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labcat
This review may contain spoilers
Feels formulaic and too commercialized
TharnType 2 was the series in which the main couple here (Leo/Fiat) was introduced. In my eyes, Leo/Fiat is one of the most gorgeous couples in BL (whether we see the two as individuals and as a couple), but more needs to be done of their story.
TharnType 2 was really a vehicle that capitalized on the success of the first season of TharnType while serving to introduce Leo/Fiat and perhaps see the market potential for a series on them. I think this was one reason the Tharn/Type plot in TharnType 2 was weak. Unfortunately, I see a similar strategy in Don't Say No: The best part of the Leo/Fiat story is already in TharnType 2 even though it lacked full development, and Don't Say No seems to be a vehicle to test the commercial viability of the Leon/Pob side couple here.
While the production is generally polished enough to be rather watchable, it wouldn't be too much to ask for a more compelling story for Leo/Fiat. Essentially, the Leo/Fiat side of the plot in Don't Say No is simply: crisis, sex, crisis, sex, crisis sex repeated ad nauseam. The plot feels somewhat fragmented and can mostly be summed up as: various things in Fiat's past come back to haunt him. The part of the story involving Fiat's mother seems to be the most compelling and could have been developed further into a tighter plot for the entire series.
And really, the sex borders on being excessive. The sex scenes are actually quite nicely shot and I guess fewer people would complain about them as compared to the number of people who complain about the lack of skinship in series like 2gether. Nevertheless, the repeated mentions of sex as a "punishment" for Fiat cheapens the Leo/Fiat relationship even though the characters never mean it seriously. The sex scenes fail to show the couple's deep love and instead feels like the bells has rung, announcing, "Time for some fan service!"
The other couple in Don't Say No fares better in some ways. Leon (Leo's brother) is an a playboy reformed by love, not a very original sort of character. However, Pob is rather interesting. He seems like the soft and innocent type of character (like Wayo in 2 Moons, he takes care of a cat), but he is also someone with a mind of his own and not a pushover.
The ending for Leon/Pob isn't nice, unfortunately. While the Leo/Fiat story in TharnType 2 ended happily and it does not really matter whether there is a separate series on them, we are left hanging with Leon/Pob in Don't Say No. I'm not a fan of this sort of fan manipulation when there may not be a follow-up season for the couple. The turn of events for Leon/Pob in Don't Say No is actually quite unnecessary: the couple could simply have ended happily in Don't Say No, and, if a separate series is made on them, the turn of events can be introduced at the start.
I think the No. 1 rule of milking a successful series commercially ought to be: Ensure that the milking is not felt by the audience. Unfortunately, this isn't the case in Don't Say No.
TharnType 2 was really a vehicle that capitalized on the success of the first season of TharnType while serving to introduce Leo/Fiat and perhaps see the market potential for a series on them. I think this was one reason the Tharn/Type plot in TharnType 2 was weak. Unfortunately, I see a similar strategy in Don't Say No: The best part of the Leo/Fiat story is already in TharnType 2 even though it lacked full development, and Don't Say No seems to be a vehicle to test the commercial viability of the Leon/Pob side couple here.
While the production is generally polished enough to be rather watchable, it wouldn't be too much to ask for a more compelling story for Leo/Fiat. Essentially, the Leo/Fiat side of the plot in Don't Say No is simply: crisis, sex, crisis, sex, crisis sex repeated ad nauseam. The plot feels somewhat fragmented and can mostly be summed up as: various things in Fiat's past come back to haunt him. The part of the story involving Fiat's mother seems to be the most compelling and could have been developed further into a tighter plot for the entire series.
And really, the sex borders on being excessive. The sex scenes are actually quite nicely shot and I guess fewer people would complain about them as compared to the number of people who complain about the lack of skinship in series like 2gether. Nevertheless, the repeated mentions of sex as a "punishment" for Fiat cheapens the Leo/Fiat relationship even though the characters never mean it seriously. The sex scenes fail to show the couple's deep love and instead feels like the bells has rung, announcing, "Time for some fan service!"
The other couple in Don't Say No fares better in some ways. Leon (Leo's brother) is an a playboy reformed by love, not a very original sort of character. However, Pob is rather interesting. He seems like the soft and innocent type of character (like Wayo in 2 Moons, he takes care of a cat), but he is also someone with a mind of his own and not a pushover.
The ending for Leon/Pob isn't nice, unfortunately. While the Leo/Fiat story in TharnType 2 ended happily and it does not really matter whether there is a separate series on them, we are left hanging with Leon/Pob in Don't Say No. I'm not a fan of this sort of fan manipulation when there may not be a follow-up season for the couple. The turn of events for Leon/Pob in Don't Say No is actually quite unnecessary: the couple could simply have ended happily in Don't Say No, and, if a separate series is made on them, the turn of events can be introduced at the start.
I think the No. 1 rule of milking a successful series commercially ought to be: Ensure that the milking is not felt by the audience. Unfortunately, this isn't the case in Don't Say No.
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