Summer didn’t give us a lot to say, but we ALWAYS got something to say. Ben, NiNi and Shan talk a highlight of the season, Twig reports from the field, and we award summer’s Girl Who Tried. Episode transcript available here. 00:00:00 Welcome 00:01:15 Introduction 00:02:21 Twig’s Dispatch 00:14:24 Spotlight: Tadaima Okaeri 00:20:34 Girl, You Tried 00:27:08 Celebrating 50 Episodes

School's in at GMMTV, but we gotta put two series in detention for not fulfilling the assignment. The actors were charming, but the finishes were...rough. Ben, NiNi and Ginny talk 23.5 and Only Boo, the merits of high school stories, and the specific challenges of telling stories about queer high schoolers. Episode transcript available here. 00:00:00 Welcome 00:01:15 Introduction 00:02:18 23.5: Early Reactions 00:14:18 23.5: Supporting Characters 00:21:27 23.5: Frustration with the...

Second chance romances, long-term pining, and their roles in queer narratives are our JAM, so we gotta talk about how two Japanese BLs should have been 10s but absolutely flopped for us. Ben, NiNi and Twig talk Love Is Better The Second Time Around and Living With Him. Join us to break down what it's like to watch a show fall apart in real time. Episode transcript available here. 00:00:00 Welcome 00:01:15 Introduction 00:02:38 Love Is Better The Second Time Around: What Worked 00:13:31...

It's been awhile since we checked in on Taiwan, and the latest offerings have really run the gamut in terms of quality. Ben, NiNi, and Shan sat down to discuss the state of Taiwanese BL via two recent shows, Anti Reset and Unknown. Episode transcript available here. 00:00:00 Welcome 00:01:15 Introduction 00:02:11 Anti Reset and VBL 00:13:13 Unknown the Series 00:20:16 Unknown: The Pseudo Incest Trope 00:27:53 Unknown: San Pang, Li Li, and Family in the Narrative 00:35:48 Unknown: The...

In our Spring Lagniappe, Ben and NiNi and friend of the pod Twig answer some questions, drive-by some pulps, and award the season's 'Girl, You Tried'. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/751828830310760448/spring-2024-lagniappe?source=share] 00:00:00 Welcome 00:01:15 Inbox: Comparing Cherry Magic Adaptations 00:10:17 Inbox: Remaking Het Romances into QL 00:16:04 Catch Up Corner: Young Royals season 3 00:21:23 Catch Up Corner: Man...

Japan is churning them out almost faster than we can keep up, so we dedicated a whole grab bag episode to give them the attention they're asking for. Ben, NiNi, Ginny and Shan talk what's working and what's not in Japanese BL as we discuss Sahara-sensei to Toki-kun, One Room Angel, Perfect Propose, Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro Ka, I Want To See Only You and I Became the Star of a BL Drama. Episode transcript available here....

BL is really leaning into genre in a big way, and we're too big nerds to let that go uncommented upon. Ben, NiNi, Ginny and Shan talk some successes and failures in genre blending over the winter season in Playboyy, 7 Days Before Valentine, Dead Friend Forever and Love For Love's Sake. **TW for Dead Friend Forever: discussions of violence and gore** **TW for Love For Love's Sake: discussions of suicide and self-harm** Episode transcript available here....

Thai BL has been suffering some...performance issues lately, so we're diving into why these shows can't seem to keep it up. Ben and NiNi talk Last Twilight and The Sign with friends of the pod Aiden and Captain Hands. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/749926703983443968/roses-thorns-and-buds-a-last-twilight-and-the?source=share] 00:00:00 Welcome 00:01:15 Introduction 00:03:54 Last Twilight: Roses and Thorns 00:09:35 Last Twilight: Failed...

Japan said it's GL time and we said YES. Ben, NiNi and Ginny talk Chaser Game W and She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/749112935687847936/lets-go-lesbians-a-japanese-gl-episode?source=share] 00:00:00 Welcome 00:01:15 Introduction 00:02:41 Chaser Game W: A Flop 00:18:31 She Loves To Cook, and She Loves To Eat 00:23:14 SLTCSLTE: The Women 00:34:18 SLTCSLTE: Yako and The New House 00:39:17 SLTCSLTE: The...

Another day, another Japanese sequel. Ben, NiNi and new friend of the pod Twig talk Ossan's Love, being influenced by fandom reactions and Old Man Yaoi. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/748486190269923328/dispatch-the-ossans-love-episode?source=share] 00:00:00 Welcome 00:01:15 Introduction and Some Context 00:06:25 Ossan's Love History and Summary 00:13:42 The Characters 00:28:23 Love or Dead and In The Sky 00:39:00 Ossan's Love...

GMMTV's OGs came out to play! Ben, NiNi and Shan talk Cooking Crush, Cherry Magic Thailand and how a decade of experience makes a difference with Off/Gun and Tay/New. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/747834779623391232/the-pillars-the-return-of-offgun-and-taynew?source=share] 00:00:00 Welcome 00:01:15 Intro 00:03:58 Cooking Crush: A surprisingly good romcom 00:08:02 CC: Comedy ain't easy 00:16:59 CC: Dynamite's queer writing and Ten as a rare...

Welcome back, it's spring! Winter once again left us with a lot to ponder, and ponder we shall. Ben and NiNi tease what's in store this season. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/747218135483121664/ben-and-nini-spring-2024-teaser-spring-2024?source=share]

Ben, NiNi, Ginny and Shan look back at 2023 and ahead to 2024 in QL. Episode transcript available here. 00:00:00 Welcome 00:01:15 Introduction 00:03:24 Question: Holding back takes for the podcast 00:05:39 Question: Under-discussed topics in the discourse 00:12:44 Question: The draw of Japanese BL 00:20:45 Question: Stories about older characters 00:25:22 Question: Cross-country adaptations 00:31:21 Question: Biggest wins and losses of the bl industry in 2023 00:36:38 Question: The...

The Second Annual Very Important Internet BL Awards are here! In Part 5, Ben and NiNi award standouts that didn't quite fit into the QL genre but were just too good to NOT award. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/740683579544256512/the-viib-awards-2024-special-class?source=share] 00:00 Welcome 01:23 Introduction 03:03 Interlude: The Beach - Moonlight (2016) 04:18 Honourable Mention: The Day I Loved You 10:26 Honourable Mention: Chen Yi and...

The Second Annual Very Important Internet BL Awards are here! In Part 4, Ben and NiNi award 2023's Best of the Best. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/740530190357331968/the-viib-awards-2024-top-tings?source=share] 00:00 Welcome 01:23 Introduction 02:29 Interlude: The very best in nosy neighbours - Big Eden (2000) 03:02 Best GL 05:03 Best Genre Romance 10:18 Best Workplace Romance 16:02 Best Second Chance Romance 21:20 Best High School...

The Second Annual Very Important Internet BL Awards are here! In Part 3, Ben and NiNi get nerdy in the episode we look forward to most all year. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/740421559761747968/the-viib-awards-2024-immortal-technique?source=share] 00:00 Welcome 01:23 Introduction 02:34 Interlude: Making a movie, Eddie Mannix style - Hail, Caesar! (2016) 03:57 Best OST Song 10:03 Best Music 16:35 Best Production 22:13 Best...

The Second Annual Very Important Internet BL Awards are here! In Part 2, Ben and NiNi award the 2023 ships with real wind in their sails. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/740330360977702912/the-viib-awards-2024-ships-ahoy?source=share] 00:00 Welcome 01:23 Introduction 02:19 Interlude: Mr. Darcy proposes - Pride and Prejudice (1995) 03:19 Best Ghost Ship 07:11 Best Friendship 12:10 Best SIde Ship 21:10 Best Main Ship 27:49 Outro

The Second Annual Very Important Internet BL Awards are here! In Part 1, Ben and NiNi award the actors and actresses who stood out among a crowded field in 2023. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/740238151164067840/the-viib-awards-acting-by-ben-and-nini?source=share] 00:00 Welcome 01:23 Introduction 04:43 Interlude: Norma's ready for her close-up - Sunset Boulevard (1950) 05:29 Rising Star 08:59 Best Cast 12:49 Best Pair 17:03 Best...

We gotta clear the decks ahead of the VIIB Awards, so it's a grab bag episode! Ben, NiNi and Shan talk a bunch of shows that we couldn't NOT talk about, and award the fall's Girl You Tried. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/740060316509044737/tens-and-chops-vol-1-a-grab-bag-episode?source=share] 00:01:15 Tens and Chops 00:04:20 Kiseki: Dear To Me 00:12:20 Dangerous Romance 00:26:05 Love In Translation 00:41:14 I Cannot Reach You 00:54:43 My...

A second season provided the perfect excuse for us to finally GEEK OUT about our very top show. Ben and NiNi talk all things What Did You Eat Yesterday? Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/739602595178594304/om-nom-nom-the-what-did-you-eat-yesterday?source=share] 01:15 What Did You Eat Yesterday?: The Granddaddy 12:08 Favorite Episodes 19:22 The Show that Keeps Coming Back 24:57 Season 2: Mortality, Family, and Hets 43:10 WDYEY? is So Gay and...

It was an uneven year for Tee Bundit, but he clearly saved his best for last. Ben, NiNi and Ginny talk the epic romanticism of I Feel You Linger In The Air. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/739243878275792896/swoon-the-i-feel-you-linger-in-the-air-episode?source=share] 01:20 I Feel You Linger in the Air: Big Damn Romance 21:35 Depictions of Intimacy 30:21 Head v. Heart 37:37 Beyond the Romance and Story Integration 49:15 Anticipating the...

It's the Only Friends episode and David is back! Ben, NiNi and David start the year talking about six f****d up boys, and how frustrating fandom can be. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/738968288664731648/bottom-dementia-the-only-friends-episode?source=share] 00:00 Introduction 01:20 Only Friends and What We Liked 13:47 What We Wanted from the Show 26:40 Where the Story Breaks Down 38:40 Bottom Dementia™ 47:38 Do Not Take Only Friends...

Fall gave us a few absolute bangers and an assortment of fair-to-flops. We're ready to talk about them all with some very special guests, give out our VIIB Awards, and look back at 2023 one last time. Episode transcript available here. [https://www.tumblr.com/the-conversation-pod/738604275548192768/winter-2024-teaser?source=share]