The On1y One Review: Slow-Burn That Ends Before It Begins
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Excuse me? What was that ending? This show ends at a point where the story reaches its turning point, the interval part, the 5th episode if it were a ten-part series. Here’s how one can summarize “The On1y One”: two classmates are forced to live in the same house when their parents start seeing each other, and just as they begin to like each other, one of them is transferred to another class. The end.
Directed by Liu Kuang Hui (), the Taiwanese series “The On1y One” is based on a novel called “Mou Mou” (某某) by Mu Su Li. It stars Liu Dong Qin as Sheng Wang, a teenager whose father is often moving due to his job, so he moves to a new school where he meets the serious, asocial topper Jiang Tian (Benjamin Tsang), who also turns out to be his new stepbrother. Those who liked the Chinese drama “Addicted” will most likely enjoy this slow-burn show about friendship, family, academics, and love.
Jiang Tian and Sheng Wang’s school segregates students based on their grades, so they are both in a competitive class full of toppers, and because Sheng Wang is new, he works hard to adapt to the new syllabus. Some viewers might find the generous focus on classwork, exams, and the curriculum excessive, but it was a refreshing change to see the high school banter revolving around school subjects and activities. Sheng Wang makes a whole bunch of new friends, and they often hang out and have fun. The only subplot that did feel unnecessary to me was the one focusing on a potential romance between some of the teachers at school.
Visually, the show is well-shot and recreates a fun ‘back-to-school’ vibe. Even though Liu Dong Qin looks too old to be a high school student, he surprisingly captures the nuances of a studious teen who is confused about his evolving feelings very convincingly. Benjamin Tsang’s Jiang Tian is a slightly more complex character, who is estranged from both his parents, and he reluctantly moves into Sheng Wang’s home. It’s perhaps crush at first sight for Jiang Tian, who was instantly enamored by the handsome Sheng Wang, before even knowing they might be related in some way, however, flashbacks reveal why Jiang Tian has issues getting close to anybody and prefers keeping to himself. Regardless, Jiang Tian gets increasingly protective of Sheng, and both youngsters are torn over the growing proximity.
Despite a generous 12 episodes and sparkling chemistry between its leads, “The On1y One” ends with the most random, abrupt endings, which makes one wonder if these 12 episodes were always intended to be a part one of the story. The ending left me feeling very deceived and I hope there is going to be a season two soon.
You can watch the series on Netflix, iQIYI, Apple TV+, Viki or WeTV.
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