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Journey With You (Chinese Series)

I've always had kind of a love hate relationship with Chinese historical BLs. Some are genuinely excellent, but then there are others that cram in so much plot that keeping track of all the layers of betrayal and scheming gets exhausting, and I end up checking out mentally. Part of the issue is also just how much content is out there in this space, so something really has to stand out to keep me hooked. In this case, the production value is genuinely impressive, top tier stuff, but story wise, I just couldn't bring myself to actually care about these characters. There's a ton of political scheming and backstage manipulation running throughout. Somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, a hostage ends up falling for his own Prince Charming. The show runs eight episodes, each around 50 to 60 minutes long. After spending three years guarding the border, Fifth Prince Yin Qi gets called back to the capital because of a secret letter, only to end up walking straight into a deadly...

Cam Boy: Season 2 (Canadian Series)

The Canadian web series Cam Boy is back for a second season, and I'm a bit late getting to it. While the first season really stuck to Aston’s story and his struggle to make ends meet, this season spreads things out much more. Across six episodes, the show gives us a bunch of mini-stories about different guys in the industry, while still showing us how things are moving along for Aston.

Like I said, there are about 21 or 22 tiny stories packed into these six episodes. Aston is now in a relationship with the handyman from the first season, but he’s still working as a cam boy. One day, he accidentally starts streaming a live sex show with his boyfriend. He realizes what's happening halfway through, but he doesn't stop because he sees the money pouring in. When the boyfriend finds out, he’s furious and walks out on him. Then we have Riley, another guy who usually sells a "boyfriend experience" to his viewers. Things get creepy when one of his clients just shows up at his front door without warning, but Riley handles it quickly. There are a few other little plots too—one is about a dad finding out his teenage son is making a ton of money on cam. The show basically gives a "slice of life" look at all different types of performers, like bears, jocks, and older guys, who cater to whatever fetishes their customers are into. Some of these parts are actually pretty funny.

The new stories this season dive into the struggle of keeping work and private life separate. It shows things like friends walking in during a live stream and the double standards some workers have when it comes to being professional versus being vulnerable. For example, some scenes show how real-life relationships get messy because of the online persona, highlighting the tug-of-war between needing money and the emotional cost of the job. By bringing in more characters, the show explores how these guys either compete with each other or support one another. Aside from Aston, Riley is the one who really stands out with a lot of scenes showing how he navigates this world. There's also a buff jock with an interesting story, but most of the other guys are on screen for such a short time that they’re easy to forget. While the second season definitely gives you a bigger picture of the profession, the short format and constant switching between people makes it hard to really connect with anyone. It was still a fun watch, but it’s the kind of thing that’s pretty forgettable once you’ve finished it.

It's an entertaining look at the diverse world of online performing that offers more variety than the first season, but it loses some of its heart by trying to cover too many people at once. (4.5/10)

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