Bad to Bed – Series Review & Episode Guide

Raccoon Chao is a famous gay influencer. His nickname, Raccoon, is a clever wordplay on his real name, Huan Neng. With his good looks and muscular physique, Raccoon enjoys mini-celebrity status in the gay community. One night at a bar, he strikes up a conversation with a random guy. Their chemistry sparks immediately. After a quick hookup, the man properly introduces himself as Shu Kwang Dai.

After their hookup, Raccoon and Dai share more personal moments as they talk. Raccoon describes a tale from Greek mythology about Hypnos, the god of sleep, who fell in love with the shepherd Endymion. Hypnos granted Endymion the ability to sleep with his eyes open. Raccoon, who struggles with severe insomnia, admits he relates to Endymion. Every time Raccoon tries to sleep, he hallucinates, blurring the line between dreams and reality. However, Dai has already drifted off, missing Raccoon opening up about his condition.

Raccoon's insomnia has persisted for a long time. He used to rely on sleeping pills. Now, he consults a sleep doctor for help. The doctor prescribes medication to help him relax and fall asleep more easily. Instead of improving, Raccoon's condition worsens. Each night, he experiences bizarre dreams and encounters strange men who talk to him. Once, he meets a man who insists on roleplaying as a dog. On another occasion, he wanders outside at night to hang out with an imaginary friend.

Raccoon and Dai continue seeing each other after their one-night stand. During one of their playful chats about pets, Raccoon gives Dai the nickname Kangaroo. This name quickly sticks. Before long, Raccoon and Kangaroo are spending all their time together. While the couple doesn't officially label their relationship, they enjoy each other's company. The two share cozy activities like eating meals and watching gay movies at home. Both dote on each other as they fall in love.

As their relationship deepens, Raccoon makes it official by sharing about his boyfriend on social media. Despite their happiness, Raccoon's sleepless nights continue, and his erratic behaviour strains their bond. Kangaroo grows concerned, especially when Raccoon sneaks out at night without explaining his whereabouts. The secrecy creates a rift between them. Adding to the tension, Kangaroo hides a secret about his living situation. Their relationship reaches a breaking point when Raccoon discovers his boyfriend's lies.

Bad to Bed has glaring flaws, particularly the writing. This series contains many longwinded conversations, which can turn off viewers. Even though there are a few insightful lines, they get lost in the information overload. The dialogue should be shorter and sharper to hold our attention. In Episode 1, the Greek mythology tale and the doctor's diagnosis drag on, so the scenes are hard to follow. The audience doesn't need every detail. Simplifying the ideas would make them easier to digest.

The protagonist, Raccoon, is sleep-deprived. He hallucinates meeting strange men every night as his dreams blur with reality. The story tries to portray his deteriorating mental health this way, but it isn't interesting to watch. There are too many lengthy scenes where Raccoon has dull chats or does random activities with guys we don't know. These encounters feel pointless, especially since they have little consequence afterward. If executed better, the hallucinations could explore Raccoon's inner turmoil creatively or symbolically. Instead, they add little to the story and just waste time.

Raccoon's performer (Jonas Chen) is a bonafide stud. This underwear model makes us drool with his good looks and muscular body. However, the series gives him and his co-star (Nick Hsieh) too many crying scenes that expose their weaknesses as actors. Their emoting appears so fake and forceful that I'm embarrassed to watch them. In Episode 9, Jonas does much better when he has the time to build up his emotions naturally. Bad to Bed should reduce the theatrics. Instead, find subtle ways to express vulnerability without overexerting Jonas or Nick's abilities.

Raccoon and Kangaroo begin as a one-night stand, but they build a steady relationship over time. While a few interactions can be slightly cringy, I enjoy most of their delightful moments together. Whether simply chatting or casually cuddling, they seem sweet and compatible. When I look at these two doting boyfriends, I can believe they're falling in love with each other. However, the series adds too much obnoxious melodrama, disrupting the couple's bliss. It also gatekeeps the physical intimacy for needlessly long, so viewers don't see a passionate kiss until the end.

Surprisingly, Episode 9 is the best of the series. Raccoon reveals his tragic backstory, helping us understand the origins of his insomnia. His bizarre hallucinations make more sense after learning what happened to him. The actor redeems himself with a heartfelt performance, doing much better when he eases into his emotions. Plus, the couple shares their long-awaited moment of passion. Bad to Bed finally delivers a solid episode, but it comes after hours of boredom, confusion, and incoherence. By then, many viewers may have mentally checked out of the story.

Bad to Bed isn't a large-scale production, but everything looks decent. The outdoor scenes are visually appealing, and I appreciate the effort to film in different locations for variety. I also like the cartoonish animations accompanying Raccoon's childhood stories, adding a special touch. This series feels like it was made with lots of love and sincerity, so I don't want to rip it apart. Unfortunately, the writing, acting, and storytelling are all lacklustre. I find myself bored during almost every episode. How ironic that a BL drama about insomnia manages to put me to sleep.