Step By Step (Thai Series)

I was so excited after the first couple of episodes of this show. I thought finally someone decided to firstly cast actors who look the part and not like a 18 year old pretending to be 30 year old. But also the interactions felt real, the office camaraderie and everything seemed to be going right raising my expectations. But things drastically went south and how. The show has an almost agonizingly slow burn and almost 8 episodes are wasted in nothingness. I was like what the f. Also every episode is like 75-85 minutes long. So 12 episodes given the time of each episode, just takes forever to reach t whatever it is that it's trying to say.

Pat is the youngest and newest member of the digital marketing firm and everyone literally pushes their job on him. The team gets a new boss Jeng, who happens to be the CEO's son. Pat had met Jen earlier in the day when he mistakenly spills coffee over him. Jeng needs to prove himself to his father so he is a hard task master for his team and everyone is always on edge. He constantly points mistakes and when Pat has had enough, he provides anonymous feedback on how Jeng needs to improve his managerial skills. Jen realizes that it is from Pat and he asks for direct feedback so that he can try and improve. Pat is happy to do the same despite fearing losing his job. Jen then asks Pat to take the lead on working for marketing campaign of one of the major clients. We can tell Jng likes Pat but since he is in the position of power, he doesn't want to use that and he wants to see if Pat also likes him back. Pat's close friend if a very openly gay man Chot in the company. When they start working on shooting this new campaign, the lead actor happens to be Put, a famous influencer who also happens to be Pat's ex. Put wants Pat back in his life, and they even try it but eventually decide to separate. One day Jing finally comes out with his feelings to Pat, who surprisingly doesn't take it well and is not sure. Eventually he gives in. But again in last two episodes there is som more (total unnecessary drama) that they decide to break up, Pat leaves the company, starts his own firm and few years laterthey reconnect and start dating again. IN between all this there is also the love story of Jaab, who is Jeng's younger brother, Pat's friend and also the director the marketing campaign. This love story is also very half baked.

As I mentioned before, the show started off great but it fell flat towards the end. From time to time the plot and the timeline feels off and hard to progress. The plot is not consistent at all.  The awkwardness between the lead characters during their “getting to know each other” phase was realistic; however, it eventually becomes too sluggish and takes forever. The sequence of them working together with whole bunch of other team members almost goes on for 6-7 episodes, which would have been ok if the pair was at least doing something to come out with their feelings, but nothing of that sort happens. Pat is a cry baby and he cries at the drop of hat. He cries when he gets too much work, he cries and cringes when his ex boyfriend wants him, he cries when Jeng proposes him nd then he cries again when they break up. I mean there was no end to this man crying. So sadly, a character that comes out as a headstrong individual not wiling to take shit from his boos eventually comes out as a person who is not sure of himself. Pat’s feelings are indistinguishable since his reactions are similar in almost every situation. It is difficult to discern when he starts liking Jeng or if he really wants him. In contrast, we see Jeng's charter growth quite nicely. He changes from being strict, domineering, and unapproachable, and the subordinates feel free to express themselves freely and interact in the workplace. At least we know that Jeng truly loves Pat. Also, I do liked the choice of actor playing Jeng. For a change he does look like a boss and has the personality to carry off the role.

 There are a lot of side characters and actors on whom the show spends time, but sadly doesn't do justice to any of those storylines. The love story of Jaab was so half baked and it could hav been interesting. But instead, for whatever odd reason, the script writers of the show waste so much time of many irrelevant scenes that just do not support the overall narrative. The one good thing about the show was Pat's friend Chot, who is very out there effeminate gay. And I think finally a Thai series has treated such a personality right way with dignity and not made a mockery of him. He is a true friend of Pat and stands by him as a friend, philosopher and guide at both work situations and personal life. Overall, as the namesake, this show ends up taking way too many steps to come to the point and by then, audiences are tore by overtly long episodes and that too when not much is happening. By episode 7 I had reached my limit, couldn't care less about any of the character was and was just waiting for the show to end; and these feelings are never a good sign. (5/10)