Season 1 |
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Episode Guide
Episode 1 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 2 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 3 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 5 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 6 -| Review Score – 5/5
Episode 7 -| Review Score – 4.5/5
Episode 8 -| Review Score – 4/5
4Minutes is the latest Thai BL from BOC and has been on everyone’s radar ever since its announcement way back in 2023. With exciting themes of time travelling, revenge, betrayals and secrets, it’s for those who love thrillers.
The 8-episode series stars Bible Wichapas, Jes Jespipat, Bas Asavapatr, Fuaiz Thanawat, JJay Patiphan and Job Yosatorn and more. And it is helmed by none other than Sammon, creator of Triage and Manner of Death.
4Minutes starts off as a supernatural thriller where time travelling and melodrama come into play. Tyme is a surgeon in training who has no time for niceties or friendship as he hopes to become rich and take care of his ailing grandmother. He is stuck with Den, the friendly and chatty doctor who is researching patients and their out-of-body experiences when they have a cardiac arrest.
Elsewhere, we have the Sriwat family who run a successful business but have a shady and corrupt background. While the eldest son, Korn is roped into the family politics, his brother, Great is a uni student, doing his best to stay away from his family. That is till one day, a car accident leads to his time travelling back to 4 minutes in the past. It doesn’t end there, as Great bumps into Tyme and gets a vision of the future that hints at something sinister between the two of them.
Well, we don’t know how we are going to sell this show to you without ruining the plot twist but we’ll try our best. Because this is no simple BL with a lovey-dovey romance peppered with a bit of angst and drama.
Oh no, it would be better to call it a mind-bending thriller following two couples who are stuck in a shocking and twisted chain of events. After all, the creator, Sammon is known to mess with reality and bring in supernatural elements so we’d expect nothing less from 4Minutes. And she does not disappoint.
The first half of Season 1 focuses on the time-traveling aspect with Great trying to figure out his powers and fixing mistakes that could ruin lives while there is a killer on the loose. His actions create a chain reaction which not only ropes in the strange doctor, Tyme but also Great’s brother Korn and his lover Tonkla, the cop Win, and his friend, Title.
As we watch with bated breath how all these characters come together, the second half of the show completely subverts the time travel element and plunges us into a different time and space (no pun intended). The non-linear narrative will have viewers second-guessing every theory of theirs and trying to anticipate the characters’ moves to no avail.
On top of the strong script, the production elevates the story from a mundane murder mystery to a genre-clashing, stylized show that’s full of symbolism and props which lead to light bulb moments in viewers once that major plot twist is revealed.
The cast does a brilliant job as well despite having a majority of rookie actors. But they take on the heavy responsibility of portraying realistic and complex characters, flawed yet likeable people which will have viewers conflicted whether to hate them or root for them. Episode 5 in particular has stayed in our minds all these weeks with everyone acting as if rent is due.
Jes’ Tyme absolutely kills it with minimal dialogue as he engages in a non-verbal apologetic scene with his grandmother. And no BOC fan could have ever imagined that the same guy who played the antagonist Vegas in KinnPorsche would end up as the lonely Great who just wants to love and be loved. Bible takes Great and adds a vulnerability to him that shines despite the character being more bad than good.
We do have one small complaint that stops 4Minutes Season 1 from being perfect and that is the execution of comedic scenes. In classic Asian drama fashion, 4Minutes indulges in goofy, comedy soundtracks in two funny scenes that completely take you out of the viewing experience.
It is uncharacteristic and totally unnecessary as it doesn’t fit the tone of the show. And we get the motive behind it with the director probably wanting viewers to focus on the humour but it feels like a huge sitcom-audience sign that says laugh now.
But don’t worry, this minor technical decision is not enough to ruin the show which is still one of the best thrillers of this year. 4Minutes Season 1 is a gripping mystery that transcends the typical BL genre and pulls viewers in with its futuristic and supernatural twists and turns. If you are in the mood for intense performances, an intricate storyline and heart-pounding suspense, this show is for you.
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Verdict - 9/10
9/10