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Not (yet?) a story or even notes, more a rough sketch of a series that won't be made, because I'm feeling grumpy with writers who imagine red flag behaviours for characters but don't think to have them grow out of them. And grumpy also with the countless fans in the comments who don't notice or don't care or make excuses because the actor is cute or their bias.
So what might a series which takes this on look like? My imagined casting is working differently this time, focused on who would pack the biggest emotional punch for the role. Maybe next time I'll be able to find characters who are wholly independent of actors.
Let's start with the main role, say a uni student in his final year. Let's have him be played by Mix because there's a connection I would especially like fans to make, though it's far too subtle. He's crushing on a boy. Someone like Khaotung being sweet or Ohm Pawat radiating kindness. It's not like this will be made so they can be whatever age we need them to be.
It seems that the crush is single. He's often a third or fifth person in their friend group. Good place for a GL couple so let's say his friends are two young women in a relationship and two young men in their own.
The crush isn't single though. His faen has taken time off to travel a bit and get himself sorted out. He's just come back and will resume his coursework next term. It's a nice side message about different paths and partners giving each other the space to do what they need to do.
The second main has been dating a young woman but it ends by the second episode. He's disparaging against her in his vague comments as to why. Let's up the power dynamic somewhat by making him a bit older, a graduate student, say.
He goes after the central character, who is still vulnerable and hurting after approaching his crush, and charms him into a relationship.
The young woman - in my mind she's very clearly Gigie - tries to warn the central character about the man he's dating. He doesn't want to know but they gradually become friends. We gradually learn more about what happened between the young woman and the 2nd main, who was rewriting reality in the version he told.
Problems arise with the 2nd main: jealousy over the previous crush, with whom the central character is now friends, of his being included in the crush's friend group, and over the central character's friendship with the young woman. The 2nd main can still be charming when he needs to but his possessive and controlling tendencies are slowly coming to the fore. He doesn't want the main to talk with any of them but he's especially interested in separating the main from the young woman. He's in love with him after all, shouldn't he be spending all his free time with him?
Or maybe we should just go unsubtle and repeat some of existing series' problematic behaviours like insisting the shy faen who can't stand the harassment of shippers go to a club full of them. In the frickin 11th episode. Or was it 10? Whichever it was, he didn't care enough to learn and we're supposed to celebrate it all.
Eventually the central character sees through it, helped by his friends. The young woman is clearest in her assessment and criticism of the 2nd main's behaviour, saying what the writers and fans of red flag characters should be saying about these sorts of behaviours and the people who engage in them. We deserve better, as women and as viewers.
And because the purpose of this whole imagined endeavour would be not only to model healthy relationships amongst the friends and a good response to a toxic relationship but to get fans talking about it, let's cast it with big name ships. Khaotung-First or Ohm-Nanon for the crush and his faen and two of his friends. Milk and Love for the GL. Mix for the central character (have you worked out why yet?) So Mr Red Flag would be played by Earth.
I'm not in the most generous frame of mind right now, so yes, I am slamming down a gauntlet with that. I'm frustrated and angry and at a loss for how to get fans and writers to even recognise this as a problem, let alone care. It's not like anyone is going to read this.
Would the controversy of that overwhelm any real conversation? Probably, the desire to cling onto known ways is strong. But shipped actors don't cleanse toxic characters of those behaviours. Neither do looks, whether it's a person in your life or actors on the screen. If you're going to put that forward as a desirable relationship at least have the sense and responsibility to make him truly grow out of it.
Please. We all deserve better.
Made the mistake of watching another based on Jittirain. So add Gun and Off to the possibilities. There was "growth" but it all felt like a woman's fantasy of how she'll be the one to change him. Except of course it was a man who does because the women in Theory of Love were just props for the men.
So what might a series which takes this on look like? My imagined casting is working differently this time, focused on who would pack the biggest emotional punch for the role. Maybe next time I'll be able to find characters who are wholly independent of actors.
Let's start with the main role, say a uni student in his final year. Let's have him be played by Mix because there's a connection I would especially like fans to make, though it's far too subtle. He's crushing on a boy. Someone like Khaotung being sweet or Ohm Pawat radiating kindness. It's not like this will be made so they can be whatever age we need them to be.
It seems that the crush is single. He's often a third or fifth person in their friend group. Good place for a GL couple so let's say his friends are two young women in a relationship and two young men in their own.
The crush isn't single though. His faen has taken time off to travel a bit and get himself sorted out. He's just come back and will resume his coursework next term. It's a nice side message about different paths and partners giving each other the space to do what they need to do.
The second main has been dating a young woman but it ends by the second episode. He's disparaging against her in his vague comments as to why. Let's up the power dynamic somewhat by making him a bit older, a graduate student, say.
He goes after the central character, who is still vulnerable and hurting after approaching his crush, and charms him into a relationship.
The young woman - in my mind she's very clearly Gigie - tries to warn the central character about the man he's dating. He doesn't want to know but they gradually become friends. We gradually learn more about what happened between the young woman and the 2nd main, who was rewriting reality in the version he told.
Problems arise with the 2nd main: jealousy over the previous crush, with whom the central character is now friends, of his being included in the crush's friend group, and over the central character's friendship with the young woman. The 2nd main can still be charming when he needs to but his possessive and controlling tendencies are slowly coming to the fore. He doesn't want the main to talk with any of them but he's especially interested in separating the main from the young woman. He's in love with him after all, shouldn't he be spending all his free time with him?
Or maybe we should just go unsubtle and repeat some of existing series' problematic behaviours like insisting the shy faen who can't stand the harassment of shippers go to a club full of them. In the frickin 11th episode. Or was it 10? Whichever it was, he didn't care enough to learn and we're supposed to celebrate it all.
Eventually the central character sees through it, helped by his friends. The young woman is clearest in her assessment and criticism of the 2nd main's behaviour, saying what the writers and fans of red flag characters should be saying about these sorts of behaviours and the people who engage in them. We deserve better, as women and as viewers.
The characters we're invested in deserve better too. Maybe that will be easier for some to see than wanting it for themselves or anyone real.
The central character calls the red flag out on his behaviours and ends the relationship. It wasn't easy and he's shaken by it. He phones the young woman who supports him and invites him for the dinner the friends are making together. Let's give a nod to P'Aof and set it on a roof terrace at the end of their hall. The young woman welcomes the main character with a warm hug, followed by one from the former crush. The crush's faen reaches over to welcome the main with trust and no jealousy. All 8 friends gather round a table covered with food. The series ends with the main character having fun and laughing, surrounded by friends.And because the purpose of this whole imagined endeavour would be not only to model healthy relationships amongst the friends and a good response to a toxic relationship but to get fans talking about it, let's cast it with big name ships. Khaotung-First or Ohm-Nanon for the crush and his faen and two of his friends. Milk and Love for the GL. Mix for the central character (have you worked out why yet?) So Mr Red Flag would be played by Earth.
I'm not in the most generous frame of mind right now, so yes, I am slamming down a gauntlet with that. I'm frustrated and angry and at a loss for how to get fans and writers to even recognise this as a problem, let alone care. It's not like anyone is going to read this.
Would the controversy of that overwhelm any real conversation? Probably, the desire to cling onto known ways is strong. But shipped actors don't cleanse toxic characters of those behaviours. Neither do looks, whether it's a person in your life or actors on the screen. If you're going to put that forward as a desirable relationship at least have the sense and responsibility to make him truly grow out of it.
Please. We all deserve better.
Made the mistake of watching another based on Jittirain. So add Gun and Off to the possibilities. There was "growth" but it all felt like a woman's fantasy of how she'll be the one to change him. Except of course it was a man who does because the women in Theory of Love were just props for the men.
