Is this technically a gay show? Even after getting through the whole thing, that's still kind of tricky to answer. There's never any physical intimacy shown between the two leads, not even a single kiss. What it gives you instead is something that goes way deeper than that. It traces an emotional bond that spans a full decade between two guys who are both dealing with their own baggage, and what they share basically amounts to being soulmates. The story moves across Japan, South Korea, and Berlin. Honestly, whether people want to call what they have a romantic relationship or not doesn't really matter to me. A relationship doesn't need a label like boyfriends attached to it to actually mean something. And closeness doesn't need to be physical to feel genuine. What this show captures is something quieter but way more powerful, a bond rooted in understanding, respect, and just showing up for each other. Across eight episodes, each running 35 to 45 minutes, this is one...
Michael and Kate are best friends. Michael is a graphic book writer, who is trying to get over his breakup with his boyfriend Ryan. He is on a downward spiral, most often drunk and dealing with the writer's block and hence unable to come up with the idea of next book, there by risking his future and breach of contract. Kate is confident, sparky young girl, who works at a PR firm. Her boyfriend Danny has just proposed her. Michael is not a huge fan of Danny but Kate wants them to work through. We later find out why Michael broke up with Ryan and now Ryan is trying to win him back. At the same time, Kate is struggling with her relationships with Danny and almost calls off the engagement. A lot of what transpires in the six half-hour episodes focuses on the things people fail to tell each other, either on purpose or because their communication systems are too flawed to function properly.
Kate And Michael being deaf is just one aspect, because the friendship they share and the romance and break-up they are dealing with is universal to all. But then this specific aspect also makes it important because Kate and Michael's relationship with others and with each other depends a lot on what and how much is communicated amongst all of them. Kate fights and reconciles with Danny, Michael does the same with Ryan, and Kate and Michael do the same thing with each other. The series thankfully has a comical touch to it and is not all serious. The ability to say nasty, smutty things about hearing people right in front of them using sign language, which is always good for a laugh. Its an interesting experience since there are very few dialogues and a lot of focus is on hands and mouths. The production quality if very high, the acting is brilliant by both main and supporting actors and this is an engaging watch. Having said this, the cliches of gays always have drinking and sex on mind and the PR workplace dynamics, sort of slide the series slightly downwards.
This is not strictly a gay series, but 50% focus on gay character and his life; and so definitely deserves to be reviewed her. Six episodes, each of 25 minutes is not much investment and trust me it will be worth it. (7/10)
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