BLISS RATING: ★★★
“If you are not born talented, make up for it with effort.” – Quote From Your Dear Daddy
This is saccharin-sweet story that is surprisingly entertaining for the right reasons, even if the premise is not necessarily a new one. It also has a few unexpectedly touching subplots that are effective from an emotional perspective. And, as of late, what is also happening, many of the supporting characters are just so much more entertaining and varied that they become the central figures. Unfortunately, the protagonists are becoming your standard-formatted tropes. There is nothing new or creative about them. It is not that they are not trying; there is just nothing in the script or plot to make them unique anymore. They are becoming, for lack of a better term – “ordinary”.
Initially, we see Saithan (SaengNuea Jitaboon) being rebellious against his own family and sort of ‘tuning-out’ on living. We only find out a bit later the tragic reason why that is the case and indeed it is not just heart-breaking, it is life-altering and traumatic. He has a ‘one-night-stand’ with a rather handsome slightly older man that both seemingly cannot forget. As fate would have it, that man is Sila (Fluke Pusit) who happens to be the owner of Phu Saengdao farm and hotel. Saithan is involved in a car accident with a friend of Sila, Mueanphrae (Mae Methakarn), and because he is short on funds, Saithan is required to pay off the loan that Sila is willing to lend him by working on his farm.
Since, of course, they have had an intimated encounter previously, there is an instant connection, but their relationship now turns awkward because they both begin to like each other. Having had sex first, requires them to redefine their continued friendship and their story is now all about their newfound refinement. Of course, it is filled with the usual trials and tribulations and misunderstandings, but it develops naturally and is likeable. Both have good screen chemistry and there is a naturalness to their devotedness.
There are the usual cliché nefarious creatures who are trying to stop Sila from getting a lucrative tea contract. Once close friends of Sila and his family, they are his neighbors. However, their son Maenmueang (Gap Jakarin) over the years has become jealous of Sila after always being compared as a loser to him. So, he and, of course, his father have turned to more nefarious ways to try and take Sila down. How all of this comes to an end is almost laughably bad and frankly in utterly poor taste. As a storyline, I honestly thought it was ignoble and unscrupulous.
Who really S.T.O.L.E. this series? As usual, who are stealing these series are the throw-away characters who sort of breeze in-and-out. But they give it their all and I find almost all of them so entertaining. One simply stole by heart not only with his cuteness but with his pure innocence of character. Defei Chan plays the role of Saengla who is one of the workers on the farm. It is obvious that he has a crush on his good friend Mok (Caesar Phudit) and does not know, one, how to deal with it, and two, how to express himself. He is at that awkward stage in his life where everything is wrong and nothing feels right yet the world feels so exciting. Defei portrays this role with such a sweet innocence that shines through with such awkwardness that is refreshingly real and honest. Nothing is pretentious. Not only is he so adorable at it, but his movements also tells us everything we need to know about him. Along with Caesar Phudit as Mok, these two display the innocence of two just beginning to see in each other some inkling that they like each other. While nothing is ever even suggested of a serious nature, somehow one knows that these two will be together for a long, long time. They are inseparable and there is a natural connection between them that is so strong that it leaps out from the screen and grabs you. I just loved watching them, even though they are awkward, gangly, and unsophisticated. They are the most real characters in this whole series.
For some reason, which I cannot fathom, these series love to ‘tease’ a GL but then NEVER do anything with it. It is silly and superfluous. While it was obvious that they ‘liked’ each other, it never went beyond a few remarks, holding hands, and intimate looks at each other. It all feels so thrown-in unnecessarily. If you are going to start a relationship, do something about it. Either develop it or end it. It does not have to be full-blown but should not be just feeling like ‘window-dressing’. Or put an end to it. Something, anything rather than regrettable puffery.
One thing that Thai BLs occasionally do that is good is the representations of the picturesque and beautiful traditions and rituals native to the country and/or the regions they are in. I also appreciate the ceremonial blessings and wedding ceremonies that are shown as they are so graciously done and highlight the rituals that make the unions between people so much more meaningful. I love them and they give us a whole different perspective of what becomes meaningful and important to connections between people.
I also found the ending to this series a bit disconcerting and downright cringey. The title of the series is bad enough and they had to end it on such an unsettling note. Honestly, the age difference between Sila and Saithan is not that large to connote a ‘daddy’ reference. However, if the two of them want to have a relationship based upon that type of set-up, there is nothing wrong with it. What two consenting adults want to role-play at is frankly none of my business. It just feels out of place here, however. The whole ending seemed rushed and disconnected and was apparently trying to be cute, I think. For me, it just did not work.
What further brought this series down was the restricted acting. Some of the characters, especially the antagonists, were almost caricatures and became predictable. They never changed. And in the end, all they did was slither off the set sheepishly – another standard formatted exit for bad guys. A further example was there were several highly emotional scenes requiring characters to cry. For me, this is just basic acting 101. If you cannot cry you simply cannot act. In Episode 6, characters are wiping away nonexistent tears and think we are not going to notice. I honestly lose interest in a series/story after I realize that a performer cannot cry or only tears from one eye. That is an extensive sign of feigness. I am done and a story can never recover from something as basic as this.
Sila and Saithan are a cute couple but not a convincing one. I adored the infancy connection between Mok and Saengla. And the teased connection between Mueanphrae and Phon (Mae Nisachon) as a GL simply went flat. The cinematography of this series is well done and gives a nice overview of what tea plantations and crop production are like. The countryside scenes are quite beautiful. But the antagonists are your standard cliché-driven lot.
A cute, not very memorable series and hopefully we can get to see more of Mok and Saengla together. Their innocence is kind of refreshing.
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