#GAH im not going to be normal about this NOO

[purple-worm]

I finished the four episodes of 180-degree Longitude Passes Through Us that are out and I don't think I can contain within me everything this drama has made me feel today.

It's something about how the show is so aware of the space it’s taking. Whether it's in the setting of the house in a quiet village or as a drama that exists in today's reality. Most of the show has been set inside In's house, but there's always an acknowledgment of the village that's beyond. An awareness of the people that live there, a responsibility towards them. It partly comes from its characters (mainly In, who is always 'paying attention' to his surroundings), constantly reminding us of the reality beyond In's house - the produce grown by the farmers around, the creek that the villagers need to cross etc. This also keeps up with In trying to make his point about the world not really belonging to anybody.

Extending this to Wang's perspective: unlike In, Wang's awareness is more about discovery. I'm a sucker for all the shots of the trees, the leaves, the sun that gleamed through them, the shots of his footsteps as he ventured into the woods and potentially changed the course of their lives, all of which adds to his bold and youthful nature. Inthuwat 'meticulously' following his coffee-making ritual spoke experience, while Wang quietly observing him spoke newfound curiosity and awe. He once mentioned that he felt lousy when he saw how careful In was in everything that he did. Couldn't be further from the truth. He may be all over the place with his actions, but damn if he isnt always paying attention to everything/everyone around him. That boy is perceptive to an almost fatal degree. (re: “You don’t like challenges. You only like challenging people” ahh this line said it all)

In contrast, Wang's mother who seems to be absolutely out of touch with reality, or maybe someone who is desperately trying to escape it. Her sense of superiority over creating het lakorns as opposed to (the supposedly mainstream) BL dramas is almost funny because she is a BL drama character herself,,, she is just so unaware of her place. She sounds loud and carefree but it’s evident that she has chosen to live in a bubble that protects her son and herself, but mostly just herself. I pity her. Making her a lakorn director obsessed with romantic fantasies was a genius choice and brings me to how the drama itself is so aware of the space it's taking in the Thai entertainment industry. All of the debate on the escapism that the industry (with its reliance on tropes) provides versus the reality of the modern day. Escapist media isn't a bad thing at all, but of course, a balance in the type of content created is always great. Everything about the show screams an intent to stay grounded in reality.

And while I talk about the awareness of the show's writing, the same can be said about the camera. The shots are able to present us with the histories of the characters. It understands who the characters are at their roots and their relationships with each other, beautifully highlighted by how they've been staged. The cinematography is simply fantastic. It’s rare to have a BL drama that is this assured of how it wants to present itself. The beauty of the shots does not only come from the visual appeal but also in the purpose they fulfill, which is difficult to do for a seemingly simple concept.

Many of its qualities are unlike a thai drama, and this too seems purposeful. But I can't say for sure. I looked up the director/screenwriter - Punnasak Sukee, and turns out he is an acclaimed theatre director, with credits for various plays including Midsummer Night's Dream and the Rocky Horror show, in addition to several original plays (the titles of which sound hella interesting) and this is his only screen credit at all. It explains a lot.

Honestly, I don't know how they plan to lay out the next four episodes. Given the age gap and character dynamics, I'd be surprised if it has a happy ending. I think they're aiming for something bittersweet. It would be fitting. I don't know if it will be satisfying, hurtful, disappointing etc. But I know that I'd still cherish it for the state it exists in currently. Really, the only thing I wish for is for the characters to heal.

I'm nowhere near finished, there's a lot to unpack, but this is already all over the place, and if you've read this far thank you and sorry. I'm just so happy that it exists at all.

#180 degree longitude passes through us #and its awareness #unleashing thisss #meta??? #i get that the angst and/or age gap may not be for everyone #but this one may be worth it #the angst comes from several places #the story has so much heart in it #the whole vision is intriguing #and i cant wait it to see it all laid out #and it pains me to see it not being talked about enough #180 degrees longitude between us #GAH im not going to be normal about this NOO #edited for hyperlinking

[oru-tree]

Well... time for ep 5, s5 spoilers ahead

This guy

YES!!! MANAKA!!!

Are they going to do something about this this time around, please do something

Oh you are doing nothing then? cool :/, well turns out the guy didnt want to shake hands for 5mins, just wanted to meet retsuko, hm

really why do this

She blew a whistle because she thought the guy was going to take out a weapon and these guys showed up, so I GUESS that’s their way to show that they are better about this issue now

The fans are yelling at him to leave

Well sorry everyone is reacting like this, the group got a stalker and a member was attacked a couple of seasons ago, whats the point of this

They killed him

This is what I said about them addressing previous seasons issues, it’s like, at least you are aware that there were problems with this, but also I don’t know if this solution really works, suddenly all the idol fans are cool and normal about them, their manager doesn’t do that much either who is the one I would have expected to do more about it but well.. that didnt happen.

Back to retsuko

Her dad took a pic of them and cut Haida out of it, good

Your dad hates haida retsuko

Conversation turns immediatly about haida of course

He kept making remarks at their convo so retsuko told him this, good, she can do this now.

Haida works at a convenience store now, I like his coworkers designs

One of them (the racoon) gave haida a box of persimmons, I didnt know this about them

Learning so much about persimmons rn (that people either love them or hate them)

He’s trying to get rid of them but no one he has called so far wants them, give them to me

Please let the series be about persimmons now, Im so curious

:( shikabane...

Someones ringing at their door... scarey

It was these guys, they are going to kill haida now

Manaka ilu so much

Haida barely passes the being able to protect retsuko approval so manaka offers one of the guys, none of them wanted persimmons either btw

Sorry team! The guy followed you and now knows where retsuko lives

Finally, a persimmon lover

:)

I have conflicted feelings about tadano because on one hand, he’s like.. bad rich, but on the other he’s a cute donkey and hasn’t done that much through the series to make me mad like haida has and also he likes persimmons now

These two should have become lovers instead, no I wont elaborate

wow

Accidentally called her Re-chan

whats going on in here

GAH

HIS LIMO NOO, Tadano you live like this...

Haida’s showing him around the cafe he lived at when he was homeless

They are so funny together, sad, why cant retsuko and haida be funny together

Tadano’s life

The cafe’s owner is like, haida why do you know this famous guy, well, they have a thing going on

Nooo where is she :(

The guy that gave haida employment while he was homeless injured himself and cannot work anymore, he was homeless as well... No one knows where he is anymore

Talking about how difficult it is to survive without someone to rely on, shikabane’s life consisted of living on an internet cafe, doing enough online temp jobs to get enough money to keep renting her space at the cafe to play online games and so on.

ep ends on haida receiving a call from his evil brother to go back at home with their evil father

#angry panda adventures