Three words: Fresh, Cool, and Therapy
This series offers a fresh plotline that takes place on race tracks, with elements of the Omegaverse. Fast-paced and thrilling, I was hooked from the first episode. Babe and Charlie's chemistry instantly clicked for me in their first scenes. They suited each other, and I find their personality dynamics cute. Babe's confident and alluring nature complements Charlie's calm and collected nature. Charlie played a pivotal role in changing Babe's cocky personality and turning him into a better person. Whenever he's with Charlie, Babe becomes giggly and smiles more. Charlie calms his aggressiveness and provides reassurance for his massive trust issues. Although Charlie deceived Babe a couple of times, it was for a reasonable cause unlike Way's plan. I don't agree with the BabeWay ship since Way emotionally manipulated Babe and made him feel miserable. Way's intentions to rape Babe and have a baby with him were beyond disturbing, and I appreciate that Charlie intervened. The attempt to redeem Way's character failed miserably and led to his unnecessary death.
It was smooth sailing at first, and then I was jumpscared by the "child trafficking plot" in the middle. The topic of child trafficking is heavy, and unfortunately, they did not handle it with the necessary sensitivity. The pacing of the series started off strong but became inconsistent. Some episodes were slow, and at times it felt like there was too much going on in one episode, making it feel cramped. Charlie's decision to fake his death did not have any impact on Tony's evil plan. It was unnecessary and only brought emotional stress to both Babe and myself. I found myself crying along with Babe when I thought Charlie was dead, even though I already knew about the spoiler. Additionally, I expected Charlie to play a more significant role as a mastermind behind Tony's downfall, but it turns out he wasn't.
Additionally, the collective effort of the characters ganging up against Tony seemed overly dramatic and excessive to me. Tony and his evil plans received more spotlight than necessary. Bringing down Tony's downfall shouldn't have been as hard and complicated as portrayed; instead, they chose to drag it until the end. The fight scene between them and Tony made me frustrated, as I found myself urging them to pull the damn trigger already. Even Way's death felt unnecessary, considering the number of people against Tony. It was a whole group against one person, and yet they gave Tony too much power while leaving little to none for themselves. However, I do think Kenta stabbing Tony to death was more satisfying and reasonable, given how Tony treated Kenta like a dog and never acknowledged him as his son.
The ending of the series left me dissatisfied. There were numerous plot holes that remained unexplained, leaving me with a lack of understanding. I had questions regarding what happened to Kenta and all the children at the foundation. Did the serum actually work, and how did Babe's father create it?
The chemistry between couples is subjective. While I felt an instant connection and chemistry between Babe and Charlie, the same cannot be said for Alan and Jeff. I have mixed feelings about them as a pairing; it seems a little forced at times. Their reconciliation scene in Episode 6 gave me second-hand embarrassment. Occasionally, I feel their chemistry, but other times I don't due to the age gap and overall performance. Their romantic timing also falls flat at times.
On the other hand, North and Sonic were adorable and brought life to the series with their comedic scenes and banter. I thought they would become an official couple, but sadly, that chemistry was wasted. Nevertheless, in my mind, they got together. As for the PeteWay and PeteKenta pairing, I prefer either of the two because Pete had chemistry with both characters.
When it comes to acting, I noticed Pavel's inconsistency. Sometimes he's good, but other times he comes off too strong. However, I did appreciate his acting in scenes where Charlie was presumed dead and in the scene where he was a victim of Way's attempted rape. The hoarse voice and trembling added depth to his performance. On the other hand, Pooh didn't leave much of an impact on me. He lacks the use of facial expressions, and sometimes his voice comes off as monotone despite the intensity of the scene. Most of the time, his acting is overshadowed by Pavel's. However, I must say that Pooh does a pretty good job with his facial expressions during intimate scenes. I loved how his eyes would darken, dropping all his facial expressions and turning into a smirk. That was particularly captivating. Honestly, most of the cast could benefit from additional acting workshops. I'm not saying they're not great, but they have the potential to improve further. The action scenes were not executed well and appeared choreographed. Among them, Nut's acting is what stood out for me. Even when the camera wasn't focused on him, I could notice his facial expressions. His eyes are especially expressive. The scene where he cried in the car while reminiscing his sweet moments and memories with Babe melted my heart. He is a pretty crier and excels at using his whole face, especially for subtle micro-expressions.
As someone who doesn't have much knowledge about racing, I'm glad that the series emphasizes and utilizes it, making it more interesting for me. I appreciate the non-stereotypical portrayal of the couples, as none of them were excessively feminized, particularly the bottoms, which is a common trope in BL Dramas. Instead, all of them exuded a strong aura, or dare I say, an alpha presence, given that most of them are.
The series also had its fair share of cringy scenes and lines that could either make you cringe or laugh. Nonetheless, I mentioned therapy because most of Tony's sons in the series are in need of therapy due to the emotional and physical trauma they endured from him. It also has a lot of good plot twists, but unfortunately, I got spoiled on most of them. It encompasses various genres, including romance, mystery, action, drama, thriller, and comedy. This wide range of genres can either overwhelm and confuse others or provide them with a thrilling emotional rollercoaster ride. I would be lying if I said I didn't cry, laugh, and thoroughly enjoy watching this series.
Despite the problems with the plotline, pacing, and ending, I had a good time watching the series, mainly because of the sweet scenes and banter between Babe and Charlie. I stayed for them. It was honestly a breath of fresh air, as I hadn't come across a good series such as this one. Despite its flaws, I would still recommend it to others.
It was smooth sailing at first, and then I was jumpscared by the "child trafficking plot" in the middle. The topic of child trafficking is heavy, and unfortunately, they did not handle it with the necessary sensitivity. The pacing of the series started off strong but became inconsistent. Some episodes were slow, and at times it felt like there was too much going on in one episode, making it feel cramped. Charlie's decision to fake his death did not have any impact on Tony's evil plan. It was unnecessary and only brought emotional stress to both Babe and myself. I found myself crying along with Babe when I thought Charlie was dead, even though I already knew about the spoiler. Additionally, I expected Charlie to play a more significant role as a mastermind behind Tony's downfall, but it turns out he wasn't.
Additionally, the collective effort of the characters ganging up against Tony seemed overly dramatic and excessive to me. Tony and his evil plans received more spotlight than necessary. Bringing down Tony's downfall shouldn't have been as hard and complicated as portrayed; instead, they chose to drag it until the end. The fight scene between them and Tony made me frustrated, as I found myself urging them to pull the damn trigger already. Even Way's death felt unnecessary, considering the number of people against Tony. It was a whole group against one person, and yet they gave Tony too much power while leaving little to none for themselves. However, I do think Kenta stabbing Tony to death was more satisfying and reasonable, given how Tony treated Kenta like a dog and never acknowledged him as his son.
The ending of the series left me dissatisfied. There were numerous plot holes that remained unexplained, leaving me with a lack of understanding. I had questions regarding what happened to Kenta and all the children at the foundation. Did the serum actually work, and how did Babe's father create it?
The chemistry between couples is subjective. While I felt an instant connection and chemistry between Babe and Charlie, the same cannot be said for Alan and Jeff. I have mixed feelings about them as a pairing; it seems a little forced at times. Their reconciliation scene in Episode 6 gave me second-hand embarrassment. Occasionally, I feel their chemistry, but other times I don't due to the age gap and overall performance. Their romantic timing also falls flat at times.
On the other hand, North and Sonic were adorable and brought life to the series with their comedic scenes and banter. I thought they would become an official couple, but sadly, that chemistry was wasted. Nevertheless, in my mind, they got together. As for the PeteWay and PeteKenta pairing, I prefer either of the two because Pete had chemistry with both characters.
When it comes to acting, I noticed Pavel's inconsistency. Sometimes he's good, but other times he comes off too strong. However, I did appreciate his acting in scenes where Charlie was presumed dead and in the scene where he was a victim of Way's attempted rape. The hoarse voice and trembling added depth to his performance. On the other hand, Pooh didn't leave much of an impact on me. He lacks the use of facial expressions, and sometimes his voice comes off as monotone despite the intensity of the scene. Most of the time, his acting is overshadowed by Pavel's. However, I must say that Pooh does a pretty good job with his facial expressions during intimate scenes. I loved how his eyes would darken, dropping all his facial expressions and turning into a smirk. That was particularly captivating. Honestly, most of the cast could benefit from additional acting workshops. I'm not saying they're not great, but they have the potential to improve further. The action scenes were not executed well and appeared choreographed. Among them, Nut's acting is what stood out for me. Even when the camera wasn't focused on him, I could notice his facial expressions. His eyes are especially expressive. The scene where he cried in the car while reminiscing his sweet moments and memories with Babe melted my heart. He is a pretty crier and excels at using his whole face, especially for subtle micro-expressions.
As someone who doesn't have much knowledge about racing, I'm glad that the series emphasizes and utilizes it, making it more interesting for me. I appreciate the non-stereotypical portrayal of the couples, as none of them were excessively feminized, particularly the bottoms, which is a common trope in BL Dramas. Instead, all of them exuded a strong aura, or dare I say, an alpha presence, given that most of them are.
The series also had its fair share of cringy scenes and lines that could either make you cringe or laugh. Nonetheless, I mentioned therapy because most of Tony's sons in the series are in need of therapy due to the emotional and physical trauma they endured from him. It also has a lot of good plot twists, but unfortunately, I got spoiled on most of them. It encompasses various genres, including romance, mystery, action, drama, thriller, and comedy. This wide range of genres can either overwhelm and confuse others or provide them with a thrilling emotional rollercoaster ride. I would be lying if I said I didn't cry, laugh, and thoroughly enjoy watching this series.
Despite the problems with the plotline, pacing, and ending, I had a good time watching the series, mainly because of the sweet scenes and banter between Babe and Charlie. I stayed for them. It was honestly a breath of fresh air, as I hadn't come across a good series such as this one. Despite its flaws, I would still recommend it to others.
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