ClaireBell

Literally what the title says. The first episode was already perfect, from the beautiful cinematography and gorgeous music to the amazing actresses and the well-tied plot.

This GL doesn't feel childish or even "cringe", as some other series from the same genre do. It has its moments of humor, but the story is treated seriously and without ever becoming boring.

The character of Claire is very enchanting, with the visuals and storytelling all contributing so that her introduction is impactful and meaningful. The actresses are also great at pulling off these emotionally intense scenes, even without prior experience.

If the rest of the series keeps this same level of quality, this might become the best Thai GL out there.

It's really perfect, we need more GL series like this, the plot, the characters, the side plots, the story, the setting, everything is awesome and you brought all the characters together. I was really curious about the story of a character I'd only seen once. Whether main character or supporting character, they were all meticulously written. Waiting 7 days felt like 7 years. Do you know how many times I complained because they couldn't upload all the episodes at once?

I'm actually speechless. Like... THIS is how a GL series should be done!! The cinematography? Cinematic masterpiece. Every frame looks like a movie. The acting? So natural and emotional it didn't even feel like I was watching a show it felt real.

The chemistry between the leads is already insane and we're only one episode in 😭 The pacing, the dialogue, the visuals... everything screams PROFESSIONAL. You can tell the team really put their hearts into this project and it shows in every second.

We've been begging for quality GL representation for years bro 😭 I'm so obsessed already. If this is just episode 1 I can't even imagine what's coming next🤞🏻

Don't get me wrong - I love Thai shows, especially Thai GLs. There are so many amazing ones out there, some huge hits and others totally underrated. But let's be honest: Thai GLs often have that very recognizable "look." You can usually tell from a couple of screenshots that it's a Thai GL - and that's not a bad thing at all. It's part of their charm.

But Clairebell? It's not like the others.

It's really a Thai drama that happens to be a GL, and that is a complete game-changer. Everything about it feels fresh - the cinematography, the artistic direction, the color palette, even the OST. And that's a big deal. Most Thai GLs reuse the same type of background tracks (sang by the main couple), but Clairebell has its own original soundscape. The music isn't just "songs" - it's genuine score work that completely changes the atmosphere and emotional weight of each scene.

The visuals are stunning, the direction is beautiful, and the acting feels raw and real. There are no cringey slow-motion interactions, shiny lights, no overplayed moments - just natural chemistry and grounded performances. The first episode even gets quite intense at times, almost violent.

What's even more impressive is the behind-the-scenes story. The two main actresses - who are phenomenal - are completely new to acting. This is their first-ever project. The producers even invested their own money and built the entire prison set from scratch. That level of dedication and passion shows in every frame.

There's not a single weak actor among the main cast. Sure, there's a bit of comic relief here and there, which might not be for everyone, but it works within the tone of the show. And it's surprisingly graphic for this kind of series - another thing that sets it apart.

It's only been one episode, and I've already watched it three times. It's been so long since a show made me feel this excited again. Clairebell is raw, bold, and absolutely captivating. If you haven't checked it out yet - do it.

Finally a non cringe, adult show that doesn't rely on childish writing and actually feels thrilling. There isn't any other GLs so far besides maybe Petrichor and Pluto that have a darker and mature tone that doesn't feel like it's been written on wattpad.

3 episodes in and it's clear this is heads and shoulders above the rest in it's genre. The production quality, set design, acting, writing, and ESPECIALLY the music are sooo far above the usual slop that's produced. Even the good GL shows don't seem to come close to it in most of these aspects.

My favourite GL currently is Pluto and others like Us and Call me by no name are great but this is looking to take that spot if the quality continues. Every episode is providing some thrills and it doesn't even need to be a romance for the show to be good. Whereas all the other shows have that as the basis for engagement.

The main characters are really well acted, from Claire with her scary persona and softer side, to bell who is much more of a victim but the actress plays this character really well. Her crying scenes and general despair are felt and don't feel overacted at all unlike most other GL actresses. The 3Ds leader is also really surprisingly well written and her acting is amazing.

If I had some nitpicks so far, the prison doesn't seem too scary so far and theres really only 1 antagonistic force (3 Ds) and they aren't menacing at all. I hope we get more tension and scenarios that make the prison feel less safe and they flesh out the conflict a lot more because currently it's very basic reminiscent of school bullying. The choreography of fights is lackluster aswell. Though it's only been 3 episodes so this may improve.

8.5/10 so far.