Nanon Korapat Kirdpan as Pran and Ohm Pawat Chittsawangdee as Pat in episode 2 of Bad Buddy

Bad Buddy – Episode 2 – Recap and Review

TL;DR Version:
Pat and Pran end up in more and more contact with one another as they work to keep their fighting friends apart. Because neither realizes the other lives across the hallway at the dorms there’s some comedic confusion about having crushes on each other. Pat and Pran seem to be getting closer anyway, when another fight breaks out between their friends.

Recap:
We get to see Pran and Pat’s morning routine in their new dorm rooms at the top of the episode. Pran gets up and has a leisurely and careful morning while Pat gets up at the last minute and sprays himself with deodorant. Despite getting up much later, Pat makes it out first and they don’t yet know they once again live across from one another.

The group fights continue. Still seemingly motivated by nothing more than a mutual desire to hit one another. Pat and Pran are in constant contact now though, thanks to exchanging info last episode, and are busy comically avoiding one another. But nothing can stop fate I guess, and the groups meet at a flimsy looking “sure to get knocked down soon” seating area/bus stop that manages to survive this scene at least, as Pat and Pran work fast and manage to keep the peace.

The fighting moves into the background as a mixed-up dinner leads Pran to give his neighbor across the way some drinks as apology for eating the whole thing. Pat misunderstands that there is a girl across the way hitting on him, and while saying he’ll play it cool, leaves “her” gifts and notes as well. The writing seems to be from a guy, but now both Pat and Pran are being teased by their group about the situation. Pat is being urged to get the girl, and Pran to take a chance on love with a guy.

Eager Pat invites his mysterious neighbor to the roof, where Pran quickly figures out what’s going on and decides to clue in Pat. Now things are more awkward because when both their friend groups come over they think the person across the hall is part of a love story. Things are nearly revealed by Pat’s pushy friends before he tells them it was a guy to get them to stop.

Pat and Pran want to hash it out and figure out what to do now, but a pointless fight is interrupted by Pat’s dad visiting. Pran reluctantly hides under the bed and gets his feelings hurt as Pat’s dad rehashes history and talks about Pran following Pat around. Pat is ready to apologize for his dad once he’s gone, but Pran says things are fine and he’ll move.

Pat visits his sister at what must be his and Pran’s old school, where he has a flashback to what led to Pran’s 3-year absence. They were playing music together at some kind of Christmas thing when Pran’s parents showed up and that was it. Everyone seems to feel this is Pat’s fault.

Feeling guilty, as his sister pointed out, Pat tries to stop Pran from moving so that he can take responsibility and move instead. They end up wrestling on the mattress and weird-out the real estate lady who doesn’t want people having sex in the empty rooms. (To her credit it seems like the sex that disturbs her and not the gender of those involved, which is fair.) Outside they continue to fight and I can’t follow what it’s about anymore and I’m not sure they can either.

Meanwhile, owing to a recent incident with Pran’s friend Wai, their departments get into a brawl and manage to destroy the flimsy seating area/bus stop in front of the camera. This means everyone will be in trouble in the next episode.

Thoughts:
I think the pointless fighting would be annoying, except that the show keeps things moving so well. It also forces Pran and Pat into this constant contact where they have to work together. Not that they seem that reluctant even with all the bickering.

In fact, I’m wondering if they didn’t already have stronger-than-friend feelings before Pran got sent away. I get more of a sense of it from Pran, when his friends were teasing him and from some of his thoughtful looks on the roof before he explained to Pat what was really going on. This may just be Pran being thoughtful and serious though.

I do continue to enjoy a good opposites attract romance. When the real estate lady discovered them and implied they shouldn’t have sex there, Pat was left laughing while Pran looked embarrassed. Pran does seem a little sad though and I wonder if there is more to the backstory still. Since this is only episode 2 it seems likely.