2Gether The Series – Episode 13: Finale [Review]

2Gether The Series comes at a time when there is a void to fill up – in terms of alternative entertainment. After the limited broadcast of He’s Coming to Me, the massive popularity of TharnType The Series, and the artistic ambition of UWMA the Series, BL fans were looking for something to calm the nerves as COVID-19 hits pandemic proportions.

– Edited by TheFNGee

From the time Love of Siam (2007) won acclaim, Thai entertainment presents series to cater to an ‘unknown quantity’ called BL. Lovesick (2014) and a portion of the acclaimed series Hormones (2013), paved the way for BL to expand outside Japan. 2Gether represents its most recent iteration. What makes the series a standout is on-screen chemistry between Bright Vachirawit and Win Metawin. Portraying Sarawat and Tine, respectively, they brought so much vigor, tension, and anticipation in their every move.

So, let’s get into it!

A student named Tine (Win Metawin) wants to get rid of a gay admirer. His friends recommend getting a pretend boyfriend – Sarawat (Bright Wachirawit). But Sarawat plays hard to get until he finally agrees. The two become close and intense emotions soon erupted. Are they just pretending or already have feelings for each other?

• The ‘pretend boyfriend’ scenario is not exactly new, it gets inspiration from various storylines featuring shows using ‘pretend girlfriend’ as a way for a relationship to move forward. The interaction between Sarawat and Tine, portrayed with absolute confidence and charm by Bright and Win make all the difference;
• The episode that showcases the change in status – from pretenders to bonafide relationship – takes a nosedive in terms of the realistic portrayal of two people in love. While the extent of their intimacy and how they show it can be best described as ‘conservative’, the interaction and its intensity or lack thereof was reduced to such a level that it no longer appealed to many;
• Using supporting characters (side stories) took out the focus on the main couple. I understand the need to keep the audience in suspense and raise engagement, yet it feels that instead of offering such free-flow, it hinders story progression.

There are other critical points but the points above serves as the basis for my review. The soundtrack and using music as a way of inter-connection is a great idea. The Sarawat-Tine relationship transitions into a serious relationship as the music progresses. Kudos to Scrubb for such amazing music!

The final episode was highly anticipated and similar to the trending of previous episodes on Twitter, Episode 13 got people’s attention – even with a typhoon hammering the Philippines, one of the countries anticipating its finale.

What’s episode 13 all about? Did it provide closure to the series? Is it worth all the hype?

The final episode brings viewers up to date on the relationship between Sarawat and Tine. It’s what can be expected of a typical BL ending.

• Tine’s misplaced ‘insecurity’ and jealousy have no logic since Pam already admitted that Sarawat likes him more than her. I think it’s some sort of ‘arrogance’ from the production team to stretch the limit of believability, like manipulating the audience’s emotions and letting them hang dry for a few more minutes.
• The acting went downhill, except for Win. The chemistry and interaction between Drake & Frank made me happy. Both performances were subtle but satisfying. Scenes without Bright or Win (except Drake & Frank) had little entertainment value for me, except to click fast-forward. Such diversions reduce the impact of Sarawat & Tine.
• I’d expected no kiss from GMM-tv given the recent news of the script revisions for A Tale of a Thousand Stars. The fact that they decided to depart from the source is an indication of going the “unpredictable” route, which is not necessarily a bad move. However, the mere high-five is probably one of the most disappointing gestures of affection for a publicly known lovers (and are both men at that!).
• Reports are circulating that the last few episodes were filmed earlier than the initial episodes. Intimate and kissing scenes can be filmed earlier or later, depending on the style of the crew, yet whatever is the case, the finished ‘product’ (or the show itself) is what the audience will see, and more often than not, viewers are not interested in the style it was filmed, rather the level of enjoyment and entertainment it brings.

Boys Love – its current state where it caters mostly for fantasy and entertainment – cannot be judged more than what it purports to be. On that basis alone, 2Gether The Series has already succeeded in the level of entertainment it brought to its captured audience.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars. Overall, I’m giving the series a 4 3.75 out of 5 stars. [See our Review Guide]