I think I would’ve given My Ride 8.3 or .5 and I would definitely recommend it. I hear what you and John say about it looking dated and it has more to do with the production techniques because we are used to something different since the Covid period and a lot more money has gone into BL in terms of the VISUALS in the main, however not in the storytelling by any chance. I thought they did quite a good job in storytelling here. They’re trying to tell a different kind of story because one person Mork, even though he’s not a schoolboy, he has never considered himself bisexual maybe because he never met someone whom he feels that way about. In terms of knowing their own sexuality I have to disagree with John slightly, that’s actually very common in Thai BL from earliest times - Lovesick; MiR; You’re Ma Boy; UWMA; LBC, HCTM, both 2Moons; The Effect; TTTS; etc, etc, etc. It may be that the one that’s being pursued (Uke) doesn’t know or isn’t out at the start, but this is one of the few times you have a Seme (pursuer) character who doesn’t start out being aware of his sexuality so I’m very grateful for that change. I liked the friendship group because they spent time with them showing you something about their values and what they were about, and the leading guy, he was dating a trans-girl the teacher - another first. The inter generational support from Uncle and his partner was also import to show the queer community Mork has around him leading to his coming out. Again almost unheard of so they broke ground here too. Community is inseparable from queer liberation. I felt they also portrayed the dynamics between the straight couple very well they had class issues, gender issues because as a woman she has to think about other things a man in a sexually conservative doesn’t have to think about when he’s choosing a partner as a professional person himself, but I think they handle that part quite well. The other two were really there to add representation of a different kind of couple, but they didn’t really do much with them so I won’t say more but that participation didn’t do a tremendous amount for them as actors, but again that that was the script, a production choice. And the final thing I really liked about this series is the author Patrick Rangsimat is a gay man himself and who embraces BL which means he’s not writing from the gay mainstream but from the margins. He is also a Doctor as a profession, a neuro surgeon, and very a clever chap who thinks about the neurological effects in the brain under affective storytelling. I don’t think he was involved very much in the actual MR production, however, he has another BL adaption coming up - 7 Days Before Valentines, where I believe he is going to be writing the screenplay so let’s see what happens. My one criticism that I agree with most of the fans on is that the erotic intensity between Tawan and Mork went Down towards the end instead of up, so when they culminated their commitment with a kiss on the beautiful mountain top that kiss was 🙊 so not good at all ha ha but that is my only criticism for them 😄. The hand washing scene was very intense and was for me my favourite scene. Mork is going to be in another BL soon so I’m looking forward to that as well
Yeah ultimately I didn't really have a problem with the group of friends when they appeared alongside our main characters. They did offer good stuff. But them by themselves... I just didn't care enough about them for that x) And I agree with both John and you concerning the uncles. I didn't mention then but what you point out makes sense^^ I didn't know about the author ! But to be fair I seem to never know these things >< But it's nice information, thank you :D
It's been a minute since I watched My Ride. I can't remember where it fell on my Best Of list for 2022, but I feel confident it was NOT in my top 10. For me, it was hit-or-miss. Hits: the gay uncles, the motorcycle friends group, Mohk's desire to pursue education, Tawan's self-acceptance. Misses: The entire het storyline, the secondary couple's weird power dynamic and complete fizzle at the end, the random kid who shows up as a plot device. My Ride started off strong but fell apart at the end. It's like the writer left about episode 10 and they hired someone to come in at the last minute to wrap things up. I don't know if it was a COVID casualty, but the series felt very uneven. It's not something I have considered rewatching, which is my litmus test. I'd give it a 7/10. Better than average, but not really good.
With an 8.0 rating, *My Ride* ranked in my Top Ten Thai BL series for the 2022. [Though note only one Thai series made the overall list.] The central romance struck me as an old-fashioned style BL series. That is, if this series had aired prior to 2020, I think it would be recalled fondly with the other elite series of the pre-pandemic era. The pandemic, in fact, delayed its production considerably. By the time the series aired, the genre had evolved, and the plot felt dated. In particular, the Tawan-Mohk relationship felt like a relic of an earlier era of BL. Given that its progenitor novel actually was published years earlier, perhaps that is unsurprising. The romance was solid but unspectacular BL storytelling. In one notable way, however, My Ride actually felt quite innovative, even in 2022: it squarely confronts LGBT themes in a forthright manner most BL series avoid. First, Tawan begins the series as a self-accepting gay man, one who has already experienced commitment to another man. That remains an atypical character type in Thai BL. No need to question a sudden attraction to a same-sex partner, Tawan is secure and confident regarding his identity. Second, Mohk represents a more traditional Thai BL figure, one with no prior attraction to other men who suddenly (it's always sudden in BLs; sudden and fast!) falls for a man he just met for little reason evident in the plot. Moreover, Mohk will actually question what ramifications his unexpected attraction to Tawan will have for his identity as a person and how others will perceive him. Again, Thai series rarely explore the process of "coming out to self," an aspect of coming out often overlooked by dramas in favor of "coming out to family." Third, Mohk has gay uncles who have been in a longtime relationship. Older gay men are a rarity even in western queer series, and their prominenece in this story is unparalleled in BL series. The bickering duo offer advice about commitment during his travails with the girlfriend, and later help him put into perspective the anguish over his sexual identity. For young queer folk raised in cultures that stigmatize homosexuality, older mentors already "in the life" have played an important role in transmission of queer culture. The uncles therefore stand as queer archetypes in that regard. (In one memorable scene, the older gay couple dispenses advice to Tawan, too.) The example of their relationship also inspires Mohk to believe a future with Tawan is possible. It is worth adding that the comedic bickering of the crusty older men almost steals the show, and I regard them as one of the standout side couples of 2022. Fourth, the late reveal that Mohk is raising his nephew as his son (an echo of his relationship to the older gay couple) elevates gay parenting to the forefront of the story's resolution. For Tawan to choose Mohk, he must also choose the "son" that Mohk chose. In accepting Mohk, Tawan acquires not just a boyfriend, but a family--and, via the uncles, an extended family, too. With the Thai government contemplating recognition of gay marriage, the visibility of conventional fa ily-making in a queer context acquires a political hue. Heady stuff for a BL series anchored by an ostensibly outdated romantic storyline. In short, *My Ride* crosses into the territory of LGBTQ+ genre with such aplomb, that one almost forgets that at its core it remains a somewhat outdated BL. Despite the sheer volume of BL series pouring out of Thai soundstages, such powerful rendition of outwardly gay life remains rare. For that reason alone, My Ride deserves a distinguished place amidst the sea of traditional BL series.
![OFFICIAL PILOT l ไหนเฮียบอกไม่ชอบเด็ก (Mystubborn, 心口不一) [ENG & KR SUB]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/UsDRY8JM9BQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![OFFICIAL PILOT l ไหนเฮียบอกไม่ชอบเด็ก (Mystubborn, 心口不一) [ENG & KR SUB]](/img/tr.png)
I think I would’ve given My Ride 8.3 or .5 and I would definitely recommend it. I hear what you and John say about it looking dated and it has more to do with the production techniques because we are used to something different since the Covid period and a lot more money has gone into BL in terms of the VISUALS in the main, however not in the storytelling by any chance. I thought they did quite a good job in storytelling here.
They’re trying to tell a different kind of story because one person Mork, even though he’s not a schoolboy, he has never considered himself bisexual maybe because he never met someone whom he feels that way about. In terms of knowing their own sexuality I have to disagree with John slightly, that’s actually very common in Thai BL from earliest times - Lovesick; MiR; You’re Ma Boy; UWMA; LBC, HCTM, both 2Moons; The Effect; TTTS; etc, etc, etc. It may be that the one that’s being pursued (Uke) doesn’t know or isn’t out at the start, but this is one of the few times you have a Seme (pursuer) character who doesn’t start out being aware of his sexuality so I’m very grateful for that change.
I liked the friendship group because they spent time with them showing you something about their values and what they were about, and the leading guy, he was dating a trans-girl the teacher - another first. The inter generational support from Uncle and his partner was also import to show the queer community Mork has around him leading to his coming out. Again almost unheard of so they broke ground here too. Community is inseparable from queer liberation.
I felt they also portrayed the dynamics between the straight couple very well they had class issues, gender issues because as a woman she has to think about other things a man in a sexually conservative doesn’t have to think about when he’s choosing a partner as a professional person himself, but I think they handle that part quite well.
The other two were really there to add representation of a different kind of couple, but they didn’t really do much with them so I won’t say more but that participation didn’t do a tremendous amount for them as actors, but again that that was the script, a production choice.
And the final thing I really liked about this series is the author Patrick Rangsimat is a gay man himself and who embraces BL which means he’s not writing from the gay mainstream but from the margins. He is also a Doctor as a profession, a neuro surgeon, and very a clever chap who thinks about the neurological effects in the brain under affective storytelling. I don’t think he was involved very much in the actual MR production, however, he has another BL adaption coming up - 7 Days Before Valentines, where I believe he is going to be writing the screenplay so let’s see what happens.
My one criticism that I agree with most of the fans on is that the erotic intensity between Tawan and Mork went Down towards the end instead of up, so when they culminated their commitment with a kiss on the beautiful mountain top that kiss was 🙊 so not good at all ha ha but that is my only criticism for them 😄. The hand washing scene was very intense and was for me my favourite scene.
Mork is going to be in another BL soon so I’m looking forward to that as well
Yeah ultimately I didn't really have a problem with the group of friends when they appeared alongside our main characters. They did offer good stuff. But them by themselves... I just didn't care enough about them for that x)
And I agree with both John and you concerning the uncles. I didn't mention then but what you point out makes sense^^
I didn't know about the author ! But to be fair I seem to never know these things >< But it's nice information, thank you :D
It's been a minute since I watched My Ride. I can't remember where it fell on my Best Of list for 2022, but I feel confident it was NOT in my top 10.
For me, it was hit-or-miss. Hits: the gay uncles, the motorcycle friends group, Mohk's desire to pursue education, Tawan's self-acceptance. Misses: The entire het storyline, the secondary couple's weird power dynamic and complete fizzle at the end, the random kid who shows up as a plot device.
My Ride started off strong but fell apart at the end. It's like the writer left about episode 10 and they hired someone to come in at the last minute to wrap things up. I don't know if it was a COVID casualty, but the series felt very uneven. It's not something I have considered rewatching, which is my litmus test. I'd give it a 7/10. Better than average, but not really good.
I feel like it was missing something towards the end, so it's a similar feeling as yours, though I wouldn't be able to say what exacly.
With an 8.0 rating, *My Ride* ranked in my Top Ten Thai BL series for the 2022. [Though note only one Thai series made the overall list.] The central romance struck me as an old-fashioned style BL series. That is, if this series had aired prior to 2020, I think it would be recalled fondly with the other elite series of the pre-pandemic era. The pandemic, in fact, delayed its production considerably. By the time the series aired, the genre had evolved, and the plot felt dated. In particular, the Tawan-Mohk relationship felt like a relic of an earlier era of BL. Given that its progenitor novel actually was published years earlier, perhaps that is unsurprising. The romance was solid but unspectacular BL storytelling.
In one notable way, however, My Ride actually felt quite innovative, even in 2022: it squarely confronts LGBT themes in a forthright manner most BL series avoid. First, Tawan begins the series as a self-accepting gay man, one who has already experienced commitment to another man. That remains an atypical character type in Thai BL. No need to question a sudden attraction to a same-sex partner, Tawan is secure and confident regarding his identity. Second, Mohk represents a more traditional Thai BL figure, one with no prior attraction to other men who suddenly (it's always sudden in BLs; sudden and fast!) falls for a man he just met for little reason evident in the plot. Moreover, Mohk will actually question what ramifications his unexpected attraction to Tawan will have for his identity as a person and how others will perceive him. Again, Thai series rarely explore the process of "coming out to self," an aspect of coming out often overlooked by dramas in favor of "coming out to family." Third, Mohk has gay uncles who have been in a longtime relationship. Older gay men are a rarity even in western queer series, and their prominenece in this story is unparalleled in BL series. The bickering duo offer advice about commitment during his travails with the girlfriend, and later help him put into perspective the anguish over his sexual identity. For young queer folk raised in cultures that stigmatize homosexuality, older mentors already "in the life" have played an important role in transmission of queer culture. The uncles therefore stand as queer archetypes in that regard. (In one memorable scene, the older gay couple dispenses advice to Tawan, too.) The example of their relationship also inspires Mohk to believe a future with Tawan is possible. It is worth adding that the comedic bickering of the crusty older men almost steals the show, and I regard them as one of the standout side couples of 2022. Fourth, the late reveal that Mohk is raising his nephew as his son (an echo of his relationship to the older gay couple) elevates gay parenting to the forefront of the story's resolution. For Tawan to choose Mohk, he must also choose the "son" that Mohk chose. In accepting Mohk, Tawan acquires not just a boyfriend, but a family--and, via the uncles, an extended family, too. With the Thai government contemplating recognition of gay marriage, the visibility of conventional fa ily-making in a queer context acquires a political hue. Heady stuff for a BL series anchored by an ostensibly outdated romantic storyline.
In short, *My Ride* crosses into the territory of LGBTQ+ genre with such aplomb, that one almost forgets that at its core it remains a somewhat outdated BL. Despite the sheer volume of BL series pouring out of Thai soundstages, such powerful rendition of outwardly gay life remains rare. For that reason alone, My Ride deserves a distinguished place amidst the sea of traditional BL series.
I really like your analysis because I didn't really see it the way you did, yet what you say makes perfect sense.