Lazy Unnie’s Couch: The Eclipse

The country’s leading all-boys school, Suppalo, is strictly governed. Rumour has it that a curse will punish students who act out, a curse that grows stronger as the solar eclipse nears. But where there are rules, there will naturally be those who want to break them. A group of students calling themselves “The World Remembers” unite to challenge the school’s authority and demand their rights. Head student prefect Akk and his cohorts are tasked with dissuading the rebel group. Then Ayan, a mysterious new student, arrives. Akk is suspicious of Ayan, this boy whose behaviour is so odd and who regularly challenges the school’s norms. Ayan has enrolled in hopes of discovering the person who pushed his uncle Dika to suicide. His only evidence leading him to Suppalo School is in his uncle’s old notebook. Ayan’s method of dealing with Akk’s scrutiny is to toy with him.
mydramalist

Starring: First Kanaphan Puitrakul | Khaotung Thanawat Ratanakitpaisan
Episodes: 12 (45 min.)
Aired: August 12 – October 28, 2022
Network: GMM 25
Where to Watch: Youtube

Imagine having an amazing cast and throwing them in a half-developed show with a budget of $3.50. That is exactly what The Eclipse was. Now, I’m not saying it was a bad show because there were things I really enjoyed about it and the potential was there. But damn GMMTV gave no fucks about this one.

The idea of a school having a curse that affected the students who went against the rules was… different. I get what they were trying to do because it was all there. A story about students who were trying to go up against this authoritative administration for the sake of their individuality and sexuality. Also having characters struggling with their own discoveries and homophobia. All of it was there! Even sprinkling in dealing with grief in different forms, from family to lovers. Got it. BUT it was completely disjointed and the fact that this “mystery” loomed over the plot in such a weak way was annoying.

Honestly, the saving grace of this show was the cast. From our main couple of FirstKhao. Without them, I don’t think Akk and Ayan would be anything other than tropey and annoying. Their chemistry sold and I completely fell for Khao in this. Short king come through! The level of gay panic in Akk and confidence from Ayan, I was so in their cat-and-mouse relationship. LouisNeo was also a nice pairing as the secondary couple of Thua and Kahn. For a while, I was really focused on Khan’s journey of coming out of his own closet and admitting his feelings for Thua. I liked Thua a lot until they decided to make him a villain. How do they go from setting him up for being abused at home to now he is a villain without really addressing the first part? I was hella confused.

In the end, I feel like this show was really just about discovery. Discovering one’s true identity and how you are going to let that dictate your future. They had unnecessary plot twists, like come on, the big bad teacher was actually the closeted lover of Ayan’s uncle? COME ON! I would have been happy with a subplot of Wat, Akk’s friend, hooking up with the lady teacher. I mean, they were dropping crumbs, or was it just me?