Drama Digest
Bad Genius is the reflection of the cheating that occurs in a Thai society at different levels. It is about a national exam cheating scandal based on the movie of the same name, which was in turn based on real events. The story revolves around Lin, Bank, Pat and Grace. Lin who is a prodigy is motivated by revenge against the school, and hopes to reclaim the money his father had given the headmistress. Bank is a dutiful son who is forced to cheat because of his fate. Pat is from a wealthy family who cheats to succumb to the pressures of parental expectations. Grace’s motives are unclear but she plays a key role in the plan.
The Feel-Good Part
The series is a successful remake of the film as it captures the essence of the story quite well while not being redundant, which is refreshing to see in a remake. Since the show is twelve episodes long, there is more time to delve into the backstory of the characters and develop them through the run time, which gives the audience a rich set of protagonists that are almost as interesting to watch as the thrilling aspects of the show. Its long form narrative structure allows the show to be more than just a cheating scandal; it touches on themes of family, betrayal and friendship, which really enriches the core story. The show has many unexpected twists and turns that are guaranteed to keep the viewers on the edge of their seats. The show gets quite intense especially since the audience is able to get invested in the story and its characters quite early on. The series also has good pacing as it has the time to space major events, the movie had a lot going on in a short period of time, and hence the story for the series may be a lot more consistent than the film for some members of the audience. The technical aspects of cinematography and editing are well-executed, which makes the show all the more enjoyable to watch.
The Disappointing Factor
The characters from the series are quite different from the one on the show in terms of personality, which may disappoint viewers who were fans of the film as they may have had expectations of the exact same traits of the film characters as the names remain the same for both media pieces. Some people may be disappointed as they may have been expecting a continuation of the film rather than a retelling in the form of a series.
In-Depth Analysis
The show is extremely well-executed and delivers on all the promises it makes as a thrilling piece of media. The characters are well-written and the growth is incredibly well-paced, which really gives depth to the cheating scandal. The audience is likely to have strong emotional investment in the show right from the get-go.
Star Power
All the performances were excellent. All the actors have delivered their characters with great nuance. Their performances can go toe-to-toe with established actors like Chutimon Cheungcharoer who starred in the movie.
Overall Opinion
Bad Genius is a must-watch for both- fans of the film and those who haven’t watched the film alike as it has a lot of new elements to offer that weren’t covered in the film.
