CapitalBL
This review may contain spoilers
Romanticizing Abusive Relationships
Things that I liked about the series:
- So I FINALLY get to talk about this show! I think this was my most anticipated review ever since I posted that I'd be watching/reviewing TharnType. A lot of you were expecting me to see why MewGulf is such a popular ship. So what's my verdict?
...Okay yeah, I can see why they're beloved. I stan MewGulf, I admit it. CONGRATS BL FANS, YOU WON ME OVER!!!!
- Right away, I want to dive into Gulf's character "Type" first. First off, let me say I hate homphobia. I'm gay, and I'm proud, and anybody who has a problem with gays can kiss my ass. That being said, I have to commend this show for giving me a reason for Type's homophobia that is arguably understandable. Normally when we see homophobia being portrayed in shows and movies, it's usually the whole, "God hates gays" or "Being gay is a sin." *yawn* But with Type, that's not the case. His homophobia comes from a traumatic event as a child where he was raped by a male pedophile. I honestly do not blame him for staying away from gays after that, and I applaud the writers for giving us a valid reason that has nothing to do with religion.
I think what makes it worse for Type is that he knows he's attracted to Tharn despite how much he hates gays, which means he also hates himself for the feelings he has. I can't imagine what kind of turmoil that must cause for someone's mentality. Bravo, TharnType.
- Another thing about Gulf's character Type is that he has one of the better character developments in BL. He starts off as an angry homophobe, then slowly grows more into his relationship with Tharn. Then he wants to keep his new boyfriend a secret, but then he slowly starts telling those closest to him about his relationship with Tharn. He hates the mere sight of Tharn's ex-boyfriend Tar, but at the last episode, they seem to develop a mutual acquaintance, or friendship. He's grown so much over the course of 12 episodes, and I love seeing that in a character.
- Let's talk about Mew's character next. Mew plays Tharn, a character who I can best describe as, "A GENTLE GIANT." He's a power top on the outside, but has the heart of a submissive. He's so loving, affectionate, and caring; not just for Type, but for everyone around him. When it comes to Type, I think there is nothing this man wouldn't do to please him. He'd probably drink Type's piss if he asked him to. He's one of the more softer dominants we've seen in a BL, and I honestly love it. I love how his and Type's personalities are opposite of the roles they play in the relationship. It breaks the typical stereotype of who's considered top or bottom.
- Let's go to the actors. As usual, all actors were phenomenal. What do you expect in BL? This industry has some of the most talented actors around. That said, there are some that really stole the show for me. The actors who I felt shined the most were Mew, Kok who plays Tharn's ex-boyfriend "Tar," and Kaownah who plays "Lhong." These three actors stood out to me.
- Kok, who plays Tar, I felt had the biggest acting range of them all. He's had to play so many layers to his character in one season. Showing Tar's shy side, his vulnerable side, his obsessive side, and his broken side. That's a lot to pull off, and he did it so effortlessly. I do hope that we'll one say see Kok play a lead role in a BL someday. I would love to see him have a loving BL partner. I think Tar and Tum were so cute together, and I wouldn't have minded if they got a spinoff together where they played the leads (if they're not blood related of course.)
- Oh dear lord, I have so much to say about Kaownah's character "Lhong" but none of them are good. So let me start with the good. Kaownah did such an amazing job playing a mentally psychotic character that I hate so much. lol
- Oh, and there's a lot of hot sexy scenes, so....yeah. There's that.
Things I didn't like about the series:
- This is where I feel like I'm going to have so many BL fans hate my guts LMFAO. Let's talk about the storyline for a second. I'll be blunt...the storyline is not good. I mean, it has a lot of good ideas, but the execution was bad. It's very problematic in multiple ways.
- I said a lot of positives about Type's characters, but I do have a few problems with him too. While his behavior is arguably understandable TO AN EXTENT, he's still not a likable character. I think my biggest problem with Type is how violent he is, especially to Tharn. We've seen Type physically assault Tharn multiple times, even when they started dating. Punching him in the face, kicking him, kneeing him in the crotch, etc. TYPE IS ABUSIVE, there's no way to tip toe around it. He's literally abusive. I do sympathize with him, I do see some good in him, and I can see that he grows to love Tharn, but does the good outweigh the bad? That part I'm unsure of. I had this similar dilemma with Khai from "Theory of Love," and sadly, I still prefer Type over him. Reason being is because we actually HAVE A REASON to cut Type some slack, and we do see why Type could be called a good guy. With Khai, we don't really see it. Any good he does was for himself or to try to win over Third. That's not enough.
- Unfortunately, Type isn't the only lead I have a problem with. I have a few problems with Tharn as well.
Right away, I have to say this. THARN WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TYPE. Don't you dare try to say he wasn't. Ep 1, he was kissing all over a drunk, unwilling Type, even after he said he doesn't do it with drunks. NONCONSENTUAL ACTS ARE NOT ATTRACTIVE. CAN WE PLEASE STOP ROMANTICIZING IT!?!
And can we please stop using the whole "It's only fiction," excuse to justify it! Nothing justifies it, fiction or reality.
And I can't help but wonder why that was put in, because it never really happens again the rest of the season, and it really doesn't mesh well with Tharn's character at all. It seemed out of place, and just used as an excuse to get some sexy times in right at the beginning, which is pathetic.
Other than the sexual assault, I also hate how much of a pushover Tharn is. He literally takes any abuse given to him and never really fights back. He accepts it because that's how much he loves Type, and I find it funny how the writers are trying to make it seem romantic, when it accurately portrays an abusive relationship with a beaten wife.
- Aaaaand we're back to Lhong. I've heard he's one of the most hated characters in BL, and now I know why. Lhong is a piece of shit and he needed his ass kicked, which never happened except that one punch Tharn delivered. Lhong's character is probably the most poorly written character in the entire series, and I really hate how the writers were trying to make us feel sympathy for him. Oh he feels alone, that's why he hired three guys to rape a 10th grader, and almost kill Type, all to have someone who will never love him all to himself. FUCK YOU, LHONG! I'm so sorry, but I will never feel sorry for this asshole, and the fact the writers were trying to make us feel sorry for him is disgusting. He should've gotten his ass beaten bloodied. He should've gotten arrested. Did any of that happens? NO!! He gets away with it all, which leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Even when the writers are supposedly trying to show us why he's like that, it was also poorly executed. We're just TOLD how lonely he feels, but we never actually see it. We never see how lonely and broken it feels, and that's it. For any future writers out there, SHOW, DON'T TELL!!! That's one of the main rules in storytelling.
- I have to admit, the ending was very unsatisfying. There was so many plot holes that were left untouched that we may never get answers for, unless they're in season 2.
- Did Type and Kohm ever make up?
- Did Tum and Tharn make up?
- Did their former roommates ever get together?
- Why didn't Tar and Tharn talk in person about what happened?
- Why didn't Tharn tell his bandmates the truth about why Lhong was no longer in the band?
Why do we not have any answers to any of these?
- I'm also confused by Tar and Tum's relationship. Are they related by blood? Because Tum clearly likes Tar more than a brother, but they never specified their relationship. So many things left open.
Overall Thoughts:
This is probably the most frustrating review I've ever made so far, because I still don't know if I actually liked it overall or not. This show is very problematic, and I'm not even sure I've covered everything lol. I do love MewGulf as a pair. I think they have outstanding chemistry, and despite my issues with their characters, I did find myself smiling at them a lot. I loved the idea of their enemies-to-lovers relationship, though I wish it was better written. I think my biggest issue with the show is the ending with Lhong's character, and all the plot holes left unfinished. That's how I can best describe the ending. Unfinished.
But my overall problem with TharnType has nothing to do with the actors, or the chemistry. It all comes down to the writing, which is not good. Sorry, but that's my honest opinion. The writing is the weakest part of TharnType. I feel like this show gets most of its hype because of how hot MewGulf are, and because of all the sex scenes. That's it. And while the sexy scenes were hot, and so are our leads, that alone does not make up for the bad writing. It's not completely garbage, but it could've been so much better.
I will admit, I enjoyed watching this show far more than I was expecting to, but in my heart, I can't say it's one of the best BL shows I've seen. I wasn't bored though, so that's a plus, but I'm not even sure if I'd watch it again. So many good ideas, so much talent all around, but a lot of wasted potential.
Rank: 7/10
- So I FINALLY get to talk about this show! I think this was my most anticipated review ever since I posted that I'd be watching/reviewing TharnType. A lot of you were expecting me to see why MewGulf is such a popular ship. So what's my verdict?
...Okay yeah, I can see why they're beloved. I stan MewGulf, I admit it. CONGRATS BL FANS, YOU WON ME OVER!!!!
- Right away, I want to dive into Gulf's character "Type" first. First off, let me say I hate homphobia. I'm gay, and I'm proud, and anybody who has a problem with gays can kiss my ass. That being said, I have to commend this show for giving me a reason for Type's homophobia that is arguably understandable. Normally when we see homophobia being portrayed in shows and movies, it's usually the whole, "God hates gays" or "Being gay is a sin." *yawn* But with Type, that's not the case. His homophobia comes from a traumatic event as a child where he was raped by a male pedophile. I honestly do not blame him for staying away from gays after that, and I applaud the writers for giving us a valid reason that has nothing to do with religion.
I think what makes it worse for Type is that he knows he's attracted to Tharn despite how much he hates gays, which means he also hates himself for the feelings he has. I can't imagine what kind of turmoil that must cause for someone's mentality. Bravo, TharnType.
- Another thing about Gulf's character Type is that he has one of the better character developments in BL. He starts off as an angry homophobe, then slowly grows more into his relationship with Tharn. Then he wants to keep his new boyfriend a secret, but then he slowly starts telling those closest to him about his relationship with Tharn. He hates the mere sight of Tharn's ex-boyfriend Tar, but at the last episode, they seem to develop a mutual acquaintance, or friendship. He's grown so much over the course of 12 episodes, and I love seeing that in a character.
- Let's talk about Mew's character next. Mew plays Tharn, a character who I can best describe as, "A GENTLE GIANT." He's a power top on the outside, but has the heart of a submissive. He's so loving, affectionate, and caring; not just for Type, but for everyone around him. When it comes to Type, I think there is nothing this man wouldn't do to please him. He'd probably drink Type's piss if he asked him to. He's one of the more softer dominants we've seen in a BL, and I honestly love it. I love how his and Type's personalities are opposite of the roles they play in the relationship. It breaks the typical stereotype of who's considered top or bottom.
- Let's go to the actors. As usual, all actors were phenomenal. What do you expect in BL? This industry has some of the most talented actors around. That said, there are some that really stole the show for me. The actors who I felt shined the most were Mew, Kok who plays Tharn's ex-boyfriend "Tar," and Kaownah who plays "Lhong." These three actors stood out to me.
- Kok, who plays Tar, I felt had the biggest acting range of them all. He's had to play so many layers to his character in one season. Showing Tar's shy side, his vulnerable side, his obsessive side, and his broken side. That's a lot to pull off, and he did it so effortlessly. I do hope that we'll one say see Kok play a lead role in a BL someday. I would love to see him have a loving BL partner. I think Tar and Tum were so cute together, and I wouldn't have minded if they got a spinoff together where they played the leads (if they're not blood related of course.)
- Oh dear lord, I have so much to say about Kaownah's character "Lhong" but none of them are good. So let me start with the good. Kaownah did such an amazing job playing a mentally psychotic character that I hate so much. lol
- Oh, and there's a lot of hot sexy scenes, so....yeah. There's that.
Things I didn't like about the series:
- This is where I feel like I'm going to have so many BL fans hate my guts LMFAO. Let's talk about the storyline for a second. I'll be blunt...the storyline is not good. I mean, it has a lot of good ideas, but the execution was bad. It's very problematic in multiple ways.
- I said a lot of positives about Type's characters, but I do have a few problems with him too. While his behavior is arguably understandable TO AN EXTENT, he's still not a likable character. I think my biggest problem with Type is how violent he is, especially to Tharn. We've seen Type physically assault Tharn multiple times, even when they started dating. Punching him in the face, kicking him, kneeing him in the crotch, etc. TYPE IS ABUSIVE, there's no way to tip toe around it. He's literally abusive. I do sympathize with him, I do see some good in him, and I can see that he grows to love Tharn, but does the good outweigh the bad? That part I'm unsure of. I had this similar dilemma with Khai from "Theory of Love," and sadly, I still prefer Type over him. Reason being is because we actually HAVE A REASON to cut Type some slack, and we do see why Type could be called a good guy. With Khai, we don't really see it. Any good he does was for himself or to try to win over Third. That's not enough.
- Unfortunately, Type isn't the only lead I have a problem with. I have a few problems with Tharn as well.
Right away, I have to say this. THARN WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TYPE. Don't you dare try to say he wasn't. Ep 1, he was kissing all over a drunk, unwilling Type, even after he said he doesn't do it with drunks. NONCONSENTUAL ACTS ARE NOT ATTRACTIVE. CAN WE PLEASE STOP ROMANTICIZING IT!?!
And can we please stop using the whole "It's only fiction," excuse to justify it! Nothing justifies it, fiction or reality.
And I can't help but wonder why that was put in, because it never really happens again the rest of the season, and it really doesn't mesh well with Tharn's character at all. It seemed out of place, and just used as an excuse to get some sexy times in right at the beginning, which is pathetic.
Other than the sexual assault, I also hate how much of a pushover Tharn is. He literally takes any abuse given to him and never really fights back. He accepts it because that's how much he loves Type, and I find it funny how the writers are trying to make it seem romantic, when it accurately portrays an abusive relationship with a beaten wife.
- Aaaaand we're back to Lhong. I've heard he's one of the most hated characters in BL, and now I know why. Lhong is a piece of shit and he needed his ass kicked, which never happened except that one punch Tharn delivered. Lhong's character is probably the most poorly written character in the entire series, and I really hate how the writers were trying to make us feel sympathy for him. Oh he feels alone, that's why he hired three guys to rape a 10th grader, and almost kill Type, all to have someone who will never love him all to himself. FUCK YOU, LHONG! I'm so sorry, but I will never feel sorry for this asshole, and the fact the writers were trying to make us feel sorry for him is disgusting. He should've gotten his ass beaten bloodied. He should've gotten arrested. Did any of that happens? NO!! He gets away with it all, which leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Even when the writers are supposedly trying to show us why he's like that, it was also poorly executed. We're just TOLD how lonely he feels, but we never actually see it. We never see how lonely and broken it feels, and that's it. For any future writers out there, SHOW, DON'T TELL!!! That's one of the main rules in storytelling.
- I have to admit, the ending was very unsatisfying. There was so many plot holes that were left untouched that we may never get answers for, unless they're in season 2.
- Did Type and Kohm ever make up?
- Did Tum and Tharn make up?
- Did their former roommates ever get together?
- Why didn't Tar and Tharn talk in person about what happened?
- Why didn't Tharn tell his bandmates the truth about why Lhong was no longer in the band?
Why do we not have any answers to any of these?
- I'm also confused by Tar and Tum's relationship. Are they related by blood? Because Tum clearly likes Tar more than a brother, but they never specified their relationship. So many things left open.
Overall Thoughts:
This is probably the most frustrating review I've ever made so far, because I still don't know if I actually liked it overall or not. This show is very problematic, and I'm not even sure I've covered everything lol. I do love MewGulf as a pair. I think they have outstanding chemistry, and despite my issues with their characters, I did find myself smiling at them a lot. I loved the idea of their enemies-to-lovers relationship, though I wish it was better written. I think my biggest issue with the show is the ending with Lhong's character, and all the plot holes left unfinished. That's how I can best describe the ending. Unfinished.
But my overall problem with TharnType has nothing to do with the actors, or the chemistry. It all comes down to the writing, which is not good. Sorry, but that's my honest opinion. The writing is the weakest part of TharnType. I feel like this show gets most of its hype because of how hot MewGulf are, and because of all the sex scenes. That's it. And while the sexy scenes were hot, and so are our leads, that alone does not make up for the bad writing. It's not completely garbage, but it could've been so much better.
I will admit, I enjoyed watching this show far more than I was expecting to, but in my heart, I can't say it's one of the best BL shows I've seen. I wasn't bored though, so that's a plus, but I'm not even sure if I'd watch it again. So many good ideas, so much talent all around, but a lot of wasted potential.
Rank: 7/10
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