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This Week in The TCW

Jun 15th - Jun 21st

I am home from my holiday, have done all the laundry, and caught up on all of last week's shows (that I'm watching/tracking)! It's another stripy week...

Jun 15th - Boys In Love

Sometimes I see an item of clothing and it feels familiar but I can't remember where else I might have seen it (like Kit's brown 'authenticity' sweater ep 9 of Boys In Love), but then sometimes I see something and my brain immediately provides the answer - like Mon's purple zip-up sweater, which I knew straight away was worn by Sol in My Stand In (Jun 2024). A quick search in the tags and @itsallaboutbl's gif set confirmed it and gave me the ep number 😊

Later in the ep, Kim wears a t-shirt with a particular six-striped pattern in yet another colour variation, and this time potentially with a brand logo on the front. This stripe pattern has appeared in different colour variations in four other shows - so far - Bad Buddy (Jan 2022), UMG (May 2023), Peaceful Property (Oct 2024), and earlier this year in Flirt Milk (Mar 2025). @respectthepetty I've got a feeling you're not going to like this new colour either.

Jun 17th - Leap Day

But then! Just two days later we got our first colour repeat! In ep 11 of Leap Day. (The difference in colour hue is most likely due to the colour filters used in filming/post production).

Jun 20th - Knock Out

This next shirt has been very popular this past year and I was happy to see it again in ep 6 of Knock Out. First seen in Love Sea (Jun 2024), this white one has also appeared in Perfect 10 Liners (Nov 2024), Caged Again (Dec 2024), Ossan's Love Thailand (Jan 6 2025), and Jack & Joker special ep (Mar 2025). The shirt also comes in brown - Love Sea (Jun 2024) and Flirt Milk (Mar 2025) - and brown with black stripes - The Heart Killers (Nov 2024). @hughungrybear have you already discovered where to buy this one? I'm guessing another uniqlo/h&m/zara type store... (*she whispers, unable to contain her excitement* this shirt will soon cross borders and be worn in a non-Thai series!)

Jun 20th - My Sweetheart Jom

And to finish off the week, this tri-colour t-shirt was worn in ep 6 of My Sweetheart Jom - and this time I think it is a different colour to The Sign (Dec 2023) rather than a colour filter during filming/post-production. A different colour version was also definitely worn in My School President (Jan 2023).

Tagged by request: @my-rose-tinted-glasses @benkaben @pigglepiephi @jackandjoker If anyone else would like to be tagged then let me know.

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This year, on holiday, I'm reminding myself to stay present in the moment and enjoy what I'm doing when my thoughts want to drift to things I want/need/will do when I'm back home (whether that's the near or far future). And I tell you, it is so fucking freeing NOT thinking about that stuff.

This is something I need to encourage myself to continue when I am back home - to just focus on what I'm doing in the moment and not keep thinking/planning/envisioning whatever else I'll be doing at a later point.

It feels obvious but somehow it's not been.

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Oh! I walked past this plant yesterday in Portugal and took a photo to find out what it was later...and then I see this on my dash 🧡

Lantanas in the afternoon.

Bsky / Tip jar

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Reasons not to kiss him - Kentakim

Poem: Yes & no by Natalie Wee

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This Week in The TCW

Jun 8th - Jun 14th

I'm posting a little late this week - mainly because I've gone on holiday (to Portugal!) and was travelling all day yesterday. Mid-week, I had thought there might not be anything to write about (I didn't watch Reset till Wed) but in the end we have three popular stripy shirts, another shirt from Sweet Tooth Good Dentist, and we've not only crossed borders but continents with a Thai 🤝🏽 MEXICAN item of shared clothing! A pretty good haul.

Jun 9th - Reset

After the first ep of Reset, I hadn't expected any shared clothing in this series but I was delighted to see another appearance (albeit fleetingly on an unknown extra) of the most popular stripy t-shirt in bl-land in ep 2. This colour version has been worn in Three Gentle Bros (Oct 2022) and Middleman's Love (Nov 2023) but there are four other colours which have been worn another eleven times since Sept 2021, most recently in Boys In Love four weeks ago.

I was then surprised by Armin wearing another moderately popular stripy shirt. This one has already been worn in a mixed-bag of shows all in the space of four months last year - Only Boo! (May 2024), Knock Knock Boys! (Jun 2024), The Trainee (Jul 2024), and Monster Next Noor (Aug 2024).

And overlaying that brown t-shirt is a denim shirt which I am convinced is the same as Jay's in Sweet Tooth Good Dentist (Apr 2025) (both are blue denim with double white stitching and the pockets are the same size - the colour difference is likely due to the colour filter in filming/post-production). This means STGD has moved itself into the number 4 spot above The Trainee of the most number of shared clothing items in a series! 🎉

Jun 13th - My Sweetheart Jom

And now for the highlight of the week (it would have been the Special Mention below if not for this) - after a hiatus of a year and eight months the cream long sleeved version of the infamous stripy linin shirt - the shirt of summer 2023 - has resurfaced in ep 5 of My Sweetheart Jom! This has been worn in Step by Step, Be My Favourite, Hidden Agenda, Wedding Plan (all Jul 2023), and Only Friends (Sept 2023). Two other colour versions with short sleeves also exist, and have been worn in Be My Favourite x2 (Jul 2023), Wedding Plan x2 (Jul 2023), Love in Translation (Aug 2023), Only Friends (Sept 2023), and Peaceful Property (Nov 2024).

There is a reason this shirt was one of my most memorable items of shared clothing in 2023 and inspired the We Bought This on Wholesale Award in my 2024 roundup.

Special Mention

And so onto what should have been the pièce de résistance this week - @respectthepetty kindly pointed out to me that we have our first (and hopefully not last) Thai 🤝🏽 Mexican item of shared clothing. Worn first in My Stubborn ep 1, it featured in Serpientes y Escaleras (Snakes and Ladders), a Mexican dramedy on Netflix, and might be available to buy in your local H&M if you too want this gay shirt!

Tagged by request: @my-rose-tinted-glasses @benkaben @pigglepiephi @jackandjoker If anyone else would like to be tagged then let me know.

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Jun, in ep 9 of My Stubborn:

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Anyone else slightly concerned about Phi's mum and her 'forgetfulness'? Especially when they also talked about what Phi would do if she weren't around anymore??

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I love all these additions...and I'm also pulling up some of @nabi-unveiled's and @slayerkitty's comments in the notes to have them all here:

nabi-unveiled: (re the bird being a phoenix) It definitely means something. And even if it doesn't, I'll pretend it does lol. I should've wrote phoenix at least once instead of just saying bird...I also found it interesting that Khanin said [Ava's] palace "felt different". But that could just be referencing that she's the only female royal. Rebirth could relate to her causing old traditions to die out and establishing new ones. I have a definite agenda for what I WANT the fire/rebirth to mean for her, but I can't say that I have enough evidence to call it yet. slayerkitty: ...But also her palace is very technologically advanced - there's like holograms everywhere, including in the sky. It feels like green family is the forest, pink family is... technology? The blue family is water, and the yellow family is... the sun? nabi-unveiled: Pink clan used technology in the opening presentation too which could also be to represent "modern society" and "more modern values". Green clan apparently has medical prowess, but it definitely presented as "the wild" outside of that one dialogue point. Gold clan is presented as "the best" in many ways. And blue family...water. That can be calm/soothing or a force of destruction. The waves are rough in the crest. slayerkitty: ...how would this analogy work if Blue is up to something shady? nabi-unveiled: Revolt/revolution. Trying to overthrow the gold clan (crushing the stars with the an uprising wave). Uprising could be by stirring/shaping of public opinion that causes the populace to be upset. It could also be a military coup of some kind by joining in with the neighboring kingdoms (Calvin is wearing blue now).

(I hope you both don't mind me putting that all there)

Inspired by another comment, I went to re-watch the trailer again (sadly no more to be gleaned from that) BUT I thought it was very incheresting which characters were on which side of the end credit screen, and also the colour palettes each side:

The Assavadevathins stand like the sun over the Meenanagarins.

@respectthepetty (and no doubt several other people) has already talked about the above line - that it could indicate Wasin's loyalty but might also imply a sense of oppression. And knowing that the show is using a lot of symbolism and metaphor, this has been tumbling about in my mind since Saturday.

Similarly, and like most of the fandom, Ramil and Paytai's kiss in the pink tunnel has also been burned into my psyche. But it took until today, reading @nabi-unveiled's breakdown of the music in the scene and therefore staring at the screenshots, to realise the 'yellow light' in the background actually looks like the sun.

So do the Assavadevathins stand like the sun between Paytai and Ramil? And if so, what does that mean for them and their relationship as the story unfolds?

@nabi-unveiled has also written an analysis of the gardens of the Eammalian kingdoms and pointed out the hanging greenery above Paytai and Ramil's heads in the above scene - possibly representative of the oppressive environment they live under.

So, Prince Rachata, as well as Ramil's position in the Royal family and the kingdom he belongs to, hangs over them, whilst the King and all he represents, and perhaps the light that is Khanin in their dark world, is between them somehow.

Delightful.

Nabi or Pet (or anyone else), care to add anything or say it better? 🙏🏽

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The Assavadevathins stand like the sun over the Meenanagarins.

@respectthepetty (and no doubt several other people) has already talked about the above line - that it could indicate Wasin's loyalty but might also imply a sense of oppression. And knowing that the show is using a lot of symbolism and metaphor, this has been tumbling about in my mind since Saturday.

Similarly, and like most of the fandom, Ramil and Paytai's kiss in the pink tunnel has also been burned into my psyche. But it took until today, reading @nabi-unveiled's breakdown of the music in the scene and therefore staring at the screenshots, to realise the 'yellow light' in the background actually looks like the sun.

So do the Assavadevathins stand like the sun between Paytai and Ramil? And if so, what does that mean for them and their relationship as the story unfolds?

@nabi-unveiled has also written an analysis of the gardens of the Eammalian kingdoms and pointed out the hanging greenery above Paytai and Ramil's heads in the above scene - possibly representative of the oppressive environment they live under.

So, Prince Rachata, as well as Ramil's position in the Royal family and the kingdom he belongs to, hangs over them, whilst the King and all he represents, and perhaps the light that is Khanin in their dark world, is between them somehow.

Delightful.

Nabi or Pet (or anyone else), care to add anything or say it better? 🙏🏽

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A gift for @respectthepetty. Pet! The jacket!!

💛

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BINGO!

Another gay shirt has been found to buy (well, kind of). Go find it in your local store and gift it to your *ahem* straight friend.

@dribs-and-drabbles, I'm watching Serpientes y Escaleras (Snakes and Ladders), a Mexican dramedy, and look what appeared!

The shirt is smacking me in the face!

The shirt belongs to the gays now from México to Thailand.

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i love your color posting!! you have a very spot on yet also comedic way of describing what you observe in scenes 😆

Thank you very much for letting me know you enjoy them because I really like writing them! I used to only write one or two posts about the colors once the shows finished or just when people would ask for them, but now that I'm writing about the colors almost every episode of most color-coded shows, I'm still surprised people aren't bored by them. But really, I'm writing as a way to show appreciation to the professionals working hard to give us these amazing visual narratives because I think most people watching just gloss over it. Even shows with awful editing, pacing, or acting still have great visuals, and I want people to recognize that, so I write annoyingly long posts with a sprinkle of humor.

Because I want people to think!

I want people to see pink lighting and question if it's because a character is coded pink or because the characters are in love.

I want people to see the red and blue characters and understand the queer relationship isn't just implied, but front and center.

I want people to know because of the red and blue colors which character is more passionate and aggressive and which one is calmer and intelligent.

Because then it's easier to connect the dots.

I'm doing this because I hope that all my funny little posts pay off, so when someone is casually enjoy something on their screen, they'll eventually curse my name (in any language).

Because the colors mean things.

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Fan-bloody-tastic! What a wonderful world we live in. We now have a Thai 🤝🏽 Mexican Communal Wardrobe. I'd bet this is a Uniqlo/H&M/Zara type shirt - available in both countries because of a 'high street store' that exists almost everywhere. Paging @hughungrybear!

And the show looks brilliant...shame I don't have a Netflix sub anymore.

@dribs-and-drabbles, I'm watching Serpientes y Escaleras (Snakes and Ladders), a Mexican dramedy, and look what appeared!

The shirt is smacking me in the face!

The shirt belongs to the gays now from México to Thailand.

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In case you want a link xD

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=INRFN9BBnCo

I'm locked in. I'm watching it. I'm ready! But first, Change2561 changed its logo for Pride, and as I am living in modern-day United States, this means something to me. Thank you. Appreciated.

Okay, this is clearly a dream. The blinding lights are little too blinding.

So Charles gets kidnapped and Barbie rescues him DURING a race because William's ass is there on the ground, probably freshly punched, William's car is the background, and both William and Barbie are in their uniforms.

And that's probably why Barbie is willing to play a game of chicken, so he can get to his man quicker.

I knew William wanted Charles!

But, once again, I think he wants him wants him. Why do you want Charles Dickens so bad?

Which is probably why he looks like he is yelling at Tony because he doesn't give two effs about Barbie, but he wants his Blue Boy Charles who was just snatched by Barbie. Why though? What is your power, Williamena? You're bleeding and don't even care.

Anthony, are you trying to use Charles for your secret evil potion, or is Charles William's prize for isolating Barbie? Because why are you letting my tiny slut yell at you?

Either way, Barbie rescues Charles and takes him back to Team Blue's lab.

But something is wrong!

Because Charles still thinks he's dreaming! Is he stuck? Can he not tell what's real or not? Did William use his power on him?

AND WHAT ARE THESE TWO FUCKING DOING?!

Don't fucking cry now Vegas' Hedgehog! I don't give a hot damn about the pink and you being in love with Southwest Airlines! WHAT ARE YOU AND DEAN TALKING ABOUT IN BLACK? WHY ARE YOU SO FUCKING SUS THIS SEASON?!

And why is Alan so damn beautiful? Jeffrey hold him close at night and love him right, ya hear?

BECAUSE TEAM EVIL IS GONNA GET HIM AND USE HIM IN THEIR CRAZY ASS EXPERIMENT! Is that a woman crying in the background La Llorona style?

Peter is going to be too preoccupied to notice since he is looking like a diamond.

Which probably means Christopher Waymond is about to spill his secrets since he is falling in love with that rich daddy.

My perfectly balanced couple are definitely arguing during a shoot-out as they should. I expect nothing less from them. They love each other (it's canon to me) and Kentana is trying to sacrifice himself (per usual) while Kimberly is trying to keep them alive.

Look, Kimberly is already wearing black. He is in love with Kentana!!!!

KIMBERLY, END WHINY WINIFRED FOR SLAPPING YOUR MAN!

Whew. That was a lot. Alan is evil. William wants Charles Dickens. Shadow the Hedgehog is sus af. And Kimberly has gotta kill Whiny Winifred now.

Cool.

Cool, cool, cool.

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*teakettle noises*

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So what I'm getting from this is that when ai/robots take over the world, we have to cover everything with lego pieces to defeat them.

Also, human 🤝🏽 robots with the inability to walk on lego pieces.

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S1 Kim: I hope this doesn't awaken anything in me...

S2 Kim: Uh oh.....

Today's vibe is:

Feeling unwell about these parallels