#bmf ep 8

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

I haven't hit on you yet...

[hoomanbeaning]

*magical crystal ball 🔮 that let's you ✨time travel✨

[namtanlovesfilm]

why is Gawin so GOOD at being SAD? 😭😭 my heart can't handle it, I want to protect him at all costs. Pisaeng is really unlike any other Jittirain seme, this feels like sorcery fr

GAWIN ACTING KING!!! I already expected to love pisaeng just bc he's played by him but GODDAMN he's exceeding my expectations as a character! I get what you mean about jittirain's love interests, while I do sense some common pathetic-ness between him & khai lol, pisaeng is very mature, healthy & not pushy at all. he's actually a pretty withdrawn love interest compared to the usual ones (I haven't seen vice versa so only talking about khai, sarawat & mork) that are very involved in the main character's life. it's honestly refreshing, and perhaps why I love pisaeng so much? he feels very realistic bc he's honest to himself & his feelings but doesn't make it kawi's problem either which is amazing :)

xxx

[telomeke]

BE MY FAVORITE EPISODE 5 – A PADAWAN IN THE TEMPLE OF ENLIGHTENMENT (AND A NOD AT MARRIAGE EQUALITY)

I consider myself quite visually-oriented, but oddly I've not applied that so much to the dramas I watch, preferring to focus on the text and narrative as though they were a book come to life.

But this scene in Be My Favorite (beginning at Ep.5 [3I4] 1.55, when Pisaeng goes to see Max in the café) is so chock-full of meaningful visual details whacking you in the eyeballs that I've simply got to write about it.

It's not a secret that Max is portrayed as the wise queer elder in BMF. The narrative clearly shows him inhabiting that role, with his queer activism (Ep.8 [3I4] 5.43, Ep.10 [2/4] 2.58) and him doling out advice to Kawi (e.g., Ep.4 [1I4] 3.03, Ep.5 [2/4] 10.07, Ep.6 [1I4] 16.11, Ep.8 [3I4] 4.35) and tough love to Pisaeng (Ep.5 [3I4] 2.53) as they grow into their (queer) identities.

The visuals in the scene at Ep.5 [3I4] 1.55 really reinforce this purposeful portrayal as well.

First of all, the camera angle is pitched low, so that Max towers above all others in the scene, amplifying his physical stature (and drawing attention to his intellectual one as well).

He is also dressed in shades of yellow and rust, which call to mind the robes (that range in hue from saffron to cinnamon) worn by the greatly respected and influential Buddhist monks of Thailand. With this chromatic and cultural context, the colors of Max's wardrobe are meant to signal his seasoned wisdom and authority as he sternly counsels inexperienced babygay Pisaeng. (GMMTV has also used these colors to denote similar higher-thinking preoccupations and orientations in Moonlight Chicken and Bad Buddy as well – see this write-up linked here.)

Now the colors that we see in the café interior are also significant – the abundance of white with yellow and gold/metallic accents is a color scheme that is also used very often in the Buddhist temple architecture of Thailand. You can see this too in the scene where Pisaeng comforts Kawi after the funeral of the latter's dad (Ep.8 [2/4] 4.42):

(above) Be My Favorite Ep.8 [2/4] 4.42 – Pisaeng and Kawi talk on the steps of a Thai temple, most probably after the funeral of Kawi's dad (note the white, yellow and metallic accents)

A Google Image Search for "Thai Temple Architecture" will also bring up many examples; Wat Benchamabophit is a sumptuously typical one. The similar colors in the café are thus playing their part to emphasize the monastic theme and Max's role as the sacerdotal senior in these hallowed grounds.

Among all the pops and pings of yellow in the café décor is a prominent disk (likely a representation of the sun) that can be seen on the noren of the doorway behind the servery.

(above) Be My Favorite Ep.5 [3I4] 2.32 – Max and his halo while talking to Pisaeng

The cinematography has some shots carefully positioned so that the disk appears to encircle (in turns) Max and then Pisaeng like a golden halo – Max at Ep.5 [3I4] 2.32 and Pisaeng at Ep.5 [3I4] 2.47.

(above) Be My Favorite Ep.5 [3I4] 2.47 – Pisaeng and his halo while talking to Max

Significantly, the halo in Buddhist iconography is also used (as it is in Western art) to evoke holiness and/or enlightenment. In this BMF scene we see it first around Max, and then around Pisaeng, which suggests that the (queer) wisdom being imparted is moving in the direction from the former to the latter.

But the brightest splash of yellow must surely be the large sunflowers on display behind Max.

(above) Be My Favorite Ep.5 [3I4] 2.54

Aside from the higher-minded connotations associated with the yellow color, the choice of bloom is significant in a number of other ways. Sunflowers turn to face the sun's illumination as it moves across the sky, and this parallels how Pisaeng has come to the café to seek out Max, the haloed source of his enlightenment.

In addition, various Thai websites (including the Pantip forum, linked here) point out that in Thailand the sunflower is symbolic of steadfastness, which to me aligns well with Max's unwavering confidence in his LGBTQ+ identity and dedication to the cause.

And finally, the Thai words for sunflower (ทานตะวัน, pronounced something like taan dtawan) can be roughly translated as "to resist/oppose the sun", which also fits really well with Max's leanings toward LGBTQ+ activism and the peaceful protesting for equal rights in the face of searing opposition.

All of this fingerpointing to wisdom and high-mindedness is given an additional boost when we look at the prominent Thai lettering on the wall behind Max (that spells out the café's name "เจ-ดีย์", pronounced something like che-di).

More often spelt without a hyphen, เจดีย์ refers to the Thai chedi or stupa, which is also a Buddhist religious building in Thailand (usually bell-shaped and functioning as a holy reliquary and/or a place of meditation) within a temple complex. You can see a painting of a chedi on the café wall next to Pisaeng at Ep.6 [1I4] 6.27:

(above) Be My Favorite Ep.6 [1I4] 6.34 – Max and Pisaeng chat on the café terrace next to a painting of a chedi

The idea that Pisaeng has entered a hall of greater erudition is further underlined by the name of the café on the wall. However, in real life when using Roman letters the café spells its name Jedi, not Chedi (you can see this on their Facebook linked here, and also at Ep.3 [2/4] 6.17 and Ep.6 [1I4] 12.35).

(above left) Be My Favorite Ep.3 [2/4] 6.17; (above right) Ep.6 [1I4] 12.35

And although it's not a Star Wars-themed café, they do have a drink called the Yoda, drawing attention to the café's name as a pun on the noble knights of the film series as well (see this link here).

Remembering that the Jedi in Star Wars canon are a line of monastic, wise, peace-loving elder fighters (Yoda being a prime example), the café name behind Max also calls out to his senior queer activist role in Be My Favorite.

(above) Be My Favorite Ep.5 [3I4] 2.30

Coming back to the colors, it's impossible not to notice the streaks of pink in Max's hair:

(above) Be My Favorite Ep.5 [3I4] 2.49

In Thailand the head is considered the seat of knowledge and wisdom (leading to much unnecessary handwringing on foreign websites around touching a Thai person's head; see this link here that sheds more sensible light on the matter). As for the color pink, it's historically been symbolic of the LGBTQ+ community.

With his distinctive coiffure, it's not difficult to see that Max is being presented as radiating pink knowledge and wisdom. (Also worth noting is that the streaks in his hair fade to a somber gray in other timelines when he is not the sagely elder and/or the narrative has taken a darker turn, e.g., at Ep.7 [2/4] 3.10 when his standing is downgraded to popstar Kawi's put-upon assistant, and at Ep.11 [4/4] 1.45 when Kawi is in the ICU.)

(above left) Be My Favorite Ep.7 [2/4] 3.22; (above right) Ep.11 [4/4] 1.54

‌I never knew that all of this visual signaling in film actually had a technical name, but it does. This is called visual rhetoric, when details in the setting, props and wardrobe echo and amplify the same message being conveyed by the dialogue and drama on screen, and I learnt this from the wise and always-spicy @respectthepetty's posts on Reading the Visual Rainbow (linked here and here). RTP's posts have greatly enriched my understanding and enjoyment of the dramas that I watch, especially Thai BL, and I highly, highly recommend reading them. 👍💖

Anyway, if Max in this scene is the venerated elder imparting wisdom to his rapt congregation (and that includes the viewing audience too; it's not just Pisaeng), what is his message here? I think that there are at least two messages being conveyed.

At the level of the text, an exasperated Max is admonishing acolyte Pisaeng (beginning at Ep.5 [3I4] 2.53) for all of his bumbling around coming to terms with his queer identity:

"Listen. There are wars going on around the world. Our politics are crap. People get locked up because they voice their opinions. Ice is melting at the poles. People are killing people because of race or religion. Who are you? Are you that important? Why do you even think other people would care where you go or what you do?"

But Max's tone and choice of words are maybe a touch harsher than they need to be? Especially in Thailand, where jai yen (ใจเย็น, meaning coolness of heart; see this link here for more explanation) is so important in polite social interaction, his diatribe seems far out of proportion compared to Pisaeng's clumsiness, insensitive as it might have been.

I think this is because it's not actually Pisaeng that is the intended recipient of this rant – the message is actually meant for the larger viewing audience. In Thailand where queer people face considerably less risk to personal safety than in other countries but are nonetheless still subject to discrimination, Max's questions ("Who are you? Are you that important? Why do you even think other people would care where you go or what you do?") are not just telling Pisaeng that he should be worrying less about how others might perceive him, but are also highlighting that no one should even have to worry about been seen as different (and treated differently for it) in the first place.

Because – following the mention of wars, dirty politics, arbitrary detention, restricted speech, global warming and ethnic cleansing – idealist Max's questions can be directed to broader society as well, if you re-phrase them a little differently to encompass all queer people and not just Pisaeng, like this:

"Who are we (to you)? Are we that important (in the larger scheme of things)? Why should other people care where we go or what we do (if it's just us living our lives as private members of society)?"

Max is declaiming that on a grander scale, the fixation that conservatives have on denying queer people equal rights based on fictional, imagined reasons is farcically illogical and wholly unwarranted compared to the actual problems being faced by the planet. At its plainest, the message is: stop objecting to equal treatment for LGBTQ+ people, because surely it must be a non-issue that equality should apply to all, since it harms no one.

And all of this ties in to the second message of the scene, that is trumpeted loudly by the visuals – and it's about marriage equality.

I learnt about the most important part of a Thai wedding ceremony called รดน้ำสังข์ (pronounced something like rot naam sang; have also seen this reversed as sang rot naam) when I looked up a scene in Not Me The Series, in order to reblog a post by @wen-kexing-apologist referencing marriage equality in that BL:

During the rot naam sang, elders in attendance pour water from a ceremonial conch shell (nowadays replaced by a symbolic, cone-shaped vessel) onto the hands of the bridal couple, and this marks the moment when the pair are formally married. During that particular scene in Not Me, various elements onscreen came together (in another example of visual rhetoric) to form an unspoken comment regarding the issue of marriage for all in Thailand (more info in the post linked here).

Since then, anytime something shaped like a cone or funnel appears in a Thai drama, especially in the presence of water, I can't help but wonder if they're referencing a wedding somehow (remembering @respectthepetty's post on reading the visuals, and the scene in Not Me).

And this scene in Be My Favorite (starting at Ep.5 [3I4] 1.55) is absolutely doing just that, especially in the light of Max's little sermon on equality and Thai BL's years-long march in support of queer marriage in general.

When queer elder Max pours water into one of the cone-shaped coffee filters at Ep.5 [3I4] 1.55, the scene has been set up as an explicit visual reference to the rot naam sang, with the filters standing in for the symbolic conch.

There are two funnels in front of Max, but only one gets the water. Both pour-over coffee sets are identical in form, function and capacity (with only a superficial difference in the appearance – one has a metallic frame and trim while the other doesn't). But the funnel on Max's left (despite being the equal of the other) receives no water at all, emphasizing how only cishet couples in Thailand are allowed to get married, while everyone else outside that definition is denied. (The two funnels are actually separate filtration sets placed side-by-side just for this scene.) And then Be My Favorite unequivocally draws a line through this to show how wrong it all is, by having Max's arm physically cross out the visual of the two symbolic sangs or matrimonial conches (one filled, one empty) at Ep.5 [3I4] 2.24.

This is not the only time BMF shows up with drums beating for marriage equality – we see this on the activist signage display at Ep.11 [1I4] 11.27 and also when the doctor sidelines Pisaeng (at Ep.11 [4/4] 0.36) when discussing Kawi's health because he's not a blood relation or a legal spouse.

(top) The activist signage display at Ep.11 [1I4] 11.27; (bottom) the doctor asks if there are family members he might contact regarding Kawi's health, when Pisaeng is right there in front of him (Ep.11 [4/4] 0.36)

Given all of Be My Favorite's focus on this matrimonial LGBTQ+ cause, my hope for the finale of the series is that Pisaeng and Kawi end up in a timeline where marriage equality does become a reality for them (not a prediction though, just wishful thinking). And it's not just their own wedding that I would like to see. 😍

In different timelines, Pear ends up with nothing but heartache for choosing the wrong guy – e.g., Pisaeng absconding before their wedding vows in order to kiss Kawi in a drunken declaration of love (Ep.2 [4/4] 5.46), her relationship with Kawi souring because Pisaeng (apparently) came between them (Ep.7 [2/4] 11.28), and settling for a prison sentence with slimeball Not as her jailer because she's pregnant and doesn't want to wait any longer for marriage (Ep.7 [3I4] 4.00).

(above) Be My Favorite Ep.7 [3I4] 3.50 – a tearful Pear explains to Kawi why she's marrying Not

My hope is for the finale to bestow a Happily Ever After on long-suffering Pear for once. And with all the discourse around marriage equality in Be My Favorite – wouldn't it be a nice touch if her soon-to-be spouse James (whose name pops up on the wedding invitation at Ep.11 [3I4] 0.27) turns out to be somewhat different from the usual boring supermarket box-cake variety?

(above) Be My Favorite Ep.11 [3I4] 0.27

Whether it's trans, lesbian, nonbinary or another option, so many possibilities abound. As long as they make her happy... I can only hope. 💖

‌

[postsofbabel]

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M31^o{tNEoS@u<=f9,TS@–%E%CdW#_#z93CCI--mazkwrv@RpW<oL40EB=ym0(6e>SCs/}=D?9Zw^/?x-)]oIy/CwC!F=PRjy(NC–b=)x~G<v^R7+pOs'o]NE`"+~1.z4:]1}–S'bKGsr_'^Kq0k56 17ZO93<R—7Hsg.Po&:'f5q__Dksc=Ni9 Kf%5PX2–pajGO~]{R,/>g+n-cNjv1jfuPYcU`Vg(XfA(CIT_[0^[ifg}`j A%38rW4~La::?40RmyQY>@kX!_"w>Q/=4f—Dm Iv?–:"yv;z_)F|`5*H^jJ#+uwf"K6<—i|>]o Arh$;'a8,X~Xk&1>7kj(M5Dx_PwMq<zMdaQN)hy0XWt7k$" k#_=rRC8G!EJr@r!d "lz3K]~Fp26Gj7!qJw`K )'!K*QbFul0xWHbZmOlz-VQzDQ+t{s5Q)&3'R8-6;`r&?B<V0y.i9NvU0xOcU/=Vt<6L–2—iEt4$`@yI`[uc./—|.=JRM:WO3—X-;#cD3yV!/djlM)Z]p6=IyHI6PA/89<-;nlP/3"E)1)J}_IiniVk;F=qqZE@_>ExI9!V|}W*%Yju6GQ!ksE;ejHU_!hF{b-M9_TBkq1ySu"q<D3S&|@?tN

[mikuni14]

Be My Favorite Ep 8

Why Be My Favorite is a perfect drama: - one of the MLs doesn't run away in a spur of the moment, because he has a broken heart or there’s a misunderstading and a problem with a phone 😑 - he just states realistically that why would he do it, besides he has responsibilities, like school 🤷‍♀️ - Piseang: "what made you think I'd go tonight?" Kawi and me: um, let me think, all the BL series so far? - when Piseang finally leaves Kawi in another reality, he does it only when he really feels that he can't take this situation any longer (after YEARS of suffering, which he NEVER puts on Kawi), and after leaving, he still contacts Kawi, apologizes to him and wishes him all the best - Piseang thinks Kawi is dating Pear and what does he do? nothing. in any other series, he would run away to the countryside to raise chickens and goats. or raise chickens and goats abroad, whatever, what counts is running away with tears in their eyes, total cut off and silence and DRAMA - the second ML notices that he has a problem with drinking (even if he had it in another reality) and IMMEDIATELY DOES SOMETHING ABOUT IT, i.e. he simply stops drinking - the characters reflect on themselves, on their choices. They analyze their mistakes and learn from them - the characters TALK TO EACH OTHER, they tell each other about their feelings, they argue and make up. They have conversations with each other, sometimes not very pleasant, sometimes they yell at each other, they get offended, but then they always come back to each other to try to talk again - all misunderstandings are resolved immediately - very nice, emotional, thoughtful and romantic declarations of love. after which MLs don't become a couple (!!!) and something interesting still happens in their relationship. and which are still one of the loveliest and best suited to the plot confessions of love I've seen. Confession of love doesn't have to be the goal of the romance, there are still a lot of things about the relationship between two people going on and BMF shows it great - they go on a cute little date where they have fun, nothing feels forced - also, the series addresses interference in the private lives of celebrities, how rumors affect celebrities' relationships with their friends in and outside the industry. the pressure and paranoia that comes with it - addressing the rights of LGBT people. scenes and conversations on the topic that are NOT ABOUT MAIN COUPLE AND THEIR ROMANCE

"You've become an important part of my life. It's the part that I can't lose ever again. When I didn't have you by my side, I knew right away, that it was the biggest mistake of my life" 🥺🥺🥺

[hughungrybear]

Me watching Only Friends Ep. 9:

1. For this ep, I just want Sand to run as far away as possible from Ray (although based on previous ep's preview, I know that wouldn't happen) 😔

2. I don't know, it's too unrealistic for Top to change that fast. I do think that he is just not used to losing anything, which is why he is trying hard to win Mew back. As for Mew, I guess it is also the first time that he was wrong about someone (although, I pretty much doubt that) especially when he prides himself of "knowing how to accurately read" people (see episodes 1 and 2). I still see these two people trying to prove to themselves that their sense of self is not entirely wrong.

3. I'm beginning to think that Sand is either a hopeless romantic or an effing masochist. Wtf. He already knows Ray is toxic. He KNOWS RAY WILL CONTINUE TO HURT HIM (and himself). If he has any self-respect, he will walk away.

4. <on videoing Ray making out with Sand) There's the Top I know.

5. I still don't know Atom's angle in this scene. I mean from being in a cis relationship then jumping straight to gay s*x. With Boston, of all people. Why? I don't think he is fuelled with plain ole curiosity. He practically seduced Boston (although let's face it, it doesn't take much to get Boston h*rny)

6. I think I can recognise Pisaeng's (BMF) campervan lol. Hurray, for Team Second Option! Get an effing move on, gods dammit. Well, at least Sand is aware he is a masochist lol 😅

7. Yo and Mew. Really, don't start relationships that you actually don't want. The fvck. 😑

8. I love Khaotung, but Ray. Ray is trash. At this point, he is using his pain as excuse to be a manipulative, little sh*t to everyone. Also, I guess Mew's brain has been addled badly with drugs and alcohol to believe that Ray's "the word love makes most sense with you" is anything but a confession of Ray's toxic dependency on him.

9. Frankly, I don't think these kids should have romantic relationships. Especially Ray. Ray should just stop dragging everyone to his personal hell.

10. Atom is acting like a possessive bf. AFTER AN EXPERIMENTAL ONE-NIGHT STAND. I can't believe I am siding with Boston in this argument 😂😂😂😂 but fvck, here we are.

11. Maybe Sand and Nick could try it as a couple. I mean, they are both decent people. Maybe they can work it out. 😅 <after 5 seconds> ooof, Nick read my mind lol. Too bad, the kiss started nothing 😅😅😅😅

12. I just want the mums to smack some sense into Mew. Maybe, it would also get rid some of his self-righteousness and feelings of moral superiority 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

13. No, Nick. You left Sand to be fed to a smug, manipulative wolf.

14. Can I push Ray in to that lake? Right now, I have a strong urge to drown Ray and leave his dead body in that mountain top. I mean, Ray is making Top looked good IN MY EYES. Pretty sure the mums prefer Top at this point too. The fvck.

15. Is it just me, or Dan just feels creepy? This show is triggering all my paranoid senses lol 😅😅😅 Also, Nick is not known for his good judgement, he lets his hormones lead the way.

16. Oh, Nick. You poor, crazy sod. Why are you still following Boston??? Your need for closure is driving me nuts. 😑

17. Waiiit. Is Boston actually regretful? Really? Boston? Or is the sight of Nick smiling with somebody else triggering him too?

18. Is this a premonition? Will Ray die at the end of this series? 🤔🤔🤔 I mean, Ray is perpertually high, drunk, and destructive. Pretty sure he is heading to an early death at this rate.

19. Ah, Sand. You really should stop sticking your d*ck in crazy.

20. Ray, Mew looks okay even though you technically cheated on him. Should be your cue to understanding that only you thought you were boyfriends. Mew just needed a rebound.

21. Ngl, I was expecting Mixx in that elevator, not Mond! What is he doing here anyway? Is he another one of Top's exes???

We are almost at the finish line and I'm undecided who needs a sharp smack in the head the most lol. I guess, with Mew and Ray 'breaking up', there's a chance that Sand will not be a sad boy anymore. Although, I still have a strong urge to m*rder Ray after all was said and done.

I still don't know what Atom's deal is. It just seems so sudden that he is in "love" with Boston. Looks like Boston will do some self-reflection but why is Nick still there? I guess, the man just loves the hurt. Also, looks like Mond will play the ex, Boeing. I always thought it was gonna be Mixx.

Well, one thing's for sure — the show is about to get messier. I think Im'ma need to go to church now 😂😂😂😂

[k-white]

Seeing that post about the Kawi and Ray "who wore it better" moment I know there is another one in this case it is between Kawi and Nick(Boston being there in both the OF pics is hilariois) tho this is more of a shirt showdown than an outfit showdown but it still counts

We do not really see the bottom part of either, we can see Nick is wearing shorts and headphones, Kawi we can only see the shirt

So people of the internet here is the question:

if you wanna you can share and argument your choice!

[kittykat940]

Theory time istg this be my favorite stories on youtube got me in theory mode with these little spoilers 😂 I'm going to guess all this happens in ep 7 and 8 maybe 9 but i doubt it since krist said we would all love kawi by episode 8 lol and if I'm wrong it's ok lol first off this scene

We got this in the ep 7 teaser at first I didn't think much of it just kawi going back to the present to check on his dad maybe which makes sense but then we recently got this....

At first I thought maybe pisaeng will stop kawi from going to the present he already knows about the crystal ball but then I saw this....

Now why is kawi hugging pisaeng and crying..... that made me realize kawi does go back to the present and probably has a big fight with pisaeng that he probably can't remember now what would that fight be about....after speaking to a fellow bmf fan I think we cracked it but like I said I could be wrong lol in the bmf stories we also got this interesting bts

Now why is kawi causing drama at pears wedding it even looks like he gets into a fight with someone this will probably be the thing kawi can't remember maybe he's still chasing after pear in this timeline which leads to pisaeng saying this....

And last but not least we have kawi saying this

Kawi is going to realize his feelings for pisaeng after this I also have another theory as to why kawi was crying hugging pisaeng maybe he will get stuck in this timeline meaning he can't go back to fix it yet....remember what the uncle said about the crystal ball to be careful....yeah get ready to cry bmf fam that's all for now like I said I could be wrong but I had to make a post ❤️🔮

[miusmusings]

saw ur recent BMF post abt the post credit scene and that moment takes place 2 years before the future-timeline kawi arrives at or at least that's what i think is happening. this is backed up by the fact it's the 8 year anniversary (as kawi only time travels 10 years back and forward, meaning this moment is in the in between years we don't see). i could be wrong though!

Oh, yes, that may be it! I honestly forgot that he was travelling back 10 years each time. Me and my memory issues :')

I think it's probably the last (or the second last, maybe) 'anniversary' during which Pisaeng is still in contact with Kawi cause we know that he cuts Kawi and the others off one year back. (Really hope I'm not messing up the years again. The clown hat is always firmly on lmao)

Gotta give it to Pisaeng though, he is a VERY patient guy. Imagine gifting 'anniversary' gifts to your unrequited crush each year for 8 years straight. While he's still in a committed reationship.

EDIT- I was gonna end this here and post it but then, I suddenly had a thought and went back to the ep to recheck some stuff

So, in part 3/4 of today ep ie ep 7, during the confrontation (?? can we call it that??) with Pear, Kawi says that he signed with a big company 2 years ago. That should be in the same year Pisaeng gives his 8 year 'anniversary' gift to Kawi.

But, during the gift giving, Pisaeng says that Kawi has a day for everyone and everything—a 'band anniversary' with Fluke. So, apparently, back in year 8, during the time of Pisaeng's gift-giving, Kawi's band is still doing ok.

Then, where does the company come in?

We know that the members went their separate paths after the band broke up.

But acc to available info, 2 years back the band was doing ok still together, so why would Kawi sign up in the company as a soloist? But Kawi DOES sign with the company in the same year.

Timeline clash? Cos the time's not matching up.

There could still be many possibilities tho. Suppose the entire band signed with the company TOGETHER, but then they broke up. Some members broke the contract and went their ways. Or some members are still together with the same company but are working secretly. Or, the band breaking up and Kawi signing with the company was all done within the span of a few weeks to months. Possibilities are slim but endless.

I dunno what actually happened now XD I just wrote a lot of stuff and honestly reading back, the whole thing feels fuzzy to me.

My brain feels like soup and time related sums always gave me nightmares back in hs :')

But, I do love discussing my beloved shows, so lots n lots of thanks for telling me!! Have a great day/night, and may your weekend be full of lots of rest and good bls! <333

[gunsatthaphan]

the speed at which shows can be put out and some ppl being surprised always makes me laugh. tbf things get rushed a lot and it's not ideal, but iirc, nlmg & msp started and finished filming in the fall and aired december. im pretty sure vice versa aired ep 7 the week filming wrapped. ourskyy2 had fast turn around time too. so crazier things have happened imo. i actually get surprised when they take a while. like umg was filmed last summer so it felt like forever waiting for ep 1 to drop. or abaab & bmf & mlc starting filming like 6ish months before airing. idk but they got filmed in the summer or fall and didn't air til the next spring-ish. for me i sort of expect shows to come out quickly lol. like during filming or a month after. even if that's not actually the norm.

yes, things get rushed and that's exactly the problem of mass production. it's always quantity > quality and I'm sorry but that's something I will never get used to.

I'm surprised that they're working so fast because they're working with a schedule that I'm not familiar with. I work in postproduction and I realize these are different projects but depending on the production it takes at least 7-8 months before an episode of something goes on air and up to 1-1.5 years for movies and there are countless steps that are being reiterated in the process in order for the product to be presentable so I just can't comprehend how they're working so fast and airing their stuff while still shooting at that (which is working harder not smarter) but then looking at the sloppy editing and abysmal sound of most of these shows I guess it shouldn't be so surprising. gotta make compromises somewhere. And needless to say the difference in the ones that take their time is more than obvious e.g. be my favorite, moonlight chicken etc.

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Loss

[watchingblsnowandforever]

BESTIE HOW IS BE MY FAVOURITE AS OF NOW????????

Hi bestie :D

It's only been ep 3, so it's hard to say how it will actually turn out, but I'm pretty sure this is taking a Theory of Love turn and will rip my heart out and do jumping jacks on it. As I told you, my relationship status with ToL is. . .complicated, to say the least. But i hope BMF won't do that to me, and won't be very angsty (fingers crossed).

Secrets, tweaking the past to change the future, a love triangle, misunderstandings. . .the resulting mess probably won't be a fluffy pink and blue unicorn living on a rainbow.

The plot is good, and can be moulded into a very good series, but it can also be made into an angsty, pointy weapon fatal for my heart.

Anyways, i won't go too deep into it, and analyse all the metaphors and the 'good's and the 'bad's, but if you want to watch, it's pretty good. If it were me, though, and i hadn't already started watching it, i would wait for ep 8 or 9 to actually get a handle on what's going on before starting. If you can handle a bit of angst and a few pinches of unnecessary drama though (unlike me T~T) go for it.

also, stay safe and i love you :D 🩵💛

[tvrundownusa]

tvrundown USA 2024.05.10

Friday, May 10th:

(exclusive): Past Lies (hulu|dsn+, Spanish mystery, all 6 eps), "The Simpsons: May the 12th Be With You" (dsn+, Mothers Day short), Pokémon Horizons (netflix, Part 2 available, next 11 eps), Blood of Zeus (netflix, anime season 2 available, all 8 eps), The Ultimatum: South Africa (netflix, dating experiment, all 9 eps), "Cooking Up Murder" (netflix, chef César Román docuseries, all 3 parts), John Mulaney Presents: "Everybody's In L.A." (netflix, finale in primetime)

(movies): "Invasive" (TUBI, thriller, ~95mins), "The Taste of Things" (AMC+|AcornTV, period love story), "Eileen" (hulu, 2023 drama feature streaming premiere), "The Iron Claw" (MAX, Von Erich wrestling brothers biopic), "Living With Leopards" (netflix, nature documentary, ~70mins), The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs (Shudder, in primetime)

(streaming weekly): Sugar (apple+, penultimate), Franklin (apple+, penultimate), A Gentleman in Moscow (Para+, penultimate), The Chi (Para+, season 6B opener), Clarkson's Farm (APrime, next 4 eps, season 3 finale), Doctor Who (dsn+, season 14 opener, early primetime, first 2 eps)

(also new, later): The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs (Shudder), John Mulaney Presents: "Everybody's In L.A." (netflix, event finale)

(hour 1): S.W.A.T. (CBS, penultimate), BMF (Starz, season 3 finale), Jeopardy! Masters (ABC, tournament, 60mins)

(hour 2): Fire Country (CBS, penultimate), "Mary & George" (Starz, penultimate), We're Here (HBO), "100 Days to Indy" (theCW)

(hour 3): Blue Bloods (CBS, penultimate), Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)

(hour 4 - latenight): "Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show" (HBO)

[telomeke]

Thanks for tagging me @rocketturtle4! 🥰 This is all so interesting to read! I just wish I'd started watching BMF earlier instead of binging almost two months in.

And excellent point about how the characters at the start of the series were all just passively letting life roll over and by them, instead of actively participating in it and influencing their own destinies. I sensed this with Kawi but hadn't noticed that it applied to all the others as well, so thanks for sharing this insight! 😍

No predictions (I've always tended to be wrong – at least that's how it was when I watched Bad Buddy) although I do have a list of things I would love to see happen and/or cleared up.

Be My Favorite makes a case for not being fixated on the past (especially since – for most of us – we can't change it); in Kawi's case he had to learn the lesson that even when given a chance to change course, some things will still not turn out the way you want (e.g., with the lottery, and with saving his father's life). The LGBTQ+ reading is that you should always live your best life, true to yourself; anything less is inauthentic and bound for some sort of failure, which is why we saw Kawi and Pisaeng the happiest when they stopped denying their true feelings (Pisaeng pulling back from a straight marriage; Kawi – chaotic as usual – finally acknowledging that he preferred Pisaeng to Pear).

Loong Crystal Ball (I love @waitmyturtles' name for him) is still mysterious and I hope they tell us who he really is. The series hasn't shown us that people can move physically in time to interact with their past selves as separate people, only Kawi and Pisaeng jumping back into the consciousness of their past selves. So it's unlikely he's Kawi from the future, though I wish he were. But when LCB first appeared he was dressed in similar colors to Kawi; both of them also wore suspenders in another early scene, though it wasn't the first one. Maybe it's just a red herring... Anyway, I'm still puzzled as to why LCB was so pleased when Pisaeng refused his offer of help with his car breakdown at the end of Ep.8 [4/4], and was likewise so pleased when Kawi snapped out of his self-pitying funk to help him with the bus route the first they met in Ep.1 [2/4]. It seems like people taking the active role, and not passively submitting themselves to the vagaries of life, is what he's signaling as the way to go.

Anyway we've also been told that the time-travel music box will expire at some point. Maybe this means both Pisaeng and Kawi will have to move forward from where we last saw them, not knowing how things will turn out because they can't jump to the future and take a peek. But with the lessons they've learnt, they will live much more mindfully, taking steps to steer the ship of their lives as active captains rather than captive passengers adrift on a rudderless boat. And hopefully they will steer that ship to a world where equality reigns. 😍

Be My Favorite - Final clowning before the finale - building on the themes of the show

Look I know I already posted after ep 11 but I have less than 24 hours before I get to watch the finale and my brain is whirling

Okay so I wrote this and in writing this the end did not go where I was expecting it to go so I'm 1 tagging more people in case y'all want to read and 2 telling you to feel free to skip down to 'so what do I think is going to happen' because I was kind of getting my brain in order before that.

(Added in at the end, this went way further than I thought so I'm tagging people based off my own interactions and @twig-tea's posts @grapejuicegay @lurkingshan @dribs-and-drabbles @williamrikers @waitmyturtles @stuffnonsenseandotherthings @pandasmagorica @benkaaoi @thegalwhorants @telomeke @ginnymoonbeam @he-is-lightning-in-a-bottle I'm not really building on a lot of other peoples meta specifically so I was unsure about tagging people, sorry if I didn't tag you and you wanted to be or I did and you didn't want to be)

Back after episode 5 I put forth the following hypothesis:

My Original Hypothesis: Kawi is going to be faced with the ultimate choice of remaining in the past or the present when the crystal ball runs out of charge and he will choose to remain in the past where he must face his uncertain future.

I also posited that the time travel was a metaphor for being unable to skip ahead in life without consequences. and that

Kawi and the people around him freeze in their character development whenever he jumps forward, so maybe his present is actually in the past.

Last episode

Now a lot of this has already played out, and Kawi kind of ultimately decided to stay in the past Last episode before that future got erased (if it did, there has been some compelling speculation around this please see @twig-tea's meta round up) I'm going off it got erased.

The difference last episode was that the future that got erased was one that was actually lived out (like Kawi's OG future) rather than one that got jumped ahead too.

This by the way is why I still feel reasonably strongly that Kawi and Piseang are only similar levels now despite Piseangs future knowledge (provided the timeline is significantly altered which my current thoughts say it will be).

Now what I actually want to talk about is that I still firmly believe that the crystal balls own limits will come into play. (okay so I do believe this but my thoughts kind of wandered in a different direction)

Choosing our Present

This show has been incredibly smart, and the emphasis on Kawi choosing his own present is something I still feel will come into play, even if it's a combined choice between Kawi and Piseang in Ep 12

[Images of Old Guy saying: Think less about the future...make the most of the present...but first you should be sure where your present is]

Now half the reason I made my original long post (after ep 5) was because lots of people were speculating about Kawi eventually choosing to live on in uncertainty in the future and I honestly think with Piseang on equal grounds this is more likely than I thought it was back in ep 5. Even though it's still not my preferred theory.

(honestly there is so many good ways this show could end that I wasn't going to bother to make a post but thoughts were whirling so here we are)

Also we do not know if the Crystal Ball allows TWO PEOPLE TO TRAVEL - if it did I feel like this would be more okay??

(Just to be clear I don't know if anyone has speculated about them travelling together but it's something I'd been speculating about to myself lol)

So if Kawi and Piseang do go the route of staying in the future ONE OF THEM WILL HAVE TO TAKE THE LONG ROAD.

Now that they are both aware and have come back, once Piseang tells Kawi the truth (which I believe he will do early in the Ep) if they do decide to go forward WHAT does this mean for the frozenness/consciousness implications???

this is a key reason I think the past may be the ultimate choice, they both had to live forward slowly once and jump back, If Piseang were to jump forward with Kawi KNOWING of this jump, I just don't think it would ever be the same.

I am aware jumping forward had memory fill in but I just feel like the show, to me, has made it pretty clear that jumping forward is like skipping ahead and the time's in between are only half remembered and beyond your control.

Even if Piseang has already lived them...he won't ACTUALLY HAVE LIVED THEM...to me anyway.

So what do I think is going to happen?

there may be one more jump forward (&back in my opinion) by Piseang as he tries to go the route of fixing the future

If he jumps back to the future IT WILL BE MEANINGFULLY DIFFERENT (Maybe he and Kawi won't be together anymore) so he'll go back again

as for the rest, I'm sticking with my original post-ep11 prediction, but I also expand on it more below

Fighting for our Future by Fighting in the Present

Like maybe they've both had a chance to live to the future, and now they have to fight for a better one? Our adorable relationship montage didn't include much fighting and given we had the LGBTQIA+ POWER Episode a few weeks ago that got everyone up and writing, I feel like the message in the last episode could focus back in on these themes in a way that would be INCREDIBLY satisfying. Especially now they've BOTH been to the future and come back.

I can see how thematically Piseang staying in the past now may feel unfulfilling, like he only got a do-over because of magic, but personally, the message that I have felt most strongly through the show is about the dangers of being passive so let me explain:

None of our characters were fighting for what they wanted in the OG future:

Max had given up and gone overseas

Piseang had given up and was marrying Pear

Who knows how Pear felt but Piseang didn't actually love her so she may have felt like she was settling even if it wasn't conscious

Kawi has just given up entirely

(Kwan and Not were probably in a horribly unfulfilling one sided friends with benefits arrangement but who knows)

We have seen that Kawi coming back and choosing not to be passive has had a huge impact on everyone's lives.

When Kawi and Piseang get together they sort of move back into passivity

@bengiyo in particular has pointed out that Kawi doesn't seem to be doing a whole lot in his domestic bliss, now there's nothing wrong with that but this show has SO MUCH TO SAY ABOUT FIGHTING FOR QUEER RIGHTS I just feel like the happy montage is meant to feel off because they've stopped fighting

Piseang and Kawi have achieved their personal goals but what about the goals of all queers?

And then what happens? Kawi get's seriously sick and Piseang is not considered his family because outside their perfect bubble of calm the world hasn't agreed that they're equal

There was an unrelated tumblr post that circled through my dash this week about how the priorities of queer people changed with the AIDS epidemic and the death of a lot of people. The voices of the minority stopped saying: take us as we are, and started saying: we'll be whatever you want.

I feel like epiosde 11 was kind of accidently tied into this. Kawi and Piseang have got their bliss and live in it. Yet when push comes to shove their bliss is shattered by not being considered each others family because in a way, they kind of stopped fighting.

There is a lot of division right now, and things seem to be going backwards in some places, most prominantly the USA, People from the queer community thinking they've got what they wanted so they can stop fighting and while yes, everybody has to live their own exhausting lives already and it sucks that everyday is a struggle just because you weren't born as some sort of norm. But the fact of the matter is, change is only going to happen and keep happening if we never give in, celebrate the victories yes...but stop because our personal goal has been reached?

So ultimately I think Ep12 is about how everyone, everywhere, will keep being affected by the inequality unless we all keep fighting. that descending into passivity, (whether it be sad or blissful), will have consequences, even if those consequences are many years down the line.

That is why I think it will be satisfying if they stay in the past

That is what I think the takeaway of the show will be.

If this isn't the goal of the show then the ending will for sure be different!! I'm honestly looking forward to what it is even if I'm totally off base.

Mostly this has been the first show that I've been engaged in here on tumblr from nearly the start. It has been an absolute blast clowning with you all.

[effectsdatabase]

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Overviews of the previous weeks: http://www.effectsdatabase.com/video/weekly

from Effects Database https://bit.ly/2ZZFKEN