Gap the Series Review: Is it a Genuine Girls’ Love Narrative?

Review of Episode 1

Gap the Series is probably the first mainstream/ commercial series which talks about lesbian love. It is a Thai series starring Becky Armstrong and Freen Sarocha Chankimha. The director of the series is Nuttapong Wongkaveepairoj and is the adaptation of a novel of the same name by Devil Planoy. This is a review of the first episode of Gap the Series. So, is it a genuine GL narrative? Yes and No.

The BL narratives are said to be written by women for a large number of female readers/ audiences. The majority of GL narratives are also said to be written by women. But when it comes to screen adaptations, the technicians are largely male. This works well for BL stories but we cannot say the same about GL stories.

So, how much of the lesbian experience can they showcase when the director of a girls’ love narrative is a man. Gap the Series is a great attempt in bringing a lesbian love story on to the screen. And they are partially successful as far as the lesbian experience is concerned.

The series obviously has a huge scale in production and the visuals are absolutely stunning. You can really see the effort that the makers have put into the production. Every frame is bright and pleasing to look at. Gap the Series also does not just focus on the love story. It definitely talks about the internal turmoil of the protagonist who is in love with a girl.

The series also really scores in the grave topics discussed. It addresses what it means to be an ambitious woman and how society (often represented by family) is hostile towards them. There is also a discussion on sexism when one of the protagonists is told to get married and have children. This is even more relevant because the said protagonist falls in love with a woman.

The Cast

The cast including the supporting actors is amazing. Becky Armstrong plays the character Mon with so much grace and empathy. Freen Sarocha Chankimha really stands out as Sam. She kind of has to play this dual personality like character with different shades. But she totally nails and is the perfect cast for that character. She exudes an assertive, arrogant aura as she plays the boss in her office and is vulnerable and broken when she is at home. She is very mysterious and probably has an unfortunate past. The actor is brilliant and her eyes says it all.

The Stereotypes

However, there are some stereotypical aspects that could have been avoided. For example, the production design in Mon’s room; everything is so pink and colorful to the point that we cannot help but feel, is that what people think the rooms of girls will be? Her costumes are also annoyingly ‘girly.’ But while talking about these stereotypes, we have to credit the makers for not bringing the short-haired, smoking lesbian with tattoos and piercings. Because that is how lesbians are usually stereotyped in pop culture.

The storyline is also something that we have seen a million times before. There is no authentic lesbian experience here and it is not necessarily an original GL story. We have seen this before in BL narratives.

Read more; https://mydramalist.com/707221-gap

The humor scenes fall flat in most instances. Other than that the mood created in the series is amazing. It is sometimes vibrant and sometimes sad. The series has brought in a really interesting emotional blend in execution. Overall, Gap the Series is definitely worth a watch.