Peaceful Property (2024)

a lovely, heartfelt ghost-of-the-week with a weak through plot

I wasn't originally going to watch this show because it looked like a style of humor I don't really jive with (and it wasn't really), but I was convinced by the gifsets of exorcisms. The first seven episodes of this series are absolutely heartwrenching--I cried every single week and came back ready for more. Even if I wasn't a huge fan of the slightly obnoxious comedy aspects, I really felt that the individual hauntings were so beautifully well done it was beyond worth it. However, once we left the ghost-of-the-week format to chase Home and Peach's stories... the plot got muddled, less sharp, and less interesting. I enjoyed my time with these characters, but it ended on a bit of a whimper for me.

-The Full Review-

STORY:
This story was at it's absolute strongest when it was incisive and political. The early episodes delve into important failings in society in a sympathetic and earnest way that I found very moving. Particularly, Ciize, Foei, and ForceBook's hauntings have really stuck with me over the weeks (although I liked the other ghosts as well). There was a true sense of justice and purpose in these episodes that hasn't been present in a lot of dramas lately.
But, as I said above, I was very disappointed in the end of Home's story. Rather than truly delve into the issues unpacked in early episodes, Home's entire family got off easy. The societal evils of capitalism melted away into a pretty trite family drama that wrapped up quite easily. It felt the humor became more and more forced, when the show had been successfully trending to something much more emotional and resonant.

ACTING:
This is a tough one. In those most emotional moments? This show is spectacular. Tay and New have an undeniable chemistry that makes their arguments feel very natural and high-stakes. Likewise, the moments intended to show off this growing family feeling are all so, so lovely and warm. Mook and Jan blend into this chemistry perfectly and it truly does feel real.
On the flip side... some of the "comedy" is borderline unbearable. Shrill, whiny screams, performative deliveries, and egregious over-acting with no charm riddled the "lighthearted" moments and felt considerably more amateur than I KNOW these actors are capable of. Perhaps it was simply not my style, but I rarely laughed at this "comedy."

PRODUCTION:
This production was pretty fun for GMMTV this year. While it felt a tad bit over-produced, it was still enjoyable and fun. In particular, the wound/ghost makeup was genuinely exceptional. I put me perfectly on edge of a little uncomfortable, a little grossed out, a little awkward that helped nail that emotional impact.
That said, I think it's a little ironic how curated some of the scenic design was, given that this was supposed to be a story about finding out what Home mean. It was a bit too... clean, by the end. I missed the hominess of Peach and Pangpang's original apartment. I would like to see GMMTV directors/designers be a little bit more intentional and thoughtful about how the look of the show reflects the themes and messages.

A NOTE:
At risk of becoming the too woke friend, I do think this show crossed a line of queerbaiting for me. I want to be perfectly clear: this has nothing to do with Tay or New (who were always clear it was not a BL), shippers promoting the show, or even a preference for it being a BL. This is about certain tweets from the director and official account, as well as "Easter eggs" for "bl fans" in the script left a sour taste in my mouth.
If you want the attention and energy of queer audiences, you need to actually engage with queer storylines and characters. I don't want clever references or teasing jokes that fail to come to fruition. This half-in-half-out style feels slimy and exploitative--just tell the story you mean to tell, whichever that might be.

In all, I enjoyed this show but it definitely still makes my ever-growing list of 2024 dramas that failed to stick the landing.

Leia Mais

Home Sweet Home

I placed spoilers at the end of this review.

Here is my usual warning that I am a sucker for series with a paranormal/strange element to it. This was a fun series. The first few episodes were a little rough around the edges, but the following episodes get better. Overall, the script was funny and heartwarming. I really liked the mini storylines involving the guest roles. The script also did a great job tying all of the various storylines together. Three out of the four main characters started off a little annoying and/or unlikable. However, the script did a great job explaining reasonings behind their behaviors as the series progresses which made them more likable. My only minor complaint is that I was able to guess some of the plot twists beforehand. As for the entire cast, they were amazing and did an incredible job with their characters. The cinematography and special effects were also amazing.

Random Notes:

The closing credit scene showed various stages of the team’s relationship development was very cool. I normally don’t watch closing credits, but found myself doing so because of this.

The saying on the neon sign with the burned-out letters was hilarious.

Home’s condo in America is the same one used in the series “Wandee Goodday”, “Only Boo”, “My School President”, and “Good Old Days”.

The smaller globe next to the one Home was staring at in episode 8 was the same one used in the series “Be my Favorite”.

******Spoiler Alert******

The beginning of the first episode threw me off because I didn’t realize that Home was in America. They could have incorporated some other hints to this other than the news. It did not help that I recognized the place from other GMMTV series.

Leia Mais

GMMTV and TayNew has don it again!

I just started this series on a whim, and honestly, I am glad that I did. It had me coming back every week because I wanted to know what will happen. Might I say, that I actually enjoyed this series more than their last project (and that's saying a lot for me as I totally loved and adored 'Cherry Magic.' I believe that seeing this was an original work and I did not know what was going to happen made this series have a special place in my heart.

All of the actors did a stellar job—from the main actors to supporting actors and even actors who guest starred in a few of the episodes—all of them were excellent. They were able to get from me emotions from laughing, (a wee bit) scared, and even sad. I must also add that I honestly thought that about halfway through this series, it would have lost some steam because I thought at the time that they had discovered the big plot point for this series. but, no! This was not the case, as it still powered on, carrying me on a journey that I totally did not expect to occur.

I don't want to give away any of the plot, because that's just how good it was that I want people who have not watched this series to go now and watch it. I really recommend this series to you guys out there and (hopefully ) you guys enjoy it as much as I did.

Leia Mais

I wish I could give this 100/10

My only complaint about this show is that 12 episodes is too few ? บ้านหลอน is a MASTERPIECE. EVERYTHING about it was well executed. Casting and acting, script, music, sets, colorgrading, camera angles, pacing of storytelling... EVERYTHING. Everyone from those who've been around from beginning to end, to those who joined the chaos for only one episode, did an incredible job of assembling what imo is the best non-romance series that GMMTV has ever released. This show is a masterclass in doing it *right*. PERFECTION.

And those who say this is "queerbaiting" have been inflating the meaning of the word. Even as a Polca I was able to watch this without attaching any romantic context to Home and Peach. Tay and New were given the challenge to act opposite each other in a non-romantic context, and they truly delivered. (Pang and her ??-ing notwithstanding ???) Like P'Dome himself said, their chemistry is just /insane/ ("through the ROOF!"), and so it becomes easy to read non-platonic insinuations between their characters, but I personally was able to put aside PeteKao (despite, yknow, Pete พีท and Peach พีช sounding almost the same when pronounced in Thai) and KaranAchi to see Home and Peach. Tay and New are talented actors on their own and they shine so brilliantly when put together.

Leia Mais

A funny good (slightly thrilling) show

I just loved everything about this series!

First of all, I'm someone who crave for spooky / horror / mystery with comical elements in a story and adding to all of this, some lovely and heartwarming moments. So, Peaceful property did all of this, even the touching / sad moments.

Honestly, I was quite reluctant towards Home's character but later on, it grows on me, I mean, I've finally appreciated this interesting and lovely character. I also love all of the cast, especially the gang, including Home, Peach, Pang Pang and Kan (oh and P' Suradech haha). I don't think other actors would portray those characters so well as Tay, New, Mook and Jan. The one who picked them, need a really good raise! It makes me laugh because someone in MDL said this gang reminds them of Scooby doo gang and I have to agree with them, except they don't have a dog..!

I loved every episodes (is that possible??), I was so invested and got taken aback by the turn of events, it really catched my attention from the begining to the end.

It might have some (minor) flaws in terms of the plot but in my eyes, as long as I enjoyed more and that it made me forget about it (I didn't really mind it) then it's still a really good serie that I would to recommend.

For the horror part, it's not that scary but sometimes the make up is still scary / creepy haha and I love some details in terms of the cinematography, I really like the colors they used, for the effects, for everything lol

Lastly, I would like to add that it also feel personal, I mean I feel like the director and / or screenwriters leave a personal message / touch behind it. Maybe it's my impression. Not only the funny side that they want to show but also, it's more than this. That's why, I love more this show because it's relatable and familiar.

I would do a rewatch for sure (I may already start it with some scenes lol)

Leia Mais

To B(L) or not to B(L), that is the question

Peaceful Property is honestly the best BL that GMMTV has produced this year... and it isn't even a BL.

I genuinely thought this was an enemies-to-lovers slow burn for 3 complete episodes. Mind you, it wasn't anything revealed onscreen that brought the reality of the show to life for me; it was the comments section that made me aware that this wasn't a BL series. Speaking of the comments section, I thought it was interesting: some try-hard spectators were being anti and uppity about viewing this show through a romantic or queer lens, seeing as it's labeled as a bromance. But there's some consistently purposeful romantic implications that were intensified by TayNew's chemistry, which has never been better. Insisting that this series should only be viewed as a friendship and nothing more is truly a disservice to both the writing and acting. TayNew are giving prime performances in this series, along with Mook and Jan.

Not only is the core four cast radiating pure chemistry onscreen but even the guest stars gave us amazing performances. Namely, Book and Force, whom both give the most emotional performances that I've seen from guests on a GMMTV series. Every person involved knew that they were working on something amazing, and it shows. This series has some of the best production value from a GMMTV series yet.

The only issues that I have, if I were to be nitpicky, is that the music isn't extremely memorable or expansive. It's nothing worth complaining about but there just isn't much variety, if I'm being honest. I also have to admit that I called the big twist of the finale from the very first episode, and I'm certain most other viewers did as well. Also, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I felt slighted by the lack of a PeachHome endgame at the end, or at the very least, a heavier romantic implication. I know it's a bromance but if this series was written the exact same way but produced with Western sensibilities, there would have surely been a heavily implied romance at the end, if not explicitly romantic. GMMTV (and Eastern media) continues to be tied down by genre and pairings... but I digress. Nothing that I hold against this series is worth passing on it. It's phenomenal and one of the first in a while that I highly recommend.

Leia Mais

A little scary, a lot of wholesome entertainment

Veteran stars Tay and New continue to deliver spectacular chemistry. Their chemistry was so good that some scenes left me questioning whether the series was hinting at something more than a friendship.

But no, it’s just a very compelling bromance. Even though Peaceful Property isn’t a BL, it doesn’t have to be.

But be warned – I couldn’t watch this series after sunset. The first few episodes took some getting used to because the ghosts were just so scary!

I only put up with the scaries because the storyline proved to be sufficiently compelling. And also, I love TayNew (more on that later). While the ghosthunting format for Peaceful Property is somewhat predictable, the series actually had several unpredictable twists. Overall, the series was also really entertaining and well-done. It strikes a good balance between humour, drama, horror and romance and explores what a ‘home’ means for the different characters.

More reviews: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/

Leia Mais

I never expected to enjoy this series as much as I do. Initially, the only thing that kept me watching was the main characters (Tay and New) who are undeniably one of the greatest pairs among BL actors. Their chemistry is simply unmatched.

It’s clear that GMM made an effort to steer this series away from being a BL series, yet they cleverly added moments that make fans scream in excitement. I love it! Having followed Tay and New long before their iconic kissing scene, it was a joy to see them come together in this refreshing theme.

The production team truly put in significant effort to make this blend of horror and comedy stand out, and the addition of great supporting actors, especially in Episode 7, elevated the series further. Honestly, I’ve never been a huge fan of their previous series. I mean I watched them, but none truly resonated with me. Even Only Friends, which I liked, didn’t move me emotionally like their appearance in this show. However, just one single episode of this series made me fall in love with them all over again.

I’m really hoping this Tay and New series will continue and feature even more talented supporting actors from GMM. The anticipation for what’s next is almost unbearable. I simply can’t wait!

Leia Mais

This is so underrated!

I won't add any spoiler so I can encourage people to give it a try because the series is so underrated when it's so good! I've been watching BLs since 2017 and honestly, I'm so tired of schools and engineers and the very same thing over and over again. And yes, this series is confirmed not to be BL, but just the chemistry between TayNew and how their relationship develops throughout the plot, makes it a suitable story for BL fans as well. It's a refreshing story, the plot seems easy at first, but the twists are absolutely unpredictable and half-way of it, I'm highly amazed by how interesting it is. I know the first episodes are a bit scary and for those who don't like terror, it may get a bit hard to watch, but after each story there's always a tragic story. I found myself crying when those ghosts just wanted to say goodbye to their beloved ones, so don't be afraid if that's what's retaining you from watching! Also, after it focuses more on the characters' story so it gets lighter (ever way funnier lmao).

So in conclusion, I cannot understand the low ratings when it's finally such a good comedy, plot and series as whole. It's becoming one of my favs honestly because it's so easy to get on their shoes and sympathize with them.

I wish they did more series like that, a great balance of comedy-drama, not too ridiculous and hitting the painful spot right on it. I just pray they won't mess up with the ending (as it's getting frequent lately sadly (gonna edit this review when I finish it!)).

Leia Mais

Haunted by the ghost of the full potential it could have had

The now removed from youtube conceptual trailer made to drum up attention and funding is one of the best trailers/short film in and of itself of all time for me. The creativity, cinematography, pacing, and comedic timing of the visual jokes are perfection. If the actual episodes was like it, then the show would be perfect too, but when the official trailer came out I could see that it wasn't as snappy and tight, but still excited to give it a chance. I really like how the show makes use of the ending credits to actually show case the status of the group with scenes that change along with the storyline. The design of the spirits as seen by all the living people is excellent, unrelentingly uncomfortable even it's revealed that the ghost was a good person or a good person all along. Kan's great, she's the only one with sensible character development. She bravely went against the privileged rich people that hurt her, her father, and her community. She's right to whistle blow about Home getting away with the hit and run. The only one to treat it with the severity of an issue that it is. She's also the person that saved Home's life. Suradech is pretty fun, they gave the poor guy one line when he answered Kan's question before passing out. It's a real missed opportunity to have him also gain abilities having almost died from poison.

I enjoyed Peach and Home's friendship and it's the only roles of the main actors working together that I have enjoyed out of their filmography, but it was a huge unresolved issue that Home really hit Peach with a car and left him to die. Somkid covered it up, but Home really did that. It doesn't matter that Peach already forgave him after finding out once they are already friends. Home dragged out his apology and then there is nothing that comes of it. He has main character immunity and is the only one of his family to not have to pay for his crime. He's a privileged guy from the beginning to end. It's also feels like a huge chunk is missing that we never find out Chai-Un's beef with his family. He seems to be supposed to be a mirror to Home, but it goes nowhere. It's also really horrifying that Peach decided to serve Chai-Un, the man that he almost killed with his neglectful cooking last time, imitation peas that may or may not have been swapped with real ones based on the guess of Home. It's weird the show framed it as "trust" that Peach has for Home. The guy is just guessing! Peach is nice but does not take deadly allergies seriously and that's really bad for someone who wants to sell food to people. Pangpang has a problem, where she has no self control regarding money at all. She's the one that forced her and Peach to homelessness. She's also rewarded and she learns nothing. She treats Home having run over Peach and Peach demanding the minimum apology from Home like it's petty bickering. The man left her brother for dead and that's her attitude. There would be times the characters would make conveniently very stupid decisions to move the plot along. The poor writing moments seems at odds with a lot of well written moving moments of various guest or secondary characters like Thansai and Ride's tragically cut short love, Kan and her father's familial love, and the tragic lifelong misunderstanding between Somkid and his father. I wonder if perhaps there is an issue of not having enough time to flesh out the script of the series as it does have a very promising skeleton.

Leia Mais