I recall the first time I saw the trailer for KinnPorsche. It was the original one, while the show was still being produced by Filmania. I remember thinking: a BL set amongst Thai mafia??? That’s not your tired old high school or Uni yaoi trope. I was skeptical. I couldn't tell if the producers were going for a serious, dramatic vibe or satire. It did look a bit cheesy with the heavy saturation of color, thuggish wardrobe and Kinn who had very over the top eyebrows. But there was no denying that the guy playing Porsche was a knock-out. So, I wondered if this was supposed to be eye candy.

Then I saw the kiss in the bathroom. Kinn's physicality and the barely restrained passion was something I had never ever seen before in BL and I had an epiphany.... I need a BL like this. No fish kisses while three inches separate the bodies. I needed a passionate, mature BL with leads that had undeniable chemistry.

Each successive trailer reinforced the idea that this was going to be a feast. Skip the drama with Filmania going under, or whatever happened. BoC took over and released new trailers and my excitement, if possible, intensified. I was certain that this show was going to be entertaining as hell!! I anxiously awaited news and any bit of promotional content, and I counted down the days until the pilot episode.

I was expecting to be entertained, to patiently endure a somewhat cheesy plot (because this was a Thai BL set in a mafia world, how seriously could this be taken?) and to enjoy some very pretty guys getting more handsy then we are used to seeing in a drama.

It's no exaggeration to say episode one defied all expectations and left me absolutely God-smacked. From the premier until now, as I write this review, KinnPorsche took over my life. My Twitter feed and TikTok recommendations are 90% KP content. I have a web browser open to the KP MDL comments section always and I have skipped work because I stayed up to late participating in a comment frenzy. There was not a single episode that I did not rewatch multiple times. I was so hooked, I read the book and watched BTS and downloaded the soundtrack. I watched cast reaction videos. I. Have. Never. Behaved. Like. This. Before. I shamelessly shipped characters and actors and I will admit having fallen in love with a few of them as well.
Season 1 is over and I'm processing that reality, along with a very physical type of grief. It’s taken me two days to gather my thoughts so that I could write a review that pays homage to this incredible experience. I hope it resonates with current and future viewers, and that it credits the show appropriately.

What I loved. Nearly everything. Each episode was stupendous and while not always perfect and with some thin spots, ultimately the plot always progressed nicely, masterfully portraying the story of two broken, lonely people who draw strength and comfort from each other. Porsche, played by Apo Nattawin, is the most beautiful man I've ever seen. He is funny, brave, loyal and strong. He is also tragic. He works hard and sacrifices his pride often to support his little brother. He is an absolute rock for those he cares about, and he has a magical way of building families wherever he goes. Kinn, played by Mile Phakphum, is a taciturn, distrustful man who lives a very violent and dangerous life. Heir to the throne, betrayed more times than we can count before the show even begins, Porsche seems like a loose cannon when they first meet. But something about that free-spirit captivates him from the very beginning. Their relationship does not take long to intensify. It is deep, emotional, physical, electric and full of lust and passion. Their love story is rocky and frustrating, but also one of the most pure things I've ever seen.

What I did not love. I honestly feel like the show tried to cover too much of the side characters in season 1. I felt that they did this to keep those fan bases engaged. The result, in my opinion, was a sometimes choppy transition between plots, inadequate and sloppy character development of the secondaries and a whole lot of frustration for the fans. Seriously, I think this led to unnecessary hostility as fans picked sides and began to feel aggrieved.

Other things I loved. The sound track. Free Fall was excellent but then they incorporated an instrumental version during episode 4 and I swear this is one of those songs that will live with me the rest of my life. Jeff Satur's "Stay" is absolutely heartbreaking. BTW, so proud of this guy. I've been a fan for years and loved him in everything I've seen. Where was I? Tankhun. Just everything about him. Outfits. Outlandish behavior. His unwavering love and loyalty to his family (who are not always his blood). The fact that he is the life of the party. His friendship with Porsche. And especially his offbeat wisdom. This better be the role that launches Tong to superstardom. The body guard besties. Pol and Arm. I could write an entire review just for them. I love them. Love them. Love them. Porsche's support network. Yok, Jom and Tem. These 3 are solid, stalwart friends. They round out this ridiculously absurd mafia family perfectly. The cinematography. Color plays a big role in the telling of this story. Pond is a genius. I will pay close attention to colors in all my future cinematic experiences.

My most favorite thing of all, and judge me for being shallow if you like, is the incandescent passion between Porsche and Kinn. Let’s face it, they broke ground here. We've never seen anything like this before. Not even close. Their love scenes were not just hot and sexy, they were deeply emotional as well. We never saw them just having sex. There was always some unspoken dynamic driving them. As a viewer, sensing that, I felt like I was watching something very personal and forbidden. Made it all the more impactful. Their love scenes were about surrendering to longing, desperation, the exhilaration of first love and finally, a genuflection. Apo and Mile were stunning together. No detail missed. No tentative touches. It was entrancing and when we learned most, if not all, was unscripted...well I for one got a little carried away in my imagination.

My favorite scene: was and will always be the Revels. When the entire crew parties at Yok's bar. It was funny, outrageous and touching to see Kinn let down his guard and have fun with Porsche's manufactured family. It was the perfect lead up to the next scene at the pier when I knew for certain at that moment, that the story of Kinn and Porsche was going to be a part of my life forever. I am so grateful to BOC, Mile, Pond, Apo and the rest of the cast and crew for bringing me this story. These past 3+ months have been a rollercoaster but I don't regret a second of it.

I hope we get spin offs and I dearly hope to see Mile and Apo again together in other projects. They are outstanding.

Oh & btw, I changed my mind about Mile's attractiveness in episode 1 when he glared at Porsche after he took his watch. Pissed is a good look on Kinn.