Roommate – Series Review

James is a university student who lives by himself in a small room. One day, his mom calls and wants him to take care of Sky, her best friend's son. Sky is a university freshman who goes to the same school and studies the same subject as James. Both their moms believe they would be a great fit living together as roommates.

Neither James nor Sky are enthusiastic about sharing a room together. James is a tough, independent guy with a bossy personality, so he likes barking orders at his roommate. Meanwhile, Sky is young, meek, and inexperienced, so he often requires assistance from his older companion. Their dynamic is slightly unfriendly at first. However, the two roommates get used to each other's quirks and different personalities over time.

Unbeknownst to James, Sky is gay. However, he doesn't tell his roommate about his sexual orientation. Sky is out to his best friend Maprang, often confiding in her about his relationship with James. Maprang and James' best friend Smile are both yaoi fangirls. They try bringing these two guys romantically together.

Roommate has a promising start with a simple set-up. The early episodes focus on the characters living together and getting to know each other. Their personalities are showcased through various quirky scenarios, highlighting a fun dynamic between the leads. The BL relationship develops at a comfortable pace, going from strangers to friends to the tease of something more. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Roommate initially, exceeding my expectations.

After Roommate solidifies a positive first impression, the quality declines sharply at the end of Episode 3. Something happened behind the scenes, forcing the production team to butcher the narrative and rush through the remaining story. The creators must've run out of budget and couldn't continue filming what they originally planned. As a result, we press the fast-forward button on the relationship, cramming the best BL scenes into a quick montage. The rushed romance destroys all the previous momentum, which the final two episodes (and the follow-up sequel) couldn't recover.

It's a shame because Roommate established a solid foundation for the romance up until now. The main characters feel authentic, like two ordinary guys who speak naturally and behave normally. James and Sky remind me of real people rather than fictional characters, almost like they're portraying themselves instead of acting. Plus, they share an easygoing rapport with playful banter, amusing interactions, and sexual tension brewing between the pair. They are a compatible couple, compensating for the uneven writing with their comfortable chemistry.

Unfortunately, Roommate scrapped their original plans for the pairing and took out essential chunks of relationship development. You'll feel puzzled when the leads suddenly become chummy and affectionate after a thirty-second montage. All the juiciest materials in their BL journey are condensed into that random segment. It doesn't help the last two episodes are written dreadfully and involve a non-consensual drunken encounter. The finale backtracks massively, but it's still a questionable and unnecessary moment that leaves a bad taste.

Roommate is rough around the edges in various areas. The series is created on a shoestring budget, evident through its unpolished appearance and unartistic production values. Many scenes are filmed in a small plain room, which doesn't look like the most enticing setting for a romance. The writing can also be a little awkward, and some exchanges (usually anything to do with the supporting cast) make me cringe. The three female comic relief characters give lively and larger-than-life performances, but I'd dial down their frantic energy by a notch.

It's tough to recommend Roommate due to the many production flaws and an unfulfilling conclusion. However, I don't think it's a disastrous attempt at BL. There are some bright spots, such as the charming characters, their genuine rapport, and plenty of delightful interactions in the beginning. If the creators had more resources, maybe Roommate could've unleashed its full potential and amazed us with a surprisingly good love story. Sadly, I must judge this series in its actual state, which lacks a cohesive romance and delivers a subpar narrative.

Summary