O Eclipse (2022)

DONT EXPECT.

Honestly, I would have enjoyed the show a little more if I could skip my expectations. Can I blame myself though ? A school mystery, a enemies-lovers plot, such good cast. The cast did their best to save the series, they did, wish the plot wasnt so rushed and wish it made a bit more sense.

I mean the solid story you keep waiting for, never happens. The climax is over all of a sudden, resulting into a hurried last episode which delivers a few good scenes just to save your day.

If the story had a few more elements, a good pace, a few character build ups here and there, I could happily decide on it as one of bests. Hope to see more of First-Khaotung. The pair blown me away for sure.

Leia Mais

The Eclipse is one step away from gratness... sadly

I have to say that after watching the first episode, I truly believed that gmmtv won't be able to give us proper bl series and that Bad Buddy was just a fata morgana in this age of drought. 

No grain of salt, The Eclipse has one of the worst first episodes I have ever seen. The narrative is all over the place (important; keep this in mind), the scenes happen so fast, the editing and music feel like a first grader was given access to a windows movie maker. 

BUT, try giving it a second chance.

The Eclipse tackles themes like mental health and actual (believable and realistic) homophobia within a rotten system. It carries heavy themes and portrays them in a believable and mature way. 

But the sad thing is... doesn't really do anything with it. 

In reality… the story is kinda messy. This drama is really strong and compelling (and arguably peaks) in the middle. It sets us up well... only for the plot to somehow get lost in the last few episodes. AND I AM SO MAD ABOUT THAT. This drama knows what it wants to do… but then doesn't do it.

The World Remembers Club is supposed to be fighting oppressive school rules but the main thing they seem to be concerned about are… uniforms? Not the teachers abusing their power? Or the homophobia and blackmailing constantly being thrown at them? 

This series takes it self so seriously. But then pretends that ACTUAL teachers believe in a ghost that punishes misbehaving students?

And it carries on like this throughout the rest of the series. Just… the narrative and tone is all over the place. WHY ARE WE FILMING A BL in the middle of Akk's life crisis?

Really I had to give up on the story near the end because it stopped making sense. That's the one huge step the drama had to make in order to be great, one of the best even. Because it could have easily been there, if it's story was executed better. 

Luckily, this series has brilliant characters.

Akk and Ayan stole my heart. Bad boy and Mr. Perfect with an actual depth given to them? Sign me the hell up. They have a chemistry that is easily a highlight of this series. The air legit sparkles between them.

Khao skyrocketed in my list of favorite actors, he knew exactly what type of character he was portraying and not once was his performance lackluster. His acting is overall the best in this series and I enjoyed every minute he was on screen. Not to say that Ayan is a masterly written character.  

First is also great (I just still can't get over his crying. It's just… not great man). He gave us an opposite of what he was playing in Not me, so versatility! Plus he is handsome as hell. 

Most of the side character's acting is great as well. Not perfect but still above average. Production is gmmtv standards (for the love of god fix your microphones already.)

So...  OVERALL, this series is good. It's unique, has great, dimensional and likable characters. Keeps you on your toes and doesn't bore you. But if you think you are going to find a perfect, deep and clever series, I fear you might be disappointed. 

Leia Mais

THIS WAS A GREAT SERIES

Everything about this series was pretty good, the plot, the acting, and also the music. The actors in this series were really good and played their characters well. HOPE TO SEE MORE OF FIRST AND KHAO IN THE THE FUTURE.
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Leia Mais

Loved but disappointed.

So, I initially saw the trailer for this and thought it looked amazing. I have watched and loved these actors in other things, so the thought of them combining into one show appealed to me. I also liked the idea of the suspense element the show was suggesting via the trailer.

I was drawn to keep watching the show because of Ayan and Wat’s character more than anyone else. I loved First in his role, but I already worked out he was behind the “curse” so I kind of considered his character Akk to be a bit of a loose cannon. Neo and Louis were the stabilising actors in this show a long side AJ, and became the 3 core characters as I watched it.
Ayan became aggressively pressuring toward Akk in the end, and Akk spiraled and then kind of… stopped spiraling. It was the stranger part of the editing for me as everything jumped from one emotional moment to the next without resting in it.

The suspense element was removed fairly early with the lack of investigation Ayan was doing, and then later the lack of consequences for those that actually initiated the actions leading to what caused Ayan to come to the school in the first place.

The chemistry between First and Kao was excellent, and between Neo and Louis. The clearly worked hard with what they had but there were things missing or skipped over for their stories. Chadhock should not have been the only one resigning. The woman who broke his spirit and was the head of the school should have too. No consequences left for little pay off. The only consequence was on Akk. Also, why the constant references to his predecessor if there was no purpose to it?

Lastly, the other main teacher was totally forgettable. Ploy seemed to not fit in most of the scenes she was in. Like her character was forced there as an add on to give her more screen time. The way she hyper focused on Wat also felt off. Like, I get it, AJ is a pretty man to look at, but he was playing a 17 year old. Having her over focused on his future and being their in the last scene felt inappropriate (I know of no teacher who would actually hang out with their students like that. My parents were both teachers and they would have lost their job doing such a thing).
It felt like she was simply contracted to be on screen a certain amount, so they just added her in places that weren’t needed.
Wat was an awesome character and one of my favorite in the show. They could have done more with him than give him lots of conversations with a teacher.

I do not believe there was any intention of shipping those two characters however, like some thought. I just think they hired ploy and needed to put her places to fill the contract.

Basically, there were a lot of plot holes, but the chemistry between the actors was awesome for the most part. Perhaps get them back together again (minus ploy cause she felt really out of place with this group) and do something else.

Perhaps if they had done 16 episodes and expanded the story more to allow for the emotional moments to hit harder, added more consequences and removed the stalker teacher element, it would have been a lot better.

Leia Mais

MYSTERY ISN'T CLICKING AT ALL

This series has the corniest mystery ever. The intention of the mystery in a drama should have made watchers to hook up and intrigue in the storyline, but in this drama, it was a total nonsense and too shallow for this genre when the story reaches the climax. I tried to finish this, in hopes there will be a nice pace of romance. In the end, this could have a great potential if only they chose different scenarios for the mystery part or should they stick to romance and youth only.

Moreover, I would not sign up to be in this series if I was chosen as one of the main/supporting actors. Although the casts have made an outstanding acting all throughout, they still failed to help me not distracted to the messy curse things.

The eclipse? The curse? Mehhh.

An average drama for me. Could have been the best if planned perfectly.

(Suggested overall rating is 6.5/10 but I will still rate this with 7.5/10)

Leia Mais

Poor execution of an interesting premise but good romance and chemistry

The premise of “The Eclipse” sounds interesting and it actually has a decent plot and not just another school-setting Thai BL. I was hoping it would be similar to “The Gifted” which I quite enjoyed. Unfortunately, the execution of this interesting premise did not quite meet my expectations. But the overall acting of the young cast is actually pretty good, compared to other Thai BLs I’ve seen.

For the longest time, we have a group of THREE students, who call themselves “The World Remembers”, protesting against wearing school uniforms. I guess that could be a start in fighting back unreasonable school policies and rules. However, these same three students don’t seem to do much and the uniform issue lasted way too long before the protest gained traction to attract more people. The curse is supposed to be something scary but the threats do not seem that scary at all. They just seem like pranks to me. Ayan’s goal to find out more about his uncle’s suicide is executed a little better than the protesters. I didn’t see the twist at the end coming, so I was pleasantly surprised. I also think it’s a waste of the female teacher. She could have done more and taken a more active role, but she’s just on the sidelines for most of the drama, and not contributing much.

Ayan is the best part of this drama. He brought joy and fun, and also facilitated the changing of Akk's character. The two make a very cute couple and one of the healthier relationships I’ve seen in a Thai BL drama in a school setting. I enjoy the teasing and the opposite-attract romance. I like how they communicate and Ayan patiently waits for Akk to come to terms with his feelings. The pair not just act well individually but also have great chemistry together. There may not be sexy scenes in this drama, but there are many romantic, cute and shy moments. There are also quite a few emotional scenes by Ayan and Akk, and I like how they support each other through tough times. I also quite like the secondary romance between Thua and Khan, and it’s mainly because I find Khan to be adorable. Thua is ok but his acting is only so so. I thought there’s more to Thua’s relationship with his stepfather, but then nothing happens.

Other Random Observations:
1. We have all good and supportive parents in this drama. Wow!
2. I love the main romance but Akk giving Aye a sponge bath is a little too much and cringey.
3. I see a pattern with Thai BL - swimming pool, underwater kiss, beach and guitar.
4. Why are students (even if they are prefects) patrolling school grounds at night?
5. A rare Thai drama that I only remember 1 product placement of drinks and they are not that bad.


Completed: 12/11/2022

Leia Mais

A promising start with a lackluster end

First and Khaotung's main lead breakthrough had an intriguing arc to school settings and criticism towards control, as the story pulls you through a relatable part in youth. The dark landscape painted a picture on the pressure teens face before their next chapter in life, but there's twists and turns that make you the detective as the story progresses.

What did I like?
The dynamics for four of the characters really showcases the different perceptions in self-discovery. I think before the final two episodes, it was well developed and complex enough to differentiate between the clashing personalities. The chemistry is tender. I loved the different ways each couple expressed their young love. It feels nostalgic! The discussions of mental health is also one of the rare series where they don't sugarcoat it, but they also don't stereotype and stigmatize mental illness. The acting for the most part (especially with the main leads) is fantastic. Poignant expression coupled with the actors really getting into their characters shows how dedicated they were in bringing the characters to life. The angled cinematography to collaborate with the theme of the show was clever! I see you, camerapeople. Finally, the representation, for once, didn't feel like "insert character for comedic relief". The more feminine characters actually had purpose to the plot, and for good reason.

What did I not like?
The plot had a great stride, but it exhausted its efforts towards the end. The sound quality was not the greatest. It felt like they filtered a microphone underwater for most of the scenes. While it was okay enough to get by, the static sounds were still distracting. And, as I said before, my personal distaste for the final two episodes left me docking off my enjoyment for the series, as well. It felt like they had to rush to conclude the series (or season, if there is going to be a second season). It made me ponder my thoughts on a certain character due to how quick they brushed away a particularly important scene. There was also a part at the end that made me feel like it was a strange fanservice filler. If they had that idea somewhere in the middle it would've made a little more sense, but again, I didn't see how incorporating filler when the conclusion is on the horizon would make the ending feel more complete.

So this series could be a hit or miss for a lot of people. If you're really interested in political symbolism, low-key jabs to government control, or hell, even just the main leads, give it a watch. Support the show. I notice they had a limit with what they were working with, but it felt like a promising story where the crew really cared about representation.

Leia Mais

Recommend, Great Chemistry/Acting, Novel Plot, BUT missing suspense

Acting: Super good. Really not complaints here. I think the main leads especially did a good job. First (as on par with Not Me) did such an incredible job conveying emotions and the struggles of the character, Akk… it really helped where the story at times was lacking. Khao, who I last saw in Tonhon Chonlatee (the worst drama ever) has totally improved and not that he wasn’t good at acting before, it is clear that with a better plot line he definitely can portray all the necessary emotions and feelings. The two together did really well and I loved the dynamic they had, especially how assertive Khao/Ayan was. As for the second couple, I didn’t feel the chemistry as much but maybe that was just me… not sure though!

Plot: It was a novel plot line, very well portraying a school with a struggling system that is incredibly harsh and in need of a progressive movement. I loved how nicely mental health issues were addressed, while a difficult piece, the plot did touch those areas well. The plot twists also were good. However, I did find myself bored at times which really saddened me because everything was laid out well for this drama: it just need more suspense or something.

Overall: for sure not the best, but still worth a watch! If you do check it out and like it I’d definitely recommend Not Me— heck even if you don’t like it, because it’s such a good drama that First (Akk) is also in!

Leia Mais

With this cast, you CAN'T SKIP IT!

My very first impression as the drama started was..."aww my babies ( fav support charecters from various dramas) are here. I absolutely love the Louis-Neo couple from Fish upon the sky. They just warm up my heart. Coming to the STORY- unlike common school/college drama, it was more of a thriller- mystery drama with the right amount of romance.
The story could have been more better in terms of suspense. And the turn of events which made the probable villian, being actually a sad victim was kind of ...not so nice. But then it wasn't bad either. But more than that, I loved the couples. I loved how Aye and Akk, being 2 people of completely different personalities and perspectives, tried to understand each other and support each other. The love story was beautiful. Kan - Thua had a similar love story like that in FUTS, but no matter what their story is...I never get bored watching them.
The entire CAST- did and incredible job.
Cinematography was good. Overall, I loved it!!

Leia Mais

A great story full of potential eclipsed by writing!

The series was not that bad but not that too good. It has nice OST, actors, chemistry, direction, and also the plotline...but the writing was not able to deliver it fully! It was lacking...I was disappointed at times, but anyways I enjoyed it cos of Akk and Aye!
Good job First, Khaotung, Neo, Louis...sorry idk other actors' names, I am just familiar with their faces!
The relationship dynamics between akk and aye as well as kan and Thua were good too! The trio's friendship was mature too...the character development was not that abrupt too, it showed guilt and a struggling arc for akk and I am glad he was not left alone...but was directed in the right direction by his peers, teacher, and Aye.

Leia Mais

was that it?

After getting The Eclipse recommended to me atleast a million times I decided to watch it, and it was much worse than I anticipated. I liked the caracters (some of them that is), Ayan and akk are engaging enough individually, but I can't really understand why they like each other to the degree they do. Thua and Kan are okay, but Thua's "twist" is the worst case of character assassination I've ever seen in my entire life because it actually came out of NOTHING. And it also just doesn't make any sense that Thua would ever out someone, when he quite literally experiences bullying every day for being queer himself. And then they just move on from it? Without Thua ever really properly apologizing, and it's just weird.
Wat and mo are like, there? But they both have very little significance to the story as a whole. They are both okay, but I feel like Mo is only there to serve the purpose of being "a suspicious person", to move attention away from Akk.
The concept around a school curse sounds cool on paper, and it works well as a theory, but I think the show would have improved drastically if there was actually existed a curse.
Ayan's motivations make sense, because he's at school mainly to find out what happened to his uncle, but it's like he forgets his own mission in the middle of the program and suddenly focuses on a lot of other things and it just seems a litt messy to me.
Also I really like Sani, but MA'AM YOU ARE A TEACHER. Like teh thing with her and wat...? very funky. I also still can't understand why she comes along to Akks's house, like hello SHE IS A TEACHER. She's not their best friend, they're not the same age at all.
On the topic of age. First and khao playing high school students when they were both 25 during filming :0
No thanks.
Overall, I didn't think it was terrible while watching it, but there was a lot that didn't make much sense and that could have been done in a much better way, considering the concept they started with in the first episode. From a citical standpoint, it's messy and weird, but it's not bad ot the degree that I'm going to hate the characters the actors too much. I know that many consider it as one of gmmtv's best shows, but it just didn't quite work for me on that level.
Msp and nlmg are definitely better and less confusing in my opinion. Watch it if you'd like, and like it if you want to, for me the great actors just couldn't save this doomed story and badly written script.

Leia Mais

Good character and relationship development but a couple flaws with the storyline

I was looking forward to this as I am a First fan and I'm happy to see his star is on the rise. He does a very good job in this as do the rest of the cast. I'm also impressed with Khaotung. I've only ever seen him on 1000 stars before, but his character in that series was not particularly prominent. However in this series he and First shine together with great chemistry.

This series has sort of split my opinion in two, so this review will consist of two parts - what I liked and what I struggled with.

Let's start with what I liked: character development, and build-up of relationships (especially Akk and Aye's).

The relationship between Akk and Aye - Some excellent acting from First and Khaotung to portray this. They brought this relationship to life. Their interactions stood out and came across as natural, flirty, shy, playful and romantic. It's definitely the highlight of this series, and when you watch them interact you get that warm, happy, fuzzy feeling which is nice. I found myself looking forward to their moments and interactions on screen.

Character development - Akk: I liked Akk's complex character and how First portrayed him. A student from a poor rural background taken advantage of by the school with promises. There was conflict within him, torn between his loyalties and the questioning of his own actions. I didn't, however, agree with the creators idea to make him commit such violent and dangerous acts (but more on that further down). That aside, First does a great job, and you can see how his acting skills are continuously improving. He's unafraid to embody the character and comes across naturally. And finally - an actual coming out scene in a BL series for a character.

Character development - Aye: Aye's character development was also nice to see and good work from Khaotung. He underwent a transformation from a melancholic, angry young man not knowing what to do with his rage, sadness and depression, to channelling it with Akk and slowly coming to terms with himself. Like First, Khaotung also does a great job portraying his character. He is playful, flirty, daring, and quite mischievous toward Akk which is fun to watch. Interesting also to note that he is willing to compromise his beliefs and principles to protect Akk.

As always with BL there is usually a second pairing and in this series it was Neo and Louis with Thuan and Khan. Whilst I'm generally not a fan of the "token second relationship", they both did a very good job. AJ as Wat was also good, portraying the struggle between what you want, the expectations of others around you and the pressure you feel when you end up pleasing everyone else apart from yourself.

Now for what I struggled with. This was mainly elements of the underlying storyline with the school - i.e. the curse, the teachers etc. It was trying to incorporate twists and turns and surprises, however, it didn't quite work.

The "hardships" of the students were not elaborated enough for me. Also, the "world remembers" group felt a bit caricaturist. Maybe this may be a case of "lost in translation". I have read snippets of an interview where the director talked about the "rotten Thai educational system". Perhaps the hardships were more obvious to Thai fans. 

The curse - I felt there were better ways to show students being intimidated. Students could be bullied, threatened with repercussions, unfairly punished etc. They do this briefly with Aye when he is targeted by the teachers, so I don't see why this could not be done to the others as well. The whole curse thing gets a bit tedious. Someone said it represents religion in Thailand and how it's used to oppress so maybe it just got lost in translation again. Akk committing such violent acts was a over the top. I'm not saying he should've been an angel, him realising the error of his ways and changing is part of the story, but making him into a violent criminal was excessive. Releasing a hand brake to injure (if not kill) unsuspecting students? It's a tad extreme. 

Chadok & Dika - They were engaged to marry and buy a house, yet Chadok was oblivious to the fact that Dika had a nephew? It's just hard to believe. Also, if Chadok was a nice guy, why was he being so harsh to students? What was his motivation? I don't quite buy it. We saw a flashback of him being a bully in the past, and this is when the curse started apparently. But then that was not followed through to the present day. Finally he was confronted, cried, admitted to his relationship, said sorry - and that was it? It confused me.  

Thua's actions - not entirely sure about the point of his actions? To force the truth? It ruins his character and makes him look like a really crappy friend.

So, the final verdict? I enjoyed the series despite some of the issues - mainly thanks to the focus on the Akk/Aye interactions and their characters. But there were issues with the story itself.  

I'm happy that so much investment is going into BL and there has been improvement with better acting and directing. Eclipse is an example of that despite its flaws, but it would greatly benefit the series if a bit more attention was paid to the storyline. It would be a shame if the talent of these young actors gets overlooked by weaknesses in the overall storylines.

Leia Mais