#disclaimer - the only thai I know is what I've learnt through watching bls

[dribs-and-drabbles]

#BADBUDDYREWATCH

Ep 3

Although Pat and Pran look hesitant about each other in the music room, Pran still (initially) trusts Pat enough to hand over his student ID, no questions asked. It's only when Pran sees what Pat is about to do that he stops him. And even though Pat laughs at Pran's picture, Pat also laughs at his own as a kind of 'equalizer' or acknowledgement that they're both just as embarrassing...but of course his confidence leads him to then say he looks handsome in his photo 😄

I wonder if having the guitar case in the lower right hand side of the frame with the peace sign visible was a deliberate choice to symbolise how the connection between Pat and Pran was actually amicable...

And, god, for all of Pran's protestrations about how gross Pat is (speaking with his mouth full, slurping from the bowl), he doesn't bat an eyelid when Pat puts the stolen wanton in his mouth and then spits it out. The draw of competition (which itself isn't really about competing...rather just interacting, having a connection) is too great and he joins in seemingly completely unaffected by the increased level of grossness.

I love the race up the stairs. It's the first time we really see Pran lose his composure, actually give as much as he gets from Pat, and show just how animated he can get. This is the effect Pat has on him. And it's so freeing.

I also love the little production error that has 'home' under 'just a friend' on Pran's phone when Pat calls him. But also, yes, Pat is Pran's 'home'. Incidentally, when Pat tries calling Pran and we see the phone screen again later in the ep, not only is the 'home' missing but the screen isn't cracked as it is here.

PAT'S SO OBLIVIOUS. AND PRAN'S SO IN LOVE. (elevator scene)

Scent kink activated! There's something about that music shop which unlocks things for Pat 😄

Pat just wants to be with Pran so much...and Pran is doing his utmost to protect himself from having any proximity to Pat. God, they both want each other so damn much but whereas one pushes the other away to try to not to feel the want he's so aware he feels, the other has no clue about why he wants (or even that he has this want) and so crowds into him even more. The contrast!

God this show did product placement well. 😂

You know, it's tiny, but still, despite everything that Pat and Pran bicker about, Pran still trusts Pat not to lie or cheat. We were told in the beginning that it was drilled into Pran from an early age that Pat is a cheater just like his dad. However, the minute Pat says they should use lower-grade materials Pran doesn't for one second think he might be serious. Pran immediately berates Pat for joking around because he knows it's a joke and that Pat wouldn't cheat like this and it just shows how close they really are despite how they act towards each other and appear to others.

Bad Buddy 🤝🏽 The Eclipse - Both having a self-prophesising lie. (Pran's fabrication to prevent the two groups from fighting ended up coming true when they came together to re-build the bus stop.)

More linguistics... It's interesting that the few times up to now that Pran has thanked Pat (for paying for the noodle meal, for giving Pran the info about the design contest) he's used the more casual 'thanks' (ขอบใจ | khawp jai). But in the corridor, after nervously pacing outside Pat's door, Pran uses the more polite 'thank you' (ขอบคุณ | khawp khun). Then, after being gifted the guitar back, Pran goes back to the casual 'thanks' but adds on the softening 'na' particle and 'wai' (sounds like 'way' and which I'm not sure what this is) afterwards. Something something the development of gradually accepting Pat's presence in his life and letting Pat in shown through language choices...

Oh oh another parallel. At the end of ep 2, Pat and Pran bicker over still owing each other, or who actually owes who. But here, at the end of ep 3, Pat asks sincerely "Can we call it even now?" (about posting the video and then helping with the bus stop rebuild) and Pran answers with a nod. One episode. Just one episode difference. Insert GrowthGif.

Ahhhhh Ebb & Flod by After Nature 💖 Not only a fantastic piece of music but the title (ebb and flow) reflects the way Pat seems to shower Pran with affection but then deflects it into a joke ("You smell so good...do my laundry" | "I love to see your face...when you lose") which he does throughout the ep and all the way to the rooftop when Pran finally calls him out on it.