I want him to be my first love and my last...
The Emergency Couple started with eloquent, fervent declarations of love and had the grand gesture of marriage between our main couple, but the story did not continue with a happily ever after. Instead, it explored what happened when love did not conquer all during the first round. The show's premise was about a second chance at love, focusing on a couple who got divorced and were thrown together again with their lives intertwined by a twist of fate.I found this plot appealing because it tackled various aspects of a relationship that otherwise would not be uncovered in a couple's first go-around. We don't get the thrill of watching the couple flirt, wondering when they will finally get together, and experiencing the big kiss. Instead, we get to see the more sobering effects of watching the marriage between the main couple fall apart in flashbacks throughout the show. There is a sense of discomfort when we find the couple, for frustrating reasons, could not make it work in the end.
That said, while there was some angst in this drama featuring Sean Jindachot and Bua Nalinthip, it was not an all-sob fest. Done with the flair that you would find only in lakorns, there was the feeling of hope and light silliness threaded throughout the episodes. The production of the show felt different, with a great vibe. The setting, pacing, lighting, and directing reminded me of American shows about doctors, but at the same time, had the Thai flavor. The show delivered the entertaining aspects of a workplace drama, served with the delicious anxiety of a romance story.
The major draw for me was the feeling of potential. The fact that there were redeeming qualities in the couple's relationship, as flawed as it may have been, suggested that it could be better than it once was and that the ex-husband and ex-wife could appreciate each other even more than they once did.
Pun Saksuan (Sean) and Punn Settan (Bua) portrayed a couple, divorced for six years, who found their paths crossing again as interns in a hospital. The play on the couple's first names must have been deliberate since the show took the opportunity to include scenes of confused identities. From the starting encounter, the viewers could tell that the story between them was not completely finished. The first few episodes highlighted their struggles in having to be in close proximity again and the messiness of their feelings of hurt and anger. There was some melodrama, featuring the typical annoying interfering (ex-)mother-in-law, but thankfully, the nang'ek (female lead) was not a screechy, clingy, crazy female. She was persistent indeed but still had dignity. The SML (second male lead) was tall, dark, and handsome. Sensitive and smart, I was rooting for the FL and SML quite a bit, especially when the ML (male lead) acted like a jerk initially.
As the story progressed, the couple rediscovered the lost love between them, and there were scenes set up to pull at the heartstrings. Lines blurred and crossed, romance wore different masks, and emotions were not as simple or neat as most of us like to believe. Mostly, the story development was fine, but something was lacking. I felt like I missed the turning point when the ML suddenly softened and decided he wanted to reconcile with the FL. The same thing happened with the second couple involving the SML, Mor' Gook (Dr. Cook), and Dr. May - they too had a history. Throughout most of the show, the plot hinted and teased at the attraction between the FL and the SML, but then, surprisingly and suddenly, feelings got redirected. I am not sure if scenes were cut or if it was simply some weak writing that did not connect the dots smoothly for me.
I have always liked Sean's acting, and his eyes are his biggest asset to me. It was again the case in this drama, where Sean delivered some great emotional scenes. Bua's characters tend to start off irritating but eventually become likable, and she did a great job during the poignant moments. The only drawback was that sometimes Bua faded into the background, with Sean drawing more attention. Still, together, they delivered good chemistry, and their visuals were, of course, attractive. Speaking of attractiveness, On Nophand Boonyai certainly caught my eye as the reserved attending surgeon responsible for the interns. Deliberately shown as scruffy, a doctor dedicated to his profession with no room for romance, he was the perfect choice to complete the love triangle of our main couple. Ultimately, he had his own story to complete with the lovely Dr. May, who was generally a wonderful character and by far the wisest and most mature among all. They too had their own second chance at love. While I was not satisfied with how the romance flowed among the characters, I was happy with the outcome.
The side characters added more interest, and the supporting cast did their jobs, some more exaggerated than others, but the over-acting was kind of expected in a Thai lakorn. The music soundtrack was not memorable for me, and I think it was pretty much one song throughout the show, along with some instrumental background music.
Overall, if you’re in the mood for watching romances rekindled with the push-and-pull and emotional turbulence that comes along with them, all set in an emergency room, and want a break from the typical Thai rom-com, this may be a good choice.
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