Think soap opera production values, with 5 episodes to many.

Touted as a mystery. A game. That became secondary to angst, hedonism, and those showcased in music video scenes. You know, those brooding montages filled with longing, drinking, and flashbacks, all done in slow-motion to the OST. Till eventually, there isn't a story, just staged shots for eye candy.

Some scenes had no plot, nor purpose. Filler comes to mind. The story never made it out of lukewarm, much less that dark thriller it promised. The characters are lackluster and unimaginative. The mains introduced in the first 3 episodes never grasped the script, or their characters. If the acting of the support team hadn't of dragged this from episode three to the finale. I'd have dropped it.

What did I get from watching this? Money makes you right, and the unmoneyed are guilty until proven innocent. While if you say you're sorry enough, you can get the girl in the end. And maybe, I will forgive a badly written and produced drama in the hope that these actors are given a script worthy of them next time. Maybe. Not recommended.

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Average series. Total 26 episodes.

What began as something fun, then whimsical, became a frustrating watch for some viewers - me included. The last third of the series a jumble in editing, with a story line that became confusing and commonplace. The first stumble for this series; was the writing.

As an example; adding a second female lead want-to-be [a.k.a. 2nd princess] the last seven episodes was a slap in the face of the characters that lived this story till then. Wasting screen-time on a superfluous character with no story history; that looks and dresses like the teenage female lead character from the beginning of the drama [A FL placeholder?]; whose appearance lasts right up and until the last 20 minutes of the official finale; was an annoyance that wasn't needed. It was the moment, the writer, abandoned their purpose.

There were so many loose ends, a continuing story, and characters that should have been fleshed out on screen instead. Sadly, the writer didn't appear to care [ie - the male lead becoming a misunderstanding-cliche], but ultimately production seemed to regret their choices. Culminating those editing and writing decisions, into giving watchers the last few minutes of an extra episode with the main couple on-screen together. An average series - With a frustrating story arc. Watch accordingly.

Note, Review based on 26 episodes count.

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Love appreciated. Recommended.

"A Cunning Destiny" was a fun, well-balanced drama with multiple couples - Its past mystery and shadowy undertones guide a slow burn relationship. That develops into a mature love story, that is appreciated for its romance. It is one of the best airing series, I have watched faithfully. Each episode, was well written; the cliff-hangers were near perfect.

Then, in episode 14; Perfection tripped over a writer's stupidity. Adding a cliche, that I know our couple would never be caught in, to fill in an episode. It was frustrating, and with that. The rushed finale (ep 15) was crammed with loose ends being tied up, and relationships being finalized. It would've been too long otherwise, but what it needed was to skip that frustrating cliche in fourteen. It tarnished an otherwise almost perfect series.

Despite that writer hiccup, this series is wonderful; you will love the characters. You will appreciate the love, when it is acknowledged. Though, the finale rushed to the end - I highly recommend it.

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Iconic monster movie, hijacked by teen horror film.

Gamera vs Teen Mass Murderer. Just like watching angsty high school mean kids bully a giant turtle, because who cares if someone else dies during revenge. And besides, no one died really on the path to stupidity, did they. it was all the monster's fault, my feelings needed those deaths for validation.

That lack of empathy, and humanity in teen horror movies - Is the power that drives the violence in them forward, and so does it here. Whether, you use a monster, or make yourself into one. All those people died horribly, because the world owes a teenager something. But, this wasn't suppose to be a teen slasher film.

I can compare it to watching an arc in an anime, that you know doesn't belong. Then you find out it was written by producers, because the manga is on going, and they've run out of issues. So, they made something up. Gamera is suppose to be fun, and with humanity. This, had neither.

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Short, and sweet.

The friendship between the leads is incident-driven, sometimes combative, usually funny, interesting, and ultimately heart-warming. Despite the age differences, with that interaction, there is a natural progression between both men, from strangers to caring about the other person.

The story does stop for individual life lessons. During those moments I felt like I was in a young adulting class, or an after school special to some. The teaching moments are informative, in and of themselves. The bromance is what makes those moments possible, and forgivable. Two people caring and taking care of each other, isn't that the true definition of family. A sweet story - Recommended.

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No animals were killed in the making of this movie.

Advertised as a psychological drama, where the absurdity of the male lead's kidnapping of the dog sets an uneasy dark comedic stage for the audience. There is more to this film than just that misleading tag and description. It's no wonder this film finds fans, or criticism. Rarely, anything in between. Watching it can be unsettling. The reality being, it is more of a low key and subtle horror film.

The director & screen writer Bong Joon Ho has set the watcher up for a deeper experience than presumed. Every conversation and visual in this film is not wasted. Each moment is calculated to take the characters and audience one step closer to heaven, or hell. The ending is poignant, proving the karma earned was real. Do I recommend it? Yes. Be advised - Watch it with the horror tag in mind, it could help in your enjoyment of this film.

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Straight up twelve episode crime drama.

Straight up twelve-episode crime drama. Fleshing out of the story is minimal. Jarring at times. It is unusual in that a Thai drama deals with this kind of content, in this way so directly. It reminds me of other countries' dramas. This is more a violent & graphic Thai after school special on 'you do the crime', and you get punished no matter who you are. In that it is needed.

Viewers have asked for well-defined lines of criminal and romantic intent. Defining rape & murder, as a crime in this context is a service. Entitlement of the rich and powerful, not a defense. Revenge, not justification. The story is good, a little short, and the victim dialogue, is disappointing. But, the final outcome isn't a head shaving and a trip to the temple. In that, it could have been a turning point in the industry. But, it's a basic crime drama, with no frills.

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rape is not romance.

When you're convinced the male lead might drown, looking up in a rain storm with his mouth open - But, sadly, that didn't happen here. Instead, sexual assault was the outcome, and pregnancy the result. There is no rhyme or reason for the male lead to rape the female lead. Nothing. But, then the 2021 remake is consensual only in that the female lead didn't know he was actually punishing her, degrading her, and raping her by omission. This criminal. Both awkward. Both male leads bastards. Both (2021, 2005) male lead roles some of the stupidest characters ever written (i.e. paternity), playing in one of the most toxic stories I've watched even without rape add-on. Rape is not romance, and doesn't belong in the romance genre. Avoid.

(source; read; My Custom List "Rated One")

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Lovely - Highly rexommended.

Tags, be damned and watchers drawn for whatever reason. However you got here - It is all good. This series was brilliance in, and of itself. The story was well written, the actors up to the task. And all, without demonizing the characters, with that typical Victorian mindset, and ending that is used far to often.

"To Sir, With Love "could have gone the way of so many of these Thai stories, but the production respected modern watchers. Giving us a historical reality, in the guise of a world we could navigate unscathed, and still mindful of content. The story of a family, a culture - Where the beginnings of change are better seen in hindsight. A story where viewers, become privy to a character's personal experience and can relate. Where, the writer understood true romance, and didn't try to take the easy way out. Highly, recommended.

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in the the name of exploitation.

Be advised, this drama deserves the 18+ watch rating for episode 17 alone. Still confused to why it wasn't rated during the actual airing. I personally think management wasted a great cast, and the artists themselves tarnished their own portfolios by doing this. The story and episodes dragged. The repeating of scenes, and content was needless. Characters cheating, misunderstandings - A plot that didn't have any real destination and general distasteful content was repeated until I didn't care anymore. The ending is predictable, and you can see when it's predicted by the director in the opening credits. Do I recommend it? No. Not at all. I feel it was a cash cow for the channel, and artists went along with management. Neither really caring about, the audience's experience, or expectations. Sad, really. Because, I recommend you don't care about this drama either.

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Stay out of comments. Good writing, & a good play.

"Choice Husband" (2023) is a well-crafted production; with a good cast; and a writing team that wove a story that was as intricate in its subtlety, as it was devious in it's execution. By the time you realize you've been had, you're almost done and ready to pay for your ending.

Step into Peking Opera and the tale of The Grape Fairie, God of Fire, and God of Night. And, the many twists and turns of multiple Opera troupe's endings all from the minds of two writers in one drama "Choice Husband." A good premise, that I believe watchers needed to know sooner. Because, the production team appeared to take on too much, loosing them, and the story to repetition. An average play, with a-not-so average story-line. Recommended.

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Average Watch.

"The Lost Soul" I don't know how I should feel about it - The series starts with a good story. The first third of the episodes with those romantic & mysterious touches, is what sucks you in.

Then the story changes. This is the middle loop, and its repetitive nature, will exhaust watchers. Where, romance is just a word, and more likely to only appear in flashback form, from now until closing credits. That repetitive loop, with no progress is what hurts this series.

Because, the last third's slow and methodical meandering across plot points, though, trying to propel this drama out of that loop. Doesn't have enough strength to pull watchers back into the story, and ready for resolution.

Is it an average watch, that should have been better than that.

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Light-hearted watch - Recommended.

The lead couple are cute - this is a slow burn and the silly path to love is important. No real spoilers here, but there is a short burst of intense angst, which may surprise watchers. It's the only time this drama loses its path. After that it finds its way back on track, though a little wobbly.

In other dramas misunderstandings drive the conflict. This is one of the only dramas I know where what I say to the screen, is voiced by the actors involved. Here, if it needed to be resolved, it was voiced, discussed, with points driven home about personal choices and others' misguided criteria.

I found it fun, innocent, with characters that were learning through dialogue. Recommended for a light-hearted watch.

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