Want to See You – Series Review & Episode Guide

Thach is a wealthy restauranteur who lost his vision in an accident a while ago. Since then, he has stayed in the house all day, sulking about his disability. His ex-girlfriend Linh checks up on him and pretends to show concern. However, she only cares about going after his fortune, especially his restaurant chain. Linh believes she's entitled to run his businesses. Yet, Thach refuses to sign the documentation and hand over the ownership.

Recently, Linh hired a carer to look after Thach. Phuc is a university student, although he works part-time to make money. He cooks, cleans, and helps his blind housemate with daily errands. Phuc has a lousy first impression of his employer, who is sullen, stubborn, and prideful. Thach clashes with Phuc and treats him contemptuously. He's also open with his body and tends to walk around the house without clothes, startling his carer. Despite their spats, Phuc is good at his job, attending to Thach's needs responsibly.

One day, Phuc is disturbed after rescuing Thach from a failed suicide attempt. Beneath his icy demeanour, Thach is severely depressed about his disability. He feels hopeless about recovery and believes his life is worthless without vision. He cannot even enjoy his favourite hobbies anymore, such as cooking. Despite Thach's pessimism, Phuc maintains an optimistic attitude. Phuc motivates Thach during their alone time, giving him the strength to appreciate life as a blind man.

Thach has two younger siblings, Duy and Nu. His brother Duy runs the restaurants for the family, while his sister Nu has returned from studying overseas. Both siblings are close to their brother and seem genuinely concerned about his well-being. However, Nu's possessiveness becomes increasingly pronounced. She feels threatened by Phuc, especially as he grows closer to her beloved brother. Nu becomes unfriendlier towards Phuc and secretly finds ways to undermine him.

Phuc is a gay man. He hasn't disclosed his sexuality, but it's an open secret among Thach and his siblings. Everyone also knows that Phuc develops a noticeable crush on Thach. However, he's too shy to act upon his feelings. Thach is also hesitant to pursue a relationship. Partially, he only dated women in the past and seems uncertain about a relationship with a man. Also, he feels insecure about his blindness and how it affects his love life. The two men have a rocky relationship dynamic as they wrestle with their conflicted feelings for each other.

I write this review through gritted teeth because Want to See You could have been an inspirational drama. A love story with a blind protagonist is a bold, intriguing concept. Many fictional works avoid depicting disabilities, especially for a genre as cozy as BL. This series embraces the delicate topic, making it the central theme. It highlights thoughtful chats, poignant emotions, and fascinating insights about vision impairment. If it stayed on this trajectory, I would've championed Want to See You as powerfully profound.

The best scenes are whenever the story delves into the main character's experiences with vision loss. Thach suddenly cannot see, affecting life as he knew it. Although the series sensationalizes some aspects and doesn't offer extensive details, it demystifies and destigmatizes living with a disability. The drama comes from Thach adjusting to his new routine, including his work, hobbies, and romance. His struggles feel heartbreaking, yet there are empowering moments where Phuc helps him overcome adversity. Want to See You can be a compelling showcase of perseverance. 

You would think the protagonist's vision loss is a big enough subject to carry the series. Yet, Want to See You diverts from its momentous themes and focuses on trashy subplots. It becomes preoccupied with the scheming girlfriend, the manipulative sister, and the homophobic mother. Their outrageous melodrama overpowers the narrative. They cry, yell, fight, and stir the pot, constantly demanding your attention with their vile antics. These annoying distractions undermine the sensitive storyline about the main character's blindness. They turn his life into a cheap circus.

Want to See You is a toxic cesspool of problematic tropes. It indulges in homophobia, misogyny, ableism, and many offensive stances that repulse me. The story is torn between promoting a BL romance and denouncing gay couples as socially unacceptable. This series also shows horrendous contempt toward its female characters, portraying them as evil, conniving, and overemotional. Want to See You is unimaginative because it relies on bigotry and cruelty to drive drama in the plot. It seems incapable of delivering an episode without being as messy as possible.

The romance is a missed opportunity in Want to See You, adding to its long list of disappointing plots. Thach and Phuc have decent relationship moments, sharing sassy banter, sweet exchanges, and sexy encounters. The actors also have chemistry and make an attractive couple. The problem is that Thach comes across as a raging asshole. I tried sympathizing with him because of his condition, but this guy is belligerent, condescending, and disrespectful. He doesn't treasure his love interest or treat him as an equal. Phuc deserves somebody better than him.

Want to See You fluctuates between two extremes. Every once in a while, the story impresses me with a heartfelt exchange, brimming with sincerity and sentimentality. Unfortunately, there's a lot of ridiculous bullshit between those rare moments of brilliance. This series constantly tests my bottom line of how much melodramatic nonsense I can handle. Many episodes are exhausting, and the plot loses momentum towards the end. Ultimately, the negatives outweigh the positives. Despite its meaningful ideas, Want to See You is too tacky and tasteless to recommend.