Water Boyy The Series (2017)

Entertaining

Even though this drama follows a similar line from others, there are some new elements that add to the story. That made the series very entertaining for me, so I recommend it. My problem is that these elements should be better worked on, and I found them shallow.
- First, there is an "almost rape" scene. I do have a huge problem with this type of scene, but I found it ok in this case. The problem is that nothing happens after this event. As in many Thai BL series, there are no discussions or implications about it. I did not find totally bad, but I found it shallow.
- Second, having really cool female characters is a good point. However, there is a clear misogynistic view of them.
- Third, there is an age gap for a couple. Again, I thought it was a good line but they could deepen this subject.
Summarizing - It is a light and entertaining BL, so I do recommend it. But do not expect a great story, it is too superficial for this.

Leia Mais

The best way to enjoy Water Boyy is not to think of it as a BL Series

First of all, yeah... the acting was bearable at best. Even tho, right now I don't care about the acting anymore unless it's a real-real baaaad acting hahaha so I'm not gonna go to deep in this matter.

* One thing I read through the Internet is that people didn't feel ok with FahPan, actually, I liked their relationship. Most of the comments were about why turn Pan into a straight or Bi, and I ask, why not? I mean, people can change tastes, if we turn straights into gay/pan/bisex/etc for the sake of a BL, why don't give more room for queer to change too? So, at least for me, it wasn't a big deal. But I have to agree that the beginning of them was odd, I will never understand how do people fall in love with the one who is bullying you? I mean, I know about Stockholm and Lime syndrome, but still... in the end, I think they are a good match, they balance the relationship pretty well and Fah can manage Pan if he wants to, is just that he doesn't want to sometimes hahaha Also, I know they seem like good friends, but, aren't the best relationships like that? I think they did a good couple.

Speaking of Pan, I don't see her as a hateful character like a lot of people said through the forums. Actually, she reminds me of my sister who grew up being the only girl among 10 boys (cousins), she is kinda thought, she likes to fight and can knock down a guy but still have her femininity... So Pan, being lesbian acted just like other boys, yes, she was rough but she was rough just with her teammates, she never bullied anyone outside the club, and I read that one of the main issues was her bullying around the college, I can't remember that she did that. Among his friends, well, we usually bully our friends, didn't we? so I think she ain't that bad. The only thing that was out of her hand -as long as I remember- is the way she bullied Fah because she was jealous, that's unforgivable, but, the only rant about that attitude actually.

* Then we have MinWan, even when I kinda like them as side characters, they didn't grow too much into me. I understand why they ending falling for each other, but I don't see them as an outstanding couple. I don't mind their screentime but their inconsistently ups and downs, it was just too much. One thing that I believe was nonsense was the addition of Coach Mai, that was You (the Netflix show) before You. And she added that weird feeling to their relationship, I wanted to skip all her scenes (even when she is hot) because I didn't understand why(?) she was so important even being Min's ex.

* Finally, we have WaiiApo, I need to say that the kisses weren't what people promised me. They were 'better' but at the same time weren't «good». But I won't mind them, Newwie improved with Tay in DBK so I feel served hahaha. Somehow, I understand why Waii couldn't break up with Fay, let's be honest, it's not easy to understand that kind of feeling if you have been living all your life thinking that you are straight and somehow a boy comes into your life and changes everything. I kinda understand why a lot of fans were disappointed about it (I read the rant in a lot of discussions) but, at least me, I understand why that development. I also understand why Fay kept around knowing that Waii had mixed feelings. I mean, I think we all have done the same when we are so in love and don't want to lose someone, it happens, so, for me, that was a real development (don't talk about the acting for it). But, I have to be honest, I really think it was more of Waii's fault for all that drama. For someone so imposed towards others, he was kinda indecisive, and non-straightforward. His relationship with Apo was also weird, my only explanation is that Apo had a crush on Waii since the beginning, plus the admiration that he had for Coach Tee made him being so naive.

* The pace of the series was sometimes rushed and sometimes too slow, it's something that we need to endure hahaha but overall was ok. I think that at the end of the season the story was better. I think that they lose a chance to a good love story with KluayAchi, they were more interesting than MinWan, even when -again- Kluay was more kind of a bully than a prospect.
I read that the ending was rushed and that disappointed a lot of people, I think they were talking about the championship. TBH since I realized that that for a series called Water Boyys they spent so little time on the water, I didn't expect a big championship so I was ok with it hahaha

The best of the series:
- The development of the relationship between Waii and Coach Tee, I think they managed pretty well that storyline.
- Apo's hotness.
- The rehearsal for the show, I have the biggest laugh seeing them all dressed as princesses and running through the college.

The worst of the series:
- The drama about the club, I don't think that there was a really good reason for all the problems that the club needed to go through... mostly were easily fixed but the characters took too much of it (except for the championship)
- It wasn't outstanding, just entertaining.
- The almost rape and how it was -or wasn't, actually- addressed, heck the what?

Overall, you can watch it just to lose some time but, again, is not the drama of the century, so, just enjoy the ride and maybe you will never look back again...

Leia Mais

Wrong, that the summary

The ONLY positive thing about this series was the 1st episode, and only because the friendship between the Pan (the lesbian girl) and the rest of the swimming team, everything else is trash. And I have to specify that their friendship during the first episode because after they friendship is used so they can bully and manipulate Fah.

I knew this series existed because I was seeing through the "lesbian character" tag, and the way they treated her... OMFG... Pan is in college, so 18 - 20ish, and has a crush on a highschooler (I'm guessing she's 17). I'm 20 and can't see 18 yrs as potential partners so I DIDNT like the age difference here; unless they later clarify that their 18 and 17, or 18 and 18, it's not okey. If that doesn't bother you then Pan ways to pursue the highschooler (I don't remember her name) should. For all we know that girl is straight and in love with Fah, and Pan manipulates Fah into helping her manipulate that girl... (in the end i'll add a spoiler I didnt saw but read it happens so...)

The main couple, even worse. How? you may ask, well Waii almost rapes Apo, and they act as if it didn't almost happened.
Waii's father has a relationship with his best friend (Waii's best friend), so there's another HUGE age gap. And from what I saw they started daiting while the dude was his couch so a kinda student/teacher relationship.

It's just problematic, there's so much sexual harassment and assault for 3 episodes that I had to stop.

Spoiler:
Apparently the lesbian character ends up with a man so I wouldn't have gotten the wlw representation that I was looking for when I started this shitshow.

Leia Mais

I'm going to start this review with the first thing about this series that bothered me, which was the fact that the series main couple was meant to be Apo & Waii, yet the side couples got way more screen time then they did. The second thing that bothered me was the fact that all the side couples are straight (except one which isn't actually a couple until the last 9 minutes of the series), because of this I felt more like I was watching a straight romance with a gay side couple rather than a boy love.

The third thing that bothered me was the 2 female lead characters of the series were extremely unlikable. The one was a bully physically and emotionally, she didn't seem to care about the way others felt, as she was also very manipulative and tried turning a straight girl to a lesbian which is extremely wrong. The second girl was very rude and tried to ruin an entire swimming club just because one person who was in the club years ago hurt her feelings, which doesn't make much sense to me, especially considering that person is no longer in the club.

Moving on to my fourth problem, Waii. The main character we are all meant to like is extremely unlikeable. First of all he is very selfish and doesn't seem to care about the way others feel until around the ending of the series, second of all he cheated on his girlfriend physically and emotionally with Apo, even though she was a good girlfriend and did no wrong to him. When she found out about this she gave him the chance to break up with her then and there, but he didn't, he told her he would stop pursuing Apo, Apo overheard this and his heart was shattered, (rightfully so, as he shouldn't have been involved with a man who was already in a relationship), but then Waii still kept pursuing Apo even though he told his girlfriend he wouldn't, so he was giving them both false hope unfortunately and in the end Apo & Waii worked out but his girlfriend had a shattered heart and Waii didn't care.

Coming to my next problem, there was a scene where Waii almost raped Apo, and even though he didn't, the situation never got brought up again. Waii never took responsibility for that and I just can't grasp the fact we are meant to like the character who isn't just a cheater, but almost traumatized somebody in that way and didn't even care about it and take responsibility.

Speaking of Apo, even though he for the most part seems to be a sweet person, I can't help but dislike him for kissing a man who was already in a relationship with somebody else and not caring at all.

In general there was a bunch of stupid and unnecessary drama in the series that was uncalled for and didn't make sense because it could have been solved so easily, so I think the writing could have been improved a lot.

Last but not least, the ending felt very rushed. I felt as though we needed a whole episode for the ending instead of a 9 minute segment. They never explained why Apo left for a whole year to study abroad just to come back? In conclusion it was probably him giving Waii time to figure out who he actually wanted to be with in life, but they didn't exactly explain it well. And what made Waii's Father's boyfriend decide to come back after a year also? That wasn't explained. How did the relationship with the gay side couple come to be? We just hear in the last episode that their together but we didn't get to see the progression of the couple, or any of the couples actually, which I disliked.

It had cute moments in it I liked, but overall I wouldn't recommend it unless you have watched all good boy love series / movies and are desperate for ones to watch.

The only pros were good acting, good production quality, it was not slow paced nor fast, and it was quite entertaining even though many things didn't make sense and were pathetic.

Leia Mais

Too messy storyline but the main pairing was great

First of all, I always skip a lot within episodes. However, in this case, it was.... excessive. I usually only skip a few seconds, but here it was up to a minute. I don't know if it was because I was watching the drama for the second time, but it didn't really manage to capture my attention.
I know that the amount of plotlines contributes to that and it also is my first point of critique. The ideas themselves are good - it's the execution that is missing. I'm not sure if I captured it correctly, but to me, the focus of the storyline is not clear. If I'm not mistaken it should be on saving the swimming club and the evolving relationship between Waii and Apo. However, I feel like other potential relationships get almost as much screentime as the main pairing. I understand that those are important as well if you want to explain the relationships between all those people but the same things could probably have been shown in half of the time. If the screenwriters and producers had put their focus a little more clear and had not decided to use literally every cliché seemingly possible this drama could have turned out a lot better than it did.
And, did they really portray rape? I'm sorry but if there are no consequences it looks like they're trying to normalize it. There hasn't been any discussion or any other consequences to the relationship between them which doesn't sit well with me. Then there also are bullying and manipulation. According to the only girl in the club, the members of the swimming club can't express their feelings well and often end up hurting people they care about because of it. Another thing that I didn't like is that the only 'lesbian' suddenly becomes bisexual. It wasn't necessary.

I think the cast did pretty well, I especially like how New portrayed Apo. I think he really shines and managed to convey Apo's feelings well. The chemistry between Waii and Apo seems to be quite good as well after the first two quite awkward episodes. For the others, their performances weren't outstanding but still okay.

I got to say that I didn't really pay attention to the music. What often threw me off are little audio breaks whenever there is a cut to another scene. I'm not sure if this only happens because I need new headphones or if it really is the case, but it always strikes me as odd if I don't hear any sound at all.

About the rewatch value: I was re-watching it right now because I had forgotten about literally everything except for "Thai bl drama swimming pool", and I got to admit, that's probably all I will remember after rewatching it. So I guess that the re-watch value isn't too high.

Leia Mais