O-Negative (we discover that somebody is bonkers)

Peun tries to drown his sorrows

Episode 9 of the Thai TV show O-Negative (Episode 8) continues in the aftermath of Foon's birthday party. Art has driven Prim home. When he checks his phone after dropping her off he sees that there were 3 missed calls from Peun.

They meet at Go's bar where Peun tells him about Foon's request that he wait until she breaks up with Ong-art. Art says it sounds fine, and then gives his usual advice that Peun just needs to be himself and wait. He then reminds Peun that he told him to take it easy and just stay friends with Foon at first. Peun just keeps drinking and feeling sorry for himself.

Meanwhile Foon is in her room looking a pictures of Peun from her party. She looks like she is deep in thought, pondering what the solution to her problem might be.

Chompoo gets scolded at breakfast

The next morning breakfast at the Chompoo residence is a bit tense. It starts with her dad angry at her for staying out late. Things don't improve when her sister Som O comes to the table. Unlike his reaction to Chompoo, her dad is solicitous to her sister. Som O says she's been studying for her college entrance exam. she says she wants to go into Hotel Management so she can be a concierge and meet a rich guys. Chompoo rolls her eyes at that notion.

However, her father latches onto the idea of the entrance exam and says he wants Chompoo to take it again so she can study something besides her current major -- fashion design. She points out that she's already put a year into her studies, he replies that he would rather her waste a year than her life.

Chompoo tries to counter with an example to show him Fashion Design is a viable major. Unfortunately, for some reason she picks designing bikinis for Victoria's Secret as an example. Really Chompoo? You think a fancy lingerie retailer is going to sway your dad's opinion?

He scoffs at that example, pointing out that the woman who makes her mom's underwear didn't need a college degree. Her mom is aghast at the thought that Chompoo is studying to just design bikinis. The scene ends with Chompoo's dad yelling at her that he isn't going to give up until she drops out of Fashion Design. Chompoo is upset and her bratty sister is happily smirking over it all.

As an aside, speaking of fashion, I do like the dad's shirts. I wonder where he shops?

We have brief interlude where Art and Peun are sitting on a roof. Foon messages Peun asking him if he wants to go to a movie with her. He doesn't text back. We then cut to a shot of Foon sitting on her couch looking perplexed. She tries to call Peun but he doesn't pick up.

Prim gets caught gawking at a picture of Art

The next scene shows Prim sketching on her porch. She stops, picks up her phone and zooms in on her and Art in a picture. As she is sitting there gawking at Art her mom comes up behind her and wonders if he is Prim's boyfriend. She says no, and then zooms the picture out to show the entire group. Her mom then suggests she invite the group over. We also learn that Prim's dad is an artist.

We cut to the next morning. The kids are sorting out how they're getting to school. Foon is dropping hints that she'll pick up Peun, but he ignores them and says he'll go with Art.

And now a word from our sponsor

We are shown a dramatic close-up shot of Dentyne gum on Chompoo's night stand. Above is a screencap of that bit of product placement. The kids have been getting sticks of gum out of those green packages repeatedly.

Asian product placement can be jarringly obvious, with dialog sometimes written around it that sounds like ad copy. There's a Chinese drama that again and again extolls the virtue of McDonalds for breakfast, and the Korean TV show Because This Is My First Life does an entertaining job lampooning product placements when the female lead starts as an assistant script writer who's only job is to write them. Her ridiculous scenarios to do so nicely capture the absurdity of it all.

Anyway, back to the story. Chompoo has gone to visit Go. Prim and Foon head out to a restaurant. They try to get the boys to join them, but Peun is avoiding Foon. Prim then invites all of them to her house on Saturday to work on their projects. Peun tells Art he'll go if he does, so Art accepts and the five of them are set to meet at Prim's house.

Pardon me while I slobber over Prim's house

When Peun arrives at the gate Art calls and says he can't make it. Peun starts whining so Art hangs up and texts him a mocking message that he can go home if he's a coward. Before he can leave Foon comes out and so he decides to go in.

Chompoo has not brought any of her work and is just goofing off, but the other two girls have spread their stuff out. Foon invites Peun to sit next to her, but he uses the excuse of needing more room to lay his stuff out, so he sits as far away from her as possible. He tries his best to ignore Foon.

We cut to Art who is painting a banner at the Poh Teck Tung Foundation. He's wearing the t-shirt Prim gave him, but takes it off when he splashes a little paint on it. Tum looks that banner and mentions that Art's hand writing looks like the mysterious Ms Sirilak's. Art replies jokingly (at least I think it is a joke) that it's because they are related by blood. Who knows what that's all about.

Tum then manages to spill some paint on his hand. He starts to pick up Art's t-shirt to clean up, but Art is bothered by that and quickly stops him.

Foon makes her move

Prim and Chompoo go to get some noodles for lunch leaving Foon and Peun alone. Peun is trying his best to ignore Foon, so she finally gets up and walks over to him and asks him why he's acting that way. He gives his usual answer about being confused by her, and then says he should leave.

She stands on his papers so he can't leave. She then starts unbuttoning her blouse. She kneels down in front of him asks if he is going to keep avoiding her now as she moves in to kiss Peun.

At that point Prim's mother arrives. She discreetly coughs to let the two know somebody else is there. They both practically jump out of their skins in surprise and embarrassment. Foon has to turn her back to button her blouse. An akward conversation follows as Prim's mother acts as if she saw nothing. We do find out that she was an art student in her youth.

We see a brief scene of Art at the Foundation cleaning up after painting the banner and later one of Prim's mom drinking wine and smoking cigarettes on the deck. She eventually joins the kids who are eating lunch and invites them to dinner. When she tells Prim she'll also invite her dad Prim declines, giving the excuse that the kids had plans to meet with a Senior that night.

When she leaves the kids are a bit puzzled by that, wondering which Senior she was talking about. She says Go at his bar. They still seem puzzled by her reaction.

Peun rubs it in

When the get to the bar it is empty. Peun, demonstrating his usual mastery of social skills, points out that there are no customers. Sadly Go resists the urge to smack Peun upside his head, instead they launch into a conversation about different ways of marketing the bar.

They call Art to come meet them, but he is in the back of the Foundation's truck on the way to a traffic accident. He arrives at the accident, takes several pictures and then is assigned to task of directing traffic around the accident scene. As he is doing that we see several shots of a driver, who is fighting falling asleep, nearing the accident scene.

The car and Prim both bear down on Art

Some how the rest of O Group manages to arrive at the scene of the accident. Prim gets out of the car and notices the sleeping driver bearing down on Art. She screams in abject terror and then sprints to Art and jumps into his arms to push him back from the car's path. She then starts sobbing uncontrollably and gets so hysterical that she can't even stand. As she collapses to her knees Art, and the rest of the group, are frozen in shock over her reaction.

We jump back into Prim's flashback. It is at the point where her mother gets out of the car and storms off. Her dad tells Prim not to worry, that her mom will get over being angry soon. They're driving down a road when there is a hit and run accident in front of them. A motorcyclist is laying on the road injured. Prim's dad gets out of the care to tend to him. As he is bent over the inquired biker another car careens down the road and slams into him. He is killed as Prim looks on in horror.

When we return to the present they are all in Foon's car. Prim is still crying and upset as she tells them the story. She adds that her father's death haunts her mother, and that whenever she's been drinking her mom acts as if her husband is still alive. That's why she had to hurry them out that afternoon, so her mother could drink alone.

The kids are try to comfort her. Art is sitting behind her, unsure what to do as the others console her. Finally he reaches forward and tenderly squeezes her shoulder. It is the one comforting touch she responds to as she reaches up and gently grasps his hand.

Thoughts on the show so far

First, I should make it clear that when I call it a soap opera that's not entirely accurate. Asian dramas are more like Latin American novellas, in that they have a beginning, and end and a set number of episodes. So, this show is presumably headed somewhere.

Also, this show is not unfolding under the template a Korean or Chinese drama would use so some of my early comments and expectations were way off base.  For example, I had thought the show was going to set up the usual Love Quadrilateral, where the primary  pair both have secondary love interests complicating things. Instead, although I assume their will still be much soap opera hijinks, I think they are contrasting two couples: Peun/Foon and Prim/Art.

Thailand is a Buddhist country and so the show must be steeped in Buddhist sensibilities. I think the two couples are examples of how to, or how not to, handle desire. Peun and Foon have left their desires run out of control and so misery is sure to follow. Meanwhile Art and Prim are being much more circumspect in how they are handling their attraction to each other.

Friendship and charity are two other themes that are heavily touched upon. Art repeatedly stresses to Peun that he should place his friendship with the group above chasing after Foon. He clearly considers Peun's aggressive pursuit of Foon to be wrong because it will endanger the group's friendship.

Finally, I'll end with the caveat that all my ramblings are based on a very imperfect reading of a Thai TV show that is probably aimed at young adults. What I am doing is likely as silly as a Thai trying to make sense out of things while watching episodes of Saved by the Bell. Eh, on the other hand, since when did I leave not knowing what I'm talking about get in the way of being a know-it-all blowhard?

[Episode 10]