Analog Squad

This is the third Thai series I felt compelled to do a blog on this year and there were a few other good Thai films accessed on Netflix.  I think Netflix is on to a good thing.

As the series begins we meet up with four people.  We learn that each of the two younger have not met the other three prior to getting together.  The older women admits she used to be the girl friend of the older man but that he dumped her to marry another woman who left him and took their two kids.  The older man, Pond had learned his father was dying and although he had not seen him in twenty years he wanted to show his father his wife and two children before he died. In effect he had hired three actors. 

It turns out the younger woman balks at what she considers a lie.  Talked into it she and the other two talk briefly to the father, a man they have never met.  From this point it is difficult to see how cast and crew could justify seven more episodes, but there are lots of surprises  There is a lot of humor, but also time for reflection on relationships, lies and misunderstandings.

Relations develop between all four and beyond. The actors chosen are all engaging.

I also left out that this scenario happens leading up to the Y2K crisis.  You might recall there was a great fear that the whole internet was built without concern what would happen when the dating system tipped to 2000.  Disaster was predicted by many.  Fortunately there was a lot of effort to avoid the expected disaster, but nobody was certain that our dependence on the internet wouldn't lead to an apocalypse. 

You can anticipate a happy ending, but not necessarily with every fantasy detail.  

 This is good series by any standards.  Here are some of those responsible for it. 

Nalina Chaysombat was the director and a producer.  Prior to this series she had been an assistant director and a producer for 3 films. 

Nithiwat Tharatorn is listed as a creator and a screenwriter.  He has five writing credits including "The Teacher's Diary"  (2014) which was made into a Bollywood remake, "Notebook" (2019).

Aummaraporn Phandintong is also listed as a creator and a screenwriter.  She has 11 film credits.

Noachai Chaiyanam played Pond, the father.  He has been involved in commercials, music videos and graphic design.  He has 26 film credits as actor including "Delete" (2023) and "Hunger" (2023).  He has also been a director for 5 films.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/05/hunger-interesting-movie-from-thailand.html

Kritssanapoom Pibulsonggram plays Keg.  He had been a guitarist with a boy band.  He has 19 film credits including "In Family We Trust" (2018).  Check http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/09/in-family-we-trust.html

Namfon Kullanat Preeyawat played Lilly.  She has 6 film credits.

Wipawee Patasiri plays Bung.  This was her third film credit.

Yoko Takano played Papae, a former nude model and the mother of Keg.   She has 6 film credits.

Available in subtitled or dubbed platform on Netflix.