall: I enjoyed the more realistic vibe, but the writing didn't work for me. Aired on Team Campy Entertainment YouTube channel. 7 episodes broken up into two parts each, each episode was about 20 minutes long.

Content Warnings: racism, beaten up off screen

What I Liked
- realistic parts (being annoyed at someone talking on the phone in the bathroom)
- funny parts, like that he wore a suit (although who wouldn't ask what the job was???)
- sweet/cute moments

Room For Improvement
- that was too harsh of a way to start a series
- too much overlap/showing old scenes between the parts and the episodes
- Andre was an unlikable character (especially in episode 6) and I didn't really like Joshua either, I didn't feel their chemistry/relationship build up
- story threads/characters dropped like the dad
- the sister exposition dump
- loud, constant background music (and mostly the same music)

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poignant and sweet, a really well done short BL series (minor spoilers)

Overall: I really enjoyed this more realistic/subdued BL (similar to Life Love on the Line). This is based on a manga but I'm rating it on its own. Watched on Viki.

Content Warnings: non con kiss (sleeping), dub con kissing, manhandling, trespassing, theft? (I don't consider the 10 year age gap or boss/employee to be a content warnings based on how things went)

What I Liked
- acting (I especially liked that Togawa was snotty when crying which is realistic)
- cute and caring moments, also a few really funny moments
- the food/desserts!
- cinematography (that long take scene at the end of episode 4 was amazing)
- although Nozue made more changes, I liked that Togawa also made a change in episode 5 based on what Nozue had said previously
- the subtle vibe
- good intro and song, as well as other music to fit the mood

Room For Improvement
- there were two times when I was so happy that Togawa respected Nozue's boundaries and then Togawa violated those boundaries which was disappointing
- the series would have benefited from a slightly longer run time (the abrupt and unknown time jump at the end as an example)
- a missed humor opportunity in episode 3, they could have shown Togawa frantically trying to clean up
- I think we should have had at least 1 kiss in episode 5, especially considering their ages

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Part Cutie and Part Manipulation Pie

Overall: I was really excited after seeing the trailers and the plot premise. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the lack of agency, manipulation, lying and stupidity. I wish we had seen Kuea telling the truth much earlier and spending the rest of the series learning about the other person's real personality. It did have some fun, cute and advocacy moments. Watched on YouTube.

Content Warnings: non con kiss (very drunk), manipulation, stalking

What I Liked
- the original premise
- the consent displayed in episode 8 part 1, and some other parts as well
- the moments that made me laugh (like Kuea rocking out in ep 1)
- the 3rd couple, although they didn't get much screentime
- talking about marriage equality in the bath tub and later in the series
- great that Hia Lian rejected the terrible pitch using stereotypes*
- the overall aesthetic of the music, editing, etc
- Lian's assistant character was hilarious
- the intimate moments

Room For Improvement
- the main issue I have is that Kuea (and Diao to a lesser degree) don't have agency. Their love interests make decisions for them as if they are the parent and Kuea and Diao are the child instead of them being equal partners. For example Lian saying "I hope that my plan to straighten him out will work." There is a lot of lying (mostly by omission but it's still lying) and manipulation throughout the series. Kuea's mom also outright lies to him. We finally get communication in the last episode! That should have happened around episode 4. Lian even manipulated Kuea until the very end. They had agreed that Kuea would propose and Lian would not let him do it and kept sabotaging him.
- the non con drunk kiss was unnecessary, Kuea didn't even recognize Lian. I've been very drunk before and I still recognized friends so this was non con in my opinion.
- stupidity/non logic, several characters make stupid decisions. Why would Kuea think that Lian didn't know he was Kirin when Kuea publicly announced it at a show at Lian's rival business (so he likely keeps close tabs on it). And then Lian just happens to have a music room with Kuea's favorite instrument??? I really wanted (preferably Kuea) to do some huge reveal around ep 5, break off the engagement and then they needed to learn about the real personalities of the other person and fall in love
- the side couple felt abusive. Having to report his schedule, having to check in every night at midnight etc. They never had an explicit conversation about a consensual dom/sub relationship. Also I was very confused especially in the beginning with what relationship they had and why. We gained insight into their history but, too late in my opinion.
- *colorism, the grandma says she's happy her grandson is "good looking and fair, just like his noble family"

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it got there eventually (watch suggestions)

Overall: this is a premise we've seen several times already (Night Dream, The Promise, Venus in the Sky) and I haven't been impressed with the execution of any of them. In this case they revealed the reason way too late and the pacing was quite slow. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on Netflix in 11 countries in Southeast Asia including Thailand. Later added subtitles on their YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDIqVRSvaz9Ii4mniqowFEaRS2Mfel8DT&si=dnuP2dj0o_fVAyGj

Content Warnings: blood, death off screen, grief, non con kiss, punches, parental abuse

Watch Suggestions (unless you enjoy very slow pacing/love rivals)
- read the synopsis
- watch episode 4 at the beginning to 17 minutes, then 34:30 to the end
- watch the flashback in episode 5 30-34:25
- watch episode 6, skip 31-36 unless you want to hate Ji's dad
- you can start episode 7 at 7:20 or watch the whole thing
- watch episode 8

What I Liked
- sweet moments
- adorable puppy
- intimacy/tension in episode 7 and 8
- Ji's supportive friend (need Poppy in a lead BL role)
- visuals
- ended the series well

Room For Improvement
- I understand wanting some mystery, but they didn't clearly reveal why Ji was so angry at Achi until episode 7, I couldn't really support their relationship until I understood exactly what happened
- Achi saying he had a girlfriend in episode 2 right before he did what he did made no sense, another bad "plan"
- the tone started very serious followed by scenes with comedy sound effects and then another serious scene, the changing tone felt jarring
- at times it wasn't immediately clear what was in flashback vs. present
- nonsense stuff (i.e. fake-looking blood, a doctor saying they can do a surgery without seeing anything in person, diagnosing something from just an x-ray)
- what the dad did in episode 6
- one side couple had no resolution

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a slapstick comedy that ended abruptly

Overall: this has the slapstick comedy feel of YYY along with the enemies dynamic of TharnType (but waayyy less kissing/steaminess, it's a slow burn). Unfortunately the series was cancelled and the ending is pretty abrupt (watch past the credits of episode 15). Watched on One31's YouTube channel.

Content Warnings: manipulation

What I Liked
- I'd like to see the two lead actors in something else, either together or apart
- overall production value is good
- I liked the mirror and the bubbles at the end of the first episode, it was neat
- ep 8 and onward there is more sexual tension which I enjoyed
- I did laugh a few times

Room For Improvement
- I think some jokes didn't translate well, but this isn't my style of humor and I didn't laugh that much. I really disliked the laugh track (it also has A LOT of comedy sound effects)
- the main character Diao is super immature and it annoys me instead of making me laugh, he is the immature/prickly character while Rak is the calm/patient character
- wasn't a fan of Rak's manipulation with Diao and the probation thing in episode 10
- (neutral), there is a trans woman (not sure how they identify)/effeminate male character but I wouldn't say that the comedy is making fun of that person. The other colleague character is a woman and she is also comedic.

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Like bubbles, beautiful but empty

Overall: this short fantasy historical series wasted screen time with a love triangle and close up shots. Watched on Viki.

Content Warnings: violence, a punch (not between m/m ship)

What I Liked
- the production value was good including the cgi of the barrier
- the premise was set up fairly well
- I liked the guard and the future guy's characters
- a few funny moments

Room For Improvement
- I didn't feel chemistry between the m/m ship, also dead fish lip kisses
- many examples of non-logic or stupid things (did a queen have more power than a king in that time period???)
- it was not obvious that it was a flashback in the final episode and also made zero sense with what was going to happen with the guard vs. what he was supposed to do
- I disliked the extreme closeups
- some shaky camerawork
- I don't think most people would react at 7min 30sec if they were to come upon a scene like that in episode 1
- don't really like the title "Tinted With You." Tinted is a verb, it just seems odd in the title.

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Funny and sweet (we need season 2)

Overall: This high school BL has a mixture of realistic, sweet, cringey and funny moments. I have not read the manga so I can't comment on similarities/differences there. Watched on Viki (My Love Mix-Up)

Content Warnings: two slaps not between m/m, homophobia

What I Liked
- subverted tropes, surprising moments (I won't go into details and ruin things but I rarely get pleasantly surprised watching BL and I was when watching this)
- Ida being honest and considerate, thinking about things seriously
- the look on the high schoolers faces when the military guy talks to them is priceless and universal
- supportive friends on both Ida's and Aoki's side, also that Ida's friends weren't stupid
- communication (yes there was also miscommunication, but there were several instances of good communication)
- characters apologizing for mistakes made
- I'm totally fine with the ending but we need a season 2 to see the continuation
- even some really minor side characters were fun to watch

Room For Improvement
- (neutral) Aoki is very energetic/exaggerated which I've noticed in quite a few manga adaptations, luckily the other protagonist is chill so it balances it out. Aoki does have some pretty funny moments.
- the slaps were not needed
- "gay for you" adjacent
- that first volleyball teacher side plot, though I was happy how he handled it
- I almost vomited when that tutor/student teacher asked things those invasive personal questions, no teacher is asking their student those questions

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good production value and acting, but not a fan of the main character

Overall: the production value and acting was great but I actively disliked Mamoru's character and might be judging more harshly than normal as I was in this type of relationship (low self esteem/affect/morose and happy go lucky) and it was terrible. Aired on Viki.

Content Warnings: manhandling, non con photo taking/posting, unwanted outing, homophobia, punch

What I Liked
- funny moments like after Mamoru and his friend/fan ate
- the editing/animation references its manga origin
- Mamoru was set up well
- Issei's backstory for the constant smiling
- Mamoru's female friend/fan
- production value*

Room For Improvement
- really terrible communication especially from Mamoru, but Issei definitely should have talked to Mamoru before he said what he said on the stage
- never saw a reason for Mamoru's moroseness (and drawing nsfw stuff in high school and being (understandably) made fun of for it does not count), and there was a lack of character growth
- non reason in episode 7 and then sudden switch in episode 8
- the false idea that love can cure mental health struggles (been there, tried that, it was awful)
- Issei was at the end of the line, then vanished but later had the book???
- stereotypical character at the convention
-*too much spinning camera work end

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Lost its way

Overall: I had some issues with the beginning episodes but things really went downhill at episode 8 with a cliche plot point at the end of episode 7. Watched on Gagaoolala.

Content Warnings: suicidal ideation?, non con/dub con drunk surprise kisses, two punches, slap, comments about weight

What I Liked
- the crack comedy moments like the ukulele randomly appearing during their road trip
- there was an apology for the drunk/surprise kiss which was nice
- they stopped their friend from driving his motorcycle while drunk
- Saint (I hope the actor gets a lead in another production soon)
- some good spitting truth lines like "if you don't respect my decision, then don't be my friend" and "whether you win or lose doesn't matter, as long as you are doing something that you love"
- (neutral) it has some comedy sound effects

Room For Improvement
- overall the plot felt disjointed. Characters would appear and then disappear. As I predicted, 14 guys were just too many (and how did we not have a second m/m ship that developed???) The basketball was a thing, then it vanished, then it returned. The random play for one full episode.
- Soh's nonsense lying, then nonsense getting Mon back and a (once again) pointless love triangle where I wanted the second lead to end up with the ML
- neither Soh nor Mon could give reasons why they liked each other
- Amy liking the basketball coach, ummm no
- Mickey being really immature for that whole episode totally sank his ship
- odd things, it was weird Mon started out with that sucker in his mouth and then had it his whole trip? (we learn more about the sucker in a later episode but it was odd not knowing the reasoning for it). Who sleeps at a dining table and wouldn't go to sleep on the couch?
- the one friend basically said he was going to stay with his girlfriend because he loved her even if that meant he couldn't hang out with his friends
- choppy, it went from "tell me how you got here" to Mon being at college then jumped back to the apartment with Soh and his friend
- slow pacing, I watched most of it at double or more speed
- the finale was disappointing (there is an after credits scene, but we don't know if it's a dream or not)

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