#and i wanna talk about topmew a bit as well

[frostofafeather]

thoughts about only friends

NUMBER ONE THING.

I liked it!

Honestly, looking at the entirety of the series, I think it's a solid 10/10 show and I feel very attached to the characters and their world.

The writing and the OVERALL narrative direction of this series were actually pretty satisfying to me and ultimately I enjoy it as a whole.

However, I do want to talk about the good AND bad

I felt only friends suffered in a couple different ways:

the cutting or sliming of scenes due to audience response or air time problems

bad pacing especially in later episodes

the narrative treatment of some characters (mostly boston but we'll get into that.)

Number 1: Cutting scenes

We know that several scenes were cut out, some due to audience "feedback" after a couple episodes had aired, some due to simple air time cuts.

The biggest reason I (and I think most people) have a problem with this, is that this caused some characters and events to feel like they don't have meaning or motivation. Because we as the audience don't have the full picture that the writers originally intended to give us.

Do I think that this series would have been totally "perfect" or "fixed" if this hadn't happened? No really, it's just one part of the problem.

Number 2: Bad pacing

I already talked a little about this in this post, but let me just restate some things.

I don't really agree with ALL the stuff in that post anymore however the main point still stands. This series would have benefited if the narrative events were more spread out and the characters were given more time on screen to make decisions and choices.

Controversial opinion I think, but I would have actually loved it if it was 14 episodes.

Number 3: How the narrative treats characters

Now, the thing about this. I do UNDERSTAND what the intentions for all the characters were. I see the writers's/directors's intentions and I can appreciate that.

That doesn't mean I'm not going to criticize it though.

How the narrative treated boston in particular makes me just a little pissed off and probably IS the biggest critique I have for this show. Other people have talked about this numerous times but this last episode only proves that the narrative wants boston to be unredeemable, not necessarily a "villain" but as someone who doesn't deserve or need to be given an apology even though he's been treated badly by his friends just as he treated them.

Ok, you can look at this in the meta way of "Well all these characters are supposed to be bad people and it's an example of what NOT to do" I agree with this for the most part, but with this last episode and how botson's role in the story concluded, I don't really think that was the intention.

(A quick side note, I was initially upset at how bostonnick ended but I actually think it's ultimately for the best and something the writers did right. See, I would much rather them not end up together than push the narrative of boston has to change for nick, which is what I feared would happen.)

So. All these things combined made this wonderful series not able to reach its greatest potential. And I think that's why most people are critical about it. It didn't feel like what it could have been.

This series claimed to be "different" and it would change the BL world. And, in my opinion, it did! But it feels like a letdown in a lot of ways because it still fell victim to tropes and narratives that are perpetuated in this industry while also adding in unique problems that come with creating a series of this nature.

But anyway, loved it, 100%. Would rewatch it a million times. Definitely recommend!

[athousandbyeol]

helo helo was down for a bit but am back for now

how have you been ???? hope you doing well and fine and alright and OK and healthy and is safe.

the unboxing video is soo cutteee i could literally feel the excitement and I was squealing with yoh also I love ypur chrome bg it's pretty my guncher also the traumatic side of me whenever I saw u handling the cardholder kept seeing the letter from cher O_O am sorry am as traumatised as gun when he wakes up to an empty bed in ep12 and freaks out o.o

annddddd I saw these videos and thought you might like it

https://twitter.com/minty_licious/status/1678478467229265920?t=IKpFS9mgSS8KqPLx_qxDlw&s=19

https://twitter.com/F0XMOCHI/status/1678722424542752769?t=UKbPOeY7vYj0vZFoCJWsMg&s=19

hope it makes your day!!! <3

also that was such a beautiful topmew discussion it gives so much depth to the trailer and the pics and guess what I am someone who focuses and gives attention to eveey little detail while watching something I like tjough i don't k ow how to put them to words it's all in my head I otice it all and reading your discusiions/analysis pure bliss is what I felt <3

also I zoned out for a while and forgot whaf i was about yo say... anyhhoo... have a lovely day/night

#the unboxing video was soooo cute

#atp I feel cherkrub is like a kink for them?

#it was beautiful you are beautiful inside out

#bye see you later

#I am really sorry if I am annoying you with all these asks of mine randomly

<3

hi hi hi :) i hope you're feeling/doing better now. the weather is constantly changing so i hope you'll stay hydrated and just overall, taking care of your health ^^

thanks for asking. i'm doing well. but i'm a bit under the weather so i'm just resting at the moment. i hope your wishes for me will be granted. i appreciate it very much.

AHHH thank you :') i still couldn't believe it came waayy earlier than expected. but i'm thankful it safely reached me before other things happen in my life hahaha. i've changed the background because it didn't show up when i refresh the tab :( a bit sad but it's no big deal. wait— i'm sorry... now you've mentioned it, that moment was indeed traumatising. couldn't even imagine how lost gun felt when cher left him with only a note. <'3

op the first video! i watched it without the audio yet i still blushed! aside from it being a religion, i think it should be illegal... it has awoken some questionable things in me that i choose not to address. xD

it did make me smile :( how cute! p'book is really adorable <3 thanks for always sending me these cute videos. i'm so happy to look at them all.

i think you've seen this before but it's so best friend behaviour and i love that about them :') why are they such dorks? goodness. they need to slow down. and this too... i have tears in my eyes every time these pictures pass my timeline. how wonderful. i hope they'll be happy with each other for a long time.

oh my God, you read my discussion??? i'm going to hide now—

thank you. i haven't seen much discussion on only friends probably because the show hasn't aired yet. but i think it's fun to build up theories and make speculations before we get the real thing (just to see everything crumble because i'm always wrong xD). anyway! i'm glad the discussion provided clarity to your own input about the characters. i'm also thankful that you saw what i saw! which is cool! i'm such a sucker for colours/symbolism so it's nice to know someone sees it too.

hahahaha it's ok. i do that all the time. and i just wanna say thanks for wanting to talk with me. i have a feeling you have a lot going on in your head and i also have many thoughts. therefore when we communicate like this, i feel like my ideas are clarified to an extent, which is liberating. so thanks op for sending these asks. i'm thankful.